"I like trains . . ."

 10 March 2025

大家好！Hello Friends!

This week did indeed feel like getting hit by a freightliner. I started to say, “Wow, I think this is getting better,” and then life said, “...I can fix that!” 

So, I now have moved out of the Mandarin [ward in Calgary] to Lethbridge, Alberta, which is just an hour away from Cardston. It is an old train hub, so that adds to the fun. I don't know how long I'll be here, and I just hope that I get to go back to the Mandarin ward before I leave Southern Alberta f o r e v e r. . . There are a lot of people from Africa in Lethbridge, for some reason, so I may have to learn Swahili and Kinyarwanda during language study as well!

 

Elder Ferrin is my new companion. He is so Cool! He is very energetic, and he knows how to do a lot of cool random things. (He made a blow-dart last week out of a curtain rod.)

We met some sweet kids this week, who came to church! One kid has a dad who is a member, but his cousin Bentley is not a member, and he was excited to hear about what church was. We were actually at the dad's apartment for dinner on Thursday, and it was surprisingly wholesome for the amount of Monster trucks that were all over the room and playing on the Xbox.

Met a guy named Stephan from Brit-land, who said he works with the richest guys in the world. He's a well-read Bible enthusiast, who didn't even bash us over the head with scriptures or anything. I wish I had a picture with him.

A youth leader said some stuff that was really profound, and here's my best to quote it:
“Adam and Eve knew what the forbidden fruit was and still chose to eat it. They chose to leave the Garden for a life that was difficult. Some people out there are angry about that choice, but they don't understand that we were never meant to stay in the Garden. We were built for this.”

This is a common pattern I notice in all inspiring stories. Bilbo leaves the Hobbit hole for the Blue Mountain. My companion leaves his bed every morning for the doors he knocks. Jesus left his friends for Gethsemane. We always leave Eden and pass through Calvary in order to get to Zion. Go do something good but uncomfortable this week! You will find great reward for yourself if you do this.

Stay Warm Everyone! Love you all!
Elder Baer 熊长老

照片：
 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/yBaTy1Mc3BcoogrG6

Elder Ferrin & I

THE Lethbridge

Porcupine in a tree! Can you spot it?

Gift from the dad mentioned earlier

"Get [into] my church!"

 [Title may reference this clip from Robin Hood.]

 大家好！Hello Friends!

Our church meeting yesterday was miraculous! Here's a few background details for reference

Yunxin agreed to hear a short message after some individual English Practice we've been doing with another member (blessings for Les 🙌). We were trying to answer a question about Prophets and authority by mentioning how Jesus needed authority to heal the sick and raise the dead….and her expression changed instantly. Her usual “company manners” smile was replaced by a jaw-drop look of shock and bewilderment, “He Did that!?” We were delighted to see her later at church sitting next to our English translator Kato.

Cyrus has started meeting with us more frequently as of last week. When we shared about Keeping the Sabbath day holy by coming to church, he explained “I would love to take my wife to church, but she often has to take her car to her work on Sunday.” We promised to get him a ride, and we were surprised to see that Brother Britten managed to help him get to church!

Sean is a member who moved from Fort McMurray (Way up in the tundra). He's actually from Cambodia but he speaks mandarin well and English fluently. He said he's had some trouble with his employer not paying Him, So we planned to help him meet Kato who had a similar experience last year. Instead Kato was occupied (see above) and Sean sat next to Brother Britten. Immediately after the meeting Brother Britten says “So I’m the Stake Employment specialist and so what I do…” and he helped out Sean the rest of the day

Miracles truly happen even in this “Telestial world” we are in right now that sometimes seems extremely far from the Glory of God. Yet based on our Prophets recent messages, we don't world in which we live. By going to the Lord's House and preparing for His coming, we can learn to live a Celestial life like the Lord himself Lived. Through our covenant relationships with God we can learn how to turn our world from Telestial to Celestial, no matter what our circumstances may be. (As we learn from Brigham H. Roberts description of Liberty Jail as a “prison-temple,” even the most miserable experiences of our lives can exalt us when we choose to “Think Celestial”) Think of something you can do this week to help your world become more Celestial, and as you put in the effort to do so you will see more glorious light come into your life!

Stay Warm Everyone! Love you all!
Elder Baer 熊长老

照片：
https://photos.app.goo.gl/yBaTy1Mc3BcoogrG6
 

Hot pot with a member

Sticky rice dumplings w pork

Calgary at night

“A thief in the night”