August 8,2017 Email ;D

Hello hello!!

Yesterday was BC day, so we emailed today!! I asked a couple of people what BC day is all about in transit to start conversations...they didn't really know what is was....but that's okay! Because I knew about a different message that could change their lives! ;)

The sun is shining out here in Vancouver! And it's RED!! Because of the forest fires going on all over British Colombia...apparently you can see them from space...the air is full of smoke and the sun is red! It's crazy! Some people are even wearing masks and there are people warning us every day not to go running or anything because the air is dirty. Whether it is related to the muggy air or not, we also hit a record here in Van City! 36 degrees!!! Apparently, it hasn't gotten that hot here since the 1900s or something. I don't remember the year, but a lady on the bus was very excited about it! ;)

Update on my missionary wardrobe: I have 3 pairs of proselyting shoes and all 3 now have holes in the bottom! :P They are my "holy" shoes. ;)

We had a wonderful meal with a sweet older lady in the ward who was baptized about 15 years ago. She fed us some mystery meat Chinese food..it tasted good! She's Filipino and didn't want to cook, so she picked up some food and heated it up...packaging was in Chinese so...we all learned together! Sister Kim swears that it was all chicken except the short ribs...but I've had a lot of chicken in my life and I don't think I've had at least that particular part of the chicken....who knows! Tasted good! ;) As we were eating, she looked at me and said quite seriously "Do they sell chocolate in Utah?" OF COURSE!! I say, we love chocolate!! She was appalled! Since our religion is so prominent in Utah, and chocolate has caffeine in it, she was shocked that the state would sell chocolate! We had quite the interesting conversation. :) To say the least!

My spiritual thought today has to do with the above picture.. I bought this watch last P-day, because mine broke, and while riding the skytrain home I realized that the second hand was broken! What the...? I just bought it like an hour ago! Instead of taking it back, I decided to keep it. It still works, after all! But I was really thinking about that second hand...and I felt another little analogy coming on. :) Lately, I have been SO STRESSED about where I need to be, who I need to be talking to, I need to use EVERY SINGLE SECOND of Heavenly Father's time wisely!! That's true..every second is precious, but I realized that I wasn't living in the moment. I would be talking to someone on the bus, and be glancing out of the corner of my eye every other second at the front of the bus where it says what stop is next. When my second hand broke, I had to go minute-to-minute instead of second-to-second. A lot changed this week in my conversations with people as I really took this to heart! How much of our lives do we spend counting seconds instead of living every minute of our lives to the fullest capacity? I truly have seen a difference from living each minute of my days this week and plan to use each second of Heavenly Father's time wisely...as I focus on each minute!

I am so grateful for every second that Heavenly Father gives us, and for every minute that I am able to spend as a missionary here in the Canada Vancouver mission!! There are miracles around every corner, and I am so blessed to be a part of them! I love you all and I love my mission! Have an amazing week!

love,

Sister Van Valkenburg

Sister Kim made me some Korean food! Korean rice, egg, and seaweed! Did I mention that we have an entire cupboard dedicated to her seaweed? True story!!


Went to Chipotle for the first time in my life! It was delicious!! I will admit, though....I'm still a Café Rio girl at heart. ;) <3