Our capture the flag team last week. We were the winning team 3/3 games. The losers didnt want a picture.
Monday, September 15, 2014
15 September 2014
Crazy to hear about all the flooding in Moapa Valley! I hope the clean up is going well and those effected have been able to salvage some stuff at least. Although that much rain is not necessary, I sure am looking forward to the smell of the rain in the desert. It just doesnt smell the same here, although its far more frequent.
This week has been so. stinkin. busy. But it's been great and I've learned a lot. On Tuesday night, there was a special Europe area women's broadcast, with talks from Elder Texeira, Elder and Sister Hallstrom, Sister Kearon (wife of Elder Kearon of the area presidency), Elder Bednar and Elder Ballard. It was broadcast from Germany, and it was amazing. Such powerful talks about tying our hearts to the Saviour, and not lowering our standards for anything. Elder Bednar's talk especially hit home with me. He talked about the empowerment that comes from the Atonement. Gave the example of Nephi, when he was bound by his brothers, he didn't pray for something to happen to his brothers to make them free him, and he didnt pray for the ropes to magically become untied, he prayed for the strength to burst the bands by which he was bound. Just like Nephi, we need to not pray to be acted upon, but pray for added strength and help to be able to act.
Tuesday I was also on an exchange with a sister who has been out for just a few months from Japan. She is so sweet, but communication is SO HARD for her. I am so extremely blessed to have been called to serve in English, because I don't think I'd have the patience with myself to learn another language. She is doing really well, but it is a slow go.
On Thursday we were in London all day long for a mission leadership conference. All sister training leaders, zone leaders, and district leaders were there to be trained on different aspects of leadership. I loved this meeting! And they fed us taco salad for lunch so double bonus! Sister Jordan had us STL's help with a training on how to work more effectively with sisters. It might come as a shock to you, but teenage boys sometimes struggle with the right way to communicate with women effectively hahaha. It was a hilarious training, started off by a really funny video called "Its not about the nail" Look it up on YouTube. There was also a training on how leadership assignments in the church are meant to give us an opportunity to grow and change, and if by the end of our service we are not changed, we didn't do it right. Its a great principle for any leadership position, not just for mission leadership.
Friday I went to Colchester with this sister named Sister Welc. She is from Brazil and she is AWESOME! We had a lot of fun. Colchester is the closest ward to Ipswich, so lots of the people there are either related to or friends with the members in my ward, so it was fun to interact with them. We taught this Chinese student named Vincent, and he is really solid! He committed to be baptized in October. I'm always so happy when I get to be just a tiny little part of the teaching process of investigators in other areas to help them get to baptism.
Saturday was the big day, Mario's baptism! He was so excited, I will send pictures of his FB statuses on how excited/nervous he was. The program did not really go as planned, but the water was hot, the priesthood was there, and the baptism happened and thats all that matters. That will very likely be the last baptism of someone I've taught that I will get to see on my mission. It was a special evening, and Mario is just really excited to get to pay it forward and baptize others :)
Yesterday we had Colin (the chap that disappeared for a while but now is back) and Danie at church, and it was great! They are both so good. I love the people we are teaching, I love the ward, and I just love all the missionaries I serve with. I really didn't understand what love meant until I came on a mission. But nowadays I am just filled to bursting with love for the people of England. It will break my heart to leave them.
Also yesterday we were walking through town and I saw this really cute little Polynesian family in front of us and I was thinking, "They are so cute, I want to teach them." And before we could stop them, they were like "Sisters!" Apparently they are members that just moved here like a year ago and have not been out to church yet. I'm excited to get to know them and help them!
I hope everyone has a great week and sees lots of miracles! Go share the gospel!
Monday, September 8, 2014
8 September 2014
17 months of missionary work + really ridiculous chest cold = I am really really really tired.
So those are the two big things to have happened this week. I hit my 17 month mark and I have been sick pretty much all week. It hasnt been too bad though. I've had a really annoying cough/stuffy head, but it hasnt really made me miserable or unable to go out and work. So that was a blessing. The only time it slowed me down was Saturday morning because I had a really bad night Friday night, so we spent a few hours at the flat getting me rested up and downing lots of ginger and lemon tea (which is nasty, btw). I've still got the cough going on, but I'm on the mend I think. I hope.
Even though I was poorly most of the week, we got lots accomplished this week. Found a lot of new investigators, and had a lot of success in helping those we are already teaching to progress. We will have a baptism this Saturday of a young guy named Mario who is absolutely brilliant. He is so faithful and wants very badly to do the right thing all the time! We are excited for him! His friend Danie, our investigator that introduced us to Mario, will be joining him in baptism in a few weeks from now. They are both excellent!
So on Monday we didnt end up getting to go to Lavenham (Godric's Hollow). Still on the schedule for sometime this transfer, but it was better that we didnt go on Monday because it was raining a bunch and that wouldnt be very fun. Instead we went to dinner at the home of this family that just moved here from Arizona and their house is EPIC. Its this 700 year old little English cottage, with a massive garden and an ancient wood burning stove and stuff. Really cool. Their daughter Carissa is most likely going to be at school with me in January, so we got excited about that. She plays fiddle, so we are forming a band haha.
Most of the week went pretty standard, just finding and teaching. I read a talk about being a "testifying and challenging" missionary, meaning making the focus of each lesson bringing the Spirit by testifying and then challenging them to act on that Spirit with commitments. It really makes a difference. There is a lot more power in a testimony than in an intricate explanation of a principle.
Saturday we had the best miracle EVER! It is one that I have been praying for for about 5 weeks now. So last transfer we started teaching this guy that was absolutely golden. He is just finishing his masters degree, he is super intelligent and very receptive. He even asked if he needed to go on a mission after baptism, explaining that it would not be a problem he just needed to shift his life plans around a bit. Like, the investigator that every missionary dreams of. But then he hosed our 4th appointment with him. And didnt answer our calls or texts. We genuinely thought he had died. Sister Formica and I were so sad. We kept trying him and kept praying for him all last transfer, but no word from him. Saturday night I tried calling again because it had been about a week, and he actually answered! He said he would come to church with us in the morning, but when the morning rolled around he didnt show up and didnt answer his phone.
At that point I was really rather annoyed. I think that is the only thing that really gets to me, is when someone tells you they will be somewhere like less than 24 hours before, and then when it gets to the actual time they stand you up and arent even considerate enough to call or text to say nevermind. I think people think they are being nice when they say yes and dont show up, but they are really being more rude that way. So I was a bit annoyed. But then on the way home from church we got a text from him apologized profusely an saying we could meet up that afternoon. And we met up and it was brilliant! Apparently he ran into some anti- Mormon literature, which is bound to happen at some point in life, an it made him have doubts. But he felt really touched by our persistence in calling him, like we actually care about him and that we feel our message is important for him, and thats what made him decide to meet up again. He is a really nice guy, and I love teaching him, so I'm really excited he's back. Pray hard for him, he is really trying to find the right spiritual path for himself.
So today for PDay we are doing a big game of capture the flag at the chrurch. With nerf guns. Its going to be really really fun. We have an exchange tomorrow and then on Thursday we are in London all day for a meeting. On Friday I go to Colchester for another exchange, and then Saturday is Mario's baptism! Should be a jam-packed week!
Love you all, hope you enjoy your week and see lots of miracles!
Monday, September 1, 2014
1 September 2014
It's been a great week, not much to report on. Wednesday was my last moves, and it was kind of sad because I was hoping to see a lot of people I need to see before leaving but none of them were switching at the station I switched at. It was sad to leave Sister Formica, but I was excited to pick up Sister Eastin.
Sister Eastin is from Pheonix, AZ. She's about my height too, so I'm finally back to having a short companion :) She loves all things nerdy, like me, so we have a lot of in depth discussion on the deeper meaning behind Harry Potter story lines and stuff. Shes great! She is my youngest (in the mission) companion I've ever had, she just hit her year mark last month. So that's pretty cool!
On Thursday we went back into London for MLC. Best part of the month really. It is always such an inspirational and uplifting meeting. That took up our whole day on Thursday.
The rest of the week was finding, finding finding. Not because we don't have a teaching pool, but because they are all out of town this week. So we are working on finding new investigators. It wasn't extremely fruitful, but we did find a few good people.
On Sunday, President and Sister Jordan came and spoke in our ward. It was so excellent. I just love listening to them speak! They also taught the 5th Sunday lesson on retention, and I think it helped a lot. This ward is so missionary focused, and it was a good refresher on how to help the people that come into the church stay there. Shanice was asked to bear her testimony in sacrament meeting. That always makes me so happy, listening to her talk about how the gospel has impacted her life.
Our investigators Danie and Mario, the two young men preparing for baptism next week, are doing excellent! I love teaching them, they are excellent. Its a bit like teaching Primary children, they are just really accepting and wanting to do the right thing. They are excited to be baptised next week!
Today for PDay we are going out to this village called Lavenham which is apparently where they shot the scenes for Godric's Hollow in the 7th Harry Potter film. It is going to be brilliant!
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
P.S. it has been raining for like 24 hours straight. Happy Bank Holiday weekend.
Miriam, one of my favourite ladies EVER!
FHE last week with Sister Watson (in the green) and two investigators, a mother and daughter.
26 August 2014
Alright, the big news. My fate for the last six weeks of my mission. First of all, it was pretty much everyones assumption that I would be leaving and getting released as STL and definitely that was my prediction as well but....
I'm staying in Ipswich!!!!!!!!
I am so ecstatic! Man, I am so spoiled. I really was wishing I could stay but not assuming I would. But I get to! I'm feeling very blessed. I will be getting a sister named Sister Danielle Eastin from Arizona. Which is funny to me because my first companion was also from Arizona. Its like bookends. Sister Formica sadly is leaving me. She's going to Stevenage. But its only a short separation because we will be together in 6 weeks time! Our transfer together has been really fun and so full of miracles! I know the miracles will continue, it was just really fun to share them with her. It is her 22nd birthday today, we had a bit of a celebration in the morning listening to Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat and opening presents. Hopefully the party will last all day.
Other than that, our week has been pretty average. I really have no stories to tell really.
I'm really excited for this transfer. I'm planning on thrusting in the sickle hard core. Going out with a bang. I absolutely love this place and the people here. They, and God, deserve my best. I hope I can give it to them with my whole heart these last 6 weeks. And hopefully not think too much about how it is my last 6 weeks. It will be fun!
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