{January 27, 2014}

Hey Fam jam!

This week was good....;)

In England it is hard to teach people at times...mainly to get them to calm down and realize we are normal people just sharing a wonderful message that will change their lives now and in the Eternities. That is all. It is really hard to teach people in this country cause most of them are Atheist and it drives me crazy. But we are here to find the one family. So I've seen miracles happen, and the more we pray in faith, the Lord will prepare miracles for us if we are willing to sacrifice and do a little more. So the first night I arrived in Plymouth, we were stopping by people all day and had no success at all...I think maybe 4 people accepted a little pass a long card. We were walking back to the flat and it was pouring rain, we were completely soaked. We still had about 20 minutes left until we needed to be in, and my comp wanted to run back and get warm, but I have a strong testimony of the last hour of the evenings, especially in the rain. so I said let's say a prayer and knock this street. We prayed for 2 lessons and 2 new investigators (which doesn't really happen with 20 minutes left) but we prayed for those specific blessings and we put in the work. We taught 2 lessons and got 2 new investigators. The 2 people are Anthony and Melloney, they have a 2 year old daughter. We briefly taught them a few principles about family & Christ, they aren't too religious, but they wanted us to come by again, and they invited us over for dinner (which NEVER happens). So that was so amazing! We went over on Saturday and ate a huge dinner and taught them the restoration. It was one of the best lessons I've ever been involved in I think. The spirit was SO present! The Lord is really preparing this little family, and for the first time ever they prayed in front of each other, while we were there! It was a powerful experience! They said that this is what they have been looking for. So we will invite them to be baptized on Thursday!!

I love you all! That is just a quick update, but things are wonderful here in the south west of England!! (have you guys ever looked up Plymouth or Cornwall on google?? You should, it's so beautiful!!!)

Cheers buds! ;)

{January 20, 2014} Miracles Happen

Miracles Happen!!

HOW ARE YOU!!

This week went really well guys! I am so grateful for all that has happened! I'm slowly getting used to this big city, and I'm really enjoying it. This week was about getting to know the members really. Saturday was the day that Susan, Binky and Elian went to the temple to make some more covenants!! I was able to go as I shared from last weeks email! I am so blessed that the Lord provided a way for me to have that experience. They all loved it! In the Celestial room we had a nice chat, and caught up on things. They are all so strong in the church and know how much the Gospel has changed them and brought so much happiness in their lives! I'm so happy!  

During the session...wow!! I was able to see a couple familiar faces...that a boy Jeff! Ha ha to be honest I was so distracted with my mouth open ha ha. I learned a lot from my cousins though! I'm so happy I was able to see it on my mission with the recent converts there! Every time I go to the temple I will always be reminded of these people iI taught.

Joe Jolliffe so kindly took us up to the temple. About a 4 and a half hour drive one way, it was a long day of traveling, but it was so worth it! My recommend expired, so Pres. Millar was there on time to interview me. It was so cool! Everything just all worked out! Anyways, sorry if I'm not making sense, so many thoughts are in my head right now, but I need to go now. I love you all!! Thank you so much for your emails and your prayers, everything! You are all blessing my life so much.

I love you all to bits!!! :)

Cheers!

Sweet Church

Elder Ye & I on exchange! He makes great food.

{January 13, 2014} Answered Prayers

How are you family and friends!!

This week was pretty sweet, full of how answers to prayers through other people.

Sorry I didn't email last week, I was really busy as you probably understand. So I am in Plymouth city, I've always wanted to serve here!! Always!! So now I'm here! PRAYER ANSWERED! So far it is really good. We have a baptismal date named Sean, he is awesome! He's in his late 20's in the Navy. He is solid! He has come to church, we have taught him twice, and he wants to be baptized. He reads and prays every day, after reading he always ends his studies by reading Moroni's promise, and then says his prayers. So he's awesome. Now he just wants a solid confirmation of actually knowing that Pres Monson is a living Prophet. He is willing to put in the work to get that solid answer! It's really cool! PRAYER BEING ANSWERED.

My last area Washford, they are doing well!!! Maria was struggling a bit after I left...she was kinda close to me. It's hard to explain...she looks at it as a mom and son relationship...so she would call me her 3rd son ha ha, so when I left it was sad. She later said she wants me to baptize her, and she will only be baptized if I can do it... so it was a struggle. I asked Pres. Millar and he said no...she should have gotten baptized earlier, but I wrote her a letter, and when I sent it she said she received answers to her prayers and knows she needs to be baptized!! PRAYER ANSWERED!! Though I won't be able to attend her baptism, but it will be ok!

NEXT, I got a call from my ward mission leader in Epsom (ward when I was serving in REDHILL) and Susan, Binky, and Elian are all going to the temple to receive their Endowments on the 18th this saturday! They are recent converts while I was serving there. I baptized Susan, and Binky I confirmed! So I was told I could go if I got permission from President!

So I called Pres, and he said if I lived closer to the temple then I absolutely could go, but the answer is no cause I'm so far away. I was really sad that night. The next morning Pres called me and said, "Hey, I've been thinking about you after we talked last night, and I think you should go to the temple if you can find a ride from a member." PRAYER ANSWERED!!

The next trial was trying to get a member to take me and my companion 4 and a half hours north east (London). I didn't think it was really going to be possible cause it was a lot to ask. A couple days later, I came to church, and the announcement in priesthood was that there was a temple trip this weekend! I was about to scream with joy!!!! Ha ha but it was almost a prayer answered till I found out they were going for 3 days...I was a little bummed after that. Then an hour later, brother Joe Jolliffe (Brett Jolliffes from Helston, his younger brother) came up to me and said, "Hey, you want to go to the temple this Saturday right?" I said yes ;). He said , "Well when I was on a mission, I had some recent converts and my dream was to be able to go through the temple with them and I didn't get that opportunity, so I'm not going to let you miss this opportunity, so I'll take you" PRAYER ANSWERED!!!! I was about to cry my eyes out, I couldn't believe how amazing these experiences were about how all my prayers were being answered! It was awesome!!! And the subjects in all 3 classes yesterday at church was about Prayer! My favorite topic.

So I have a stronger testimony than ever about the Power of prayer, and how clear answers can come if we are listening carefully, and seeking for them. Though my experiences were given to me on a silver plate! :) I am so grateful for these experiences that I'm having and that I'm about to have this Saturday!!

Another random experience. I am still a DL, and I have Chinese Elders in my district, they speak English and Chinese, obviously, but they are mostly called to be Chinese speaking. So I went on an exchange with the Chinese elder in his area, and we were street contacting all these Chinese people, and I was laughing my head off cause it was so different and the people are so funny! They mostly make fun of me cause I'm a tall American white boy and the elder I was with (Elder Ye) is so hilarious!! He is a typical Chinese kid. He waves really fast at people and approaches them really fast and says "heello heello" ha ha it was the funnest exchange I've ever had! We contacted 22 Chinese and got their details and set up a few appointments!! I also learned some Chinese!! It was sweet!!

I love all of you so much!! Thank you for all your prayers and emails that keeping me going!

The Church is true!

Cheers!! ;)

***I got a call...and the office said I'm going home on the 19th of March.

All the info was sent to mom's email address.

Love you all!! ;)

Goodbyes...

{January 6, 2014} Plymouth Address & Pictures

My new mailing address:

50 Aberdeen avenue,

Manadon Park

Plymouth

PL5 3UG

Love you

I wallpapered a whole room, it took like 4 weeks of 
service hours allowed to do.....

I think I did alright for my first time wallpapering? Yeah?

I hate Snakes...

{December 30, 2013} Letter to the Mission President & Transferring to Plymouth!

This is my President Letter..

---This Christmas week was better than we thought it was going to turn out. I felt we worked hard and didn't give in to temptation to lounge around just because it was Christmas. I learned a lot this week on how the Lord will bless us if we are willing to work, even though we may not get the amount of teaches as we'd like, I feel that the Lord sees that we are here trying our best and that more blessing are in store for us. We just need to keep the momentum going and keep progressing.

I am grateful for the interview we had, I received many answers to questions I had. Concerning Elder Mansfield, I am also grateful that you spoke to him about the missionary schedule. After the interview he was much better for a small time. But I still am trying to be an example to him, and invite him to stay obedient and diligent. This morning he wasn't taking companionship study seriously at all. At the end of personal study he got up and went to the toilet for 25 minutes and came back as if nothing really mattered. I asked him why he doesn't take these precious hours in the morning more seriously, he said that its a waste of time and nothing happens during comp study. I was pretty upset with him, and I simply, lovingly, boldly shared with him my testimony of effective companionship study. I shared a few experiences with him how it brings so much energy, confidence, unity and happiness into our day, but he didn't seem to care. I hope the spirit touched him somehow, and that he will find the importance of study time. And also prayer, I feel like he doesn't like praying, its almost like trying to get an investigator that doesn't pray to pray when I ask him to. We have had quite a few discussions  about that. I don't mean to put Elder Mansfield down, I just feel like this is something that you might want to be aware of, if you already didn't know. I love the guy to bits, but I just can see so much potential in him, and hes not willing to take that extra step so that the Lord will bless him with many more talents, that he potentially already has.

In Washford we have 3 people who are really likely to be baptized in January. Don, Maria, Denise. These people I have been working with for some time. Mainly Maria, she is a Scottish lady that I started teaching when I first came to Washford over 6 months ago, she has been up and down the entire time I've been here. This time she has been up a lot more. She is preparing for baptism for the 17th of January. She and I are really good friends. She has taught me a lot, and she expressed that I have as well. Though I know the Spirit has worked through me to comfort and work according to her needs I am very sad that I will be missing her baptism, especially when she asked me to baptize her.
Don has a baptismal date as well 31st of Jan, and Denise I've been working with for about 4 months. All these people are solid at the moment, and I am so excited that they are working towards baptism.

-I do have a question, I know I will be out side this area in Plymouth, but when the time comes for Marias baptism or at least one of these baptisms, would I be able to be there? I haven't had too many baptisms during my mission. The 3 names here are people the Lord guided me to to find, and teach so far. I feel like I have given my all for these 3 people and I was so excited to be a witness to see them enter the waters of baptism. If I could go to at least one of their baptisms, that would bring me much joy. If not, I understand.
  

...................................................................................................................................................................

HELLO FAMILY

It was so wonderful to see all your faces!! I was so nervous you guys...holy cow...so if you thought I was weird or mean, or just odd...it's cause I was nervous and I didn't know what to say really, but you sure brought me a lot of happiness!! 

Everyone at the house loved to briefly meet you as well! They look at you guys as family! Thank you so much for your bright spirits and personalities! I love all of you so much.

This week we had interviews with President Millar,

I had a great interview, though I found out at the end that I will be moving to Plymouth being in a big district, with Chinese speaking elders. Ha ha so it's going to be interesting, but I am excited. I am also very sad that I will be leaving this beautiful area in Minehead. I am so bummed that I will be missing out on 3 baptisms...as you read my president letter I did express that I felt like I worked my tail off for these people, and prayed harder than I ever have before about any other investigators. I sure hope President will allow me to go to at least one of these baptisms. I will be so happy. Cause I can say that the Lord led me to these people, meaning found, then we taught them pretty much everything, enough for them to have the desire to be baptized. So I'm praying that the pres will let me. :)

Last night we gave Don Perkins a baptismal date! It was a great experience!! That guy has changed so much in the last 4 weeks, he even bore his testimony to us last night about prayer, and what we have taught him. He said that we have restored his faith, and pretty much that through his personal prayers the Lord has blessed him with better health, and that his leg that was supposed to be amputated will be saved!!! :) How cool is all this!! And I'm missing out once these miracles start happening. But I try to look at it as my purpose was to teach them what I have taught them, and the rest is what the other elders are there for to give the investigators that extra power and witness to help them enter the waters of baptism. So that's the way I look at it.

Anyways, I'm off for Plymouth on Wednesday, I am excited too, it's bitter sweet, I've always wanted to serve in Plymouth, my greenie area was in that same stake/zone. And I've worked in Plymouth with the Zone leaders many times there and I loved it every time. 

A lot of cool converts of the church lived there right before they received the call from the Prophet to move to America, so that is cool! Have you heard of the "only a stone cutter" story? Yeah, that's where the guy is from!! Ha ha.

Anyways, love you all so much! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, and your thoughts were focused on the Savior and our wonderful families! :)

I love you!!

Cheers!! ;)

{December 23, 2013} Merry Christmas!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

The second Christmas away from you guys...wow...that is a weird thought. This Christmas will be great! We have some good plans with members here, I'm looking forward to it. I am also very excited to see most of your beautiful faces on Christmas!! Hopefully mom and dad got better internet if they didn't realize our internet is terrible...it'll work out! 

This week was one of the greatest and most trying week I've had on my mission. Bad first: my companion and I are friends when it comes to worldly terms, but as missionary WORK terms we aren't on the same page...I've really had to hold back on many things to say to him...ha ha sounds horrible...but you guys, I came here to work, and work to the end. Though the temptation is there to kick back and relax and say I've done enough, I haven't done all that the Lord has sent me here to do. So I'm going to force myself to finish strong, even if we don't get many baptisms. With or without my companion I'll do my best. I've learned a lot about patience and telling off. D&C 121:43. that probably changed my life this week. 

GOOD: Maria is still having challenges, but she is still going strong! She's so much happier than she was the first time I met her, she is a completely different person!! Denise, we haven't heard much form her, as she is crazy busy with her family, but she still is solid! And we also have a new guy named Don, we have been teaching him for some time, and he's taking in everything we teach! He is close to losing his leg, he has some disease in his leg and had many surgeries on it. He just had another surgery last week, and they are confident that the leg will be saved. We taught him yesterday about the Plan of Salvation and the spirit was very strong! He's lost a son and other family members, and he said that he knows what we taught is true! He had some belief in deity, but everything that we taught him he agrees and has prayed about and knows its true! It was amazing! And also he said he's been telling his daughter about our lessons and at first she was not happy about him visiting us, but now she is interested to hear what Don has learned! He wants his daughter to be involved as well!! So things are going well!! We soft committed him to be baptized and he said YES!! I love these experiences that I will never forget! 

I love you all so much! I am so excited to see you!!

Cheers!!

{December 16, 2013}

Hello family and friends,

How is everyone doing? That's nice,

Well I am happy to hear back from my family after they have been cruisin around on a titanic having fun right before I come home! I think that trip was set up purposely before I came home to start the REAL party and the REAL FUN. Ha ha no I'm just kiddin. Dad sent me some pics and they are so hilarious, I am so grateful that you guys had a wonderful safe time together, though I am jealous that I missed out, but next year right?

This week was a bit all over the place, we had our mission Christmas party up at the temple, it was lovely! We did a session in the temple, and no I didn't see Jeff...I was a little disappointed, but I am so grateful for the changes, cause I learned so so much, it is so up to date, and more clear. Wow it was great. I absolutely love the temple you guys. We are so blessed to be living so close to temples. Being on a mission, and being so far away has made me think a lot more how truly blessed we are to have so many near us. 

We had a big dinner, and I did NOT have seconds, cause I am in the process of losing weight, so hopefully I'll look skinnier in the next few months. Ha ha.

We have done loads of traveling, so the first 4 days of the week we have been traveling to London and back, then I had exchanges with the ZL's, then we drove sister missionaries all over the place for their exchanges, then the next day we did all that travel again for the sisters, so it's been many hours of traveling, and a lot of precious hours outside of our area. So we didn't teach as much as we would like...Denise came to church again!!! 3 times in a row baby!!! She even came to the Christmas party!! Maria is doing well too! She didn't come to church cause she was sick, but she's progressing still!!

So all and all this week was good! I learned a lot, and I hope I will stay motivated and stay obedient enough to see at least a couple of baptisms happen before the end.

I love and miss you guys!! 

I will see some of you in about 10 days on a screen!! So hopefully you guys didn't forget about me skyping home!

I love you all!! 

CHEERS!!!

{December 9, 2013}

Hello guys,

This week has been good.
I don't remember what I told you last week, so if I repeat myself, I'm sorry...

So this week was nice, though kinda frustrating.

Good news first is that we are most likely going to have 2 baptisms in the month of January!! Denise and Maria! Maria's date is the 17th of January and Denise is praying about a date right now. She told us that she wants to be baptized! Both of them came to church the last 2 weeks! So this is amazing! This really makes me the happiest person I realized actually seeing people progress in the gospel. I can only imagine serving in south america somewhere where they have like 5 baptisms every week. Holy cow!! How I wish it was like that here! Since it doesn't happen as often here and when it actually does happen, it's a huge amount of joy that comes into our lives!! We aren't there yet, but when they do get baptized I will shed some tears I know I will. I can honestly say I have worked my butt off to try to get these people to understand and feel the spirit, and help them keep their commitments. I still need to work harder. It won't be enough until they are actually in and out of the water. :) 

The frustrating part is my companion. I love this kid so much, we laugh a lot, but maybe too much, and maybe it gets too far, and my comp doesn't have that common sense of when we should actually do missionary work time and effectively and with all our hearts. So my comp and I are getting along, but I have been really close from punching him cause this guy has no manners and he simply does not care about the work. He just wants to go home. But again, President Millar asked me to serve with him, and I also need to realize that the Lord needs us to serve together. So I just need to humble up and I guess I need to change rather than him. So I am just praying that we will keep the spirit with us always and that we won't blow it for Maria and Denise. The Lord trusts us with these 2 wonderful sisters of ours so I'm not going to let that happen.

Well family and friends, I sure love all of you.

I am so grateful for all your love and support, and the things you have and are teaching me. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you and your testimonies.
This church is true and I hope I will give it my all these last few months. Keep Maria and Denise in your prayers! :)

I love you all!!
Cheers!

{December 2, 2013}

Hello everyone,

This week was nice.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!! I CAN'T believe I've missed out on 2 Thanksgivings with my fam jam, but for how much the Lord has blessed me I think it is absolutely worth missing for Him, for how much He has changed my life.

For me, our Thanksgiving was great, the members did well providing a wonderful thanksgiving feast. They tried, and I approve:) but nothing is like Mom and Dad's cooking. 

So this week was wonderful, like all of them, even if they are really rough and long, I still learn loads each week. This week we had a zone conference and we had Elder Texiera and his wife come to speak to us. He is in the seventy, and he's an amazing guy. I learned so much it was insane. Basically how to work with the members better and to know what to teach your investigators. A lot of my questions have been answered, and I'm trying to apply them now, and I see fruits from it! So this is good. 

Maria and our other gator Denise came to church yesterday!! I was happy!! Denise had a wonderful experience yesterday during the Gospel Principles lesson on forgiveness, she had a rough childhood and she finds it hard to forgive her parents for what they have done, and in order for her to be forgiven she needs to forgive...she had a lot of questions, and we will be teacher her more tomorrow about it, but she did say at the end of the meeting that she feels very good and feels like it is possible to forgive her parents and move on. We are working with her to get herself a date to be baptized!! I know both Denise and Maria will be baptized!! In January!! So keep them in your prayers please! ;)

My comp is great, he is tough to work with, but we are really good friends I'd say. E. Mansfield, I might have mentioned this last week, but he's had 2 strokes, and his left leg and arm don't work properly. He has lost vision in the the left parts of his eyes, so he's shaken up, but he's made dramatic changes in his life to be here. I admire him a lot, but I also know he can do a bit better with timing, and participating in lessons and planning. So I hope I can help him, and he can help me with my many weaknesses.

I love and miss all of you! I hope things are going fantastic for you all! :)

Pray for the U.K. they need some help.

Cheers mates!! :)

My boy elder wood,

He's a way cool kid, we became friends immediately cause we both LOVE BALLIN!! 

He plays in Texas and is going to play for BYU in baseball, he could have played football and basketball, but he chose baseball...lame. 

{November 25, 2013}

Hey everyone,

This week was good. I get to go mix some cement with Chris, so I have to be quick.

Maria Law now has another baptismal date and it is not until the 14th of Feb. So it's a ways, but we are going to try to get it sooner, cause she can be ready if she is willing to DO SOMETHING!! She expressed her gratitude to me for the things I've taught her...she was really kind to me this week, she called me on the phone a few times and told me she is proud of me and things. I felt like mom was talking to me, ha ha but she was kind. Hopefully those things she expressed to me will start applying in her life and change will start for her. 

I ordained the Mel. priesthood to Chris yesterday, it went really well, a bit terrifying in from of the stake presidency. We had stake conference this weekend and a new presidency was called, they are all great guys. 

I love and miss all of you. Thank you for your love and support.

Cheers mates.

                         A street we knocked, I was laughing so hard.

                                    Most of the Washford group. Maria is the blonde lady on the

                    left of the couch, she looks kinda creepy in the picture, ha ha. 

{November 18, 2013}

Hey there!

 

This will be short.

 

I love you guys.

 

This week went well, I got a new comp. His name is Elder Mansfield, he is crazy! Ha ha hes really cool, we get a long really well, we laugh a lot. So this is good. He is 27 years old and English, so my English accent will sound super nice when I get home. ;) Ha ha just kidding, but yes Mansfield has had 2 strokes 4 years ago, so he's struggling to want to stay on his mission, he always looks like he's in pain, I feel bad for the guy. I admire him a lot, but I know he could tighten the screws on obedience. We are late all of the time, he limps around, and his left arm barely works. So I'm like his mom. Ha ha its pretty funny, I clipped his nails last night. It was the weirdest thing and I do his tie every morning and put his coat on and things. Ha ha so yes, that will be my life for the next 7 weeks.

 

We are doing well here. I want to baptize so bad. Maria Law better be dunked in the next month. I'm going to give her a new set of scripts that I've been carrying around most of my mission, she will appreciate it I think. So we will see how this next week goes.

 

I love you all.

Keep praying for missionary work, and also do some yourself.

I love you all!

{November 11, 2013}

Hello family and friends.

This week was good and slow...

I am so anxious just to see everyone in the town of Minehead to say "baptize me!!!" Because these people know that the Mormons are right!! Seriously!! People are so blind her...they need to soften their hearts and listen a little bit. This week seemed like there was more arguments then usual. Now being on a mission for a while, I feel like I have more confidence with bible bashing...ha ha I know it is NOT GOOD and it won't go anywhere, but it's nice knowing the truth. :) Other than that I'm so grateful for the Book of Mormon that corrects false doctrines. Aren't we so blessed to know it, I've learned a lot on my mission you guys. I feel so blessed to be here, even though I often at times feel like I'm in the most depressed place in the world and there is no progress. I still am grateful for these experiences that make me even more grateful for the gospel, knowing that if I try my absolute best the Lord will let me know by pouring out blessings upon me.

The update with Jennifer (Maria's daughter) turns out that I was blessed to send all her info to the office and tell them to contact her asap and invite her to be baptized. She wants to be baptized and her partner is a huge punk, and surprisingly he allowed the missionaries to come and teach. So I don't have any updates now, but I will find out from Maria...and Maria...She's almost a goner. She has been going out with some random dude that is causing her depression and heartache and he ended up coming down here to be with her this weekend, so not the best of things happened. We saw them walking in the streets, and she completely ignored us and avoided us. So lame, but the lord will rebuke her and put her right. Then she will be baptized. 

Well I love and miss all of you! Elder Thompson my son is going to Maidstone, up near London, and I'm getting a tall British kid, Elder Mansfield. I am excited to have some more experienced missionary down here to give us some boost.

I love and miss all of you!!

Cheers mates!

{November 4, 2013}

Hey everyone,

This week was another challenging week, I feel like I'm in my first area (Helston) cause the work is at a stand still, but we still are teaching a good amount, but NOT ENOUGH. I want a baptism so so bad!! We had a few people who I thought would be solid, but they are slowly slipping through my fingers. We are still teaching Maria Law (Scottish women) and she's as depressed as they come...she has lots of challenges, but also many blessings...and we are trying to help her realize how much the Lord is blessing her. She has a careless attitude right now, but she will come around. 

So with Maria, I don't know if I mentioned this, but Maria's daughter came down from Scotland like a month ago, and we had a teach with Maria and Jennifer (her daughter) was there and we kinda got to know her, became friends, and taught her a few things about the Plan of Salvation. We left and the next day Jennifer wanted us to come by again before she went back home. So we taught her a little more, gave her a B.O.M. and she left. So turns out that ever since she left, she has been reading the BOM loads!! And she happens to be living a few streets down from an LDS church in Scotland! She called Maria 2 days ago and told her that she is going to be baptized in Scotland!!!! She wants to join the Mormon church!! She loves our church and loves how kind we all are, and how much we focus on Jesus Christ!! Well it is his church in it??!! Yeah baby!! So that was a huge miracle for the week. The Lord is preparing Maria!! I know He is!! Hopefully Jennifer will be baptized soon and so will Maria! 

Today we were in Minehead, the area we go pretty much every day, and we did some exploring. Many tourists come to Minehead and I never knew why until we decided to drive around. I took loads of pictures today, and you would have had to be there to really enjoy the beauty here!! It was so cool!! Just looking over in Wales was a cool thought. I have mission friends over there.

I got a call from president and he told me that there is another elder that is struggling with health and motivation, Pres is trying to keep him on the mission, so he asked me if I could help out by being his comp at the end of the transfer which is in 10 days. So that will be interesting. His name is E. Wallbridge I think...I already know him, he's a really cool guy, he's huge, he's English and funny. We get a long when we do see each other, so I'm excited. 

When I got off the phone and told Thompson (my comp now) he started crying, I felt so bad...I thought he would be excited to leave Minehead, but he's sad. We had a good chat though, turns out we were closer than I thought we were, so that's nice. 

Well I love and miss all of you! I hope you all are continuing being yourselves. 

The church is true, just saying, every single day I'm more grateful for God's church that I'm a part of. Thank you for all of your examples to me, I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you guys.

Cheers mates!! :)

You can see Wales in the background!

{October 28, 2013

Hey Fam!!

How are all of you?! That's good.

Well this week was good. We had a zone conference and it was amazing!! I learned so much about working with members and also teaching. I felt so rebuked because I realized I don't teach all of the Doctrine in the pmg lessons and that was one of the topics that was focused on. I feel bad, but I know what to do to change. At the end of the conference ELDER PATTEN A.P., one of my best mish mates, so kindly put me on the spot in front of 150 missionaries, the stake president, mission pres and counselors and asked me to come up on the stand and share my testimony with the mission. Holy cow I was flipping out inside, my stomach completely dropped and I didn't know where it went. Ha ha I was so scared, but the Lord comforted me and I managed to speak from my heart and share my experiences with the missionaries. So that was nice.

John Coules is back!! I missed the heck out of him! When I saw him it was like seeing you guys again, it was a small taste of what its going to be like. I sure missed the guy, we had some nice chats, and he went on and on and on about mom and dad and how cute and lovely they are and how welcoming all of you were to him and the rest of the gang. Thank you all so much for loving these people! They said it was the best trip they ever have been on that they will never forget! 

He showed me some pics of home, and wow it was really interesting to see. Ha ha they had a wonderful time. Thank you again.

I love and miss all of you! Hope all is well!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CUB CUB AROOOO;)))

Cheers mates.

{October 21, 2013}

Hello guys,

This week went swell. I was hoping John Coules would be home this week, but he still isn't, so that's lame. I've been wanting to chill with him! HA HA when I say chill I mean go out on teaches chill. So we are staying productive. 

Anyways...I guess this week was tough. Maria Law does not have a date anymore. She felt like she was being pushed into baptism, which I swear we were going on her pace and not pushing her at all. I was doing all I could to not put too much pressure on her. But she had a melt down this week and wants a break. She knows the church is true, she has said it many times, we will start teaching her probably by the end of this week. She is not leaving me, aw heck no! Ha ha sounds like a relationship when I'm explaining this, but she will be baptized before  go home. That's of course if the Lord wills it. 

An area in my district (Taunton) had their first baptism in over 2years. So that was wonderful to see!! I had to give my first baptismal interview, and her name was Kirsty, (the taunton baptism) she was lovely. She had been so prepared by the Lord, before she met the missionaries she had already quit smoking and drinking just a few months before she got the knock on the door. She has a powerful testimony, it was so nice to listen to her, she passed her interview of course! It was great! We shook hands and high fived her 2 little kids, and one of them was really sick...and the next couple days I caught what the little boy had...so I've been ill this week. But I am recovering and going strong I think.

We had one of our gators come to church for the first time yesterday! (Denise)! It was great! A lot of people were sick or out of town. So there was only about 12 of us, but Denise really enjoyed it! The whole 2 hours of church, she loved that fact that we were all equal and that we love each other! So that is very nice. Hopefully we will extend a date to her, not this week. She's going to be gone, but the following.

Well guys, it's gettin really cold over here and I'm sure grateful I have a car to keep me warm. Haha they recon that this winter is going to be the coldest and loads of snow they ever had in the last 15 years...So I don't know what to think.

Oh, so we did service for this couple we have been working with for the last 5 months. We did service for them a couple of weeks ago for 4 hours and this sat we did another 4 hours of work. We haven't really taught them much, but they fed us lunch on sat, and I pulled out the book while we were eating and just taught them. Haha it was fun! Cause before we ate, James and I were pulling weeds and he was amazed with the roots he was pulling out and how it was once a tiny seed. And James, he doesn't really believe in God, but he would like to, so of course when he shared with me what he was amazed about, I thought I was smart and said, yeah, it's like faith isn't it. We all have some kind of faith, but if we take good care of that tiny faith, it can become a beautiful tree, or something even more magnificent. Haha so yeah,, at the dinner table I expounded on that moment we had chatting together and had him read Alma 32. It really opened his mind! 

We are going to call James and Giana tonight and set up a Gospel appointment for this week. 

I love you all!!
This church is true you guys. So lets share it with others and you will be more grateful for it. We are all part of the work of salvation, that is why we are here.

Take care! 

Love elda kella!

PS: do I look Italian or Mexican? So many people think I  am. My whole mission I've been getting that...