Christmas Pics

Spoiled Rotten for Christmas :)

This week was amazing!!

 

Christmas day went as follows:

*Slept in til... wait for it... 7:45!! It was the best.

*Sister Brooks and I read the Christmas story in Luke 2

*Opened our thoughtful and sentimental gifts under the tree - thank you so much to all who sent cards and packages! I loved them and am so grateful for all the love and support.

*Made pancakes and scrambled eggs for breakfast

*Visited the Klein family's home for a beautiful traditional Christmas dinner of turkey, ham, and chicken, yorkshire puddings, potatoes, and veg. It was top notch. While there, I got to skype my fam - which was by far the greatest Christmas present ever! I was so grateful to see them and hear about all the good things going on at home. I felt so blessed to talk with them and love them so much!

*Visited the Willmott family's home, played games and watched a mission-Christmas-appropriate movie :)

 

I'm so grateful for the Christmas holiday and the joy I felt remembering our Savior, talking with my family, and celebrating with some very amazing people. What a blessing it is to be a missionary at this time.  It feels especially encouraging and exhilarating begin again at the start of a new week, new transfer, and new year! 2014 will be amazing and bring many miracles, I'm sure.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

(Christmas morning before the Kleins)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Can you believe that this Wednesday is Christmas?! I can't believe it!  We had a great week and actually went on exchange with the Sister Training Leaders in Woodley.  I was with Sister Ross in her area and we saw so many miracles within 24 hours of our exchange.  We ended up finding 2 new investigators and had a great dinner appointment with a YSA in her ward.  She invited some nonmember friends over (member missionary work - props to her :) and we were able to get one of her friends email and phone number to meet up again!  We ended the night watching the Joy to the World DVD which is always a great way to invite the Spirit of Christmas.

 

We found out on Saturday that Sister Brooks' foot won't need too big of an operation.  We have to go back on Jan. 2nd for an MRI scan to find out what is exactly wrong, but it's good that she will most likely be able to stay out on her mission. :)

 

The Basingstoke ward is the best.  I can't believe their kindness and generosity!! At the end of our Sacrament Meeting yesterday, they invited the four full time missionaries in the ward up to the stand.  The Bishop went on to tell us how grateful the ward is for our service and then they brought in these big boxes full of wrapped Christmas gifts - one box for each of us.  I was so grateful and overwhelmed by their thoughtfulness and kindness.  I hope to repay them by working hard and building the ward up as much as I can while I serve here. How blessed I am to be in Basingstoke over Christmas. :)

 

I have truly felt closer to my Savior this Christmas as I've learned more about His Birth, continued to study His teachings, and shared the true joy that comes from the Gospel with others.  I'm so grateful for this time of year and know that without the birth of our Savior, we would have no way to return to live with our Father in Heaven.  I will forever be indebted to Him for His infinite atoning sacrfice. I hope everyone has a very merry Christmas and remembers the "reason for the season." 

 

Scripture of the week: "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying. Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." -Matthew 1:21-23

"The Best Way to Spread Christmas Cheer, is [Playing] Loud for All to Hear" :)

Amongst all the Christmas hustle and bustle, Sister Brooks and I have had to take things pretty easy because of her injury. It is really hard for her to get around and put any weight on her left foot.  On Wednesday, due to Sister Brooks' frustration and pain, her parents got permission to come down and visit the Hospital A&E with us.  (When does that ever happen?! :) They took an xray and found out there was nothing wrong with the bones, but there is probably something wrong with her tendon. We have another appointment scheduled at a specialized orthopaedic hospital this Saturday to find out more. Sister Brooks' parents treated us on Wednesday with a nice dinner and ended up coming to the Elders' baptism in our ward that night.  It was a great experience and there was a very special Spirit there.

 

Thursday we got to go to the London Temple for a session and Christmas dinner as a gift from President Millar. I loved every second of it! It was great to be there with 75 other missionaries and feel the Spirit of Christmas at this special time of year.  We found out that the 75 of us that were there was only a quarter of our mission.  It's incredible how much our mission has grown. The Lord is truly "hastening His work" and I'm grateful to be a part of it.

 

Saturday I was blessed with the opportunity to go play my violin on the High Street.  I was so nervous, but I knew the Lord wanted me to share my talent and would help me out, so I did the best that I could.  I played Christmas carols for about an hour and a half while the Elders handed out pass along cards and taught lessons. All I wanted was for people to be able to feel the Spirit and remember the true meaning of Christmas which would possibly soften their heart to our message.  I will never forget the appreciation I saw in some of the people's faces as they walked by and the love and happiness I felt for them. What a blessing it was to feel and spread the Christmas Spirit.

 

Scripture of the week: "Verily, I say unto you that ye are chosen out of the world to declare my gospel with the sound of rejoicing, as with the voice of a trump. Lift up your hearts and be glad, for I am in your midst, and am your advocate with the Father; and it is his good will to give you the kingdom." D&C 29:4-5

Christmas Cheer

You can feel the Christmas spirit in the air and I love it. This is my favorite time of year, and what a blessing it is to be a missionary on top of that. I'll only have one Christmas on my mission so I plan enjoy, remember, and take advantage of the great opportunity it allows us to share the gospel. My spirits are high this week because I've received answers to my prayers and we also get to go to the temple on Thursday for a session and Christmas dinner!  It's our Christmas gift from President and Sister Millar! How awesome! I told him in my letter this morning that I was so excited to go I could scream! :) It'll be a great week.

 

So my prayers have been answered, like I said.  And I know, prayers are always heard and answered.  But this was a special answer. All my mission, I have prayed for baptisms - like any other missionary would right?  I've done all that I can to receive this blessing: been obedient as possible, read my scriptures, talked to as many people as I could, worked with the members, and loved my companions.  I have been blessed to teach some amazing people and I love them so much! I don't doubt that they'll be baptized one day and I'm so grateful for that.  But my answer came as a realization and comfort from the Holy Ghost that it's not what my mission is about.  I am here to serve the Lord where He needs me and whether I go home without any baptisms at all, I will know in my heart that I served the way the Lord the best of my ability and did His will. And maybe later down the road, the work that I did will be a blessing in someone else's life.  I am so grateful to be a missionary and be a part of the Lord's work.  I know it's inspired and I feel the help of the Holy Ghost every day.  How blessed and overwhelmingly happy I am to serve. So we continue on, still finding and teaching with the hope to find those who want to be baptized! :)

This is our Christmas tree! :)

 

December Already?!

What a week!  I hope everybody in America had a great Thanksgiving because we celebrated right along with them. :) Sister Brooks and I did our own little thing and I was pretty proud of our efforts if I do say so myself. No turkey, but we did have roast chicken, mashed potatoes, carrots, peas, corn, rolls, and for the finale we had apple pie with strawberry ice cream and whipped cream on top. It was delicious and while we ate, Sister Brooks and I counted our blessings. I'm especially grateful for my family and extended family this time of year.  My mission has made me realize what a blessing it was to spend every minute with them. :)

 

We had a great opportunity this week to hear from Elder and Sister Teixera. He is in the Quorum of the 70 and gave us a great message about becoming a BOLD missionary and focusing all our efforts on baptism. That is our ultimate goal for all the people we come in contact with is that they will accept the invitation to come closer to Christ by receiving the restored gospel through faith, repentance, baptsim, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. Our job is to give them that opportunity and helping them make the right decision.  I've decided that to be a better missionary, I need to become a "purer vessel of the Lord." Sister Teixera talked about how frustrating it is to have a thought, and want to write it down, but she can't because her pen won't work.  It's the same with us and the Lord.  He needs us for His work and we are His pen, but I don't want to be the broken pen!!! Through the Christmas season, I hope and pray we'll be led and guided by the Spirit to bless a family that is looking for the gospel.

 

This week we saw a miracle while doorknocking.  We went to an area to contact a referral, but there was no answer.  One of the last doors we knocked, a tired middle aged man answered the door. He told us he reads lots of things but isn't set in any particular denomination. He willingly accepted the Book of Mormon and listened to us as we explained the Restoration. He told us he would read and that we could come back again this week!  It was amazing to meet him and we felt the Spirit as we talked and testified to him of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. I can't wait to go visit him again this week.

 

It doesn't feel like December to me and I even keep writing October in my journal! I can't believe how fast the time is going. Maybe it feels like October because the leaves are just now starting to turn brown and fall off the trees. It's beautiful here. The lights are slowly starting to be hung up all around town, so that will help. Sister Brooks and I also bought a real tree to go in our flat!! It's a Charlie Brown Original. :) We decorated it with tinsel and jingle bells, and we always have the MoTab Christmas album playing. Joy to the World pass along cards are my new best friend for finding. I love the Christmas season and I can't wait to share my love for the Savior and His birth with all the people I meet this week!

 

Scripture of the week: "Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." -1 Tim. 4:12

 

Happy Thanksgiving this week!!

I attached a file to send the pictures. It won't let me copy and paste! Hopefully it works...?

 

The picture is a surprise visit from the Sister Training Leaders and a member last night. We were so happy to see them!

 

This week has been one of adjustments and learning because of the recent transfer, but I'm so happy and feel excited to be here.  I can truly say I love being a missionary. Moving to a new area has definitely pushed me to improve myself and continue to look to the Lord for guidance and direction.

Exchanges

I am shocked because of the miracles that have already happened while serving here in Basingstoke, particularly the blessings we received while on exchange. On Friday, Sister Brooks went to Woodley, and Sister Jensen (Sister Trainer Leader) came to Basingstoke.  She has served the past 5 months here, so she knows her way around and is a great example to me.  I loved working with her.

 

We decided to try and contact some less actives she had never been able to get a hold of.  We went ot the area Black Dam, and started knocking on the less actives doors. First door, no answer. Second door, the lady answered, said the less active had moved, but she had her new address, and the lady told us she had a friend that was Mormon and would be happy for us to stop back by sometime!! Amazing! What a blessing! After knocking a few more less active doors, we felt prompted to go back to the one we had started with.  To our surprise, her husband was just on his way in, so it was perfect! She came to the door and we were able to get a return appointment with her this Tuesday! What a great experience it was to find and meet these people! I'm grateful for the promptings of the Spirit and the leaders we have in the mission to help us improve ourselves and our service.

 

I'm now using library computers and have a limited time to write. Hopefully, I'll have some time to upload a photo or two.

 

Scripture of the week: Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee ^awhole. And the woman was made whole from that hour. Matthew 9:22

Blessings in Basingstoke

So, I moved to Basingstoke aka "Amazingstoke!" But I'll be honest, I cried like a baby. It was so painful to leave the Kingston ward after being there for 6 months. You don't realize how much you love the area and the people until you have to say goodbye.  I will definitely miss the ward family, my companion Sister Berati, and the investigators.

 

But, Basingstoke will be a great experience!  I already love it. It is a cute little city out in the middle of nowhere.  Right in the center of town is the train station, bus station, and shopping mall.  The great thing is we literally live right next door to everything we need! The flat is new in the mission and we're definitely blessed to have it. Sister Brooks is my new companion! She has been out for 3 months and is from a city just north of London.  How cool is that?!  I'm really excited to work with her. She told me she'd help me polish my British accent. :) The ward was so friendly yesterday, and I'm excited to begin working with them.

 

Although Sister Brooks has been sick the past week, we've already seen miracles in this area. "The field is white already to harvest!"  Last night, we taught a cute young Polish family about the Restoration and I can't wait to teach them again. I'm also excited for the upcoming holiday season and the great opportunity it will be to teach people about baby Jesus, His mission, and His Gospel. 

 

Scripture of the week: "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." Romans 8:16-17

 

Lost Sheep

I know every single missionary talks about how much they love the people where they serve, but it is so true.  This past week has been the last of the transfer and not knowing whether I will stay here in Kingston or leave has made me very conscious and aware of all the people that I have sure grown to love while being here. 

Yesterday I especially enjoyed every second of Church. I'm so grateful to the ward for making Church a place where investigators feel welcome and comfortable - a place they want to be!  After church, Sister Berati and I headed down to Claygate.  On our way, we stopped a man who spoke only a little English, but come to find out, he had travelled from Brazil to Italy and now here to England and was a member!  He didn't know we had a church so close by! We called our Bishop who knows Portuguese and he was able to tell him where our church was.  He's planning to come to church not next week but the next because of Stake Conference. This experience was a witness to me of how much Heavenly Father loves His children.  I'm grateful we were able to talk with him and I know he'll be such a blessing for the ward here.

Scripture of the Week: I love the example of Nephi in Helaman 10:4-5 "Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people.  And thou has not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will and to keep my commandments." 

Fwd: Happy Halloween and Happy Fall Weather!

Happy Halloween & Happy Fall Weather!! Time to pull out the puffy. :)

Baptism Calendar

This week Sister Berati and I made a baptism calendar poster for one of our investigators who has committed to be baptized!! We are so happy for him because of the faith he has exercised and the blessings he will receive for taking this important step.  On P-day we went and bought the supplies to make the poster.  The following day, we spent time finding passages in the Book of Mormon that will help him prepare for his baptism on a daily basis.  When we gave him his poster, I wish I had a camera to capture the joy on his face!  It's not really the poster that matters, but the faithful decision he's made to be baptized. I'm learning on my mission, how truly necessary it is for each one of Heavenly Father's children to enter into the waters of baptism.  Only by doing so, can we return to live with Him again and enjoy eternal life.  Not only does our baptism bring blessings in the life to come, but we are blessed beyond measure in this life when we covenant to follow Our Savior Jesus Christ.  We enjoy the peace and acceptance of the Lord through repentance, guidance and comfort from the Holy Ghost, and revelation and knowledge from the scriptures and our presiding leaders. Although we make a sacrifice to give up worldly desires, we gain so much more from the Gospel than the world could ever offer us.  I'm so grateful for my own baptismal covenants and the opportunity I have to invite others to do the same. 

With only one week in the transfer left, I'm hoping I'll get to stay here in Kingston for one more transfer.  I know it's up to the will of the Lord, and I'll serve where He needs me, but I sure do love the area and the ward here so much.  It has been a blessing to be a member of such an amazing ward FAMILY. Coming to church every Sunday feels like my home away from home.  I couldn't ask for a better ward. 

Scripture of the Week: "Marvel not that ALL mankind...must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters; And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God." -Mosiah 27:25-26

Influence of the Spirit

Sister Berati and I have had a great week! The ward has been so helpful to come on teaches with new investigators - which really makes all the difference.  I've really gained a strong understanding of why the members are so important in missionary work. We can't do it without them. My favorite way the members help out is by inviting us over for dinner and allowing us to bring investigators along. I'm grateful for the Spirit the members keep in their home which provides a great atmosphere for lessons. 

One experience that was special this week was our visit to our friend Bill's house.  We've met with him a few times and he has been curious and interested to learn about our Church, but just as mere entertainment, not as something he'd like to embrace in his own life. Although we invited him many times to pray, he declined. However, this past visit with him was different.  By the guidance and help of the Holy Ghost we were able to talk with him and ask him questions that really made him think about how he could find more happiness in his life. We shared a couple scriptures (Alma 32:27 and Ether 12:6) to explain to him how just the desire to believe would be enough for him to receive an answer to his prayer.  He recognized his own desire to be happier and we knew that the Gospel was the key to his happiness!  Toward the end of our conversation, we asked if he would read the Book of Mormon and pray that night to know if God was there and after a long pause he said, "Alright...but how can I know what the answer is?!" This was music to our ears!! We then explained about how the Holy Ghost would answer him.  What a great experience it was to feel the influence of the Holy Ghost in our discussion with Bill. Without it, I know that he wouldn't have felt compelled to accept the challenge to pray. How grateful I am for the gift and power of the Holy Ghost - especially in missionary work.

Scripture of the Week: "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding." Proverbs 3:5-6, 12-13

New Investigators Miracle!

Holy cow! This week has been crazy! We have been so blessed to find so many people this week who are ready and willing to hear more about the Gospel. The coming week will be full of return appointments and member present lessons - I'm so excited! The amazing thing is that it's nothing Sister Berati and I have done. It's simply the Lord showing us where we need to go and who we need to talk to. 

This week our Bishop suggested that we stop by the cutest little cafe you could imagine next to the train station.  It's called the Chocolate Teapot and we went there to follow up on these ladies that members had contacted and become friends with.  The members moved back to the U.S. but suggested to the Bishop that we stop by to see if they'd be interested to learn more.  It was a busy day in the cafe, but we left a mormon.org card for her and she was so excited to have it.  We'll be stopping by again soon to hopefully leave a Book of Mormon to her and the owner. After leaving, less than 15 minutes later we knocked on a woman's door who wasn't interested and she told us the person next door probably wasn't either. Despite her suggestion, we knocked on her neighbor's door anyway.  A sweet lady from Africa opened the door, took a copy of the Book of Mormon and we set up a time to meet with her again on Wednesday! It was a miracle! 

I also was reminded how much I love church this week.  Two investigators that live near our home both came to church for the first time, stayed all three hours and asked if they could come again next week.  We were so happy!  Usually we have to try and drag people to church!  There is such a great Spirit there and we know that's really what makes it so special for the people that come for the first time.  They can feel the difference and the love the ward and their Heavenly Father has for them.  

Scripture of the Week: "Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of Him to declare His word among His people that they might have everlasting life." -3 Nephi 5:13

Spirit of Music

This week was definitely a little out of the ordinary, but a great week nonetheless. :) One of our investigators from Albania is 7 months pregnant and doesn't speak much English, but she got sick this week! We helped her get to the hospital and within 3 days she was feeling much better!  Thank goodness Sister Berati was here to translate! During those few days, we didn't have much time to door knock or street contact, but it was a great opportunity to serve our investigator in a time of need for her. We're happy she's doing better. 

It was a blessing on Saturday to be invited to play my violin at the London Temple Visitor's Center for a musical fireside! I felt so privileged to be there and played How Great Thou Art.  We went with some members in the ward and also one of our investigators, Dave. I think everyone, including myself, went home feeling edified by the great Spirit that was there. It was special that everyone performed their song right next to the Christus statue, so as we listened to songs centered on Christ, it brought a powerful feeling of His love and sacrifice for us.

I've become more grateful and aware of the impact music makes in the Church. I think D&C 25:12 says it best, "For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads."

Pic

Love me some General Conference

You can't beat General Conference weekend! Seriously. I have been looking forward to this weekend for so long and I'm so grateful it finally came! We had little General Conference pass-along cards in the flat that I was just dying to hand out to people. :) The crazy thing is that Conference doesn't start over here in England until 5pm Saturday evening.  My companion and I rode the bus to the Stake Centre to watch the Saturday morning session and we were blessed to get a ride home from a member. I can't believe how fast the session went by. Sister Berati and I felt like it went by too quickly and we were hungry for more! 

Yesterday morning was the most beautiful I've seen here in England. The temperature was perfect, the sun was shining, the air was clear, and the amount of blue in the sky was more than I'd seen at one time in a while. :) It was a unique opportunity to go finding on a Sunday morning, since every other Sunday we're in Church. We knocked doors on a street not too far from our flat and were blessed to knock on a couple of doors with sweet ladies that answered. In each instance, we gave them a Book of Mormon and hope to stop by again later this week. Handing out Book of Mormons (or Books of Mormon, whatever) is one of my favorite parts of missionary work!  I know that if those people sincerely read it, they will find answers to questions and comfort through trials. When we asked one of our investigators if she had been reading the Book of Mormon, she told us she had and that she enjoyed reading it because it was "comforting." I love when people can feel and recognize the same power that I do when I read it. 

By the time we got back, we were only able to see the tail end of the Sunday Morning session, but this week we plan to catch up on what we missed during our dinner hour.  I can't wait to hear more of the inspired words from the leaders of our Church. I know they are called of the Lord as His authorized servants and lead this Church worthily with the keys of the priesthood. As we strive to improve ourselves and follow their guidance, it's impossible to go astray. 

Scripture of the Week: (one of my favorites) Matthew 11:28-30 "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Lessons Learned

This week I learned an especially valuable lesson that I couldn't have learned any other way but on my mission. All my life, my parents have given me all that I needed, physically, emotionally and spiritually. I've been so blessed to never go without.  If there was something more that I wanted, I could work a little extra time and earn a little extra money to satisfy the need. But out here on a mission, we live in such a way that is uncontrollable to me.  I don't have any say or control over how much money I get for food or travel or where I live. I've learned to be especially grateful for the money and supplies the Church provides us with.  My companion and I work together each week to decide what things we really NEED to buy and what things we would be fine without.  I do not mean to make it seem like we aren't given enough to satisfy our needs and live comfortably because we are, but I do mean to make a point that we don't have extra money to frivolously spend. So an amazing member helped us out this week. He called us Saturday night and went grocery shopping for us. He bought us cereal, yogurt, bananas, strawberries, bacon, milk, granola bars and even a warm throw blanket for each of us for the cold months ahead. He brought it by at the end of the month so Sister Berati and I would have a little extra to make to October.  It may seem like a small trivial thing for him to just buy us these few things, but the quality and a few of the things he bought for us, we wouldn't have bought for ourselves and my heart was full of gratitude as there was no way for me to repay him. All I could do was say thank you and continue to serve the ward the best I can. This situation made me cry because of how truly grateful and touched I was by this member's generosity and kindness. Then I realized how similar it is in our relationship with the Savior. As mortals, we can only do so much. We only have a certain amount of means and there are only so many things we can achieve by ourselves in this life. The Savior loves us so much that He gives us something we can't provide for ourselves and we are forever indebted to his loving sacrifice for us so that we can have eternal life.  The least I can do for the Lord is to serve for 18 months on a mission and continue to keep the commandments and do the things I know to be right. This example may seem trivial but my relationship with the Savior and realization of the power of the Atonement really grew this past week. I've never felt the peace, love, and happiness of the Savior as I did through this experience and I'm so grateful for the experiences Heavenly Father gives me to learn.

Scripture of the Week: John 15:4-5 "Abine in me and I in you.AS the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."

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Zone Training

This past Wednesday, all the Districts in our Zone gathered at the Staines Chapel for a Zone Training. I loved every minute of it.  All the concerns and questions I came with were answered!! I've especially tried hard this week to apply what I learned there.

One goal I set after Zone Training was to deepen and strengthen my Conversion to Christ.  I decided that I would do this by doing a couple things: Memorizing "The Living Christ" and really diving into the scriptures for my personal study.  Just the past few days of doing this, I was able to realize how blessed I really am and how overwhelmingly important it is to share the Gospel.  Of all the billions of people on the Earth, I'm one of them who has the knowledge of our Savior and the Restoration, and because of this it is my duty and responsibility to share it with my fellow brothers and sisters here in England.  It made me sick to think of how different I would be as a person and how sad my life would be if I wasn't a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. 

My purpose and mentality as a missionary has been reinforced and refreshed.  I'm so grateful for the knowledge and guidance of the Holy Ghost because without it, I wouldn't know what I need to improve on and how to do it. 

Scripture of the Week: 2 Nephi 28:30 "I will give unto the children of men line upon line, ^aprecept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn ^bwisdom; for unto him that ^creceiveth I will give ^dmore;"

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We're Busy

All the members always ask, "How's your week been?" I always tell them we're staying busy, but this week we've been especially busy. On Tuesday we were led to knock on some doors in Claygate, and we ended the day having the most lessons we've ever had! 10 lessons in one day!! The Lord truly led us to where we needed to be.  Not only were we able to teach 10 people, but 2 of them became new investigators.  

On Thursday, my companion, Sister Berati, had a doctor's appointment in middle London, so we took the train to get there. I was so excited!! We were able to get a picture with the London Bridge and also see St. Paul's Cathedral which was beautiful.  It was such a blessing that we were able to see what we did, especially since most missionaries don't get that opportunity. 

Saturday we took a trip to the London Temple Visitor's Centre with our investigator Dave. He drove us there and two members from the ward came with us. He told us he really enjoyed going and he especially loved the Joseph Smith Movie.  I'm so grateful we were able to go and feel the special spirit that is there on the Temple Grounds. I love visiting the temple and taking investigators there because I know that they'll be able to feel the same peace and hope that I feel while being there. 

Scripture of the Week: D&C 6:36 "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not."

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Working with the Members

This past Wednesday, I felt like I was in an excerpt from the "Work of Salvation" broadcast because of the miracle that happened!! It was amazing! Our Bishop's wife invited us over to her home for dinner as well as her friend, Linda. Linda brought a friend named Helen. After dinner, we taught them the message of the Restoration and the Spirit was so strong. Bishop's wife's testimony was so powerful and I know it meant a lot to Linda and Helen because of the friendship they already had established. At the end of the lesson, we felt prompted to ask if they would be baptized and they both said "Yes, why not?!" Sister Berati and I were SO happy! :) We are excited to hopefully meet with them again this coming week! 

We also got to go on exchanges this week with our Sister Training Leaders.  I got to go to a different area and work with Sister Ball from Idaho. She only has 10 weeks left on her mission!  She was a great example to me and I learned so much from being with her. 

This coming week will be a crazy one, but I'm excited to meet new people to teach and continue to help people progress closer to baptism!

 

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Hastening the Work

The past couple weeks have been so great! With a new companion after transfers, we're settling in just fine! Sister Berati is my new companion from Albania! She's been out on her mission for 6 months and has been at the Visitor's Center, so this is her first transfer in the field. It's amazing how well we've been able to teach together in unity and with the Spirit. This past week has been great.  We've been working hard to find more people to teach, so there has been a lot of door knocking. 

We were so blessed yesterday to have 4 investigators at church!! 3 of them being Albanian! One of them was Esmeralda, who we have been teaching, and the other two came to help us translate.  We were able to get the other two guys' numbers and will hopefully meet with them this week to start teaching them the lessons. The other person who came to Church was Dave. He is a great guy! He also came to the Bishop's son's baptism yesterday and said he was so happy he came. He fits right in with the ward and we're planning to extend a baptismal date to him this week! Heavenly Father has been blessing us so much!  With the small miracles we see everyday as missionaries, it's obvious that Heavenly Father is definitely "hastening the work" and I feel so blessed to be a missionary, especially at this time! 

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Transporters

Transfers are coming up on Wednesday, or as Wade said in his letter "transporters." :) It was so nice last transfer to sit back and not have to worry about me moving or my companion moving, because I was being trained - which meant the odds of us moving were slim to none. But this week is a different story.  

We found out on Friday that Sister P. would be leaving me to head to Brighton to train another newbie, and I would stay here in the Kingston area.  I knew this type of change was coming, but it was still a shock to the system when we found out for sure what the changes were. I'm going to miss Sister P. so much!! Change is hard, but I've learned that you can't get too comfortable on your mission.  Sister Berati, a visitor's center sister, is going to be my new companion.  It is such a blessing because she is from Albania, so can help the Albanian family we found!!  She's the only one who could really help them progress towards baptism so I feel so blessed that she's coming to this area.  

Although we don't always know why the transfers happen the way they do, it's great to know that the Lord has everything under control.  As long as we have the faith that we're in the right spot, He'll strengthen us and help us grow.  I don't know where I heard the quote but, "Lift where you stand" is what keeps running through my mind.  I feel confident that the Lord has guided President to assign us where he has and I'm excited to see what this next transfer will bring.  

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Miracles

It has been a weekend of miracles I tell you. People said before I left that I was going to see miracles and the past couple months I saw little ones, but nothing like the past weekend. It started when our investigator from Albania - Esmeralda - committed to be baptized on August 27th!! Oh my goodness, I'm so excited for her! It's our first baptismal date in this area and we feel so blessed!  The whole process of finding and teaching her and now that she wants to be baptized is a miracle. A couple weeks ago (I think last week of July) we were waiting at the bus stop in the morning to go to our Zone Conference. I stopped this guy, just like anybody else, and shared the Mormon.org website with him and told him to give us a call. I didn't teach him any points of doctrine or anything special cuz he seemed to be in a hurry.  But the amazing thing is that he texted us that night!! He told us he's really busy with work, but we could meet with his wife Esmeralda!  They are from Albania and he speaks some English, but she doesn't speak any. So we just happened to have an Albanian Book of Mormon in our flat, and Sister P. just happened to know Sister Berati (VC Sister) who is from Albania.  When we called, Sister Berati just happened to be there, and now we've been able to meet with Esmeralda twice and Sister Berati teaches her through Skype in Albanian!! It's amazing how many little things came together and now she wants to be baptized!! I feel so blessed.  

Not only that, but on Saturday, we went to contact a referral from the office.  A lady named Bibian requested the Joy to the World DVD, so we went to deliver it to her. She told us she had received a little card through her mail box that had this little picture of Mary and Baby Jesus and had the number that you could call to request the DVD. She said she's kept the card by her bed for almost a year and she finally called.  Amazing!! She's a cute black lady (probs in her 40's) from Kenya and she willingly took our English BoM and Swahili BoM to read as well.  She has a strong belief in God and is trying to get work off this Sunday to come to church! Not only that, on our way out, she told us that she wants her daughter to meet us too.  She's doing missionary work for the church already and doesn't even know it by inviting her daughter! :) 

So on the way back to our flat on Saturday after meeting with Bibian, we stopped a man and gave him a Mormon.org card and he was in a hurry so I quickly told him to call us if he had any questions and he continued down the road.  30 seconds later he came back and said something along the lines of "Hey, for some reason I just feel really drawn to this.  I'm Muslim, but I just want to know the truth about all this..." Okay, so that was like music to my ears. I swear I could've taught him all 5 lessons on the street right there, but he was in a hurry to catch a train. I told him a little bit about the Restoration and he gave us his phone number so we can meet with him later this week!! My comp. and I just feel so blessed to have these people put in our path.  Seriously, the field is white already to harvest. :) 

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2 Month Missionary

It has been an incredible month!! I can't believe it's the end of July already! This past week was so great because we had Zone Conference with 3 other zones in our mission.  We all met together at 9:30am and stayed at the chapel til 5 in the evening. It was amazing to go and see the missionaries who I went through the MTC with.  The bond you share with people out here is unreal. You become so close to people in such a short amount of time, and all you want is the best for them.  What really was a confidence booster was to see all the "newer" missionaries there.  It was strange to realize that I was no longer the youngest person!! I was a 2 month missionary!! With this, I also realized how much more calm and confident I am with the work.  I'm still learning like crazy and nowhere near a perfect missionary, but I know that the Lord is with us all in this "work of salvation." We can have peace of mind that as we do our best to just share what we know to be true, He'll make miracles happen. 

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Week of the Baptisms

We had 2 kids in our ward this week get baptized!! Although they weren't investigators that we taught, it was still amazing to be there and to feel the spirit at both services. We're crossing our fingers and saying our prayers for our own investigators' baptisms soon! :) I learned a lot about being a missionary in a different way this week.  The baptism on Saturday was for the Ward Mission Leader's daughter and they invited so many of their nonmember friends!  It was so special for their family to be able to share the gospel in such a simple way.  These people that came to the baptism now have a much better knowledge of what the Church is about, and they didn't learn it from missionaries knocking their door or trying to stop them on the street, but by a simple invitation from a friend.  I learned this week how big of a role the members play in the missionary work, whether they're coming to teach on lessons or inviting their friends to church activities. :) I'm so grateful for the great ward and members I work with here! We couldn't do our job without them!

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6 Weeks!

First of all, I'm so sorry for the lack of updates! I'm going to do better from now on! And special shout out to Riley (FHE bro) for motivating me to post to the blog.

I can not believe I've survived my first full transfer.  My first three weeks in the mish felt like the longest of my life, but the time has seriously started to fly. I can not believe it's already July! We had our own Independence Day celebration by doing a district conference call!  We all sang the Star-Spangled Banner together! :) That night, I told my companion we also had to celebrate by having BBQ Ribs and mashed potatoes for dinner. I didn't realize how proud I am to be an American, until I left! While door knocking, we often come across a little yellow sticker in the front window by the door that says "We do not buy, sell, or enter into conversation at the door.  All uninvited traders, PLEASE LEAVE." Those stickers kill me because I know they'd let us in if they knew the importance of our message, just sayin'. :) Anyway, while door knocking, we found a house that had an American flag hanging from the window! They had a yellow sticker, so I was a little worried to ring the door bell, but when I did, the lady stuck her head out the 2nd floor window.  I said, "Hey, are you American?! I'm American!! Happy 4th!" :) She came down and opened the door and talked to us for a good 10 minutes! I found out she was from New Jersey and had moved to England with her husband.  She was so sweet and we were able to tell her who we were, why we were here, and she took a mormon.org card.  I felt so blessed to be able to make such a simple and easy connection with someone that we otherwise wouldn't have been able to talk to!  All thanks to an American flag!

I wish I had more time to share more experiences.  My comp, Sister P. and I have been blessed with some great people to teach, a great ward, and some fabulous weather the past few days. I actually got a little sunkissed on my face yesterday from tracting. Catching some sun in England, say what? :) More good news and stories to come in the next few weeks. The Church is true and missionary work is such a privilege! Love and miss you all. 

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London, for real.

So since my mission is London South, the actual heart of London City that everyone thinks of, is not in my mission.  Our boundary is south of the river.  But it was a miracle yesterday because a few of the zones in our mission had the privilege of actually crossing the boundary, and going into London for a Conference with the London Mission! It was such a blessing.  I actually got the chance to walk through London and see the double deckers, the taxis, the old buildings, and red telephone booths.  It was amazing!  The conference was so empowering, seeing all the missionaries from the area come together.  I feel so privileged to be part of such a great team of people!  The Spirit was so strong there and I was so grateful for the amazing opportunity.

In other news, public transportation has been a life saver.  The buses here are so efficient, and my companion and I are finally starting to get a hang of where the stops and where we're going. I rode a double decker for the first time in my life this week, and that was a blast!  But the best part about riding the bus, is the people.  Honestly. The stares we get from people, and the smiles we get from the bus drivers are just priceless.  Romans 1:16 is the perfect scripture to think of while riding on the bus.  Although not everyone wants to hear our message, finding the people who will listen keeps me going and encourages us to find more of those people. The gospel is for everyone and I know it will bless those who will allow it into their lives!  

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Is This Real Life?!

This week has been crazy!! I can't believe I'm here and actually out in the field! Finishing up at the Preston MTC and moving to serve in the Kingston area has been an exciting ride!  I will definitely miss all the missionaries at the MTC, my comp, the teachers and the great spirit felt there, but moving out to the field is exciting.  

My companion is Sister Phermsin she is my trainer for the next 12 weeks! She's so insightful, and has the cutest Finnish accent. She's half Thai, half Swedish, and grew up in Finland. She was baptized only 2 years ago, and I am so motivated by her sweet spirit and enthusiasm to do the work.  

We've done a ton of street contacting because we haven't had enough funds to buy a bus pass til today.  Thursday we walked 4 hours to get groceries - yes, 4!  It was a great opportunity for us to stop lots of people and ask for directions because both of us are new to the area. Plus, England is so beautiful and the weather has been awesome! It's so fun to be apart of the British culture here.  Most people we stop say they are not interested, but we still give them a pass-along card.  Those little things are the best.  Even if they don't want to hear the message from us, they have a way to learn more by going online.  

I feel so blessed to be put in such a great area and ward.  The Bishop and ward members are so enthusiastic about missionary work.  It's going to be a great 12 weeks here in Kingston! 

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Top 5 Differences Between America and England

1. The accents.  And I don't mean just the British accent.  We have missionaries here from Australia, Canada, Switzerland, Brazil, Polynesian Islands, Africa, China, Taiwan, and Dominican Republic. And I'm sure I'm leaving some out. The diversity is crazy!  It's proof that the church really is strong all over the world!

 

2. The food.  It's bland.  I add salt to everything! Other than that, I love it - and that's saying something coming from one of the pickiest people ever. 

 

3. The bathrooms.  Is that awkward? The toilet paper is like 6-ply, I kid you not.  Also the flush lever is on the wall, not the toilet.  And they don' call them restrooms or bath rooms, they just say toilet.

 

4. The weather. It's ALWAYS cloudy.  I've seen the sun twice since I've been here for a week. That'll take some getting used to.

 

5. The cars.  I love the cars here! They are adorable. Most people drive little cars and I see Fords all over the place. :) I haven't seen one pick-up truck since I've been here, and the MTC is right next to a highway. Instead of pick-ups they drive vans, or semis.

 

I wish I could give more details about the MTC, but I'm limited on time to email.  I'm learning so much and I've never been so happy, or felt so inadequate in my entire life. It's a rollercoaster of emotions out here!  I also thought eight hours would be plenty of sleep...um, no.  The days are long, and the nights feel so short! But I love it!

 

Love and miss you all,

Sister Bastian

 

P.S. Fun fact: No one in the MTC can say my last name right.  They all want to call me Sebastian, or Sister Sebastian. It's hilarious and I love all the missionaries. Power to the greenies!

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Top 5 Differences Between America and England

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Last Day in 'Merica

The day has basically been spent packing and crying. It's so hard to focus on the excitement and anticipation for England and missionary work, when I have to say goodbye to my favorite people. I hope that once I make the break tomorrow in the airport, I'll be able to whole-heartedly focus on the Lord and His work. And so the adventure begins…goodbye little Mapleton, hello Preston.