Transfers This Week

I don't have time today to post a report for this week because P-day won't be until Wednesday for transfer week - but I will post one on Wednesday. Stay tuned. Thanks! :) 

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Inside the Cathedral. :)

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Exchange with Sister McLaws this week in New Milton! She's from Park City - Love her! 

Lost Sheep Round 2

Yesterday Sister Smart and I experienced one of the greatest things in our mission so far! It was such a blessing.  This is mostly what I wrote to my mission president today in my letter. 

Earlier in the week on exchange, Sister Smart and Sister Macaluso contacted a young lady and got a return appointment.  We didn't realize til last night that her address was outside of Salisbury and we had never been there before - we didn't even really know it existed. We caught the bus out but the address she gave us was no good.  The house was empty and up for sale.  We knocked the rest of the street, but with little success.  As we finished we looked across the street, trying to decide where to go.  The building across the way looked a bit like a church but we decided to go find out if someone lived there.  At the first door we knocked on the other side of the road, a tall slim lady answered the door.  We introduced ourselves and she asked us if we were Latter Day Saints.  We told her we were and she then replied "I am too..." What?! This lady was not on the directory or any record that we had seen!  She invited us in and went on to tell us she had been married and sealed in the temple 20 years ago, but then had been divorced 10 years later.  She ended up moving here and fell away from the church because a C of E chapel was just around the corner from where she lived.  She told us multiple times how she had recently been thinking of whether or not she should have her name removed or if she should come back to church again.  She explained how great the temple had made her feel and how she longed for that Spirit again.  Amazingly, we had just been  told earlier that day about a branch temple trip coming up on the 22nd of this month.  She found her diary and eagerly wrote it in.  She doesn't want to miss it. As our conversation came to a close, her eyes welled up with tears and she told us how grateful she was that we came in.  She recognized that she had lost her way and wanted to make her way back.  I will never forget the hug she gave us before we left -full of gratitude and appreciation.  The words of a song haven't quit running through my head yet, "Dear to the heart of the Shepherd, Dear are the lambs of his fold; Some from the pastures are straying, Hungry and helpless and cold. See, the Good Shepherd is seeking, Seeking the lambs that are lost, Bringing them in with rejoicing,saved at such infinite cost." I'm so grateful we were led to find Pam.  It really is true that the Lord loves each and every one of His children and He wants them back.  I was grateful to be a part of Pam's rescue that night. 

Scripture of the week: "And that same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there, only it will be coupled with eternal glory, which glory we do not now enjoy." -D&C 130:2

Sister Smart and I at the top of the Salisbury Cathedral today! What a beautiful view we had! 

Easter Already?

Easter candy is already here and it beats EVERYTHING back home. Cream filled Cadbury Milk Chocolate Eggs. Can't beat it. :)

Busy, Busy, Busy

Well, March has given us a warm welcome. Thank the heavens. :) I haven't had to wear my puffy coat the last few days, so hopefully this type of weather sticks around. I appreciate the sun so much more than I did before, that's for sure. 

We had a miraculous day on Thursday. In the morning, we taught our investigator Kevin (who we found 2 weeks ago knocking) about the Plan of Salvation and he committed to be baptized and come to church!! Wow, we were so excited for him!! Then, that evening, we taught Sister Henstridge (one of the member's mother who is investigating) and she committed to be baptized and come to church too!! Our excitement was through the roof!! We are so happy for them! They both committed to be baptized at the end of this month and so we're praying and doing all we can to help them get there. :) The Lord is blessing these people and the Salisbury branch so much and I'm grateful to be a small part of His work. The other great thing was that both of them made it to church on Sunday as well, and Kevin even had to walk to the other side of town to get there. He is great.

This week we also met with some great members who told us they wanted to get involved with Family History.  This is a new big push in the mission and I'm really excited about it.  The new familysearch.org is AMAZING! I haven't been able to do a lot on there yet, but I just love seeing who and where I come from. Hopefully we'll be able to implement this a lot more into our finding and teaching.  The great thing about it is that if people can get excited about their family history, they're going to get excited about going to the temple. It's amazing how perfectly the Lord's Plan of Salvation, Church organization, and Gospel doctrine all work together for the "perfecting of the saints."  I love it. 

Scripture of the week:

"28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. 29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. 31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" -Matt. 14:28-31Salisbury District! From left to right: Elder Willers, Elder Astle (he's 6'7" can you believe it?! Tallest missionary in ELSM award), Sister Smart, Elder Wilson, and DL Elder Schmoekel. 

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Met this great sailor while street contacting in Weymouth - apparently he sailed on "The Bounty" which is the ship "The Black Pearl" is based off of in Pirates of the Caribbean. Amazing! The pin on his lapel pictures that ship.  We got a picture, he got a mormon.org card - pretty good swap if you ask me. :)