First email from Haywards Heath

Monday, April 28, 2014

Re: YOU KNOW YOU'RE A MISSIONARY WHEN YOU PRAY IN YOUR SLEEP!!!!!  Hahahha

I'M IN ENGLAND!!!!!!!!!!!!! So incredible!!!!!! I love it here!!!!! My first week was amazing!!!! So many blessings!!!!! I have witnessed so many miracles!!!!!!!! So, I flew to England, got there, got assigned my companion (Sister S., who is an absolute BALL OF SUNSHINE!!!!) and instantly went to work!!!!! The very first door we knocked on the woman slammed the door in our faces. I kind of felt hurt, but Sister S. yells through the door in a cheerful voice, 'Have a good day!!' I've gotten used to rejection and people saying no because they have free agency for a reason!! All you can do is love them! :) The next morning, I woke up with THE FLU!!! :( My goodness what a trip that has been. I'm finally starting to feel better, but it was very difficult to walk and talk everywhere!!! Soo, our first day out, we went to go see referrals and knock a street called America Lane here in Haywards Heath. That was interesting.... It was sort of uneventful, but it's the Lord's work!!! The second day (Thursday) we went to Victoria Park (which is right in the middle of our village of Haywards Heath) and saw a woman sitting alone. Sister S. said we should talk to her but I had a feeling we shouldn't. We went and sat on the bench next to her and started talking to her. Turns out she was deaf. We went and sat next to her and told her what we do. She refused but wanted to talk to us a little more. So we sort of managed to orchestrate the gospel into our conversation, and the Spirit was SO STRONG! She told us she was very lonely. We offered to do some service for her and she started to cry. She explained how hard of a life she has had and how she wants to not be lonely. We taught about the gospel and Heavenly Father's love for her. We extended an invitation to be baptized and she accepted!!!!! We said a prayer, hugged and she kissed us on the cheek. We left after scheduling another lesson with her. We started walking and then a man (who looked drunk and homeless) ran up to us and said 'Girls, be careful. That woman (B) is a lesbian and a pedophile.' Our hearts sunk... We found out later that the Sister missionaries before us (about EIGHT OR NINE YEARS AGO) had a VERY bad experience with her. So, we dropped her unfortunately... So we started teaching the man who ran up to us!!! He believes in God and has faith in Him, but has no faith in himself (his name is D.) He is an alcoholic and a smoker and wants to stop and doesn't know how!! We taught him the Restoration and invited him to be baptized... HE SAID YES!!! May 31 is the date!!! THEN we were walking around America Lane (Miracle Lane as we call it) and went up to a man. He was drinking and smoking. He told us he is homeless but feels so blessed because he knows God loves him and is watching out for him...... WHAT FAITH!!!! We taught him (S) about the Book of Mormon and he accepted another lesson!! The next day (Saturday) we taught him the Restoration and invited him to be baptized... HE IS ALSO ON THE 31 OF MAY!!!! So since I've been really sick, we've been resting at the flat (apartment) calling all the former investigators. We scheduled with a man named K. After we taught S, we taught him back to back and it turns out, K LIVES WITH D!!! (our first investigator) So we are teaching them together. K has already given up drinking and is working on the smoking part. We taught him the restoration and has accepted baptism for the 31 as well!!!!!!!!

Both K and D came to church yesterday. The elders showed them the baptismal font. K says 'This is where I am going to be baptized on the 31st of May!' Love him!!!!!!!
Last night, when we were knocking on doors, I was starting to feel a little homesick. Right as I thought that, we knocked on this one door and a Maddy dog ran out and jumped on me.... I knew God was looking out for me to give me a little push to get my desire and my faith back. I know Maddy is walking right along side me everywhere we go to preach the gospel. She has seen the others and knows what we have to look forward to. And she refuses to let me feel like this isn't worth it!!!!!
'God will always push you to the edge of difficulty until one of two things happen: you jump into His arms or He teaches you to fly.' LET US ALL JUMP OR BE READY TO LEARN HOW TO FLY!!!!!!!!
I love this work. I know this isn't about religion or baptism. This is about living a lifestyle like Christ did. HERE WE GOOOOO!!!! We can do it!!!!!!!!!

Oh, BTDubs, the whole 'YOU KNOW YOU'RE A MISSIONARY WHEN YOU PRAY IN YOUR SLEEP' thing, Sis. S. woke up one night to me ACTUALLY praying my in my sleep. VERY LOUDLY too. ahhahhaha just saying hahha apparently my voice is ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE here in Europe because Sis. S. makes me sing her to sleep every night hahahha just a funny thought. :) It just reminds me of when Momma would sing Sari and I to sleep hahahah :)

I know I'm here for a reason.... My companion is EXACTLY like Aubrey K., like the Norweigan version of her. hahaha I'M LEARNING NORWEIGAN!!!!!!! hahahhahha

*I asked Ally about her mission president and this was her reply*
He is VERY strict. We aren't allowed to wear pants on p-day.... But, I have accepted a call to obey with exactness so with exactness I will obey!!!! :)

*She also told Rob that she is on foot... no car*

*As to where she's living*

It's a cute little village hahaa B (the lesbian) is the town nutcase apparently... Which makes me very sad that people treat her like that but some people only the Savior can help... Like SAUL! :)

*Other things Ally said*

The two investigators we had come to church on Sunday both dressed pretty raggedy and smelled like smoke.... We had a man come up to us after church and said, 'You brought some pretty interesting investigators to church today...' Sis. S. told me later that she was about to ask him which investigators he brought to church.... I told her, 'It's important not to judge others, but it's even more important not to judge the judgers.' She is an excellent trainer!!!! I think we have taught each other so ooo much!!!!!! 

Arriving in London

More letters from the MTC...

April 17, 2014

FRIENDS AND FAMILY!!!!!

Oh, my goodness!!!! I love you all soo much!!!! The MTC is incredible!!!!!!!! I love the spirit here and having the opportunity to invite others to come unto Him!!!!!

First of all, the food here is interesting...... But, whatevs!!!!! Second of all, I love my companions!!!!!! Sister N. is from Tremonton, Utah and is soo amazing!!! She is blunt and so strong with the spirit!!!!!! Sister D. is from Kansas City, Missouri and she is a spiritual fox!!!!! 

4 DAYS UNTIL LONDON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I really have no idea what to say because there is SO MUCH to say!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have felt myself come closer to Christ and I have never knelt and prayed so often!!!! I've knelt at least 5 times in one hour!!!!!! I love the faith of everyone!!!!!

We had a devo on Sunday and watched a video by Elder Bednar about the character of Christ... We are all Cookie Monsters (Natural Men) and say "I want cookie now!!! I want baptism now!!! We all turn inwards and focus on what WE want. Whereas, Christ turned outwards and focused on what everyone NEEDED. He was patient with EVERYONE that He taught. He was not discouraged when people lost faith in Him. He just turned outwards and kept trying. But, let's be honest.... If the SAVIOR taught you, how on Earth culd you lose faith in Him!!? He was patient and adjusted His teaching strategies to match their understanding. When He asked the fishermen, "Come follow me and be FISHERS of men." He adjusted how He asked them to follow Him in a way that they would understand!!!!

I was called to be a Sister Training Leader... CRAZY!!!! So greeting the newbs last night was awesome!!! (Which is weird because aren't we all at the MTC newbs???) I love seeing how many people are willing to put away time for just the Lord!!!!! I love this time I have with the Lord!!!!! It is amazing at how close we can come to Him just by having faith that all will work out!!!

Oh, if we could all be like the Savior at all times and all things and all places.... But, all Heavenly Father asks of us is to TRY OUR VERY HARDEST. And He gives us SOOOOO MUCH IN RETURN. We are always going to mess up, but that is what the Atonement is for!!! Which, I was asked last minute to give a talk on the Atonement on Sunday!! Weelllll, not last minute because the Branch President (who is sooo sweet) asked us to prepare talks on the Atonement, but he wouldn't tell us who would be asked. So I prepared a talk about how the Atonement can help us in any and every way possible, including giving us courage to open our mouths. (Doc and Cov 33:8-10) So, I used the example of Esther. Esther, even though she was before the time of the Savior it still applies, was put in the position of needing to save her people. She was the Plan A in this situation (Esther 4:12-4) and through fasting and praying, the Atonement gave her courage to open her mouth. LET US USE THE ATONEMENT TO OPEN OUR MOUTHS. INVITE OTHERS TO COME UNTO HIM BY OPENING OUR MOUTHS!!!! I love you all soooo much and am sooo thankful for your support!!!!!!!! You are in my prayers and daily thought!!!

SPREAD THE SUNSHINE THE LORD HAS GIVEN YOU!!!!!!! Hope to hear from you!!!!!!!

With Love With All My Fetching Heart, 

Sister V (What everyone calls me because they can't pronounce my last name... hahhahaa)

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