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!!!!!!