Happy
New Year’s Everybody! Can't believe we already made it to 2017! Time sure goes
by so fast!
So Monday was what we call
Boxing Day over here in England. It was originally a day when the mail men
would collect little boxes of money or gifts as a thanks for good service
throughout the year...but it's turned into a day off to do nothing. So in
spirit of the new meaning, we got to sleep in. All the way to 8:30! So Sister
Tautkus and I rolled out of bed and did our studies in our pajamas! Then the
cleaning bug hit both of us. We swept and were moving furniture to make sure we
got everything nice and clean. Once we were satisfied, we got ready for the day
and went to a members to use their wifi and email. Then we rushed off into town
to try and hit up some of the after Christmas sales. Well the store we wanted
to go to said it would close at 4, but we got there at 3:30 and it had already
shut. So we just did grocery shopping and then went to Sister Stephenson's for
tea and a quick lesson with Stuart. She ordered us Indian Takeaway so that was
delicious! Then we taught Stuart about callings and the organization of the
church. Then we went to Jackie's and had a chat with her. We didn't have really
a proper lesson because our mission President told us to just brighten people's
day since it's Boxing Day. She seems to be doing really well though. So that's
good!
Tuesday we had another lesson
with Stuart at the Wilson's house. We taught the Law of Chastity which was
interesting, but it went really well! Then we had a mock interview. We told him
we still have one more lesson but his interview should be on Friday. It was so
good to have the Wilsons there. We found a few concerns and Sister Wilson did
such a eat job answering them for us! So that was a huge blessing! Then we went
in for lunch. After lunch, we went to a natural park formed by glaciers. We
figured since it's a school holiday, we'd find a few families and could do some
good street contacting. And we wanted to see it...so yeah! We went and it
wasn't entirely what we expected. We found a guy who threw anti Mormon stuff at
us and then got mad we wouldn't argue and he wouldn't let us go! We tried
excusing ourselves like 10 times and then finally got away. Then we ran into
this really nice couple and we talked to them for quite awhile. But they
weren't interested just nice.
Then we tried by a few people. We stopped by
this one girl named Kate and talked with her about the Book of Mormon and
talked about where it came from. She asked us to come back the next day and
read with her!
Wednesday we had district meeting and it was
so good! It was the first one we've had in about a month! So that was nice! We
talked a little about everything which was such a great reminder how the little
things are so important when it comes to missionary work! Obedience brings
blessings. Exact obedience brings miracles! Then we had lunch in Louth and went
to Mablethorpe to have a lesson with Stuart. There was a mix up in
communication though. He had texted this morning he was heading back home so we
told him we'd see him later...we'll we were about half way there and found out
he was still in Louth. Well we had one more lesson to teach before he could
have his interview...so we did a Skype lesson. Only instead of us being in Louth
and him in Mablethorpe, we were in Mablethorpe and he was in Louth! But it went
well. We discussed tithing and Brother Izzard did such a great job testifying!
I just love members! Then we went back to Louth and read from the Book of
Mormon with Kate. We read the introduction and 1 Nephi 1. She's an English
major and has already read the whole Book of Mormon, but wants to read it again
and understand it better. So we went over it in pretty good detail and then
came in for tea and 12 weeks!
Thursday was really good! We started out the
day by going to Josephine's house and then taking the bus together to Michael's
house. He said he wants to understand the Bible better, so we're doing a mini
scripture study group with them. We read through Matthew 1 together and went in
depth on that. We're basically doing the same thing with him that we were with
Kate. We're reading a chapter together, assigning the next few and then we'll
answer questions and read another one and so forth. So it went really well!
Then we came in for lunch and then went out to do Mormon.org time. But
the library closes early on Thursdays. So we missed out. But that's ok! We had
a lesson with Jackie afterwards about setting New Years Resolutions and
bettering ourselves in this coming year. Then we came in for tea and went with
Josephine again to teach Chris. We went over the sacrament and the purpose of
church to invite him to come again! Then we did 12 Weeks at home and went to
bed!
Friday we had weekly planning all morning
again. Then we street contacted to the bus station and talked to this lovely
couple on the way to STUART'S BAPTISMAL INTERVIEW!! We waited in the hall and
then about an eternity later (45 minutes) they finally came out and he PASSED!
So we walked him around the chapel and gave him a chapel tour and explained the
process of baptism and confirmation and made sure we had the right size clothes
and stuff and then caught the bus back to Louth. We got in and caught another
bus to go have tea with the Harvey's.
Saturday we went to teach Keeley and Martin.
It went really well! We taught the Plan of Salvation. We gave them a Family
Proclamation too. So I really hope they'll read that and decide they want to be
an eternal family...then we came in for lunch and 12 weeks. We then went out
finding for a few hours. Knocking doors. So much fun. But then we went to meet
up with Sam for a lesson. He didn't show up. Again. So we went and did more
street contacting. We had to go in early since it was New Years Eve. So we did
planning early and then cleaned and organised the flat.
Sunday was New Hears day! We had an
excellent talk in church about how our mind works with New Years Resolutions.
We over indulge in something and decide we want to change that. Then we make a
plan and go for it. After a few days or weeks without immediate success, we
start to lose motivation and eventually give up. Then she talked about how
despite knowing we won't keep our Resolutions, we still set them because we
want to better ourselves. And that's exactly what we should use the sacrament
as. The sacrament is our time to make weekly Resolutions. And we should make
daily resolutions so when we take the sacrament, we are truly aware of what we
need to work on that week and we can ask for Heavenly Fathers help. When we
have His help, we won't fail because Christ has already overcome the weaknesses
we are trying to overcome. So yeah, it was a great talk! Then after church,we
went knocking and then had a lesson with Jackie. Then we went to a friends
house to sync our iPads. She gave us a chocolate Santa. So sweet! Literally!
My Spiritual Thought for this week is from
President Boyd K. Packer's talk "The Key to Spiritual Protection"
"Just as chalk can be removed from a
blackboard, with sincere repentance the effects of our transgressions can be
erased through the Atonement of Jesus Christ."
This is a New Year. Let us resolve to be
better, to repent, to change. This gospel is truly a gospel of change. I'm so
grateful for this upcoming year. This year I will be a missionary for almost
the whole year. I have the privilege of telling people they can repent. They
can change their lives. This can be the best year of their lives because they
can choose to follow Jesus Christ-some people for the first time in their life.
I hope and pray each of us will take advantage of the wonderful gift repentance
is this New Year.
Sister Hope
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