I Can't Believe It's Been Another Week! -- March 27, 2017

Hello everyone! Hope you've had a great week! Let me just fill you in on mine real quick :)

So Monday after shopping and emailing, we decided we wanted to go on an adventure. So we hopped in the car and headed to Durham, a city in our zone that's got a beautiful cathedral and castle. So we went and it was so pretty! We got to go to the cathedral, which part of Harry Potter was filmed in!

But the castle was closed for private tours. Luckily though, we could still take a picture of the outside!

So it was a beautiful day and we had some fun together. We ate a late lunch and then drove back and went to see a Sister in our Branch and we talked to her about 2 Nephi 31 and the importance of the Doctrine of Christ. Then we got back in the car and spent the night at the Newcastle Sister's flat.

Tuesday we had Zone Conference which was so great! We talked a lot about the Atonement and Self Reliance. I find it interesting how much of a push the church is putting on self reliance right now. But anyways, it was a great meeting, really long per usual, but it was great. And what was really great is I was able to see all my companions (except Sister Tautkus who is busy taking care of Louth still!) that are still on their missions!

Then we went home and did companionship study and tea.

Wednesday we had another busy day. We had a lesson with a recent convert named Kurt about Patriarchal Blessings and missionary work. He is hoping to serve a mission in about a year and so we are going to have him practice teach us the lessons now to make sure he knows the doctrine and how to teach it. Then we travelled to Blyth, but our lessons fell through. So we went to see Heather in the hospital again. She didn't look too well and was sleeping the whole time basically, so we left and went to the chapel. We got asked to help the Young Women with a musical number for this week, so we practiced for that as our companionship study and then had tea with a member and went back to the chapel to go to Young Women's for the night!

Thursday we did some street contacting into town and back, but it was pretty empty. So we went and did some Are Book Finding and then met up with a member to go see Heather. She was doing a lot better and so we shared the visiting teaching message since the member is her visiting teacher. So that was really good. Then we went back and I got a blessing since I was able to schedule another driving test for this weekend. Then we went to have tea and saw another member and then came in for companionship study.

Friday felt like we didn't do much...so we had weekly planning and then a relief society activity right after. Then we had back to back lessons at the chapel and stayed for companionship study and I practiced my driving maneuvers for a bit and we ordered food and had tea at the chapel...so we were there pretty much all day. Then we went to a Members house to have a visit with them.

Saturday I had my driving test. It went so much better and I even passed this one! So we got back to Ashington and then had lunch before heading out to see some less actives and members. We had quite a few lessons with them and then went home for studies and tea.

Sunday we had another short day. So church was awkward. We had one speaker get up and talk about the importance of not kissing a lot...and us missionaries are the only YSA aged and his daughter and the Branch Presidents daughter make up the youth...so that was a little uncomfortable. But anyways, it was Mother's Day here, so Sister Kirk got to Skype her parents and then we had lunch. Then we went to a less actives house and had a lesson with them and then after our companionship study and tea we went to missionary coordination meeting. So it was another quick day!

My Spiritual Thought for the week is from Elder L. Tom Perry's talk "Bring Souls Unto Me"

"Our missionary message is strengthened by the knowledge of the Restoration. We know that God speaks to His prophets today, just as He did anciently. We also know that His gospel is administered with the power and authority of the restored priesthood. No other message has such great eternal significance to everyone living on the earth today. All of us need to teach this message to others with power and conviction. It is the still, small voice of the Holy Ghost that testifies through us of the miracle of the Restoration, but first we must open our mouths and testify. We must warn our neighbors."

I'd greatly recommend reading this talk. It is so good and really emphasizes the importance of doing our missionary work as members. 

Love you all! Hope you have another great week!

Sister Hope

I Don't Know...it just comes from my Spirit! -- March 20, 2017

Monday I spent the entire morning doing laundry. Our washing machine had broken during the week and so Elder Miller came and fixed it first thing in the morning so we could have clean clothes to put in our suitcases! So we spent the entire morning counting down the minutes on the washing machine. But alas, finally it finished and we were able to go out. So we had lunch with a family from New Zealand, which Sister Tanielu was really excited about since her family is from there as well. They'd been wanting to have us over all transfer but they've always gotten busy, but we did get to see them! Then we went to the chapel. The Louth Sisters came up to Hull since Sister Mataupu's trainer came back to England to visit. So the five of us hung out!

Then we had tea with our Ward mission leader and his family. Which was a blast! We just love them!

And their dog...

He's a dauchshund. Which is my favorite dog (totally unbiased though). Then we went to FHE and had a final lesson. We watched the new First Vision video, "Ask of God" and then had cake! So it was a good evening! Sad to say goodbye to everyone. 

Especially the Millers! 

So...afterwards, we went and finished packing and then went to bed.

Tuesday we woke up and got ready pretty quickly and then carried all our luggage to the station. I caught a train to Doncaster, which arrived 10 minutes late (and I originally only had 15 minutes to get to my next platform). So I was freaking out a bit. Luckily, some elders were waiting for someone else and so they each grabbed a suitcase and we ran. Made it with about 30 seconds to spare. But we made it! Then I sat on that train for about another hour and a half and got to Newcastle. I met up with Sister Kirk and the adventure began! So we caught a metro bus (subway) to the car and then went to our flat for lunch and dropped my luggage off and then went to visit some less actives that were working with. We basically just introduced me to them and shared a quick spiritual thought with them. Then we went to the chapel to sync our iPads and see some other members since there's a less active "institute" class going on.

Wednesday we had district meeting and it was so weird because the only person I knew was our district leader from the beginning of my mission! But it was a great meeting about teaching while finding. Then we had lunch and went to the library to meet up with another less active and answer some of his questions about the temple. Then we went to another town and did a little street contacting before the strangest lesson of my life...so we were meeting this guy at the Blyth library and we started the lesson. We were going to do addiction recovery with him, but felt we should do the Restoration instead. So we pray and start the lesson and then this lady comes over and asks what we're doing, so we tell her and she asks which church we're from, so we tell her and she says

"Oh. Well I'm sorry, but I've been taught that Mormonism is a man-made cult that's founded by the devil...can I join your session?"

We were like "um....sure????" So she drags a chair over and this guy starts talking about how much he wants to quit smoking and so she asks if she could pray for him and then she reaches out and puts her hand on his head and starts chanting. It was so weird. And at the end he asked what the prayer meant and she said "I don't know, it just comes from my spirit!" Well anyways, she kept butting in and then tried to cast the devil of drug addiction out of him...but we finished the lesson and said a closing prayer. As we left, we were able to set a return appointment with him though. So that's good she didn't scare him off from us! Just from her! But then we left for a tea appointment and then went to another recent convert's house who's 11. She's such a golden member! I hope we can get her parents to listen now!

Thursday we had a packed day of teaching to do. So we had a lesson with a recent convert named Heather about scripture study and then went to lunch. After lunch, we had a lesson with some investigators named John and Jackie and then a less active, both about the Plan of Salvation. Then we came in to call some formers and see if there was anyone who was interested again. No luck this time. Then we had tea and Branch Council which was about the self reliance program the church is doing and how we should try and motivate the members to do it. It was actually a really interesting presentation!

Friday we had weekly planning and then went to have a lesson with another investigator. Then we went to the chapel and had a lesson with two recent converts and then the library for back to back lessons with two other recent converts. (If you can't tell, we have a lot of recent converts and less actives we're working with). En we decided we wanted Chinese food, so we went to get some and had a pretty good conversation with a guy there and then ate it at home. Then we went out to see a member family that talked a lot, but it was still really good! We had our prayers answered (well Sister Kirk's and the previous sister's) because this member bore her testimony and it's exactly what an investigator needs to hear!

Saturday we went to see Heather again. (She's really ill, so we see her quite a bit) she wasn't feeling very well at all, so we played cards with her and I totally won! Then we had lunch and went to see another member. We were having a conversation with her, when one of her friends showed up and started talking to us about what we do. So we stayed and talked to him for a bit and then went to try by a few people. Then we had a lesson with a returned less active who is preparing to go to the temple trip coming up! So that was exciting! Then we tried by a few other families, but they weren't in. So we went in for tea and comp Study since I wasn't feeling too well. So we took that early so I could rest a bit and then we did street contacting the rest of the night. The only person we ran into was the relief society president...

Sunday we had church. It feels so good to be back in a branch! I've really grown to love branches a lot on my mission! In fact, the only two wards I've served in are Horbury (1 Week) and Hull 1 (6Weeks). But I've been in branches the rest of it! So yeah, church was good. There was a pretty good turnout today apparently! Then after church and lunch, we went to see Heather. While we were knocking on her door, a neighbor came and said she'd been taken to the hospital. So we went around back and all her furniture had been moved, so we figure he must be right. Well, we spent the next hour or so trying the different hospitals and then finally found her! Well we got there 10 minutes after visiting hours, but saw they'd open again in two hours. So we went to Branch Coordination and went back. It totally made her day and was such a blessing for us to be able to see that!

My Spiritual Thought for the week is from Dieter F. Uchtdorf

"Faith means that we trust not only in God's Wisdom, but that we trust also in His love"

It's so important to remember that everything happens for a reason. Sometimes we ask ourselves "why me!?" When really our faith should be telling us it's because Heavenly Father loves us and He knows exactly what challenges we need to become like Him. His eternal goal is for us to be like Him and He will guide us every step of the way...if we let Him, trust in Him, and have Faith in Him.

Love you all! God bless!

-- 

Sister Hope

Miracles where you Least Expect them! -- March 6, 2017

Hello everyone! Well, another week has gone by, so let me see if I can fill you in on some of the things that have been happening here in the mission field for me!

Monday we had PDay. And it was a super productive one! We went to a mall and got a few things there. I even got a haircut! It doesn't look any different, just a lot healthier, so that's good! It's the first one I've had on my mission, so I decided it was about time...then we went to the library cause I needed to print some things and then we went to a charity shop and got some new skirts and then we finally did our grocery shopping. Then we headed out to the chapel and when we got there, we found nobody there. Well the elders forgot about us...they forgot to tell us they were at the other chapel clear across town. So we decided to go back to the mall and eat and email there instead. Then Sister Tanielu got a crazy idea...to dye our hair. So we bought some hair dye and dyed each other’s hair. But neither of us look any different still. So I guess its better the dye was just so cheap it didn't work than so cheap it turned our hair bright orange... anyways, then we went to have a FHE with a less active. We talked about gratitude and committed her to keep a gratitude jar. Then we had pie and hot chocolate :) but the best part of Monday was that I found out one of the guys I'd been teaching in Louth finally decided to get baptized! And I got a picture from Sister Tautkus:)

Tuesday was good. We went on splits with the sister Training leaders and did street contacting for about three and a half hours...so that was fun. We found some great people (spoiler alert, all of them cancelled) and then we switched back and Sister Tanielu and I had a lesson with a recent convert about temples and Family History. She's planning on going on the Ward temple trip next weekend, so it was really good to clarify some doctrine for her and help prepare her a bit for that! Then we went to have a tea appointment with a member of the Bishopric and his family. Then they gave us a ride to our missionary coordination meeting which was also really good and we were able to have some great conversations and see how many miracles are truly happening in this area!

Wednesday went really quickly. I had a driving lesson in the morning and it went really well. He said he thinks I'm ready for the test and he'll just do one more lesson with me beforehand to help me feel as confident as he does in me! So that's good! Then we realized there's no free parking by our flat. So we had to drive to the chapel and park it there. Then we got lunch and decided to do companionship study at the Miller's (the senior couple in our Zone). Which was a HUGE miracle because we looked out the window and what did we see? A less active we've been trying to get a hold of for a few weeks. So I think we terrified the Millers and ran to get our shoes on and stop her on the street! Then we came back in and finished. The member for our first lesson showed up, but the investigator didn't. So we had a lesson with him instead and it was SO GOOD! He said we talked about some things that he'd been struggling with and yeah. It was good. Then our second lesson didn't show up. So we went to see Sister Ford and had a great lesson with her as well. She had a nonmember friend over, so we were able to talk to both of them! Then we got stuck in traffic on the bus. Which just means longer conversations with people next to you :) and we had a Relief Society Birthday Party as a Ward at the chapel. We had to leave a little early so we could be in by 9. But that's ok!

Thursday we had an early and long day. We woke up around 5:15 and went to the chapel where we caught a coach to the Huddersfield Chapel and had Zone Conference. So that was really good! We talked a lot about working with members and the importance of member missionary work. But my favorite part was we had a huge testimony meeting and I feel so many things I needed to hear where said in that. I copied some of my notes for your enjoyment :)

·         Live your mission in a way that the badge becomes in your heart when you have to take it off. Elder Mikkola

·         Our badges have nothing to do with the name at the top, but everything about the name at the bottom. Elder Mikkola

·         Missions are blessings disguised as trials. Sister Rigby

·         Study what you teach and live what you study. Elder Molunga

·         Cherish each day. It may change someone's eternity. Sister Wood

·         Missionary work is not complex. But that doesn't mean it's easy. Elder Liss

·         He loves all our future investigators as well and is preparing them to receive us and us to receive them. Sister Montgomery

·         He's not just there to save us from sin or to relieve us from guilt, but He is there to lift us when we can't lift ourselves. Elder Charman

·         Missions are about looking where we came from, where we are, and where we're going. When we see the change in ourselves, doubt and discouragement will disappear. Elder Boswell

·         Don't you dare say amen until the whole armour of God is on you. Elder Boswell

·         Do you remember the excitement you felt opening your mission call? What about now? Sister Peng 

So yeah, it was pretty good. I think I have a pretty great missionary team here :D

Then President and Sister Turvey spoke some more and it was just a great meeting!

After Zone Conference, we had a member pick us up from the chapel and we went to their friend's house for a lesson! Unfortunately, he thought we were over there for a debate...but that's ok. He was still really nice. The funny thing is, that a few months ago, I was on exchanges with Sister Blair and we knocked his street and the excuse he gave was his wife was sick and he needed to make lunch. I found out he doesn't have a wife...but he let us in this time for an hour and I know a seed was planted. Isn't it amazing what member missionary work can do? When a member approaches someone they know, they're more likely to respond favorably than when a missionary approaches them. Just something to think about!

Friday we had weekly planning all morning and then after lunch, we went to see another less active. We had a lesson about the Liahona and she taught me something quite profound. She said she believed the Sacrament was her personal Liahona because as she looks forward to taking it each week, she can be pointed in the right way of what to do and what to change! (She's only considered less active because she's in a hospital) I really liked that...well obviously because I included it in my letter...well anyways, then we did some more street contacting and a little knocking and our tea appointment fell through. So we went to a restaurant that the Millers suggested since a former works there. Well he recognized the badge and said he'd been thinking of going back to FHE with the Millers. So that was such a tender mercy! And on top of that, his friend gave us his number too and wants to meet up. And on top of THAT they gave us our meal basically for free. So win, win, win! The. We came home and ate and did companionship study!

Saturday was another day of finding. So we chose an area we wanted to go to and asked our district leader if he had any formers who lived in that area and he gave us four names. So we went by! We got to talk to all four of them. One told us to come back on Tuesday because she was just headed out, and two said they weren't interested, but the last one was so amazing! She let us in and we just spoke about God's love and bore our testimonies and all three of us were crying (girls, right?!?) and at the end, she said "I guess I should try praying, huh?" So we're seeing her again next week as well! Then we did a few hours of street contacting with no luck, but talked to some really great people anyways! And then came in for studies and tea!

Sunday we had a Stake Conference Broadcast and then went to try by some members.  So the Stake Conference Broadcast was an Area Broadcast with M. Russel Ballard presiding. They talked a lot about improving our spirituality in our areas, wards, and lives. Anyways, after the conference, we had lunch and then went to an area that has two members we were asked to visit. Neither were in, but we were able to talk to one of their husbands. Turns out he's not a member, but has been to church a few times and he invited us back for later in the week! Then we went to see another part member family in the area since we were there and she wound up giving us a ride to a lesson we had later with another recent convert. We talked to her about the Priesthood and what the role of Priesthood is in our lives and so that was a good lesson! Then we came in for tea and companionship study.

So my spiritual thought this week is from the Area Broadcast. Just something to think about!

The key to enduring to the end is resilience during trials and not cutting ourselves off from Christ and His teachings.

Love you all and hope it's another great week! I know we have a busy one planned :)

Sister Hope

Turnin' it around in Hull!! -- February 27, 2017

Hello everyone! What another great week it was here in the mission field!

So Monday we spent our PDay at the chapel with the elders and we played chair football! I don't know if you guys remember me telling you about this game, but basically everyone has a chair to protect and we're all trying to get each other out. So if the soccer ball touches your chair, you lose a life and flip the chair upside down. Then if it touches it again, you flip it over again and sit down. You can get back in if you catch the ball and throw it at someone else's chair and it hits their chair. So you steal one of their lives. It gets pretty intense. But the funny thing is that I was the only sister playing, so they didn't want to get me out unless they needed a life. So I just defended my chair the entire time and then when it was just me and one elder, I'd get him out. I only won one game with that strategy...but I won! Anyways, so after PDay we went to try by a less active, but couldn't get her gate open and she didn't answer the phone. So we were pretty sad because we could see their lights on, but the gate was locked. So we got on the bus and ran into a member, so we talked to her for a bit. Then Sister Tanielu realized she forgot something, so we went back into town and headed out again. We ran into this family we had talked to awhile back and this time they said we could come back and teach them! We were so excited. We stayed on the bus talking to them, getting their details and such, and totally missed our stop...so we had about half an hour to walk back home...

Tuesday we went back to the care home to have a lesson with that member and visit her. Then we went to an appointment, but she wasn't in. So we went in for lunch. After lunch we did some finding in a neighborhood. After a little bit of no luck, we decided to take a break, so we had some fun :)

Then we went back out to do some more knocking. Still no luck. So we went in to do companionship study and tea. Then we went out to Ward Coordination and had a great meeting there. It was a little funny though because our Ward Mission Leader couldn't be there, so he phoned in and we just had the meeting on loudspeaker. So that was unique :)

Wednesday was...interesting. So we had district meeting in the morning, which was pretty good. Then we got lunch and I went to take my driving theory test. Well I passed! So that was a huge relief! Then we went to try by someone, who still wasn't in. So we went to the library and I scheduled my driving test...scary! And then we went to visit a member. She'd been really lonely and having a hard day. So we were thankful we were prompted to go see her, even though we were probably there too long. Again...but then on the bus to our tea appointment, we saw one of our investigators we hadn't been able to get ahold of in ages. So we stopped to talk to him and that was such a tender mercy! Then we went to the tea appointment and it was a little, or a lot, weird. So this member, who's like one of our favorites, had an accident yesterday that we didn't know about and she hit her head really hard. So she has amnesia and can't remember anything from the last 7 months of her life and so she had no idea who we were...so it was an interesting tea appointment and we helped her fill in some of the blanks about what's going on in her life and all the things we'd talked to her about in the past four weeks. So yeah...it was strange.

Thursday was pretty good. We had a lesson with this one lady we popped by since the Ward had asked us to. It was a very lovely conversation. She's really ill, so she's unable to come out. But she's just so happy despite all her hard times and it was such an upliftment to us! Then we went to have lunch with an elderly lady in the ward who loves having missionaries! We had a grand little chat with her :) then we went to try by a few more people and had tea in town with a family Sister Tanielu used to teach in Huddersfield. They were in Hull for the weekend and wanted to meet up. So we went out to eat and played some games at the table. Felt like a proper Family Home Evening! Then we had Ward Council which was amazing. The Ward is super excited about all the people we've been able to see and help and were even giving us referrals. I think it made the elders a bit jealous. But whatcha gonna do?

Friday was super short. We had weekly planning in the morning and then we tried by a few less actives and formers. One of them let us in...but she only speaks Swahili. So, it was a really hard conversation since the only Swahili I know is Hakuna Matata...but her nephew was there and he translated. But he was just visiting, so I don't think we'll be able to go back. But then we went to have tea with a member and then had a lessons with Jayne, one of the recent converts, about temple work since there's a temple trip in a few weeks. She's gonna try and go, so we're super excited about that! Just sad we can't go with...

Saturday we did something crazy...we decided we wouldn't visit anyone and just concentrate on finding. We set a goal to find two new people to teach. So we knocked for about two hours in the morning and the first person we talked to said we could come back! So we got her info and set a time for next week. Then nobody else was interested. So we got lunch and then did more knocking and street contacting. We did get a little distracted as we passed a Ghandi statue though. Just as we were about to go to our tea appointment, we found a lady who was curious about God...so we're seeing her next week too :) then we had our tea appointment and the husband of the family wound up giving the message...which was way better than what we had planned, so I'll share it as my spiritual thought for the week! ;)

Sunday went pretty well. We had church and it was a homecoming meeting. Which meant we had cake after the three hours. So that was great! But in all seriousness, it was an amazing Sabbath. Then we went to have lunch with a part member family and then came home to grab some things and went out to visit a family who wasn't at church to make sure they were ok. Then we came back in for companionship study and tea. So another quick, but great day!

My Spiritual Thought for the week is, as previously stated, from a member in our ward. 

So in St. John 20, when the disciples went to see the empty tomb they said

"6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,

7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself."

And back in those days, when a carpenter was working on a project, they would wear the same napkin, or headband, during the entire project and when the project was done, they would wrap the napkin neatly and place it on top of the project so the person who was buying it knew it was done to the best of their ability. And Jesus Christ was a carpenter. So after He was resurrected, he put his napkin neatly by itself to symbolise He had done His job to the best of His ability and it was finished.

When we finish our missions, or our careers, or our callings, or our lives, will we be able to symbolically fold our napkin neatly and show we have finished to the best of our ability?

Sister Hope