Monday, December 17, 2018

HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GREAT WEEK

Last Monday we got to participate in Santa's workshop.  We wrapped a bunch of boxes of chocolate for less fortunate children.  It was a great branch activity and it got a lot of less active members out!  The kids loved it.  Alex told Sister Edwards, "I really feel the Spirit here."

On Tuesday Sister Cox and I taught these two 18 year old girls.  We chapped their door a few weeks ago and the mom answered.  She said that she wasn't really interested, but her daughter might be.  When we went back her daughter looked really confused for a second and then got super excited.  She invited us right in.  We taught them about the Plan of Salvation.  They loved it.  A lot of people in this country hate the concept of heaven/hell.  They were some of them.  It was great to see their excitement learning about the 3 Kingdoms of Glory!  

Probably the rudest prank ever done to a missionary:  So at our branch Christmas party on Friday we had a bunch of games to play and the last game was for the missionaries only.  It's the one where there are cherries hidden in whip cream and you can only use your mouth to get them.  There were three plates.  One plate had 3 cherries, the next had 2, and the last had 1.  We were told that it was a race of the Elders vs. the Sisters.  Obviously this was an intense competition.  So they say go and I completely scarf the first plate of cherries and take the lead.  I eat the next two cherries as well, but I hadn't swallowed any at this point.  I go to eat the last cherry and it is SIGNIFICANTLY harder than the other cherries...and it tasted rotten.  I continue to chew, but it is seriously so bad.  I keep eating it and then I gag a little bit.  I hear Sister Cox say, "OH IT'S ROTTEN" and I realize what has happened.  I take the plate into the kitchen and have to spit everything out and wash my mouth in the sink.  THE YSA THAT WAS IN CHARGE OF ALL THE GAMES THOUGHT IT WOULD BE FUNNY TO PUT A PICKLED ONION INSTEAD OF A CHERRY AND WATCH US SUFFER.  In case you're wondering.  It wasn't funny and I literally almost threw up.  I don't know if you've ever had a pickled onion, but I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.  Rude.  

Sister Cox experienced her first time in the falling snow this week!  Saturday night it DUMPED snow.  It wasn't light or fluffy, it was very wet snow.  We came back to the flat halfway through the day to put on more layers and change our coats.  We were very wet.  Sister Cox is also not capable of walking in snow/on ice.  It's quite comical.  Nevadan....

Monday, December 10th, 2018

Yes, we are in the dark.  [It gets dark by 3:30 in the afternoon and not light until after 8:30 in the morning.] It was really funny because this week the mission home sent everyone a little packet of Vitamin D that we are supposed to take every day.  Also we teach a lot at night or have other meetings, so we are just wandering in the dark for hours on end.  Most nights it's not too bad.    

We got the Christmas package and are having lots of fun.  I think you're going to love the outfits we have planned for Christmas (including those leggings).  

This week was good!  We had Christmas conference in Edinburgh.  The first have was like a normal conference and the second half was fun stuff!  We had a snowball fight with 100ish missionaries, had a white elephant, and watched Incredibles 2!  It was fun to relax a little and to throw 'snowballs.'  I think I threw one too many though because my shoulder was sore after haha.

This week we were getting off of the bus and we saw a man that we had talked to multiple times in the street.  He always asks us questions like he's interested, but never wants to meet.  Well it was raining and super windy, so he offered to buy us a hot chocolate and get us out of the rain.  We were able to teach him the Restoration.  He loved it and is really excited to come to church next week.

We got to LIGHT THE WORLD this week for the Nasaleans.  Elder and Sister Edwards bought them a tree.  We surprised them with it and carolled at the door.  They loved it and Alex was in awe.  It meant so much to their family.

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY.  I LOVE PERTH.  I LOVE YOU!

Monday, December 3rd, 2018

This week started out pretty rough for the Perth sisters.  

On Monday we had two lessons fall through, so we were chapping.  We tried to cut between houses, so we didn't have to walk through their gates and there was a little ledge (that I saw) but I was holding a Book of Mormon and the phone to record the chapping.  Sister Cox was in front of me and stepped over it, no problem.  I step over the ledge, but I didn't see this wire that was like 6 inches above the ledge and I tripped.  I went down so hard.  I couldn't even catch myself because my feet got stuck and my hands were full.  I'm so lucky I didn't bash my face into the ground, but it did knock the wind out of me.  It hurt so bad.  And I had to get up right away because I was afraid the owners of the house would hear this commotion and come outside.  I was seriously sore for days, but all is well now and the only thing that was seriously hurt was my pride.  That made for a great Monday night and a great start to the week.

On Tuesday Sister Cox lost her wallet.  It contained her mission card, debit card, parent's credit card, bus pass, driver's license, and British Residency Permit, and £20.  That put a bit of a damper on things, but everything is figured out now and no money was spent on any of the cards!

On Wednesday we had exchanges in Aberdeen.  

We were able to teach a new person this week named _____!  We taught him on Thursday and on Saturday.  In that period of 2 days he HAD READ ALL OF 1ST NEPHI AND HE SAID HIS FIRST PRAYER EVER!!!  He loved learning about the Plan of Salvation and like the doctrine of the 3 Kingdoms.  At the end of the lesson he said, "I think if I had to make a plan, this is pretty much what it would be like."  _____ is awesome!  

Our week started out rocky, but ended on a super good note.  We had Stake Conference in Dundee yesterday.  That is about a 40 minute drive, so we didn't think any of the people we were teaching were going to make it.  BUT our Elder's Quorum President has a mini bus.  He drove it to the church and picked up Alex and his family, as well as Brooke and Jamie-Leigh.  We were so happy.  Alex's mom, Rozalia, loved how many people were there.  It's always good to gather together with all the members.  The primary kids also sang a special musical number called 'I Will Be What I Believe' and it made me tear up.  I love their sweet spirits.  They are so close to our Heavenly Father.

Monday, November 26, 2018

Saturday was Alex's Baptism!  He was so excited for everything.  His family invited a lot of their family and friends.  It was great to see all of the support for him.  His Aunt and Grandma both had tears in their eyes after his baptism.  His foot only came up once.  After his mom said she couldn't wait for her own.  His parents should get their birth certificates back this week so they can apply for a marriage license.  It looks like they'll be baptized at the start of the new year!  

Alex loved it so much.  One of the members gave him a scripture bag and a quad.  He asked Elder Edwards if he could bear his testimony in church yesterday.  He came to church with his scripture bag and the quad he was given.  He's a great addition to the Branch.  

On Tuesday, Elder and Sister Edwards were kind enough to make us a LOVELY Thanksgiving dinner.  There were 7 of us there and yes, we had turkey.

This week Sister Cox and I decided to go visit one of the members in the Branch.  It took longer than anticipated and we ended up waiting a long time for a bus.  After we waiting at a shopping center where we saw a little less active lady (and when I say little I seriously mean no more than 4 and a half feet tall).  It was pouring rain and she told us that she had called for a taxi, but they couldn't be there for an hour.  She said she was just waiting in the shopping center for someone she knew to come along to help her to get a taxi.  So we took her groceries and helped her across the street to the taxi rink.  So this week I literally helped an old lady cross the street.  It was great to see God's hand in that.  Clearly, we had to wait at that members home and wait on the bus, so that we could be in the right place at the right time to help this lady. 

This week we saved two elders from starvation.  They didn't budget very well and all they've been eating is eggs and bacon for every meal.  After coordination meeting on Thursday our Branch Mission Leader gave us a bunch of frozen food, but gave none to the elders.  We decided to be nice and we donated our frozen food to them.  We're convinced we saved two lives.