Monday, January 28, 2019 - BEST NEWS OF THE CENTURY

Sister Cluff got super sick this week, so we spent a lot of time in the flat.  We did go out to teach ____.  We taught him the Law of Chastity and Tithing.  Because Sister Cluff was so sick I basically taught it by myself.  She is better now and I think I managed to stay healthy and dodge that bullet!  ____ was good though!  He readily accepted both commandments and is getting more and more excited for baptism.

On Friday, we had exchange in Glasgow.  It was a great day.  Every lesson we had scheduled fell through, but we had an amazing day of finding.  We talked to so many prepared people that wanted to meet up!

One time Sister Cluff and I were talking about prayer and how it works.  She shared that her dad always says that you can't pray for a shiny, new, red bike and expect it to come.  God will give you the means to work for it and you can get that shiny, red bike.  Well...this week that was proved wrong.  Elder and Sister Helps (office missionaries) called us on Saturday and delivered TWO SHINY, NEW, RED BIKES.  Locks, helmets, lights included.  It was like Christmas came a month late!  We haven't ridden them yet, but I'm sure I can tell you allllll about them next week.

Unfortunately, ____ and ____ weren't able to come to church this week because they were away traveling.  They should be there next week though.  ____ was at church again and he is doing really well.  He keeps progressing.

PROBABLY THE BEST NEWS OF THE CENTURY:  THE NASALEAN FAMILY WAS BAPTISED ON SATURDAY.  AFTER ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF OF BEING TAUGHT BY MISSIONARIES THEY WERE BAPTISED!!!!  ROZALIA, IOAN, AND IOAN'S MOTHER.  WHAT A HAPPY DAY!  THE GOSPEL BLESSES FAMILIES!!!!!!  WHEN I HEARD THE NEWS I TOOK ABOUT 15 MINUTES CRYING TEARS OF JOY.  MIRACLES!

Monday, January 21, 2019

I don't remember if I mentioned this, but my first Sunday here a man from Brazil and his mom came to church.  His mom doesn't speak a lick of English and he speaks okay English.  Well, we were finally able to teach him this week.  He loved it!  We gave him two copies of the Book of Mormon in Portuguese.  He was so grateful.  He kept talking about how much they loved church and how it felt like family.  He said his mom won't stop talking about church.  She told him, 'I don't speak any English, but I got such a good feeling at that church.'

This week we had interviews with President Macdonald in Glasgow.  To get to Glasgow it's only about a 30 minute bus ride, but we hopped on a new bus.  It took us the scenic route.  We got to see a lot of our area that we had never been to before.  Long story short, it took us about twice as long to get to Glasgow.  We were running late (but so was President). It worked out it in our favor!  During interviews I was telling President Macdonald how much we have to walk to go chap (I don't remember if I've talked about it but WE WALK A TON).  It takes up a lot of time because of all the bridges and tunnels.  Then what happened?  I ASKED PRESIDENT MACDONALD IF WE COULD GET BIKES.  He thought is was a great idea.  Soooo...I might be sending some cute pictures home of a Sister on a bike, in the rain, in a dress, with a stylish helmet, and some nice reflective gear on her clothing.  Hahaha I don't even know when the last time I rode a bike was.

On Saturday we were walking through the town center and we bumped into a man named ____.  When it's warm enough the missionaries volunteer with him to help at one of the gardens in the area.  He said, "Follow me."  He got a table and walked through the town center.  We walked into a big carnival thing with a bunch of different charities with booths set up.  He told us to put our stuff out and talk to people.  We quickly decorated the table with the Book of Mormon, pamplets, and pass along cards.  It was fun and we were able to talk to a lot of people and be out of the cold!

We were able to teach a fomer investigator yesterday named ____.  He is from Zimbabwe and is awesome.  He has amazing faith in Christ.  He said a really powerful prayer at the end of our lesson.  You could definitely tell that he prays daily.  He was really happy when we got in touch with him.  He was taught a while back, but was too busy with school and work.  He graduated and now has a Monday to Friday, 9-5 job.  He loved what we taught him and even accepted a baptismal date.  

Yesterday Sister Cluff almost burned our flat down.  She had turned on the stove, but had accidentally left some plastic baggies sitting on the stove top.  She was doing something else and I looked up to see a bunch of smoke.  She freaked out and I was just cracking up laughing.  It was a good thing I saw that when I did.  No fires were started.  No missionaries were harmed.  We only lost about 30 plastic baggies hahaha.  

Good things are happening here in Cumbernauld.  I know the Lord is preparing people to receive us.  I am so grateful to be a part of this work.

Monday, January 14, 2019

The week we had a meeting with our whole zone in Glasgow.  On our way back Sister Cluff told me that she always feels like a little kid when we get together.  It was really funny because I told her I felt like an old kid.  I realized there were only 2 people there that had been out longer than me...that's scary.  It doesn't feel like that.  I'm not sure where the time has gone.  

We taught ____ on Tuesday and on Friday.  Our lesson on Tuesday was good, but on Friday he came into the church and sat down.  I asked him if he was able to read more of the Book of Mormon.  For the next 5 or so minutes he was speaking, but not in English...it was all gibberish.  We weren't really sure what was happening.  The member we were with started googling some things and we think he had a mini seizure.  After he composed himself he told us that he had 3 seizures in the last 3 days.  We continued with the lesson because he insisted, but he didn't retain anything.  He said he would be at church on Sunday, but he texted us yesterday saying he was in the hospital.  We haven't heard anything else, so pray for ____!

_____ had to cancel his lesson on Wednesday, but texted us and said he could meet on Thursday!  It was great because we had to go to the town that he lives in that day anyway!  We shared the Plan of Salvation with him.  He really enjoyed it and he was doing all the testifying in the lesson.  Most of the time it was just him testifying of Jesus Christ!  It was amazing.  He loved learning about it.  He wasn't able to come to church because his dad is having some health issues and he has to take care of him.    I'm not sure why or how we managed to find the people that are struggling with their health right now!

The Cumbernauld Ward set a record for me.  I spoke in Sacrament meeting yesterday.  It was only a 7-8 minute talk, but I had never seen a Ward jump on a new missionary so quickly hahah.   I spoke on prayer and 3 Nephi 18.  I shared some experiences that I had with prayer and that pretty much took up the whole time.  7 minutes is really easy to fill up!

We have conference this week and I always look forward to that!  I think I say this every time, but it is so good to be in a room of missionaries.  The Spirit is always so strong.

Monday, Jan. 7, 2019

Sister Cluff is from Snowflake/Gilbert Arizona.  This is her 3rd transfer and she's only been here in Cumbernauld.  She's super sweet and loves to work hard!  

We had a very exciting New Year's Eve and Day.  Just kidding.  All we did was relax.  We both had to finish the Book of Mormon on New Year's Eve (and we both did woot woot).  I unpacked and got settled into the flat.  We watched The Singles Ward and the Best Two Years.

The ward is good!  On Monday, a member picked us up from Glasgow and drove us back to Cumbernauld, we had a dinner appointment on Tuesday, and a lunch appointment on Friday.  They take good care of us here!  It was strange to be back in a ward.  It seemed like there were so many people at church!  There were about 50 there and we had to bring extra chairs in.  It was great.

Fun fact about Cumbernauld:  It was built as sort of an overflow for Glasgow so people weren't living in the slums.  It was also designed to keep people off the streets.  So, in an attempt to do that there are literally no sidewalks in Cumbernauld.  There are bridges that go over roads and tunnels that go under.  It makes it borderline impossible to get anywhere quickly.  It adds so much time on to our commute.

We had a great week!  On Friday, Sister Cluff felt prompted to go to a surrounding town, so we caught a bus and went out there.  I had put an extra Book of Mormon in my backpack that morning because I felt like I would need it.  We spent the day in that town talking to people on the streets and chapping.  We were walking back to the bus stop to catch the bus back to Cumbernauld when we met our new friend _____.  He got really excited and asked if we could teach him right then.  We went into a little cafe and taught him (also had the best hot chocolate of my life)!  He loved the Restoration.  He said he felt uplifted after we taught and made us promise to come back this next week to teach him.

We were also able to teach a man named _____ this week about the Word of Wisdom.  He said he was going to go home and pour his wine down the drain!  He did that night.  Victory!  I love watching people tackle the Word of Wisdom!

This week I've been thinking a lot about the peace that the Gospel brings.  We have met countless people this week that have told us there is no peace in this world.  You know what?  They're right.  We live in a crazy world and things are not looking up, but there is peace in Christ.  I think that was the 2018 Mutual Theme and I love the words from that song.  "When there's no peace on earth, there is peace in Christ.  He gives us hope, when hope is gone.  He gives us strength when we can't go on.  He gives us shelter from the storms of life.  When there's no peace on earth, there is peace in Christ."  How true is that!  What a blessing it is to know that and feel that daily!

Monday, December 31st

AM e-mail: 

Hello!  I am getting moved to Cumbernauld (just outside Glasgow) and my new companion is Sister Cluff.  I don't know her at all.

Sister Cox is moving to Derry in Northern Ireland and they are replacing us with Elders.

We were super sad, but also excited.

I don't know how much time I'll have to email, maybe later in the day.

PM e-mail:

We went to Edinburgh this morning and the Edwards (senior couple) drove us.  They were heartbroken that we were leaving and being replaced with elders.  Then I took a train to Glasgow by myself and accidentally sat in first class.  It worked out for me because they didn't check my ticket and I got to sit in first class.

My plans for New Year's Eve:  Finish President Nelson's invitation to the women...oopsie...I got a bit behind.

Last week:

For Boxing Day [December 26th] we went to a member's house whose wife is less active.  It was good, but we were there for 8 HOURS and they fed us two meals.  We thought we were going to explode.  They live basically in the middle of nowhere in a place called Strathtummel.  It is right on a loch and it is beautiful!

I am sad to be leaving Perth, but I guess my time is up there.  It was a good 6 months.  I am excited for Cumbernauld.  It is a smaller city and it's a Ward.  I love the Glaswegian accent.  Can't complain about that!

Monday, December 24th

Merry Christmas.
Can't wait to talk to you tomorrow.