week 41

This week we had no investigators because our one investigator was out of town, so we did finding and service for members.  

On Monday we went to Barafundle Bay--one of the top ten beaches in the world and also stack rocks these huge cliffs!  awesome day!  

Tuesday we did finding and found this way awesome lady who invited us back!  

Wednesday was district meeting and service for the Branch President. 

The coolest day was Friday.  We did some finding in the morning before a service project and I am speaking to this guy and I leave him a card when this other guy comes up and says, "hey elder!".  I'm like what what!  We get chatting and he had been taught before and wasn't too interested; but he told me he had a friend from California living just up the road and he was going through a rough patch. So we stopped by and met him and his girlfriend and they are awesome and they are trying to quit smoking so we are going to come around Thursday and teach them the church's stop smoking program and start teaching them!!  It was sooo cool! 

 

Im happy, loving the mission

week 40

We had a sick branch party on Friday.  It was a beach party and BBQ lol so awesome!!!  There was probably about 20-25 people there so that was good.  We had 3 nonmembers, and 4-5 less actives!!  It was soo fun we ate loads of food. Funny story about the Branch President's wife, Sister Martin who is basically my mother away from home.  We were eating and she was like now Elder Weston, lol she calls me that, I expect you to eat five burgers or hot dogs.  So #1 one normal burger, #2 a hot dog with 2 hot dogs, #3 2 chicken breasts and a sausage on a burger bun, #4 3 saugages on a hot dog bun, #5 3 sausages on a burger bun. lol I was so full and I would always ask for drink and she would pour me half a glass and say that's all for now and you can have more when you finish your food lol!  She is awesome.  We played Cricket at the activity that was way fun!  

There was a baptism in New Castle Emlyn on Saturday and we were able to get our investigator to that and she really enjoyed it!  

Its E. Lyman's B-Day today--Happy 20!  We are going to this lookout point with the man Bro. Dickie and then we are headed over to the Martins for a b-day bbq and party -- it will be a fun day!

Seminary is so different over here.  There are three students lol and they have it every Thursday and what they do is answer questions out of a study guide and read the scriptures on their own and then on Thursday the teacher checks to see if they did their assignment.  Also it is a requirement, for them to pass, that they have to memorise all the 100 scripture masteries!!  It is sooo much harder over here, I wouldn't pass.  I was blessed to have it where I did.  The youth in Britain are soo strong!  They are fighting this battle nearly alone as they most likely are the only member of the church in their whole school.  They are courageous and strong I'm well impressed. 

 

Things are going well.  The Lord doesn't ask us to be perfect in this life because if that was the requirement we would all fail.  We have to do all we can and do our best at it and the Lord will take care of the rest.  It is so much better when you humble yourself than when the Lord does it for you.  

One thing I've learned is this marathon we're running, everyone runs it at a different pace, but it's not a race as long as we keep moving forward--that's the important bit. 

 

  

 

week 39

Happy Easter!  We had 5 less active members at church!  Afterward,we didn't do anything special. Just came home, ate dinner and went and stopped by to see some people.   A recent convert called us and said to come over, she had some sweets for us.  So we went over and she had a bag of easter eggs and chocolate.  It was Awesome!!

Our investigator didn't come to church, she wouldn't answer our calls. oh well. We are going to invite her to a baptism this weekend in NewCastle Emlyn to see what she thinks.  Hopefully she will want to go. 

We are doing a lot of finding and we have found some pretty cool people that I'm excited about.  The Lord is blessing this area in little ways and now its our job to take those tender mercies and turn them into miracles. 

The Abber District

Transfers were good.  I am............staying in Milford Haven.

Elder Lyman is..............staying in Milford Haven.

This transfer is going to be soooo fast because it is the 5 week transfer and it is just going to fly by. 

Man my mission is flying right on by. Daddy Elder Dahl went home yesterday!  It made me realize how fast this goes and then I realized I have been out 9 months!  ahhhh!!!   It's scary to think that it is only going to get faster and faster then poof, it will be gone!   

We have been biking a lot lately and it is good fun, I love it much more than the bus.  So we caught a train to Milford Haven and took our bikes.  Then from Milford we biked to Neyland which is about 5 to 6 miles and half of it is uphill because we are in Wales lol. So we biked that in about an hour and saw potentials and formers and members and less actives, and then we left about 8 for our 836 train and we cruised to make it.  We pulled up at the roundabout and the train was already in so we shot across and just caught it, I was soo shattered!

week 38

We went to Abberystwyth to watch General Conference there and we stayed at the elders place for the weekend.   We left to go Saturday morning and watched the Saturday morning session that night in the building they rent for the chapel.  No problems watching this one.
Then we went home and partied with the elders and had fun.  Sunday we head up for the priesthood session at 10.  We get through the song and poof! the computer starts to shut down then we restart it and the website is DOWN!!  We were like, "what conference is down!!"  So then our internet went out in  the building so we are desperately trying to fix it and around 3:00 we fix it and people are coming in to watch the Saturday afternoon session.  It ends and the priesthood stays and watches the priesthood session. Then more people come and watch the Sunday morning session.  6 HOURS STRAIGHT OF CONFERENCE!!!  

 

Serving in England is way hard.  People don't listen too much,  and the outward success is very small.  I never thought, "oh ya put me in that hard position because I can handle it!"  Because it is so hard sometimes I just want to quit, but I know that I can't, because if I do, not only will I regret it but I wont find those people that are waiting to hear what I have to say.  Welcome to life.  Just like they said in conference life wasnt meant to be easy or fair.  

I know that the most important aspect of the gospel is to just do it.   Just like Nephi, he was commanded to build a boat and he did it knowing, "man I have no idea what or why I'm doing this but I have been asked to so I will."  Over these past 9 months I have questioned and requestioned why I'm here on a mission and if this gospel is even true.  In going out and working everyday, seeing miracles, feeling the spirit in ways I never have before, and seeing the Lord's hand in my life, I have come to know that this gospel is true.  I know it is, but Satan is good at what he does and he knows that if I question that I will stop the work.  So I can't allow myself to question.  In Joseph Smith: A Prophet of the Restoration, Emma asks Joseph, "Do you think the Lord asks too much of us?" and Joseph Smith, a prophet of God says, "I don't allow myself to."  

I feel that one of the greatest blessings in this life is to share the gospel by word and example.  I know that this gospel is true.  Jesus is the Christ.  He came to this world to perform one of the greatest sacrafices the world would ever know.  He suffered and was crucified for each and every one of us so that we could return and live with Him, our Father, and our families.  Through the prophet Joseph Smith this gospel was restored to the earth so we could partake in the joy that comes from it.  This gospel brings happiness and peace to the soul.  The Book of Mormon is the word of God that testifies of the divinity of His Son Jesus Christ.  Through it, we can gain a knowledge of God's plan for us.  I know that through the power of the temple and the ordinances of sealing we can be with our families forever!  I love being a missionary!  Sharing this same testimony with random strangers who are my brothers and sisters brings me happiness. Even though I face rejection I know, like it says in the hymn, We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet:

  We'll sing of his goodness and mercy

  We'll praise him by day and by night

  Rejoice in his glorious gospel

  And bask in his life giving light

  Thus on to eternal perfection

  The honest and faithful will go

  While they who reject this glad message

  Shall never such happiness know.

 

I know that every time I share this message it gives that person the opportunity to accept it or reject it.  Our purpose as missionaries is to invite others to come unto Christ, by helping them recieve the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and his atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end.  HOW GREAT IS OUR CALLING!

I know this is true!