week 50

This week is absolutely a crazy week!!  I am staying in Milford Haven, so at the end of this transfer it will be 6 months in this are--that is the longest I've been in an area!  I'm excited because we are seeing miracles.  

President Ogden and Rasmussen do the switchero on Friday morning and then boom new mission president.  Apparently the second President Rasmussen's plane touches ground the keys are his. When he gets off the plane President Ogden hands him the keys, the phone, and shows him the mission home; then about an 1 hour later he leaves hahaha crazy!! So on the 3rd of July we meet President Rasmussen, then on the 5th of July we have interviews with him.  It is going to be a lot of travel and meetings next week.  I have mixed feelings right now because I love President Ogden and he has done so much for me, but I need to give President Rasmussen a chance.  I'm sure everything will be fine.  Whatever happens is the will of God so...

So the family we have been teaching is doing great! We hit some rocky patches and some hurdles but we had an amazing lesson yesterday with them, and they said they know this church is true and that they want to be baptised-- but they want to make sure they are ready so they are praying about a date and we are going to see them tomorrow.  It is sooo coool!!  I love that family.  The younger daughter is way crafty and she made us these cards hahaha it was awesome!

So the weather here is way bipolar. One second blazin hot, then out of no where boom dumping it down.  It's crazy. 

I am absolutely lovin the mission right now.  It is good.  We are being blessed and the Lord is testing our faith, but I think we're pushing through fairly well. 

week 49

Croeso Hwlffordd!  That's welsh!

Last week was a tough one.  We have seen miracles since day one and they have changed my view on things.  But right now we feel that the Lord is saying, "Alright I have given you loads of miracles and blessings but now here is some hard ground and let's see if you have what it takes to keep your faith and diligence and trust in me. Then when you push through this there are miracles waiting for you."  We have had some people stop investigating and we have had struggles teaching and even giving out books but we have been pushing through and not forgeting the Lord.  But we had an amazing experience the other day.  The family we are teaching came to church the other day for the 2nd time!!  They liked it and they were leaving and the dad runs back in and taps me on the shoulder and says, "I almost forgot, this is for the church."  And he hands me an envelope with some money in it.  I just had a blank shocked stare and said thank you so much!  I walked away just gobsmacked at the fact he just paid tithing, it was brilliant!  We are seeing miracles and the Book of Mormon is changing the lives of people. I was on exchanges so Elder Hoffmann was here and we went to see a former investigator and they were clearly not interested as the door was slammed in our face. So we did some flogg 10 (which means knock the doors around when a teaching appointment falls through) and we met this wonderful woman!  She was friendly and we started talking and she was helping a friend who had just lost her father and she said "well I know what she is going through because I lost my husband and father last year."  We bore testimony of the plan of salvation and how she would see her family members again.  The spirit was soo strong and she began to cry.  We got a return appointment and we are going to see her next Tuesday.  Powerful and amazing.  We will continue to be obedient, work hard and I know we will see miracles. 

beautiful sunset

Transfers are next week!  This one has been fast and slow at the same time!  I'm not too sure about any special events with the mission president swap, but its gonna be a crazy week!  Lots of travel to meet people and say goodbye and what not.  I'm sad President Ogden is leaving!  He is an amazing man! I'm a little nervous for this new president, I dont know why I'm just worried, but oh well nothing I can do about it so just move on and keep doing what I'm doing. 

Elder Brewer

Elder Brewer is my companion's name, we are in the same group, we sat on the plane next to each other over here.  He is from Springville, Utah.  He is a good guy, humble, hardworking, loves his mission.  He is the district leader and he is cool! 

Quick funny story so it was hardcore windy Thursday, massive storm or something, but we were biking and getting destroyed; so we went to take a lunch break and we sat crounched down behind this statue because it was the only thing that would stop the rain and wind hahaha.

Me in the ocean (haha) sweet wall!

week 48

Thanks to my primary friend who fasted for the missionaries last Sunday.   Last Sunday we taught an amazing lesson to a family of 5 who are way interested in learning about the gospel.  Thanks to his sacrifice and faith we were able to see that miracle! 

I just want to say that a mission goes so fast it's unreal!   I have learned so many things that would have taken me ages to learn, plus I have met amazing people that will be lifetime friends!  I love this work.  Thanks for the quote from Elder Remington's blog..."'Obedience brings blessings and exact obedience brings forth miracles' BAM! Is that powerful or what?"  "Obedience brings blessings"--The Lord sees our desire and our effort so He blesses us.  "Exact obedience brings miracles"--I find this one interesting because I have always been pretty obedient and I've always been blessed and watched over, but it has only been recently that I have been exactly obedient; and I feel that is saying to God "look you have told me to obey but I'm going to go above and beyond".  "When obedience ceases to be an irritant and becomes our quest, God will endow us with power."  Powerful quote.  As obedience becomes a part of us, and becomes second nature it doesn't seem to be something that is hard, and at that very point God will give us power.  We've been given the authority, but its not until we understand that, and strive to be obedient and dilligent, that we obtain power. 

This work is a work of miracles only if we allow God to use us.  This is His work and so often we try to rely on our own experience and skills to figure out a situation or make our plans for the day, but in doing so we limit the power of God in our work.  If we turn to him for EVERYTHING, we are able to see his hand in the work and we see miracles. 

This Sunday at church we had 4 investigators at church and those 4 are a family.  We have another family of 5 we are teaching and we have 2 more individuals we are seeing.  The Lord is showing forth his hand in this work and using his instruments (us ) to bring his prepared children back. 

I know this work is a business of saving souls.  How great is our calling. 

Companion Unity Pictures

headstands

Surfing

Leap Frog

On Exchanges

week 47

It is holiday Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.  It's a crazy weekend where everyone celebrates and hits the pubs!  Crazy Brits, all that matters is drinking and their dogs!

Elder Brewer is a way hard worker which is cool.  We are working hard and we are seeing miracles in this area.  Last week we gave out 12 Books of Mormon and we got 3 new investigators. It was a miracle.  On Sunday we were able to teach a family of 5.  They are soo cool!  We watched a Book of Mormon video and they said, "that video makes me want to read the Book of Mormon and pray to know if it is true."  We were like "wait, what??!!"  It was a really cool experience.  We are seeing miracles in the area as we turn the work over to the Lord.  The chapel is coming along really well!  The walls are up, the roof is on and tiled, the steeple is up and the windows and trimmings are on.  All that's left is paint and the inside.  It is looking really good!!!  

The new senior couple in our area are the Pierces from North Carolina.  They are older, but they are really cool as well.  It is a wee bit dodgey driving with them.  Hahaha "left side of the road Elder Pierce, not the right". lol its funny though I love it.  They help a lot with the  less actives and we are doing a lot of finding until we have someone to teach.

Last p-day we went to the beach and played some footy with the zone leaders and it was way fun!  
I'm just loving my mission right now! I'm obedient, we are seeing miracles, we're serving the members, and I'm just having so much fun!!