week 33

I'm happy :).  I finally got my birthday package 2 days ago hahaha! What had happened was that it arrived, but the postman never gave me anything saying it was here or anything so it sat in the office for a month-- hahaha fail!  But I finally got it!  Im having the mac & cheese for lunch today!

The new bike--much more solid!

The milk from the milkman.  It is awesome!  It is soooo thick it is like drinking a milkshake!

  

So I broke my foot.  I was playing basketball with some less actives and non members like we do every Thursday.  Well literally 5 minutes before we ended I landed on my foot wrong when I came down from a rebound.  I originally thought it was a sprain, but the bruising indicated otherwise.  I went to the A&E (accidents and emergencies) at the hospital and they brought me into the xray room.  I got an xray and I broke off a little piece of bone along my 5th metatarsal.  It's along the outside of my foot.  I told President Ogden.  The area mission doctor, Elder Hales came and he examined it and basically its not a serious break.  He said it's one of those things you have to just let heal.  He said I could put you in a boot but it wouldn't heal it faster, only make it more comfortable for you.  So, I said no its okay.  So I'm not in a cast, or a boot.  I'm walking just fine and I can bike :) all is good!

  

Michael and Elder Garroway

Michael and Elder Lyman (his new companion)

Michael and Elder McGregor (his last companion)

So where do I even start.  February 29, 2012.  Transfer day.  We get up and leave to transfers at around 1000.  We catch the train to the mission home.  We have the transfer meeting where we received 20 new missionaries-- a EBM (England Birmingham Mission) record!!  I did indeed get transfered :(  I got with my new companion Elder Lyman.  Me and Elder Lyman met my first transfer and just clicked!  He is like my best friend.  So I am serving with my best friend, it's pretty awesome.  

Elder Harper and Elder Lyman on the Wales Coach

We're in Wales in an area called Milford Haven.  It's the biggest area in the mission and its a bus area :)  so we get bus passes provided by the mission!!  So after the transfer meeting, we hop on the Wales coach around 1300 and drive all the way to Swansea, Wales. We arrived in Swansea at about 2100--longest bus ride ever!!!  But it's not over, we walk to the train station and catch a train that leaves at 2227.  and it arrives in Haverfordshire West(our area) at.......Midnight.  We get off the train, at this point completely shattered, walk to the flat and got to bed around 0100. Longest day of my life hahaha.  So our area covers the coastline so I am the closest to home I will ever be while still being on a mission!  Im excited to be here in Wales and with Elder Lyman.  

 

All is good here in Wales.  It's a beautiful country.  It's so green and it' the countryside as well so I'm sure I will have loads of beautiful pictures coming your way :)

Here is my new address...

16 A Old Bridge

Haverfordwest

Pembrokeshire

SA61 2ET

Some of the friends Michael left behind in Walsall:

week 32

Right now we only have one investigator, Claire.  She is doing alright and she got an answer that the Book of Mormon is true, but she needs to make sure its wasn't just her saying that.  She hasn't been to church so that is really our main focus right now.  She loved the Plan of Salvation, just the whole concept of it really. 

 

Most of the members of the ward are older, in their 60s and above, and they are long time members. There are some younger members and a couple of recent converts. 

 

Our flat is right on the wharf and in the town centre.  It's way close to where we shop.  We shop at a place called Tescos.  Its like a Walmart mixed with a Savemart hahaha so its pretty good.  We have been using our bus passes lately but we bike as well.  Not as much as past companions because Elder Mcgregor hates biking haha unlike me; I love it, it keeps me fit. 

 

I'm getting my bike tomorrow so I will be sure to get pictures and send them to you next email.  It's a road bike with a fixed frame so there aren't shocks like mine now haha.  It's lighter with a really good brake system. It will be good. 

 

Our area is decent in size and we go all over for tracting.  Basically whenever we are in an area we will do some tracting. 

 

The closest missionaries are like a 30 minute bike ride and thats our district leader, Elder Garroway.  He is way cool, I'm going on exchange with him on Thursday.  I don't see Elder Seigel much anymore, we aren't in the same district, so I only see him at transfers and zone meetings (which is tomorrow so that will be fun).

 

The boys in the district

Dinner from KFC!

 

week 31

(Regarding the fire truck pictures from last week)  No, our apartment was not on fire, they were doing some drills and practicing!  It was really cool to watch--Cameron would have loved it!!!

Scouting helped me be a better missionary.  It taught me discipline and and unity between friends.  It taught me how to be a good problem solver and to have determination (like when it took like 8 years to get that stinkin' archery merit badge).  Without scouting I wouldn't have the values I do, or the respect and skills I have gained through it. Plus the amazing people I have met along the way, and the incredible memories I have from it like the Jamboree.  I loved scouting and I wouldn't trade it for anything. 

  

There is a sentence in Preach My Gospel that says something like "your understanding of the Atonement will affect you and give you a strong desire to share the gospel".  It is true, the Savior gave everything to us and gave everything up for us.  So as we follow him we do the same. 

The work in Walsall has been hard, especially with Elder McGregor being sick, but we're getting there.

We had a tender mercy of the Lord on Sunday and had a walk in at church!  He seemed really cool and I'm excited to see where that goes! 
We are working with members and Less Actives alot which is building the kingdom. 

I love D&C 121: 7-8 especially during these hard times. 
"My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;  And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes."

All is well over here in jolly ole England!

week 30

Things are going good here.  We are doing loads of finding.  We tract 1 street a day and have found some way cool people so im excited to see what comes of it.  I'm with Elder McGregor,  he is the best!  He is from Utah and has been out about 19 months.  He has been sick so he's trying to get over that.  

 

not one of our investigators, but one of the investigator's dogs :)

 

Elder McGregor

So it snowed on the 4th!  It was cool, we made a snowman hahaha.  I realised snow is cool until you have to be a missionary in it , then it's not so cool.  But it was good, we shoveled the church and a couple of drives for people.  We're on busses right now, so at least I'm not riding my bike in the snow.  On Sunday we went over to Wandas! She is the best and they made me a cake for my birthday--awesome!  It was a good b-day!  

 

So 2 exciting things--I hit my six month mark and I had a tie burning ceremony and I'm singing in 2 weeks with Elder McGregor in Sacrament Meeting--too bad I can't really sing!

 

Here are a couple of pictures of a pretty church up on a hill:

 

Firetruck (note from editor--I hope their apartment wasn't on fire--I'll have to ask :))

 

week 29

Short email today.  I am emailing from our missionary mum's.  It's my birthday in 1 week!!!   

Man its been pretty hard, I'm not going to lie.  Elder McGregor has been sick, we lost like all of our investigators, and  no one comes to church.  It's just been a hard transfer so far.  The Lord is definitely testing me and my diligence.  I hope this week we can find those that are prepared.  We have a goal to tract 1 street a day this week so we are working on getting that done and talking to everyone!!

 

 

 

 

 

week 28

Olivia wrote me and told me she was going to China and I'm so excited for Jake--he will be a good missionary!

This is my last week as a teenager!  I can't believe my birthday is coming up.  It's cool because there is a lady in our ward and her birthday is Feb 5 as well! It feels weird, I'll be 20, I'm Not to sure how to handle that.

I'm still in Walsall, this will be my 3rd transfer here!  And my 3rd companion!  Now I'm with Elder McGregor who has served here already.  He has been out about 18 months.  He's way funny and we are excited to hit the ground running and work hard this new transfer.  I'm excited for this transfer, we have loads of potential for good to happen! 

This week not much happened at the beginning of the week and then on Wednesday we had transfers. Saturday we went out with a member, Chris, who has just turned his papers in!  We were GQing and doing some tracting.  I prayed for a street to go to and we tracted it.  I was expecting a larger street but it had about, hmmm, 4 houses on it hahaha.  So we tracted that in about 30 seconds and we were walking to Chris's house for dinner.  As I was walking by this house, I looked in the window and saw a lovely home with a man in the kitchen.  I just thought,  "maybe I should knock this door?"  It was the most subtle prompting.  I kinda kept walking on, but then I slowed down and was just looking at the house. Elder McGregor turned and said "do you feel you need to knock that door?"  and I said "yea i do".  So we went and knocked this door.  The man answered and two amazing little kids ran up behind him. I just said, "Hello sir how are you? Me and my friend, we're missionaries for our church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and we're sharing a wonderful message with people today about how we can be with our families forever.  What would that mean to you if you knew you could be with your 2 kids forever?"  He said, "Well it would mean everything."  He was an amazing guy and we gave him a Plan of Salvation leaflet and said we come by again next week.  After when we were walking away Elder McGregor said, "Im glad you felt that because I did too."   It was a cool little spiritual experience of the still small voice and how it really is still and small.  You have to really listen for it.  It was really cool. 

  

Things are going pretty good here. I'm excited for the next 6 weeks and what we can get done! 

The Hyland Family--they are the best!

The Boys are back in town!  I love these guys!

week 27

Transfers were today.  Elder Steed is trainning a boy (new missionary).  He is whitewashing (both companions are new to the area) a brand new area.   It was funny because their flat has nothing at all, so they had to go to Ikea and buy furnishings and what not.  Interesting first day for his greenie.

So yes, yet again another new companion.  I've been in Walsall 3 transfers and this is my 3rd companion.  

I'm now with Elder McGregor, who already served in Walsall at one point.  He is way cool and has about 6 months left.  Everything here is going great.  I'm excited for what we can accomplish this transfer--last transfer we commited a lady to baptism!

More information and pictures on Monday!  Cheers!