Love from Sam the missed Brother 14 April 2015

Well, it's been an interesting week! on Monday we played football with our chinese recent converts in Loughborough, and then these Nigerian's asked if we wanted to play with them. they were so good and I am still terrible at football but it was so sick to play with them! it starting raining SO HARD! literally the hardest rain I've ever even seen in my whole life, and it was awesome! the rain drops hurt if they hit your bare skin, but playing football in the rain was a blast! I was so wet I just decided to take my shirt off which was a really weird feeling because I haven't been shirtless in ages but it was rad.  After we taught our new investigator Ike, he is really solid! we put him on a baptismal date for the 10th of May, and I think he will be able to make it.  

On Tuesday I had the oppurtunity to go to Leicester on exchange with an Australian in their accent (oz-strigh-lee-on) It was great. He is a new missionary, and his current companion isn't the most motivated to work hard, and so it was cool to help him see what the mission can be like when we spend the day working and having a laugh at the same time.  

On Wednesday we went on exchange again for just a couple of hours so that Jill could have her baptismal interview and so I went and worked with another new missionary for just 2 hours. I love being a zone leader! having the oppurtunity to help so many missionaries discover the potential they have is very special! we talked to 2 ladies for about 30 minutes about their spiritual journey's and how they were frustrated with how they were feeling with their church and with the leaders of their church, and how they were really questioning their faith, and really wanted to know if they would see their family members again that have passed away.  We shared with them the plan of salvation and now the other team of elders is teaching them.. I think I've mentioned this a few times but how crazy is it that 2 boys in their late teens can walk down the street and talk to people who they've never met before and talk about such serious and important things with perfect strangers! it's incredible. and I will miss it forever when I have to remove the badge on my chest.  

On thursday we did service for ages! we helped a really posh family in the ward with their front garden, they had golf clubs and a back yard the size of the whole town of loughborough so it's basically a driving range! I got to hit a few balls out in the field. I've still got it! We went by Jill's house on thursday to see how she was doing and she had smoked. I was not upset or sad that she had smoked, but it was devastating to see how torn apart she was that she had smoked. She was so disgusted in herself and I just wanted to give her the biggest hug ever. we all make mistakes! I just wish that she would realize that everything is going to be ok.  We told her she could still get baptized, but she doesn't want to until she's gone at least 10 days without smoking! so now we're shooting for the 26th!  it's her decision! 

On Friday we got to go to Gifty's baptism! I want to write about Gifty for a bit. She was truly my mother away from home for my 4 months when I was in Coventry. every single time I went to her home she offered me food, GOOD FOOD, and a nice drink, and she would always offer to drive us places and buy us everything, and she wouldn't let us leave her house if it was raining, and she truly does have that mothering instinct in her! I taught her over 40 lessons when I was in Coventry, and seeing her baptized was one of the best things of my mission. If I was to not be able to see anyone get baptized on my entire mission besides gifty and rosalyn, I still would have came in a heart beat, and it would have been successful! this lady really has changed my mission and I'm so happy that Elder Unice and Elder Ferrell we're able to help her into the waters of baptism. She will be an incredible member of the church and now her husband is investigating! she told me that she talked to mom on facebook! she is really shy and she said that she was nervous to reply again haha bless her heart! 

Saturday was a good day, a chinese guy got baptized from the sisters in Loughborough, and he bore his testimony on sunday and taught all of the members an awesome lesson on faith. it was great! 

yesterday was one of the best fast and testimony meetings of my life. It's cool to see that this ward is just super converted! some amazing members with incredible testimonies that you can feel vibe off them. Being a member of the church in a place where <1 a="" actually="" amazing="" and="" are="" around="" be="" but="" callings.="" come="" div="" don="" feel="" feeling="" fulfill="" get="" here="" home.="" i="" is="" it="" like="" me="" members="" miss="" more="" much="" nbsp="" of="" people="" really="" s="" sacrifice="" so="" something="" t="" the="" their="" to="" unity="" us="" utah="" when="" will="" wrong="">

Transfers are wednesday! I think that Elder Tuisku will be the next A.P. so I should be getting a new companion! I will keep you updated! today we are going to play football again and it will be great! later we are teaching a new investigator and a part member family! life is great. oh! and on sunday we found this sweet chinese guy named LAVA who is now on a baptismal date! wooo woo! 

Elder Harris. 

P.S. I am a bit jealous of Seattle. however, I know that I will be with you guys in such a short amount of time that it's alright! we will party hard in March of 2015! love you all so much!