Transfers are this week and I will most likely be transferred.. which is crazy. like I JUST GOT HERE! But it's crazy how much things can change. When I first got to Loughborough I hated it. I just compared it to Coventry every single day and at first wasn't giving it a chance. I wasn't seeing the area as it could become, just as it was at the moment. Loughborough has definitely been my favorite area! I hope that when I get transferred I can look at my new area with hope and excitement despite whatever is going on the area at the moment! It's actually quite likely that I will go to Cheltenham, because they need a zone leader with a licence, and I would serve with Elder Packer, one of my best friends in the mission, so that would be an absolute riot of that happened.
I chose not to say goodbye to anyone at church, or let them know it was transfers. Goodbye's are the worst and so I didn't want another one. If I'm transferred I'll just call the members and investigators to say goodbye! it's crazy, I thougth the goodbye was hard when I left from home to the MTC, and then from Eastwood to Coventry, and then from Coventry to Loughborough. These places have really turned into my homes and it's just the absolute worst leaving them! but I also understand that every area is a good area and so I'm exited for whatever lies ahead!
This week was great. Elder Costigan blessed the sacrament with our recent convert, david!
We saw our investigators Ivy and Barry every day this week! Ivy cannot wait for her baptism, and is already telling all of her friends and a family that she is a mormon! and she cannot wait to someday be sealed in the temple for time and all eternity. I will for sure make the trip for that someday despite the financial situation I am in at the time. even if it is in china. ESPECIALLY if it's in china haha I can't wait to go to that place!
Barry started reading the Book of mormon last week and he's in heleman. He loves the Book of mormon and also loves coming to church. He is scheduled for baptism this saturday as well and we are so blessed and stoked to be able to have ahd the oppurtunity to teach him and Ivy throughout these last few weeks. some of my favorite investigators ever!
besides the PHD nad masters students, everyone in the university went home. soooo basically in our area we have no one to talk to! it's so weird and I hate it! we've been street contacting and it's just not effective because we only talk to one person every 5-10 minutes, so we've been doing loads of finding through events, and through our recent converts. for example this week we played basketball with our recent converts and got them to bring all of their non-member friends, we will hopefully be teaching them this week!
We had 5 investigators at church yesterday, Barry, Ivy, and our recent convert Jill brought 3 of her family members! she is doing so great, and she loves sharing the gospel. she is reading the doctrine and covenants now and she said, " all it ever says in the doctrine in covenants is to open our mouths and spread the gospel so why don't we all do it all the time?" that is the spirit of a converted lady right there!
Whether I leave or stay, I've absolutely loved this chapter of my mission. I'm grateful for your support. I had a dream this week that the whole family was on a massive boat. everyone told me that if I really loved them, I would leave to another boat that was just adjacent. slowly and surely michael jumped on another boat, and josh another, which is crazy! because mom dad spence and meg are all at home and me michael and josh aren't. all on different boats on the same ocean :)
One of the things I've learned from my mission that I'd love to share with you is the importance of being missionaries even when we don't have the badge on. It's incredible how important the work of salvation is, we have something so special! Some of the saviors departing words were for us to "Teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the holy ghost."and also when he called his desciples to be fishers of men, and then followed up with peter when he decided to go fishing again. He asked him to feed his sheep forever. It's not surpirsing to me that missionary work is so rewarding, because when we are obedient to the saviors worst, and to god's commandments, the spirit will testify to us the truthfulness of what we are taking part in. I think that's why missionary work is such an amazing thing and the most enjoyable thing I've done so far in my life. I love you all so much! be missionaries every day! share the gospel! so maybe there's not as many non-members where we live, but there are often so many different ways to give christ-like service.
Have a great week! know you're in my thoughts and prayers!
Elder Sam Harris.
No comments:
Post a Comment