Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Emi's Seventy-Sixth Email! July 18, 2016

Hey I don't really have time to say much but we are in a trio having such 
a good time. We got a different Sister change of plans but it's worked out 
super well. Sister Johnson is great. We went to Cheshire oaks after we 
got her then a rando mill then a pizza tea apt. We had some good street
displays, seriously lunch and tea apt everyday...but also been running 
everyday a lot more. Even jump ropes one night for like 20 mins. Pain. 

We got a gash on the car. We had a big meeting and had some Sister 
sleepover one last time! Obvi I made Panqueques. The meeting was 
stressful and so was the weekend but it's ok. Sister black came to visit 
the uk so I got to see her!!!!! Kinda weird, especially since I was third 
wheeling as a missionary but yeah, don't care. It's great because we've 
been able to go on loads of splits and stuff. We just had a lot of fun. Lots 
of tears, saying bye to people is a bummer. The U.K., I love it so much.
Still hasn't really hit me yet, but along with the stress just ah. People are so
nice. That's what amazes me. 

Yeah, I'm a hot mess but oh well. Thanks
everyone for your prayers and support, I needed it. So yeah.

Emi's Seventy-Fifth Email! July 11, 2016

So yeah we had that weird start to the week. After emailing we went to
the break the Ramadan feast at our investigators!! It was some of the
best food I've had in my life. Mama you have to make more Turkish
food please. 

Wednesday we were back at the grind. 

Thursday we went to a member's 85th birthday partayyy! Worked then 
went to another tea apt haha. Institute and correlation. 

Friday we helped Bishop here move which was huge progress for us and his 
family, it was so fun. And they got us McD and then Dominos and from there we 
went and saw another family we are teaching and they fed us again. We also have 
lunch and tea apts everyday til I get released so any weight I've been hoping to
lose is not happening but we did go on one intense run, the weather
hasn't permitted it to go any further than that. Wales didn't win the
Euro cup. Such a shame. We did well tho. Any way yeah we worked.

Saturday we worked with the sisters in Wrexham a bit. I worked with a
sister who'd been out 2 weeks including the MTC and I had two weeks
left Hahahaha. Bless her. Tried to help out, you know, pep talks and
keeping it real for days. We did a street display. 

HOLLIE GOT BAPTISED OH WHAT BEST DAY EVER SHE IS SO AMAZING. 
We cleared up her issues earlier in the week. As she was getting baptised I 
couldn't help but tear up. This is what it's all about! I am so privileged to have 
been part of that experience and beyond grateful that something I had to say
actually helped someone so much but ultimately it's that covenant
she's making. That step closer to God and back home. Sometimes life is
flipping rubbish, but it's ok because God loves us and it's all part
of His plan for us. I am just so grateful we can trust Him 111%. Trust
is a precious thing and to have it fully in the Lord is all we need.

Sunday we had church, munch and mingle, saw a member in the hospital,
please pray for her. Worked. Went to some fireside about the Chorely
temple being built which I didn't hear much of bc I fell asleep. I've
accidentally fallen asleep 10 inappropriate times this week. Not sure
what's wrong. Then we went to tea with a member who just needed some
girl talk. People never cease to amaze me.

I got a cane. It's name is Tweedy. Members feel comfortable enough
with me to call me eccentric a lot haha but it is what it is. Don't
worry, Tweedy is light enough to make it home and is very good at
tracting.

Also, I got a letter addressed to myself from myself as an assignment
from BYU like almost 2 years ago and I wrote things I was hoping my
mission would do for me and it did! Except for not gaining weight but
the other stuff made me very happy it happened without even realising
it. Thank you Heavenly Father.











Monday, July 18, 2016

Emi's Seventy-Fourth Email! July 5, 2016

We just finished a meeting where over 30 missionaries went home.
Another 40 leave within the next 3 months, it's just so weird. I think
it helps me get ready to move on, but oh my days. It's still so weird.

Monday we were with the district. Played some kick butt football and
obviously we won. It was actually really fun!

Lots of stellar street displays. We always steal chips from the choppy
sampler person, so I made him some cookies along with almost 100 other
pumpkin cookies yum.

I still love our charity shop. Our dated investigators are doing ok.
Some questions about the priesthood with black males in the past and
woman, nothing to be too worried about hopefully.

We did a reach out. The other one is MIA but only for every other
lesson we have with her haha

Went to the hospital a few times this week to visit people, not my
favourite thing.

So we were meant to train in a trio but one of the new sisters coming
in was still waiting for her visa so instead of giving us a
missionary, we have to wait for this rando Sister comes. Sister
Fernandez is a bit bummed because she knew that she was meant to be
with one of the sisters but obvi it didn't work out. Kinda sad. Lots
of last minute disappointments are kinda going on but I'm very grateful
to be staying in this ward with her. Time is just flying. All my
friends are only just finding out I'm finishing early and they're like
what? Oh well.

Last night I was in Crosby with a sister who goes to BYU while our
companions were at train the trainers so it was fun. Like a rando
forced sleepover haha.

-apparently there are Welsh tribes.

Top 6
1. Staying with Sister Fernandez in Chester
2. Mollie
3. Went to my last fireside
4. Sang Patriotic hymns, shout out to Sister Fernandez still singing
with me and letting me run around with my American flag even tho she's
British
5. Elders teaching us how to punch. I've really improved the technique
6. So a few months ago I made a push to be "sister cleaner" and was
shut down so this transfer we really just took matters into our own
hands and cleaned another flat. Broke in and everything.

I'm trying really hard not to take each day and opportunity to work
for granted, it's just crazy! Life is so weird! I'm just grateful that
Heavenly Father is helping me take each day as it comes. Ah. Thanks
everyone for your continual prayers, who knows what kind of mess I
would be without them.

Emi's Seventy-Third Email! June 27, 2016

My mission is just ending too well! Indicators bumping, investigators
swimming, companionship blasting, members amazing, area beautiful,
etc. I am so grateful!

We went mt snow again last week then fhe.

Tuesday was the best half BRITHDAY ever! We picked strawberries with a
member, had a bomb street display, saw an investigator, then went bowling
with the relief society!!!!!

Wednesday I had a dr. Apt, he told me to wash my hair only once a week haha
yeah right doc! The Runcorn sisters joined us for an exchange and
honestly it was one of the best days on my mission. I felt like a real
missionary. We taught a former investigator and dated her on the spot
(1st lesson), and just had some good finding, teaching. I fell asleep,
had a dream and woke up by Sister Park within 3 mins of a lesson
video....whooooops. Bad influence. Next day was good too, made them
pancakes Of course. Charity shop is good.

U.K. Left the Eu. We don't get into that kind of stuff as missionaries
but when your companion is legally Spanish but grew up in the uk,
there are emotions and opinions. I honestly don't know what it means
but apparently the prime minister is dropping uh oh. And my pound is
worth less- rubbish!

Mollie came to institute and is excited for her baptism!! Had a really
funny tea apt with members, I'm getting good at hiding food when I'm
full. We ate a lot of ice cream that day (tub and shake and
pudding)...

Friday we worked and we taught Mollie at the Bishop's over tea! Ideal.

Saturday we worked and saw some fab members. The elders asked us a
favour but while we waited for them, cleaned their kitchen, so
satisfying.

We have some really amazing people looking into the church, I love
them. We held a member missionary fireside, I didn't Like how it was
planned so I did my bit but planning wasn't really me. Either go big
or go home-like the culture night. This was quaint. Nice endeavour.
Went well enough,  I got people really into the music whilst
conducting.

Top 10
10. saw a ten
9. snowdonia round 2 sore for days. A few days
8. good street displays
7. got some fab news from Presidents!
6. exchange miracles
5. member missionary fireside. Member missionary work is the only way to go!
4. Mollie and Sveltana (other investigator) her husband is Turkish and
let us try some Turkish food including Turkish Delgihts I was beyond
delighted with how deliciously amazing it was
3. solid investigators!
2. Best half BIRTHDAY with strawberry picking, bowling, the district
got me a card! Got sung to twice! And bought a MCFLURRY! 20 1/2
not too bad
1. we were teaching the Ten Commandments to a kid who didn't really
know what they were and I was like, "you know, thou shalt not"...and
he comes our of left field and said "pass"
hahahahahahahahhahahahahahahaha

We almost ran over a cat, granted I screamed but it survived? Then a bird..
Visited the person in the hospital, and saw something I should not
have seen. This close to yacking, good thing Sister Fernandez
distracted me and made me laugh, a pint of second hand ice cream
would've been everywhere...

One thing a member shared that I really appreciated was "this is my
testimony and it's mine to take care of" just think about it. So true.
So incumbent upon us to tend to our tree of faith. I love this gospel.
I know it's true and it's our duty to cultivate it within ourselves
but to plant its seed In the lives' of others.

Emi's Seventy-Second Email! June 20, 2016

How many times can you get caught in the rain? As many times as you
forget your umbrella!!

Too many fab weeks. We had our "Welsh holiday" at the beginning of the
week with Garwean then we slept in Rhly to start our exchange with the
Sisters there. Such a posh flat! Beach front, massive, seriously a
vacation rental ah! We went to their district meeting in the morning,
it was seriously soooo funny. Plus 3 sets of sisters were there so it
was really productive! Then we started the real exchange. Wow was it a
flop for (Japanese from Caleb's mission) Sister Haruyama. Such a bad
example. We got stuck in literally the heaviest rain of my life. Like
I understand what showers are now...so we took shelter and I had her
read the BOM to me for an hour haha then a member saved us!
Hallelujah.

Next day we went and visited LAs with the same member who saved us
yesterday! It was so powerful, so much better with members! Like
efficiency was up. Then we went to a meeting with the stake President and
our mission president. Our charity shop is a blast. A super sweet
member took us out to a nice restaurant with her two daughters, so
good!

We met with Mollie and after a change of heart she committed to a
date!!!!!!!! Some of the stuff I shared with her about my difficulty
with commitment, especially with baptism kinda helped her out, stoked!
It made me feel so much more of my purpose here to personally help
people. We had some good street displays. Asking people if they are "forever
couples" all day haha. We even did a street display with a sister in
Wrexham, good times. Hopefully that family redated for baptism! Ah so
much to do.

Oh I never mentioned how our new zone leaders were my friends! Elder
McDowell from South Africa who was my district leader for 3 months in
Oldham, and Honorio from Brasil from my MTC group! Yay.
-I've been doing better with quitting biting my finger skin
-Members brought us so many sweets!

Top 10
1. Mollie Baptism date!!!
2. Welsh Work haha
3. I don't know everything was good
4. Going to restaurant with the member
5. Getting caught in the rain was funny
6. New nick names with the kids Sister Nandos and Dominos, I'll let
you guess who is who.
7. Member working with us
8. Exchange. Mas Panqueques and Nutella
9. Did I mention how soft Elder Oak's hands were..
10. Also last week don't know if I said, but we went to the town with
the longest name in the world

The 12 days of Christmas while hiking snowdonia again, works with my mission.
1st day a Chav Benny (our car)
2 sheep a "bah"ing
3 transfers together (me and Sister Fernandez)
4 baptisms (it shall happen!)
5 cheese and onion butties
6 Welshman singing
7 hikes up mountains
8 investigators swimming (for our investigator pool)
9 knock off track suits
10 celebrations boxes (box of mini chocolates members gave us)
11 Chairity shops deals
12 a mission (apparently there are 12 transfers for sisters on their mission)

I spoke to President Pugmire yesterday on the phone! It wasn't
anywhere near as weird as I thought it would be. It was so good to
hear from him! Can't believe it.

Thanks everybody for the half birthday wishes!
Happy real birthday Hannah Andrews and Jenny Nafrada and Amber Hutchinson

I'm so grateful for our Heavenly Father. Watch this video: Earthly
Father, Heavenly Father. Perfect.