Emi's Twenty-Seventh Email! August 17, 2015

Pray like everything depends on God then work like everything depends on you. -Elder Jono Diperi

This week some things were overwhelming me AGAIN. But it just comes down to why am I here? To serve. It's that simple. Serve. And I'm doing the best I can to improve each day.

Eileen is doing well. She is allowing the gospel to shape her so beautifully.

One of the referrals Sister Warren and I found in Hyde was apparently baptized last week! She lives in a place connected to a pub so Sister Warren thought maybe it wouldn't be a good idea to knock, but we did it anyway and she was just as prepared as Peace! 

If Peace is reading this, know that we think and pray for you often! We need to meet in Picadil ASAP.

So no surprise, but these last two weeks was a big relapse on the whole eating healthy thing, but you know we've got a new week up ahead. Very big eye-opener when my Mitch's shirt was too tight. That has never happened before. Ever.

Every week I come to learn and realize more how lucky and grateful I am to know this church is true and the amazing opportunities we have each day to testify of things constantly. It is the way we can be with those we love forever and know complete joy.

1) Surprise interview with President. He helped me so, so, so much and I am very grateful.

2) Eileen is dated for baptism! She is so prepared!

3) I started my new personal study regime a while ago and I don't think I've accurately rallied how much I've learned to love the scriptures, and any other form where we can receive teachings from Heavenly Father. For now it's about 20 minutes on the Book of Mormon, 10 on Preach my Gospel and whatever is left on Doctrine and Covenants. Still learning how to love that one, but I can now honestly claim that the Book of Mormon is my favourite book ever and I look forward to a lifetime of re-reading and studying its contents.

4) Sister Awire fed us some traditional Ghana fufu. It was like a huge potato foetus with the soup you dip it in. We even ate it in the traditional "eat with your clean right hand" style. She loaded the soup on heavy for Sister Allen and said I did well for my first time (eating about 2/3 of the massive portion).

5) One of the members in this ward, Laurna, got her mission call to Leeds (right next door)! She is going to see so many blessings for it and we are so excited for her! She is already a fantastic missionary.

6) Random man we met came to church, that's always nice.

7) One of the ladies we're teaching asked if I use a tanning bed. Sometimes it's the small things that keep you going.

8) Thank you to whoever ordered me Chex Mix from an American food store in London!

9) I recently realized, that if you take the initials of all my companions so far, you can spell SWAB. Youve got to love acronyms.

10) Made Sister A. some massive western soup.

Happy birthday Liz Havrid!!!!

Sister Emi Doncheva

 Natural adventurist

 Almost stepped on the beast

 Suave

 Adventurer at her finest

 Look at it the right way, it's called Indian's Head

 So beautiful, some of the moments we can cherish

 Dovestone

 Dennis, this part looked more like the swamps, if you walk a bit further, from Lord of the Rings it was exhilarating

Emi's Twenty-Sixth Email! August 10, 2015

"What we believe, what we say, and what we do should all be the same thing. This is the definition of integrity." 

-Richard G Maynes 

I still never know what to say and I'm a horrible story teller/writer with loads of sentence fragments so... sorry. 

Uh we just always stay busy and try to do our best.

It rained some and is currently doing so now.

An old lady we met this week, Eileen, Sister Allen complimented her jacket in passing and Eileen made a snide comment in return. Sister Allen just kept being nice to her and somehow set a return appointment that same day. We've seen her pretty much everyday since and she came to church and wants to be baptized! She now views us as some of her new daughters. Very tender and such a quick turn around with the power of the gospel.

Bishop had a nice talk with us this week about our purpose beyond our missionary purpose. It was kind of confusing, but he is very wise, very wise.

I also realized there are a lot of things I'm going to commit myself to do once I'm home, but I have to start putting them into play while still here.

Oh, the whole eating healthy thing, hasn't really happened, but there is hope for a new week! After I eat my Reeses Krispy Kreme Donuts.

Top 10

1) Just doing the work and being a missionary. That is why every week flies and I can't remember anything.

2) Teaching pretty much all old ladies haha.

3) Still obsessed with the members of this ward even if it's not always reciprocal haha but that's the beauty of being a missionary in a ward. You get to observe these saints in action and just do our best to strengthen and uplift in anyway we can and hopefully add some valuable assets along the way.

4) A lot of solid lessons with investigators. One of them didn't go super well on our part and the lovely man dropped us...but, we were able to learn from it and we now have a new investigator that is going to take all the loving patience we've got.

5) Seeing Sister Black before she goes to Whales!

6) Bishop's family supplied me with a jump rope.

7) I've been reading a talk a day outside of scripture study and that has been very nice. The talks are all so amazing and you can learn so personably from each one. Read them. I especially like and relate to "Beware of Pride" by Ezra Taft Benson. 

8) One sunny warm day this week, that brings it up to five days since February!

9) Making ice cream is fun.

10) Attempting family history нот гъд in Bulgarian, not easy.

Sister Emi Doncheva

 Scandinavian Elders

 Crib

 Photo taking at mission tour

 MC after mission tour with the Scans again

 Haunted house

 In action (that's me, thanks Sister Allen)

 Typical British man, not the view of typical Britain

 Holland's tree

 River Ribble? Where they raced to be baptised first

 Sister A

 Friends

 3 Sisters, can you spot them all?

 More sequence shots

The Elders names so I don't forget one day. In the McDonalds photo, Elder Bennet from UT, Launer from Switzerland, and Haltersltom from Sweden. The other two from my MTC group- Elder O'Gram from New Zealand and Elder Honorio from Brasil.

Emi's Twenty-Fifth Email! August 3, 2015

"The disciple will be puzzled at times too, but he persists. Later he rejoices over how wonderfully things fit together. Realising only then that with God, things never were apart." -

"How merciful when our yesterdays no longer hold our tomorrow's hostage"

Neil A Maxwell 

"Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less"

CS Lewis

"Great faith has a short shelf life." 

Henry B Eyring

I love those quotes. Perfection in the gospel even when we don't understand everything all the time, repentance/forgiveness, charity, and constantly nourishing in the gospel through the simple scripture reading and prayer.

Happy birthday Joe!!

-One member we visit, she calls the Book of Mormon the Book of Norman. This week, she called me Sister DaVinci and guessed I was 30 years old haha.

-It was a good week, this transfer has been the fastest 6 weeks of my life.

-Rained some, saw a few of the amazing members, many opportunities with people up ahead.

Top 10

1) Staying in Oldham with Sister Allen!!!!! If things continue to go according to plan, I'll be here till January 20th.

2) Hiking Dovestone and Indian's Head. The world is so amazing.

3) We live too close to a cake factory that sells quality cakes with minor defects for way too cheap. 5 huge Swiss rolls for a pound! Delicious.

4) The Lees are going home, I love them so much. I have learned so much from them and will love them forever

5) Elder Williams is going home this transfer, I'm grateful for his service and example in returning with honour and serving as his best self.

6) A lady we met with came to church and believes this is for her, new hope. Sister Allen hasn't had a baptism her whole mission. She could be the one.

7) We can always trust the blessings the Lord promises us when we are obedient

8) Seeing Sister Black and Miller

9) Fireside! Always so different and special

Sister Emi Doncheva

 She is so thoughtful

Beyonce Eggplants

 Elder on year mark tradition?

 Body of water 

 Costco Round 2

 Picadil Art Museum. Sister Allen Baisden and Warren.

 Some building in Picadil

Service for Sister Bwah