Wednesday, September 25, 2013

still don't know how to say ambulance right, but i know what the inside looks like....

can you believe next week is already transfers!!! crazy i know. i have a feeling that sister diaz and i will be staying here, but hey i am always wrong so who knows. 

guess what???!!!! Last monday and today i played volleyball and it was amazing.  I love this area just because Elder otoni, and sister diaz play volleyball, and Elder Davis plays rugby for utah state, so he is athletic enough that he can keep up.  It is sooooooooooooo fun! and literally feels so good. and good news i am not completely awful yet. only problem is it makes me pretty homesick to be playing intramurals and stuff, but oh well. i will be there soon enough. but i learned the hard way to wear long sweats when playing on carpet because i have a hugeeeeee rug burn on my leg.  Everyone keeps asking what happened, it looks a lot worse than it is.  

so some interesting things England has shown me this week: we were walking home around 9 the other friday night, and let me tell you, England people love the pubs.  when the weekend comes around everyone is there drinking their rainy sorrows away.  but in town centre they have this toilet in the middle of the walk way that raises up out of the ground, because apparently people can't control themselves, well the other night we walked right by the toilet and like a few feet away a man was just going in the middle of the walk way.... not in the toilet. apparently it was just too far to walk those couple of steps. 

and second when we were tracting the other day a man answered the door and said hellloooo in a deep voice without his shirt on flexing and making his pec muscles move up and down, when he saw who it was he turned bright red and said sorry i thought you were someone else! he wasn't interested, and as we were turning to leave we saw his wife pulling into the drive way. we tried so hard to keep from laughing, but we couldn't. i think she was a bit confused. 

We are teaching this amazing family from Chile called the Albanos, ( there you go mum a name for you! ha) they just arrived in England and speak verrryyyy little english.  Luckily i can understand spanish just not speak it, but we are teaching them English as well.  Mum she reminds me a lot of you.  they have two sons. one 10 and one 9. they make me miss you Adam!  anyways during our english lesson they were complaining how we pronounce some sounds that they just can't say, and then they said like if i were to try to roll my r's.   boy did i surprise them when i said carro with a perfect r roll.  I explained i was from california, almost part of mexico, and that taco shop was my favorite restaurant.  

we went to the bishops house last week, and they are from utah.  it was so great to eat some american family style cooking.  Their three daughters are adorable. 9,7, and 4.  I became best friends with them. but really. i am going to come back and babysit them when i come and visit in a few years.   but they served brownies with powder sugar on top and i should have remembered i have a problem eating powder sugar and choking on it easily, but i took a bite, and tried to keep my cough inside, but i couldn't..... poof a cloud of powder sugar erupted.... no worries, they are the kind of family that loved it. 

Phyllis a less active we visit is so sweet. she is always giving us the funniest little gifts.  the past couple have been a yo-yo those teeth that chatter, and the best was a proper whoopie cushion. like a nice one. i have to make room in my suitcase for it, because this will come in handy one day i am sure. 

mckay! that is so cool about your patriarchal blessing. (For an explanation of a Patriarchal Blessing, click here).  this literally is one of the coolest things since baptism.  i did not realise how important it was when i got mine. this will direct and guide you for the rest of your life.  it is Heavenly Father giving you promises and letting you see a bit of the potential that He sees in you.  I read a talk the other day and thought you should read it, it was good it was called.... i forgot.... dang! i think it is called be valiant in courage, strength, and activity..... but if not let me know and i will figure it out for you sorrrryyy  found it!!! http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/be-valiant-in-courage-strength-and-activity?lang=eng&query=be+valiant+in+courage,+strength,+and+activity
anyways how is life going? polo good? school, are you surviving? i am sure you are, you always do. i still can't believe you are driving.... and that i am not! that is one thing i miss a lot is driving! i love driving! when i get back home i am going to be complete rubbish. thats okay you can teach me how ha   

So this last week has been. eventful. ha sister diaz has had a cold so we didn't go out and work, and then on Thursday she fell ( preface she is fine. just a bit.... overly cautious, but it is all good no need to worry) and we finally called the paramedics, and they came and checked her out and said she could go to hospital ( here they don't call it THE hospital, just hospital.....) if she wanted to but she didn't have to.... but to be safe, we went. so i got to ride in the back of an ambulance. that was cool. but everything was okay and we are back to working.  i now have a cold, but someone told me if you don't have a cold you aren't in england. so i think i should just get used to it ha  

the best part of the week hands down was interviews with President Jordan.  It was just great to talk to him about things that are happening and to learn that he trusts me and i should have more trust in myself. and guess what!!! he called me patient and calm. i was surprised. i thought, does he know who he is talking too??  but hey i guess we can all change haha it was just a much needed reassurance that He and Heavenly Father are aware of my efforts and are relying on me. President Jordan said sometimes on our missions we are called to an area for the people there, or for the missionaries there. and that there are few people that could handle this.  It didn't make the situation better, actually it has been the worst the past two days than it has been. (opposition always comes stronger when you are working at something) but the difference is, i have been 100% happy.  it is amazing the feeling of not letting anything or anyone affect your attitude and happiness.  literally nothing. i was amazed at the strength and happiness and humility Heavenly Father was blessing me with.  sorry i know this paragraph does not sound humble, but i promise i am learning a lot about humility and apologizing and taking criticism.  you are right mum this is going to help me SO MUCH when i am married. no joke 

dad- the ward has been here for quite some time. it is built upon 1 family.  i think 70% of the ward is related. which makes it hard sometimes, but it is the biggest ward i have been in.  quite a few families.  and I love romans 8:16 

Adam- i will respond personally to your email next week. sorry i ran out of time this week! i love you! 

Rebecca.... where is my email you bum. i know you are busy having a life but i mean come on. i am letting you wear my clothes!! haha love ya

this weekend i have really felt grateful for the gospel.  I love it so much, and I am so grateful for this opportunity to dedicate 100% of my time and effort into helping the Lord and serving Him and his children.  I have always loved learning things from my mission, but this weekend I have truly loved being here.  does that make sense? well i gotta run. quote that i loved this week 
"the best antidote i know for worry is work.  the best medicine for despair is service. the best cure for weariness is the challenge of helping someone who is even more tired." president Hinckley  

scripture that i flipped to and read that really helped when i was having a bit of a rough patch this week:  Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about toaturn back, behold, the Lord bcomforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with cpatience thinedafflictions, and I will give unto you success.   Alma 26:27

love you guys! have a fantastic week, and i will let you know if i am moving... again! love, rachel 

No comments:

Post a Comment