Pigeons have 0 respect for authority

Sister Bergstrom and I decided that we need to take advantage of the culture that we are surrounded with here in London while we have the chance.....so what did we do last p-day?? buy an African dress and a sari! and of course we found them in this backstreet fish market place.  it is not a fancy one, pretty much a rug with a belt but hey i am broke and it is probably the comfiest thing ever!  there are  pics on dropbox, but you have to download them or something? idk it is weird sorry, we are in a dodgy internet cafe! 

Also for lunch we went to this turkish place and got golzeme.  it was sooooooooooo good.  There was a lady inside making them at this table proper turkish style.  and we were the only white people in there, everyone else was turkish.... which is how you know it is good. like taco shop, everyone who works there is Mexican.

We also went to visit this lady we are teaching who owns a Caribbean restaurant.  She is so great her name is Pandora.  But we showed up there before our appointment to eat lunch, and after we finished she tells us that missionaries of the Lord are supposed to go without purse or script so the lunch was free.  we tried to tell her that was not necessary, but she insisted.  She is probably the kindest most giving lady i have ever met.  She would give you the coat off her back if she thought you needed it.  she literally gave us a scarf to wear as we were leaving because we looked cold.  

Halva

Also when we went back on Sunday she was eating this thing..... turns out it was a mango, and i have never had mango before, crazy i know, but she gave us each a mango and showed us the proper way to eat it.  She said don't worry about the mess and all the stuff in your teeth, i will give you a toothpick and a napkin afterwards ha  

also I tired this thing called halva?  a member gave it to me, not sure what it was, you can google it if you want, but it tasted a bit like sawdust.... 

just reread what i have written, and from the email it sounds like all i am doing is eating...... we are working too i promise ha 

On an exchange I got to go back to St. Albans! It was so great.  Got to see a few investigators, members, and less actives again.  it was crazy how much it still feels like home.  and that was over 3 months ago.  

This week has been incredible because Heavenly Father has helped us so much.  President Jordan has really been stressing that as leaders we need to lead by example, and lead from the front.  That our areas need to be the example when we bring sisters here on exchanges, and when we go with them, we really need to help them and their area.  Sister Bergstrom and I have really been trying to do this, but we realised we needed to rely more on Heavenly Father.  this week we have been trying to do that even more and it is amazing the blessings and miracles we have seen.  With more responsibility, comes more Heavenly help.   

I had an epiphany just now.  Sister Bergstrom and I were talking about how we were excited to after our missions, be able to go to church and just relax and not be hurrying and picking people up and talking with everyone and setting up appointments and making sure everyone understands things and is getting fellow shipped and the list goes on and on of crazy things we deal with on sunday, but then i just realised that the relaxation at church will only last until I have kids, and then relaxation at church is gone forever! 

probably one of my highlights of the week.  random act of service.  we were on a bus and were headed to one of our appointments.  when this man was getting his bags together to get off the bus and he had loads. and i mean loads of bags. and they were heavy. not just i am a wimpy girl heavy, proper heavy stuff.  and he was struggling. 

so i asked if we could help him carry them to where he needed to go.  he seemed so surprised. he said that he had over heard me talking to another lady saying i was staying on the bus going to north finchley, and he was getting off at the next stop.  i told him it was okay we weren't on a strict time schedule and we would love to help him.  we grabbed a lot of bags, got off the bus, and walked with him to where he was headed.  he was so grateful.  he said it had been the worst day ever  because he had had to travel really far on tubes and trains and buses with all this stuff.  he was sooooo appreciative.  He asked how he could repay us, and we just explained that we are missionaries and we love to serve, and left him our card to contact us if he needed any help with anything else, and we had to run to catch the next bus.  It felt so good to help.  to me this is what being a missionary is all about.  If ever you are in a down mood or hard time of your life, my greatest piece of advice would be to A) pray B) read the scriptures and C) get out and serve others. an incredible feeling of peace, happiness, and purpose comes when you truly focus on others and not on yourself.   

have a great week!! i love you.  i am praying for you. sounds the trek was a great but muddy experience.  I guarantee you it made an impact on everyone that went, even if it was just a small one.  

I love this area, I love England, I love the people here and I love being a missionary, and teaching people, and serving people.  I know why people say it is the "best two years".

love you! have a great week! 

rachel 

I have to wonder if she forgot to tell us about the pigeon story, or if it's just an ongoing thing that pigeons have zero respect for authority.  Hmm.  Plus, the pictures she sent didn't come up, so we'll try to post them next week if I figure the "dodgy internet cafe" format out. 

humidity = death

My new companion is Sister Bergstrom from Midvale Utah. but she is not your typical utah girl.  she is hands down the most interesting person i have ever met.  not the interesting like ohhhhhh interesting..... aka bad/weird.  but just genuinely interesting.  We came out together, but she is a visitor center sister, so she has been in the Hyde Park Visitor's Center most of her mission.  

I absolutely LOVE being her companion.  We get along so well. very similar but so different in so many things. she is a studying fashion and graphic design.  and she is probably the most creative person i have ever met.  she is helping me with that because we all know i struggle in that department.  We have had a great few days and I am so excited to be together for 6 weeks! 

something that blew my mind just right now..... i only have 3 more fast sundays.  3!!! 14 months came and went this past week.  

It is so hot and humid! sticky yucky gross. i feel the air around me, and it is suffocating! but hey i love the sun so i am trying to decide which is better the rain or the humidity.  and i just was thinking I am sure it is WAY worse in so many places in the world, so i should just be grateful that it isn't too too bad.  

One occurrence that is hard for me is when we talk with people on the street, that are so unhappy and hopeless, but they refuse to open their heart to find out if our message is true and if it can bring them happiness now and in the eternities. 

 I was talking with this one lady and she was expressing how she felt she had no purpose and no happiness in her life.  and that she had tried the religion aspect and it had not helped, and i literally told her "I am begging you just try our message,  what do you have to lose?!  if you try it and it doesn't work, you are exactly where you are now, but if you try it, and it does work then it will change your whole life!"  We talked for a while on the street, and I was praying so hard that the spirit would touch her heart, and after a little while, it did!  She agreed to learn more and give it a try.  And she said you know what i am actually a bit happy and hopeful after talking with you.  unfortunately many times the outcome is not like this.  if only the people could see how much the gospel of Jesus Christ could bless their life and help them find lasting happiness, but all we can do is invite people to find out for themselves, so heck, Sis Bergstrom and I are working on inviting the world :)  

I HAD TO EAT A WHOLE FISH!!!! scarred for life. i am just so proud of myself that i did it without being sick.  it was funny though because just earlier that day we were talking about things we didn't like.  Sister Bergstom hates peppers, and also a few words.  yes words. like tender and fresh.  so funny i know. and as you know i have a deep hatred for fish (minus tuna, i can now handle that)  

but we show up to this members house, and they bring out this huge salad and a thin piece of salmon and bread.  i sat there so proud of myself as i ate it.  After we said, thank you so much for dinner it was so good, and the lady laughs, (she is from Nigeria) and just says oh honey that was just the starter.  (english for appetiser, i don't remember which one we use back at home)  then out comes these huge plates with a whole fish on it covered in peppers.  yes a whole fish. bones, head, eyeballs everything.  and the whole time they just kept calling the fish fresh and tender, sister bergstrom and i were both sitting there trying not to die slash burst out laughing.   

and i ate it.  well some of it... but still, enough to not be rude. and you have to pick the little itty bitty bones out of your mouth and it is just an experience i never want to have again.  and you don't eat the head apparently, so why the heck does it go on the plate?? just so the fish can stare at you while you eat it?    but hey now i can say i have done that and i never have to do it again. unless another member serves it to us.  which lets be real probably will happen.  that is one thing I love about serving here in london, it is like serving a mission all over the world.  So many different cultures and people.  If i finish my studies at uni and don't have anything to do, I may come back and live here for just a little bit. 

Sometimes I still have to pinch myself that I really do live in London, doing the best thing I could be doing, sharing the gospel, with some of my best friends!  as cheesy as it sounds the movie the best two years is 100% completely spot on.  Love, Rachel

I couldn't figure out why Rachel sent this,
then I realized it was a wolf! Her favorite!

ahhh this clock countdown thing is too much...only a minute left i hope you get this.

How do you let a fire get close enough to singe your arm hair without you noticing it?? idk.... but it happened.... we made our lunch and it smelled really bad in the kitchen and like 30 mins later i am looking at my arm and wondering why the heck there is no hair on it.... definitely singed it off.  (weird it looks like singed.... and i was wondering how it doesn't get confused.... took me a bit to realise that singed is not a word. it is one of those days ha)  

oh ps it was transfers.  doesn't even really feel real.  only 3 left. so much to do so little time.  but I am staying in London North, and Sister Hymas is moving.... to London North!!! but we are not companions... ha figure that riddle out.  We live in a 4 person flat, and both of the other sisters in our flat are moving, and she is moving to their room.  So we are in the same area, same flat, same ward, but not together.  We are both getting new sister training leaders to train, so there will be 4 of us STL's in one ward. my new companion is Sister Bergstrom from Utah, and she is in our group as well. she seems really fun and i am super excited.  

This morning Sister Hymas and I played football with the elders (did you know that they spell it this way.... i always thought they spelled it the spanish way futbol....) anyways. it was so much fun, but then it started raining, and raining and raining some more, but hey this is england no surprise. and after we got tired of playing we just sat in a circle talking, in the pouring rain. probably looked a bit funny.  I love the elders from our ward they are all such characters.  We had an American: Elder bright, but he is moving now,  a Hungarian: Elder horvath, a South African: Elder Wentzel, and a Canadian: Elder Smith, and now we have a German replacing elder bright.  there is never a dull moment with them.

Anca is so cute, when we read the Book of Mormon with her sometimes she just stops and stares, and then after a few moments she goes ohhhhhh it all just clicks now! and last week when we visited her, she said that she had not read the scriptures enough, that she felt the lack in her life, but when we asked her what she read she had read the intro and all the beginning parts, like the testimony of the witnesses and of Joseph Smith, and all the way up to 1 Nephi 4.  and it had been about 5 days.  That is more than most members read! but it is true when you don't read it you feel it throughout your day.  you may not realise right away, but you can tell.  on days with exchanges and we don't get a proper study, i can always feel the difference.  

I watched this video clip this afternoon, and it was talking about light and truth, and yes it was really old and really cheesy, but the guy on it said something that struck me.  Every moment of every day, every choice we make adds to our light and truth or diminishes it.  Made me a bit more conscious of the choices i make all day every day.  

So we are teaching this lady named Georgia.  She is an English lady with a 2 year old son. so cute.  the elders passed her to us because they felt we would be able to better connect with her, and she was not progressing with them.  She has been taught everything but has been a bit apprehensive about baptism.  She knows and wants to be baptised but there were concerns she had and she didn't want to rush and felt a bit pushed and all that stuff. this could be a very long story.  But to sum it up. 

 We have been trying to help her to see that she is ready.  and she really is.  and that life is never going to be perfect, there are always going to be hurdles, but she is going to need to take a step of faith and trust, and if she sets a goal, Heavenly Father will help her work towards that.  We did not want to push her, but wanted to invite her to be baptised in the end of june again.  At the end of the lesson I could tell both Sister hymas and I were trying to think of how to bring it up without being pushy..... and I the only thing in my mind was just over and over praying asking Heavenly Father to help us know how to approach this.  and now i can't even remember what question i asked, it wasn't really related to setting a date in june or baptism at all,  but she just said, well I have been thinking a lot about what you have been saying and I want to be baptised at the end of June.  Such a miracle.  the change in her in a matter of a week was incredible.  the gospel is true.  It changes lives and it truly is incredible to be able to see these changes in the people I have taught, the members, my companions, and also myself.

  I did not type this up very well, but hopefully you can understand it.  It was really cool to see the spirit work and to see Heavenly Father touching her heart.  

So i have to run because we are at this new emailing place and it is a lot stricter than our usual guy.... and there is this huge countdown on the computer screen and it is putting pressure on me and ahhhh i don't work well under this pressure but i love you!!! have a great week!! love ya! rachel        

i got nothing.... really absolutely nothing is coming to my brain for this... awkward

Donna got baptised this past sunday :) words cannot describe how happy i am for her.  It was funny though, she has had both knees replaced, and when she went underneath the water they both gave out, so when he was helping her stand back up she couldn't, and he whispered, Donna stand up,  and she responded i am trying but i can't!! it was cute, but don't worry she got up and out safely.

her testimony afterward was very short and simple, but perfect.  She said that she felt so welcome and at home here at the church.  and that she has never had so many friends in her life.  and that she knows that this is the right thing she has done and it is the right place.     

we have a dog that comes to church every sunday. i cannot remember if i told you this or not.  but the man is not a member, he used to go to the catholic church but he got kicked out because his dog jumped up on the altar...... so now he comes to ours.  the other sunday during the last song, the dog was behind this man sitting down and put his paws on the back of his shoulders and licked the mans bald head.... the man's face was sooooo funny.   

so it has been raining all week, and we were walking through this underpass, and there were huge puddles that we were dodging trying not to get sprayed by cars on the motorway, but at one point sister hymas almost slipped and fell, and she grabbed onto me and we both almost fell, don't worry we didn't, but then we were laughing so hard we were not paying attention and this huge lory drove by and it was like a tidal wave completely soaked us.  it was actually hilarious.  i think all the people stuck in traffic were amused by us.  just hope we made their day ha 

went on three exchanges this week.  2 out of the 3 were in the visitor's center.  Sometimes I feel I have gotten called to serve there I am there so much.  but it is a good thing. it is a new experience.  It is learning to share the gospel in a different way - to share the gospel by giving tours and chatting online is very different, but it amazes me that no matter how different it is, the spirit is still the key.    

This week has been fantastic.  and I have realised just how genuinely happy i truly am.  and not the temporary fleeting feeling that we call happy, but a lasting and pure joy.  many times we get happiness confused with excitement, adrenaline, or others but happiness is something deeper than all of that.  

  If you were to look at a missionary's life, the world would wonder how the heck we are happy,  we work over 12 hours a day with not really any time off, we don't have any technology, computer, smart phone, ipad, no films, no tele, no fancy possessions, we talk with strangers everyday and get rejected by them everyday, and the list goes on and on.  

 but as I have forgotten about the ways of the world, and focused on what is really important: my relationship with my Heavenly Father and His son Jesus Christ, to do my absolute best to live as He did, to share the gospel and to serve and put others before myself,  I have found myself being so purely happy that i cannot contain it inside of myself.  as cheesy as that sounds, i feel like it is bursting out.  and everyone can have this kind of happiness. regardless of your circumstances and situations.  so be happy, look at the good side of things, there always is one, be grateful for all the blessing that you have been given by our loving Heavenly Father and just smile.  

sounds like you are doing great, except i think becca may have died, you should probably check on her...... adam good job on baseball i am proud of you for finishing even though you didn't want to.  mckay you are just a superstar, it is hard to be your sister you know that? quit making me look bad haha dad mum thanks :) 

have a great week! i love you!!!! rachel  

oh ps i love this mormon message 

http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=2484411795001

I watched the Mormon message - so sweet.  Please watch it.  Also, Rachel's words hit home this week -- happiness really is within our reach when we're reaching for the right things.  :)  Thanks for reading.  

"I love snakes.... I don't like them, but you can love things you don't like." -Donna

one of my favourite quotes from Donna that the elder who interviewed her told us she said during her baptismal interview.  

brace yourself for a crazy email.  my brain is just flying today! 

It is soooooo beautiful here! the weather is literally perfect.  I am even starting to get a hint of tan... by hint i mean that it doesn't hurt your eyes as much to look at me now, the glare isn't as bad.  but this weather just makes me want to go and play beach volleyball right this very second! reminds me of the good days of just playing all dang day.  Aubree next summer ya? we should do a tournament again!!! so fun. 

We ran to hampstead heath this morning.oh my goodness google maps it right now!  (Hampstead Heath - google maps link) it is my new favourite place in the world.  You would never think that you were in London.  I felt like I was in Africa or something.  just silent from the world, only birds chirping and the wind blowing.  and there is a place called the Kenwood House in the park. Sister H and I decided it is perfect for either taking engagements or having our wedding reception there..... or maybe i will just photo shop it in, a bit cheaper probably, but it seriously is gorgeous. I can't wait till i come back and visit and just spend forever getting lost here on runs and hikes and everything. ya i love nature! Heavenly Father is so good to us giving us this beautiful earth!  I am in one of those, life is great and perfect and i am so blessed and i love life moods. aren't those just the best moods ever??    

This morning I also decided something, I love cooking! i know shocker right.  The problem still is that by the time I start cooking I am usually starving already, so I just snack while I cook till it is ready, and by then I am no longer really hungry.  but thats okay, baby steps.  Also now I like tuna! mum aren't you proud! I am just growing up so much haha 

5 bedroom house in Sheldon Avenue - 4,300,000 pounds.  Good Luck Rachel!

Also i decided if I ever live in England I want to live in Sheldon Ave. look it up.  honestly picture perfect houses.  just English mansions no biggie.     

one morning this week we walk into the bathroom and discovered that we now had an indoor pool.  Seriously it was flooded up to our ankles. not just a little trickle of water. the landlord came and we helped scoop up the water and mop it up, and then it got fixed... yay plumbers. 

Preston Enland Temple - https://www.lds.org/church/temples?lang=eng

William went to the temple on saturday and loved it!!! and he blessed the sacrament for the first time on sunday.  I feel like a mum watching her little baby grow up! During the sacrament prayer he had to do it a few times because he kept saying thy "Holy Son"..... but hey you can't blame him, it is his cultural upbringing coming out!

 If that is kinda racist I don't mean it to be, mum you can take it out if you want from the blog..... ha

Sister H was trying to put different things together clothing wise, and she put something on and turned to me and asked my opinion, then turned back to the mirror and exclaimed "I don't even know whats cute anymore!"  so funny. and so true.  i will definitely struggle when i get home, but lets be real when did i ever dress cute, jeans or sweats and a hoodie and vans.  cute to me!!  

I was on an exchange with sister T from the Congo, and she has only been here about 3 weeks, and knows VERY little English.  It was so fun, but something flew into my eye and i was holding it open and trying to get it out, and she doesn't say anything, grabs my head, pulls it really close to her face, peels back my eyelids, and blows this huge gust of wind into my eye.  i was just laughing, and she just shrugged and said, idk what to do...  I think you had to see it, because It was really funny. 

Soooooo Saturday was a great day for so many reasons.  

reason number 1, my football team won the cup. go arsenal.  and we may or may not have watched the last 15 mins... BUT it was not our fault.  so Sat night at the same time as this game we had a dinner appointment with this lady, and she lives at the center of the chaos of the game.  But when we showed up, her flat is just one room, and her mid 20's non-member son was watching the game on a huge flat screen.  and for the people here this was the biggest day of the year practically, so he was not turning it off,  and so we tried to sit there and just stare at each other and not watch it, but hey lets be real, practically impossible.  luckily it was almost over.  so we just endured to the end. but did not enjoy one bit of it :) haha  

 but let me just tell you what happened! best game ever, from what i heard..... so the other team scored 2 goals in the first 8 mins! but then, come back!!! arsenal scored 2 and tied it. so it went to over time 30 mins, and we showed up the last 15 of OT.  and it was still tied 2-2 so it was going to go to penalties. and then last 5 mins we scored, and it was such a gorgeous goal!  we all jumped up and starting cheering, and her son laughed and said "dang you are almost as excited as i am!"  it was so fun, technically not allowed, but hey what could we do? we figured it was good bonding with her non-member son.... don't worry mum we turned it off right after and ate dinner and shared a spiritual message.  (sorry for the details of the game, just want you to appreciate the beauty of the game!!! It made me excited to go back and watch sports, and be in a stadium, and ya all that good stuff) 

but when we were leaving, (we have never been to this area before) and we were in Arsenal's home base, there was people going crazy everywhere!!! and the bus stop she told us to go to wasn't working because of the game, and so we were just wandering around looking for where to go, dodging the drunk fans running everywhere. seriously mobs of people.  I wish you could have seen the scene.  we started walking down one street then realised that the people were throwing beer up into the air on everyone! I turned to Sister Hymas and yelled "retreat retreat!" haha it was so funny.  while we were laughing at the situation, a drunk man laying on the ground complimented my smile.  If only I had a £ for all of the compliments I have received from drunk people.      

second reason sat was so great, and a lot better of a reason 

Anca is getting baptised!!!! on June 1.  We were gardening with her on Saturday and just talking some more,  (the change in her is incredible)  and she is just talking about how much she loves the mormon messages, and general conferences videos, and Book of Mormon and she feels her faith growing and all this great stuff, and then during the lesson she was reading, and goes quiet, and I could just see her feeling the Spirit.  and she turns and says who do I need to talk to about getting baptised?

And then a bit later into the lesson her husband, who is less active gets home from work and comes in, and she said guess what? and he paused and then said,  "your getting baptised aren't you!"  she said yes and then he said "oh shoot!! you are making me come back to church!!" but not shoot.... haha but then he got so excited, and said that he has been wanting to come, but he has been stubborn.  He got so excited, grabbed their son and her and said we are going to be sealed in the temple one day! and he went off on a little rant about how he secretly still has been a mormon at heart and how excited he is....   he has quite a bit of work to do to come back, and he knows it but it was such a beautiful thing to see. and then at the end of the lesson they said a prayer as a family for the first time ever, and Anca said it.  I was going to cry the entire time.  we left the house and i felt like i was walking on a cloud.  It was such a pure joy and happiness.  to be a part of this family's journey to be together forever.  I don't know why Heavenly Father has blessed me so much and allowed me to be a part of this, but I am so grateful that He has.  

Anyways I have to run, it is Sister H's bday and we are going to this carnival thing! but have a fantastic week, I love you and pray for you everyday! I am so grateful for this time to serve Heavenly Father, and the people here is England.  Life could not get any better :)   love you!! Rachel

oh ps on sunday heard a prayer in Spanish, Hungarian, and Farsi (which in case you didn't know is the same thing as Persian.... learned that yesterday.... apparently everyone but sister h and I know that ) 

all in one day! i am going to miss that so much when I get home. I am going to be cultured shock with the lack of different cultures!! 

MUCHOS Mormons

so we are waiting at the chapel for our lesson, so here is a repeat of some of the stuff we talked about yesterday but ya here it is in writing.

Mr. Nevarez would be proud of me. yes that is my 9th grade spanish teacher..... A man we met was from Columbia, and said "oh no english no english", but we decided not to let him get away with that for an excuse, so poor him, he had to endure my rubbish spanish.  I asked if he had heard about the church because it was pretty popular in columbia, he said no.  And then I showed him the Book of Mormon and he said "Ohhhhhh MUCHOS mormons." I tried to explain that they were the same thing, but I don't think that is what I was saying because he looked very confused.... I decided that is something I am going to do when I get home, is learn another language.  mum maybe we better bust out those MUZZY tapes again ha 

also i got to go to canterbury and ashford this week on exchanges.  They are soooooo different than London. That is one benefit of going on these exchanges because you get to see places that you have never served in.  

Wellington is going to the temple on Saturday! i am so happy, I wish we could go with him so badly.... 

Something I have really been thinking about is how to find more people to teach.  In this mission, we do a lot of finding, or "talking with everyone" we call it.  And it is so sad when we stop people on the street and they are just not interested.  I know Heavenly Father has given us the wonderful gift of agency, the freedom to make our own choices, but sometimes it is heartbreaking when I know that the message we share will bless their life, and the lives of their family, but they don't take the time to listen.  As I have been going on exchanges lately I have realised that as missionaries sometimes we just get into this rut of an explanation about what we do and teach and i realised how ineffective this is.  In order for someone to want to meet again with us, they have to feel the spirit, AND it has to apply to their life, it has to interest them.  no one is going to learn about something that they have no interest in.  So it is our job to show them how the gospel does relate to them, and how it can help and bless their life.  within the few moments we talk with them... no pressure...  and that is the greatest thing about the gospel of Jesus Christ, it does relate to EVERYONE, and it really does bless every single persons life.  no matter what age, circumstance, interests, or anything.  It truly does.  

well thats about it....  i love you! have a great day, and week!   

oh ps i have to play a hard song on the piano for a musical number. say what? and the lady who asked is just a bit terrifying. so i know that if i play one wrong note, i am probably going to be sent home. no joke. so i will probably be home in a few weeks instead of 4 months.... she is that intense. lovely, but intense.  

pps i am now playing this game where if i am on the bus and no one is sitting next to me, i smile really big at the people outside to see who will smile back. it is quite fun. you get some good reactions. you should try it!

http://www.mormon.org/elaine     one of my favourite I'm a Mormon..... it just shows, we don't all have to be the same cookie cutter person.  that is not what Heavenly Father wants.  He has made us different and He wants us to embrace that.  She is so just herself and unique and just cool. and i like the music... and the baby.... ha

Eating a Jewish cracker 

picture: us eating some Jewish cracker.... a member gave it to us. it was really good. but we ate it with butter and ham, and then realised that might have been a bit disrespectful.... oops
 

love ya! rachel

I told Rachel about our ward Book of Mormon Reading Challenge and she sent this video that she loves:  
President Holland, 4 min. video

toilets and toast

I have decided the hardest thing about a mission, is having to use the toilet, especially because shops and restaurants and other places here don't have any, or they are not available to the public.... so if we are out on the streets in town centre it is pretty much the worst thing ever. but i found this little cafe that has one, so we go there a lot. but you have to buy something, and the cheapest thing on the menu is toast..... so we get a lot of toast.  

We email from the internet hair cutting place like I told you, and this bald black guy is getting his hair done...... i don't really know how it works, but the barber has been working on him for about 30 mins, and it still looks the same..... bald.  someone just needs to let him down gently.  

I have figured out a way to inspire me to write in my journal, I bought a fancy pen!! okay it is a cheap fancy pen, but still.... it is the quill kind. i don't really know how to write with it very well, but my idea has worked, i have been writing in my journal more! also it is because Sister hymas makes me.

Donna is still my favourite person in the whole wide world.  the cutest littlest older lady.  She just gets it, and it is so fun teaching her, because we can ask the deeper questions, and she can make the connections.  She is such a great missionary as well, her children have been questioning her and wondering if she should join the church and she is answering all of their questions and defending her faith! and she says things straight up.  She said when they ask her questions she doesn't know that she tells them,  " I don't know.  I don't know everything, I am still learning, but I like what I am learning, and I feel good about it."  talk about incredible.  after hearing that her family is more supportive... we are trying to meet with them, but we haven't been able to yet.  but i just can't wait for the 25th! and to send you pics of her.  the other day we had to go early to our appointment.  about 50 mins early, (who would think, missionaries early)  and she answered the door and was in her nightgown and didn't have her teeth in, and we said  " we are so sorry we are a bit early!"  she responded, " ya! 50 mins early!"  but in her closing prayer she mentioned that she had a great time, and she knew that we loved her and loved coming even in her unready state. :) 

2 great miracles that happened this week, but i don't really feel like typing, so i will try and summarise, so i hope they make sense,

I was walking down the street and Sister Hymas crossed the street, and but i decided I just wanted to keep walking on this side (not because we don't get along.... we do..... too well ha) but I was walking and just said hello to this girl about early 20's.  she looked confused said hi and then said "ohhhh that's where I know you from."  Then it was my turn to look confused, because i did not recognise her one bit. and i am pretty decent at at least recognising people.  Then she told me, "oh you don't know me, sorry, but I sat behind you on the bus the other day, and heard you talking to a lady and telling her about being over here for a year and being a missionary, and i was eavesdropping....."  fine by me! we got talking, and now we are teaching her! she is so cool. just goes to show you never know who is listening, so even if the person you are talking to is not interested, nothing is ever a wasted effort!   

also another miracle.  her name is Anca from Romania.  There is this lady in the ward named Delunna (acutally dalounna, but i spelled it wrong for a long time, and now i can't really switch, it looks too weird to me)   well she is incredible.  long story short, her life has been really full of challenges, her husband left the church and the family and now all her kids are grown and are less active. but she is still a power house. she lives with her 19 son, 20 daughter and like 24 son, and his wife and their little baby.   anyways we went to go visit her the other day, and begged her to allow us to weed her garden.  finally after much persuasion, she accepted.  We came the next week and weeded the whole front. (not an easy task)  but half way through her daughter-in-law that lives there came out and asked if she could help.  We got talking and she asked what we do and different questions and then she asked if we could teach her!  of course we readily agreed.  

Our first lesson was brilliant.  The spirit was so strong.  She is so sweet, and such a hard worker, and wants to become a good example for her son, and raise him right.  anyways long story short, we came back and she had written a whole page of notes and questions from reading alma 32 which is what we left her.  She said "it is exactly what i needed to read!"  also she said it was the first day in a longggg time that she didn't have a panic attack. and she feels something changing inside, and she blames it all on us.  and that her husband told her that if she is going to come to church, then he will come as well!! the thing is that missionaries have been going to dinner at that home for months and months. it just shows that Heavenly Father knows when the time is right and knows each one of us personally.  That is something I learned with all my heart here on my mission, is that we are each children of God, and that He loves us so much.  the details of our lives matter to Him, and He is waiting and wanting to help and bless us.  We just need to ask! 

Also I want to play matchmaker and have William marry this lady in the ward.... hard thing is that as a missionary we make plans for everything!.... but i have realised this isn't really something you can make plans for. dang. they would be so cute.   

oh ya can we skype 7 your time. so 3 here and 8 for becca. in the morning. is that okay? ya i will log onto beccas and you onto mine i guess. works for me! 

also you know how it was all such a big deal that we can now use facebook.  sister hymas and i have both been blocked for the past few weeks because it thinks we are spammers soooooooo we don't even use it. ha 

also there was a tube strike last week, right in the middle of when we were doing exchanges with the visitor center sisters, and so traveling was a nightmare!!! i decided it is a good thing i am not claustrophobic or i would have freaked. soooooo  many people crammed into a tiny little cart under the ground.  just asking for someone to freak out.     there were massive lines to get on, but the tubes that were coming were all full so no one could get on, so finally the doors open and this lady flings herself on top of the people inside and yells sorry i am late!! it was the funniest thing.  poor people. she literally threw herself on top of them because there was no room.   

that is so exciting for jesse! such a great thing for that family.  really neat that you got to baptise him dad.  also please no fish.  had to eat it at someones home the other day. there was bones. and. everything!!!! ew i almost died.  (Ed and Adam went fishing with the Woodhouses and caught a lot of tapia).  

well have to run, but i love you! i can't believe we are talking this sunday..... where did those 5 months go!! happy early mothers day!!!! love you!!! rachel 

i feel like i am forgetting to say something.... oh well.  

oh we had a mission leader council this week and elder Teixeira and his wife came and spoke to us! it was great! i'll send some thoughts from that next week..... 

OK - mom's notes.  First off, Rachel asks me to change the names of the people in her blog  for privacy sake, which is fine.  This week, however, I found myself challenged with changing not only the name, but it's former misspelling.  Now it's really misspelled.  Oh well.  

I looked at the first picture Rachel sent and wondered why she was sending me this? 

Then I looked at the next one ... and it all became clear.  That's what you call service!  Can't wait until she gets home!  

Maybe for Mother's Day I'll ask for a picture with HER in the freshly weeded garden.  I'll just be happy I got a picture --so beautiful and green!