Week 3 - From MTC to Watford

Rachel sent some MTC pictures -- to see more, look in the pictures section.  But here are a few: (below) her district and (right) sisters Garcia, O'Brien & Swain from Spain, Utah and Utah.   

The Ammon District

View from our flat

so London!!! (not really London... watford, but it is close enough) I decided I will either die of lung cancer from second hand smoke or getting hit by one of the INSANE drivers.

Everyone smokes! like everyone. i thought it was kinda going out of style, but not here.  

So I got here last week. crazy huh.  It was so insane on wednesday driving down, then meeting everyone then taking the train to my flat.  I don't know how handicap people or moms with strollers take the tube or train because there aren't elevators!! carrying my luggage through all the stations and up all the stairs and down all the stairs was literally the hardest thing ever. luckily a few times I looked so pathetic and helpless someone would come and help me.... but yes mom I am glad I brought everything I packed so it is fine. ha 

So in my last email I said it hadn't rained yet, but then the day I wrote that, it rained for the first time.... so I am scared to put it, but I am so happy I can't keep it inside. guess what. IT HASN'T RAINED YET!!! crazy huh. it has been pretty sunny.  everyone says i brought the CA sun with me.  Watford is half city half country so it is perfect.

The ward is great! I can't understand most, and most of the people aren't from England. They are from Africa, India, Portugal and other cool places. but it makes it really difficult to understand their second language British english accent.  

Books of Mormon in all diff't languages

I feel constantly judged being from America.  I dont think they like people from the states over here that much.  but that is okay.  I am still trying to figure out the money and the words, but hey i just smile big and usually they get less annoyed with me.  

The hard part is that right before I came they pretty much dropped all of the investigators because they weren't progressing, so we have no one to teach.  So we find, all the time. I really LOVE finding ( that is sarcasm, but I didn't want to say i don't like it because I am trying to be positive :) ha ) I love teaching but we don't get to do that much.  I am getting really good at being rejected though.  Lots of knocking doors.  I don't know what I thought mission life was like, but not this.  But i am getting used to it.  I love the study aspect. I have grown soooo much. like for example, the scriptures. they are so amazing! why i didn't read them all day every day I don't know!   

Sister Vermeer & Sister Formica

All the cars here are little.  and like I said the drivers are crazy.  We share the ward with the zone leaders and they have a car, so they drive us to church and stuff.  Elder Heno ( pronounced N,O) is from France and he is a crazy driver.  He is your standard frenchmen.  Very romantic and passionate and crazy  The other one (elder Hansen) is a lot better of a driver.  He is really funny.  My whole district only has about 3 months left on their missions so I am the only baby. It is strange.  They say it will go by fast, but I don't believe them ha 

My companion is 25 she has been out a year and she is from Holland.  Her name is sister Vermeer.  She is really great.  She is really positive and that is what I need right now.  

I decided I need to learn to like hugging girls.  I am not a huge fan, but I have quickly realized that all sisters hug.... all the time.... i am working on it don't worry. The only problem is they are all very short and so my shoulder kind of hits them in the face.  I am practicing though and I am getting better! 

We are doing the biggest loser between my companion and the two zone leaders so no worries dad I am not going to come home fat! well at least not from the first transfer.  Just went to the grocery store and bought all healthy food.  Aren't you proud of me? 

So you know the CD "the garden".  Well there was a huge production with people from all over England here in our building and we got to see it.  It was pretty good but wasnt nearly as good as the CD... But thats okay.  A for effort.  

So i have never really eaten nutella.  We never had it at home or up at school, but at the MTC  they had it and my roommates got me hooked.  Well I was like okay just for the two weeks at the MTC then I wont have it anymore in the field... But low and behold there is a new full jar at our flat.... I may have eaten a few spoonfuls over the past few days. hey it is my comfort food! kinda ruins the whole not get fat idea... oh well. it is worth it.  

Anyways I am running out of time, but that is just a little bit about life. There is so much to say but no time to say it.  Next time I will tell more stories I promise.  

Mom's note:  Here's a blog for the England London Mission ... I'm not sure how often it gets updated, but it's worth a try once in a while.  For those of you who know Destany Tabor, she's in a few of these pictures!    http://englandlondonmission-jordan.blogspot.co.uk