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 to^aturn back, behold, the Lord ^bcomforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with ^cpatience thine^dafflictions, 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 

i can never think of something clever to put here..... dad's cleverness must have skipped a generation

It is amazing how many awkward, funny, embarrassing, or interesting things happen every day, but when i get here either i have forgotten them, or i realise that you had to be there..... 

something a bit more sad than funny, so someone told us that now we should be scared once it stops raining because that means the snow is coming..... everyone just keeps laughing at me when i tell them i am cold. i am bundled up in a sweater, scarf, jacket and my wellies, and there are people still in shorts and tee shirts.... oh ps apparently we aren't allowed to wear our hoods as missionaries, who knew, and mum the umbrella you gave me, you said it was good for wind because it won't break right? well.... the way that they made that possible is it just collapses. in a fancy way, but still it isn't that useful in the wind.    i found out the hard way last friday night.  i showed up to a less active ladies house named Phyllis completely soaked. she said i looked like drowned rat. cute huh. so i may have to splurge and get a pound shop umbrella and see how it holds up.  

Mum i loved your email. honestly it helped me so much.  This week, this whole transfer has been....difficult. it is very complicated and hard to explain ...  but stuff from her past transfers has been really affecting my companion, which in turn has really put a strain on our companionship.  It is also difficult because we had an exchange with the sister trainers, kind of like zone leaders for the sisters where we switch companions for a day every transfer and they help teach us and stuff, and on.  anyways on this exchange the sister trainer told me that it isn't my fault and that my companion has always been this way and President Jordan trusts me and blah blah blah..... you would think that would be a good thing, but i don't think it actually was.  it kinda gave me an excuse to be a butt head and to think well everything must be her fault and the sister said that it wasn't my fault.  so i think for a bit i stopped looking to try and work on things and just thought well this is just the way it is, not my fault. when that is not what i should have been doing.  but i am learning.  there are days when i feel i really will explode, and i am learning to try and figure out my feelings and express them.  man after this marriage should be a piece of cake...... justttttt kiddinggggg. but it will help 

dad in response to the part where you said i must have some characteristic that works in england, i think that my cheekiness is definitely the trait that got me sent to England.  and my love for rain haha but yes they really don't like Americans over here. but no worries my English accent is now flawless...... not really. i just know how to pronounce my t's now.  instead of wadder i say waTer and beTTer.   

dad in your request for stories here is one that i think i forgot to tell you guys, but is one that always reminds me of how much Heavenly Father knows and loves every single one of us.  If i already told you this, sorrrrryyyyy. but this was at the very end of last transfer and i don't think i did in the shuffle of moving and everything, but sister chan and i had time to track just a bit before our appointment with this amazing lady.  anyways we knocked on the door of a less active and she wasn't home.  we had already knocked on her neighbors doors so we turned to find another group of houses when we saw one of her neighbor standing in the window.  and we thought what the heck why not knock again. so we did.  a very sad man opened the door.  after a few minutes we learned that his wife had just passed away a few weeks ago.  He looked miserable.  we talked to him a bit about how he could see his wife again, and be married to her for forever.  He said he believed it was true but didn't know anything about it.  we were able to have a really spiritual moment and he was very interested in learning more and said he would do anything to be able to be with his wife again.  The most amazing part though was he said he remembered us knocking his door a month earlier and he was not interested or ready to listen at all, but now he was ready.  It was such a testimony strengthener to me that Heavenly Father was very aware of Richard.  He knew what he was feeling and how his heart had been opened.  He knew that he was now ready and willing to listen to the gospel of Jesus Christ and He knew that it would help him in his life.  

A quote that it reminds me of is " your Father in Heaven knows your name and knows your circumstance.  He hears your prayers.  He knows your hopes and dreams including your fears and frustrations.  and He knows what you can become through faith in Him." Elder Holland    

I know this is true.  I have seen it so much these past 6 months.  The love Heavenly Father has for His children that we talk to each day.  and for me.  Even in the littlest concern, He cares about it.  Thank you for everything!!! i love you guys. i can't believe transfers are coming up. crazy huh. i love st. albans. maybe i will get to stay here. the zone leaders are amazing and i love the district.  Love you guys! have a great week. 

bad news .... winter is here!

Dad- coolest thing ever, the fighting cocks, the pub you talked about in your letter, we were just there the day before, but i didn't know that it was the oldest pub in england! so cool! it is right by this gorgeous park with a huge lake that we run to in the mornings and play sports at on p-day. next time i will make sure to take a picture.... it definitely looks like the oldest pub in england ha now i understand why there was this older Swedish couple that was so excited about it and asked us to take a picture of them by it..... it all makes sense now.  

hahahah mom!  i can just picture you and adam trying to do the baby freeze. harder than it looks huh?? and okay i thought it was a bit strange that you insisted on the doors being varnished... can't believe i believed that for a bit. 

so guess what i learned how to do this week?? change a tire!  it was part of a relief society activity. don't want to brag, but i was the best tire changer out of my group  i think it may have helped that i was a good 50 years younger than everyone that was there... 

So I am teaching English to one of the new members in the ward, Daniella. She is early thirties from Chile, she just moved to England.  She is the cutest sweetest lady ever. she reminds me a bit of ana bradshaw. she has the cutest little boy; he is 4 named Dankito. and when we come over he runs up and gives me a big kiss on the cheek and just starts talking away in spanish.... I just smile and nod.  i don't know if he has figured out that i can't understand him or if he just does not care.  but he is so cute.  when he speaks Spanish it just melts my heart. i decided i want my kids to be bilingual.... idk how that will work with me being so rubbish at speaking other languages, but it is going to happen.  

so two pet peeves i have of good old england...... 1) on their sinks they don't have just one facet, they have two.... one for hot and one for cold.  so when washing your hands it is impossible to get warm because either it is FREEZING cold coming out of one, or SCALDING hot out of the other...... the only way not to hurt your hands is to plug the sink and fill it up and balance the temperature between the two, and who has the time to do that for just washing their hands.... so whoever created this two facet thing was not the smartest cookie..... my poor hands. 2) halloween is not a big holiday here, so THEY ARE ALREADY PUTTING CHRISTMAS STUFF UP IN THE STORES!!!! back at home at least we are a bit distracted by halloween so christmas stuff doesn't come into the stores too early, but not here.  and with christmas, comes winter.... which as of last week, everyone says is here already..... been raining for days and i think it is going to stay this way till next april..... yay.

so mum you mentioned that you hope people here give us food..... and guess what? they do!  we have a box at the chapel for members to drop off food for us like cans and stuff, but most of it is not really meant for humans to eat.... we get the weirdest stuff. i think a lot of the members just use it as a way to clean out their cupboards. just yesterday i found a can of sardines in it..... yuck. i thought sardines were just for cats and dolphins.... don't worry we gave it to the elders haha    

dad! that is so funny that you mentioned about the drive from Yellowstone and you dumping water all over the back seat on rebecca mckay and adam to get them to be quiet with mum on the phone with the stake president, because i just told someone that story this week. we were dying laughing.... our family does not have the best track record with leaving messages 

tell the dunns thank you so much for the package as well!!! i loved their note, and the candy was great of course :) and i loved the cute little sayings on the candies.... it really meant a lot to know that they remember and took the time to send it.  i love them so much, they are so great.  

also tell grandma formica thank you so much for the card and money. and the picture was best of all! she looks so good. and I LOVE HER T-SHIRT!!!! i want one when i get home! so cool.  

(come back next week for a picture of Grandma's T-shirt!)

so sad news, i just burned a hole through my sock by running and sliding on the carpet.... i felt a burning/tingling sensation on my big toe and didn't realise that i burned a hole right through my sock and was getting a rug burn on my toe..... but it was fun so worth it.  don't worry not the nice new socks you just sent me.  

also my companion peed her trousers haha when we came down to the computers in the chapel to email she said she heard something and thought the elders were still here hiding.... so she went looking for them in the neighboring rooms, i waited for a bit then snuck up behind her and scared her sooooo bad. she fell on the ground and almost started crying (she gets scared really easily...) well then like 1 min later the elders snuck up and scared her again..... so funny. she is so jumpy. like a little kid. sometimes i feel a bit like her mum, especially with the hard time she has been having, but then she cooks for me so we are both the mum in certain ways

so ya it has a difficult week, but i am learning a lot and i know that i am supposed to be here with sister diaz at this time.  I know that I am learning things that i will be able to use my entire life. getting up when i don't want to, smiling when i feel like crying, learning to bite my tongue at the little things, but also learning to stand up for things when i need to, even if it means a bit of discussion with people we love.  i have learned that the only real control we have, is self- control. we do not have control over most things in life, and that is okay; someone way wiser than us is in control.  When we learn to accept that, not sweat the small stuff out of our control, and trust in Him, life is a lot easier. 

This week I have read the most amazing book.  It is called " our search for happiness".  http://www.lds.org/braille/Our_Search_for_Happiness.txt

here is a link but i would recommend reading the book it is easier. anyone who hasn't read it, member or not a member of the church of Jesus Christ of latter-day saints., should read it.  i loved it. learned so much. it is amazing how we are always learning. every single day of our lives.  i am so grateful for that. i have so much to learn and i know that i will not come anywhere close to learning everything i need to learn, but that will not stop me from trying.    love you guys!!!   have a fantastic week! today i was looking at a picture of us, and i was just so happy and grateful for our family.  thanks for being so supportive. i can't wait to talk to you guys at christmas, and according to the stores, that isn't too far away! 

ha love ya, rach  

A few of Rachel's comments don't make sense unless you know what we wrote.  So here are a few excerpts that'll help her blog make sense, in case you're curious like me.  If not, no need to read on.  

Ed's e-mail:  

Last week in your pictures, there is one of you and your comp by a lake on the grass.  did you notice, you do not have a shadow.  a lot like Peter Pan.  Your mother and I are worried you are taking this whole England thing too seriously. 
We had a very busy weekend.  Stake conference and the Western Center fundraiser and Mom insisted that I refinish the wood doors to the house.  So we now have no door knobs to get into and out of our house,   you have to go out the back door or out the garage.  The problem is it takes 3 coats of varnish and it is supposed to be 24 hours between coats.   On Saturday we had a service project to set up at the western center mckay had a h2o tournament.  We have had lightening  and storms all week and the last games got cancelled but Hemet played 4 times.  The rain got really intense the curbs were full and flooded.  it rained right up until the start of the fundraiser dinner.   

We still have no door knobs.  I forgot to tell you we made salsa and went to Eleia Coopers wedding reception.  McKay is learning to drive,  remember when mom was on the phone with president steadman?  we were driving in  yellowstone.   You guys did something wrong I had to quietly correct you and some water got spilt?  we had another thing like that happen  mckay was driving and turning left in front of an oncoming car.  i was on the phone leaving a message with craig pulsipher.  and told McKay to slow down, which he promptly  did not do, so i said it again, "Slow down slow down,"  When it became obvious that he was ignoring me,  and was about to pull out in front of the car, I yelled, "SLOW DOWN"  which worked and gave craig pulsipher a  very funny message. 

The Jones' are bored.  we will have to take car of them as soon as we get door knobs.  It is a good way to keep the missionaries from coming over.

Take  care

and My email (ok, just one part of it ... too long and boring):  

I just read Dad's letter.  Pretty funny, except I did NOT insist he varnish the doors!  As usual, I tried to talk him out of doing it this weekend, since we wouldn't be home enough to finish 3 coats.  I think we're doing the last coat for family night.   ...  And the baby freeze is HARD!!  You should have seen Adam and I try it.  Looked up directions on YouTube.  Pretty hilarious. 

Baby Freeze, Mormon Helping Hands, and more ... pictures!

We asked for pictures.  I guess timewise it's either pictures or a long email...  this week it's pictures.  Enjoy!

zone leaders and us at mormon helping hands. they are the coolest elders ever.  

Elder Davis from Sandy and Elder Otoni from Brasil.  

 This is the Josh Dunn twin.  (See blog from 8.26).  

baby freeze fail.... but i can do it i promise!!

see!!! kinda looks photo shopped, but i promise it isn't!!! 

and it looks cooler in person.... or when an Asian or good dancer does it. 

St. Albans is gorgeous!  

Phyllis!! a less active lady we visit.  she is sooooo nice. 

we are all going to Hawaii together to swim with dolphins 

and go to the Hawaii temple together in 4 yrs.

so this is the one flat i have been in with an electric stove, right when i get marshmallows to roast.... so i decided to try and toast them.... not one of my better ideas.  it is pretty near impossible to try and clean marshmallow out of a toaster.  now whenever we try and toast bread the left over remains of marshmallow in the toaster burns and the room fills with smoke..... but the one smore we got to eat was worth it.  

(We sent her s'mores ingredients for her birthday).  

Best Surprise Ever!
(Groceries delivered on my birthday).

cool huh! no wonder people over here don't like 

Americans. we can be pretty obnoxious. 

Ran out of clean bowls for cereal.... 

definitely does not stop me. 

regular bowls are not big enough anyways.

I am spoiled i know. when she does something mean or rude this is how she apologizes.
i said she can be mean more often.

Mormon helping hands  So fun. So wet. So muddy.  I was so proud of Sister Diaz.  

She was working in the dirt and mud with bugs and everything.

shirt officially ruined... the mud stain didn't come out. oh well.... funny how we took the most pictures when we were the wettest and dirtiest....

Elder Jensen, Sister Diaz - we were all in the MTC together. he is soooooo good at football.

so this is why i don't do pics!!! it took so long that i don't have any time to type! but i will write a long one next week! just to sum it up, 

GOT THE PACKAGE!!!!! loved it! every single thing! honestly best thing ever.  

This week has been really hard for a few reasons.... more details next week.

I love the cooks!! they are so amazing. please let them know that I love nancy and she is in my prayers.  I remember we would go over to their house a lot! and i think we used to play dominoes right??  

Anyways like i said present = best thing ever. 

I love you guys! Have a great week! 

Missionary Conference in London - Wow!  Sister Formica is first face left of President Jordan.  Center.

On the road again ....

Rachel didn't email us last week, but we found out that she had been transferred again, just in time for her birthday.  This week, we got two e-mails ... one from last week that she started, saved to finish and didn't have time to send.  Here is that one.  This week's e-mail is a reminder that sometimes change can be a happy and good thing, even when we don't think it will.  :)  

hey guess what??? 

i am moving. again. no this is not a joke. 

 i am actually really sad to leave this area.  great and amazing things are happening here and i am really sad to leave this amazing ward.  some of the investigators are truly amazing and it breaks my heart to leave them, but i guess i am supposed to. 

i decided that i move so much that when i come home my right arm is going to be popeye status from carrying my HUGE suitcases everywhere all the time 

I am going to a place called St. Albans?? no idea where that is, with a girl from.... no idea where, some island somewhere. but she has not been out long so heavenly father definitely knows that i need more practice with my patience and people learning english.  

funny things sister chan said this week, she was talking to someone a few feet away and after i asked her what the guy had said, and she said,  " Idk, but i know what i said"...... i don't know why but i thought that was actually hilarious.  maybe you had to be there. anyways i definitely going to miss her.  

you guys would be proud of me, i can officially do the baby freeze.  no idea what that is? it is okay, neither did i, it is a break dance move thing where you balance on your hands, idk how to explain it, i will send a picture next week.  

 we should be become professtional gardeners.  If nothing works out when i come back home at BYU I think i may become a landscaper..... almost nothing as satisfying as pulling and working and tugging at a root to finally yank it out.  This week our great lazy elders left the outside work for us as they vacuumed, but it was okay because sister chan and i chopped down some tree weed things. it was HUGE, and prickly, and full of spiders and other creepy crawly bugs, but we did it, and it was great. and we had so much fun doing it.  

I realised it is a bit like missionary work.  Ya sometimes missionary work may seem like a huge tree covered in unpleasant things.  Waking up everyday 6:29, doing the same thing over and over, getting rejected, and made fun of, walking for miles in the rain and in the humidity, never having a break; but you grit your teeth together and don't let it affect you; you dig deeper, pray harder and press forward, and when you find that prepared person, the one that will listen, it is like chopping down the tree, like finally getting the root.  all the dirt and bug bites and other difficulties was worth being able to help this one person. 

and then once you find that one person, nothing can bring you down.  after an epsecially great day i thought of that youtube video with the little girl who stands in front of the mirror.  if you have watched it, you will know exactly what i am talking about, if you haven't watched it, watch it.  i love it.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR3rK0kZFkg     and it is true, when we rely on the Lord we can do anything.  and we should never forget our amazing self worth. we are all children of God, and if we realised that i bet we would feel a bit more like jessica ha    

I got Travis's wedding announcement!! it is so cute.  they look so good together. i am so happy for them.  

So i had so much to say, but with the whole moving and still having to pack and having a full day of lessons today, not much of a p-day, i just don't really feel like writing. sorry!!! but i loved the emails, and i am glad you guys had a nice anniversary! 

Hasn't hit that it is my birthday this week, it will just be a regular day. i might even not realise on the day. isn't that the sign of getting old?

(last week's email..... sorry again!)

Happy Birthday Rachel!

   St. Albans, UK

sorrrrryyyyyyyy don't hate me about last week.  we emailed for 30 mins in the morning, and so i saved the email as a draft planning on coming and finishing it that evening, but the day turned crazy and we didn't get a chance. sorry!!!!! 

but as you already know, i moved!!..... again..... don't know if it is a compliment or a punishment, but hey i'll go where you want me to go. 

So catch up, i am in St. Albans with sister Diaz from the Dominican Republic. St. Albans is GORGEOUS!!!! When you think of England and you think of it being pretty with old buildings and such, you are picturing St. Albans..... a lot different than Romford.  It was just a bit more ghetto. The ward here is amazing as well, there are 6 missionaries in this ward. crazy huh. but the two sets of elders are really cool and awesome, so this transfer is going to be great.  One of the Zone leaders with us looks EXACTLY like future Josh Dunn. like really, size, hair, eyes, everything.  You are going to be proud of me! i have taken a lot more pictures!! and i was going to send tons of pictures this week, but my camera is dead and the charger is back in Romford.... i seem to leave little things behind every where i go.... but next week i will send the pics and you can see future Josh.   

YOU ARE THE BEST!!!!! loved the morning surprise :) honestly it was perfect.  Everything looked so good. and the special milk! what more could a person want for her 21st birthday! that sounds like sarcasm, but it isn't.  honestly food is one of the things that gets me the most excited these days. 

(We had groceries delivered at 8 am on her birthday (luckily P-day) -- fruits and vegetables and milk... thought it was normal milk..maybe not?)

so a bit about sister diaz. she is great, love her to death, we couldn't be more opposite. she is the sweetest, person ever.  Is terrified of the dark, anything that crawls or flies or buzzes, and pretty much everything.  but she is the most amazing cook. like literally it is a gift. and she loves it,  like ratatouille...  so we have agreed on a great deal,   i will smash and kill everything, and she will cook everything.  this is going to be a great transfer.  

Dad I have been meaning to tell you this but keep forgetting! you are definitely going to look like Henry B. Eyring when you get older!!! and i think he is a cute older man so mom is a lucky lady.  just like you are lucky you have a wife who will smash stuff into the green waste in a pencil skirt.  

HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!!!!! you are the best. really. don't let it go to your head or anything.  your present is coming, but it won't be there for a bit.... probably because i haven't bought it yet, but that's because i have been looking for the right thing, and inspiration just hasn't come yet, so i might just end up doing something lame.... just because nothing is deserving of you! 

So this area is going rough to start.  the past few transfers nothing has really been happening in this area, but there are now three of us new to the area and there is so much potential here that I am excited to help build up this amazing place.  

I think i am a bad example on all of my companions... the other day we were crossing a bridge and the train was going by underneath us, and i taught sister diaz how to spit off the bridge and try and hit it..... don't worry it was dark no one was around to see us, and we missed...

Today we are going to go play football with the elders! i am excited, it has been too long. and did you know that they spell soccer like american football not futbol.... i never knew that till a few days ago....  

AHHHHH JORDAN IS HOME!!!! that is so crazy and exciting! i bet he did amazing on his talk, and i bet his mom is sooooo happy! i am so sad to hear that they are leaving Hemet.  hopefully next year he will still be up at byu and we can be on the same polo team together. freshman year we were so close to winning it all.... yes i am already planning next years intramurals.... don't judge me. :) 

i can't believe Mckay had his court of honor.  Why is he the best ever? where the heck did he get that from? honestly i am so proud of him. and I love the pics you sent of his Eagle court of honor. he looks so handsome! so cute ahhhh.  That is so great that uncle mike got to help out. he is such an amazing man.  I have been thinking about him a lot lately.  how is Mckay liking school so far? i hear he has a crazy load. maybe now he will actually have to work at school work.  

Becca the pics you sent me ago were amazing! so cute. i miss you guys. ahhhh you are going up to BYU today! have fun unpacking, and when you are just think of me having to do it almost every month and quit complaining haha you have to keep me updating on EVERYTHING! and yes a letter is still coming.... slowly but surely i promise i will send it this week.... oh wait nvm you will have a different address, so email me your address and i will send it next monday deal? 

This Saturday we did Mormon helping hands.  (pics to come next week) it was not anything like when we do it back home. a) it was raining..... we got SOOOOO muddy it was fun.  it was funny/ good practice for when i have kids, helping sister diaz embrace the thought of getting muddy and working in the dirt with bugs, oooo and we practiced shooing away a bee instead of freaking out. we are making great progress. she is so funny.   b) there was only like 20 people there. it was a bit sad. it just reemphasized to me how much missionary work is needed here in England.  I am excited to be here helping this amazing country become the amazing force of the gospel there were in the times of the pioneers.  

The ward here is so amazing. it is the biggest ward i have ever been to. there was a couple from watford! and they remembered me.... that was surprising. but it was great to see them.  I am getting not completely awful at on the spot getting up and having to talk in sacrament meeting.  It is great because I am guaranteed a laugh when i talk about my name.  formica is very popular over here and everyone thinks it is hilarious that it is my name.  English humor.... still working on it, but getting better i think. hopefully. i have been here for 5 months already. my enlgish accent is actually not terrible anymore! i have figured out the key, just talk like you have a hot potato in your mouth and you are set.  

One thing that I have loved is that I have now served in 4 areas, with companions from literally all over the world, and the church and the gospel is the same.  all. over. the. world.  it just is such a testimony builder to me that this is the gospel of Jesus Christ.  There is no way that it could have spread this quickly and remained the same in every country, that have such varying cultures, unless it truly is Christ's church.  

  Meeting all these new people has truly confirmed to me that we are all children of God with such divine worth and potential.  The more i understand that concept the more i want to share the truth with everyone.  

Mom you are right it is a bit tough to keep moving.  I get to love and grow so close to the people in an area, and the area becomes yours, and you work so hard to help the people there, and then you move.  and ya you don't get to see much fruit for your labor, but i have learned that it doesn't matter if i am there if when the fruit comes, just being able to be a part of it is all that matters.  

Sister Diaz and I have done more dancing and weird video making than i have my whole mission.  hopefully next week i can send you some. they are..... strange... but fun. you just have to keep in mind that as a missionary your ways of having fun are a bit limited so we have to get creative haha 

I love you guys!! thank you so much for being amazing. and once again for the birthday surprise. it is great because sister diaz was just as excited because she is going to use it to cook for us haha you really are the best family ever.  good luck with everything going on this week. try not to be too busy that you can't listen to the quiet promptings and guidance the Spirit gives us everyday.

 love, Rachel 

"Sister Formica, God is so tired to take care of you."

Today I was completely overwhelmed when i read my emails.  it was the good kind of overwhelmed... not the bad kind don't worry.  I was overwhelmed with gratitude.  gratitude for the amazing family and friends that i have been blessed with.   I just wanted to say thank you so much for the love and support.  You really have no idea how much it means to me and helps me keep going.

funny quote that Sister Chan said this week. "Sister Formica, God is so tired to take care of you."  story behind the quote:  we were sitting doing our 12 week program ( the program all new missionaries do for, you guessed it, the first 12 weeks) and our chairs in the flat are extremely sketchy. as in they sway and wobble and moan and groan every time they are touched. well i guess i was moving around to much ( or the other possibility is i have eaten one too many chocolates.... i prefer the moving around too much theory.)  but it completely broke.  like every single piece that could possible come apart did.  the seat the legs the back, all in a million pieces and i fell flat on my butt. it was actually hilarious.  and then not even 5 minutes later i was drinking some hot chocolate ( yes hot chocolate in the summer. it was a storm outside.   England is crazy i am telling you.) and i dropped my hot chocolate and it got EVERYWHERE, except on the portable DVD player that we were watching a Preach My Gospel dvd on.  it even spilled behind the DVD but not a drop on it.  these two things back to back is what inspired her quote.  I thought it was pretty funny. and she is right. i should be more careful to make his job a bit easier ha

Dad today I saw a advert for a movie that you must go see.  It is the Lone Ranger.  I just remember that a long time ago you would make us listen to it on the CD in the car, or it was some black and white TV series you made us watch i can't remember. but now i have some of his commentary stuck in my head..... so you have to go see it and tell me about it.  pay back for making me listen to it. 

We had a ward picnic on Saturday, and I realised something shocking, no one over here knows the rules to baseball.  We were playing kickball, which they also don't know, and i was explaining it and said that it is the same as baseball, and they had no clue. also i watched like 2 mins of a cricket game, and it seemed like the most boring sport to watch ever. minus cross country. but maybe it was just because i watched it from a bus stop for only 2 minutes, maybe i should give it another chance. 

The other night I woke up to a frightening noise. like it really creeped me out. after a few terrified seconds i realised what it was.... sister chan grinds her teeth in her sleep. like bad.  i am surprised she still has teeth left!

As i was preparing my talk and primary lesson this week i realized something.  that i absolutely love the Ensign.  I don't know how the heck i didn't read it before my mission, but now I just want to read it all the time! kinda lame/nerdy i know. but that is what missions do to you.

this week I was adventurous.  I have now discovered that I like beetroots and plantains! crazy huh! beetroots. it looks like probably the scariest most nasssstttttyyyyyy vegetable in the world.  is it a vegetable? i don't even know. it is like magenta pink and just a lump but it is good. and plantains! not just oversized bananas! who knew? 

Mom/Editor's Note:  When I was a kid, I told my mom "If it stains my plate, it can't be good for me", referring to beets.  We've had them twice in the past year and I discovered that I like them, but obviously Rachel doesn't know we have them too!  :)   

Today we had an amazing experience. we got to listen to the head of the missionary depart of the whole church.  4.5 hours of amazingness.  i didn't even realize it was so long until i tried to stand up and realized i could not move my legs. it was a mission wide conference and it was so great to see everyone as well.  i remember the first like 3 weeks my comp got so excited to go to one to see everyone and i was like big whoop i don't know/really care about seeing anyone. but now i know why she was so excited.  it really is amazing to see friends and catch up about old areas and different things.    

my poor little Sister Chan.  I make her go running with me every morning, and the whole time i think she is cursing me in her head. so  like i mentioned last week about playing bball with the elders in the morning, we were supposed to do that again this week, so we wake up at 5:55!!! that extra 30 mins makes a BIG difference, and start to go and run to the park. when we walk outside and there is the most gorgeous rainbow ever. it had all the colours. it was so cool!  one thing i have learned on my mission is to appreciate the little things, and recognize them as gifts from Heavenly Father. I never pass by a beautiful flower without smelling it now.  Yes i almost had a bee fly up my nose, but my cat like reflexes saved me. sorry back to my story, it starts sprinkling, but we kept running.  we get to the park and it is now full on pouring. we wait there for about 15 mins and then run home completely soaked.... later the elders told us they saw the rain and decided not to come...... typical elders. but that is okay because i had fun. i don't know about sister chan, but i think she is learning to accept my crazy ways. 

We are teaching this amazing but stubborn old man, named Terry. and when we don't have a lady member that can go teach with us we usually just stand outside his home and talk, but this week i decided that i was tired of doing that because whenever we do, the lesson is not as focused or the spirit as strong.  i remember that he had two chairs in his house, so i decided to byoc.   bring your own chair.  i may have looked a bit foolish carrying a chair down the road, but hey you gotta do what you gotta do right? when we got there he just started laughing his head off. but we had a great lesson on his front door step. 

My talk was ehhh okay.  idk, i can never judge these things.  people said it was good, but you know that everyone always says that no matter what. even the people who you watched sleep through all of sacrament meeting. but it was great having a few people say that something you said really helped them with what they are going through at that moment in their life. it is amazing how Heavenly Father works through other people to help his children.  Even when we don't know we are helping.  If we just ask and listen to the spirit He will use us to help and bless others.

Dad I am excited to read your talk! Mom great email as always.  Mckay i can't believe you are going back to school. i am a bit jealous.  especially with all the school supplies you get to buy! but hey this year is going to be amazing for you i just know it. if you don't kill the whole high school with your cough first.  keep being the great guy and stud you are. becca. literally i die.  i can just picture you sitting in the car not wanting to go back in. you are just the best little mommy ever. Adam.  i miss you. i taught the 8 yr olds in primary on sunday and could not stop thinking about you. and today a lady talked about some 8 yr old little boys and i definitely almost started crying.  you are the best! keep the whole family in line for me will you? and Mia, she better not be taking my place as queen of the couch during scripture study.  I love you guys. thanks for being the best family ever.