I'll try to mend my tardy ways
“Well... I forgot my camera again so I can't attach all the photos that I want to :/ I'm going to write 20 notes to myself to remember next week.
This week has been something else... I am tired!!!! :) Everyday is a good day but with a little disappointment. On Saturday we went to a village called Chard, we have an investigator there. It takes 1 hour to get there on the bus. As we arrived we received a text from said investigator saying that she would have to cancel as her son was unwell... I nearly cried!!!!! Sister Brown and I hugged, bought some lunch and did our best to make good of the situation. I think we did a pretty good job... We were very cold but we managed to talk with a lot of people and taught some lessons. We ended our Chard adventure with a stop in at the Parkes for hot chocolate and a good northern chat. They are members and have been since the 1960's. Tommy Parkes is originally from Openshaw and has the most amazing accent!! Or at least it sounds that way now after hearing weird farmer and American/Canadian accents for a while :) Margaret Parkes is from around Yeovil somewhere... They met in WW2 when he was on leave. They lived in Manchester for many years and they were stake missionaries for some time. They know President Fletcher well as they were about when he was joining the church with his family. It's a small Mormon world!! They've not spoken to him for many years and they would like to so hopefully someone can let Pres Fletcher know... I have their number if he wants it.
So much has happened this week but I can't remember it all now plus I haven't the time to write it all... You should see my journal!! I brought two with me thinking that would suffice... I don't think it will as I write 2-4 pages a night. I'm just about 1 month into my mission and 1/4 way through the first journal. I wonder if I'll ever read it again!!
Wednesday was a good day... We had district meeting in Bournemouth. It's crazy how it takes 2 hours to get to meetings! I made brownies and everyone loved them... Get to them by their tummies. Maybe I should carry brownies around with my on a daily basis. The night before at 22.01, Elder Hilton our district leader called to say we had to take our (fully up to date) area book with us to DM to be checked. Sister Brown and I looked at each other with disbelief. Haha!! To be honest it was up date for the most part but we still got to bed 20 minutes late at 22.50 :/ I teased Elder Hilton the next day for forcing us to be disobedient... Clearly it was our fault as it wasn't up to date in the first place! Anyway... The meeting was good! nice to see how everyone else is doing in the district and we had a great lesson by Elder Hilton. Oh and I found out that Christchurch is inside the mission boundaries... Where Matt and Stacie now live. We originally thought it was in the London mission but we were wrong... How weird will that be if I serve in their ward!! If I do, I hope it's when they get married :).
We have has an invitation for Christmas day... The Hazel family! They're lovely!! They have Skype so I think we'll be skyping from there. They're a lot like the Smart family when it comes to missionaries, which I like. We don't really get fed here but they feed us. That's okay though as I like to cook! More and more members are asking us for dinner though and Sister Brown thinks it'd because I'm English. It's nice to get to know the members so we're happy that's happening.
My blisters got a lot worse and now they're kinda on the mend... They're not as bad as the blisters I had while I was in Singapore though so that's good. We walk a lot... Seriously!! If I'm not a size 6 when I get home I'll be very disapointed :)
This work is amazing to see... To watch people's expressions is ace. Some bad ones of course but with some people you can see the light bulb glow as they understand what you're telling them is truth.
Yesterday we knocked a door and the chap that answered was an anti-Christ... We had a good chat. He told me I was a fool, brain washed and naive. I told him that I wasn't a fool and that I only know that's it's true because I have tested it and I have received a personal witness of it's truthfulness. He couldn't think of much to say so we bid each other a good day and said goodbye.
Anyway... I've said enough and I'm running out of time!
I miss you all but what I'm doing is important and this 18 months will fly by. I'll be home before I know it and I will miss doing this work and having those matter of fact chats with an anti-Christ.
Remember how you are and try your best... Oh and keep smiling!!! :D
Love, Sister Smart
