Last week of this transfer?!

Picture 1- Elder Tomlinson made a shirt too, so here we both are with our creations. :D

I need to start taking more exciting pictures again...

Hello! It's been a good week. I will share one good experience and one bad experience for lack of focus today due to people speaking/singing in many different languages around me. Internet cafes...

Good: We were talking to this lady on the bus and then this guy comes and sits by us in a way that makes it hard for us to talk to the lady. He asks if we're Mormons and then shakes our hands and says that he's a Christian and wants to learn more about what we believe and to come by his house an hour later. We went there and he was really excited about the Book of Mormon and wanted to read it. We set up to see him two days later, went back but he wasn't available so we'll go back this week. So hopefully he's been able to read and study it.

Bad (but not really too bad): Yesterday after an uneventful day, we were on the bus and this guy comes on the bus stepping on people's feet on purpose and basically looking for a fight. He was muttering curse words throughout. He then tries to "accidentally" trip people walking past him, and starts spitting on the floor of the bus about 5 times. I lean over to him and ask if he'd like a Kleenex, and he just explodes at me and curses me with much anger and tells us "Bible Bashers to not talk to him or he'll put my head through the window." So I turn my head and try to not give him any more acknowledgement. Then he stands up slightly and puts his face really close to my face and threatens me again, to which I point my finger at him and tell him to take a step back (which scared me that I would do that, haha) but he did take a step back and sit down. And then as he got off the bus, he continued to curse us and slapped his hand against the outside of the bus window we were sitting by. So yeah, I'm pleased at how I reacted to that and kept calm, because I was definitely praying I would be calm. :D But don't worry, it probably wasn't as bad as I made it sound.

So yeah, that was this week. It's transfer day next Wednesday or Thursday, so we'll see if I finally move out of Eastbourne. All signs are pointing to "yes", but we'll see what happens. I've really enjoyed it here and parts of me have changed completely in the last 7 months I've been here, and it's been change as in improvement so hooray! I'm really enjoying the mission experience and look forward to what's on the new horizon (even if it is another 6 weeks in Eastbourne :D) So I will talk to you next week sometime. Bye!

July!

Picture 1- A teletubby on the bumper of a cool car.

Hi, this week was good. Wow, I just reflected back on the email I sent a year ago at this time, and it's so weird to think that was a whole YEAR ago, especially since I remember the happenings of that week like it was almost yesterday. Anyway, I'm doing very well right now, I'm extremely excited for this next week, and the next few weeks until tranfers because they are going to be so eventful, especially since I'm thinking they might be the last weeks I'll have in Eastbourne. So I'm motivated to make these weeks awesome. And we're off to a good start with our plans. We have an appointment with a mum and her 6(or 7?) children on Tuesday and I'm excited because I can see that the Restoration message can actually help them with the questions and concerns they have about religion and the state that a lot of it is in today. The mum, Zoe, said she was going to study over the Book of Mormon over the next few days until we meet with them, and they seemed really excited. Also, we met an older man named Wally who is a miracle. He said that he has had many surgeries and things and that now he doesn't have a lot of his stomach or intestines and other organs that I thought were vital. He said all the doctors are amazed at his state of health. He has such a strong faith that God is helping him and protecting him, and he was open to listen to our message so we set an appointment on Wednesday. So things are looking up again, it's just once again down to dealing with any obstacles or adversity that comes along the way.

Hmm, well that's about it. I am very happy now, I feel like I learn something or grow somehow every day and every week, even if it is just sort a 'dead' day. The days when nothing happens are the days when you come up with the best ideas about what to do on later days. Or something, I'm just trying to give myself a pep talk. :D I love you guys, and I hope everyone is well and that all of us can be in a state of mind that we're more aware of everything around us, because that's how we are more able to help. (Haha, I like when what I say sounds wise. :D) Alright, talk to you next week. Bye!

Hello!

Picture 1- Con mis hermanos (Some Spanish speaking Elders) at the Zone conference.

Hi, this was a good week, it feels like a lot happened and nothing happened at the same time. The Zone conference was really good, and we are starting some new things soon so that will be exciting. President Shamo wants to get some good things going since he only has a year left of his Mission Presidentcy (?) and he wants great things to happen in the remaining time. And so do I. :)

Wednesday, I went to Brighton with Elder Anderson, and that was good. We had a really awkward conversation with a girl on the bus, one of the most awkward ones I've ever had, probably. :D But we had some good things happen too. Thursday I was back in Eastbourne with Elder Martin, and we had a great time. We went door knocking for a few hours and EVERY SINGLE PERSON we talked to had a good meaningful conversation with us! None of them slammed the door or anything, it was cool! Only one person wanted to meet with us again, but it was still cool. Friday, we met with Phoebe and she and her mom and her friend are doing good. Phoebe and Liz came to church this week, and they seemed to enjoy it. Phoebe is leaving on holiday, but she'll be back in two Sundays, then she's leaving again for over a month, but that's okay.

Saturday we had the open day. It was 4 hours long and we only got about 8 people come in that weren't members. :D We were expecting a lot more, but it was still good. There was one Methodist guy who seemed really interested in the religion. Not looking into joining it, but he was impressed by how much there was to it.

Ah! I'm running out of time again! :/ Oh well, it was a good week. Until next week, bye!

Happy 2nd 4th of July!

Pictures 1 & 2- Picture from the Ward BBQ. (Elder Tomlinson, me, Phoebe, Bishop's wife, Oscar[someone's kid], Bishop, Michael.) Phoebe and Michael are investigating the church.

 

 

Hello! This was a good week. We had the ward BBQ on Saturday and we like I've already captioned, Phoebe and Michael were there and they enjoyed it. They both came to church too and liked it, so that's good too. This upcoming week is looking like it's going to be very exciting. Tuesday we're having a Zone Conference all day, and then Wednesday and Thursday I'll be in Brighton on a little exchange. Friday we're teaching Phoebe the last time before she leaves on holiday for a few months. Saturday is the ward Open Day that they've been planning for a long time. They should have the local MP (Minister of Parliment) there so that's a cool thing. (I guess, I don't really know what the American government equivilant would be.) So this week is basically already done! All that's left is just for it to actually happen! :D I'm looking forward to the whole week, it should be a great thing.

 

As for my Old Testament study update (no, I haven't given up!) I am just about 15 pages until I reach Isaiah. So that will be exciting. I'm studying other things simultaneously, so I'm not getting bored with it. :)

 

Ok, that was this week, I can't really think of anything else. Talk to you next week! Oh yeah, Happy 4th of July!! I'll actually get to celebrate the next one, how weird is that?! Bye!