How Sweet (Sweat) the Work

Dear Family!

The work is very sweet, but we also have been sweating a lot because of how hot it is. :) (Couldn't help it, Dad. Love you lots and thanks for taking the time and energy to write. ;))

You are all wonderful and I am happy to hear how brilliant things are going. The Peruvian party sounds especially nice!

Also, I will report that Kate has had the royal baby(which I know you are already aware of :)) and leading up to the announcement almost every house we went to had the news on waiting to see it or staying tuned to hear details about it. Other than that we haven't heard much else.

Going on a mission definitely hasn't taken the optometric technician out of me. Half the time when we stop people and talk to them or even with members of the ward, I often notice how much their glasses need adjusting or how much they really should have gone with something different. haha. I should probably work to stop doing that.

We have had quite the weather here. Mostly it's been really hot and humid (NOT ENOYABLE AT ALL). I hate humidity. But then the other day we went tracting and it started raining buckets. WEll, because it has been so hot lately and because we are missionaries with no access to weather reports we were caught in it with no umbrella and we got completely soaked! It was actually quite fun and atleast it was a warmer rain so we weren't cold at all and we didn't get sick from it (so don't panic). We also had a ward BBQ on Saturday and it started raining buckets during that as well so our bishop and the other bbqers were soaked, but the food was still delicious!

Sister Greenfield and I have worked so hard this week! We have just always been on the go. We had over 50 accountable  hours this week (which seems impossible), but somehow it really did happen. It was a little bit exhausting though, ok really exhausting. Thankfully the Lord gives us the strength to carry on. 

We started teaching a wonderful Latvian  lady who has an 18 month old daughter. They are great. Her lessons are a bit difficult though because she doesn't have the best understanding of English and we don't have many Latvian materials (just a BoM and FTSOY pamphlet). We were able to find the Latvian version of the restoration video online thankfully and could show her that. I think that is one of the hardest things about serving in such a diverse area is that so many don't have the best English so we REALLY have to simplify things and often repeat things different ways several times before it's understood. We also met several Romanian people this week :) One was going to come to church but he got the right bus number going the wrong way so he ended up not getting to where he needed to be and just went home. That was sad; next time we are going to have the Elders get the bus with him so he can find it.  

So sad news. We were just taking our break between finishing emails (we only have an hour at the library so then we have to come back later for the extra half hour). While we were out we ran into Aiva, the Latvian investigator. She is moving to sittingbourne this week :(. That is in Gillingham 2nd Ward area (we are G1). Hopefully the Elders in that ward will take good care of her and help her to progress, but it's always hard and sad to pass people over. And that seems to keep happening to us. We have found several people this week from Maidstone, which is London South area. Atleast we can be part of their process in bringing them closer to Christ, even if we cannot see their progress. 

And we FINALLY got to start watching the broadcast. We got our ward mission leader to burn a dvd for us to watch. We've been watching little bits at lunch and dinner and if we have time after planning. It's amazing!! Our leaders are so wonderful and inspired!!

Also, this is random, but I didn't know if I told you they have Peanut Butter Kit Kats here. Do we have those in America? They are amazing! It's like my two favorite chocolate bars put into one! So good! Now they just need to make dark chocolate peanut butter kit kats. 

We met this awesome old couple this week. The gentleman is super austere. He dresses very smartly with a cravat and all. He's hilarious! We get on quite well with them and had a really good first lesson with them. Although, they talk FOREVER! I'm pretty sure we know all of Gillingham's history now. haha. But they are great! 

We met so many wonderful people this week! I'm excited and hopeful that many will progress. This is a wonderful work; it is the Lord's work and I'm so thankful to be a part of it.

I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week!! 

Love, 

Sister Davis   

Lions and Tigers and Bees.. oh My!

Dear Family,

You are the best. I'm pretty sure I tell you this every week, but every time I read your emails it just reminds me even more what a wonderful family I have been blessed with.

mom and claire, I actually have heard nothing about the royal baby. I guess maybe it's not as big of a thing here as it is in America, or maybe it's a bigger item near London. Or it could just be that as missionaries, we are very out of the news loop. All the time people will talk to us about major events, like killings or political things, and we just give them blank stares and then it leads to interesting conversations about mission rules. Once in Northampton this happens and the man said, "In my church we believe in being aware of the news and what's going on in the world" and then we had to clarify that the church doesn't ignore the news, but just us as missionaries do. But yeah, I had honestly forgot that Kate was having a baby. Maybe that's a good thing and means I am focusing on the work! Hopefully that's what it means!

I had an amazing workover this week! I don't know if you've heard of the new Sister Training leader position for sister missionaries. It's kind of like sister AP's. Well Sister STeele came and worked with me in Gillingham and Sister Greenfield went to central London with the other sister. Sister Steele and I had an amazing day full of miracles! We had a member lesson that I was really nervous for. It was my first one with this particular family (the dad is in the bishopric). and Sister Greenfield had told me that the last lesson they had with this family, they were talking about member missionary work and the Dad got up and said that he wasn't going to drag his friends to church and left the room. This made me really nervous for our lesson with them, especially because of course it was about how we can do missionary work by leaving breadcrumbs (1.pray, 2. have casual conversation (leave crumbs about the gospel), and 3. invite). Well, we shared a quote by Pres Uchtdorf and testified about it and the spirit was so strong. We had an amazing lesson with them and they really caught the vision of how their family can help spread the gospel in an undaunting way. And the dad was really into it and offerring different ideas and was getting excited about it!! It was amazing! And then he decided to say the closing prayer (I find when people have  a desire to pray that is always a great sign). What an amazing lesson! The Lord definitely softened the fathers heart; I am excited to see the fruits that come from this family's efforts. Then we had a lesson with a less-active. She is wonderful and has a strong testimony, but just hasn't quite made the necessary steps to come closer to Christ and make the changes she needs to in her life. She was in tears when we left because the spirit was there so strongly. It was amazing! I was just filled with so much love for her and could really feel the love Heavenly Father has for her!

Another miracle came when Sister Greenfield and I went to a potential appointment with this lady. She ended up not being in, but her 19 yr old daughter answered the door. As usual we started talking to her as if it was any other tracting situation. Normally, I think I would have just asked when her mom would be back and when we could come back, but I asked her if we could come in and share with her. She happily let us in and we had a wonderful lesson with her! We are going back to see her and her mom tomorrow! Hopefully good things will come from it! There home already looks like they are members (they will definitely be kingdom builders!). We didn't get to see Jess this week because she got sick from the heat since she is pregnant, but we have an appointment with her tomorrow.

We are focusing our efforts on families and are seeing the wonderful hand of the Lord in helping us find families that are prepared! And in the process, Heavenly Father also blesses us with other individuals that are ready to hear the gospel.

Thank you Mom and Dad for raising me in the gospel! How wonderful the truths of the gospel are!

On a side note, Sister Greenfield and I had lunch on a house boat yesterday! A member of our ward lives on a boat! It was pretty awesome. I however, could never live on a boat.

Also this week, as I was getting ready in the morning I hear this loud buzzing'; come to find out, there is a GIANT bee in our room. One window was open so we left it open and closed the bedroom door with the hopes that it would find its way out. When we came home that night, the buzzing was gone and we thought we had found ourselves bee-free. I'm brushing my teeth when Sister Greenfield comes running into the bathroom, screaming at the top of her lungs. We were not bee-free. We spent the next half hour or more trying to get this enormous (it really was the biggest bee I've ever seen) bee out of our bedroom so we could sleep peacefully. It was quite the adventure.

The weather is a bit too hot, but we manage.

What a great work I get to be a part of! I feel so blessed everyday to have this wonderful opportunity to serve the Lord!

I love you all so much!!

Love,

Sister Davis

 

"Don't be gloomy. Do not dwell on unkind things. Stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight. Even if you are not happy, put a smile on your face. "Accentuate the positive." Look a little deeper for the good. Go forward in life with a twinkle in your eye and a smile on your face, with great and strong purpose in your heart. LOVE LIFE." - President Gordon B. Hinckley

Decisions Determine Destiny

Dearest family,

This week has been an interesting one. We have really been focusing on our efforts on families. Well, the other day we got to the area where we had our next appointment and had a while to find. There was a man and his two kids outside. We started talking to him and got to talking about the restoration. We asked if we could come back and see his family and he just wouldn't agree and was coming up with different excuses. I could tell that what we were sharing with him was really having an impression on him though so it was frustrating and a little disheartening. Well, Sister Greenfield just quoted the first vision. We testified and then the man said that he would pray and if he felt God answering him that he would call us back. We haven't gotten a call back yet, but we are praying and hoping that we will. It  was just amazing to me to see that the spirit had really come as we quoted Joseph smith and testified and that it had slightly softened his heart. We also met this girl, Jess, who is expecting. (We are going to teach her for the first time tonight!). We were talking to her about the plan of salvation. Her uncle came up and seemed a little like he was telling us to go away. He was like she can't stand hear and talk to you because she's expecting. But then I could see something in him change and he started asking us if we had been saying something about the purpose of life and starting asking us all these questions. He then was really eager to meet with us as well when we set up the time with his niece. Hopefully all goes well tonight.

Of course, the miracles don't come without some crazy moments as well. We had this man, Dave (St. Mark)- I can't remember if I've told you about him before. He's VERY interesting, but at an appointment this week he finally agreed to be baptized and come to church!! Then he texted us later and asked us what he would have to give up to be baptized. We said we were going to teach him at the next lesson. So the next lesson we teach him about the word of wisdom. He was not happy. He started talking in this strange language (he claims to have the gift of tongues) and then starts slamming his fists on the table (we were in a cafe and I wonder what all the people around us were thinking). We tried to very lovingly help him to realize that the Lord would help him and that great blessings would come, but then he just started yelling and getting upset. I was torn between laughing about it or crying. Then he said even if God himself was sitting there telling him to give it up, he would not do it. That made me so sad and made me want to cry. And it showed to me how much God has offered to us in giving us agency. I just wish people could understand what they are giving up through the choices they make. In a lesson with Justin this week when we were talking about temples and the different degrees of glory. They member with us, Sister Rogers(she's amazing!), was talking about, just like you were saying in your letter Linda, that we have to work hard to get the celestial kingdom if we really want it, but that some people are happy to not receive more. They don't want to put in the work and are happy to rest and be lazy for all eternity, but others are willing to put in the work so they can press us and continue to work and learn and create in the next life. She also said how every decision we make points us towards a degree of glory. It really made me ponder. Is every choice I make pointing me towards the celestial kingdom? or do I sometimes make terrestial choices? I guess it goes back to the idea of good, better, best. I definitely want the best! And I hope that all I do shows Heavenly Father that I'm willing to work for it and be uncomfortable for it! 

We had the opportunity to go to a Church of England service at St.Mark's church last night. We have a couple potential investigators that had invited us and we thought that it would be beneficial to go and see how they worship so we could relate more. It was interesting. There were times you could feel the spirit, but sister greenfield and I left just thinking "if only these people could really understand that they could have so much more." They worship the best they know how, but I just wish I could really help them to see with eternal eyes all that Heavenly Father has prepared for them and is willing to offer them (there is a really good talk about this in this month's ensign.. or maybe June's. one of them. it's by Spencer W. Kimball). I really hope that I don't ever choose to live below my privileges!  How blessed we are to know all that God has prepared for us and all that we can acheive and have, now and in the eternities!

I love this quote in Elder Packer's "Preparing to Enter the Holy Temple" book:

"Every foundation stone that is laid for a temple, and every temple completed according to the order the Lord has revealed for his holy Priesthood, lessens the power of Satan on the earth, and increases the power of God and Godliness, moves the heavens in mighty power in our behalf, invokes and calls down upon us the blessings of the Eternal Gods, and those who reside in their presence."

What a wonderful blessing the temple is! Enjoy a session for me this week please; I really miss even just getting to walk the grounds, but especially getting to enjoy of the wonderful spirit that is felt when you go to the temple. How lucky are we that we live just minutes away!

This work is a work of miracles. Yes, discouragement and disappointments come, but I know that the Lord is with me every step of the way and directing His work in His way.

I know I can still lose myself in the work more, but I know that the Lord will help me to become the missionary that I can be and that he needs me to be as I turn my heart over to Him.

Everyday I am so grateful for the testimony I do have; that I know who I am and whose I am and the possibilities of what I can be in the eternities.

I love you all and keep you in my prayers.

Cheerio,

Sister Davis

P.S. Sorry if this letter seems all over the place :)

This week Sister Greenfield and I decided to enjoy the warm weather... it has been boiling this past week! I think I must have brought some Vegas weather with me. Sometimes it's nice, but sometimes it makes tracting VERY long and hot and sticky.

But anyway we decided to enjoy the weather and have a picnic in the park with some yummy fish and chips. SO GOOD! yummm.

Love you! xoxo

The Lord is Generous... and Gilingham is Great!

Hola Familia (that's for you Linda)!

Well, as you know I am staying in Gillingham... and my companion is .... Sister Greenfield! We get to stay together another transfer! We were plenty shocked, but we are thrilled for the work we can do in the next 6 weeks. the Lord is generous! Our baptism did happen, but of course not without some interesting moments. For example, S.Greenfield and I sang "A Child's Prayer" for the baptism. We had a recently reactivated member, Catherine, play the piano for us. We  had practiced at her house, but I guess she got a little nervous. It was about 3 times faster than it is meant to be... and I just couldn't keep up. I have never sang that song that fast and so about half way through the first verse I just couldn't keep up and had to stop singing and just pick back up at the last line. Dave really enjoyed it and said he felt the spirit. It has given everyone else that attended a nice laugh. All the members keep talking to me about it and the Elders found it especially hilarious. Looking back it is pretty funny, although at the moment, it was slightly embarrassing. Then we had some water temperature issues. Usually the water is too cold, right? Not this time, it was boiling! Steam was filling up in the font area (and it was a really hot day anyway). The brother baptising him wouldn't even put his foot in it was that hot. So we had to drain part of it and refill it with cold. Luckily, eventually the baptism happened and it went really well. The spirit was there and it was a nice experience to remember my purpose as a missionary. Some of our other investigators had really great experiences as well.

An interesting experience this week was getting lost in a field. Yup, a big field in the middle of nowhere. We were out in a small village on the edge of our area, visiting a member and trying to locate a less active. Our map told us there was a shortcut through this field, but alas there was not. It led to a dead end and we ended up having to back track and missing the last bus in that area and we were already late for another appointment. We called a couple in our ward that lives nearish that area to give us a lift to where we needed to be. This couple is an older couple (they are actually ward missionaries, but they won't come out teaching with us). The lady is kind of cranky but in a really funny way. It's hard to explain, but S. Greenfield and I were really scared of her when I first got to this ward, but we've progressively gotten to know her better and worked up a good relationship with her. WEll, apparently when we called them for a lift it was right in the middle of her TV time for the day. When we got in the car, her husband said "Sister Hankin will not be talking to you today on our journey because you interupted her teli time and she is not happy" She sat in the front seat all upset. But I don't think she was really upset; I think she just likes people thinking she's cranky. We found it hilarious!! And we bought her chocolate and went to visit her and she has forgiven us. It was so funny though! I wish I could explain her personality better, but I don't know that it would do her justice. I will tell you though that she said when she was in her younger years, her and her gal friends would go and try and pick up sailors, but instead of dropping hankercheifs for them to pick up, she would drop a can of beans because they make a louder sound and is more noticable! What a character! I love her to peices, even if she does get cranky with us. haha

I think a really big thing that has touched my heart this week is the power of repentance and forgiveness. Catherine (that played the piano) has been working to go to the temple. She had an interview this week, but a past issue came up that she had even thought about being an issue and all week it has really just weighed her down and she's struggled with feelings of regret and guilt. On Sunday she met with the bishop and I saw her once she came back into the chapel afterwards. She was glowing. It was amazing to talk to her and see how good she felt. She was able to receive a recommend to go to the temple to do baptisms and a recommend for a patriarchal blessing. She is amazing! And it was touching to be able to physically see the power forgiveness has. Then bishop shared a story in testimony mtg about his son that recently got baptized; his son had been arguing with his brother. They were leaving to go somewhere and they couldn't find his recently baptized son anywhere. They finally found him in his room, kneeling and offerring a vocal prayer asking Heavenly Father to forgive him for arguing with his brother. As he shared this story, I felt the spirit so strong and it reminded me how much we need to become as little children. These experiences led me to ponder Alma the younger sharing his experience. I love Alma 36:19-20. Oh what joy we can behold when we truly repent and receive forgiveness. How thankful I am for the Savior and what he's done for me that he makes that forgiveness possible! I am so grateful to wear his name on my heart and share this good news with many people every single day! What a blessing!

I love you all!!!

Love,

Sister Davis

 

P.S. Please pray that we will find a prepared FAMILY to teach this week!! :) Thanks!

Happy Fourth of July!!!

Dear Family,

I hope you all have a fabulous 4th of July! I am sad that I won't get to celebrate with you(cuz our family sure knows how to party!), but S. Greenfield said we can celebrate (imagine spending American Independance Day with an English companion ;)) We have a zone meeting that day and our zone leader (from AZ) assures us that all American songs will be sung; which is hilarious because according to President Jordan we are the most culturely diverse Zone- we have missionaries from Canada, Italy, Spain, Malaysia, Brazil, France, Hong Kong, Singapore, America. Also the 4th of July marks my 3 month mark! Time is flying way too fast. This is the last week of this transfer! It has gone by so fast and I am so sad to see it coming to an end because we are pretty certain that Sister Greenfield is going to get transferred. We have had so much fun together and learned so much together, but I know that we will go wherever and serve with whoever the Lord needs us to be with. Since transfers are coming up I will be writing on Tuesday next week.

One of our eternal investigators, Kyle, said he went to an activity in Canterbury and no one talked to him because they were all in their groups already and now he hates going to church activities :( It's a shame. But he's good friends with our investigator Dave, so hopefully they can be there for eachother.

Since we had the open house (which was a good success) we had a special meeting with the other ward in our building. President Jordan came and spoke. IT was really good! Our gospel principles class was making S.Greenfield and I so nervous!! The brother teaching it was from the other ward and he kept making it really awkward and talking about how when he joined the church he found so many beliefs really strange and kept talking about that. MEmbers of our ward had brought quite a few non-members with them for the first time. We were stressing, but luckily one of the missionaries from the other ward finally just raised his hand and bore his testimony on the topic (the creation) and after that, a few of the other ward members and long-time investigators shared their feelings. AFterwards our bishop came up and told us the family they had brought with them were really touched by the testimonies shared. It's amazing the power a testimony can have. ANd hopefully that family will want to start taking the discussion soon!!

And good news, we are having a baptism this week!!!!! A former investigator, David, that was having some issues with a court case, got cleared and President Jordan ok'd his baptism! But please keep him in your prayers that he will get there and overcome any opposition (he has faced quite a lot). He is so excited to get baptised! IT's great to see how happy he is about it. And Sister Greenfield and I are hoping it will also help to encourage some of our other investigators. Justin is still cancelling some of our appointments, but we met with him last night and he is still trying to find his answer. Hopefully he will get there soon! He's so good and so close!

This week we did some gardening this week for a member. It started raining just as we got to their house (which was quite a walk to get there). Typical England. We were not going to let us stop us so we just gardened in the rain. IT was quite nice actually. And another member came to help us too so it was nice to talk with them and build friendships while getting to do some good service.

One of the members we ate at this week is Nigerian. She made us this delicious Nigerian food and it was so spicy!! I loved it!

We also, however, visited a Nigerian investigator who made us fufu. It was basically this breadish dough that you roll into balls and dip into soup. The soup was nasty looking with all these fish bits and mystery meat. It was slimy and not very tasty. S. Greenfield and I had quite the time eating it. But we were grateful to have our faith in Nigerian food restored when we went to the members home and had yummy Nigerian food. I think I am so grateful though that I didn't get called serve in Africa or where strange things are more commonly eaten. And I still am waiting to try this bland English food that everyone was telling me about because so far, it has all been tasty. And they make the best puddings. Custard is also quite nice! It's almost like a mild butterscotch pudding type stuff that they have with desserts. Yummy! Desserts and chocolates are done quite nicely in England. :)

Well we have some great plans for this week and are looking forward to a wonderful baptism on Saturday! This is the Lord's work and it's great to see His hand in the work. Miracles are all around us! I love you all! I wish you the best week!

Love, Sister Davis