Happy Bloomin' Boxing Day :)

Dear Family, 

I liked your subject mom, so I stole it :)

It was BRILLIANT to see all of you yesterday! We have the best family ever. I love you all so much!!! And I am so happy to hear about how the Lord is blessing all of you! I know He loves you even more than I do (which is impossible to comprehend). 

As I was thinking about your questions about things unique to an English Christmas, I came up with a couple things. Not many, but here they are:

Christmas crackers, you pull them apart and they pop. Inside is a little tissue paper hat/crown, some stickers, and a corny joke. 

Mince pies. These little pastry pies filled with mince. "That doesn't thrill me at all"

At 3 pm on Christmas, everyone watches the Queen's speech. It's about 5 minutes long. 

Christmas pudding (which I did try. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but the member said that she had made it lighter than it normally is.)

This is such a wonderful time of the year. I am so grateful for my Savior and for the love that we can feel from him and the love that we can offer to others. Thank you so much for sending the book of Christmas stories. I love Christmas stories. They really help to bring the spirit of Christ. I know Jesus Christ is my Savior. I love him. I love knowing that because of him I can become clean, I can improve, and I can be with those I love forever. This gospel is true. It is the best! I know it. I live it. I LOVE IT!!!

We have seen so many miracles this week and met so many prepared people. Just to update you on Hassan, he won't be getting baptized soon. President says he needs to wait until he chooses a date for himself and is REALLY solid in his testimony because once he does join, he will face so much opposition, especially from his family. But Hassan is carrying on strong and continues to exercise great faith! I know he will get baptized one day. 

I'll share one of my favorite miracles from the week: We went to see our 11- yr old investigator, Anais. Her mum has always been there when we have taught but isn't always concentrated on what we are teaching and usually gets distracted and comes in and out of the room and doesn't really like to be involved at all in the lessons.  She has a really hard time believing in Jesus Christ, but loves Christmas. We've been praying to really help her feel the true spirit of Christmas.  we were reading the Book of Mormon with her daughter, who has a very strong testimony and clear understanding of Jesus Christ, in Helaman 14 about Samuel's prophesy of the coming of Christ. Like normal,  her mom just sat on the side listening, not involved at all, yet not as distracted as normal. It started with her daughter sharing her beliefs about Jesus Christ and how she believes everyone needs to believe in him because he came and sacrificed his life for them. Sister Stoja and I both bore our testimonies of who Jesus Christ is. Then we asked her mother how she was feeling about who Jesus Christ is. It was amazing to see how she was touched by the spirit. She didn't claim a sudden belief in Christ, but she said that she could understand what we believed and see we were really passionate about it. She said she could tell that we really believed in him. We then shared with her that it was something she could know for herself; she said that for the first time she had understood that as she had been listening. We then sang some Christmas Carols with them. IT was amazing the spirit that was in there home. The mother said that she had never had Christmas carols sung in her home before but thanked us and said how nice it was. It was a wonderful experience and definitely an answer to our prayers. 

We still haven't gotten our call about moves, but I'll try and email again once we find out! Happy Traveling! Give all the family my love!

I love you all!!!! 

Love, Sister Davis xoxoxox

Moves Calls news:

Sister Stoja and I are staying!!!!! Whoo!! 

Still in Ilford. It's going to be a great transfer! 

I love you all!!! 

Love, Sister Davis 

Christmas is coming, Sister Davis is getting fat. Please put a penny in the old man's hat

FAMILY!!!

9 days! Wahoo!! 

You were suppose to let me know when a good time to skype would be since I don't remember what the time difference is, but since you didn't, I am planning to skype about 4pm my time on Christmas day. This should be sometime in the morning for you. IF THAT DOESN:T WORK PLEASE EMAIL AND LET ME KNOW ASAP! I plan to do like last time and just log onto dad's skype account if that is ok. Also, originally President Jordan had told us that we would have an hour and a half to skype...but when Elder Dykes came we were informed that we are strictly following the white handbook. So I'll only get to skype for 30-40 minutes, so PLEASE make sure that everyone is awake and ready when I skype. PLEASE, PLEASE!!! I can't wait!!!

Also, since next week is Christmas, we aren't having p-day on Monday, it will be boxing day(the day after Christmas). so you won't hear from me until we're skyping, but I will check my email when I come on Friday to do progress record so you must let me know if anything with skyping needs to change! Thankfully yesterday we had a family invite us for Christmas. We were starting to get worried that no one would have us. The Elders had gotten an invite weeks ago and the Ward Mission Leader had said if we didn't get invited anywhere we could go with him and his wife, but they have been really sick for the last two weeks and so we didn't think they'd be up for having us anyway. An awesome family, the Stevenson's, are having though. Should be lots of fun! And I really cannot wait to skype with all of you. 

No one here says Happy Holidays. I haven't even seen a sign with that on it. It's Merry Christmas  and Happy Christmas for everyone here. Well, everyone here that celebrates... remember that Ilford is filled with Muslims... and with quite a few Jehovah witnesses. So lots of people that don't celebrate Christmas. Everyone else is really into. I don't know that they necessarily are focused on the true meaning of it, but atleast they are much happier. Some people do use Xmas though:(. Our bishop talked in sacrament meeting yesterday and he shared that at work they were having a Christmas party and they put up some signs about it saying "xmas party". He said he was so upset and offended about it; he went to his managers and had a talk with them about it (keep in mind he is a big Nigerian man and very passionate about God). They just tried to shrug it off, but he said the next day that he went to work that had taken down all the old signs and put up new ones that said "Christmas party". How sad it is that Satan has skewed people's views to want to get rid of the true meaning of Christmas, but what a great opportunity for each of us to share our testimonies and let others remember Christ through our light and example. 

This week has been really great and we have seen so many miracles. Hassan is progressing well. He is meeting with President Jordan this week so we'll know more about when he can get baptized after that. I really admire his faith and his humility. 

The Conference with Elder Dykes was WONDERFUL!!! I loved it so much. I wish I had brought my notes with me to share specifics. And Canterbury zone was there (it wasn't the whole mission meeting together... they had a few days of conferences, but we got to have ours with Canterbury Zone.. which was my last zone) so I got to see Sister Larson and hear all about Gillingham. It made me miss it so much!!! But I'm happy to know that she is there and taking good care of it. Elliot got baptized!!!!! And our investigator, Kevin, is still progressing and they said every time they teach him he asks about me. it's always nice to know that I made an impact on the people there. They really are all so amazing and have such a special place in my heart. 

I got to surprise teach gospel principles yesterday. Our Assistant WML was suppose to teach it sense our WML was sick, but right before he texted us to say that his wife was sick and they weren't coming to church. I think for it being so last minute it turned out ok. I also got to put my talent to use at a baptism at Romford this week by playing the piano for them. I am really glad I could because it was such a sweet service. I love the spirit that is at baptisms and to see the joy that the individual being baptised has. They just glow. And he bore such a sweet testimony afterwards. 

We are really trying to build the trust of the ward. I can understand some of the reasons they don't have as much trust in the missionaries from what I've heard other missionaries have been like in the past, which just makes me so sad. And it makes the work for us so much harder, but we have already seen so much success. Since our ward mission leader has been really sick, I thought that maybe I should just go through the ward list and send the progress record to everyone in ward council that had an email on the ward list (our ward mission leader has never given us their emails, but told us that he would forward them the progress records. Since he was sick I wasn't sure he'd be able to forward them so I thought I'd better send it to those that I could). Well, the next day we went to a ward function and the bishop came up to us just absolutely thrilled and just thanked us so much for sending the progress record. He said it was the first one that he has received in MONTHS. What?! We thought that he had been getting them this whole time, but it was lovely to see how grateful he was for it and how he immediately let us know when he is available to come teach with us. It's amazing the little things that can make such a huge difference. Hopefully we can just continue to build up the ward, both in bringing people into the ward and also in strengthening those they already have. 

Which brings a really cool miracle we had when we were less-active finding this week. We had planned to try and visit a certain less-active. When we got to the street that we thought was her street, we realized the street name was just slightly different than what we had on the ward list. Well, I figured the Lord knew we were going to that street and maybe he had prepared someone else for us. So we knocked on the door of where the less active would have been if it was the right street. Nothing. No answer. But the neighbor next door was outside and started talking with us. We had a great conversation with him and then he said "My neighbor across the street is a mormon." We asked who it was. Turns out it was another less active that we were going to try and see later in the week. But the address we had for t hem on the ward list was not on the street we were on. We never would have been able to find them otherwise. It was really amazing. Yesterday we were able to go see this family and had a wonderful lesson with them. Hopefully that all made sense, but it was just a really cool experience to see how the Lord has His hands in this work and is guiding us. And we've seen so many instances of that this week where we've been just where we needed to be and found wonderfully prepared people. This truly is the Lord's work. I know this church is true. I am so grateful for my Savior and for the time that we have to celebrate his birth!

I love you all!!! See you soon!

Love, 

Sister Davis 

 

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Dear Family!

Thanks for taking all the cold weather. It's still cold here, but not as cold as everyone keeps saying it's suppose to be so I suppose that it all headed to you guys.

Man Satan really is sneaky. Hassan still has such strong faith, but he got really sick this week and so we haven't been able to see him at all and then some work things came up so we haven't taught him for about 2 weeks. :( So he won't be able to be baptized on the 15th, but we are seeing him this week and working out a new schedule so we can teach him everything and get him baptized this month. He's so great! Since he's been sick he went on mormon.org and has been doing skype with some other missionaries. Apparently one of them is from Vegas! I didn't recognize the name, but I thought it was fun anyway.

We got a great new investigator this week, Suzana. We had a solid first lesson with her. AFter we taught the first vision she said, "Wow, there were two of them." She comes from a catholic background, but she quickly accepted what we know to be the truth about the nature of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and them being two separate beings. We gave her a baptism date. We were suppose to have a lesson with her the next day but she hosed us. And she wouldn't answer our calls or texts. We were pretty bummed. But then we had a member who asked us to try and bring an investigator to dinner. We thought we might as well try Suzana. The worst things that could happen is she doesn't pick up... but she did!! And she came to dinner and loved it and got on really well with the members! It was lovely. We had a really great lesson.

We started reading the Book of Mormon as a mission. We are all going to read it from the 6th of December and finish on the 6th of April. We are focusing on the commandments and associated blessings. I was almost finished with the Book of Mormon, but I restarted anyway. It's great. I love the Book of Mormon. It truly is an amazing book and really is the word of God. How blessed we are to have it!

We got to bake and decorate Christmas sugar cookies this week with a member for the ward Christmas party! That was fun! The ward Christmas party was good, but sadly some of the investigators we were hoping could come ended up not being able to:( They had asked us missionaries to do a funny skit for it. We had a pretty solid idea, but then last minute the Elders decided they didn't want to do it and we had to change everything.... it was interesting. Hopefully the ward enjoyed it.

Did I tell you one of our investigators taps? We took her to a dinner appointment with us and while we were washing up her and I just started tap dancing together. So fun! I miss that! Tell Ronda that I am putting to use all those great things she taught me!

London last week was AMAZING! I am serving in the best place ever... and for more reasons than just the touristy sites. I'll send some pictures.

Tomorrow we are going to Hyde Park to hear from Elder Dykes of the 70. Should be good. I am really looking forward to it.

I am looking forward to getting to see all of you via skype soon!! I can't believe it's already almost Christmas! What time would be the best for me to skype?? Then I can work out with members whose house I can go to at that time.

What a wonderful time of the year where we get to celebrate the birth of the Savior and what a great time to share this great news with our friends and neighbors! I'm so grateful for the unique opportunity to share this wonderful message at this time!!

I love you all!!!

Love, Sister Davis

Dear Family, 

I am so glad you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! 

Everyone in Ilford is famous. I don't think I told you yet, but we go teaching with Lola. If you don't know who Lola is, go to mormon.org.uk and find her video. She is on all the pass-along cards and when they did the huge mormon ad campaign in London her face was everywhere. She's awesome! She's not in our ward, but she's in the Stratford ward, which meets in our same building. The stratford ward only has Elders in it so she comes with us teaching :) Also, the woman who plays Jane in the Joseph Smith movie is in our ward! Crazy! 

This week has been full of miracles. We have met so many wonderful people and have gotten so many great referrals. Hassan really is converted. He always talks about how happy he is now that he has the gospel and he keeps talking to everyone about it. He's been bringing friends along to all his lessons and they are great! It's awesome!! Hopefully our members can get that conversion bug too! He didn't lose his job from coming to stake conference, but he did get suspended for 2 weeks. He's not at all bothered about it and he said that the Lord blessed him with more hours at another job. He made the connection that it was the Lord blessing him! He's so golden! Hopefully we can get him to come to church this next week though and find time to teach him everything between working so he can be baptised on the 15th! 

We had a musical fireside in our ward on Friday. The England London Mission choir came and performed (some of the missionaries are in a choir and play different musical instruments). It was really good! And it was a great experience for some of our investigators. 

We have these other investigators, a mother (Virette) and her daughter (jade) and ... her daughter's girlfriend. Jade would be so wonderful except for how she chooses to live. And she recognizes that she shouldn't be living like that too. We talked about how there are people who have those feelings and it doesn't make them evil, but they shouldn't act on those feelings. her and her girlfriend understand and have such a strong belief in God and in Jesus Christ, but they say it's just too hard for them to not live that way. They said they believe everything we teach and it makes them sad because they know they can't be baptized. It makes me so sad! They know it's true and I just don't know how to help them have the courage and strength to do what is right and receive all the blessings God wants for them. Please keep them in your prayers as well. I know the Lord can inspire us how to best help them. Hopefully we can help them to feel the spirit and have a desire to do what is right. 

Thanksgiving was mostly like every other day in the mission. Teaching and finding, and finding and teaching, BUT all of us missionaries in the ward got to go to an American family's home for dinner. IT WAS SOOOO GOOD! A traditional American Thanksgiving with keylime, pumpkin, and pecan pie. Yummy!! This family also sent us home with a sweet box of Christmas presents! They gave each of us a Cadbury advent calendar and another member of the ward had given us one, so we got to have two chocolates every night till Christmas! Whoo. And the best part is that it's not yucky, waxy, cheap chocolate; it's delicious! 

We are going to London today!!! YAY!! I'm so excited!!! 

This week should be great! WE are teaching so many wonderful people and we have the ward Christmas party. And it's almost Christmas and so everyone is so much happier and friendly. It's a unique and wonderful time to share about the gospel of Jesus Christ!! It's true and wonderful!!

I love you!

Love, 

Sister Davis 

 

And I thought missionary work was exciting

Dear Family, 

Oh my days!! (that's a very English saying which an Elder in the ward is constantly commenting on how much we all say it....When in England, speak as the English speak, I guess ;)) But really OH MY DAYS!!! I couldn't read the letters fast enough. I feel like I've just watched an intense season finale of White Collar or Sherlock after reading your letters. Thankfully I got to know the cliff hangers. First of all, I am so grateful that I can be a missionary and know that the Lord has promised to keep my family safe (In so many blessings since I've been on my mission, it always says not to worry about my family because the Lord will take care of you.) I wish that it didn't have to be manifested in such a huge way, but atleast we can all recognize the blessings and the Lord's hand in our lives. And just think what a GREAT missionary moment conversation this can be for the WHOLE family (I expect some good reports next week about this :))

I MISS THE MOUNTAINS!!! We don't have any snow yet, but everyone keeps saying it is on its way. We had an intense hail storm this week though. It was awesome! Thankfully we were just catching a bus somewhere, but some of the elders were out street contacting in it (they said they had to change their plans a bit. haha). I loved what you said about coming out of comfort zone. I've been thinking a lot this week that I need to do that more. We grow the most when we are uncomfortable and so my goal is to push myself more out of my limits so I can truly become what the Lord needs me to be. 

Jimmy, there are no llamas in England. Sorry. Just lots of spiders. And mice :) And foxes!! I saw one this week!

In exciting new this week: I started a new journal!! YAY! We had interviews (THE BEST EVER!!). We caught another mouse. Sister Stoja I think is beginning to realize how OCD I am because I started really cleaning our flat today (it was pretty gross). Mom, I understand your love for bleach now. I made brownies for one of the Elder's birthdays. Yup, homemade brownies. I had never made chocolate brownies from scratch before. And Julie, I'll have you know that they weren't dry or cakey. They were delicious (with nuts of course, Dad:)) We have had several days where we have lunch and dinner appointments!! I am beginning to see why everyone gets fat in this area. I went running this week...and slipped on ice. I bruised my knee really bad, but nothing seriously injured thank goodness! We had stake conference this weekend too!! So good! It was really funny though. So Friday night we had dinner at the bishop's house. Part of our lesson was helping them with a family mission plan. We have a sheet that we print out with goals to fill in and quotes and all that jazz. So then on Saturday night at stake conference all the bishops were giving talks. Guess what our bishop talked on? Everything that was on our member mission plan. Really, he read everything on it. IT was pretty funny; I'm glad we could help him out with his talk. They shared that a general authority that came a few years back said to their stake that once the missionaries serving FROM Europe equals the number of missionaries serving IN Europe the work will truly be hastening. Well tomorrow in the Romford STake (the stake I'm serving in) the 22nd missionary from the stake will be set apart. There are currently 22 full-time missionaries serving in Romford Stake. AWESOME!! The Lord truly is hastening his work!

Our amazing muslim investigator, Hassan, came to stake conference and loved it. He is amazing! He told us that he couldn't come because he was working, but then he said about 2 hours before it was starting he just felt like he needed to come. So he came and said he just turned his phone off so nothing could get in the way of him coming and so his boss couldn't call and get mad at him (a big risk because he really needs that job). I know he is feeling the spirit so much and I love that he is so quick to follow it. He is already sharing the gospel with everyone around him. We are hoping to meet a couple of his friends tonight to teach them. He is just so full of courage. He says whenever he gets scared, he just says a prayer and doesn't let the negative thoughts come. I learn so much from his great example of faith!

We've met some other amazingly prepared people this week!! So many good people to help come closer to Jesus Christ! 

What a glorious time when we can help the Lord to share this message with everyone! I love it!

I love you all!

Love, Sister Davis