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
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