Nothing Much This Week!

Hello everybody!

This last week has been really good but there are not many crazy stories other than this one man who asked us if "Jesus had a Penis...." It was the weirdest thing ever. Me and Elder Hutchins just laughed in his face and walked away. I really appreciate living in Parker, Colorado after seeing all these weirdos here in England.

We are really working on one of our investigators. Her name is Henrike and is from Germany. She is Buddhist but she is really starting to gain a testimony of the truthfulness of this message. She has come to church the last 3 weeks and we plan on setting a date for her to be baptised this week. If you could just pray for her that would be great. She needs this!!

Today is P-day of course and we went into Central London to go stand outside the theater that plays the Book of Mormon Musical!! People were asking for pictures and auto graphs. We were like famous!! I will attach a picture of it and of this funny sign we saw the other day!

I hope all of you have a great week and I will talk to you all soon!!

Love,

Elder David

 

Talan's Favorite Lady!

So this is Sister Rainsley... She is the sweetest old woman in our ward but just super crazy and loopy haha. She is also the one who tried to use the priesthood on her son.... So ya here she is.

Missionary Life

Hello again everybody!!

You are all probably sitting on pins and needles wondering where or if I was transfered..... The news is.... I am staying in London North with Elder Hutchins!! I am very happy about this because we have a lot of people I just really don't want to leave behind just yet. This week was really great but a very interesting thing happened...

So about 2 weeks ago we met a young lady named Maria from Romania. She was out for a walk with her daughter when we stopped her. She was very interested in finding a church and gave us her address and phone number and were to come over on that saturday. It was friday night when we called and tried to comfirm our appointment when we found out it was a fake number. So we were sad and decided not to try the address becuase it was probably fake as well. So fast forward a few days. We were walking up to the church to go complete a progress record when this crazy lady is yelling and chasing after us! As she drew closer to us we recognized it was Maria. She then began to rebuke us in her very broken up english!! She was mad that we didn't stop by her house and talk about the church. So we set up an appointment for later that day. We go to her dodgy house at 4 PM to find a family of 8!!! We were so thrilled and they all committed to baptism and said they could not wait for church on sunday! So we teach this family a couple of times before Sunday and then all the kids made it to church. The parents couldn't but we were so excited to have them there. Like I said this family is from Romania and people from there are crazy.. and loud.... so I babysat them during sacrament meeting. Elder Hutchins, Elder Hein, and I sang a song in sacrament and one of the daughters (who they said was retarded) started to scream and clap super loud after and the kids all joined in laughing. That whole hour felt like it lasted a whole day. They were so loud the entire time. So church ended and after they left the whole ward came to talk to us. They were warning us that the family might be Romany Gypsies. I had no idea what that even meant but then began to explain what that meant. Romany Gypsies are people who steal and cheat their way through society to get gain from others around them. They live off the government and teach their children from a young age how to be thieves. So Elder Hutchins and I were worried but tried not to pin them to that stereotype. We scheduled later that day to visit their home. This time we brought a guy from our ward who is Romanian (not a Gypsy though). As soon as we got there he knew they were Gypsies. He began to talk with them and within 5 minutes of us being in the house they asked if the church gives benefits and showed us paperwork that said they were "looking for work." We also figured out that the daughter who we thought was mentally not there, was faking it. She answered here phone and went in the other room speaking perfect English to one of her friends. And also we found out that they try to have as much kids possible to receive more benefits from the government. Sick people. So we left from the house and was very mad because they lied to us about being interested in the church but rather they were interested if they could steal money from the church. Here in London we meet some very interesting people everyday!

But on a happier note, Elder Hutchins are friends with one of the coaches of Arsenal!! He loves us and hooked us both up with new Arsenal Jerseys and shorts, a football, and two Arsenal mugs! He then said that since we are both staying in London that he will hook us up with tickets soon!! He is not a member but his Aunt is. He told us he isn't interested but he still recognizes we are servants of the Lord. He has us over for dinner every Sunday night and we share a message. One day he will accept the Gospel. I know it.

Here is our "Team Photo"

 

Greeting From London!

Hey everyone!

Goodness weeks just fly by when you work. Next week is transfers so I could be staying in London North or moving somewhere else. I will know by next Monday.

Every week I try to study a different topic and try to get as much out of it as I can. This past week I studied the Atonement.

I do not know how to even start talking about such a beautiful and deep topic. But I think I will just start by saying that our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love you so much. Lets look at this from Heavenly Fathers perspective. He gave his Only Begotten Son to suffer all pains and afflictions for everyone that will and has ever lived. A pain that no one can even begin to comprehend. Christ's suffering was enough to make God tremble because of how much he went though. Christ bled from every pore. God knew that this was the only way we could return to live with him. Christ also understood this. Christ knew and loved us so much that he was willing to do so. God was not forcing him to do this. Christ made his own decision and allowed it to happen. But why did Christ do this? So we could all return to live with God. As we know "no unclean thing can enter the presence of God" meaning none of us would be able to live with God again. Christ fulfilled the demands of justice and took everyone's sins upon his own back. Giving us the GIFT of repentance. If we have faith in Jesus Christ then that faith should lead to action, and that action should be repentance. Imagine getting a gift for someone you loved and then when you handed them the gift, they handed it right back and said they did not like it and did not want it. This would destroy you. You thought they were going to love this and appreciate the gift you gave them. This is how the Savior feels. He wants us to accept him and his gift and to USE it. We view repentance sometimes as something that binds us rather than something that will set us free. It is a gift that can enable us to receive the greatest gift of all. Eternal life. We all have things we need to work on. Everyone has something they struggle with but as long as we try our best in following Christ and repenting daily, we will have the spirit in our lives to guide us in thought and in decision. I know that The Atonement is real and that burdens can be lifted off your shoulder. Repent in German is "Umkehr" meaning "to turn completely around." As we repent we commit to make changes in our lives so that we can move closer to God. I do not mean to sound preachy but rather am just excited to share this new meaning to what Christ did for us. I am so happy to be serving The Lord and bringing people the fullness of the everlasting gospel.

I love you all and miss you tremendously! Have a great!!

Elder David

ELLO MATES

Well hello there folks!

What a week! I have had a really great week and time is just flying by. It is Monday and that means you get these next few minutes to read this and be spiritually uplifted. Now let me hear y'all make some of that Holy Ghost CRAZY noise. Just kidding. My companion always says that haha. I do not know why.

Elder Hutchins and I are having a lot of success in our area. We just know that it is because of the Lord. We are just the tools He uses. I love the people here in England. They are all shy until you talk to them and they find out you are American. There were these two girls that asked us out to a pool party on Friday. We had to decline of course. But we taught them a lesson. And we talked about Chastity. The spirit told us that we need to teach them this commandment no matter how awkward it may sound. So we did. One of them was really impressed and the other didn't want to hear any of it. But it is what God needed them to hear.

So there was this really cool story that happened in the mission this week. So last Monday some other missionaries were street contacting and stopped a man that was about to go take a final exam for University. This young man explained to them that before he left his house he said a prayer saying "God if you let me pass this exam, I will look for a church to join and be baptised." He was in a hurry and had to get going but the Elders asked if they could say a prayer that this young man may be able to pass his exam. This was the 3rd time has taken it and just really thought there was no way he would pass. The Elders left there number with the man and said to let them know how the Exam went. He passed with flying colors. He called the Elders and said that he was ready to be baptised. He started to take the lessons and is getting baptised next week. I was able to teach this young man about fasting on Saturday (I was on a work over) and we asked him to fast for an answer to if this church was true. His response "I already know this is true. Would it be alright if I fasted for something else? He then asked if he could pay his tithing and fast offering on the same day. He is so "GOLDEN"  and was so prepared. I know that there are prepared people everywhere and that is our job to just find them.

This past Thursday I had another work over with Elder Duncan. He lives in the same flat but we worked together on Thursday. Before we leave the flat we always pray for guidance and this time we had the feeling we need to go to Muswell Hill and street contact. So we did and were having no success. So we quickly said a prayer. After that prayer I felt that we need to cross the street. So we crossed and the first person we talked to wanted to learn more. So we went and sat on a bench and talked about the plan of salvation. His name is A.J. At the end of the lesson we asked him if he would follow Jesus Christ's example by being baptised. He accepted and is really wanting to learn more. God placed A.J in our path because he needed to hear the Gospel.

I am so happy to be out on my mission. Even though some days are tough, it is still amazing. Our work is all about service. Because when "ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the of God." I know that the church is true. I know. Watch Elder Hollands Talk "Lord, I Believe" We showed this to one of our investigators who was struggling with faith. She began to cry and could not explain how much she need to hear it. There are miracles all around us. Just open your eyes. I promise that as you serve those around you and stop thinking about you, then you will be happier, you will feel happier, and you will live a happier life. Follow Jesus Christ's example of turning outward, rather than inward. Just after Jesus had fasted for 40 days and 40 nights, he was then tempted by the great deceiver and was tried and tested more than we can even imagine. After all this had happened, with all his hunger and with all his pain, angels came to minister to him to help him. At this time Jesus knew that John had be cast into prison. He sent these angels away immediately and told them to minister unto John. This act of selflessness shows exactly how amazing and perfect Jesus was. I know we can not be perfect. But we can try. Try to turn outward towards other, rather than inward. Even in the hardest moment. Because as soon as you forget about yourself and remember others, you will be happy. I promise you this.

I love you all and hope you have a good week. Remember we are nothing without God. But in His eyes we are everything. Our father in heaven loves us and wants to bless us. So live your life in a was where he is bound to bless you and can not withhold anything from you. Just ask in sincere prayer.

TRUTH WILL PREVAIL

LOVE

ELDER DAVID

P.s here is picture of me in a Ferrari that parks in front of our flat. Super Posh.