You Alright?!?! (Said in an ugly Chav English accent)

Hey Everyone!

This week has been a great week! The sun has not been out for a while so that is taking some getting used to!

So about two weeks ago I was telling you about Lawrence! Well he got baptised yesterday and he just started crying as he came out of the water. He later described the moment to me, saying, "As soon as I came out of the water, I felt a tingling feeling go from my toes to the top of my head. I now know with a surety that I am a son of God. I am a son of God" It was such a sweet and spiritual moment. It was such a great day at church because it was a missionary sacrament meeting. I gave a talk about member missionary work and how we all have a responsibility to carry out this great and marvelous work. Sundays can sometimes be stressful as a misssionary in the London North Ward because we pretty much run the show haha. With a small ward with few calling, we end up doing everything. We found out yesterday morning that we needed to teach gospel doctrine class because the man who usually does it, is sick and was not going to be at church. We hold this ward together haha. But I love the ward so much. They brighten up my day.

Next week is transfers once again! I really do not know what is going to happen. I wish I just knew! The suspense it killing me!

This Saturday we have a baptism! It is going to be great! She is from Ghana Africa and came up to us and said that she was investigating the church in Ghana and just moved here. She then asked us if we could baptise her. We were so thrilled to hear those words come out of her mouth!! Those words are music to a missionaries ears!

Our mission has had an emphasis on serving one another and looking for service opportunities. As Elder Hutchins and I have been looking for ways we can serve random people, we have found so many opportunities to help the people around us. After we help them, they are more receptive to what we have to say and also people notice us and wonder who we are. It is exactly what Elder Uchtdorf said "Preach the Gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words. Be an example to those around you. Let your light so shine and use words if you have to.

I love you all and hope you have a great week! I will talk to you all next Tuesday!

Love,

Elder David

Good ol' London

Hello Everyone!!!

This week is the first week of London weather I have experienced. It has rained the last 4 days and has been pretty chilly. I really enjoy the weather if I am able to sit inside and watch a movie but as missionaries, that doesn't happen. We are outside whether it is rain or shine. It is actually fun coming back to the flat just soaked. It shows that we were working hard.

So I don't know if I have told you about Henrike yet. But Henrike is one of our investigators and she is from Berlin, Germany. She is the smartest person I have ever met and remembers literally everything that comes out of the human mouth. She uses her smarts for good by being a Doctor. She actually comes from a long line of Doctors. Last week she told us that her dad was the personal doctor for the last three popes...... crazy right?! She is so great and loves learning about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Her favorite part is that families can be together forever. Her husband passed away and so this means a great deal to her that she will see him again. So if you could just include her in your prayers that she will find her answer if she needs to get baptised that would be great.

I have heard that all of you back home thought I would have lost fairly quick in this Vegan Competition. But guess what, ye who have little faith?! I WON!! I lasted the longest (5 days) and am back to being normal. It really wasn't that hard. The hardest part is just not losing on accident.

But this morning we did something worse. The zone leaders came over to our flat for P-day and they brought some peppers. Not just any peppers, but Scotch Bonnet Peppers. Lets just say if you want to get a tiny microscopic understanding on how The Atonement felt, eat one of these peppers. My mouth, my nose, and my eyes were watering uncontrollably for a good hour.My insides rapidly began to melt as the pepper began to disintegrate all the organs it passed by while traveling to the pit of my stomach. Everyone did it together. Try to imagine 6 missionaries crying uncontrollably from a pepper they stupidly decided to eat. These peppers are a hundred times more spicy than the hottest wing at Buffalo Wild Wings. Never again will I ever have one of these. Never.

I love you all and hope that everything is going well for you at home. I read this scripture this last week and it really has helped me. This is a scripture that will help you understand how to be more successful in what ever you are trying to accomplish. It is in the Book of Mormon in 2 Nephi 32:9 saying "But behold, I say into you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul." Remember to pray always. God will help you and bless you. Just ask for those blessings. I know that these things are true and that our Heavenly Father knows us personally and that he just wants us to talk with him while offering up a "broken heart and a contrite spirit." Try to pray always this week. Pray when you wake up, when you are about to eat, when you are about to leave the house, when you go to bed and always have a prayer in your heart. You will see a difference in your life if you do so.

Again, have a fantastic week!

Love,

Elder David

Vegan Challenge!!!

Hello Everyone!

As you see the name of the subject, I am now a vegan. Everyone in our flat was complaining that we eat really bad food. So our solution was to eat healthier. We were all satisfied with that until Elder Hutchins threw out "I bet I could go Vegan longer than all of you" and so now we are all Vegans competing for who can do it the longest. Winner gets bragging rights and a 4 pound tie from everyone. So worth it!! Hahah Goodbye to all meat, milk, eggs, honey, and anything else that comes from an animal.

This week I have received emails from a lot of my friends and it is weird that they are all off to University. It is so cool to hear from them and of the experiences they are going through. I was thinking about that this week and how weird it was for me to leave home and just leave to come here on my mission. It has helped me so much to leave straight here so I could develop good habits before I go to University. Scripture study, prayer, service, and shopping for myself. I am so thankful for this Gospel and to be on a path that I know will lead me back to my Heavenly Father. I know that it is not easy in any way but it is worth it. Our life here on earth is so small compared to the rest of Eternity. How great will our reward be after this life, if we have done all that we were asked to do now. Keep pushing forward and trying to follow Jesus Christ's example. You will see the blessing in your life if we are exactly obedient to God's Commandments. Almost obedient = almost blessed! Just do it (as "Nike" says). And remember our Lord and Saviour always.

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

Elder David

The People of London

Hello Everyone!

This week has been really great! We are teaching some really great people and that is what I wanted to focus on this week. The people.

I never would have thought I could love people that I barely know. I did not think it was possible. When people would tell me "Love the people" I thought it was kind of weird but now I understand what they meant. When I am trying to invite people to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel, I begin to feel Gods love for them. I can honestly feel something within me change when I teach them about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I have always taken for granted that I was born in this religion. I just thought it was irrelevant. I knew it was important but didn't fully understand until I got on my mission. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the only true church on this earth. It sounds bold, I know. And I do not mean to condemn any other religion because they all are great and have amazing intentions. But they do not have the full truth of what God would like us to do. With the Book of Mormon and the Bible together, we are able to fully understand our purpose here on earth. We know where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going. We know what we need to do here on earth so that we may live with god again. We know these things because of the Book of Mormon and the Bible. With out one of these sources we would be lost. I know that if we really want to find out if what I am saying is true, we must read the Book of Mormon and ask God if it is true. I know that these things are true because I have experienced it for myself and I invite you to do so if you have not already.

So anyways about the people I am teaching. First is a man named Jesus. He pronounces his name the same way as an American would say Jesus. HAHA not the Spanish way. Jesus smokes and did not come to church last Sunday... UH OH! Sounds funny right? He grew up in New York but is from Spain. I am convinced he used to be in the Mob in NY and my companion thinks so too. He just is a great guy but with a crazy past. He is searching for truth and loves meeting with us. Every time we see him he says that "We have changed his life forever." When hearing that it makes all the crappy moments go away. He offered the closing prayer the other day in our lesson and said "Dear God, Bless America that they may be able to kick Syria in the A** and show them who is boss, also I thank you for these boys who teach me. I am thankful for my life. I love you baby. Amen." It was so great.

Now Lawrence! So Lawrence is from some small tribe in Africa! He is about 50 and is on date to be baptised! Once every six weeks we do a work over with another missionary for a day. So I went to work with a different missionary named Elder Hein (The tall red headed one I also live with). When we were on this work over, we were waiting for a bus and decided to start talking to people. So I stopped this man and we started talking to him about the church and he said that his wife has been telling him to find our church and learn more about it. It was for sure a miracle. Our bus then pulled up and we took his number and called him that night to meet with him. Elder Hein and his companion have been teaching him ever since. I hav not seen Lawrence since that day I found him which was about a month ago until the other day. We were on another work over and it happened that Elder Hein was teaching Lawrence that day. So I was so excited! He has been asking about me everytime they have met with him and wanted to see me so it was a big surprise for him. So I walked up to him and said "Hello Lawrence It is great to see you" He looked confuse for a second, then just exploded with Joy and grabbed me to give me a big hug. It was so great! He said that this Gospel has changed his life and he thanks me for talking to him that one day. He is the sweetest man.

All these people I just love. They make this work so fun to do. I love doing what I am doing and seeing the direct impact it has on their lives! I love the people.

Elder David