Elder Talan David: BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!!!

So today is my 19th birthday. So crazy to spend a birthday like that on a mission. I am only a year out from hitting my 20's. Kind of scary but real! I had the greatest day and week ever. So I will try to explain it all to you in the best detail I can! Here we go!

Every missionary in the England London Mission is allowed to go to see a musical! Either Lion King or Wicked. So I had to take the opportunity of serving in the heart of London to go now. So last week I decided I needed to go. I got a few other missionaries to join in and go with me. One of the main characters in Wicked is a Mormon in the young single adult ward and so we know her! She is also in all the bible video on LDS.org. So we called her and told her we were going to be coming on Saturday for a show and she said that after the show she would meet us and bring us back stage to meet some people and have a back stage tour!! We all were freaking out with excitement. So we could not wait for that. But we did not even have our tickets yet so we had to find a way to get them. We found out that on the day of the show you can wake up early in the morning and camp out to get front row tickets for £30. We called our Mission President and he said that should be fine!! So all these amazing things were falling into place.

So this morning we wake up at 4:45 to get ready and leave to we could be at the theater in Victoria at 6 in the morning. So we get there and we are first in line!!! We then wait with all 7 missionaries until 10:00 AM for the doors to open! It was such an adventure. It was freezing cold and when we first showed up to the theater, there were so many homeless people sleeping right where we had to be for the tickets so we just sat there with them. So we got our front row tickets. I had first row seat 21 (which is a lucky number for me. My old baseball number growing up). We then decided to rent out Barclays Bikes and ride them all throughout Hyde Park! It was so pretty and we got to see Speakers Corner and other cool things that are within that huge park. We ate lunch and then headed to see the amazing show!!!

I could not believe the seats that we had. Literally right in front. We could see the spit of the actors fly from their mouth as they sang. I had chills the whole time and of course it was amazing. I could barely talk after intermission because of how loud I was screaming! After the show ended, when everyone was taking a bow, Savannah waved at us and it made us feel so cool. Everyone was like, "How do you know her?" haha crazy. We then walk to the stage door and I press the button and say we are here to see Savannah and they just let us right in and told us to wait for her to get changed and she would come up to give us a tour. As we wait on the inside of the stage door we see the whole cast leave and we got to meet all of them and say hello. Savannah then came to get us and took on us on a special tour through the wardrobe and all the secret doors that are backstage. We then find ourselves on the stage looking out at where the audience was just seated during the show. It was the coolest view ever. And it was so surreal to be standing with the star of the show. We took pictures and then we left feeling like Kings and Queens.

I really can not describe the day accurately according to how I felt. But to say the least I felt good haha. It was like a dream the whole day. To go see Wicked in London while serving a mission and then to have a backstage tour by the lead actress.

Of course I will attach the photos and what not so you can experience it with me.

And to top it off..... We are having two baptisms tomorrow!! A mother and a son! Their names are Margaret and Chaminda. They are from Sri Lanka and are so amazing.

I am so happy right now. I can't stop smiling and I know that there is so much happiness to be found in this life. I know it and I know God does love us. He is loving. I hope you all have a great week and remember to have fun in life. It is meant to be enjoyed not just endured.

I personally don't have all the pictures so as I get them from the other missionaries, I will send them out!

Love,

Elder David

Oh P.S we were walking by the nice Ferrari that I talked about in my email last week and the guy got out and so I asked him if we could sit in it and take a picture. Elder Adriano took a picture of me but it was blurry. He said he was nervous haha but I will send you the one I took of him since it is visible in that picture.

The first one shows how close we were and the second picture is how the theater looks from the stage.