New Companion!

Getting a new companion is quite the experience. On Wednesday we had to wake up at 4 in the morning to drive all the way down to London and wait for all the other missionaries to meet us at the Euston Train Station. The traffic was terrible and after driving there and back I felt like I was stuck in a permanent position with my hands clenched to the steering wheel and knees not wanting to unfold. This Thursday we have to drive back down for our Mission Leadership Conference and I am not excited to drive for that either. My companion is from the north of Brazil. Elder Piedade is his name. The last d is pronounced like a G. It takes a few times to get it just right.

On Saturday we baptised Yohanna! It was so great and he was really excited. He didn't expect so many people to come and support him and his decision. He pulled me aside before the program began and said, "Are all these people here for me?"  He was confirmed a member on Sunday. More people came to congratulate him and he was loving it. 

Sunday afternoon we drove 45 minutes to the north of our area to go to the monthly sacrament meeting for the elderly. This sacrament meeting is held at one of the members homes and those who can not travel all the way down to Norwich meet here once a month for a special service. Bishop invited me to give a talk and it was a really good experience. Only 8 people were gathered in that home but the spirit was as strong as ever. One woman was so excited to see us because she had someone she wanted us to go visit and teach. We will be stopping by this persons home this week. 

Last week we also received a referral saying we should go visit this person. We show up to the home and the woman was pleased we had came. To our surprise we walk in and meet her husband and 8 boys! Big big family. They are wanting to come to church and we will be seeing them this Friday to watch The Restoration with them. 

This week our Bishop has felt that we need not forget about General Conference. We are asked prior to Conference to prepare spiritually for the messages that will be given and to apply them in our lives. We then spend 10 hours watching or listening to these talks given the Prophet and Apostles. Have you remembered everything that was said? I definitely can't.  Read, listen, or watch these talks again. Our hearts need to change everyday As we prayerfully study AND APPLY these talks you will change for the better. Frequently ask yourself "What did I do better than yesterday?" or "Since Conference what changes have I made in my life?" Do it as a family in fact. 

I am thankful for my mission. I really am. I have a lot to learn and many things I need to change and be better at. Everyday I feel like my "Things to Improve" list keeps on growing which is not the most fun thing to watch grow but I am thankful that perfection does not come in this life. If it did, I would be in some big trouble. 

Have a wonderful week and speak to all of you soon. 

Love,

Elder David

The Easter Bunny Found Me

Happy Easter! I have had a great last week. It was just really fun and got to see some amazing things up in the North. 

On Friday morning we were going to teach a friend of ours that is from Albania. Her english is not too good so we luckily had a member from Albania come with us. He was our official translator. We taught her the 1st discussion and at the end of the lesson she was speaking to the member and of course we had no idea what she was saying. The member then looks at us a with a serious face and recites what she just told him. She said, "I know that what you just taught me is true and I have been searching for this for a long time. My prayers have been answered." We then invited her to be baptised and she accepted. She will have a hard time stepping away from the church she is already going to because they have really treated her nice and have helped her so much with her daughter. She said it will be hard but the Lord will provide a way if this is his true church. The member afterwards thanked us for inviting him because his own testimony was strengthened from this womans experience. It was really cool to be apart of. 

Later that day we saw one of our friends from China. He is studying at the local University and got baptised about a month ago. We were seeing how he was doing and he told us, "I wish I could baptise all of my friends and family back home in China. I one day will though. I will." He has such a strong testimony and loves the church. And later on we saw another one of our recent convert Chinese friends. He expressed the same desire. What an amazing day it will be when China opens up to religious freedom. 

On Saturday we taught our friend Yohanna and he going to be baptised this Saturday. He is 18, from Nigeria, and studying at the University. He is a really cool guy and is excited to be baptised. 

Later on that day we had to drive up north and help the other missionaries teach someone. The coast was so pretty and the rolling green hills were amazing to see as they dipped into the ocean. The Sat Nav took us a really really wrong way and I ended up having to do some 4 wheel driving in the country side. Reminded me of off roading in my jeep. While on the ride we were able to stop off at some cool places for pictures. I will attach them at the end of the email. 

I hope you all had a great Easter. The Easter Bunny did find me an delivered some much needed American Oreos haha. The ward was really nice to us and got us a lot of stuff. One member owns a Kebab Shop and brought us a large pizza to take home and another member had us over for dinner. 

It was really a neat experience to be on a mission during Easter. What an amazing thought that because of Jesus Christ the sting of death is taken away. The Church released an amazing new video. Here is it! Give it a watch. http://easter.mormon.org/?cid=HPTU041514694   

Oh yeah and moves calls were last night! So I am.............. Staying! I am going to be training a new Zone Leader from Brazil. I am sad that I only got to spend one transfer with Elder Vogel but he is going to Northampton to be a Zone Leader there. I am excited to have another Portuguese speaking companion so I can learn a bit more! 

Here are some Pictures! 

 1. REALLY OLD HOME!

2. Off-roading!

3.Elder Vogel and I 

4. Beautiful View

5. Peek a Boo

6. England Fields

Good Morning! 

This past week Elder Vogel and I were able to witness a tender mercy and miracle from the Lord. Lately we have been teaching a man that goes to the local university. He is from Ghana and has been meeting with the missionaries for a while. We met with him 2 weeks ago and when we taught he did not seem interested and did not seem like he was listening. We were trying and trying and we could not do anything. We walked about really confused after that lesson. We did not schedule another time to meet and were not planning on seeing him again until last week. We were on the Universities campus going to visit someone else. On that campus, which is home to over 20,000 students, we ran into this man again. It was the perfect timing that we just crossed paths. At the time we thought nothing of it and had some small talk, invited him to church, and walked away. He then left our mind until this past week. Elder Vogel and I then had this feeling we needed to give him a call to see him again. He agreed to meet the next day at the church. So we meet at the church and as we sit down he takes out his Book of Mormon and the reading material we have given him at previous lessons. I had this impression that he has come to give it all back and to stop seeing us. As we talked and discussed how he was doing, it became evident that his faith was really shaken. He expressed to us that he has been struggling with a belief in God for about a month now. He has grown up his whole life knowing that there is a God and it has been tested while in University. We taught him through the Book of Mormon how we strengthen our faith and as we read in the Book of Ether chapter 12 verse 6. It reads, "...I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive not witness until after a trial of your faith." His face lighted up and realized that he was in the trial of his faith and that soon he will be strengthened and will soon receive a  witness. I now understand why we ran into him randomly. Heavenly Father knew that he was struggling and needed his faith to be strengthened. After the lesson he had a smile going from ear to ear and told us that he was, indeed, planning on giving us everything back but now he knows he needs to keep pressing forward. He came to church yesterday and even more of his questions were answered. 

Never give up and keep passing through the trial of your faith. The Lord is mindful of you always and will bear you up through his servants. 

On Friday night we had a really fun night in Zambia! We had a dish called Fufu! It is a food that you have to eat with your hands and it does get messy! I love the family that we go see and they are preparing to be baptised soon! I have pictures I will attach at the end of the night. 

Yesterday was General Conference and it really is like the Superbowl for a missionary! I found my self taking pages and pages of notes thinking that I was listening to pure gold. If you may not know what General Conference is I will explain. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints we believe that God has not stopped talking with his children and continues to call Prophets and Apostles as in Christs time. We have this opportunity to listen to their words during General Conference. While listening to these divinely inspired and called leaders, we can feel the spirit of God testify to our hearts that what they are saying is true.  I loved the talks given and they have helped me be better and change to come closer to my Father in Heaven. 

I hope you have a great week and I will speak with you all next week! Review the talks given by the Prophet and think how you can best his council. 

Here are the pictures of the night in Zambia, England's country side, the house, and a really old cathedral found in the city of Norwich.