My Brain is Mush

 

I am having a really hard time thinking of what happened last week. A lot happened last week but I can't think of it!

So on Tuesday we had the departing dinner. This is a dinner for all the missionaries who are going home. They have a dinner with President and Sister Jordan at the flat. It was really cool being able to be there. My Trainer, Elder Hutchins, was there and is now home. Elder Jensen who I served with in Hyde Park was there, and so was Elder Torres who is now home in Brazil! It was really sweet. Everyone bore their testimonies and talked about their missions. Elder Torres' parents and grandparents came to pick him up and so that was really cool to see. He was a great missionary and already has a calling to be the stake young mens president back in Brazil. He is great and I hope to be able to go to Rio in 2016 for the Olympics. President is going, Elder Anderson is going and they will have us over to stay at their flat! It would be an awesome reunion. 

On Tuesday Morning we taught Jaqueline who is from Sweden. Elder Anderson talked to her about a month ago and asked her to visit the church with us. She agreed and we have been teaching her since. She was scheduled to be baptised this last Saturday but the last two weeks she wasn't too sure if she knew it all was true. Then we come to the lesson on Tuesday morning. We open with a prayer and then she blurts out,"I prayed and asked God if this was the true church. I got my answer and I want to be baptised on Saturday." Elder Anderson and I were so excited for her and couldn't contain our smiles. We smiled through the whole 45 minute lesson. Haha it probably looked really funny but we couldn't control it. She got baptised on Saturday and I will send photos! 

On Wednesday we had the new missionary meeting and got to meet the new missionaries and introduce them to their trainers. That lasted til about 5 then we had a 10 minute dinner and had to go meet with President to prepare the meeting for the next day. We gave a training on Setting Sticky Appointments and we made Setting Sticky Appoinment Stickers to go with it. Clever eh? Not my idea. However we showed a clip from Dumb and Dumber in our training and that was my idea haha. The scene was were Lloyd walks out of 7/11 and says,"Big Gulps huh?....... Whelp, see ya later!" We used this to explain our point. The first missionary training in the world to use a clip from Dumb and Dumber. Priceless. 

Thursday we had Mission Leadership Council the whole day. 

Two weeks ago Elder Anderson either lost his wallet on the tube or someone pick pocketed him. So he lost a lot of money.  140 pounds in cash, both of his English and American licenses, and other precious things that he wouldn't able to get back. We have been praying really hard that someone would turn it in and guess what! Someone did!!! We got a letter from the lost property office in Baker Street saying they have a wallet for Austin Anderson. So we go to pick it up on Friday and all the money was still in it. MIRACLE!!! He was so relieved and it was an answer to prayers. 

Saturday we had another meeting. Then after we had Jaquelines Baptism!! Then after that a Stake Easter Fireside! I was asked to sing, "Face to Face." It was a good good day! 

Sunday Elder Torres confirmed Jaqueline. The last thing he did in London was confirm her. How cool!

Miracles all over this last week. 

Monday we had to wake up at 4 to take a missionary to airport because he was finishing his mission. He would have gone home with everyone else but his parents were at scout camp so he waited a few more day here until travelling back home. I am falling asleep as we type this. Sleep deprivation is real and it feels like my eyes are bench pressing my eye lids. It is a constant battle. If I sit down for a minute I am out. I am loving the feeling! Makes you feel like you are working hard! 

Well I hope you have a good week and talk to you all Saturday! 

Oh last thing. Our Zone won a competition in the mission so we got to have a BBQ on the roof of the Hyde Park Chapel. We had a view of Harrads, Houses of Parliment, Big Ben, and the London eye while feasting on a nice cheeseburger. AWESOME!

I will put more photos on the drive because this emailing thing wont let me send a lot of photos!! 

1.Grilling Burgers on Exhibition Road with President

2. Team Jerseys GO ENGLAND!!

 

 

 

Pics Jaqueline Baptism

 

 

 

1. Lost Property

2. Chipotle in London!!

 

 

 

Transfers is Really Different Now

This is the last week of the transfers and so next week the missionaries get the call on where they will be serving and who they will be serving with. Transfers is different as an AP. We spent a lot of this time this week with President looking at  "The Board" with all the missionaries pictures and where they are and who they are with. We start with a prayer and start making changes. It is really amazing how revelation works. The Lord knows what he wants 2-3 transfers prior. It is so amazing how it all works together. Tonight and tomorrow we will finish the final touches and then on Monday we will start making all the calls. Then on Tuesday we arrange all the transportation for how missionaries will get from point A to point B. It is really fun.

On Tuesday we had another exchange and I staying in the area. After exchanging companions for the day we took the tube back to South Kensington and while traveling I struck up a conversation with a Video Production Major who was going to be outside of the chapel filming a movie for her school project. I invited her to come with me and have a tour of the church. She agreed and we watched last years Easter video "Because of Him." She was extremely touched and showed a lot of interest. She was unfortunately now running late for her project. Before her leaving the chapel I gave her my number and invited her back for church on Sunday. As the week went on I forgot about this lady. Then yesterday I recieved a text from a number I did not reckognize. It was her. She now is our new investigator who wants to strengthen her faith in Christ. You never know who is around you that is begging for the gospel. They just "know not where to find it." 

On Thursday I had another exchange and went to a place called Grays. It is the most Po Dunk town I have seen in England. It was a different experience then London that is for sure. I loved the people I met there. ALL ENGLISH! Also really rare for me. That night we went to play football (soccer) at a members home who is a Seventy. Elder Herbertson is his name. He has an R8 and the most gigantic house ever. With a football pitch and stadium lights. I loved it and really the sport has grown on me so much since being here. We are all playing when I get back! 

That is my week! I have a few pictures I am waiting to be sent to me but I will try to get them to you as soon as I can! 

From Canterbury to Cambridge

On Tuesday I went to Ashford which is in Canterbury. Canterbury is the southern most part of the mission and it is so beautiful there. It is about an hour and a half train ride and the whole time I was gazing at the rolling green hills that back up to the ocean. On a clear day you are able to see France from that train ride! It wasn't clear so I wasn't able to see it. While on the train we started talking to this woman and we were so focused on the conversation that we both left our bags on the train!! We just started laughing because we didn't know how else to act. We went and talked to the manager off the station and they sent the bags on the next train back to where we were. A little scare to start off our day. 

From the Station we went drove to a place called Deal. It is where the white cliffs of Dover are!!! If you have not heard or seen them you better Google search it! I have a photo of it but it is not that great because I took it driving. I spent the remainder of the day with Elder Wright. Really cool guy. 

The next day we took the train back into London for the 5 week new missionary meeting. This is where all the new missionaries and their trainers come back into London for the day and we talk about their experience so far as a missionary. It was so amazing to see how much these young missionaries have grown in just a few weeks. They all walked in a bit more confident then before and it was really great to see. Elder Jensen was there because he is training a missionary from Brazil. 

Later on in the day we taught a Chinese Student named Raymond. He is so funny!! We were teaching him about the restoration and while we are talking about families he blurted out,"What about the disasters?" We were really confused but then he started impersonating the movement a T-Rex would make and then we understood he meant to say dinosaurs! It was hilarious! But the best part was when he said the closing prayer. He began to pray and it was such a sincere prayer then he said this,"I pray Father that you will bless Elder David and Elder Anderson with Girlfriends. They are really nice guys and deserve very beautiful girls. Bless them. Amen" He looked up with a big smile and said,"your welcome." haha it was the best prayer offered on my mission. We then asked, "Why didn't you pray for Elder Torres to have a girlfriend?" He then replied," I saw the ring on his finger so i knew he already had a girlfriend." Which is true. What an observant little fella. 

On Thursday I went back to London North on an exchange with Elder Mortensen who will be my flatmate up at Utah State! It was such a fun day and I got to teach Juan Pablo again. He is preparing for baptism in two weeks. If you don't remember him, he is the kid come Columbia.

That evening Elder Mortensen and I went out to eat at a place called Voodoo Rays Pizza! It is supposed to be one of the best pizza places in London. After last week you would have thought I would never eat pizza again. I was wrong. It was good pizza. The next morning for exercise we went to play some baseball in the park! It was a glorious day! 

Right after that exchange, on Friday morning, we met at Kings Cross Station because I was traveling to Cambridge for another exchange. While at kings cross we took pictures at platform 9 3/4. I will attach photos! I LOVE CAMBRIDGE!! It is the most beautiful part of England I have seen yet. The town is ancient! Everything is so old and the University has been around since 1209. I would love to study at Cambridge after being there. While there we went past the park where the modern rules for Football (soccer) was invented. We went by the tree where the apple fell and hit Isaac Newton on the head! So much history. I also met someone who was wearing a Denver Nuggets shirt. He was really cool and should be going to church there in Cambridge today. I took many pictures but on a different camera so I will get those before next week and send you all of them. Next Transfer Elder Anderson and I are going to take a P-Day up there and explore a bit more. There is a lot to see. 

That was the week we had and was it crazy or what. I was gone the whole week just running up and down the country but  I loved it! 

Have a great week! 

Love,

Elder David

--

Elder Talan Haynes David

England London Mission

64-68 Princes Gate

Exhibition Road,

South Kensington

London, England SW7 2PA

1.Our Brazilian friend cooked a Brazilian feast for us! 

2. White Cliffs of Dover

 

 

 

 

 

HARRY POTTER!

 

 

 

 

Chelsea Football Stadium

 

 

 

On the Road for Zone Conference (Rice and Beans)

Every Monday night we have a meeting with President Jordan to talk about the mission and how the previous week went. We also prepare for upcoming meetings and discuss the trainings that will be given. Before all of this we have the same meal. Every week. RICE AND BEANS. President Jordan served his mission in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and he learned how to cook his rice and beans from there. It is a great tradition. We look forward to it every week. I somewhat feel for Dalton now as he has it everyday.

This week was Zone Conference week and we had a great time. We started the week here in Hyde Park and met with a few zones. The focus was on Finding People to Teach. It was really inspiring. We were asked to train on finding through family history. Which I am now addicted to. I looked on Family search and found that I have a lot of work to do when I am home. Especially for my Dads side. I am really excited for it! 

On Thursday we woke up early in the morning to start travelling in the Van. In the van we had President Jordan, Sister Jordan, Elder Anderson, Elder Torres, and I. We had a good two hours to ask President what ever we wanted. President was the head attorney for the church and he told us all his experiences while meeting with President Faust, Hinckley, and Monson. It was so amazing to hear. 

Another tradition is to go to the Carvery after the Norwich, Cambridge, and Colchester Zone Conference. I don't know if we have Carvery's in America but it where you go and get a roast dinner and buffet style. So all the pork, beef, and turkey you want with potatoes and vegetables. YUM! I will send some photos of the week! 

I am just happy we made through alive. I am quite tired of pizza. Everyday for lunch we order pizza for the missionaries. I don't want any more pizza for a long time. 

That is my week and now we will have a nice day in London! 

I love Mews. (little alleyways of cobble stone)

Okay so my pictures are too big for email so I will just post them on the drive. I hope you can see them!



 Antonia got baptised!

My new car.