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.

 

 

Wise Words

Hey Everyone!!

So this week has been probably the most productive one so far on my mission. Even my companion said he has never had a week like this one. But along with a good week comes some struggles.

In 2 Nephi 2:11 it talks about this. Give that whole chapter a read. It says that there must be opposition for us to experience anything at all. For instance if my favourite fruit is pineapple. I wouldn't know that it was my favourite if I hadnt tried others or tried my least favourite fruit.

We had a baptism yesterday. Her name was Lyla and she is from Taiwan! She is so sweet and had never heard of Jesus Christ before she met us. She was so prepared to hear about the Gospel and is so great. We also are teaching these two young men who are about 19. Oliver and Khalil. They are so great and they are willing to change their lives in order to prepare to be baptised. Their baptismal date is August 18th. Please pray for them and that they may be prepared for that date. They are so great.

In my last email I talked a little bit about the ward and how it is crazy but I love them. I was sitting in church yesterday and was looking at all 50 people that showed up and how it was really a family. The ward looks after each other. They all are so different but the Gospel brings them together. If there was a pen in the middle of a room and everyone towards that pen, then everyone would progressively get closer together. That is how the Gospel works. If we all work towards one common goal and one common truth we all grow closer and the bonds between family and friends grow stronger.

Now the hard day. Friday the 26th. Everything up until this point of the week was going great. But this day was just hard. It was Elder Hutchins B Day and appointment after appointment kept cancelling on us. Everyone we hoped to see just bailed. We then OYMED (Means Open Your Mouth. It is just street Contacting.) We spent 3 hours doing this and every person we met was just rude and had something mean to say to us. We met some strong Atheists and some arrogant drunk people. We were about to head home to our flat and on the bus we sat on the upper deck and were just in front of some annoying drunk kids who were about to go out for a friday night. We sat down and one of the kids got up and took Elder Hutchins pen out of his pocket and was saying stupid things about us and our religion that just is not true. He then threw the pen back and kept on trying to harrass us. I then just stood up and said that everything he was saying was arrogant and rubbish and that one day he will look back on his life and agree that he was just a stupid punk kid who harrassed men preaching about Jesus Christ. He then sat down and shut up. The next bus stop was his and so him and his friends left. His friends appologized for him and were actually cool to us. They said they had respect for what we were doing. Then they left. It was just a really hard day. We walked into the flat feeling discouraged. We went to bed and then woke up the next morning it was just another great day to spread the Godpel. I love this work and I love doing it. The Lord is blessing us and is helping us do this work. We could not do this alone and we are not alone. God is always there. Just remember there is opposition in all things. To experience the good you sometimes have to experience the bad. Just keep pressing forward. Read 2 31:20 and it is true for what we must keep doing.

I love you all

Elder David

Ps Just some P day Fun. We are all laughing for some reason and then the other one explains it all. The three homies then Elder Hein in the back round... hahah priceless.

 

From London To The States

~Hey everyone!

London has been treating me great and the people even greater. This past week Elder Hutchins and I have had a busy week! We are planning to have 4 baptisms this transfer (a transfer is 6 weeks) which is really good and we are so happy for it. The Lord has really blessed us with prepared people to teach. This last week we invited two 19 year old guys to be baptised and they accepted. They are ready to give up their past life and move towards following Christ. They are so great and were so prepared to hear the Gospel. We also baptised a girl yesterday named Kokab. She is a 40 year old Muslim and had a really difficult time being able to baptised. You see when a Muslim gives up there beliefs and becomes Christian it is a big deal and if she would have gone back to Iran they would kill her. And if anyone knew she was doing this they would kill her. So the Mission President would give us the consent to baptise her because it could put her in danger. So President Jordan had to get permission from the President Monson to be able to allow her to be baptised. This last week she got the news that she could get baptised if she became a citizen here in the UK so she would never have to go back to Iran. So the day after her finding out she could get baptised she received a letter saying she was a citizen of the UK. She was so surprised because she has been trying for years and it "happened" to come the day after the letter from the Prophet came. We met with her and as we talked about her situation and how happy she was, I started to cry. I could not control it because I could feel of Gods love for her and her decision to get baptised. I have never felt so much love for anyone like that because it was Gods pure love for her. I could not believe it. There are miracles everywhere and we just have to open our eyes to see them. "Coincidence is just how God can remain anonymous." This Gospel brings happiness and is the only way back to live with our heavenly father in his presence. We need to do all we can to be diligent and to make choices that will guide us in His direction. Me being here serving the people really makes me love them. If we serve those who around us, you will be able to love them more than you already may. I know that there is a God and he loves everyone of us. I know that this is the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. And I know that where I am and what I am doing, is exactly where God needs me.

My ward here is crazy. Haha most people barely speak English and are from all around the world. I will give you an example. A lady named Lisa in our ward. Everytime she bares her testimony she starts praying in the middle of it. Or when she talks to you in the hallway she will just start thanking Jesus and pray for you. She does it EVERYWHERE! hahah the first time it happened I just could not stop laughing and I felt so bad but goodness it is funny. Now we have this old lady in our ward named Sister Ramsley. She is about 65 or 70 and told us this story. "Last week my son (who is not a member) was doing drugs and I caught him and started to yell at him and then all of a sudden I felt my ancestors through the vail give me their pristhood power and told me I should rebuke him. So I raised my arm to the square and priesthood rebuked him." HAHAHAHAHH It is wrong and such false doctrine on every level but it was so funny. She was a convert like 20 years ago so she doesnt have anyone one that would even have that priesthood power in the first place. She is crazy but that is just the start all the crazy people.

I love you all and hope that you have a great week! I will just be baptising people in London. Next person to be baptised? The Queen.

~Love Elder David

Ps here Is the picture of me Imitating the Joseph Smith Piture! Took it this morning.

 

 

ARRIVED

Hey mom! 

So far everything is awesome. I got in Wednesday at 12 in the mission home and met my companion that night and found out where I would be serving for this transfer. My companions name is Elder Dillon Hutchins. He is literally so awesome. He turns 20 next week and couldn't believe I was 18! He actually went went to high school with Elder Munson. He is such a great trainer and is teaching me the ropes. We serve in the London North area in the Hyde Park Stake. Funny thing is that yesterday at church, the stake president and his wife were there because a new bishop was being called. The ward we serve in is super small that it could almost be a branch and full of a ton of weird crazy people from all over the world. But at the same time I love them already. It is so funny to come from our ward back home to this. 

So I live in a flat that cost around 5000 pounds a month. Which comes out to be around 8000-9000 american dollars a month. It is really nice and there is four of living in it. It is me, Elder Hutchins, Elder Hein, and Elder Duncan. They are all awesome and it is so much fun with all of us. I know my address to the flat but I would rather have all the mail go to the mission home because then it will never get lost in the post. Just in case I move or something. 

It has been really tiring doing all this missionary work actually. I am always exhausted. In this mission we don't wake up at 6:30. We wake up at 6:29. It is just to show everyone in the world that we are the number one mission. Which is true because in salt lake they have this huge picture of all the missions in the world. In this mission it has the number one. Because it was the first mission of the church and because it is the best! (Tell Brother Downs I said that) Our motto here is TRUTH WILL PREVAIL. We also have this quote that says "Boys go to South/Central America to become men. Men go to Europe to become leaders. And leaders go to London to become General Authorities." Awesome right?

I'm proud of Dalton for stepping it up! He is a stud already and will be more if he keeps it up haha. But tell him I am proud of him and miss him. Oh and tell Miranda I have lost weight! Haha It is a walking mission and it has been extremely hot here lately. Also my companion and I never eat out. We go grocery shopping and really don't have time to eat for how busy we are haha. So yeah! And we run every morning and lift every other day so tell AJ to watch out when I come back. 

Today we went to see Big Ben and the Eye and House of Parliament! I will upload pictures in a separate email. Oh and I am also in the London Mission Band! We auditioned today and I got a solo haha. It is really fun and everyone in the flat we stay in, has a good voice and is in it. Except Elder Duncan. He just sits and listens. We practice on P days. It is pretty much like choir for Missionaries and we go around England performing for people. Mr. V would be proud! haha. But share this with anyone who cares haha. The transportation here is so fast and efficient. And clean! It is really cool walking the streets of North London everyday and talking about the Gospel. We have someone on date to be baptised and are possible have a few more that are ready. We work so hard and it is showing. We had a crazy good week. 

Tell everyone I love them and will see them in 23 fast sundays!

Love,

Elder David