THINGS ARE JUST SO WONDERFUL! I just can't even believe it. Things are so good here. SO GOOD. Im just really so happy. I remember Kenz would send these emails home of how happy she was and how great life was and I just thought she was crazy (sorry to kenz:) ) There was no way someone could be so happy away from family, in a crazy place, being a missionary all day, all that good stuff. but oh its just too good. This last week has been incredible!
First off - ZASHA AND HER FAMILY! We finally got pictures. Get ready for your Heart to MELT! OH i love them so much! And they actually haven't been baptized - the baptism was officially scheduled for the 8th but we found out Isha (the 7 year old) turned 8 on your birthday mom! So we pushed it back a week and they are all set for this Friday! Yesterday we had a big party for Isha! It was the best. She was so cute - you will see the pictures! :) And had a blast. It was the best because Zasha wanted us to have the party but we had to do a lesson on baptism first! OH they are just golden. So we had the party and celebrated her turning 8! Last night all 3 of them had their baptismal interviews and... THEY ALL PASSED!!!!!!!!!! OH MY. We were dancing and screaming and oh its just a dream. Honestly every missionaries dream is to teach a family and I just feel like I'm still dreaming with all of this situation - they are just so perfect. BUT it is still 2 days away. Satan always works the hardest right before so we are making sure to see them everyday (its the best:) ) and just keep lifting them and keeping them focused on it! So please keep praying for them! BUT on Friday night at 6:30 they will all be baptized - A FAMILY! Who i just love so much. You are all invited! :)
So they are the biggest news. I just love them so much. Sister Steed and I were laughing at not really knowing what to say to our families this week besides how much we love Zasha and her kids. They have been the main focus - just getting everything ready for Isha's birthday and getting them taught everything and ready for interviews and getting the baptism all planned. IT has just been so fun. I can't wait for you to meet them all someday.
The neatest part is just how converted they are. They were just SO prepared. Zasha just bares the strongest testimony of how she has always looked for a place she felt right with - a church that helped her feel at peace - and always wanting to draw closer to god. How she looked for it her whole life and never felt satisfied until she came to church here. She says over and over just how much peace she has and how happy she is and how much it is blessing her sweet family. It really has been one if not the highlight of my mission so far. I just love them so much. And you will too! Cute Gibberel jumping in the video - ah isn't he the cutest thing.
So things have been great with them... still a lot of nerves to make sure everything runs smooth until Friday so a little bit of stress but just so much excitement! :) CRAZY STORY TOO! Zasha made food for the party - Jamaican Jerk Chicken - SO yummy - and soup.... soup is always dangerous here in this area because heaven knows what they put in it. There was something weird in it too but we love Zasha so much we just plowed through it. It was rubbery and purplish as well.... lots of chunks of it in the soup. Found out after it was intestine! AND I ATE IT! Are you proud of me? Remember when I gagged anytime eating green beans? Well, They are like candy to me after serving in Peckham! ;)
You asked how things were going with our investigators. And the craziest thing is even with Zasha and her family we are also working with SO MANY other incredible people who are progressing as well. We are just so busy - its incredible. Right now we have 6 people set for baptism - SIX PEOPLE! And they are all SO SOLID! People that are actually coming to church and progressing. Joe is the miracle that we met on the street, came to conference which confirmed that the book of mormon was true (miracle!) And then came to church on Sunday! The YSA boys in the ward were AMAZING with him and he is now going to institute with them tonight and we are seeing him tomorrow! He is so great and so excited for baptism at the end of this month! We also were emailing last week and got a call from someone we had left our number with - inbetween emailing ky we got the call so we ran downstairs taught him the restoration and extended the 29th to be baptized - he said yes! Has been wanting to for a while. ( how convenient! ;) ) Well we met with him again on Saturday and he had pages of notes that he had taken while he was reading the book of mormon. He knows it is true! His mom and grandma want him to baptized into the baptist church but he said he read it and he knows that this is what is right so he is going through with it. He is amazing. We also have been meeting with a LA who has a little girl who turns 9 next month. The little girl is Isha's friend at school and with Isha getting baptized really wants to as well so she is working towards beginning of November. We are also working with friends Freddie and Norman who are SO GREAT! Freddie after weeks has finally stopped drinking coffee and wants to be baptized as well so we will hopefully get him on date for the end of this month and norman is eating up the lessons - the last time it was so fun becuase everything he has struggled with in other churches- like the idea of having the original sin, having us go to hell, repenting without changing - we were able to tell him that he was right! The way he just naturally thinks and believes is actually what we believe! Oh its just so cool. So dad, things are ON FIRE! We have 6 friends on date, averaging around 10 member presents (crazy for London), and have the 3 going for baptism on Friday. I JUST FEEL SO BLESSED. I just don't understand honestly. I really am just so so grateful that Heavenly Father has been so kind. I know that none of this is because of Sister Steed and I. These people have been prepared and so ready for this and I am just so grateful and feel so blessed to be the lucky missionary that gets to be apart of their process of coming to the joy of the knowledge of Our Saviour. Its just so good. so so good. Please continue to pray for our friends!!
BUT with that things have been going So well that it makes my stomach sink thinking about transfers coming up next week. Apparently the Assistants talked to our ZLs and said that they might just keep the zone all the same because of how well things are going but they also said that they might have both sister steed and I train. I WOULD BE SO SAD. SO so sad to leave peckham and sister steed. THings are just going so well and thats what makes me so nervous. Learning from the past I know that is usually when things change.... but i am hoping they just call sister steed to be the STL here with me and we can finish being together!
I got my "dying" letter in the mail yesterday. Saying how great to have made it this far and encourage me to stay focused and finish strong. I don't know how i got here. Crazy just 3 months - 2 transfers. So whatever happens this move will probably be where I end my mission. So crazy to think about.
Kind of on the faith over fear topic... with all of transfers and everything as well! We were talking with a member this week who just got bad news about her grandmas health. I was saying how we would keep her in our prayers and she responded saying how she was praying for strength no matter what. She said she never prays that her grandma will be okay or become healthy or the situation will be different ( I thought she was so silly that she didn't) but she followed it saying that she didn't do that because she felt that by doing that she didn't trust god and his plan. All she did was pray for strength and understanding and peace no matter what the situation is - no matter what his plan is. It really stood out to me. It reminded me of the bible dictionaries description of prayer- how we pray not to change the will of god but to align our will with his. I think that is so important with having faith vs. fear. Just accepting that he does really know what is best - i loved your example with linds and chores - so spot on. He really does know what is best for us and we just have to choose to have faith in that. That is wont be easy most of the time but it is what is best. So with transfers I have been applying it. Just praying for a lot of peace and comfort no matter what. My stomach is still a little bit in knots over it... or it might just be the intestines... ;) BUT i know it will be great. We find out on Friday or Saturday if we are moving. So i\ll be excited to tell you all about it next week! :)
MY GOODNESS! ERic better bring by the package. I was wondering if he was still here.... tell him he has to! WE will be home tonight after 9! Or he can just buss in and leave it outside out door. Door 6 on the second floor. OH i am so excited!! CAN NOT WAIT!!!
Sweeto Burrito in DRAPER! Oh no! We will just have to go all the time now. I actually miss Mexican so much. They don't do it in England- so weird. So yeah. lets all go after i am home! And then we will go get shakes after! :)
OH I AM SO EXCITED FOR THE ENGLANDS TO COME STAY!! Are you both? I just can't wait for you to meet them and catch up on all the funny mission stories and show them all around Utah! Oh it will be so great!! And all of those ideas will be perfect! WE will have to come up with a lot of ideas. I think it would be so fun to go to a lot of temples... that is something that they don't have here! The mountains are so fun for sure! Its super flat here. As well as shopping for sure! It is SUPER expensive here and Sister England always commented on how she wants to go to the cute modest Utah shops! So we will have to show her around. I think she would die in Downeast. OH it will just be so fun!!! I can't wait! THey have a son out serving his mission too so it will be fun to be in the same spot with that a little bit as well! And get ready for the accent. Good thing they will have one because I think you will be disappointed with mine... 3 months though! I will try and pick it up!
AND SISTER BARNES! Oh my goodness! ISN"T IT CRAZY! YES! He was the AP when we were here together and she talked about him ALL the time. When he went home they started dating - about 6 months ago - but she wont give me any details on it! I could see them getting married... its so weird though! As long as the wedding isn't until after January I am happy! but its so weird. So many people have dated after the missions now... there is another 2 that i served with that are dating/engaged. freaks me out.
BUT Im glad that the classes looked okay for you! I think it will be SO great! I saw that registration isn't until the first of Novemeber! That will be great! Yes! If you or mace or anyone would be willing to get those for me I would appreciate it so much! I could ask hannah or sam too - i am sure they would be willing! But i am really excited about only 2 days a week! I was thinking about living as well... I am planning on spending a lot of time at home but I think with just school and hopefully working in provo having a place to stay there would be best. I honestly don't know anything about housing though- i know south campus is supposed to be a great place! But i don't know how to go about finding it. especially with it being in the middle of the school year. I am guessing we will have to buy someones contract? So yeah - if you could look into that for me I would appreciate it so much! Just somewhere to stay but yes planning on ALMOST ALL of time at home with all of you!!!!!!
And i can't believe Linds and her braces. She honestly looks SO OLD! I just can't believe it. The mascara on her cute little eyelashes. It will be so crazy! She just looks grown up. When we teach Isha and Ricardo and Zasha I always picture her Isha - even tell Isha that they would be best friends and then I realized that Linds is Ricardos age - it freaks me out. OH it will be crazy. I can just tell from the pictures how grown up she is now!
SO happy to be here and staying focused but giddy that i can give you the biggest hugs in only 3 months! it will be the best day.
I LOVE YOU!
Sister Gwilliam
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