Hello!

Hello family!

Oh getting your emails was the best! Thank you so much. I needed them.
Everytime they are just exactly what I need! Our bishop is using the
computer for a few minutes and then I can get on and type a proper
email out but I thought I would start by using the time I have so this
probably won't be very long but I'll send more out... :)

This week has been crazy though! So good but crazy. It has been so
neat to come back though to see the people! I honestly never bought I
would really want to do a mission tour. Especially with Peckham... I
just wasn't here long at all and was sure that no one would remember
me and it would just be a little awkward... BUT oh I was wrong. sweet
Africans are just the sweetest and warmest people and they almost all
remember me. I have had the biggest hugs and welcome backs - it has
been so wonderful and fun to see all of them again. It's changed my
mind about coming back to all of my areas!:) one of the neatest though
was going to see Anne and Faye. This whole time I was here with sister
Barnes we were struggling to find people to teach but one of our last
weeks we met Faye on the street - she invited us back and we started
teaching her and her twin sister and her daughter. And guess what?
They all got baptized! I went over this last week and got the biggest
hugs and them thanking me for finding them. Not that I at all say that
it was because of me and sister Barnes - it was just so neat to see
how the Lord worked through us and we were able to help them. Cool to remember too how our success is not limited to our time - in an area
or our missions. The blessings and Miracles continue far beyond, it's
so great!

Okay bishop just got off . I'm switching to the computer!:) be right back!:)

OKay sorry im back! Miss me?:) 

But yes it has been so great to be back here. It is so crazy though. serving in London is so different than any other area. ALMOST EVERYONE says they are interested and gives you their numbers and addresses and will talk to you for hours if you would let them- so different than the rest of england who doesn't want to hear about any of it and especially give out any personal information. It is taking some adjusting - typically people sift themselves by just not being interested or walking away where here I am having to remember that I need to sift and find people that are really interested and committed. Its good to make me stretch! :) But also so fun that almost everyone here just loves Jesus Christ. Its so neat. 

BUT my companion... are you ready? :) Is.... SISTER STEED!!! I know. when I saw a sister steed was coming into the mission I knew I would train her. Heavenly Father is funny. But she is wonderful! I will send pictures!! The whole day of finding out who was being trained was crazy. We spent the day at the temple and all that.. and im with you dad... It was the worst not being able to properly email and update you all and read your emails really well. NOT OKAY! So sorry about it all. BUT the next day we had more training. Spent a lot of time with a missionary they just paired us with for the day and then around 9 pm they finally gave us our assigned companions. It was a LONG day - after that we had to get luggage and everything to one of the sisters flats that lived nearby. we squeezed in their flat and then finally got to Peckham on Thursday. And since then we have just been running around and trying to figure everything out. It is really so surreal as I was here doing the same thing, not knowing where anything was and trying to build a teaching pool from nothing EXACTLY a year ago. Its just crazy. Feels really weird sometimes but so good and fun! 

But Sister Steed is great! We get along really well... its finally getting over that inital awkwardness of getting a new companion (happends with all of them and takes about a week to get over! :) ) So just warning you ky! Dont stress if things are weird at the begining!! Just be patient and get to know him and then it is GREAT! But she is from Bountiful, is the oldest of 8 kids - Crazy huh? She went to Olympus for high school and guess what she played there - VOLLEYBALL! How fun is that? She also plays the violin. She went to BYU the year before as well so that will be fun to get to be at school with her after and she also did study abroad in London last year so she has lived here for 3 months already! So yeah she is great. I see a lot of the overwhelming culture shock i went through last year with her though. She has only really broken down 1 time so far - poor girl - I asked her to pray for us and she couldn't finish the prayer and just apologized over and over as she was crying. Its just all overwhelming for her right now and it just brings me back to feeling the exact same way. I totally get it. its just so different here but i know she will come to love it. Im trying to stay posstivie and happy and just help her as much as I can - honestly its taking me back a little bit too and im having to get all adjusted a little bit too. I feel like anytime you move you get those feelings of being a little overwhelmed and the days can be long but it is good. We will figure it out together. And THANK YOU SO MUCH for your quotes and suggestions mom and dad. I needed them. I have been handling it well - Like megan - and not psyco sister gwilliam - but I do feel myself at moments getting a little worried about the area and wanting to find people and then getting overwhelmed with training and a new area plus the sisters and it can get stressful. And then i let satan and crazy sister gwilliam creep in and get worried of what if our friends dont progress or I cant do this or just SILLINESS - so thank you for reminding me that I just have to do my best and the rest will fall into place. As long as I am working hard and talking to people and trying to do things the rest is on the agency of others and I will be successful no matter what. I just feel like president and the lord has put a lot of trust in me to do this - its a lot of responsibility BUT i just need to remember that the lord qualifies me and my success isn't about the numbers but my commitment and effort. AH, sorry just needed to talk that through to remind myself as well. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR EMAILS. helped so much. Oh i just love you. So so much.  

But with this all - is Emily Gwilliam still planning on Study abroad. Tell her SHE HAS TO and then to get assigned to Peckham ward. CAN YOU IMAGINE? Oh I would die and be so happy! IT would be crazy. We could spend a couple months in London together.... kinda. and then would go home around the same time too! oh i would love it! 

But this week is another crazy one! IT is MLC tomorrow - I dont know how it is here again. I have been asked to sing as well. Any suggestions? i was thinking maybe the Saviour redeemer of my soul. I ' done that one yet. But yeah! So lots of meetings me and my cute comp gets to go to. It should be an adventure. 

But i just love you so much. OH so much. Im so grateful for mondays and getting to email you. AND SO SO GRATEFUL that I know no matter what you are there. I can't even tell you - through crazy times and weeks like these I am just so grateful that I have a family that is proud of me and supporting me no matter what. NO MATTER WHAT. I just love our family. so grateful for your support and encouragement. I coudln't do it without you. Honest truth. THANK YOU. I love you so much and miss you loads. But talk to you so soon! :)

Oh and are you going to Scotts wedding this week? AH give him the biggest hug for me! So excited for them. And send lots of pictures! 

I LOVE YOU!

Sister Gwilliam