Oh SO BLESSED.

I have been DYING to email you updates from this last week. SO much happened and we have been SO BLESSED! Honestly the best week of my mission so far I would say. Oh my goodness... things are going so well. Im just honestly overwhelmed with how wonderful things are, how our friends are doing, the ward, being in London, Sister Steed, OUR FAMILY, just everything. Ive just been really overwhelmed with how blessed I am this week. Heavenly Father is just so kind. 

BUT OH MY! Before I get into all of it as well I just CANT BELIEVE how amazing ky is. He honestly loves his mission. Mom you were saying it in your email but I just read his emails and am amazed. I was so so worried. Honestly fasted and prayed that he would be okay - I just REALLY struggled when I first came out and that was after living away from home for a year. Just knowing ky I was so worried as well but FLIPPIN HECK he is the best! He loves it. It has been the BIGGEST blessing to me. I just read his emails and am just even more motivated to go out and work hard and have a great attitude like he does. Its incredible. HUGE tender mercy.  And he is looking THIN! Its crazy. Its so funny. ANy email I have, all he talks about is when we come home he wants to eat, or for his birthday all he is doing is eating a huge cake, or how hungry he is. Poor kid. He looks great though and is so happy! It is just the biggest blessing! 

But turning 21 in London was the BEST! Last preparation day sister steed and I went down to the water and just had a blast. It is so fun to be here in London. Honestly the biggest blessing to be somewhere so cool. We went down to the Tate Modern Art museum -  it was so funny. We just laughed. I dont understand modern art. Then we went over to Shakespears Globe and walked around there. Super cool. You will love it when we come! and then we headed over to Zizi's - it was yummy!:) And just fun to get to splurg a little bit. I really love sister steed. So grateful that she loves doing fun things but is super focused as well. Its been the biggest blessing to get to be her companion. BUT i have pictures of our fun day. I will send them over! I tried to reenact some of the pictures from when I turned 20 last year HERE IN PECKHAM as well. It is CRAZY! I didn't feel like i had changed very much but I feel like I looked like a baby last year now... You'll have to see them! But it was pretty funny - you will have to let me know what you think! But then on my actual Birthday it was the BEST SUPRISE EVER to get the basket of fruit! OH I LOVED IT!! Made me so so happy! Sister Steed laughed when she saw it. She said that you all knew me so well. Poor sister steed LOVES chocolate. Loves it. And poor thing is always stuck with me who loves fruit. BUT OH it was the best ever! We can't afford a lot of the fancy fruit (fancy fruit being anything other than apples and bananas!:) ) so it has been the best ever eating all of the fun things in the basket. Its hasn't even been a week and it is almost all gone. It has been the best! But cute suman threw me a little suprise party as well. We went to go teach him and then he showed up with cake and a present (a portable speaker for the ipad - So helpful!) and then we had a little party at sister rays! It was so great. We were on exchange as well so we had a blast getting to have alittle party that night with the spanish sisters. Overall it was the best day! I just thought over and over how lucky I was to be here! And how old it is to officially be 21... isn't that weird. I just think its super old. But thank you again for the gift and the emails and just all of it! 

BUT along with those blessings this last week was probably the BEST week of my entire mission. It was SO GOOD. So good because Heavenly Father has been so kind. Zasha and Ricardo and Isha are ALL on date and are so solid. I have never taught someone who just understands it so much and just loves it. And i know it is ONLY through the holy ghost. So much of the time I just walk out of lessons so thankful that I am not the one teaching but that He is - they are just so great. THey came to church again and loved it, we see them everyday, they just love it. Im so sad we did't get a picture this week. WE WILL DO IT so I can show you them. OH i just love them so much. So much that its so wonderful but I am also so terrified everyday - being with them has motivated me to step up my game even more. I NEED to be dilligent all the time and obedient so I am worthy of the spirit so I can be worthy to have him in the lessons so he can keep helping them. Oh they are just so good. Its so so fun getting to have them as a huge miracle everday. BUT ready for this - one of, if not the best moment of my mission so far - On sunday Zasha and her kids, AND SAM (a LA) and her son Harry (12 year old we are teaching and preparing for baptism) AND our other friend Norman were all at church. It was Psychotic. we were running around like crazy trying to make sure everyone was taken care of and happy and yeah. it was crazy. This last week at church during sunday school and relief society the stake decided to braodcast the womans conference so all of the woman stayed together in the chapel to watch it. We had zasha there who didn't really understand what was going on so we quickly explained the idea of general conference and this meeting. She sat there and just loved it. I was listening to Elder Utchdorfs and just LOVED it. One of those "I love my mission" hit me moments where I just realise how wonderful and how much of a privilege it is to be here. The braodcast ended a little early so they just opened it up for testimonies. I was just sitting and thinking to myself when zasha said that her heart was pounding and she wanted to go up - but she wanted us to go with her - we told her we would love that! She got up the nerves and walked to the front and had us just stand by her. She then started telling the whole experience with us. She said how all growing up she had gone to churches but never really felt at peace and then one day she was walking home with her kids and sister steed and I came up. She said normally when people come up to her about church she just pushes them away saying she already believes in God and has a church but something was different when we talked to her - she felt something - and even though she was busy she decided to give us her address so we could come back. She said that when we came back and told her about the church she has just been so happy. She said it has helped her to find peace and she knows that it is true. Apparently there are a lot of hard things going in her life right now and the week before she was struggling and not knowing what to do - She was talking to ricardo about it (the 12 year old) and apparently ricardo said "Mom, dont you remember the story the sisters told us. Joseph smith didn't know what to do either but he went and prayed about it and god answered his prayer. You should do that too." She said that as soon as she said that she just got this overwhelming sense of peace and happiness. SHe said how it was so weird becuase she was so sad before and overwhelmed and then instantly she was so happy. She went on to say how she just knew that this church was right and that the book of mormon was true. And while she is saying this sister steed and I are standing right there with her. I honestly was one of those fight back the tears, jaw wide open not believeing what she is saying, and just oh the spirit was so strong. I just could have cried. Heavenly Father is just SO KIND. I just have been so humbled. NONE of this is me or sister steed. It is all becuase of him. I feel so unworthly honestly of these blessings - he blessed me so much more than i deserve but OH i am just so grateful. So yeah. They just get it. She udnerstands authority, ricardo loves it, isha is the cutest little almost 8 year old, and then her 2 little kids love us as well! I just can't believe it. I can't wait for you to meet them! Ricardo LOVES basketball too! I have showed him all of the pictures of kys games that you sent over. He loves it. I told him ky will have to come play him when we come back! :) 

BUT YES! So things are going so well! We had 5 friends at church. we have 4 friends who are progressing towards baptism (zasha and her kids and our other friend freddie) and the highest member presents Ive ever had - the ward is just so willing to help us - MIRACLES ARE JUST EVERYWHERE! Its just a party over here in Peckham. Im so grateful to be here. Time seems to be going quick too - its just all crazy crazy but so wonderful. 

And that is so fun about the Englands, right! I will see Sister England next tuesday for MLC again and tell her how excited we are! I CAN"T WAIT! I think it will be the best! And yeah, if you can find tickets thats amazing! i have actually heard they save some for people coming from out of the country so it might be easier for them to get them... But you should look and if you can find them WE should go! I dont think I have ever been to the conference center and seen one of the main 4 sessions. I would LOVE that! And OH MY GOODNESS! LIke ky I am literally GIDDY about conference this weekend! OH i CAN NOT WAIT! Last conference on the mission and I am just going to SOAK IT ALL UP!! Can't wait to hear your insights on things!!! OH i just love general conference. AND sorry i will go all missionary on you! BUT i have noticed on my mission how much I have gotten out of conference. Part of it is that I am a missionary so I think just having that makes me a little more sensitive to the spirit BUT ALSO i go to a chapel where I have to be in church clothes and sitting up and taking notes... and it has been AMAZING experiences every time. SO cutest family that I love so much! I JUST WANT YOU to have that as well! So I would really encourage you all to take all you can out of conference. Sitting down and watching all of the sessions - not just listening if you can - being prepared with questions (like how on earth will I cope another 3 months with meg gone?;) ) - and then taking notes to listen. I also think being dressed in church clothes on the sunday just helps us to be focused and less likely to fall asleep.... :) SO avoid those blankets and laying down and just LOVE listening to a LIVING PROPHET today! its amazing. God will be speaking to us! I just can't wait to hear what he has to say and then act on it. So yes, be prepared iwth questions, take notes, and be dressed as if the lord was there himself. I know if we do that we will gain SO MUCH from it and you will be able to get even more revelation and help with things in the future! 

Love the sciprutre of the week as well. And i love Jack and Kathy. I feel like they are both great examples of faith- they just know it will be okay. So grateful for such great examples in our friends and neighbours. OH goodness... I know I keep saying it but we really are just so blessed! 

I JUST LOVE YOU BOTH SO MUCH! MOstly with all of these blessings I am just SO BLESSED to have the worlds greatest parents and the worlds best family. I just love you all so much. SO MUCH! THank you for being so wonderful and my best friends. I can't thank my Heavenly Father enough and saviour for making it possible to be with you all eternally! 

I LOVE YOU! 

Talk to you soon!:) 

Love,

Sister Gwilliam