Training

My companion is so awesome! She is teaching me so much about commitments (I love the MTC that way) and extending very specific ones to the members. We've had to spend most of the week cleaning and organizing and trying to figure out what to DO (weekly planning) but in the few moments we have been able to go out, there have been miracles already.

-Thursday we left the flat, and then turned around to get money and a bag we'd forgotten. When we got to the bus stop, we'd missed the bus, but we had a lovely conversation with a passing girl named Leanne, who told us she would like to believe. Miracles. We got her number and gave her a pass-along card. Sister Paulsen was well excited.

-Lynda texted to say she was coming to church, a first for us. On Saturday, however, she became unwell, so she couldn't come. But I'm still flabbergasted. It's like when the Seahawks went to the Super Bowl and didn't win--I'm still amazed we made it.

-EWAN CAME TO CHURCH OF HIS OWN FREE WILL! We went outside and he was surrounded by Jack and Josh and Simon and Jed and he stayed the rest of the block. He didn't come into class or anything, but he was there. I asked him if he'd ever had a spiritual experience. He said no, but he was at church longer than he'd been in years. Please pray that he gets the answer he needs to choose one road or the other.

-Other less-actives were at church as well, and it was so good to see them.

-A lady from Taiwan approached me after sacrament meeting and said she'd been before, clearly not a member. So we got a new investigator on the spot. :)

-Every tiny moment we've been able to contact walk, we've met the nicest people and we've gotten a lot of phone numbers ^_^

-We stopped by to teach Carla and Bruna. I know that they are the kingdom-builders Heavenly Father needs for the church to prosper, but it will take some time. She's nearly finished reading the Book of Mormon, and she wants to come to church. Bruna is in the road show, so we'll be able to attend!

I'm learning a lot about parenting from this experience. This last moves was really difficult because I wasn't fully involved in all the planning and organizing and teaching as much as I've been in the past, so I'm learning a lot as well. It's also really anti-climactic because we're moving in like a month, so we don't want to change things too much. I'm so pleased we're moving--it's amazing how quickly a big space gets dirty. We'll downsize and move to a little flat in the middle of Winchester with a pink door. Apparently Brother Hamilton has many talents and is decorating the place. I'm not sure what it'll look like, considering the other night he was showing us how to build an insulated wilderness shelter out of sticks and leaves, but if something bad happens, it's nice to know we're closer to them as well :)

I feel like I'm doing a lot more smiley faces than usual. Ah, well. Sister Paulsen is so rad--she's proactive, eager to learn, able to cut to the chase faster than I am, and is really low-impact. I think we're very similar, except she's Danish (which is like the equivalent of coming from Portland or Boston. No one is very conservative in Denmark, I've learned. She is by virtue of being a member of the church, but I think it's best not to talk politics. Something I've noticed is that when I don't have an American companion, America gets bashed by the members and people on the street. Weird.)

Something we're doing with Tunbridge Wells this moves is the 40 day fast, inspired from the scripture from Helaman 3:35, which talks about purifying our hearts. Here are some of the goals:

-Take down all family/world/band photos (we tore down all of Sister. Kernek's “Tangled” wrapping paper)

-Listen only to Tabernacle Choir (no more Lord of the Rings)

-Share spiritual experiences each day

-Pray before every appointment, coming in or going out of the flat, and at 10am and 10pm, in addition to all the other prayers

-Develop Christlike attributes by taking the test in PMG chapter 6 consistently during the 6 weeks and set personal goals to improve

-No talking about home, films, Mitt Romney (sad), music, etc.

-Pray for missionary dreams!

The last goal might sound silly, but all of these goals are meant to help us be better missionaries. Focus. We've already seen miracles because we're no longer fogging up the view with distractions. This is something I would like to continue when I come home, not necessarily with the same rules, but cut out the needless distractions in my life so that I can listen to the spirit more readily. I'll have to go through all my films and music and the things I do each day and "retrench" from the pointless things I do (Angry Birds is Danish!) and try harder to be an instrument in the hands of the Lord. Every day I see people, and every day I have the chance to share the Gospel with them, love them, serve them, and show them that life is worth living because God has very special purposes in mind for us. I hope this 40 day fast doesn't end this moves. I don't think Sister Paulsen will go back to the way things were anyway :)

I hope all is well with everyone and that Elder Willard (!) is loving the MTC ^_^

Love from,

Sister Willard