Gerritt "dub-yuh" Gawng
Hello hello!
How is everyone? I'm still in complete paradise. It's been a beautiful week. After my last email, a group of us went into Chorley and browsed a bunch of shops, and let me just say, English chocolate is yum yum. Pretty sure I've already said it, but you know. YUM. I bought quite a bit, but they were gone within a couple of days, so today we went again and stocked up again haha. TWO times already, a sister would be ready to buy a shirt, but wouldn't have any pounds on her, so I, like the good friend that I am, would jump in and pay for it. I AM SO PREPARED, THANKS MOM. They eventually paid me back in Euros, so it's all good.
Anyway, we had a huge Fourth of July celebration, and we're in ENGLAND. My companion told me that a friend of hers is in the Provo MTC, and they didn't do anything at all, so I would say that our cooks and Pres. are the absolute best ever! They put decorations up all over the cafeteria and a big American flag outside, and we had an English version of a barbecue. Very fancy buns and potato salad, but still good. Then they made us an American Flag cake and had all the Americans stand by the flag and sing our national anthem. Poor Brits haha. President also gave us most of the afternoon off, so that was really sweet. In the evening we watched a devotional talk with David A Bednar talking about conversion to the Lord. How testimonies won't keep us from falling away from the church, but true conversion will. He defined testimonies as what we know to be true by witness of the Spirit, and conversion as consistently being true to what we know. It was a beautiful talk, and there were many wonderful thoughts given afterward. Another thing he talked about was Christ's character. His definition of character is moral attributes strongly developed, strikingly displayed, and consistently lived. I was thinking of Christ, and how he goes above and beyond this. He possesses every godly, beautiful, divine attribute, and they have always been perfectly developed, perfectly displayed, and perfectly lived. It amazes me how He loves all of us imperfect beings so much when he is so completely perfect. I love Him, and I'm trying to deepen my conversion and become closer to Him and my Heavenly Father every day.
On Friday we were able to visit the historical church site where Heber C. Kimball and some other brethren came as the first missionaries outside of America. We visited the town square where they preached and saw the "Truth Will Prevail" banner. Apparently when Gordon B Hinckley began his mission in the British Isles he also preached in the town square. We were able to see the outside of the first place he lived. Pretty cool! We also visited the outside of the abandoned building where Heber C Kimball stayed and had the horrible/incredible vision of the evil spirits rushing toward him the morning of the first baptisms to take place. Then we went to the River Ribble where the baptisms were and then to the beautiful village of Downham, where a miracle occurred and 25-30 of the "hard" people that lived there. Gorgeous little place.
So, for sacrament meeting here, President Bunker assigns a topic for the next week, and we all prepare a five minute talk, and then he picks sixish people to speak the morning of! So, this last Sunday we had the topic of Temples and Family History. Well, Sister Bunker gave me a copy of the program minus the speakers a couple days before because I was to conduct the music, and I saw that High On the Mountain Top was the first one! And since my 4th great grandfather Joel Hills Johnson wrote it, I thought it would be so perfect if I was called on! SO. Sunday morning Elder Gantner my district leader messaged me to tell me to prepare to speak! I got so excited and I used some of my ancestors stories that my mom printed off for me, and I spoke and cried and everything and it was the best! Everyone else's were really good too I think. Most were in German and one was Greek, but the spirit was strong.
That night we watched the new mission President devotional that had taken place at the Provo MTV the week before. The MTV Pres that spoke had a really fun southern accent and pronounced all the names of the members of the quorum of the twelve hilariously. Sis Hammond started laughing really hard, especially when he came to Gerritt W Gong, and so I of course could help but shake and bury my face in her lap. We've been laughing about it and speaking in a hyped up southern accent since. Though not to mock him at all! It's just joyful. We're so comfortable with each other! She's already one of my closest friends. I've been so so blessed. Anyway, Quentin L Cook spoke and it was a beautiful talk. I won't go into any detail because this email is already a novel, but so so good.
Last thing! We went finding in Piccadilly Gardens again yesterday and Sis Hammond and I were so nervous AGAIN. I thought we would be over our scaredyness but nope. Finally, I approached a woman in her twenties and we were just chatting and she was AMAZING! She was Catholic and so sweet and seemed to be really interested, and we have her a Book of Mormon and got her contact info! It was one of the best experiences.
I'm sorry this turned out so long! I just have so many things to talk about, and I'm one who can't paraphrase well. I'm doing so well and I'm so happy and I love my Savior and this Gospel! Love you all!
Love, Sister Syphus
PS Thanks for faithfully emailing me! I love you! And I told Elder Deal through email about the Leonard's, that's so cool! And it's crazy hot here! It's almost as bad a St. George. We just walked to Chorley and back and visited a bunch of shops. On our way back there were two guys on a bicycle and I said hi, and one of them said to me, "Hey beautiful!" So now the sisters are teasing me haha. I've been giving some thoughts talking about Gods love and how it helps me because of all my insecurities, and they've all been telling me that I don't need to be insecure because I'm so beautiful. They are so so sweet. Sister Carabott, a sister in my district from Cornwall England, even went as far as saying that she was jealous of my beauty and thinness haha. I LOVE THEM! I am so blessed and very taken care of(:
How is everyone? I'm still in complete paradise. It's been a beautiful week. After my last email, a group of us went into Chorley and browsed a bunch of shops, and let me just say, English chocolate is yum yum. Pretty sure I've already said it, but you know. YUM. I bought quite a bit, but they were gone within a couple of days, so today we went again and stocked up again haha. TWO times already, a sister would be ready to buy a shirt, but wouldn't have any pounds on her, so I, like the good friend that I am, would jump in and pay for it. I AM SO PREPARED, THANKS MOM. They eventually paid me back in Euros, so it's all good.
Anyway, we had a huge Fourth of July celebration, and we're in ENGLAND. My companion told me that a friend of hers is in the Provo MTC, and they didn't do anything at all, so I would say that our cooks and Pres. are the absolute best ever! They put decorations up all over the cafeteria and a big American flag outside, and we had an English version of a barbecue. Very fancy buns and potato salad, but still good. Then they made us an American Flag cake and had all the Americans stand by the flag and sing our national anthem. Poor Brits haha. President also gave us most of the afternoon off, so that was really sweet. In the evening we watched a devotional talk with David A Bednar talking about conversion to the Lord. How testimonies won't keep us from falling away from the church, but true conversion will. He defined testimonies as what we know to be true by witness of the Spirit, and conversion as consistently being true to what we know. It was a beautiful talk, and there were many wonderful thoughts given afterward. Another thing he talked about was Christ's character. His definition of character is moral attributes strongly developed, strikingly displayed, and consistently lived. I was thinking of Christ, and how he goes above and beyond this. He possesses every godly, beautiful, divine attribute, and they have always been perfectly developed, perfectly displayed, and perfectly lived. It amazes me how He loves all of us imperfect beings so much when he is so completely perfect. I love Him, and I'm trying to deepen my conversion and become closer to Him and my Heavenly Father every day.
On Friday we were able to visit the historical church site where Heber C. Kimball and some other brethren came as the first missionaries outside of America. We visited the town square where they preached and saw the "Truth Will Prevail" banner. Apparently when Gordon B Hinckley began his mission in the British Isles he also preached in the town square. We were able to see the outside of the first place he lived. Pretty cool! We also visited the outside of the abandoned building where Heber C Kimball stayed and had the horrible/incredible vision of the evil spirits rushing toward him the morning of the first baptisms to take place. Then we went to the River Ribble where the baptisms were and then to the beautiful village of Downham, where a miracle occurred and 25-30 of the "hard" people that lived there. Gorgeous little place.
So, for sacrament meeting here, President Bunker assigns a topic for the next week, and we all prepare a five minute talk, and then he picks sixish people to speak the morning of! So, this last Sunday we had the topic of Temples and Family History. Well, Sister Bunker gave me a copy of the program minus the speakers a couple days before because I was to conduct the music, and I saw that High On the Mountain Top was the first one! And since my 4th great grandfather Joel Hills Johnson wrote it, I thought it would be so perfect if I was called on! SO. Sunday morning Elder Gantner my district leader messaged me to tell me to prepare to speak! I got so excited and I used some of my ancestors stories that my mom printed off for me, and I spoke and cried and everything and it was the best! Everyone else's were really good too I think. Most were in German and one was Greek, but the spirit was strong.
That night we watched the new mission President devotional that had taken place at the Provo MTV the week before. The MTV Pres that spoke had a really fun southern accent and pronounced all the names of the members of the quorum of the twelve hilariously. Sis Hammond started laughing really hard, especially when he came to Gerritt W Gong, and so I of course could help but shake and bury my face in her lap. We've been laughing about it and speaking in a hyped up southern accent since. Though not to mock him at all! It's just joyful. We're so comfortable with each other! She's already one of my closest friends. I've been so so blessed. Anyway, Quentin L Cook spoke and it was a beautiful talk. I won't go into any detail because this email is already a novel, but so so good.
Last thing! We went finding in Piccadilly Gardens again yesterday and Sis Hammond and I were so nervous AGAIN. I thought we would be over our scaredyness but nope. Finally, I approached a woman in her twenties and we were just chatting and she was AMAZING! She was Catholic and so sweet and seemed to be really interested, and we have her a Book of Mormon and got her contact info! It was one of the best experiences.
I'm sorry this turned out so long! I just have so many things to talk about, and I'm one who can't paraphrase well. I'm doing so well and I'm so happy and I love my Savior and this Gospel! Love you all!
Love, Sister Syphus
PS Thanks for faithfully emailing me! I love you! And I told Elder Deal through email about the Leonard's, that's so cool! And it's crazy hot here! It's almost as bad a St. George. We just walked to Chorley and back and visited a bunch of shops. On our way back there were two guys on a bicycle and I said hi, and one of them said to me, "Hey beautiful!" So now the sisters are teasing me haha. I've been giving some thoughts talking about Gods love and how it helps me because of all my insecurities, and they've all been telling me that I don't need to be insecure because I'm so beautiful. They are so so sweet. Sister Carabott, a sister in my district from Cornwall England, even went as far as saying that she was jealous of my beauty and thinness haha. I LOVE THEM! I am so blessed and very taken care of(:
The WHOLE MTC I love them all!
Our Gorgeous MTC
Elder Forsyth from St. George! Apparently he knows Karson and Joy!
Note from mom: I opened up Facebook on July 4th and found a bunch of pictures on the Scotland/Ireland mission page showing the amazing 4th of July celebration at the
Preston England MTC.
It warmed my heart to not only see pictures of Kendyl, but to also see how special these people are who made it more of a celebration in England than we even had back home in America.
It warmed my heart to not only see pictures of Kendyl, but to also see how special these people are who made it more of a celebration in England than we even had back home in America.
How blessed she is to be there!
It was decorated...
America's favorite food was served :)
MTC cooks from Italy and Ireland. What great men!
She is going to hate to leave this place!!
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