"Rise and Shine [Sisters]! Hup hup hup! Look! It's porridge, and it's happy to see you!!"
This week has been CRAZY! Our new district leader, Elder Spendlove, has been crazy awesome! Sister McNamara and I were so excited to work with him. He's been out for a year and used to be the Zone Leader in Glasgow, and has been for 6 months. He and our old DL, Elder Hoaldridge, switched places. Our first day with him, he sent us a morning movie quote text from Mulan that pumped us up for the day, and then he just kept in contact with us the whole day, being all inspirational. When he calls us he's just so GENUINE, and he became a dear friend of ours so quickly.
THEN. One Tuesday we got some texts from the APs saying that there would be an emergency moves call because the Republic of Ireland was going to deport all of the missionaries without garda cards (so all of those who had just been moved in from our moves a day or two before). I can imagine the chaos of the mission home and poor President. Sister McNamara and I did NOT want to leave Montrose. Pretty sure I would've been crushed. Finally Tuesday night came and we got the call saying that we were staying. And that we were the only companionship in our district that was untouched. We thought all was well until our ZL told us that DL Spendlove was going back to ZL in Glasgow! We were in all reality devastated, which is really crazy since we had only spoken with him on the phone twice before, and I had never before seen his face. He seemed pretty bummed as well, but he'll be working with our old DL now! Apparently, 50 missionaries throughout the mission had to be moved. Huge upheaval, from Monday at 6 pm through Tuesday at 6 pm we had a mission-wide fast. We're hoping to get it all worked out soon so that we can continue the work as we should.
The work in Montrose has been great, but a little tedious. Before coming on a mission I thought that we would have somewhere around five lessons each day, and though that's pretty much how it is in some of the big cities here, it isn't that way in Montrose. The bulk of each day is just going around and talking with people on the streets and knocking on doors. The members can never think of any referrals either, and it's pretty hard. I'm trying SO HARD to find joy in finding, but it just always stresses me out. Most of the time, people just brush us by, but when we actually find someone who'll talk with us, my anxiety with figuring out what to say soars. I can never seem to get them to a place where they'll actually be really interested in the prospect of meeting with us, and I just feel like my lack of skill is bringing down the work. I know I shouldn't be feeling this way because it isn't true, but it's hard right now to feel confident in my abilities. I know that if I continue to the best I can the Lord will strengthen me! Somehow.
To spice our GQing time up, we bought some chalk and wrote on a sidewalk, "I'm Grateful for..." then had people write things down or draw it. Some silly guy wrote pot... o_o We weren't original and changed it to pottery a little after he left. We also got a mug and put a bunch of paper strips in it saying things that people could do as a random act of kindness, (compliment a stranger, give a hug to someone you love, use a talent to brighten someone's day, etc.) just really simple things, and had them draw it out. I'm pretty sure most people don't listen to us half the time when we start talking, because we would go up to people saying, "Hey! We're challenging people to draw a simple act of service, and do it within the next 24 hours!" and as we're saying this, people begin reaching into their pockets for loose change hahaha. We're like no no!
"Alms, alms for the poor." It just cracks me up whenever I think about it.
Time for a miracle. I mentioned Ryan last week. Since that first lesson on Saturday, we've taught him two more times. He's never been religious, had never even prayed before meeting with us. And he's been PERFECT at keeping his commitments. Prays and reads from the Book of Mormon every. single. day. We invited him to church on Wednesday, and set up to meet with him on Saturday, but he had to cancel with us. I was so worried that he wouldn't make it to church, for a multitude of reasons--for one, he works at a night club 9 pm to 4 am during the weekends, so I feared that he would sleep in, and for another, he would need to catch a bus. In my previous experience with people who would say that they're coming to church, they would ALWAYS sleep in or miss the bus, so I was praying and praying that the adversary would be kept far away from him. And guess what! WE MET HIM AT THE BUS STOP, EXACTLY AS PLANNED. While we were walking to church, I asked him about his prayers and reading, and he said that he's been doing it everyday, and feels so good and peaceful. He told me that since meeting us a week before, his life has changed for the better. He feels so much happier now. After testimony meeting I asked him what he thought, and you know what he said? "I don't know, it was really nice. All I know is, I MADE THE RIGHT DECISION." He is so absolutely incredible, and my heart bursts whenever I think of him and his desire and his faith. He never felt comfortable praying in front of us during our lessons, but in Gospel Principles, we asked who would end with a prayer and he raised his hand! And said the most beautiful prayer I've ever heard in my life. I LOVE WHAT THE GOSPEL AND THE SPIRIT CAN DO FOR PEOPLE.
We're wanting to set him and Sarah up haha. Maybe he can encourage her to get out of her stubborn silly rut. She didn't come to church on Sunday, and Bishop's pretty worried about her. We saw her after dropping Ryan off at his stop, and we're having dinner with her tonight.
Oh! Funny thing! While we were walking to the bus stop to pick up Ryan, we were on High St, and we bumped into a Polish guy named Mat that we had attempted to teach twice before. I think he would just meet up with us just to have fun testing us and making us confused with all of his weird, broken analogies. We keep on randomly seeing him, so I asked him if he was coming to church with us. He shrugged, said why not, and started following us. He stayed the whole three meetings! I don't know how much he got out of it, and left for a few minutes between meetings to try and find someone with a lighter haha. Who knows though, something could eventually happen with him!
Okay, I'll end it! But first I want to encourage all of you to really think about your spiritual gifts! We all have them, and have been promised so many. And by realising what we have we can use them to help ourselves and others! During one of his last calls, Elder Spendlove told us both one gift that he felt we had (by receiving inspiration from God while praying). He expressed to me that he strongly felt that one of mine was in seeking for righteousness. Right now I don't really feel that way, but I'm working on it, and I can already see it helping me, and others. By understanding what we have, it can make life so much more fulfilling, really KNOWING that we CAN contribute in the Lord's Work!
I love you all! And hope all is well! Thank you for all your love and support!
Love,
Sister Syphus
P-day with Sister Maxton and Sister Buchan!
THEN. One Tuesday we got some texts from the APs saying that there would be an emergency moves call because the Republic of Ireland was going to deport all of the missionaries without garda cards (so all of those who had just been moved in from our moves a day or two before). I can imagine the chaos of the mission home and poor President. Sister McNamara and I did NOT want to leave Montrose. Pretty sure I would've been crushed. Finally Tuesday night came and we got the call saying that we were staying. And that we were the only companionship in our district that was untouched. We thought all was well until our ZL told us that DL Spendlove was going back to ZL in Glasgow! We were in all reality devastated, which is really crazy since we had only spoken with him on the phone twice before, and I had never before seen his face. He seemed pretty bummed as well, but he'll be working with our old DL now! Apparently, 50 missionaries throughout the mission had to be moved. Huge upheaval, from Monday at 6 pm through Tuesday at 6 pm we had a mission-wide fast. We're hoping to get it all worked out soon so that we can continue the work as we should.
The work in Montrose has been great, but a little tedious. Before coming on a mission I thought that we would have somewhere around five lessons each day, and though that's pretty much how it is in some of the big cities here, it isn't that way in Montrose. The bulk of each day is just going around and talking with people on the streets and knocking on doors. The members can never think of any referrals either, and it's pretty hard. I'm trying SO HARD to find joy in finding, but it just always stresses me out. Most of the time, people just brush us by, but when we actually find someone who'll talk with us, my anxiety with figuring out what to say soars. I can never seem to get them to a place where they'll actually be really interested in the prospect of meeting with us, and I just feel like my lack of skill is bringing down the work. I know I shouldn't be feeling this way because it isn't true, but it's hard right now to feel confident in my abilities. I know that if I continue to the best I can the Lord will strengthen me! Somehow.
To spice our GQing time up, we bought some chalk and wrote on a sidewalk, "I'm Grateful for..." then had people write things down or draw it. Some silly guy wrote pot... o_o We weren't original and changed it to pottery a little after he left. We also got a mug and put a bunch of paper strips in it saying things that people could do as a random act of kindness, (compliment a stranger, give a hug to someone you love, use a talent to brighten someone's day, etc.) just really simple things, and had them draw it out. I'm pretty sure most people don't listen to us half the time when we start talking, because we would go up to people saying, "Hey! We're challenging people to draw a simple act of service, and do it within the next 24 hours!" and as we're saying this, people begin reaching into their pockets for loose change hahaha. We're like no no!
"Alms, alms for the poor." It just cracks me up whenever I think about it.
Time for a miracle. I mentioned Ryan last week. Since that first lesson on Saturday, we've taught him two more times. He's never been religious, had never even prayed before meeting with us. And he's been PERFECT at keeping his commitments. Prays and reads from the Book of Mormon every. single. day. We invited him to church on Wednesday, and set up to meet with him on Saturday, but he had to cancel with us. I was so worried that he wouldn't make it to church, for a multitude of reasons--for one, he works at a night club 9 pm to 4 am during the weekends, so I feared that he would sleep in, and for another, he would need to catch a bus. In my previous experience with people who would say that they're coming to church, they would ALWAYS sleep in or miss the bus, so I was praying and praying that the adversary would be kept far away from him. And guess what! WE MET HIM AT THE BUS STOP, EXACTLY AS PLANNED. While we were walking to church, I asked him about his prayers and reading, and he said that he's been doing it everyday, and feels so good and peaceful. He told me that since meeting us a week before, his life has changed for the better. He feels so much happier now. After testimony meeting I asked him what he thought, and you know what he said? "I don't know, it was really nice. All I know is, I MADE THE RIGHT DECISION." He is so absolutely incredible, and my heart bursts whenever I think of him and his desire and his faith. He never felt comfortable praying in front of us during our lessons, but in Gospel Principles, we asked who would end with a prayer and he raised his hand! And said the most beautiful prayer I've ever heard in my life. I LOVE WHAT THE GOSPEL AND THE SPIRIT CAN DO FOR PEOPLE.
We're wanting to set him and Sarah up haha. Maybe he can encourage her to get out of her stubborn silly rut. She didn't come to church on Sunday, and Bishop's pretty worried about her. We saw her after dropping Ryan off at his stop, and we're having dinner with her tonight.
Oh! Funny thing! While we were walking to the bus stop to pick up Ryan, we were on High St, and we bumped into a Polish guy named Mat that we had attempted to teach twice before. I think he would just meet up with us just to have fun testing us and making us confused with all of his weird, broken analogies. We keep on randomly seeing him, so I asked him if he was coming to church with us. He shrugged, said why not, and started following us. He stayed the whole three meetings! I don't know how much he got out of it, and left for a few minutes between meetings to try and find someone with a lighter haha. Who knows though, something could eventually happen with him!
Okay, I'll end it! But first I want to encourage all of you to really think about your spiritual gifts! We all have them, and have been promised so many. And by realising what we have we can use them to help ourselves and others! During one of his last calls, Elder Spendlove told us both one gift that he felt we had (by receiving inspiration from God while praying). He expressed to me that he strongly felt that one of mine was in seeking for righteousness. Right now I don't really feel that way, but I'm working on it, and I can already see it helping me, and others. By understanding what we have, it can make life so much more fulfilling, really KNOWING that we CAN contribute in the Lord's Work!
I love you all! And hope all is well! Thank you for all your love and support!
Love,
Sister Syphus
P-day with Sister Maxton and Sister Buchan!
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