They have a lot of holidays with bonfires and getting drunk but we as missionaries just pretty much have Mother's Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
Let me tell you about Tracy. We were walking down union street and see this woman with a bunch of bags and we offered her some help. When she looked at us it was like she was looking at a pillar of light. She was so happy and thankful. She told us that she had just gotten out of a coma and was scared of all the cars and the light and she was just having a panic attack. We walked with her to a Sainsury's (like a 7 Eleven) and we helped her get some things and pick some food because she had just forgotten what she used to eat for dinner. After that we helped take all of her bags to her flat all the way across town. We went and could see the inside of her flat and it was a huge mess, you couldn't even see the floor. She explained how she needed help because she wanted to get it nice for Christmas and we were more then happy to help. So the next day we went and we called Brother and Sister Brewster to help and we did some work on that house. We must have had like 10 people from the ward helping and it took all day but we finished. The next day we took her to church and when we were in sacrament, she didn't really know all of what to do because she hasn't really been to a church before and she said, "This might sound crazy but I feel something pulling me or grabbing me." and we just said, "That is the spirit." At the end of the day she said "Sister Brewster said I could be a member of the church." and she said to us, without us even bringing it up, "Oh man, I would like to be baptized." I know that what I am doing is for a reason and I know that Heavenly Father answers prayers.
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| Cleaning Tracy's flat |
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| I know it's a little early, but Happy Birthday Dad! Here's a cool cake More info from handwritten letter from Oct 14-20. Received on October 28, 2013 |
Dear Family Aberdeen
Oct 14, 2013
I love p-days. I have to have them. The Condies picked us up and we went to Costco because I need to get vitamins for the cold season and some food. We couldn't really afford much because Elder Howie likes to eat really healthy and it adds up. I like to eat healthy but I'd rather not be starving all the time. We then went to the Condies to email because it was on the way and it was nice to not be rushed like we are when we are in a public library. It was just a good day to sit back and relax. At night we got an address for a woman out in the middle of nowhere. We must have walked a half mile into a barely lit path and we finally went to the only lit house in the field and we find out it's a camp for special needs kids. So, that was awkward.
Oct 15, 2013
I have never been this tired in my life. I almost fell asleep standing. But it was still good. During district lunch, a lady called on the church phone so I picked it up and she couldn't make it to an appointment she had with someone there and she forgot what he looked like. The appointment was to have a prayer with her and she asked if I could pray with her. I thought she meant make an appointment but she just started praying on the phone so I joined right on in. Then later that day Elder Alyson pulled me to the side and asked if I could give him a comforting blessing. He said, "This is so weird asking this but will you give me a blessing?" So he just wanted me because he felt close enough to ask me and I was more than happy to. It was just me and him in a room because he didn't want anyone else in the zone to see he needed comfort. I felt the spirit talk to me so strong when I laid my hands on his head. Then he gave me a big hug. I love Elder Alyson, he's a good man.
Oct 16, 2013
It's a good thing numbers don't make me a little nervous (sarcasm). We have been going through the ward directory and finding all the people that are less active and seeing if we can update all the info for all of them. Let's just say there are like 500 people in the directory and 110 active so we have our work cut out for us. We also taught English to a woman that works in a hair dresser that Lewis's Aunt owns. Lewis is a recent convert that is 18 and is amazing and is planning on going on a mission and he stays with his Aunt since his Mom died and he pretty much already is a missionary even though he's only been a member over a year. My legs are just forever tired from never getting rest but I have the rest of time to ease my feet.
Oct 17, 2013
Today was the fastest long day ever. We called a ton of people. We called people in the directory again and I've never had so many sweet old ladies angrily telling us to never call them again. It was a tough day seeing so many people of the Church turn their back and become less active. At the end of the night we talked to an Asian man that was very interested named Naresh. I'm sorry if my handwriting is so bad because I'm so tired but we didn't really do that much today but tomorrow will be better. The YSA want me to make pizza for them. So we'll see how that's going to go. We just called Gordon Adams today and he said he's "In space" and that hes talking to an Indian trying to go to India and then he asked what planet we were from, then something about marriage and stuff like that...
Oct 18, 2013
Today was awesome. We started with teaching English then we did service at the Goldies and cut through feet and feet of bushes. Then we taught Franco, the Italian man and it was really good. We showed the Restoration video and they loved it. His wife fed us tons of food and then we were walking down Union Street (the main street) and we see a woman with tons of bags and ask her if she needs help and she looked up at us like it was a pillar of light. She was so thankful. We found out she had just come out of the hospital after being in a coma. She was a little scared of the lights in the city and she explained how it's hard to get used to things again. I felt so bad for her and felt o much love from her. We took her bags with her all the way across town to her flat and she explained how a man broke into her car and beat her into a coma. When we got to her flat the walls were torn up and she needed help painting so we said we would help. She was so thankful and wants to really come to Church. We asked her if we could pray with her before we went and we asked if we could pray for anyone and she said her daughter After the prayer she lifted her head with tears in her eyes. This is why I'm on a mission. I'm also so thankful for all the years Dad has taught me hard work and to work with my hands because you can tell when missionaries know how to work.
Oct 19, 2013
I will remember today for the rest of my life. We went to Tracy's, the woman we met last night to do service. We started off with needing another male so we called everyone on the phone we could but we got Br. Brewster and his wife (Relief Society President) and she brought cleaning supplies and we got tons of people from the ward to help. Her house was such a mess you couldn';t see the floor. We got there at 11;00 and finished at 6:00. We were thinking we didn't have enough time but all of our other lessons canceled so I guess Heavenly Father wanted us to help longer. At the end she was in tears and so thankful and she calls Elder Howie her brother she calls me her big brother. She is coming to Church tomorrow and I know she will do what is right.
Oct 20, 2013
Today was a good Sunday. We had Tracy at Church and Lewis (The Lewis that we met at the bus stop) and unfortunately we had to pass him off but that's just what we need to do. Then we met with George Grant, a less active that didn't fully understand the commandments and left the Church for it.
Love the birthday picture for Dad!
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