Serving the Lord in England : "General Conference is the Best"

General Conference Selfie at Joannes

Hi!

So this week was good. The end. I'm kind of frustrated cause I typed my whole email on the train today, then my iPad decided to delete it so I have to retype the whole thing, so sorry if it isn't as specific...I just don't have the patience to type what I did before haha.

So Wednesday was a day full of finding...at least as far as I can remember. Earlier this week it seems like the only recollection I have from Monday-Thursday afternoon is knocking doors and being rejected as well as a few anti Mormon people tossed into the mixture. We received a lot of opposition this week from people, but you know what? That just witnesses to me that this truly is heavenly fathers work, why else would we receive opposition like we do? When people tell me I'm stupid, following the devil, and wasting my time, I just kind of laugh on the inside cause I know I'm not and I'm grateful for the knowledge:)

Thursday was the dreaded day...my departing interview (that didn't really feel like a departing interview)...I remember the day Sister Hickman had her departing interview and I felt like mine was years away, well it has snuck up on me and I don't really know how. We had interviews at Presidents house, and Sister Gubler made us yummy homemade cinnamon bread, so that was nice. Then President took me, Sister Moyes, and one of the elders going home with us and talked to us about making goals and plans for back home. There is this great program called My Plan that gives you an outline of exactly what you need to plan for and it is helping me a lot. It is weird being at the end of my mission, cause all of a sudden it is okay to take time to think about home and what you will do there...and it's okay to talk about it too. It is just weird. But I'm grateful for the guidance and counsel President gave us as we start to plan for our futures. I definitely have a lot to think about and will need your help to do everything I have planned to do. It goes into 7 specific areas we need to plan for: spiritual, physical, social, education and work life, digital, family, and missionary. Lots to consider. But doing all these things and having a set plan will enable me to be sure I have the spirit with me as I make important life decisions.

I got my death letter this week, basically telling me my mission is over:(

Friday we had Specialized Zone Training which was really good. President, Sister Gubler, and the AP's all spoke to us. Sister Gubler spoke to us about how decisions determine destiny and the importance of always doing what's right, even if it's not popular. She talked about the things that as missionaries distract us. She compared the story of Lehonti and Nehemiah. Two great men who were asked to come down off their mountain/wall. Lehonti did, and as a result he was poisoned and killed. Where as Nehemiah's response was "I'm doing a great work and cannot come down". I loved this comparison especially looking at the world today. Us as church members are raised above the world (in a non prideful way). We are living commandments and standards the rest of the world isn't, but it is so important that we never slacken off or let go of those things because the world is beckoning us to come down. Stay firm where you are and be not moved. A very big lesson I have learned on my mission when it comes to obedience.

Saturday we weekly planned...did some service for an investigator...then drove to the temple to watch general conference. It was really neat to watch conference on the temple grounds, I really felt the spirit as we did so. I loved all of conference so much! The big message I got from it for my life is that we all have to make a conscious choice to draw closer to Christ. We have been given the tools necessary to draw closer to him and feel his power in our life, but we have to use our agency to act and draw closer to him. I loved President Monsons talk especially and I am so grateful we have a modern day prophet on the earth today.

Sunday was spent watching conference again :) it is weird being in England with the time difference, but we work it out. We watched one session with Joanne at her house, then went over to the Sorbers to watch the Sunday morning session and have dinner. It was great fun.

I just looked and saw that Elder Johnson and Elder Kearon spoke in the Saturday afternoon session. Elder Johnson is who we just had a mission tour with, and Elder Kearon I have met before on my mission! It's cool knowing people :)

Today we went to a place called Polesden Lacey with the Sorbers. It is an old house that is really pretty, I'll send pics. We are trying to make the most out of the last p-days we have so we are asking everyone we know what we can do in the area!