Happy Thanksgiving...oh wait they don't celebrate that here!

         I'm alive. Don't worry. Transfer week I will always email on Tuesday now just as a heads up.  But transfers are today and Sister Toomata is being transferred :( she is going out west to St. Austell to train. She will do so good but I'm really sad she is leaving. This last week we finally figured everything out and started to really work well together and get along. I will miss her. We both learned a lot this transfer, and despite the struggles we went through we both know that it went how the Lord needed it to go. We are both satisfied with the transfer we had and know the Lord is as well. The biggest lesson I learned this transfer can be summed up from the song If the Saviour Stood Beside Me. This whole transfer we have had our struggles, but time and time again we found ourselves singing this song, especially when it came to leadership. I love the last verse, it says: He is always near me, though I do not see Him there, and because He loves me dearly I am in His watchful care. So I'll be the kind of person that I know I'd like to be if I could see the Saviour standing nigh, watching over me. 

         I love this song so much, and I realised this past week that I am the only person who has control over who I am and my actions. If I want to be a good person, than I can be a good person, no one has influence over me and my attitude so I need to always think of what the Saviour would say if he were standing right beside me. I will forever be grateful for Sister Toomata and all she has taught me. I know the Lord has a plan for me and I was supposed to be companions with her for so many reasons! She is the best. 

         So my new companion is Sister Rosenkilde from Denmark! She is actually in the Crawley Zone so I have been on exchange with her twice now. Funny story. So she was serving in a place called Haywards Heath, and we had planned to exchange with them Friday-Saturday last week. Well, Wednesday night we were on the phone with the zone leaders and they asked us who was going with who on exchange, and I was supposed to go with sister Roses companion, but they strongly encouraged us to pray about it again (because they knew what was happening at transfers). So we prayed and prayed about it and the only thing that felt right was for me to go to Haywards Heath with Sister Rose. So we changed our plans. President called Friday afternoon for moves and told me sister Rose would be my new companion, then two hours later we were on exchange. So it was fun! She is really similar to me and has the same work ethic to me so I am looking forward to this transfer!  

Sister Toomata and I

 We will stay Sister Training Leaders, which I am grateful for. There is so much I still need to learn about being a leader, I don't feel adequate at all and I don't know what we are going to do this transfer...but through prayer and fasting we will figure it out :)      I am now leading the area which is probably what I am the most nervous for. I know I can do all things through the Lord though...I'm praying super hard to have the spirit of navigation haha. We may just accidentally end up in London...haha jk. The other night I was going through the ward list asking Sister T about families and I asked if the Elliott family was active...she just looked at me and was like He presides over the meetings...it took me a minute to register what she had said, then it hit me, he is the bishop! Haha so please pray that I can get to know the ward...I'm slightly concerned about that...

My new companion is the 2nd girl from the left

It has been freezing cold here this week! This winter is going to be rough...send hats and gloves for Christmas??? It even snowed this week!! But of course I didn't see it...it snowed one of the days we were on exchange. I was so mad I didn't see it, I miss the snow. I also got SOAKING wet this week. Like so wet people were asking me if I just got out of the shower. On exchange in Brighton Tuesday we were finding all morning and it was a downpour. I don't think I've ever been that wet on my mission. Then my coat dried and we went out Wednesday only for the exact same thing to happen in Sutton. I was freezing cold and wet and I was just so grateful for my blanket when I got home. There has also been super strong winds here, so strong I almost got tipped over the other day haha. Sister Toomata and I were just laughing all week, cause you can either laugh or you can cry...so you might as well laugh :) 

         Here's a funny story for you all to laugh at at the cabin this week: 

         So Saturday night we were out street contacting in the freezing cold, but it was fun. We were down this random side street just stopping everyone we saw. Well, this about 23 year old guy came walking down the street, so I stopped him. He had tons of questions about how if their is a god then why is there wars and bombings etc...he was saying how if he believed in God it wouldn't change anything, so why should he believe. well, I had a super good response and it came 100% from the spirit not me. I was just super bold and told him about being an example. That he doesn't know the effect he could have on someone, yes me believing in God may not stop the terrorists and the wars, but it puts just a little bit more good into the world. He stood their just astonished and didn't have anything to say haha. Success. I was so proud of myself. Keep in mind, I did all the talking this contact just cause the spirit was teaching me and I had to share. Well, I then asked what his name was, it is Aaron, we told him our names and went to shake his hand and he leaned in to kiss me! Hahahahahahahah I freaked out and I was like aaaahhhhh no. And he just ran away super embarrassed. The whole time Sister Toomata was just sitting there with a card in her hand with our phone number so we could teach him...afterwards we walked the opposite way and just busted up laughing hahaha. It was one of the saddest and most awkward moments of my whole mission. Sister Toomata blames herself now if I never get married cause she didn't give him our card. She said he was just "lost in my eyes" the whole time. Oh man, the experiences I have on my mission. Thought you would get a laugh out of that one. 

         I cannot believe the Christmas transfer is here AGAIN! It feels like just yesterday it was my first transfer...wow. This week I had this moment where I was thinking about how I get to Skype in a few weeks, and this thought literally went through my head "but that's the lords time, I don't have time to Skype my family, people need me to talk to them out here" haha. I was shocked with myself when I thought that and actually meant it. I am trying harder and harder everyday to become a consecrated missionary and use every minute of every day to serve Him. But don't worry, I'll still Skype you cause I know you want to talk to me too ;) haha 

         But that is about it this week! Today was hard saying goodbye to Sister Toomata. But I am looking forward to the new adventures ahead. I will be in Sutton for awhile...so feel free to send loads of post here :) 

         I love you all so much and am so grateful for all you have done for me. They don't celebrate thanksgiving here, but if I were there with you, these are the top ten things I am grateful for: 

1) My saviour 

2) The gospel in my life 

3) My family. Immediate, extended, and past generations. They are all just great. 

4) My testimony 

5) My mission 

6) The lords trust in me

7) England and the amazing people here 

8) Prayer, how cool is that that we can communicate with God?!?! 

9) Ranch dressing 

10) My friends and companions. My fellow brothers and sisters 

Haha I'm such a missionary...oh well. 

         I love you all and hope you have a fantastic week! Eat loads of turkey for me! 

Love,

Sister Robison xxx

A ward member in Brighton teaching me some Karate moves!