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Hello!

 

Well, first off, because you are all dying to know... I'm still in Stafford!  And I'm still with Sister Low!  I'm really grateful, because I'm not the hugest fan of change, as you know, and I didn't want to switch it up yet.  Sister Low, I think is also grateful, because she was praying that we stay together.  Most of our district is the same as well, however, E. Welch our District Leader is now going to be a zone leader in Preston, and his comp E. Aldred finally had his visa come so he will be transfered to Baltimore Maryland.  So Telford will be whitewashed... we'll see how that goes :)

 

So much has happened this week... I don't know if I'll be able to remember it all!  I suppose things do have to happen rather quickly when you are only in an area for 6 weeks at a time.  Yup.

 

After District meeting last week we went home (which I didn't want to do... I love district meeting!) and had a lesson planned with Bowen.  A couple days before I had gone through our potentials and set up a bunch of appointments, which all fell through, except Bowen :)  He is so great.  He is from Taiwan, and told us that he has been searching for a religion... the lesson was so amazing!  S. Mansfield invited him over to her house to watch conference, which is amazing... a members home and conference!  Yeah-a!  The Mansfields have really taken to Bowen because he reminds them of an asian (oriental) version of their son Brenden, who is on his mission in Canada right now... and when the Mansfields love someone, miracles happen (as when S. Low taught a young man named Yannick, who spoke French... and B. Mansfield speaks French, and Yannick is from Gabone and got baptized, and appearently there is only one priesthood holder currently in Gabone... plus now Yannick.  Anyway... Miracle).

 

Bowen asks amazing questions, and he actually understands what we are saying.  He is a bit worried about converting to Christianity because his parents are buddist and will be upset if he doesn't pray to them.  Plan of Salvation.  Wow.  When we taught him about the PofS it was really amazing because he would seriously ask questions we were just about ready to answer.  They say that the Spirit can prompt investigators, but I never really believed it, you know!  It was amazing.  The Mansfields told us that Bowen loved Conference, he almost clapped for the Choir, and really enjoyed the talks.  He asked B. Mansfield an amazing question that we get to answer at our next lesson with him.  He pointed out that Christ never went to Taiwan... so did that mean that none of the people there would be saved?  What?  That is seriously a question that can *only* be answered by the true gospel... none of the other churches can answer that!  Bowen is a miracle.

 

I recieved the package from you!  I got it at a specialized training they have for new missionaries and their trainers.  So I sent pictures.  I haven't actually taken a whole ton of pictures, because I'm so busy!  But I'll share the ones I have. 

 

This is really sad news.  We have to be inside our flat during Guy Fawkes day evening.  So I probably won't even get to see a bonfire.  I told S. Low that I'm going to ask our neighbors to have one in their back garden... although that would be really dangerous, I would get to see it! haha.

 

GENERAL CONFERENCE!!!!  I love it so much.  I wish that for the rest of my life I could alternately go to the Temple and listen to General Conference, and that is all.  Really when I watch General Conference I'm the person I want to be, and I really feel so inspired and amazed.  Chris was right, we did get to watch all but the last session.  We watched the RS session right before the first one on Saturday, although the sound kept going off every 10 minutes during the RS session, like clockwork.  Except when President Utchdorf talked, which was a miracle.

 

JADEN AND JENIKA!!!!  Start doing your family history!  I was SO excited when Elder Bednar was talking, I wanted to grab my laptop and start doing FH right then!  Then I realized I have to wait and I was sooooo sad.  I love Family History so much!  Its amazing!

 

There were so many good talks, they were so inspired.  Some of them definitely answered questions I had.  Now I just need to remember the inspiration.  Sometimes I forget that there is still good in the world, and that we can really make that choice everyday, and that we do make that choice everyday.  Life is really hard, you know, but we need to do our part.

 

David came to the Saturday session.  He drove up and brought B. Heath and B. Hingerty with him.  We think he thought it was like a road trip or something :)  He dressed smart in a tie, which we didn't even ask him to do, so that was good.  He got a bit restless, but I suppose sitting there for 2 hours would be quite long if you had never done anything like that before, you know?  I hope he learned something.  We have our first lesson with him since then this evening, so we'll see how that goes.

 

You know?  We see the people no one else does.  There are also people who won't listen to us about religion but like chatting with us.  There is one such man who is a Chelsea supporter.  He loves Chelsea, Star Trek, and sharks.  He feels like it is destiny for him to go to Salt Lake someday.  I keep telling him it is because of that he met us and is suppose to listen to us... he doesn't realize it, though.

 

Some people are like 'you already talked to me last week...'  Yup. We probably did.  And we probably will again until you listen to us.

 

Loni told me in a letter I'd eventually start having dreams about England.  I have.  I don't remember all of them, but I do remember this one.  Elders Gallacher and Craig (The Assistants) were giving Sister Low and myself some special assignment.  They were getting frustrated with us, however, because we were taking so long.  Why were we taking so long?  I couldn't get my Disney Princess Tights on!  Oh how I wish I really had Disney Princess tights!

 

What is the end all question that shakes the older generations faith?  Adam and Eve had two sons, Cain and Abel.  All the sudden Cain and Abel have wives... where do they come from?  Oh no!  I can't be Christian anymore!!!!!  That is totally unexplainable!!!!!  Its not that hard to work out, people.  Not every single person ever born has been mentioned in the bible.  Wow.

 

The younger generation?  Science.  Blah blah blah.  When S. Low explains entropy (sp?) they realize they don't really know science.  Also because Staffordshire is all about computer and IT and things, a lot of these people play video games, and are studying gaming design.  So they haven't thought much about God or science, to be honest.  One boy did claim he didn't believe because of philosophy, and that caught be off guard.  I told him that God was most logical.  Next time I have a big whole schpill that I can say about Descartes... but the spirit is more convincing than that anyway.

 

Josie got her mission call!  That is so exciting!  Grandpa Danny actually mentioned it in a letter I recieved from him yesterday, so I knew a bit earlier :)  Calgary... I think that is where Josh Stapley went, if I remember right?  And with the Temple, that is so exciting.  Speaking of Temples.... 2 in Africa!!!!  I love Africa! (Some woman told me I should be in Africa... I told her she needed Jesus too...)  Also, Provo, and the first Temple ever in Wyoming!  Yay!

 

Jordan got a bit of his shopping done! Yay!  That is half the battle... okay not even close, but that is cool. 

 

I MISS YOU ALL.  I have to keep saying it.  There are really great people here, and homesickness is lessoning, but I do miss and love my family.  I hope you are well.  I pray for you.

 

Loves,

 

Jasmine