September 1, 2009

This week in proselyting was difficult. We were not able to pick up any investigators, and we also didn't get to teach any investigators, because we have had to stop teaching many of the ones we used to be teaching. It is a difficult time for this area. However, our ward is doing a 40 day fast for the growth of the ward, and I know that we will see miracles happen in one way or another.

Last week we were able to go on a mission tour of some of the historical sights in the mission. I loved it so much!!! Our mission area is like the Nauvoo of the States. It was the center for the saints in this area. We went to Liverpool docks, and also to Preston to see where they preached, where President Hinckley's first mission house was, to see where the first missionaries were attacked by demons, to see the River Ribble, and to see where they held their first meetings. After that we went to Downham, where Heber C. Kimball baptized many and had a spiritual experience which Joseph later told him was the blessing that former prophets had laid upon this land. Amazing!! We may not even have the records of those prophets, but they too were looking forward to a time of restoration. I am convinced that the more records we receive, the more prophesies we would have of the restoration. The dead sea scrolls are a good example of that. I loved walking the very roads of the early apostles and thinking about the great work we are doing. It is incomparable, and very spiritual.

It is a tradition for the departing missionaries to bear testimony in their last zone conference. This time it was my turn!! I couldn't believe it. It was always somebody else. I didn't like that it was me. However, I did have the cool experience of doing it in the Downham Chapel, where we held the final part of our Zone Conference. It isn't an LDS chapel, it is a Anglican(I think) chapel, so it was a very unique experience. I never say what I want to say in testimonies, but I guess that is the way it should be.

I should tell funnier stories in my e-mails, so I will follow Taylor's example and share my CBSOTW aka Crazy British Story of the Week

This weeks entry hails from a town called Flint. We met a man that had been taught by the Elders a couple of years ago. We asked him why they stopped coming around, and he wasn't quite sure. 15 minutes later, we knew why. He just talked and talked and talked about how the secret services are chasing him, and how he has all of the government conspiracies figured out. He told us a story of how we took the secret services for a wild goose chase, and kept creeping up behind them saying, "Have you had enough yet?" Next, he took us to his neighbor, who is from the middle east. He took us over there to verify that he was a pain in the backside. He didn't have to go to all of the trouble, we could have told him that ourselves!!! Don't you just love them?

I wish I had more to say about progressing investigators, but we still had an eventful week. I love you all and look forward to seeing you all.

Love,

Elder Jo