The One With All the Sunshine!

So, if you are anything like me, you don't know anything about England weather until you are in England weather. It is super cold, rainy, and very humid. 24/7. However, this last week the sun has been out every single day and it has been warm. and by warm I mean 17 degrees. (Celsius, of course because they're British.) But that means its been about 63 degrees. IT HAS BEEN SO NICE. So naturlich, I go outside every chance I get. For physical activity we are allowed to leave MTC grounds as long as we come back on time. So we usually (me and whatever Sisters come with me) go down to the river and walk the river because it is soooooo pretty and also it just feels good to leave the MTC for a while. I'm going to send some pictures from the river, and some of the river because it truly is pretty. and everything here is so green. and also the humidity is awesome and does wondrous things to my mane.

I want to tell you all a little bit about my companions because I haven't done that yet and they truly are some of the greatest and most insightful people I have ever met. 

As y'all know, I was friends with Sister Hunter before coming out here, and we even talked about and planned on being companions for the longest time. She truly is a blessing in my life. She is SO good at German it's absolutely insane but it's also so amazing listening to her bear her testimony in German, and teach the gospel in German. Ahhhh she is soooo funny. Our bowels have synced up and that really took away the whole awkwardness of always going to the bathroom together because we are always doing the same thing so there's nothing really awkward or embarrassing about it anymore. Also, she is a train. She can breathe out and it sounds like a train. (I was going to send videos in this email but they are too long for it to let me attach them but I shared my drive with mum so she should be able to get on and see those if you want to see the videos of our everyday lives here...ps someone may have to show her how to even get on drive hahaahhaa  no but really.) Anyway, SIster Hunter is soooo funny and I just absolutely love her to death. We can talk about anything and everything and I trust her with my life. 

As some of you know or don't know, we are in a trio companionship now, which by the way trios are the best. Sister Lau truly brings us together. She has taught me so many things. First of all, she hates being touched and also she hates when people say they love each other. It's funny. But it's really teaching me how to love others in different ways. It was kind of hard at first trying to figure out ways to show love to her so that we could gain a trust and a reliance in each other but we have all come a really long way. In fact yesterday, during companionship study I showed a video I had found in German to show one of our investigators. It was about Christ (it's the Because of Him video that y'all should watch if you haven't) anyway, through Christ we really can feel love and feel united and we can live again. But I guess she felt the spirit so strongly that truly, through Christ anything is possible, because she made me stand up and she gave me the longest hug ever. It was GREAT. Ha, but anyway, she too is full of so much spiritual strength and insight. She is a scriptorian, if that is even a thing. She knows every scripture by heart, and has a scripture for everything. It's so cool. I love her and I love that we can communicate so much.

Also, I just really love this place and everyone in it. I don't think I have ever laughed so hard in my life, or felt so much joy and peace and love. I really am loving it here, I have met so many amazing people, and I have experienced so many amazing things. I really do love this gospel. and I love that through Christ we are able to feel so much peace and joy and love. He brings us all so much closer and gives us the strength and patience to get through whatever we need. 

There are so many things I want to tell you all, but my mind goes blank every time I sit down to write. It's kind of crazy. Hopefully the pictures kind of sum up some of what is going on... (which there are more pictures on my drive as well which if you want to see them, again you'll have to go to mum because I can only send so many...)

We have 2 progressing investigators right now, and I love both of them so so much.) One of them is named Alex, he has a drug addiction and has lost hope in life. We taught him yesterday and used the video to show him that through Christ he can have a new beginning, and we talked a lot about the Atonement. The spirit was so strong, even with our broken German. After we testified we felt strongly to invite him to be baptized and he lit up and said yes. It was really really special. The spirit is amazing. Our other investigator is named Soraya. She is married to a member and both of her children have gone on missions, and yet somehow she still doesn't believe in God. It's been kind of hard trying to get her to even want to believe in God, she doesn't see any reason to. She's only meeting with missionaries because her kids wanted her to... The only thing she's been interested in that we've talked about is an eternal family (who wouldn't want an eternal family??) So we've been really using that to get her to try and form some sort of faith in Christ and God, to use that hope for an eternal family as a reason to pray. But she's very stubborn. Hopefully we can figure out what exactly the real Soraya needs to hear, because the teacher who plays her has a very strong relationship with Soraya and it's very very important to her that Soraya gains some faith and hope. It's also very important to us because we love her. A lot.

On Friday Elder Herbertson (an area seventy) came an spoke with us. IT WAS SO GOOD. Also it was super cool, because since we have such a small group here at this MTC we were all able to actually talk to him for a bit and his devotional was really involved and personalized. It was soooo inspired and exactly what I needed. He also took a picture with all of us and said he was going to put it up on his facebook so our families could see it (Clifford T Herbertson). Anywho, it was a really neat experience and his wife was really awesome and sweet as well. 

I love you all so so so so much, I really do. I appreciate all that you have done for me, and all of the love and support I have felt from you thus far. I can't believe it's almost been 3 weeks since I've been here, it feels like forever, but at the same time it's gone by really fast. It's unreal. Time is a weird concept right now. But I love every second of it. This week has been full of things I have needed, and it shows the Lord's tender mercies in our lives. This week has been absolutely incredible.

If any of you have been wondering about the food situation...I just decided to embrace the fact that everything has 8 coats of sugar and/or is deep fried and eat as much as I can. I usually eat at least twice as much as some of the Elders and it's been a real good time. I'm pretty sure in the last week I've gained like 20 pounds but I literally cannot stop eating. It's crazy how hungry you can get when you do absolutely nothing all day. 

I love you all, I miss you, and I pray for you all daily. 

oh also, I'm not sure what the others do to relieve stress here, but since I can't cry I just floss while everyone else cries or gossips. Anyway, last week I flossed so much my permanent retainer started to come out so I just ripped it the rest of the way out.... They set an orthodontist appointment for me on Thursday, but I am actually terrified because I don't know why but I haven't met a single British person with good teeth...or nice teeth... It's nothing against them as people, but Brits all have absolutely terrible teeth and I'm worried they'll ruin the only thing going for me. jokes. But really I'm worried about my teeth but hopefully it will all go well. 

Talk to y'all next weeeeeeeeeeek.

Please send pictures because I like to see what is going on with you all! Oh and if any of you have questions or need clarification on anything, please just ask and I can either answer more in the group email next week or just write you baaaaaaaack. sure sure love ya!