Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

[note from Annie: sorry I'm posting this email a week late]

Merry Christmas Eve! 

Here are some thoughts of mine recently:

When I left on my mission, we sang hymn 270 “I’ll go where you want me to go.” I love the verses that echo, “I’ll go where you want me to go, dear Lord, ... I’ll say what you want me to say. I’ll be what you want me to be.” I came into the mission with that song in mind, and I will leave that same way. I pray that this is a mindset that stays with me my entire life. There is power in these words—go, say, and be. Each one has a different connotation, yet directs our thoughts closer to the Savior. That is truly what this Christmas season is all about.

My faith has increased dramatically this last week. I’ll admit I was starting to get discouraged, and my faith was weakening. However, it has changed. I began to rely on Christ more and direct my thoughts to the words of latter-day prophets and apostles. I truly feel the General conference talks are inspired. One that particularly stood out to me was Dieter F. Uchtdorf’s talk titled, “Of Regrets and Resolutions.” President Uchtdorf said, “We do matter. We determine our happiness. You and I are ultimately in charge of our own happiness” (See http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/of-regrets-and-resolutions?lang=eng for more of his talk). It was at that stage I decided to be happy. It didn't mean I needed to ignore the difficulties or challenges that lay in my path, but rather, I could be happy through the trial of my faith (Ether 12:6). Making that decision has blessed me incredibly because it has brought greater happiness into my own life. As a result, my faith is also increasing since I am humble enough to learn and adhere to the promptings of the Spirit. Missionary life is great!

Besides that I am not sure what else I have to report. We have been singing lots of Christmas songs recently. Christmas is finally here and it is wonderful to be able to spend time together with friends and loved ones. I hope each of you are able to do the same.

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year! Next week is transfers, so the next time I write it will be next year :)

Love, Becca

p.s. Pictures:

1. From the Christmas party at the mission home (me, Sister Doherty, and Sister Hadley).

2. I opened Rob and Michelle's Christmas package a little early :)

Christmas time is here

Let me report about my fantastic Friday. Sister Doherty and I were on exchange. She is the sister missionary from Australia who came and served with Sister Howell and me last March when I was in Whitefield. We were both trained by Sister Davis, so we are kindred spirits (we see things a lot in the same way). People could see that we were happy and had great faith.

In the morning, we went to contact a referral we had received from a couple on the street. This could have been a ten minute walk, which ended up being an hour and a half of speaking to people. The Lord put people in our path to speak to. One of those people was a young man named Mark. He is only 18 and is trying to find that guidance and direction in his life. He recognizes the great benefit faith has in people’s lives, and he wants that in his own. We were able to help him understand more of God’s love for him and how he can feel that in his own life. Most importantly, we opened his mind to new ideas and restored hope in his life. It was amazing to teach him and invite him to baptism!

We continued speaking to people, laughing along the way. I spoke to this one man in Spanish (who I had already met before), and afterward, Sister Doherty asked, “Was that Mexican?” I responded, “Uh, they don’t speak Mexican in Mexico. They speak Spanish.” We just laughed and began speaking to the next person who passed us by. It was natural and conversation flowed.

After that we went to Joanne’s house and helped her clean. It was like your spring deep cleaning in the kitchen, which was good fun. Then teaching her is always a pleasure. She basically teaches herself and has already thought about the things you teach. Joanne continues to be golden :) As the day continued, we continued on in the spirit of service. We went and visited a member, Anna. We shared about faith in Jesus Christ (quite fitting for this Christmas season) and then served her. She had some Christmas wrapping to do, so we volunteered to help. We wrapped gifts for over an hour, so I can’t imagine how long it would have taken one person. Service truly cheers the heart and reminds us of those things that matter most.

As for the funny part of the day. When walking home from Joanne’s the sole of my boot broke off. Hence, I changed to my back-up pair of boots at the flat. I was happy and continued on until we went to Anna’s and the zipper broke on my back-up pair of boots. We safety-pinned my boot, so it would stay on and I just walked around the rest of the night with my boot that way. All we could do was laugh about the situation. I mean honestly, two pairs of boots in one day? And both times it was my left foot. (See picture attached for more detail.)

Besides that, a lot of the same things have been happening: growth, learning, change, speaking, studying, etc. Life is good, and I am enjoying myself. As Grandma Jack says, "Aren't we blessed!" I have to answer enthusiastically, "Yes!" I hope each of you are feeling similar this Christmas season.

Love always, Becca

This is going to be a quickie

This is going to be a quick email, but I just wanted to write and say hello. We were able to watch the Christmas devotional this past week, and the Christmas season is definitely here. We put up a small Christmas tree with some lights in the flat (as I reported last week), so I am excited for that. Our theme of the messages last night was about giving. This week we have been able to serve others and give of ourselves. In particular, we helped the bishop and his wife decorate for Christmas, helped a friend move houses (luckily she had even less stuff than I did in my college dorm room), and sang carols at an elderly care home (it reminded me a lot of the olden days when we would visit SeaView). It is truly a joy to help others an serve them in so many different ways.

I think that is all for this week. Hope you have a fantastic week!

Love always, Becca

p.s. Sorry the letter is short, I will be sure to budget my time more wisely next week and write a bit more :)

The Heart of Winter

It has been a blessed week! The cold has definitely settled in. Most mornings there has been frost on the ground when we woke up and when we go home in the evenings. However, let me tell you about two of the amazing things that happened this week :)

Joanne was baptized! Everything went rather flawlessly, besides the fact that she had to be baptized twice since her knee went out of the water. As I sat in the baptismal service, it was the first time I sat there and actually felt I didn’t do any of the work. She really taught herself. Before we could teach her about the Word of Wisdom or reading the scriptures, she had studied it online at mormon.org and lds.org. Joanne was proactive about learning, and it is clear that she wanted the gospel. I was simply able to be there as an instrument in God’s hands to review material and answer questions. This experience has just made my week. Furthermore, we taught her about temples and family history, so she is looking forward to going to the temple to do work for her ancestors.

Another miracle is with our investigator Yarong. If you remember her, she wouldn’t even pray the first few weeks of meeting with her. Ever since she started to pray regularly, we have seen miracles. This last week we once again addressed the importance of the Sabbath day (since she works on Sundays during church) and fasting. When we asked about her job, she told us she recently thought about quitting. Yarong is mostly working for her resume, so she would prefer to be doing something related to her field of study (psychology). We are working with the ward council to help her find other work, even if it is volunteer work. Carrying on with the lesson, we taught her about fasting and how that can help us in our lives. She committed herself to fast that night. Yarong did exactly that. She included in her fast about moving accommodations (so she could be closer to campus and also church activities) as well as her lab report. The very next day after her fast, she told us how she found new housing and is moving on Saturday. It truly is a miracle, and it is clear that the Lord is mindful of each of us, especially as we fast and are willing to sacrifice something on our behalf (food and water) for something greater (the purpose of our fast).

Besides that life is pretty much the same. We are getting ready for Christmas. I recently set up a Christmas tree with lights in the flat. It is the same exact one as last year since I am living the same location.

Love, Becca

Photos: (I think you should be able to recognize the different people in each photo.)

One from the temple when we went and visited this past week

One from the baptism.

Life in the City

Life is continuing to go well. Manchester is rainy as usual, and we are enjoying it. Sister Nkosi brings an entirely new culture to the table, and I am learning a lot about South Africa. Different parts of the world are completely different. I love how she so sincerely and boldly testifies of the gospel and Jesus Christ to the people we meet. It is clear that the gospel has helped her in her life.

Joanne is progressing well. She is continuing to strengthen her testimony and is excited for her baptism on Thursday! She even made invitations and handed them out at church yesterday. She will make a wonderful addition to the ward. Just on Monday, we had one final lesson with Sister Loh there. Joanne was telling us how great it must be to bring others unto Christ. She was explaining that our entire mission is worth it, if we just bring one person unto Him. It is clear that she understands Doctrine and Covenants 18:10, 15-16, “Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God.” It brings joy into my heart to know the gratitude she has for the gospel. When our hearts are filled with gratitude, we are a happier people.

Gratitude was the focus of sacrament this past week. We focused on how we can have more gratitude in our hearts as well as the good that comes. Let me first start by expressing my gratitude for all you do! I am grateful for your love, concern and support. Then the what good comes from gratitude? We discussed how we will be more joyful along the way. We will more likely be happy and spiritually strong. Life is just better when we have an attitude of gratitude. I hope each of you enjoyed your Thanksgiving feasts and are filled with that spirit of gratitude. 

There is a funny mormon message titled the spirit of thanksgiving that you should look up. This link may work to get to it, but if not you can search for it yourself (http://www.mormonchannel.org/mormonmessages?v=911161818001).

Have a fantastic week!

Love, Becca

Surprise...I AM STAYING!

It is a shock, but I am actually staying in my area. I had no idea what would happen this next transfer, but President Preston called me on Sunday evening and asked me to train. I am currently in the Manchester YSA ward with Sister Nkosi. She is from South Africa. I am still learning how to pronounce her name and the exact location where she is from. I will do better to report back next week; hopefully, I will be blessed with the gift of tongues in the meantime. She seems like a great missionary. We have only been together for a few hours, so I haven't learned too much yet. We will become the best of friends, I am absolutely sure of that.

As a result of my call, I have been studying a bit about leadership. I figured it was about time...because there is always something new to be learned. [People have told me that either 1) there is something I still need to learn or 2) I am a really good missionary. It is funny, I feel like everyone is joking about how many times I've trained.] As I read and studied the White Handbook as well as the related scriptures, I was impressed by the references to the Savior. As we become like the Savior and follow his gospel, then we will be a good leader. [The principles of gospel leadership are the gospel: faith, repentance, covenant keeping, the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end.] It is important to follow the Spirit in all things, and I am grateful for how my mission has taught me to recognize and heed the promptings of the Spirit. There is joy in missionary work, and I hope others are able to feel and recognize that joy! I will do my best to teach Sister Nkosi about that joy. I am sure we will enjoy our time together :)

This letter seems a bit pitiful, but it is a reflection of the good things that are happening. There is a lot of excitement, and I will be sure to report more back to you on Monday. Know that I am doing well :) Have a lovely week!

Love always, Becca

p.s. I figured the photos may make up for the lack of writing this week

1. Our district this transfer

2. Our Thanksgiving feast (held a week early because of transfers)

3. My trainees and me (Sister Howell, Sister Loh, Sister Nkosi, and me)

Rainy Manchester

Manchester is about the same as ever. We woke up this morning and the sky was black, meaning there were clouds out. Then as we walked outside it was sprinkling. Some things just never seem to change about the area :) Next week is transfers, so I won't be emailing till a bit later in the week. We will see if I stay here in Manchester or get moved someplace else.

Saturday was a fantastic day. As a mission we had another day where we dedicated five hours to just finding new investigators. We found the three investigators that we fasted for, and we are excited to follow-up and teach them again this upcoming week. It was amazing because some of the members came out with us. We had three different members and a former investigator come out finding. (That never happens for the record on a regular basis.) We truly were blessed and saw miracles because of their faith and testimonies as well.

We also had the pleasure of attending district leader council, and it was interesting to hear about QGCs being done away with. [QGCs are the way the mission measures our personal finding efforts, as in how many people we are able to speak to each day.] My first response was, “This is aligning our mission more with Preach My Gospel.” My next thought was, “Will missionaries continue being bold in their invitations?” I know that having no QGCs will simplify things and help us to focus on those things of greatest importance. I have been trying different approaches in my own missionary efforts. I know that not having QGCs will help me more in the future to be more able to share the gospel with people, but it does take some change and getting used to. For example, I noticed that I often point out my badge referring to the fact that I am a missionary. At home, that will not be the case, so I am thinking of new ways to incorporate the gospel in my conversations. I am excited to see the changes that occur in missionaries as a result of this change. [It is interesting to see how the mission evolves over time as new leaders are called and a different group of missionaries is the field. Missions truly are a unique experience for everyone involved.]

On another note, I am continuing to learn in my studies. Just this morning, I was studying for a training Sister Loh and I will be giving at District Meeting about the area book [the place we record about the people we are teaching and have talked to]. As I studied, I realized the problem is probably diligence in record keeping, mainly potential investigator forms and teaching records. We could sit there and talk about them for ten minutes, but that would not change behavior. We know the study of doctrine changes behavior. I searched in the scriptures for examples of those who valued records. Here are a few: 1) Nephi and his brothers who went back to Jerusalem to get the gold plates. 2) John Whitmer was called early on to be the Church historian. 3) Moroni thought about not writing any more (Moroni 1:4), but he continued on for another nine chapters. Could you imagine not having Moroni’s promise (Moroni 10:3-5)? And there are many other examples. These examples help us to understand that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He has always recognized the importance of record keeping, and we too need to value our records. It is discussing the doctrine, not the application, which will cause a lasting change in anyone.

I think that is all I have for now. Hope everyone is doing well and is enjoying themselves.

Love, Becca

Happy Guy Fawkes Day!

It is Guy Fawkes day here in England :) If you don't know what it is, you should go look it up online because it will probably be a better description than I could type in the next few minutes. Anyway we get to stay the night in the flat and enjoy the warmth and peace of our home! It should be good fun. Unfortunately we will miss out on the bonfires and fireworks though.

This is a funny little story: on Friday, we had the wonderful opportunity to serve. We stopped a young lady named Ying as she was walking. She had some heavy groceries, so we offered to help her carry then. Ying asked, “Are you here to help people?” Our answer was an enthusiastic “Yes!” We were able to carry her bags and talk to her. She was going to look at some new housing and asked if we could also help with that. We were able to go with her to talk with the rental agency to figure out the logistics. It was clear that she appreciated the help, and she even agreed to meet us next Friday. I am grateful for the opportunity to be like the Savior and go about doing good.

As for the photos, here are the descriptions:

1. Halloween! We got some candy. It was sour gummies, but they were also false teeth so we put them in to celebrate :)

2. We went out to eat, and I tried some chicken feet (per invitation of the birthday boy). They weren't bad tasting, yet they were not very flavorful either. They were basically just chewy and not much taste to them.

3. The group we went out to eat with today. From left to right: Cathy (one of the elders' investigators), Tatianna (member), Elder Hare, Elder Cai (the birthday boy--he turned the BIG 2-1), and Sister Loh. It was a good celebration and we had a fun time together.

I think the rest of everything is same old, same old. Life is good :) Glad to hear everyone is safe and wasn't too affected by hurricane Sandy. Have a good week and enjoy the elections.

Love, Becca

Hello again!

Happy Halloween! I hope you all enjoy the festivities. I am sure that it will be a good week for everyone. As missionaries, Halloween means that we spend the evening in the flat (starting at 5 pm). We got to make sure everyone stays safe!

It has been a wonderful week as usual. There is always a lot to be learned and new experiences to be had. We had zone conference this Friday, and it was brilliant as usual. One of the seventy, Elder Kearon, visited and spoke to us. I loved how he emphasized being authentic. He talked about how we are people, not robots. We need to make sure that we still act that way. It is something that needed to be heard, and I feel I have truly been able to apply that into my work. For example, he talked about how it was strange for us to ask the first question of "do you believe in God?" Rather, we should ask "how are you?" Or "those bags look heavy, do you need some help?" We are people, so be real! Often times, we become so focused on our missionary goals and sharing the gospel, we miss out on being real. This reminder was perfect and I have been more aware of when I am just being that "robot missionary" rather than good old Becca.

Let me tell you about a funny conversation I had this week. Sister Loh and I approached two young men on the street. They were not interested but they were engaging in conversation with us. We were definitely being real--laughing and discussing the gospel. A few minutes into the conversation I realized I hadn't introduced myself, so I said, "Oh sorry I forgot to introduce myself, my name is Sister Jack. What is your name?" He responded, "Brother Jack. Oh wait, but I can't be a brother." It almost seemed as if he was mocking us. As a result, we were able to explain to him that we were all children of God, so yes in fact he is a brother. However, I was still unsure if he was mocking me with his name being Jack or not, so I asked, "Is your name Jack?" He responded, "Yes, it is Jack." It is always fun having a first name for a last name. Always keeps you on your toes and reminds you to never judge a book by its cover!

That is all for now. Have a great week!

Love, Becca

p.s. This is a picture of my companionship and another set of sisters before conference. They came and stayed the night because they lived so far away from where the training was being held!

Another Week in Manchester

It has been a good week, and the sun has even been out shining. What more can you ask for?

Two weeks ago, we met Joanne. She is the first person we saw once leaving our flat, and it was a focus that week to talk to the first person outside every door. As a result, we spoke to her. I am glad that we did because she is amazing! Her mother died a few years ago from cancer, so the message about eternal families hit home. Furthermore, she is just a great person. Joanne grew up in England, but she hasn't really ever had a strong faith. Although she does believe someone is there and leans towards Christian beliefs. One thing I love about her is her pro-activeness. She goes and does research to learn more. Whenever we see her, it seems she has learned more things on mormon.org, which have helped her strengthen her faith.

Joanne came to church again this week. As we traveled with her on the bus, she said she was wondering if she would feel the flutters (how she describes the Spirit) again. It is exciting to teach someone who is so prepared. Additionally, this week we invited her to baptism again, and she accepted. Usually we extend a date, for some reason we did things a bit differently this time. We asked, “When is a good date for you to be baptized?” To our surprise, she told us that she had been thinking of the 28^th of November. It is a significant date in her life (dealing with her mother and grandfather). We looked at the calendar, and since we usually do baptisms on Thursdays, we decided on November 29^th. I am grateful for the promptings of the Spirit. It guided and directed our actions in order to help us to know what to say and ask.

Additionally, we had trainings this week. The assistants talked to us about God's plan for us. We discussed the questions, Who am I? Does God love me? Why am I here? Is this all? What is my worth? The question that stood out to me the most was Does God love me? We just discussed the Creation for 10-15 minutes. The beauty we have all around us is a symbol of God's love for us. Growing up in our family, I have always had an appreciation for the outdoors. From camping to kayaking to hiking, there is always fun to be had. Nature is part of the joy we receive in this life. It is probably one of the best gifts we could be given. It also shaped my perspective to have an increased appreciation for all the small things that are part of the Creation.

That is all for now. Hope you are doing well!

Love, Becca

p.s. We went out for some fish and chips this week!

It's me again!

It has been yet another busy few days, and the work rolls forward. I will admit the leaves are falling and the weather is a bit cold. I am starting to pull out my scarves and gloves for the cold evenings. As a missionary, you just love the fresh air :)

On Wednesday evening, Sister Howell and Sister Bos came to stay at our flat while they were in route to the Isle of Man. Sister Howell and I went out for the evening together. It was so much fun! She got to our flat at 3:30 pm, and we basically talked until 6:00 pm when p-day ended. Then spending the evening together was very fun! I love being able to serve with people that I already served with because you see how much they have grown. Our missionary work was just natural because we already had that unity from when we were in Whitefield. Furthermore, we both brought new skills and abilities to the table. It made for a powerful three hours out speaking to people. You don't seem to get the opportunity to be with your companions again very often, so it has been fun to serve together, even if it was just for one evening.

When President Preston called to tell me my Grandpa Shelley had passed away, he told me that I would have opportunities to help others understand the Plan of Salvation. I want to let you know that I have had many chances to share my experiences and knowledge with others this week. Last week I told you about Helen, who had her grandfather pass away last year. We were able to teach her about the Plan of Salvation yesterday and help her understand eternal families. Furthermore, we taught Joanne, who had her mother pass away from cancer. Both of these individuals are lost without the understanding of the gospel, and as a result of my experience, I was able to testify to them of the nature of eternal families. While challenges are not easy, they always happen for a reason and there is good that comes from everything. God does have a plan for us and guides us along the way.

Last week, dad asked me about my companion, Sister Loh. I think I already told you that she went to BYU and studied geography. Although she was two years behind me in university, so we didn't know each other at all. Her mom is from Hong Kong and her dad is from Singapore; however, she was born in Hawaii when her parents were at BYU. She moved around a lot to different parts of Hong Kong and Beijing growing up, until she was about 11 years old because her dad often changed jobs as a human resource manager. Then her family moved to Singapore, where they live now. As a result, Sister Loh seems to have a variety of cultures mixed into one. Her eating habits are rather Chinese though. I have been getting used to eating more Chinese food, which is alright with me as long as it isn't too spicy. One goal we have for this next transfer is to tell each other two stories each day (one spiritual and one other story). It is good because we are getting to know each other that much more as a result. In some ways we are quite similar; however, we are both very different. She is always telling me that her mind is not that complex and she thinks very simply. Although, the Singapore schooling system tells me otherwise. Sister Loh tells me about how she used to have tutors for different subjects, and not because she needed the help, rather because she was expected to get straight A's. I'll admit that I am glad I never had that kind of pressure from outside sources. I always wanted to excel and do well, but never because I felt someone was forcing me to do so. She also worked at the Cannon Center (the freshman dinning halls) when she was at BYU. Just the other day we taught a Chinese young lady named Fan and she commented, "You are both so similar. You have that peace." After the lesson, Sister Loh turned me and said, "I don't think we are that similar." Bottom line, in some ways we are (like we both work hard for the most part), yet we are also different (I like sports and Sister Loh takes more of the Chinese vision of sports...i.e. table tennis). Hopefully, that gives you a bit fuller of an idea of things. I also attached some pictures of us, so you can see just how much fun we have together!

It has been a short week because of transfers, so that is all I have for now. Hope you all have a fantastic week. Look forward to hearing from you soon.

Love, Becca

Transfer Week. And I am...

STAYING! It has been a while since I have stayed in an area with my companion, but it happened :) Sister Loh and I are still in the YSA ward and having a wonderful time. We have been very blessed with good weather the last few days and joy in our companionship. Life and missionary work are good.

General Conference weekend is always amazing. As they say, it's "a missionary's Christmas." This year it was particularly spiritual for me. It may just be that I am that much more aware of the Spirit, but the Spirit constantly testified to me the truth of the messages that were shared. There were many messages that I enjoyed. 

I know a few of you are wondering my thoughts about the change in age for missionaries. To paraphrase what I wrote in my journal:

THE LORD NEEDS MISSIONARIES. Wow! When I heard that the age for males dropped to 18, I was shocked. I recognized the great need for missionaries in the world. My initial reaction was to start talking to the fellow missionaries nearby; however, I knew there was more coming so I waited. I thought the age for females would change to 20 or something, but 19! It is definitely a large change, but it is for good. I don't think I will be affected by the change since I go home in four months, and it usually takes about that long to put your papers together, receive your call, and enter the field. Although, I did tell Sister Loh, "You can have a 19-year-old companion!" The biggest impression I have: the Lord needs missionaries. People need the gospel, and we need missionaries to be able to share it. Not only that, but a mission acts as a protection against the world. The knowledge, experience, and conversion you experience while a missionary is irreplaceable. I suspect that there will be an increase in the number of sisters that go on missions. It is simple fact that a lot of sisters get married before the possibility of serving a mission occurs. This change will definitely increase the missionary force and benefit the world for the better. We may notice a change in the maturity of missionaries, simply because of the age difference. Also, the spiritual conversion preceding missionary experience may change. I don't foresee any problems with that though. Each missionary seems to reach similar maturity by the end of the mission, and as our ward mission leader said, "It doesn't really matter about the age, either the missionary is going to be obedient or not. The age won't really change that." There are great things ahead for the future, and I know the mission experience will provide many with an added layer of protection against the bad in the world today.

Walter Gonzalez's comments on applying our heart to the scriptures particularly stood out to me. I have pondered a lot about committing the scriptures to heart, since I was counseled to do so in a father's blessing. His comments built on that message and reminded me of the necessity of a spiritual conversion to the gospel. Furthermore, in 2 Nephi 16:10, it talks about how we understand with our hearts. It is when we apply our hearts that we are able to receive that full conversion necessary for understanding and application.

Between sessions on Sunday, we had a lesson with Grace. Grace is a university student from China studying English translation. We found her on the consecrated finding day, and we were able to teach her for a second time this weekend! It was fantastic. We shared about the restoration, and she asked if we had a prophet today. We were able to answer in the affirmative and invited her to attend conference. She came with us to see the prophet speak and stayed for the full two hours! It was a fantastic miracle and an answer to prayers to have an investigator attend conference.

We saw yet another miracle with the Chinese yesterday. A member, Felicity, came out finding with us, so we were basically working in a trio. It ended up that Sister Loh was having a conversation, and the member and I were waiting in order to catch the bus because we had an appointment in twenty minutes. While waiting, a cute Chinese girl was about to walk by. I’ll admit that because of the time constraints, I almost let her pass by. But the Spirit told me to stop her. I am grateful for that prompting. Her name is Helen and she is studying Human Resource Management. She told us about how her grandfather raised her, and unfortunately passed away last year. It has been difficult for her. We were able to share about how we can be with our families forever. Even though we only had a short time, we sat down with her and taught her about her relationship with God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. We will teach her again on Saturday, so I am excited to see what happens. I know that she can use that message about eternal families.

Lots of excitment happening here in Manchester. I think that is all I have to report for now. Hope you have a fantastic week, and I will speak to you soon enough.

Love, Becca

Rainy Manchester

The rain has once again come back. There are leaves on the ground, but from what I have noticed we have missed the pretty autumn leaves. The seasons are definitely changing, and I pulled out my boots this past week.

One exciting thing is that I was able to go on exchange to Congleton with Sister Beaty. It was great to be her companion again, even if it was for only two days. I was able to see where she has grown as well as where she continues to struggle. I loved being able to go to an investigator’s home and teach the Plan of Salvation. She took the lead in the lesson—making transitions between segments—and even used a few scriptures. I know this is a large accomplishment and shows how much she has truly learned the doctrine. Furthermore, her planning is better. It still takes a while, but she is more aware of the areas as well as what efficient plans are. I was grateful to be able to witness those wonderful changes that she has been able to make. I know you truly do make some great friends while serving, and it is wonderful to be back around friends you have already made.

Besides that, we have continued to do good work. We taught a young man named Jack that we met street contacting. He is one of those people you meet on the street and tells you they are agnostic (they believe in God, but are not too interested in religion). Although, Jack said he watched some youtube videos about Joseph Smith (with that you are never sure if it is a good or bad thing). We taught him four lessons in the week and a half before he went home. He was in Manchester receiving his PhD and recently graduated. Jack is one of those "golden investigators." Surprisingly enough, he already knew a fair amount about our religion. He even thought about attending BYU for his post-graduate work because he liked the morals and culture. It was great to witness some of that transformation in his life as he was able to learn more about the truth. You could just see that he wanted it in his life. Moments like this one make missionary work worth it.

On a practical note: Our mission has recently put an emphasis on the Emergency Action Plan (i.e. having cash to use in an emergency, where to meet, having food and water for 3 days, etc.). Furthermore, at church yesterday, we discussed being prepared for disaster. It made me realize that you never know what may happen in the world, so we must always prepare. A lot of these things are actually quite practical, so it is good to be aware of them in case there ever was an emergency. We talked about food storage and 72-hour kits. Just a reminder that we need to be prepared for whatever may happen.

On another practical note, I recently asked one of the YSA what is one thing he learned on his mission. He responded, "Get a 4-wheel suitcase." (Apparently, he had to roll his suitcase up a few hills and it wasn't a pleasant experience.) Then he went on to say work through the 11th hour. A returned-missionary sister nearby said, the Lord doesn't always resolve your problems. You and your companion may both receive answers that your way is right, but it is up to you to work things out. I am sure this advice is applicable to all our lives.

That is all for now. Have a wonderful week!

Love, Becca

p.s. Here is a picture of my district plus the assistants (who are technically in the district since they share the same ward as us).

Fall is here and so is the rain!

Can you believe that fall is here already? Well it may be winter as well from the cold weather we have been getting. I have pulled out my boots and my winter jacket is still out from last winter. We are staying dry and continuing to have fun, despite what the weather does.

I recently was talking to one of the RMs (returned missionaries) in the ward, and he was saying how your family just wants to hear about how you are doing and how life is. It made me realize that maybe I should include a bit more just about everyday life as a missionary rather than a complete focus on the spiritual things (i.e. what I am learning). Let me know what you like to hear about, but here is a bit of a different approach to my week than usual.

I am sure you are all curious about the Chinese buffet from last week. Well the food was good. I'll admit that I couldn't quite eat as much as the elders, but it was still enjoyable. I wasn't hungry for the rest of the day. There were about 30 of us there, so it was definitely a party. Dad asked how much it cost, well it was only £6.80, which is quite cheap in comparison to prices here in England. It is always good to be around other missionaries and just relax. After the meal, we were walking in Manchester because we needed to get an extra set of keys from the office elders. (Yes, we locked ourselves outside our flat...it is the first time it has happened to me so that is pretty good.) As we were walking, someone yelled out of their car, "Hey, sisters!" I looked over and who did I see, Simon or Elder Gallagher. My first thought was Simon, but then I realized that I have never used his first name so I wasn't 100% sure if that was it. Hence, I ended up yelling, "Elder Gallagher!" He finished his mission here about a year ago. Since he is from Scotland, he is in the area quite frequently. It was nice to see him because it reminded me simply how much individuals have impacted my mission. They have been able to help me reach my full potential and teach me how to do missionary work. He was the first assistant I ever had, so he definitely had a significant impact on my work. It's nice to see old mission friends. Speaking of mission friends, Sister Howes visited the Manchester South Ward yesterday so I was able to see her briefly before church began. You just grow to the love the people you serve around and with.

Before I tell you two stories, let me first share a bit about missionary work. When we speak to people, we always invite them to learn more. Usually as we invite them to learn more, we ask for their address and phone number. Ideally, you get both because then you have two ways to contact them. You don't always have the ideal situation, and especially with university students it doesn't seem you normally get them both. Now on to the stories.

Let me tell you about a miracle. Friday, we went out for our hour of finding (going out to speak to people) before weekly planning (sitting in the flat for four hours to plan lessons, our next week, have lunch, etc). We met two young men named Niall and Olly. We talked about the purpose of life and The Book of Mormon. It was a fairly good conversation, and they said we could come discuss more next Sunday. I’ll admit it didn’t appear like anything miraculous. They gave us their address, but we when asked for a number they weren't so willing... We learned of the miracle later that evening. After planning, we received a phone call from Sebastian, who is a member that recently moved in. Sebastian called to tell us that at his induction (introduce the students to the major) for the economics major at university he met Olly. They happened to sit at the same table, and Olly just happened to bring up how he had met two sister missionaries earlier that day. You are probably wondering why this is a miracle? Well, it built member trust. Sebastian was able to see how we are working hard and speaking to everyone. It is not that often that you meet someone your members happen to run into later that day and meet themselves. This member trust is especially important because Sebastian was called as the new ward mission leader (he oversees our missionary efforts and coordinates work with the ward) on Sunday. He is very enthusiastic, and it is great to see how we are starting off on a good foot!

My second story is more comical. We met someone and had a nice conversation. Once again, it came to the point where we invited them to learn more. They accepted, and we wrote down their address. We then asked for the number, and they gave it to us. At which point, we gave them a dropped call and their phone didn't ring :/ The only problem is someone else answered...we had to let them know we dialed the wrong number. As a result, we did get the correct number. In a lot of cases, you would think 'oh this person was not sincere,' however, he was. We all laughed about it. The funny thing is it happened again a few days later (almost the exact same scenario). Luckily, my companion was the one with the phone both times :) Didn't someone once say how laughter makes you live longer? We are definitely going to live a while.

Take care!

Love, Becca

p.s. Here are the photo descriptions:

1. From the Chinese buffet. Most of these elders are in my district, so I see them at least weekly.

2. I went on exchange with Sister Peters. She is from the Netherlands. It made me realize how much I miss the city being in a small town again. I think I am just a city-type missionary.

3. Sister Loh and me. Happy as ever :)

The Weekend

It has been a busy week. The weather has been variable, but alright. I want to tell you about my weekend because that is what is most memorable for me this week. It has been quite the experience.

Friday evening, Sister Smith came out finding with us for an hour. Sister Smith is the Relief Society president in the YSA ward. She also conveniently served her mission here a few years ago. She is a fantastic missionary and shares her wealth of knowledge with others by teaching at the MTC. Unfortunately, she was not my teacher, but now I can learn from her as we work side by side :) The only word I can use to describe it is BRILLIANT! I think I loved it so much because Sister Smith and I are rather similar, just a bit of an age-gap. We both have that proactive attitude. We just stopped person after person and were able to boldly testify of the truth of the things we shared. More importantly, we had fun. For example, we met this one man who had a folding bicycle. We had a lovely conversation with him. I can’t accurately describe how the conversation went, but we were able to share about the gospel as well as laugh together. It was just a fantastic hour where some good missionary work got done.

This weekend, we have had a fast, find, and feast. Friday, we fasted to find new investigators in the mission. Saturday, we had set time during the day to find. And today, we are going to feast—going to an all you can eat buffet. I enjoyed the fasting and finding. We fasted and I had a lot of faith. Kamila, a convert from Poland, even came out with us for the day. Kamila is great! She is putting in her mission papers and has that sincerity in her desire to serve. All I have to say is if I went out finding with the missionaries for a whole day before coming on a mission, I am not sure if I would have stepped foot on that plane. I never knew missionary work would be so hard some days... Back to the story though... I completely expected to find those two new investigators we fasted for. However, that blessing was not bestowed upon us. I am not going to lie, I was a bit disappointed. While we taught some wonderful lessons, not one became a new investigator (at least yet). I truly felt I had put in my full heart, might, mind, and strength, yet the desired result did not come.

This result only added to those feelings of being a “headless chicken” for lack of a better phrase. My best analogy is back to my days when I played football (soccer). I always played midfield. It didn’t seem to matter how hard you worked, some games you just did a lot of running. The ball seemed to constantly be going back and forth between defense and forward. As a result, you feel like a headless chicken because your work isn’t getting you anywhere. That is how I have kind of been feeling recently. The recent emphasis on baptism and helping people progress has probably helped me to recognize that lack in our work. While we do have a focus and direction, it seems no matter how hard we are working toward it, I feel like a headless chicken. Here is where the talk, “The Power of Self-Mastery” by James E. Faust comes in. I felt inspired to read it, and this is what I learned. First, these sentences stood out to me, “As full-time missionaries we learn great lessons in self-mastery. We learn to get up when we should get up, to work when we should work, and to go to bed when we should go to bed. Full-time missionaries are generally admired and even respected, though their message may not be as well received as we would like.” No matter how much I want someone to listen to me, I can’t take away their agency. While I would like for people to receive me, it is simply not something that is up to me. Second, I was once again impressed by the motto Ralph Waldo Emerson lived by: “That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do; not that the nature of the thing itself is changed, but that our power to do is increased.” Missionary work does get easier over time. Not that the work has changed, but our perspective has. That ultimate trust in the Lord is what matters most—recognizing that He has a plan and will for each of us. We are accomplishing something far greater; we are just not always aware of what that is.

Life is good though. I loved last Monday with all the exercise we did. We played chair football as well as four on four. Then we played frisbee for FHE. I was even sore the next morning. I can't even remember the last time I was sore... There are some things you will just always love, like sports for me :) It is sometimes small things like sports that bring that true joy to help you continue onward.

That is all for now. Have a fantastic week!

Love, Becca

p.s. These photos are from the specialized training on August 22

Summer Is Here!

Life is absolutely brilliant as usual, but even more so because the sun has been shining this whole week! I think we finally got our glimpse of summer. Let me tell you about all the excitement that has been happening.

As we attended district leader council on Saturday, we discussed a lot about vision. When asked "where do you want to be ten years from now?" I have a very clear vision of what I want from life and who I want to become. Ten years from now I want to be a wife, a mother, a teacher, a friend, a disciple of Christ, a college graduate, a worthy temple recommend holder, etc. But when asked about my vision of my mission it is not quite as clear. I want to be an eloquent speaker and an effective teacher, yet who else do I truly want to become? While discussing, I was reminded by Elder Robbins' talk from general conference where he talked about to be lists. He mentioned how often people make to do lists, but rarely do people make to be lists. It is when we change the desire and who we want to be that our actions and the dos change. Becoming is getting at the root of things and making a real change to our actions. Therefore, I took this opportunity to ponder and reflect on my vision as a missionary. I was able to see more about who I want to become, what Christlike attributes I want to develop, and how I can grow as a person. It is when we take a step back and seek for the vision that we are able to get a clearer grasp on where we are at and where we are going.

Additionally, I have been enjoying my study of Preach My Gospel. I am learning so much from my re-commitment to these words of prophets and apostles. In my personal study, I read in Chapter 11: Keeping Commitments, which states the following: “Every finding opportunity...should lead to an invitation to act...” (Preach My Gospel, 196). It was clear as I read this sentence why we invite people to meet with us when we meet them for the first time. I was reminded of Elder Caner’s (another missionary in my mission) quote from the Harvester (the mission's weekly newsletter) this last week, “There is not agency until there is a choice.” Without inviting, the people simply do not have that choice to say yes or no. Our invitation allows each individual to exercise his or her agency and decide whether or not to seek further understanding. Inviting is essential in all aspects of missionary work, and this quote highlighted the importance of invitations in finding settings.

Things continue to go well, and we are meeting wonderful people. I have been able to use my Spanish a few times this week as well. I'll admit it is a bit rusty, but I am able to have simple conversations and understand what they are saying. One great thing about being in Manchester is the diversity of the people. It is wonderful to be surrounded by people who have a variety of backgrounds and speak all different languages. I can't think of what other updates I have at the moment. We are going to go play football with the elders today and then frisbee tonight with the YSA (Young Single Adults) for FHE (Family Home Evening) so that should be fun. I am continuing to enjoy life each and every day, as well as making the most of my time here in Manchester. It seems like I never stay anywhere very long, so I am enjoying the area while I am here.

Hope you all have a wonderful week. Know that I am thinking about you.

Love, Becca

p.s. Sorry no pictures this week, but I should have some next week :)

Great to be Back

It is great to be back in Manchester. My entire mission has been in and around here, so it is nice to be back in the area that seems to have become a second home. I am remembering quite a lot from when I lived in Didsbury last time around, but I am learning new things as well. As I told you last week, I am working with the Young Single Adult (YSA) ward, which is composed of mostly students age 18-30. I love the energy and excitement each of them have about life and the gospel. It makes missionary work that much more exciting. Plus, it is good for me to be able to recognize more how the work I am doing now will play out in my life as a "real" person as well. It is great to be here, and I am loving it all.

We are starting off from nothing basically. They simply added another companionship to the ward, so we didn't have a lot to build off of. However, it has made for some great finding. Plus, it seems the fruit of the labors that we reap is just that much more delicious. Let me tell you a few of the miracles we have seen already. This is what I wrote in my letter to President:

"At first, we started with nothing. It was refreshing in a way to have a clean slate and do some pure finding. That is what we did for the first few days, but I loved it! Then the lessons came and our finding paid off. Saturday morning we went to teach Rob, a Christian we met street contacting. Rob recently graduated from university with a computer science and mathematics (just up my alley) degree. It was our first lesson and we even had a member come out teaching with us. We did some great How to Begin Teaching (our introduction to teaching) and started into the Restoration lesson. Just after we got through the gospel blesses families, Rob nicely spoke up and summarized the rest of the lesson. Him and his friend, Tim, who later joined us, studied the night before in preparation for our coming. Luckily, they had studied accurate material, so they were quite knowledgeable. We reviewed the apostasy in some more detail, which they do not understand in its fullness, but overall it was a wonderful discussion. I love how the turning point in the lesson was when we bore a simple, yet powerful, testimony of The Book of Mormon. They had concerns, but the testimonies born were undeniable. It was clear that they were touched by the Spirit and are very willing to read to find out the truth for themselves. I’ll admit that partway through the lesson I was wishing the assistants (they also serve in the YSA ward) were the ones teaching them because they are much more knowledgeable about the scriptures (in particular the Bible); however, I realized simplicity and the Spirit are key. After all, it was a man without eloquence that converted Brigham Young.

"We also taught a wonderful young lady named Cecilia from China. We met her street contacting on Saturday and were able to teach her the next evening (Sunday). Her grandmother is Christian, so she has some awareness of our beliefs. She even has prayed in her life before, but she does not have a lot of understanding about who she is praying to. We shared about the godhead, and she was very accepting. Cecilia even told us that she thinks it is better for people to have a religion than not to have one. She has already become a great friend, and I would say she is equally enthusiastic about life as I am. There are miracles taking store here, especially in relation to finding new investigators!"

I am sure you are all wondering about my companion as well. Sister Loh is from Singapore. Her mother is from Hong Kong and her dad is from Singapore. She was born in Hawaii, while her parents were attending BYU there, but she grew up in Singapore. She is a year younger than me, and also went to BYU. She was studying geography, but thinks she may want to switch majors now so she can do translation in the future. Sister Loh is willing to try new things and speaks to everyone.

That is about all I have to report for now. I hope you all have a wonderful week.

Love, Becca

p.s. I realized I didn't take any photos since Wednesday, so I took one real quick last night. Here is a picture so you know that I am still alive.