Here there and everywhere

Here are two more where is Waldo photos. This one is from zone conference :) 

This one is even easier than the last...

Between zone trainings and interviews, exchange, zone leader council, and the concert at Avenham Park, you may think there wasn’t much time for missionary work; however, we did it all along the way. Missionary work truly does fit into every activity we do, and I feel blessed for the variety of experiences the Lord has provided me this week. Let me tell you about a few of them.

 

I went on exchange with Sister Peters in Macclessfield. She is a new missionary from the Netherlands. She is great and reminded me a lot of the pioneers. Sister Peters sprained her ankle recently, and yet she still wanted to go out and talk to everyone. She truly pushed herself to work hard, despite a hurt ankle. That is a lot more motivation, drive, etc. than I think I have. I was able to learn a lot from her about hard work and simply doing.

Cyr is getting baptized on Saturday, and he is very excited. I admire his desire to follow the Savior and praise God in his daily life. Recently he couldn’t afford a bus pass and because of the language barrier we didn’t arrange for a lift (we offered to do so but I just don't think he understood), so he walked an hour to come to church on Sunday. If that is not dedication, then I am not sure what is. Cyr enjoys reading The Book of Mormon, and he definitely feels the Spirit when he attends church. It is amazing to witness his conversion to the gospel. One of my favorite things about Cyr is his desire to share about the gospel with us as well. During lessons, he loves to talk about the gospel and how he sees things. He is very open and is willing to share with others, which is great because it allows you to truly get to know him as a person.

"Do I see the person walking towards me as a child of God?" What an inspired question! And it is one that President asked me during our interviews. While I may be desirous to share the gospel with everyone (Mosiah 28:3) and know that it is in all our best interest, it is not the mindset I inherently have. I know that charity is the most important of all the Christlike attributes such as faith, hope and charity (1 Corinthians 13:13). Since the beginning of my mission, I have prayed to have charity each and every day of my mission. However, prayer is nothing without action. Before my mission, I learned that charity is more than small acts of kindness; it is seeing the world as Christ sees it. Now is time to put that into action. I am not quite sure how it will come, but I fully believe that I can begin to see the world through Christ’s eyes. I am excited to be able to change my mindset (in reality my desires) in order to change my actions. 

 

As you can see from the pictures I sent earlier, I was able to go to zone leader council. Remember when I went back in October? Well basically ever since then they have had a few sisters attend each of the councils. What was on the agenda this time? We were able to revise our Blue Information Binder (basically a binder that has all the important information about our mission). Our mission is going back to the basics--the White Handbook, Preach My Gospel and the scriptures. Over time there have been a lot of rules and policies that have entered the mission via the Blue Binder, but it is time for change. Our aim was to make the blue binder actually an information binder. As missionaries we will be called to a higher standard to truly understand the spirit of the law, but I think it is a good thing. It was amazing for me to recognize how many of the rules or policies that are in the binder actually come from the white handbook or Preach My Gospel already; I just didn't recognize it because the blue binder seemed to take precedence. Overall this change is an expression of the inward change happening within the mission to follow the promptings of the spirit and be ourselves. As President Preston said, he doesn't want an elder calling him a month after getting home and asking him if the suit he is buying is too shiny. President has a great sense of humor (even if what I just wrote doesn't quite portray it).

 

Life is good. Missionary work is even better. Hope all is well at home!

 

Love, Becca

 

p.s. Next week is transfers, so I will be emailing on Wednesday. Can you believe another 6 weeks has flown by?

 

p.p.s. The pictures are all from the concert at Avenham Park. This is the park that is beside the Ribble River. The Ribble River is the first area where people were baptized here in England. It is a great historical site for the church as well as for us missionaries who are following in these missionaries' footsteps.

 

1. Who can guess who I am with here? She is from Wigan. Yes, Sister Higham! I just keep seeing her everywhere, which is absolutely wonderful :)

 

2. Me at the concert.

 

 

 

3. The weather was beautiful, until the concert started. No worries, the English know how to handle the rain.