Missionary Letter #12 (December 20, 2010)

guess what?? we're in LONDON AGAIN!!! guess who just went to the V&A and bought her belated birthdya presents because sis j doesn't like shopping and now she's not here! and i went to laduree in harrod's. oh my gosh. i like london. i hope i get to serve here.

we had a freak snowstorm on...friday i think?? sis g was totally freezing and so was sis k, so i was stopping everyone we saw so we weren't wasting time of being out in the freezing cold. haha it was funny. and then we heard church bells ringing a ton so we were like, what's going on?? turns out there was a wedding!! but it's this church that's near our church, it's where sir thomas more's head is, and at the intersection, it was basically at a stand still. so, of course, we decided that this is perfect because people can't get away from us!! so, we went up to a guy who already had his window rolled down and he was just like, "go on then, i've got nothing else to do. can't go anywhere." perfect. bored people who can't get away. we only did that once though. i thought it was pretty funny. but anyway, back to the wedding, they had rented this big old double-decker red bus for the wedding party, but they were taking FOREVER to come out. and of course my comps and i wanted to see her dress! duh. so we waited and talked to people across the street where we could watch. and we saw all of these girls dressed in tiny short skirts and dresses and the most ginormous heels. and it was freezing and snowy! and i hate it when girls just look absolutely helpless walking and they're dressed like that. anyway, the bride's dress wasn't that pretty. funny that we all wanted to see though. well, just kate middleton better have a gorgeous dress.

okay, fastforward to sunday. everything stops here when it snows. i think it's just an excuse for people to stay in, really. it snowed like six inches maybe? church was reduced to sac meeting and there were eleven people there. everyone just took turns bearing their testimony, and i talked about how God knows how to give us good gifts, and that the best gift is that of the atonement, which allows us to change. i got pretty emotional.  but then b bore his testimony for the first time (we had just had a lesson about missionary work and about bearing your testimony to strengthen others and everything and he said he wanted to bear his) and it was so powerful, i was just smiling the whole time and crying a little bit because he really had changed his life and seen how the atonement can change him. he's so good. can't even believe it.

i've been studying a lot about how i can fulfill my purpose here in the best way that i can. i feel my desires changing and my heart turning more toward the lord in a less martyrous way. i feel happy as i do what i know i should and i feel the love of my heavenly father. i'm starting to really like being a missionary i think.

love you all with all my heart! wish i could write more but i had too much fun reading your emails.

love,
sister emma