Missionary Letter #15 (January 6, 2011)

so biggest news of the week!!!!

there are two new sisters coming in.
sis g--she's only been out for six months-- is training one! AND opening a new area!!! and sis k and i are training the other one!!!! what the heck?? how cool is that? we're the only ones training this transfer and we were all together! we had president's interviews yesterday, and he was just like, "yeah, i really trust you guys." isn't that so cool?? and sis k has only been out eight months, so it's not normal that she would train. and guess what? ours is from burma!!! she only speaks a little bit of english, comes from a tiny village and has never been in weather below like 85 degrees. haha! wow! can you believe that?
so we have to go to a training meeting on wednesday, and then, i get to be the one walking into that room singing the second verse of called to serve!  good thing sis k will be doing pretty much everything and i just have to speak the best english and know the area.

i went into london on thursday and friday to switch and then switch back. isn't that crazy how much we go in? i went to ilford, which is in east london, and it is just full of people from india, and other places too, and english people as well. but it's the highest baptising area in the mission, and so it was fun. it was cool to go to a new area and see how different things can be. people weren't only in a rush all the time, but they'd stop and talk to us. people were willing to come and meet with us so easily! i couldn't even believe it. like 9 out of 10 people would talk to us, while here in canterbury it's like 1 out of 10 or 15 people that will talk to us. i'm glad i'm in canterbury though where we can go out into the country as well. i did feel like i would serve there sometime though. it would be nice. then i'd get to teach so much. i felt that way when i went into london centre though too, so i think i just get excited when i visit an area. haha.

well, i've been thinking a lot this week about how jesus teaches in the new testament. and about that one part, where he's teaching people from a boat in the sea of galilee. and his disciples come and ask why he teaches in parables, and he says, "he that hath ears to hear let him hear" and about how some people are listening, really listening, and some people just are not. i feel like that's how it is here, too. we tell hundreds of people the same thing and most of them aren't listening, at least not listening to hear, but a few of them do understand. a few can see beyond the parable, beyond what we teach and see why it's important. and then what do we do? well, all we do is invite them to "come and see" just as the saviour did. i like that. just that we're saying to come and see.  we're not trying to force them to watch something, but to just come with us, and they can see for themselves. i think it's interesting too that i feel like it's like, first you hear--that's our job, to say something they can hear--then we give them the choice--come--and they have the choice to see for themselves. anyway, some things i liked.