Bath

Leaving the MTC: We left on Wednesday morning at 6am from the Preston MTC and arrived around 10:30 near London in a chapel to meet our Mission President and see where we were going and and who our companion would be. Not going to lie, I was feeling pretty good and confident on the bus, but when 33 of us rolled up to the chapel and were greeted by so many elders and sisters, it was a bit intimidating and surreal. I had a brief chat with President Millar and he is one of those men that you feel like are staring into your soul when you're talking to them. You feel like he already knows the answer to your question. But oddly enough, I felt so comfortable and at peace talking to him and I truly feel his love for each one of us missionaries. We ate pizza, were all a bit shell shocked, and then the moment of truth came as we were gathered in a chapel, and our names were read. I finally got a glimpse of how Harry Potter felt being sorted. I was the first name to be called, and he said Sister McLeod you are going to the area of Bath and Sister Barker will be training you. 

Companion: Sister Barker is a rock star! So solid and a great trainer. She is always smiling and I really am thankful for that positive example. She has been out 15 months, so these first 12 weeks of mine are her last. She is from North Carolina, but has acquired a bit of a hodge podge of an accent from all her foreign companions and living in England. She is very tall, 5'10". Ha, I think she felt way taller than me initially because I felt like such a baby the first day, but as I have taught, talked, and been with her these past days, she doesn't' seem too much taller. Funny how your perception changes. She was here in Bath 6 weeks prior to me, so she knows her way around which I am so thankful for.

Bath: Green. Gorgeous. Hilly. Posh. Historic. Jane Austin. Bath stone/Roman Baths. Cathedrals. Shops. Those are all key words that describe this truly beautiful city.I keep learning new things each day as I talk to people. Currently this is what I know: The first stamp was created here {postal museum}. Jane Austin wrote a couple books here {There is a Jane Austin Museum Mom!}. Everything is built with bath stone and the architecture is beautiful. This place is famous for its Roman baths, and a kind family visiting from California gave us money to go today, so I think we will make our way over there after e-mail and buying groceries. There are parks and a cool river and it is such a beautiful area to be in. I've been focusing so much on looking for people on the street and the work that I am just today starting to realize everything. It is a very touristy place in town with all the shops, and it has been so sunny these past few days. I am so grateful for that. Fun fact my flat {apartment on has a bath too haha}. This my view from my flat.

Missionary Work: This place is beautiful and very posh, but missionary work is hard work. We have taught and met with so many people that everyone just combines in my head. Since being here, we have been able to teach around 5 lessons and visit a lot of less active/part member families. The person that stands out in my mind is Yibo. Yibo is a progressing investigator from China that attends the university here. He has gone from believing in no God to believing and reading the Book of Mormon and praying every night. I cannot tell you how happy I felt after that lesson to see him progressing closer to our Savior. That feeling of helping others draw nearer to the Savior is worth all the doors slammed in your face, all the rejections, all the rude comments, all the awkward moments, and everything that gets thrown at you on the mission. I am struggling with street contacting and knocking doors. It bothers me how I feel awkward or let my fear of being rejected stop me from talking to people and I pray everyday for the Lord to help me. The example of Enoch is really helping me in Moses 6 and I'm praying for the courage to open my mouth because I know the Lord will put the words I need to say to that person. I think my whole mission will be a test if I can trust in the Lord as I struggle with things. I do know our Savior knows everything we are feeling and wants us to come to Him for help. I know that He knows how it feels to be awkward and afraid and I have faith that He can help me out.

Bath Ward: The members are amazing here. You don't realize how wonderful it is to go to church and see families being strengthened together until you are on a mission. I was told by my companion that I am very blessed to have such a strong family ward here. I loved every minute of those 3 hours and really needed that to remind me the whole point of this gospel is to return back to your Father in Heaven with our family. I am so grateful to have the solid family I have, and we are really praying to meet families to teach here. I bore my testimony and felt such peace of the Spirit. All members testimonies uplifted me and they all love us because they haven't had sisters for 10 years. The zone leaders of the Bristol area are also in our ward. I appreciate members so much more now, and if you have missionaries in your ward go talk to them and help them out. It truly means everything on the mission.

I love you all and want you to know how much I love this gospel. I know I am serving in Bath because there are people being prepared to heard the gospel and be baptized into this Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I am so far from perfect, but am thankful that the Lord is willing to work with us at any level we are at if we are willing to involve him in our life. Ether 12:27 is really helping me out these days.

Cheers,

Sister McLeod

English and American are not the same language. I'm learning that day by day.

Ether 12:27  And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.