Talks

Accent: Sorry to report, but no, I don't have an english accent folks. But my grammar is decreasing. It is scary. My district leader has a hickish type accent from Utah and one of our investigators is from London and they say things like "we was" and stuff and I am catching myself saying stuff like that. AHHHHH! And then I say my o's like an irish person at times. I think I already told you guys that, but I have no idea what my voice is doing!

 

Progress In Talking: I am grateful to be a misisonary because I am getting more comfortable with giving talks way last minute and being completely fine with it. It is so weird when I look back on the first talk I ever gave. I think I was 12 and I wrote it out like a week before and practiced it over and over. I also think of my sophomore year when I had to give a presentation on Nelson Mandela and completely blanked and started it over like 3 times and after the class I just started crying and never having a desire to speak in front of people again. BUT you never stop trying. Practice makes perfect and you just say a prayer and rely on the Spirit to take over when you talk. And I am sure I'll have experiences in the future where I don't give the best talk, but I'll learn from it and keep trying. I got a text Saturday night about speaking Sunday morning. I've learned that a good talk consists of a personal story, scriptural example, application to life, and linking it to the Savior ALWAYS. So that is what I did and I think it was the best talk I've given and the least stressed out I've been. Thank you mission.

 

Investigators: Sorry, I don't talk about investigators as I should. It is weird because some things you experience as a missionary with someone are so special and personal that you feel weird writing it. I'm not being selfish, I promise, but just know Kieran and Maxine are progressing and doing awesome. Kieran is working on quitting smoking and Maxine is up to Helaman and wants to join the ward choir! We have other invetsigators that are in the beginning stages, and good things are going to come.

 

Weather: IS CRAZY. We are actually really blessed in this Southern most part of England compared to the rest of the country. It is cold though. One moment it will be sunny, and the next pouring down. That is England for you.

 

Lars: We had an awesome district meeting that got Sister Andersen and I pumped about making specific goals. We have heard those stories of people praying for a specific person and actually finding them and bringing them to the gospel, so we thought we have the faith we can do it too! So we prayed and the person that came to both our minds was a male, black puffy jacket, shoulder length hair, and Sister Andersen thinks his name is Lars. So we are looking for Lars everyday! We will find him!

 

Exchange: I love helping out sisters. I didn't fully expect how much joy it would bring, but I love being able to learn, listen, and love the different sisters I get to meet! Sometimes it is so crazy to think that the Lord trusts us 18-21 age people to do what missionaries do to a specific area of the world. That we are living on our own, figuring out transport, appointments, talking to everyone we meet about the gospel, etc. But He trusts us, and everything always works out. For exchanges, you pray about who, when, and where you will exchange. So I felt good about Sister Jacob coming to Teignmouth with me. We trained it to Torquay and back and had an awesome day. Our goal was to have fun street contacting. I asked one of the first ladies I met if we could help her (she was carrying garden stuff), and she said yes!! She was heading to her allotment (no one in England really has a garden/yard so there are these places you can buy and do your garden) and so we went and helped her for an hour and a half. She was a Jehovah's witness and really friendly and open, and we ended up teaching her the Restoration while we were helping her. SO AWESOME. I just love how you never know where you will end up in a day. You plan of course, but then you go where the Lord needs you to go. Anyways, it was a cool experience and I love Sister Jacob lots. I think we have a family connection or something because her family is from Scotts Valley.

 

Anyways! ALL is Well in ISRAEL, I love you lots and thank you family for the picture book and calendar, I look it all the time and just love you all so much! Have a great week!

 

Love,

Sister McLeod

 

This is a picture from Christmas. Us and the Newton Abbot elders (Elder Blackner, Smith, me and Sister Andersen). I just love all of my district so much.