Lots of Happenings and Pictures!

Judy and Denise at her baptism

Wow what a lovely week! I am just filled with gratitude for the love I feel for evey person I've met in Teignmouth and Newton Abbot. My eyes have been annoyingly leaking. I took pictures of a lot of people who have made an impact on my life. I didn't get everyone, but here are a million pictures.

Bourenmouth: Presdient called Saturday morning and asked me to pinkwash an area and train a new missionary. Pinkwash means that the area used to have elders, but they have closed it down for a bit and are now opening it to sisters. I am excited/scared, but more on the excited part to begin this new adventure. It will be fun to train and to come into the area together knowing nothing about the place or ward. I think what awaits me is a lot of prayers, getting lost, but seeing a lot of miracles as well. I guess I can't get out of the southwest of England haha, but I am blessed to be going to a seaside city again. 

Judy's baptism: I have been teaching Judy since December. It was really cool how it all came to be because we felt prompted to go by a older member Denise who lived at the very top of Teignmouth when I was with Sister Andersen. Me being a novice to Teignmouth I thought it would take 15 minutes to walk there, but with the hills it ended up being 50 minutes. I am proud to say when Sister Schmidt and I walked there a couple of days ago it only took 30 minutes, so I'm getting in shape with all these hills :) But during that time with Denise the Spirit was very strong as we got to know her and when we asked if there was anyone we could go by, she told us about her beloved friend Judy whom she has known for 30 years. We stopped by and once every 2 weeks turned into once a week which turned in to 2 then 3 times a week. Judy cannot lie, and it has been so fun teaching her because she will say exactly what is on her mind and ask wonderful questions. She has a heart of gold and does anything for her family and friends. I love her so much. The baptismal service was so special as Denise spoke about friendship. They were both in tears and it just made me tear up as well. Charlotte, her grand-daughter sang "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing." At the last moment she got scared she couldn't hit the high parts so we offered to sing it with her. Man we, or more me, made her look good because of my not so good voice, but it was special and she is the cutest and has made me braclets and a little smirf for a good bye present. What a special memory to end in Teignmouth.

Miracle teach:  I want to talk about this miracle of a teach we had. We met Christina on the street a month back. She is 17 and we have been meeting her at this little bench/pavilion right by the sea when members aren't able to have her in their home. We came to the teach with Elisa, a member who just got called to the Adelaide Australia mission (fun fact for you all), and turns out Christina brought her friend Louise who is interested. It gets better. We start teaching word of wisdom and law of chastity after a brief overview and how to begin teaching for Louise when a lovely girl turns around from another bench and says "Hey! I am really interested in what you are talking about, can I join in?". It was such an amazing experience and we are now meeting with both of those girls as well as Christina. Christina's mom let her finally come to church and so that was another miracle as well!

Teignmouth: I have loved this place and people with all my heart and I've really learned on the mission that home is where ever the gospel and love is. I am grateful to have seen the incredible progress of this area and see Kieron, Paul, Judy enters the waters of baptism. Things are conitnuing to progress and hopefully when I visit in a couple years there will be a Teignmouth ward.

I love you all so much, and appreciate your love and support. It means a lot.

Heather, Rebecca, Oliver, and me. I don't have time to write about her, but I know one of the reasons I needed to be here was to be with Heather during this really difficult part of her life. She said you are like a sister to me, and I feel the same way. There have been so many ups and downs, and I am so blessed to know this family.

 Judy, charlotte, me and Smirf

Vousdens = Amazing family, I don't know what we would do without them. That is Bishop and his wife Susan (I think she looks like Aunt Anne), his son Joe who returned from his mish 2 weeks ago in Leeds and Shannon, the prettiest 16 year old ever!

Maxie, she is also like another sister and she is planning on being baptised, she is just waiting for the penny to drop on a few things. She is pretty much a member already though and we have been through a lot together.

This is one of the many meals we have had together and it is so cute they always just give me a fork because I am American and am not the best with the knife/fork approach of Europeans.

Elisa Zuchic is the sweetest person ever. She is from Croatia but moved with her Mom 6 years ago to England and joined the church. She got her mission to Adelaide Australia. How cool is that!

Miracle teach. Emily had to go before the end, but here's a pic of Christina, Louise, me, and Elisa.

Dohertys. They an an Irish family who moved into the ward last year. They came pretty much with nothing and I am so grateful for their example of stalwart faith. We go every Thursday to them for dinner and they are hilarious in such an English dry humour type of way. 

My choir family!!!!!! Love every single one of them sooo much!

Sara McGuiness is the mom of 8! Can you believe it?. She just had little cute oscar, who is already being so musical

Hilarious Sister Schmidt: We were doing Judy's garden and Sister Schmidt was frustrated her fence wouldn't fit and she was like find me a saw, and I was like sister come on, it is alright, but no she would not leave it like that so we find her a saw and she just keeps sawing for a good 20 minutes. 

Stella and Kids: They were baptised in September, and they are just so great. Stella is AMAZING! So much respect for everything she has done as a single mom with everything that happened in the past. They are just so loving and fun.

Sam and Bryony: Love these two.

Updates

Sorry this will be a short letter because it is a bank holiday here and we had to go to the McMurtrey's to email and I am on their tablet and it is super frustrating to write on and taking forever. So sorry if I haven't responded to you, next week for sure! 

Updates: We had interviews with President this week and he said I would be going next week. He didn't know where or with who, but I'll be finding out this week. Teignmouth feels like home and I have loved every minute these past 7 months, but I am ready for a new chapter and challenge of my life and mission. Change is good. I will miss Sister Schmidt and everyone but as my good friend Kieron always says it's only bye for now. Judy is getting baptised on Saturday so that is really special :) I love her so much and so proud of her decision. She was thinking of moving the following week, but as soon as she heard I would probably be going, she said, "Well you have to be there so May 31 it is!" :) May 31 is also the day my trainer, Sister Barker is getting married. So it is a good day to make some covenants with God. :) I love what my president said when I asked him about how you endure well to the end of your mission and life. He said, "When you view your mission as your own time you will say I've done enough and deserve a break and towards the end you may use it as an excuse to not work as hard. When you see your mission as the Lord's, you will understand that this is His time and you would never want to waste this any of His precious time. And you will see that your work doesn't end even when you go home." I think we can apply that to the rest of our lives. He has all given us this life and body to learn, grow, and develop and we should be grateful for it. We should be selfless with our talents and time because it is not really ours, it is His. I love sharing Alma 34:32 with so many people. This really is the time to prepare to meet God and enjoy this life helping one another. I love you all and hope you have a lovely week. I can be patient with people being rude, but my patience with this tablet is testing me. Haha, I have never been the best with technology. Love you loads.

Love,
Sister McLeod

Musical

Musical: It was amazing how it all came together. There were little glitches with sound and what not along the way, but that's what I loved about. All of us amateurs coming together and trying our best. Overall though it was very powerful and emotional. The songs sounded so beautiful, and they will be stuck in my head forever. It was a really cool experience for ward members and everyone who came and saw it. I just love this ward so much, I really feel like I am apart of it. Jasmine, Judy, and Maxie's families all came and a lot of friends and family of members. I love the process of events like these, and the actual performance itself is just a cherry on top. All of it and Maxie and George being apart of it was so inspired and a lot of special moments I will cherish. It is cool to see how these events help bring so many people together, less actives, investigators, and members.

Year Mark: Sister Schmidt is the cutest and got a little candle and sang happy birthday to me. She saw a mermaid little bubble bath thing one p-day and thought that it looked like me and so that was my gift:) It was the best. She is hilarious.

Blur: This week has been such a blur of events of zone conference in Poole, exchanges, musical rehearsals, and the musical. A lot of great things happening here. Teignmouth is just the absolute best. Jasmine is just loving praying and church. Christina feels like she is on the right path, and Judy is getting closer and closer to baptism. There are great things happening, but there not without some trials for them along the way. I just love the optimisim of the prophet's example of how things will work out. They always do, and I am so grateful for that.  

I love this gospel and I love the Book of Momon. It makes more and more sense eveytime I read it. I love you all so much and keep doing doing those small and simple things. They make the biggest difference.

Love,
Sister McLeod

 Sister McMurtey holding Sara McGuiness's baby who was born on Wednesday. So presh, his name is Oscar. 

 Some pictures of the musical rehearsal and year mark.

Miracles

Full up: Yesterday after church, I just was filled with so much love of the gospel, miracles, Newton Abbot ward, Teignmouth, the people, just everything to the point where I just started crying in happiness. There are these moments where it feels like there are so many blessings that literally you do not have room enough to recieve them. I had a similar experience one of my last Sundays in Bath. It renews my faith, and strengthens my testimony that God is truly a God of Miracles and of love. I feel like my understanding and sincerity of saying that grows stronger and stronger each day. 

Miracles:

1. Testimony meeting yesterday seemed to focus on the missionary work happening in Teignmouth. Bishop is just amazed about all of the people we are teaching and to think the Sisters opened the area 1 year ago. My favorite thing in missionary work is the progression. Seeing an area or person start from nothing and bit by bit, line upon line, growing each day. It parallels to my belief in God and this gospel. Everything good comes from God and the small and simple things each day. When many days go by and you are able to reflect on the progress, it is the best feeling.

2. There were testimonies born for the first time ever yesterday. They were so pure, beautiful and sincere.

3. A recent convert and her familly who had been away for awhile came to church. 

4. Kieron's grand-daughter and boyfriend decided to come to church with no invitation. I asked her why she came today and she said I have no idea, it just seemed right. Both her boyfriend and her have no concept or teaching about who God is and we are teaching them Tuesday at Kieron's. I have been praying for this opportunity to start sharing the gospel with Kieron's family. We had prayed that day that we could reach our goals for new investigators and that was truly a miracle.

5. Denise, who is the best friend of Judy and a member, bore her testimony for the first time in many years directly to Judy and Judy was in tears. She is getting baptized at the end of this month and you could just feel the love and connection. Denise is older and broke her hip, but made it to the stand. 

6. Judy's granddaughter Charly decided to come with her to church.

7. Our zone has been struggling in church attendance and and we fasted for a specific numeric goal that was way above any week we have had thus far, and we reached it exactly yesterday. 

I seriously could keep going and I don't know how meaningful all these things are to a person reading this, but these are people mean everything to me. I love and care about so incredibly much. They mean the world to me and to see God's hand at work helps me and humbles me to know whose work and glory this really is. I feel like the gospel gives us lens to see miracles. So if you haven't cleaned yours lately, clean them and look around to truly see the miracles. I love how the Spirit is constantly telling Nephi in 1 Nephi 11-14 to "Look". Look for the good in others and yourself. I love you all so much, and I'm grateful for your prayers. I really feel them.  

The People

The Why: It is good to slow down sometimes and remember why you are doing something. When you understand the why, the who, what, when, and where, it makes more sense and life suddenly has more meaning. I hit my halfway mark yesterday, so maybe that is why I am being reflective. The why I am out here on a mission is because of the people I have met and will continue to meet. Their stories, personalities, humor, and testimonies have been locked away in my heart and I cannot imagine my life without knowing them. Sister Andersen and I were just realizing that we are teaching the best people and we are so lucky to know them and love them. They are so unique and different, yet the unifying power of the gospel is helping to be happier. I love it and wanted to share a little something about them.

(50's) Judy: Judy is a hard working single mom who will do anything for her family. She stands up for what she knows is right and looks out for the underdog. When she watched the restoration video and when we read the scriptures, she always shows concern for the people who get persecuted like Joseph Smith and Nephi from his brothers. It is so sweet to see her concern.

(30's) Alan: Alan is HILARIOUS! The first week we were together, Sister Andersen and I found him knocking and every time we meet with him he is still amazed that we knocked his door, like it was a privilege. Just from that experience, He knows God is looking out for him. Alan comes from a bit of a dodgy/chavy/noncommittal background, but has this pureness type of innocence and is stoked on the gospel and wants to change his life. He even got a journal that says "man with a plan." We had to take a picture. I wish you could all meet and see how this guy is without trying to be.

This is Alan: A man with a plan!

(20's) Maxie: Maxie pretty much teaches herself. She is thirsty for knowledge and understanding and is so considerate of others. She is always sensitive about doing the right thing, and she is the epitome of "slow and steady wins the race." For Maxie, the truth has come a little bit at a time and through little experiences here and there and she wants to make sure she is committing to something she fully believes in and trusts in. The members love her and she is going to sing a duet with a member at the next musical program. She is immersing herself in the gospel and church activities amidst the trials that she faces and I love her to death. We are going to the moors (beautiful place) with her today for our p-day and then going to FHE at the Vousdans home and Alan is going to come to!

(60's) Bill: Bill is an artist. You should see the texts Bill sends about his feelings about the Book of Mormon. So poetic and he is loving every moment about learning about this gospel. He has legitimate obstacles keeping him from coming to church, but He is trusting in God to prepare a way for him.

(60's) Kieron: And we can't forget about him. I talk about him loads, but he seriously is so thoughtful and I love him to death. He is loving learning even more about the gospel after his baptism and starting to do his family history and heading to the temple for baptisms soon. His family is getting interested, and we are hoping to teach them next! His insights and prayers are completely genuine and beautiful.

So when I knock doors or get knocked over by this rubbish weather, I remember the why and these people. The hope to find that next person I am going to start loving even more and introduce to the gospel is why I go out everyday. It is why I am a missionary.

I love you all so much. Look at the why you do things and it will help you gain a better attitude amidst the trials we face daily. The gospel is true and brings happiness. I know that for myself and I know that for the people I have met.

Love,

Sister McLeod

I was so tired one night, I literally could not get to bed. Haha!

Sister Andersen let me cut her hair! I felt so proud that finally someone trusted me enough! By the way it looks great!

Product hair cut