Training Experiences

Bournemouth: The great. It is sooo sunny and warm and so many people out. It is great being new sisters because families are giving you people that they think sisters would be better for and so we are starting to have a good investigator pool with part member families. 

Training: Sister Sargsyan keeps on coming out with the craziest stories about her life and mini mission in Georgia that is so hilarious. I think I need to write a book for her. Like for example in Armenia I guess it is common for men to try to kidnap the person they want to marry if she refuses and this one man (out of many admirers of Sister S) tried to take her when she was going to her car in the grocery store car park, and I guess he is still parked out near his house today waiting for her! Creepy. He even bought her a car. Anyways stories like this keep coming up and I am just loving it. It is so interesting training a lot because every experience and person is completely different. You have sweetheart Sister Chamberlain who I got along really well with in Bath where I was really nervous to train and all our investigators seemed to drop us right before she came. You have sensitive and thoughtful Sister Andersen from Denmark coming into the new area of Teignmouth and starting from 1 investigator and building the area. You have hilarious, talkative, straightforward Sister Schmidt from Germany coming in at the height of success in Teignmouth. And then we've got confident and glamorous Sister Sargsyan from Armenia coming into Bournemouth, both of us new to the area figuring it out and learning English. Missionaries have come up to me and said oh you must be the best trainer, but honestly I feel like I am learning so much every time, being humble and realising how many things I need to work on. I am so grateful for companions being patient with me. I am learning by trial and error with every companion and I liken that to how it will be as a mother. Every child and circumstance in your life will be different. But I love the gospel and the ability to change everyday and just keep trying amidst imperfect.   

Miracle After Church: We had just left church and were walking down the road when we stopped and talked to this Portuguese lady. She wasn't very interested so we kept on walking and I noticed this guy was staring really creepily at my companion and following us, so I said walk fast and pass these two ladies in front of us. The two ladies were wearing really pretty dresses and we said hey I like your dress and started to walk with them. Turns out Bertille from somewhere in Africa was looking for the church and her friend Tamsyn had decided to go with her. She had been baptised in 2008 in Southhampton, but had lost contact to the church and was just going to any Christian church service she could find. We said well we can just go back to the chapel right now and talk and so we did that and it was so amazing to hear her conversion and her friend is super interested too. It is amazing how the Lord works and put them in our path for a reason. Even that creepy guy so we could walk faster and talk to these lovely ladies.  

Well I love you all so much! It is so exciting to here updates here and there and shoutout to Mrs. Kaitlyn Taylor who is not Kaitlyn Taylor anymore. I saw one picture and you looked beautiful. Have such a lovely and sunny week. Someone said it is going to be a warm summer in England so I will take that!

Love,

Sister McLeod

Oh and we took a pic outside the chapel because they were all matching except me

I am getting the best watch tanline ever! Sister S and I in this giant balloon that goes up and down and we got permission to go on it today! And us at the beach on good old p-day.

Mum

MUM: I get to be a mother again (mission terminology for training a new missionary) and I am so excited!!! President called and told me 2 new ones were coming in and one was from Germany and the other from Denmark. He said that when he interviewed them he would know which one would be right for which companion. STOKED! I think it is going to be the Danish one because Sister Andersen knows her and I guess I feel like I need to keep up the Danish legacy, but who knows. Sister Andersen is going to Bracknell in the Reading zone and although she is sad to leave Teignmouth the great, her beloved greenie area, change is always so good. I always thought I could not love another place and ward as much as I loved Bath, but Teignmouth is rivaling. What I love about life is that wherever you go there is different types of beauty all around. I think we like to stereotype beauty. For example, we stereotype Hawaii for the most beautiful place on earth, blondes with blue eyes, the list goes on, and yes those places and people are beautiful, but everywhere you go there is beauty. We have just got to open our eyes look for the good wherever. BUT I DIGRESS... haha sorry about that tangent. Change is good, and excited/nervous (not as nervous as first time trainig)/humbled to train a new missionary in Teignmouth.

Bishopric: A new bishopric was called in Newton Abbot and I am also so pumped about that because it is Peter Vousden and we are super close to the Vousdens already and they are so involved in the missionary work. They live in Teignmouth too, so ya really happy about that and excited about the future progression of the ward.

English Foods: My mom asked me what my favorite English foods are and I would have to say cottage/shepherds pie and their wide variety of cooked potatoes. Cottage pie is beef and shepherds pie is lamb, and then you put mashed potatoes for the next layer and then sprinkle cheese on top and then cook it in the oven. And you serve it with cooked vegetables and gravy. And of course potatoes. You've got mash, new, boiled, roasted, jacket, ordinary styles of potatoes. My favourite pudding (they call dessert pudding) is anything with custard. It is this thick good cream type liquid you put on different things and it is LUSH! I also like trifle, which is custard a cake, and jelly type of thing. Anyways those are my typical english favs.

Love you loads and loads,

Sister McLeod 

Sister Andersen took a walk on the beach on our last p-day together

This is from the top of Teignmouth, we get our workout in everyday climbing those hills.

We correlate with our ward mission leader Brother Maddock every sunday night and we have dinner as well. So here is a pic of the gang. The old Bishop Woods came along (right), then there is me and Sister Andersen. The Julians, Matthew Maddock, Elder Smith and Stephen, and Deb Maddock.

Will miss this little lady

This is a very blury pic, but this is at the Vousden's home for Family home evening with George and Maxie and we played the game where everyone was different scripture person (labeled on their head) ie. Moses, Jesus, Nephi, and we had to guess who we were by asking questions. Always a good time at the Vousden home :)

New Companion

Bristol: Monday morning, the zone leaders picked Sister Barker and I and dropped me off in Bristol with Sister Lloyd {Utah} and Sister Grobler {South Africa}. I gave Sister Barker a big hug and just took a deep breath knowing that I can do this. The Lord is helping me. It was such a blessing being with Sister Lloyd and Sister Grobler because it allows you to see what is working for them, how they teach, and advice for your investigators. It is awesome too because we are all so young in the mission! Sister Lloyd is 6 weeks ahead of me training Sister Grobler who is 6 weeks behind me. Over half of our mission in October will be out less than 6 months. On Tuesday I found out my other baptismal date Natalie no longer wants to be taught and be baptised and man that was hard. It seemed like all of our investigators were starting to drop us, but I knew it was a trial of my faith and it was preparing me to train. I think I was talking and praying to God most of Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, hahaha, and man I can testify he answers prayers and we have to trust Him.

Deja Vu Wednesday: The new couple missionaries for the Bristol YSA, the Preeces (who are from Scottsdale and know the Pilkingtons) picked me up in Bristol and we drove 2 hours to Staines to get my new companion! It felt like deja vu being in that same building where I sat just 3 months ago awaiting to hear where I was going and who was training me. I remember the feelings of being overwhelmed and thinking wow all those elders and sisters are so big and amazing and really know what they are doing. Ha to be on the other side of the spectrum was interesting to be strong and confident, but in the inside still freaking out a little bit and being nervous for this great responsibility. It was so great to see so many elders and sisters from the MTC {Missionary Training Center} and see us growing and some of us training. I knew that first day I just wanted someone to come and hug me and talk to me, and so that is exactly what I did to the incoming 7 sisters. I got so excited to see them and just focused on them feeling comfortable and loved. It was weird to see all of them and just wonder which one was mine. After lunch, it was time for the sorting, and it is like the most exciting thing ever. The sisters were first and the fourth one in, President said Sister Chamberlain you will be in Bath with Sister McLeod.

My child: Sister Chamberlain: Oh my goodness when they said that I felt so much love, and just went over and hugged her. She is amazing! She is from Salt Lake City and a convert of a year and a month! And just turned 19! Her and I are very similar and get on really well. She is the cutest and is an inspiration to me. She is the only member in her family and has such a pure and sweet testimony of the gospel. She is able to relate to investigators in a way I cannot. Her friends kept on sending the missionaries to her as a joke, and they finally got to her :) And how glad am I that they did and she is now serving with me in Bath. 

Blessings: From just Wednesday night to Sunday night we taught 18 lessons and have 5 new investigators! We have been working hard and having so much fun. I know good things are coming to Bath and I know the Lord tests our patience, but we have to continue to have the faith. Seriously it is always the last door or the last person we talk to before we go in. That happened last night when we had 30 minutes left and we really just wanted to teach a lesson and have a solid new investigator. It was 2 minutes before our time was up and we knocked my favorite color door, a periwinkle blue. We met and taught a lovely lady named Meg and are meeting with her next week. 

The Lord does bless us. I love the Mormon message about the father and his family trying to make it across the country and his car keeps breaking down. He talks about how some blessings come soon. Some come late. Some don't come until after this life. But, we know as faithful members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints they will come. 

The Lord really gives trainers extra help because everything I was struggling with has been able to improve so much and it is wonderful to start seeing my potential as a more capable and stronger missionary. He just needed to give me the trial so I could see what I am capable of doing. I have a lot of weakness and I rely on Him constantly, but that is what life is all about. The sooner we realize that, the less frustrated and more trusting we will be. I know this gospel is true with all my heart and can transform us into who we are meant to be.

I love you all so much. so so so so much.

Cheers and love,

Sister McLeod

Training

K I don't have much time other than to say President called me last night and I am training! Hahaha mission humour is unique and right after the phone call I yelled "I am with child" and Sister Barker said "I'm going to be a grandma." There is all this mission terminology and trainer's are moms and you are born and die in certain areas, so ya oh my gosh I am feeling way overwhelmed, but this is the letter I wrote to President because I don't have much time to write or respond to anyone today. I am getting picked up in 45 mins to join the sisters in Bristol for 2 days and then I will go pick up my new companion on Wednesday! 

My letter to President:

I read Phillipians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" and am so grateful for the atonement and accessing its help through prayer. I don't know if I have appreciated it as much in my life as I do now. On Saturday morning I had the biggest heartbreak of my mission so far. Sonia, the most special and lovely woman who we have been teaching for 6 weeks and was planning to be baptized August 31st, was taken away from us. She knows it is true and she was getting so excited for her baptism. Her family found out about her wanting to be baptized and they were so against it that when we arrived Saturday morning her friend told us to give us our word we would never contact Sonia again. She looked at us with so much anger in her eyes. Sweet Sonia didn't even get two words in, but just kept saying I am so sorry. I was in complete shock, and immediately after we turned the corner, I burst into tears. I felt so much hurt, and it let me once again feel a fraction of Heavenly Father's pain when we turn away from him. I felt so much anger towards Satan, but I am thankful for turning to Him in prayer and letting Him take the sadness I was feeling and replace it with peace and trust. It is His work, Sonia is His child, and I have to trust in Him. I appreciated in your letter when you said "May the negative influences that will come from the adversary be recognized for what they are and not interfere with the progress of the work". I am learning that the hard way, but I am determined to not let Satan think he has victory over me as a capable missionary who will continue to share the truth. There is opposition in all things, but I know the truth will prevail.

I know this experience is making me a stronger and missionary and preparing me to train. It was a painful experience, but a necessary one to move on and experience the joy of the work.I love you all and pray for you! And sorry I couldn't respond to most of you this week, but I will be writing next Monday with my new companion!! Gahhhh,  I feel like a teenage mom. 

Love lots & Cheers,

Sister McLeod