Busy, busy

Zone Conference: Since our trains aren't working until April, they hired a mini bus to get us to zone conference to Poole. Zone conference is a time that is so nice to see other missionaries, but really to help me see what I need to work on and what I need to do to help the people I am teaching. The AP's spoke about talking to everyone and it has been something I have been alright at, but not always consistent in. Sister Andersen and I knew we had to get better about consistently talking to everyone and so we prayed for the courage and faith to do it. That morning we talked and taught amidst our travels to literally everyone and on our way back for lunch we met Paul. We taught him the restoration, committed him to read the Book of Mormon and to meet with us on Saturday. On Saturday he voiced that church has been on his mind and he was eager to learn. He accepted April 5th for baptism, a date we had prayed about and planned earlier in the week to extend. Tonight we are having FHE (family home evening) in a members home and he is planning to come to church this Sunday! It seriously is amazing that as we listen to our leaders and ultimately the Lord's counsel he will blesses us.

Members that help us = Angels: I love Teignmouth so much! And the members are doing amazing in their efforts to help us. For example we taught Kim on Friday and committed her to come to church. She has a newborn, 4 and 5 year old and no car or car seats and the member there, Susan, was so willing to help. We mass texted the ward for car seats, found 3 and Susan went and retrieved them and was able to take Kim and her family to church. The kids loved primary and Susan took the initiative to make sure they sat next to her in church, and other members even helped with the kids too. So amazing, and so blessed to be teaching so many people that the Lord is preparing. We have 6 baptismal dates and love them all so much. They are all so different and unique, but the gospel is blessing their lives. Kieron passed the sacrament on Sunday like a champ and we are going to do a family home evening with his family this week! Oh man so good. We are so busy!

Dartmoors: The prettiest place ever. Felt Like Lord of the Rings. We went with Maxie, our investigator who I love to death on p-day. We got drenched, but so beautiful and so worth it!

Maxie had a hat from Copenhagen - so obviously Sister Andersen rocked it!

Maxie and I

I look so scary, I don't know what I was doing

Zone Conference

Zone Conference: Since we are so far away from everything in the mission, we had to spend the night in Yeovil with the sisters there before traveling to to Poole in the morning. The Torquay sisters also stayed with us so it was a party. I don't know what it is about girls but we can talk forever. Anyways we made it to zone conference and it was awesome. Elder Teixiera who is a general authority came and spoke to us and his insights were focused on helping our investigators progress. It was exactly what I needed to hear and I loved how he emphasized that it is one thing to feel truth, but the most important thing we need to do and help our investigators do is to test their faith and act on that principle of truth. Faith is all about action. For lunch, the members in Poole were so kind to give us a Thanksgiving meal. It was so good to see Sister Chamberlain and she is doing well in Bath, so that made me happy. It was also so good to see Sister Cowley from my MTC group. Seriously every time we see each other we are going through very similar things so it is nice to talk and laugh.

Zone Conference Thanksgiving meal

Trains: I LOVE THEM SO MUCH. It is my favorite thing to look out the window in England and see such beautiful green rolling hills or the sea side. Everytime we travel on the train, I feel like a giddy little child.  

Sister Andersen and I traveling on the train

Sister Erasmus and Jacob. Sisters in my distritc in Torquay.

Kieron and Alan: They are our two solid investigators.We taught Alan in the chapel with a recent convert and he prayed for the first time after being really nervous and it was absolutely amazing. He was buzzing with happiness afterwards and telling everyone at the ward activity so that was a good sign. The Newton Abbot ward is really involved with ward activities which is so awesome. We had a Spanish night on Friday and a musical christmas program on Sunday that both Kieron and Alana came to. Unfortunately, they didn't come to church but we are working on that! Kieron and Alan are being able to be fellowshipped and taught in memebrs homes. I seriously feel like a friend maker on a mission. It is because we missionaries come and go, but the ward stays and so we have to build those connections. It has been a good week in seeing both of them progress little bit by little bit.

December: I am SO PUMPED for December. Sister Andersen's mom sent us Danish candy advent calendars and the ward gave us one as well so we were so exicted for it to finally be December to start it. We get to go to the temple on the 10th, we are teaching and finding some great people, the ward is doing so many activities, and then it is Christmas!!! Good things are happening. I've been reading Jesus the Christ and learning so much more about our Savior and think this first Christmas in my England home will be very unique and different.

I love you all. You are in my prayers.

Love,

Sister McLeod

S is For...

Sunday: S is for having a supernal Sunday with Sonia, Sujata, Smruti, and Sparsh full of smiles and the Spirit! How is that for alliteration! S is my favorite letter lately, we keep meeting so many great people starting with S. So, if your name begins with S feel special :) Yes, so our lovely Indian family said they were only coming to sacrament (it is the last meeting here), but then surprised us by coming to gospel principles before! I cannot tell you how much joy I felt as I turned around seeing the members welcoming them into church. Their 6 month old Sparsh is the most precious baby ever and he was so smiley. I will get a picture of them soon to show you how cute this family is soon. And Sonia is the most lovely older lady who has the mannerisms of my grandma Zoe Suzuki. She came to church and absolutely loved it, one of the members came up to her and said "Are you new?" and she replied "Yes, but you will probably see more of me." Oh my goodness, Sonia is being so receptive to the gospel and she is reading a chapter of the Book of Mormon everyday. We hardly can wait until we meet with her during the week.

Zone Conference: I got to see some of my favorite sisters from the MTC. We are the May 16er's, it is a special bond. Sister Gunnel (Idaho), Barrow (Texas), Cowley (Arizona), me, and Finch (England). Man I would love to serve with anyone of these sisters. Crossing my fingers, one day I will get to.

Zone Conference: We roadtripped it 4 hours to Poole and 4 hours back on Tuesday with our zone leaders and one other sister form Finland. We are usually on the bus or train when we travel to these things and we are constantly looking for people to talk to, and so it was quite odd to be in a car with 4 other Mormons. We had to travel to Weston Super Mare to pick up a sister and I got a glimpse of the ocean and oh man that felt good. At the beginning of zone conference, they do a slide show of all the baptisms of the mission recently, and it was funny/cool to see Sister Barker's reactions to some of the pictures because she had either known them or had taught them in her other areas and she was stoked out of her mind that they had made it to baptism. Anyway, zone conference was amazing. I don't think any place with tons of missionaries and the President could ever be bad. He talked about how missionary work is progressing via the internet, and we need to be encouraging others to spread the gospel whether that be through blogs or Facebook. Last month there were 5 baptisms from people being taught through Skype or the internet from our mission from Lebanon to West Virginia. There are Elders and Sisters assigned to internet areas. Carly, a member from Bath has been sharing statuses ever since she was baptised a year ago, and she has had about 6-10 people message her about the church and how it has made her so happy. Currently her friend who messaged her a couple weeks ago is being taught by the missionaries. The work is hastening, and the Lord expects us to use all the tools we have in this modern age. He had us 3 tips for Facebook, 

1. Keep it short

2. Keep it personal

3. Don't use too churchy of words that people won't understand

Scripture: 1 Nephi 16:28-29. Speaking of tools, I love how the Liahona guided Nephi and his family based on their faith and diligence. We can apply this to our lives. The tools of the scriptures, prayer, General Conferences, and church are only going to benefit us if we have faith to trust their guidance and diligently apply it to our lives. I read chapter 17 this morning and it is so interesting to examine the contrast between Nephi and Laman/Lemuel. They describe the same experience so differently due to their levels of understanding of God's plans for them. Knowing that this life is a time of testing and probation, helps us be positive even if hard times come in life. It is a choice to gain this knowledge, and Laman and Lemuel do not choose not to gain this knowledge,thereofre fall victim to their difficult times. I hope we choose to be like Nephi by using the tools the Lord gives us. I know it will help us gain an eternal perspective that will bring joy in this life and in the life to come.

It was like the first day I have ever blowdried or do anything to my hair, so we thought we should document this event. How I love Sister Barker.

My Wall of Love. This wall brings me so much joy, and anyone and everyone is welcome to join to this wall of love by sending me some artwork:) Jeff McLeod - I am expecting an artsy shrek inspried creation.

Amazing Members

Yes big news, little prince George was born this week! I'm sure all of you know more than me. I just here bits here and there from excited ward members. 

Funny: So everytime we head out into the countryside there are these beautiful trees that form a tunnel of green leaves. The roads being so narrow, I always wondered how they got trimmed so well and we got our answer. Twice this week the bus (with its windows open) clipped the trees for a good while and so it was raining leaves all over the passengers of the bus. People watching is the best form of entertainment and it was quite funny to see various peoples' reactions as they were being covered with leaves. Some couldn't be bothered and kept on reading their newspaper and others just looked so displeased, giving scowls to the bus driver, and the bus driver just chuckled. We, onlookers on the back got a good laugh as well.

Members: The reason why we are seeing the missionary work hasten has a large part to do with the members. Members can break through barriers with investigators that missionaries cannot. We cannot give lifts to church, we cannot give advice/counsel, we cannot be their support forever. For example, we have been teaching Natalie for months, and as soon as members started coming on teaches with us and really getting involved (whether that be by coming on a teach, prayer, a simple note, a lift to church, counsel, support, priesthood blessing, just loving her) that is when we have seen her progress and she has prayed and set her own date for baptism for September 14th!!!!!!!!!! I love Natalie so much and admire her strength. She has truly blossomed amidst the many trials that have come up, but the gospel of Jesus Christ is changing her heart and how she handles adversity. We can see it, and she can see it and it is the most beautiful thing. Conversion ultimately is between you and God, but the love of members is so important! After all, the first two commandments are to love God and love our neighbours. I encourage you to go on teaches with the missionaries. It will bless you, the investigator, and the missionaries as we are all helping build the Kingdom of God! Members are the key! Seven members came on teaches with us this week, and the Spirit you add is AMAZING. If you're nervous, don't be. Just you being there helps them see that the gospel really can apply and help their life. 

Miscellaneous: My first zone conference is tomorrow in Poole! The mission is divided in to different areas/zones and so usually every other moves (moves =6 weeks) a couple zones will meet together to be strengthened. Seeing other missionaries is like the best thing ever, and pumps you up. Just reading Sister Ockey's e-mail pumps me up! Missionary work is so incredible, and I just feel so much love that I have never felt before for every person I meet. So I am in the Bristol Zone, and then within the zone there are areas called districts (consisting of elders and sisters) and within districts you are in an area (Bath). I was so confused before the mission so I wanted to clarify it for all you non returned missionaries. 

Anyway, I love being a missionary. You have shy moments/days, but overall the joy you feel because of the gospel of Jesus Christ is changing you and others is unbelievable.

I love you all.

Cheers,

Sister McLeod 

First District in the MTC {Missionary Training Center}

Second District {Right Now in Bath} 

Don't you just love the flattering angles/picture taking skills of mission pictures?