Hello hello hello!
I know that last week I had mentioned how we might be going to Wicked this week, but, alas, there is going to be a tube strike on the day that we would need to go to London. So that is definitely a bummer. Then we decided that we would just venture in over to Harry Potter Studios, BUT we came to find out that you need to get tickets at least 2 weeks in advance... But it's alright! We are hoping to go to London today just to do some sightseeing and that whole dealio - but it's pouring rain right now, so maybe that will happen, maybe it won't.
Another crazy week has come and gone! I seriously can't even comprehend all of the things that have been happening because the days just all blur together. It's been a great week nonetheless. Hmmmmm, so what has been going on this past week...
Last Monday after emailing and such, the whole district got together and we played more football (I think I'm going to be playing that a whole lot while I'm out here on the good ol' mish...), but my ankle has been super swollen and hurt for quite a while, so I just sat there and watched. Honestly I wasn't so sad about that hahaha. It's always fun to get together with the district, though! When we got tired of that, the Elders decided it would be fun to make a rap about church and it was honestly so hilarious. And I'm practically a 3 year old so I just could NOT hold it together. I was cracking up the whole time, but was finally able to compose myself enough to get my line out. Then we ventured over to a place called CREAMS - I suggest that you all look that place up on google right now. It was so so so so so good. Just loads of ice cream sundaes and such. Not the smartest move by Sister Bader and I because we had to go directly from there to a dinner appointment and I seriously felt like I could throw up I was so full hahaha. But it was a fun day!
Here is an example of me not being able to hold it together in the rap hahaha.
I would have to say that the craziest day this week was Saturday for sure. We did a whole lot of finding, which is always interesting to say the least. I am going to give you all a little synopsis of how finding went for us this day:
First we approached a man and asked him what makes him happy in life. He started smiling and laughing super creepily and said, "You are ladies. I can't tell you that." So, yeah, we got out of that conversation pretty quickly. Then I approached a couple who were walking their dogs, and this huge boxer full-on jumped on me and tried to attack me. Then we asked another man what brings him hope in life, and his response was "death." Sister Bader and I decided at this point we would try our luck at tracting. Door after door we just got rejection after rejection. We approached one door and the windows were open and we heard a man call from inside, "No thank you, ladies," so we looked in the window to tell him to have a nice day, and it's this old man just chillin' on his couch in a speedo... awkward. And then lastly, we went to the door of a man who was SO drunk he could barely stand and was spitting every time he spoke, which was so nasty. So yeah, that was our day of finding in a nutshell. We did end up finding a few nice people mixed in there, though, but I honestly just laugh when I think about all of the different situations we had that day.
Saturday night we went to a sister's home in our ward, and after we visited with her we went to get on a bus. We have these cards that we pay for monthly so that we can get on any bus or tube, but Sister Bader's had expired. We were out in tim-buck-too soooo far away from our flat. We tried to call a few members to see if anyone would be able to give us a ride, but they all had decided to go to the beach that day because it was HOT. So, after we had been sweating all day long, we had to walk for more than two hours (and not just a leisurely walk, we were SPEED walking - pumping arms and everything) to get to a tube station to top off Sister Bader's card. Of course I was wearing my not-so-comfortable shoes and my ankle was still swollen, so not the most fun to say the least. But at least I burned a lot of calories and probably sweat off a few pounds hahaha. My mom had sent me such a GOOD poem about missionary work, so Sister Bader and I read it while we were walking, which helped us look at things with a more positive view.
Sunday was a great day! We had three investigators at church and they all felt the spirit SO strongly. There was a little girl that got baptised, and our investigators had the chance to see that after church and they all loved it. It was such a blessing to have them there!
I hope that you all have a wonderful, fantastic, magnificent week!
Here are some random thoughts/feelings of the week:
I am very sad to say, but I do not even recognise when someone has a British accent anymore. It used to be such a cool thing to hear, but honestly it's refreshing to hear from some good ol' Americans now hahaha.
I thought my sense of direction would improve within a few weeks of the mission, but I am sad to say it has not. 90% of the time I turn the wrong direction when we are leaving the flat lol.
Sister Bader heard a Southern accent for the first time and started laughing because she thought that it was a joke hahahaha.
Peace, love, and blessings!
Sister Syddall
(Here is the poem I sent to Lolo - Skye Chapman {Maryland Baltimore Mission} had read it in her Homecoming talk a week ago, and kindly shared the link):
He's Been There Before
by Elder Troy Whittle (Texas Houston Mission)
The alarm bell rings at 6:30, I stumble to my feet
I grab my companion's bedding and pull off his sheets
A groan fills the room, is it already time to arise?
It seems like just a second ago I was able to shut my eyes
The morning's activities follow - study, prayer, and such
When it's time to leave the apartment, you feel you haven't accomplished much
"We have a super day planned," my comp says with a grin
I lowly utter a faithless breath, "Yeah, if anyone lets us in."
With the word of God and my faithful Schwinn, we ride off in the street
Prepared to face another day of humidity and heat
It's 9:30 in the evening, the day is almost through
My comp and I are riding home, not accomplishing what we thought to do
We ride up to the mailbox hoping to receive a lot
Only to look inside and hear my echo reverberate "Air box"
We go up to our apartment, the day is now complete
The only thing to show for our work is a case of blistered feet
It's past 10:30pm, my companion is fast asleep
Silence engulfs me all about, and I begin to weep
In the midst of sadness I kneel down to pray
I need to talk to Father, but I'm not sure what to say
"Oh, Father," I begin, "What happened to us today?
I thought we'd teach somebody, but everyone was away
My hands, my aching hands - worn, hurt and beat;
If our area was any smaller, we'd have knocked every street"
"Why on missions are the days so much alike?
The only difference about today was the flat tire on my bike
Will you send some cooler weather? The heat is killing me
I sweat so bad, it gets in my eyes, it's very hard to see"
"Why do I have to wear a helmet, isn't your protection enough?
People always laugh at me, and call me stupid stuff
Please send us investigators so I may give them what they lack
I want to give them a Book of Mormon, the weight of them hurts my back"
"And what about my family? They don't have much to say
I'm sick of not hearing from home day after day after day
Oh Father, why am I here? Am I just wasting time?
Sometimes I just want to go home, I'm sorry, but that's on my mind."
"My companion, Heavenly Father, what are you giving me?
The way he rides his bicycle, I don't think he can see
Now you have it, I can't go on, I don't know what to do
That, my Father in Heaven, is the prayer I have for you"
My prayer now finished, I stand up, then jump right into bed
I need my rest for tomorrow, we have another long day ahead
Sleep starts to overtake me, I seem to drift away
Then it seems a vision takes me to another time, another day
I'm standing alone on a hill, the view is very nice
A man walks towards me and says, "My name is Jesus Christ"
Tears of joy well up inside, I fall down to His feet
"Arise," he states, "follow me to the shade. You and I need to speak."
My attention's towards my Savior, total and complete
He says, "Your mission is similar to what happened to me
I understand how you feel, I know what you're going through
In fact, it would be fair to say I've felt the same as you"
"I even know how you felt when no one listened to you
At times I felt not quite sure what else I could do
I know you don't like to ride a bike, for you a car would be sweet
Just remember the donkey I rode wasn't equipped with 21 speeds."
"I understand you don't like sweating, in fact it's something you hate
I remember when I sweat blood from ev'ry pore, oh the agony was great!
I see you don't like your companion - you'd rather have someone else -
I once had a companion named Judas who sold my life for wealth"
"It's hard to wear a helmet and have people make fun of you
I remember when they put thorns on my head and called me King of the Jews
So you feel burdened down by the weight of your pack
I recall how heavy the cross was when they slammed it on my back"
"Your hands hurt from tracting and knocking on doors all day
I guess when they pounded nails into mine, I ached in a similar way
It's hard not to hear from home when your family's not there to see
I lost communication on the cross and cried, "Father, why has Thou forsaken me?"
"We have a lot in common, but there's a difference between us you see
I endured to the end and finished my mission, so follow and do like me"
He embraced me with His arms and His light filled me with His love
With tears in my eyes I watched as He went back to the the Father above
I stood with awe and wonder when a beep rang in my head
I listened and heard the alarm, then realized I was in my bed
My companion let out a groan, "6:30 already? No way!"
I sat up and said, "Come on, I'll even carry your scriptures today!"
No matter what we go through, when we feel we can't take any more
Just stop and think about Jesus Christ, He's been there before!
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