On FIREEEEE

Hello everyone!

I hope that things have been going WONDERFULLY for all of you! The time seems to feel like it's going a {little} bit faster since I'm getting more into the swing of things here in good ol' Hayes. I am seriously loving missionary work more and more everyday!

So... trying to think of what has happened over the past week is so hard for me to do... It really is just one big blur, but I will try to recount some of the highlights.

We had another district meeting on Tuesday, which is always so great. Seeing how amazing all of the missionaries are in my district gives me hope that someday (hopefully sooner rather than later) I can be as great as they are! Every single missionary that I have met here so far has been absolutely fantastic. They are all so hardworking and truly give 100 percent to the Lord.

Later in the week we got to do a service for a woman named Karen in our ward. We were painting her hallway blue. And when I say blue, I mean BLUE. She didn't know it was going to be as bright as it turned out, but it definitely added some brightness to the hallway! Haha.

There have been multiple times this week that I have said something in "American English" and everyone just looks at me like I'm an idiot hahaha. For example, NO ONE here uses the term "restroom," and even if I say "bathroom," although more acceptable, people still think it's so weird. It's strictly the "toilet." And I was asking for a bandaid at one point and they just stared at me and didn't understand what I was asking for. Then they were like "ohhhhhh do you mean a plaster?" I always say "garbage" and my companion replies, "don't you mean rubbish?" I learn something new everyday haha. Oh, and whenever people ask me how tall I am (and I get that question a lot), I can't even answer because no one knows the whole feet/inches thing here. I guess it's time for me to discover my height in centimetres.

We played some more chair football and volleyball on Thursday for sports night. Once again during football I just stood there not knowing what to do with myself. If you would like an image in your head of what I look like when I attempt to play, just imagine me trying to kick the ball and missing 90% of the time. At least everyone else always gets a good laugh when I try. Elder Convey, who is from California, likes to remind me that if I use my "American Power" I will be super good. Haha.

Thursday was also Sister Bader's 9 month mark! She is now on the downhill slope! Apparently it is tradition for sisters to take a picture with pillows stuffed under their shirt to look like they're {9 months} pregnant. So odd. But also so hilarious. I'm afraid you'll just have to wait another 8 months until you get to see mine haha.

A cool experience that Sister Bader and I had this week was on Saturday. We were going teaching with a recent convert named Dean and he is just the GREATEST. He is so pumped about missionary work and helping us out. So we went to an appointment, and the people we were meeting with didn't show, so we decided to we would go and talk to people around town. We found one man and began talking to him. He wasn't really showing much interest to what Sister Bader and I were saying, so we asked Dean to share his testimony about the Book of Mormon. As soon as Dean shared his testimony, the guy's persona completely changed. He was able to see that light that Dean had about him, and now we have an appointment with him to teach him more! It was a great little experience.

Later that day we went finding to a place that was straight out of a horror movie. We were in these hallways that had two floors and if you looked up, the ENTIRE ceiling was covered with spiders and spider webs. I'm not kidding... every single little inch. It was terrifying and I didn't dare look up again because with my luck they would have just fallen into my eyes or mouth or something. Fortunately we made it out alive hahaha.

On Sunday we got a call from President and Sister Stevens telling us that they would be coming to our ward that day! We were so excited to see them and we were expecting a couple of investigators at church that day, so we were prepared for a great Sunday. When we got to church, President and Sister Stevens arrived and went and got seated in the chapel. None of our investigators had shown up and we were so bummed. But when the meeting began, in walked three of our investigators. And then a couple minutes later, in walked another investigator with her two kids. We were SO happy that they were able to come and meet President and Sister Stevens. As Sister Stevens was leaving at the end of the church meetings, she turned around to Sister Bader and I and said pointing to us, "These Sisters are on FIRE!" It was so sweet and meant so much to hear that from her. It's great to know that the work we are putting in is recognised by our wonderful President and his wife.

This morning Sister Bader and Elders Sowah and Convey and I were able to go to our bishop's home and make a Brazilian snack called coxinhas. And oh. my. goodness. They were the most heavenly things I have ever tasted. They are also so, so unhealthy, but it was so worth it. It is always a party when we are at the bishop's house. Sooooo much fun.

Well, that's it for this week folks! Tune in again on the 17th of August! I thought I would include some more random things that no one probably cares about hahaha:

A box of Kraft macaroni and cheese here is like 2.50£ which is equivalent to $3.88. For ONE box. I suppose I will have to survive without that fake cheese goodness.

The best purchase for my mission was definitely my rain boots. They are the comfiest of my shoes and have come in handy many times already. And I look so posh when I wear them so I feel like a real European hahaha not really. But kind of.

A rainbow after a full day of rain! So pretty.

They do NOT sell any of the good fruity/sour candy here. AKA all the candy that I LOVE. No sour gummy worms. No sour patch kids. No rips. It is so, so sad. They only sell chocolate. It is very very good chocolate, but it still doesn't fill that hole in my heart </3

I think that {herbal} tea is very, very gross. But I just smile and pretend to enjoy it anyway. I have discovered my love for something called "Mormon coffee" or barley cup. Only if you add milk and sugar to it though lol.

This picture is like two weeks old, but it was my first "tea party" in England at Bishop's house. 

These are the lovely Elders Sowah and Convey.

I hope that this week is truly fantastic for you all!!

Love,
Sister Syddall