1 Transfer: COMPLETE

Howdy ya'lllllllll

I hope that your week has been magnificent. Marvelous. Fabulous. Wonderful. Fantastic. It has been yet another great week here in good ol' England, and if you're wondering why this is a day late, it is because we had dun, dun, dunnnnnnnnnnn...... Transfers! Yes folks, I have indeed made it through one whole transfer out here on the mish. And if you are all on the edge of your seats wondering where I will be going... I GET TO STAY IN HAYES!!! I am seriously soooo so happy that I get to spend another 6 weeks with Sister Bader and the wonderful amazing people here. And it is just so crazy to me to see how much I have learned and progressed in just these six weeks. And I still know there is so so sooooooooo much more learning for me to do, but I am PUMPED for what's ahead!

Last Sunday with the whole Hayes crew together! Elder Convey will be leaving to train and Elder Sowah will also train a new missionary here in Hayes. Actually, every Elder in my district will be training a new missionary, so I will no longer be the newbie, hollllllla

So what are some of the highlights from this week hmmmmm... Well I have had my first challenging dinner to make it through. I am not really one to handle spice very well and this meal was the spiciest food I have ever had in my entire life. By the end of it I couldn't even taste anymore. My taste buds were just toast hahaha. Poor Sister Bader was literally crying from how spicy it was. But indeed, we did live to tell the tale.

I don't think I've ever mentioned, but there is a Five Guys right by where we live, and we went there this week. Wow, it just felt like I was right back in the U S of A. I may have even shed a tear as I was eating the deliciousness (just kidding... maybe...) but it is so flippin' expensive here! Like £11 for the meal, which is about $16 in the U.S. which is just ridiculous. But still so so worth it. I can't believe I just wrote an entire paragraph about going to Five Guys, but it was an important event.

A little miracle that happened this week was that last Sunday we had a woman at church, and she brought her little grandson. She is already a devout Baptist and has made it well known to us, but her grandson LOVED church. There was a baptism after church that they got to watch and he was asking how old he has to be to be baptised. Then the real miracle happened after that, when the grandson opened up about problems that had been going on at home, so they were able to get that sorted out. Then the woman asked if we could find missionaries that were located near her daughter, and then she said, "I know I shouldn't have two churches... but could I maybe come to your church as well?" And we were like YESSSSS. So that was cool.

Another great great event this week was that we got to go to a piano concert at the Hyde Park chapel! It was so beautiful. I got to see the Thiesses, which was such a treat! Elder Thiess gave me my patriarchal blessing and I was SO grateful that I was able to see them! They are the sweetest couple ever.

My favourite quote that I came across this week was one by President Gordon B. Hinckley. He said, "We will be looked upon as a peculiar people who have found the key to a peculiar happiness." I have found this quote to be sooooo true since I have been out on my mission. As I wear a badge with the name of Christ on it I get sooooo many odd stares but I LOVE that! I love being a representative of Christ and being one of those "peculiar people."

I hope you all have a fabulous week! I love you all and I love hearing from all of you!!!

Love,
Sister Syddall