12-09-2013 -- New area (South Shields) and Greenie -- Lots of Pictures

My new baby / Greenie! -- Sister Neilson
(More pictures below)

Sadly my very very precious email time is SO short today :( a member is taking the 4 sisters shopping- then we have zone pday- also I have so many pictures to send!!

But hello family! glad to hear that everyone is doing good! sounds like your life is all basketball all the time! that is exciting!!!  Sounds like Spence is having a blast! I am so glad that he played this year!!!!!

Thanks for the chirstmas decorations!  They are all up and we are all getting so excited for Christmas!!! :) 

This was a great week!  Seeing the Sunderland family at pday was so great :) we watched despicable me 2- it's pretty cute! 

It is so different being in an English area- but it is still great, just a different kind of great, I am learning to appreciate the little things and learning to have more faith!  

Currently we still only have 1 investigator but he is such a miracle! and our ward mission leader is amazing! He comes out to every single lesson!  D. has come to church 2 times and obviously everyone needs the gospel but he really needs it at this time in his life! and he is so prepared it is amazing!!!!

We did a lot of knocking this week!! A LOT more than I have ever done my whole mission times by 100! hahaha but there aren't that many places to street contact in our area and there are 300 less active members in our ward!! crazy!!!!!

So we are going around meeting as many as we can and contacting around their area- it is slow- a lot slower than a chinese area but it is still great :)

We met this amazing lady who is less active- she still sends her kids to church every week and we had a POWERFUL lesson with here- lots of tears and we are going back this week to do an FHE with her kids! we are so excited!!!! 

Also another less active we just stopped by- she hasn't been to church or had any contact with the church in about 14 years- and she said she decided that she was going to stop smoking and drinking- and the day she finally started that was the day we stopped by!  wow!! amazing!!

The sister training leaders did a day exchange with us Sister Huang went with Sister Neilson and I went with sister Peck- it was a great day!!  It was weird to be around sister huang again- it was like nothing changed and we were still companions! I loved it!!

I just love it here in South Shields!!!! Sister Neilson and I are having so much fun and I LOVE the sisters we live with!!!!!! 

I love being a missionary! Even though mornings are SO hard hahaha!!

Well I love you all :) hope you have a great week!!!!

<3 Sister Monroe

Travel Notebook

Saying Goodbye to Investigators in York

More Goodbye's

More Goodbye's

One of my favorite Streets in York!

Awe...York University!

Another favorite Street in York!

Two sets of missionaries in York

Transfer day!

President and Sister Pilkington with Sister Neilson

With Greenie!

Beautiful sunset in South Shields

Took my Greenie to McDonald's

South Shields dance party

Freezing!

Purple and Red?  It was so cold that it really didn't matter;)

I got to ride the Stair Life!

Family picture in South Shields with Christmas decorations -- thanks mom for the decorations!

More decorations

Nice Purple wall!

12-02-2013: Love being a Missionary, Love the Work!

Well hello!!!

Good to hear that you all are doing well and happy :) happy thanksgiving!  Hope you had a nice day full of stuffing :) mmmmmm ;)  well things are so great here in South Shields!  We are working hard!  We have had a lot of member lessons- getting to know the ward and visiting less actives :)  We have actually found a new investigator too!!  That was a miracle! We met him on Friday- had a lesson with him Saturday and he came to church on Sunday- miracles happen :)  We are trying to find more though!! 

Ya so last pday in York was great, we went inside the York Minster- it is beautiful. Said goodbye to the people there, wow I actually really miss York! But I am so glad to be up north again!  Really it is great! Back into the Sunderland stake- it is so great because I know a few people here or they recognize me and it is so fun! 

Nothing to big to report on :)

Sister Neilson is great!  Having so much fun with her :)  life is good!  I just love being a missionary!  It makes me so happy, even when we talk to people that couldn't be bothered listening to us and a lot of times they can be rude- but I still love it so much!  I have such a strong testimony of the Spirit guiding us in this work!! 

In our lesson with D., so he grew up Christan when we talked about the Atonement I asked him if he believed that Jesus Christ was his Saviour and he stopped dead in his tracks- he was like how did you know to ask that- turns out he didn't really believe that because he doesn't really know.  There were a few other times in that lesson he kept saying 'how do you know' it was an amazing experience! 

During study on Sunday we were talking about some things that he needed to understand better- what we could do to help him- found some scriptures to share- then in gospel principles EVERYTHING we talked about got discussed! It was AMAZING!!!  I believe in miracles :)  I love this work! 

We are getting so excited for christmas!  our flat is going to be such a party :) 

Love you all <3  thanks for everything you do!!

<3 Sister Monroe

11-26-2013 Transfer to South Shields -- Training Greenie

Alright alright, so you know I am going to South Shields!! whoop whoop I AM SO EXCITED! after the shock passed yesterday of whitewash training in an English area, I was SO excited!!!

So I don't have much time- but it was great to talk to you both today <3 I love you!

This week was great! we ended up staying in Harrogate another night- in total 3 nights, it was sad to be out of our area for so long!  But we are safe now :) 

But I just wanted to tell you of a miracle that happened!  We were street contacting, it was really cold really dark and A. had just dropped us :( I was feeling a little sad, so Sister Ith was talking to a Chinese person and I went up to this Chinese group of 5 people.  Stopped them and the girl in front was SO not interested she kind of rolled her eyes and turned and said something to the group-- I opened my mouth and something AMAZING happened!!  Chinese came out!!!!! I have no idea what I said other than I am a missionary. . .  .  but it stopped her in her tracks- they all looked at each other and I was able to talk to 2 of them!!  (the girl ended up walking away) but IT WAS SUCH AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE!!! and even though I am so so so so sad about leaving chinese!  It ended great :)

WHOOP whoop I am so excited for the next couple of days :) it is going to be hard work but I know that the Lord is on my side and that the Holy Ghost guides us in our work- and gives us the words to say!!

I LOVE YOU!!

<3 Sister Monroe

 

With Harrogate Sisters

 With Sister Ith

 

 



Getting hair trimmed

With Sister from Harrogate area

 At Zone Conference

 

 



At Zone Conference

Ward Party in York

Ward Party in York

Great family in York!

 

11.18.2013 -- Zone Conference

Hello from Harrogate England!!!! oh man so much to tell y'all!!  So sis Ith and I spent the night in Harrogate last night and we will tonight as well- so we were taking lunch yesterday before church and our carbon monoxide detector kept going off- so we went to church, the zone leaders went to check it out after- decided it would be best if we spent the night in Harrogate., which we were SO EXCITED FOR!! whoop whoop we LOVE the Harrogate sisters, it was so fun last night! so we have pday today, then we will work here tonight- then tomorrow is zone conference!!! WHOOP WHOOP and it just happens to be in Harrogate so it is way nice we don't even have to travel!!!!!!!!!!  :) awe ya!

ok so much to tell you! so I don't know if I have told you about A., S., and K.. . . . so we met A. a couple of weeks ago- and she brought S. to the first lesson- they are both AMAZING! and the next time they brought K.- all 3 are scheduled for december and honestly they could get baptized way sooner!  so we were teaching S. and she already knew all about the word of wisdom and chastity- which usually is a bad thing- then she was like, ya my sister goes to BYU in America- she lives with a family who are mormons- she became a mormon 2 years ago and has told me how amazing the church is!!!!!!! WHAT?!?!?! can you say MIRACLE!  she is so excited to learn EVERYTHING and she wants to be baptized!  but get this- so her sister probably would have bumped into Ith in the Asian ward on campus- and she studies education, we are the same age so I probably had a class with her!!! She showed us a pic and we didn't recognize her but weird huh!!!!!

It was amazing, and S. was sick this week so when we confirmed if she was going to come to church, we were a little nervous- but she was like yes! I missed it last week and I will not miss it again!  IT WAS SO GREAT! hahaha 

We taught A. the word of wisdom- sadly it didn't go over as good with her as it did S.  She LOVES her tea! The first lesson was really long and she was like if God loved me He wouldn't ask me to give up what I love- and my doctors tell me tea is healthy. . . . . but we met her again and talked about the Atonement, sacrifice and faith, and it went a lot better!  so hopefully she can stay strong! She only lasted a day last we heard. . . . . 

Such a busy week, full of lessons!! which is so great :)  we had at least one member with us everyday this week! We are working hard to build up the YSA and it was so fun!

We got E. to institute- found his real concern is that he is nervous about meeting new people and new situations- his parents are going to have the missionaries in their area come over!! amazing huh! so he loved institute- and it was the Isaiah chapters so that is always amazing ;) but he was supposed to come to church and then never showed up :(  but two of the members texted him and told them they missed seeing him so that was good :) 

Ya so we have zone conference tomorrow! I am so excited!!!!!!!! Get to see our newcastle peeps!! YAY!  and President is always amazing at instructing!!  he came to our ward yesterday, the ward loves him! He is an amazing public speaker but he talks so fast that our investigators didn't understand a word he said hahaha

We got a senior couple in york!  They are from Alabama! they are so great!  it is exciting having them here!

It was such a great week! Next week I'll be emailing on tuesday because of transfer calls <3  so you can make your predictions!  Thats what us sisters will be doing tonight!!  I'm guessing i'm leaving york. . . I am actually really sad about that! I found a new love for york the past 2 weeks. . . but I am ready for change!  

Congrats Spence on making the basketball team!  Good luck Emmy with your solo!  What happened to the car?!?!

I love you all so much!  Thank you for everything you do for me! You are really the best family ever and I can feel all the love and support!  I love you!!!!!!!! so glad to know that families are forever

 

<3~Sister Monroe

11.11.2013 -- Staying busy and trying to stay dar and warm

Hello!!  Well this has been such a great week here in York :)  So much better this week :D 

So we met this guy named E., he is from africa and we taught him the next day.  He is a very religious guy, as most africans are, so we did lesson one with him- and it was by far the most powerful lesson I have had yet on the mish!  It wasn't a lesson at all it was a discussion and everything he said or asked about lead to the next point perfectly!  He thinks it is amazing that we have a prophet on the earth today!  He says that only makes sense :)  and when we gave him his own copy of the book of mormon he was so grateful! it was SO GOOD! invited him to come to church the next day and invited him to be baptized- yes and yes to both.  Sadly we got a text sunday morning, his parents aren't as excited about it as he is- they told him not to go into a mormon church until he knows more.  So we are meeting with him today- luckily this is just a minor set back because he still really wants to read the book of mormon and meet with us :) so we are bringing a YSA guy who his preparing for his mission out with us tonight and we hope everything will go well!

So we had some great lessons with A.!  She is the most solid at the moment for baptism.  we were at the library cafe, where we do most of our teaching, and we had just started our lesson with A.- when the next lesson showed up SO early- so sis ith took them and I stayed with A.  It was such a great lesson- she was saying at first praying was awkward and she didn't feel like anyone was listening to her. . But now she knows that God is listening- she says she can tell anything to God but she doesn't think that He is answering back yet.  So last night when we met with her we gave her a list of ways to recognize the spirit and asked if she had experienced any of those things- she said she had and then she realized that God has been talking back!  YAY!!!  She has been telling her friends about meeting with us and her friend saw how excited she was so she bought her a cross necklace- A. was so excited, so we didn't have the heart to tell her our church doesn't wear crosses. . . . .. . . . . .  hahaha

We had a really fun week as well :)  York is a slower area but we are working really hard!  It is starting to look like Christmas here :)  I can't wait!!!!!!!

This week was poppy appeal, which is the day they remember the ones that died in war- they go ALL out here-like all of us missionaries had to wear a poppy on our name tag- church was a special sacrament combined with york 1 and we had a moment of silence, and it was all poems from war- we even sang God Save the Queen- it was really an amazing sacrament :) and our 2 investigators there really enjoyed :)

so our investigator S. was supposed to go to church, her ride was late so she decided to walk to church-  it was her first Sunday this time-  she calls the people giving her a lift and said I'm outside the church should I go in or wait for you- they were like oh just go in you'll find the missionaries. . Well she ended up going to the wrong church hahahaha and we couldn't get a hold of her- so bless her she tried to go to church, it was just the wrong one. . . hahaha

This week was mostly full of lessons with a little street contacting :) so it was a really good week! We are staying busy and trying to stay dry and warm :)  

Well I love you all <3  have a good week!!!

~Sister Monroe 

Investigator 

With Sister Ith 

With Investigator

 

With Sister Ith

11.04.2013 -- Full of Flogging

November 4, 2013

Hey fam!! I loved the Halloween pics! everyone looked SO cute! and wow disney was represented! hahaha

Halloween isn't as big here as it is in America- which was kind of sad :/  But on Halloween we had to be in our flat at 6:30 so we ended up going to bed at like 8:30- it was the best night EVER!!! hahaha It is crazy but waking up at 6:30 never really gets easier- I thought I would have no problem with that but I guess all of those early morning drill practices never prepared me for this! hahaha

This was a really interesting week! Full of flogging :/ but it’s all good somehow it still ended up being a great week!  We have been facing difficulties with the students here- since york is a better university than newcastle China has their eyes on the students here- like HARD CORE!!  S. and E. were telling us that their friend’s phone was shut off for a week because of a text they sent.  So all of those people we had scheduled for baptism sadly they feel like they can't get baptized.  The ruling party is everything in China- it is a religion and they can't have any other loyalties- and all of these students want to get good jobs and work for the government so sadly they don't want to be baptized.  We are trying to figure out how we can help them!  I have been studying a lot about faith, miracles, and the Lord delivering His people from bondage.  We hope that as we continue to meet with them especially, S., E., G. and C. that we can help them have the faith to move forward!  It is so sad because all of them would be baptized in a heartbeat. . . So we are just figuring this trial out :) 

We still have A.- her mom is Christian back home which has helped a ton!  Bless her she has come to church the past 2 weeks and the first time was stake conference she only understood about 30% of what was being said because they were talking so fast.  

We had a really really good zone training meeting this week- the zone leaders we have now are really good.  It was about having a vision and working hard in our areas and they used the story of Ammon- I learned SO much that I had never seen before!  We also had interviews with President.

We visited our ward mission leader and his wife this week- they are SO great!  Really young, she just had her baby 2 days ago! and they took us to dinner and he shared a lot of stories from his mission!  He really boosted us up and got us really pumped :)

Yes it is really really cold here!  And the sun starts to set at like 5 so it is really dark!  I am just so blessed to have my warm clothes! I don't know how missionaries do it in Russia!!

But all in all it was a good week :)  We are keeping our faith strong and working hard!  I love you all!!!  oh ps city centre is starting to put Christmas decorations up-  I thought that they would beat you mom, but emmy told me Christmas is already up at the house! hahaha 

I love you all <3 hope you have a good week!!!

<3 Sister Monroe

 

 

 

With Sister Ith

With Sister Ith

With Sister Ith

With Sister Ith

Yeah, it was Raining!

York Zone

Sisters in the York Zone

Dinner with Investigators