09.09.2013 -- Made it to York!

 Hey fam! So I am writing you in the beautiful city of York-- oh man it is SO nice here!! Sister I. and I are falling in love with York! It is such a cute city!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So it is really different from Newcastle- there are about a third of the Chinese students here as there are in Newcastle- and we can't really effectively go street contacting in city centre because it is such a tourist place- so it has been challenging trying to find those Chinese students- and we are talking to way more English people than we are used to, but I just figure it is preparing me for an English area that I will probably go to next transfer.

I LOVE IT HERE IN YORK!!!!!!!  Our ward is so great!!!! They love getting involved with missionary work- and they haven't had sisters for like a year so everyone is SO excited- like really we keep getting calls and they just keep saying how excited they are! Our ward mission leader is SO great and excited about the work!! We have already been in 2 members homes, and have a bunch of appointments and tea appointments next week- it is SO amazing!!!!!

York is such a posh area- Sis I. and I are loving it!!

We are doing SO much finding- everyone the elders were teaching left for china- and all the Chinese members too, so we literally were left with nothing- but it is ok because we are seeing so many miracles from whitewashing!! This area is a lot slower than Newcastle- but it is our goal to stay positive and not get discouraged!! We met this really great guy this week- Chinese guy- named V. - he was able to come to stake conference yesterday! He enjoyed it!  We are meeting with him again on Tuesday! so excited!!

So the assistants drove us back to Newcastle on Thursday- I think since POTS isn't common in England he doesn't really know what he's doing- but all of my results came back positive :) and he is trying to get my records from America- but he is just emailing Dr Judd- I don't think it works like that- and he showed me the emails that he sent- he didn't even spell my first or last name right hahaha.  But he came to the conclusion it is POTS and that I should be taking that meds-- I haven't started taking it yet in fear that I would get fat-- I just don't want to be taking that med that makes you gain weight while on a mission where I am gaining weight- plus in an area that feeds us all the time. . .. .  but I am going to start taking it this week!  I really am doing better! But still I will start taking the meds :) 

My address is 37 Granville Terrace, York. North Yorkshire YO10 3DY -- and Sis I.and I would love food :)  thanks mom! You're the best!!

So you asked about the flat- it is SO nice! It is kind of older- but it is still more new than the one in Newcastle- it is so cute and cozy- two floors, way better than what we were living in- and I thought the other one was fine! hahaha

I am loving serving with Sister I.!! We are having so much fun!! We are working hard and I am loving it so far :)  

PS I got the package!!  Thank you for the lake powell hoodie!!  Well I love you loads!

<3 Sister Monroe

09.03.2013 -- Transfers to York, England -- staying in Chinese program!.

Hey!! Alright- so I am trying to think about my week last week-- but with the excitement of transfers and thinking about York-- I can't remember anything! hahahaha and only having an hour to email- we are really rushed!

You'll be glad to know I went to the doc yesterday, got some tests done-- and Thursday I go back to hear the results- except now I'll be in York which is still in the north but quite far-- but I phoned Sis Pilkington this morning and she will get it all sorted! But I really am feeling loads better than before!!

I am really sad to be leaving Sis H.- we have really hit it off the past couple of weeks- but she got called as sister trainer leader- so that is way exciting!! We now have 6 in the mission!

We had a Chinese group activity this week- another hot pot, and it was a blast!  Q.- who is one of the recent converts, he is going back to China this week so we were really sad to see him go!!  

Tonight Sis I. and I are going to visit the S. family, they are the ones who feed us every week and we absolutely LOVE their family!!!  The oldest daughter is who reminds me so much of Ava, and the son reminds me of Luke, we were so sad because they were on holiday last week and we weren't sure if they would be back tonight- but I rang her this morning and we will get to see them again!!!  It will be hard to say goodbye, since we are so close to them they are like my family here in England!

We are going to a Japanese buffet with all of our Chinese people today to say our goodbyes- when I called B. he was really really sad- but they will be fine, the church will be just as true when Sis I. and I leave ;) but it is sad to say goodbye- I am so blessed to serve here in Newcastle Upon Tyne! I LOVE IT!!! and i am SO blessed to go to another Chinese area! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YORK!!!! YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it is one of the places in England I have actually heard of! hahahaha and I am right by the york minster (ya don't know how to spell it. . .. . . . . )

We also get to say goodbye to S. tonight- sad but I showed her a pic of Emily at church and she wants to get Emily’s email-- so i will give it to her tonight :) 

oh the sisters ate at the G.'s house- they are our favorite!  did you ever watch Sarah G.'s mormon.org profile?? if not look it up! It was a hilarious tea appointment- I will miss them too!

I am excited to go to York- Sis I. and I will have a blast and see so many miracles!!!!!   I hear the ward we are going into is huge and so supportive! with a lot of YSA, which is good because once again we are a university area!!!  YAYAYAY!!!!!

Well love you loads! you're the best thanks for all your love and support!!!!!!!  hope all is going well with you!!

<3 sis Monroe

08.26.2013 -- Loving my time as a missionary and feel so blessed to be out!

Hello family!

Well that was exciting to get to email back and answer some of your questions!! Well this has been a great week here in Newcastle!! 

So Monday: Alnwick castle- beautiful! We had such a fun time!!!!!  I'll send pics! I was telling Sis S.t (oh ya so she doesn't live with us just is in our zone) but last summer I was so excited to go to Harry Potter World in Florida - and I was thinking about applying for a study abroad in London- but it didn't feel right. This summer seeing the real Harry castle but even more exciting serving a mission!!  Isn't that so crazy!! Never saw that one coming! But every day I am so grateful for the age change!! I am learning so much and I feel like I am changing so much as well! I absolutely LOVE this experience of serving the Lord and the people in England all day every day! D&C 4  :)

Tuesday: We had some lessons, got flogged a lot so did some street contacting and went to the cardiologist.  Sadly docs just aren't the same here, but I am getting some test done next week so it is all good :)

Wednesday: our district meeting was so so good! When I bore my testimony I shared about how there are angles building us up, on both sides of the veil- I have really felt that the past 2 weeks!  Then Elder B. came and taught a lesson with us, W. who sadly is just now to busy to see us and he has stopped progressing :( same with E. :( but it is ok! We are still kind of working with them and we are working hard to find new people!!

Thursday: Another day of lessons, we had some really powerful lessons! 

Friday was a really exciting day- so there was a specialized training meeting in the zone right below us, it was by invite only and it was for all of the trainers and the trainees. some how Sister S. and I were invited and we were the only two not in one of those categories there. It was SO GOOD!! Oh man!!  The first part they split us up into groups and did a Q&A which was funny because the group we were assigned to was trainers but I learned so much! Then President talked to all of us- it was so great!  I learned so much!!  He really focuses on teaching PEOPLE not lessons and developing Christ-like attributes, so amazing!

Then Sister S. and I did some street contacting in Newcastle, it was also really great we found some good people :)

Sat: we had a sad lesson with S. and J.. . . Sadly J. is never coming to the lessons again- but she said S. can still come. I gave S. the CTR ring that Emmy sent- and that meant so much to her!  Then S. didn't come to church :(

Sunday: we didn't have anyone at church- that was really sad and hard. We had left our phone in the zone leaders car and couldn't call anyone Sunday morning- but everyone we had confirmed was too busy with exams and essays. 

That has been the theme of the week, everyone is too busy- so it was a slower week than we are used to.  But it's ok- we are still working so hard!  It is sometimes hard not to get discouraged when things don't go how you planned especially when we are working so hard all day every day and trying to be so obedient- but I have learned that discouragement is from Satan, and when discouragement comes in our faith is weakened.  So even though it was a harder week it was one of the best weeks I have had yet! And I am so grateful for this week!! We are continuing to work hard in our area- and most importantly I am learning to become like the Savior- working on charity and it has been amazing how working on that this week has changed EVERYTHING! I love it so much here!! Next week is transfer calls. . . weird!!!!!

I love you all! thanks for all your love and support!!  ps please send pics!!!!

I am loving my time as a missionary! and feel so blessed to be out!  I love the England Leeds Mission!! <3

~Sister Monroe

MTC Companion and Sister Monroe at Alnwick Castle (Harry Potter Castle)

Very excited to be at Alnwick (Harry Potter) Castle!

Sister Monroe and Comp in front of Alnwick (Harry Potter) Castle

Sisters at Alnwick (Harry Potter) Castle

With Companion at Alnwick (Harry Potter) Castle

Very excited to be at Alnwick (Harry Potter) Castle!

08.19.2013 -- Trip to Harry Potter's Castle

Hey family! This was such a good week!! Sadly I don't have much time to write- because we are going to the Alnwick castle today!!! PS that is the Harry Potter castle! and we are so excited because there is some special harry fair this week or something hahaha but wait there is more good news! so there was an emergency transfer this week and Sister S. (my mtc comp) moved up to our zone!!!!!!!!!!! So Sis H., Ha., S. and I are going to the castle and we are PUMPED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So many great things happened,  We did a lot of service this week for members in our relief society. We have been doing a lot of gardening lately and we painted a fence, so that was great :)

Sister H. bday was this week same as Elder Mc.'s so we had a lot of bday celebrations! And I had my first proper Chinese meal, it is called hot pot, and Q. one of the recent converts made it for us- it was SO good!!!

Our biggest miracle was T., we met him this week on the street- set up a return appointment for the next day and we have seen him every day since! and he came to church!!! and loved it!!! He is loving what we are teaching him and it will be hard for him to give up tea and red wine but he is willing to try to give it up! YAY!!

E. is also progressing a lot!  Sadly he has been out of town the past 2 weekends so he hasn't come to church, but he tells us he feels so bad and guilty when he doesn't come- so he is starting to really recognize the Spirit!

W. is also progressing loads!  He has been reading more and more and he is feeling the Spirit, and he is starting to realize that he is feeling it! It is so amazing to watch W. progress!!!

So President Pilkington did a fireside yesterday and we were supposed to bring as many investigators as we could, sadly only H. could come- but it was so good for him!  President Pilkington is amazing!! and he talked about the book of Mormon and how the Spirit works- it was so good for H. because he is really really religious and like works for another church so it was perfect for him!

Sadly we didn't see S. or J. this week- and S. didn't come to church- she had a dance performance. But we are praying hard for them!

Well I don't have much time, I love you loads!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for all you do!!!!!!!!

<3 Sister Monroe

ps I got spencers letter about trek hahaha good to know he is the same ole Spence, oh and please send pics of the family!! and the little cousins!!!!!

Chinese Pancake

Giant Guinea Pig at Member's House

"The King" Elvis' Ring

Sisters from the MTC (MTC Comp on the left)

Companion's Birthday!

Service Project - Painting Fence

Hot Pot

The sister training leaders were on exchange with the other sisters