01.20.2014 - more Miracles!

Hey family!!!!  Wow it looks like you had a good birthday week! YAY and thanks for sending the pics of Nic's homecoming!!!! YAY!!  but weird to see him home!! Hahaha

Well it has been another great week here in Shields!! Time is going by WAY to fast!!  I officially hit my 9 month mark. gross. Haha

Went on my first exchange as sister training leader- it was SO MUCH FUN! we went to Stanley and it was a blast!! except for watching them weekly plan-- not going to lie I was bored out of my mind hahahahhaa so Sister Peck and I tried to make it more. . . entertaining. . .. 

So we got a call when I was on exchange- they shut off our boiler- and they need to get a new one- so we are without hot water and heating- so all 4 south shields sisters are living with the gateshead sisters.  yep 6 of us crammed in.  It is a lot of fun- and luckily Sister Neilson and I have the air matress-  but we don't know when we get to move back in. . .. which is not as fun :S  hahaha  adventures-- so we sleep and study there and then take the metro (only about 25 minutes) and work in our area--  luckily the next 2 days I'll be on exchange and Sister Neilson will just be working in gateshead so we don't have to worry about it.

So we had MIRACLES this week!!!  We had zone training meeting and interviews and president instructed- our mission focus is on finding and President is ALL about thinking outside the box new and creative ways to slow people down-- so we applied what he taught us this week and BAM miracle!!

we were walking to the metro to go home the other night and we passed by this man, I said hello- he kept walking clearly not interested- but I was like excuse me we have a question for you- yes- well my friend and I we're volunteers for our church and we are just wondering what makes people happy (it was the weirdest thing that was the ONLY thing I could think of!) and he stops.  everything changed.  He really opened up to us we talked to him for 10 mins.  It turns out he was an alcoholic who had been sober for 2 1/2 years- well the past 2 weeks he started again- long story short we set up a return appointment, we even read a scripture to him- he started tearing up, and he said I feel many prayers coming on tonight- and we were like actually can we pray with you right now- so we prayed with him and it was SO powerful! we got home that night and he had texted us, he thanked us because his spirits were really low that night, he said he had woke up that morning atheist, but he believes in God again- he told us that he isn't sure he can accept our religion and thoughts of God but that he is so grateful for that hope again!!!!!! YAY!  we are SO excited!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAY

D. is doing amazing! The ward loves him so much and every lesson we have with him members come to!  We had a powerful lesson this week when we taught him the plan of salvation- he said he always knew there was an afterlife but his former church never taught him about before this life, which is something that he wanted to know about! yay!  he is so great- exciting!!!

and another miracle!  S. came to church! so we didn't get to see him this week, we ran into him at the library and talked to him then, it is amazing to see how hard Satan is fighting against him- it was a night and day difference between that visit and the last time we saw him.  So I said S. we have a ride who is going to pick you up before church will we see you then. he agreed, well this happened last week but he actually showed up this week!! he said as soon as he walked through the door all of the pressure that was on him and all of the frustrations he had was lifted off of him!  YAY!!!!

So many miracles!!! :)  I am just loving it here in Shields!!!! We had tea at the Kinghorns last night- they are great!  So funny we were laughing SO hard!  He reminds me so much of you dad! 

AHH I don't have much time- bless zone pday-- :) but I love you all hope that you have a great week!!!!! <3

01.13.2014 -- Great week with baptism commitment

Hey!  How is everything going?!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SPENCER!!!! WHOOP WHOOP!!! I can't believe he is 18!!! wow!

well this has been a great week here in Shields! On Pday we got to watch Remember the Titans- I love that film!!!! :)

We have had so many miracles this week!

So we taught S. the word of wisdom- pretty much he has problems with everything but drugs- and really really big problems with smoking.  We had a member at the lesson who also struggled with some word of wisdom so it was great that she got to share!  He said he was willing to try his best to live the word of wisdom- hooray!  Everytime we see him we ask how he is doing- he has cut back to 2 a day!!!!!  and he says I don't get it- I am no smoking but I have been so cheerful, I thought I was going to be short tempered and angry.  The Spirit is working in him!! I love seeing this process!! It is so happy!!!!!!!! :)

D. has also proven to be a miracle!!  So I had to go down to Leeds on Wednesday to go to a meeting so Sister Neilson was on exchange with 2 other sisters and they were working in Shields- and Sis Neilson being the amazing missionary that she is saw so many miracles!! They were able to schedule D.!!! YAY!!!

On Saturday we went to the Powers house and we cooked dinner for them, to thank them for Christmas and all that they do for us, and they had D. over so they were fellowshipping him and they really clicked and we had a nice meal and then had a lesson on temples and family history work.  It was AMAZING!! His wife died a few years ago and knowing that he can be sealed to her for all of eternity means a lot to him!!  He also has read up to 1 Nephi 12! and came with a load of questions!!! YAY :)

It has just been a really great week :)  I am still loving it here in Shields!

There was a relief society activity on Thursday evening- we got some less active sisters there so we were able to go too, it was a lot of fun working on crafts and getting food! It is such a great ward!!  :)

Yay for mission miracles!!

Well I hope you all have a great week!! 

Love Sister Monroe <3 :)

ps wish me luck with the driving situation!

01.07.2014 - Transfers...staying in South Shields but new Assignment (Sister Training Leader)

Can you believe transfer calls came again last night?! where does the time go?!?!

oh no!!! oh yes??? I don't know how I feel SO many emotions!  Well I am staying in Shields!!! YAY with Sister Neilson!!! YAY YAY!  and the other sisters are staying the same YAY!!!

However on an unseen curve ball-- I got a phone call last night from president. . ..  I've been called to be a Sister Training Leader!  WHAT?!  Oh man I am so excited and so nervous!!!!! AHHHHH  what that means is once a week I go on exchanges with my SLT companion Sister Peck (who is serving in Gateshead) and we go on overnight exchanges with the sisters in the north, we watch their weekly planning and then report back to the assistants-- and we go to mission leadership council with President, the assistants, and the zone leaders.  . . . . . . . . . .. there are currently 8 STL and each companionship covers 2-3 zones.

Whelp didn't see that coming! but I am SO SO SO SO SO excited!  I am so grateful for the chance to get to know so many sisters- and to encourage uplift and inspire them!  I am really excited to do that! But nervous because the pressure is on! everyone will be watching- but mostly I am excited, I feel like I have been blessed with a gift to be encouraging and happy- so I am really excited/nervous! oh and I am so pumped to go to mission leadership council- I hear it is very intense!!!!but I am most grateful to stay in South Shields with Sister Neilson!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAYAYAYAYAYAYAY

1.07.2014 -- Miracles!

Hi'ya family!!!!! Oh man SO much to tell you all this week! we had such an amazing past couple of days!!!!

Ok ok so a couple weeks ago I lost my favorite name tag- it was my first one and I had SO many stickers on the back from the kids in Newcastle- so many memories I loved this badge!  But it fell off when we were walking.  Over the Christmas break as you know we lost contact with S.,  sad.  Well yesterday we got flogged by the members we were supposed to go teach. so we said a prayer and asked to be guided where to go- so we decided we would stop by K.'s and her daughter G. so we take a bus to town centre and I was like hey lets stop in the library really fast. So we did.  Who was sitting there. . . none other than S.!!!! and we talked to him- he has been reading the Book of Mormon- AGAIN!  and he said hey I have something of yours!  He pulled out my name badge!  Of all the people in Shields, he was the one to find it!  In an area that he doesn't even live by!  It was the reminder he needed in that time we were separated!!!!!  We had a great lesson with him right then!!!!!! Miracle!!! and my badge- well it's pretty rough- half the stickers are gone it got ran over by a car, the panda bear that Sister Ith gave me is now a black bear, but it means that much more to me now!!!!!!! WOW!!!!!!

ok ok so when we first came to shields we set a goal to have at least one investigator at church every single week.  Well with passing D. on to the elders (btw he is great!  progressing still so nicely so maybe we can take him back in a couple of weeks)  our faith, sadly, was a little low and on saturday night we had no one confirmed for church.  Elder Baird our district leader said ''sister Monroe have faith you will have someone there''  ummm ok???

so first hour was combined priesthood and relief society-- and who walks in. .. D. . .. D. himself was a miracle!  We had met him the day before- taught him lesson one on the street- he had so many questions it was SO great-- oh by the way we were going to a tea appointment and started going one way. stopped. felt prompted to go the other. and whoop there he was!  it was so great but then he was like eh I don't want people coming to my house sorry.  We invited him to church and then he showed up!!!!! and guess what! we have 2 appointments with him this week!!!!!!!  One tomorrow, which sadly I won't be at, Sister Neilson is going on exchanges because I have to go to a meeting at transfer meeting.  but then on saturday we are making the Powers dinner (which is lunch) to thank them for Christmas- and they invited D. and we are doing family history!! YAY!!!

MIRACLES DO HAPPEN!! I TESTIFY THAT IS TRUE!

We have seen so so so many miracles this week- because we have really focused hard on relying on the spirit! fasted, and we are looking for the miracles big and small everyday- but lately they have ALL BEEN BIG!!

We are just loving Shields! Loving it so much!  Sister Neilson and I are having a blast and working so so hard! 

Another story where the Lord's hand is in everything, we ended up going to K.'s last night and we were contacting on the bus- I met this lovely women and we were talking about church, her family, her job everything- then it was her stop. boo.  when we got off Sister Neilson was like how was she and I said ''so great! if I would have had 30 more seconds with her, but oh well seeds are planted''  so we go to K.'s come out- missed the bus by 10 seconds. oh man.  we get on the next bus- 2 stops later- the same lady walked on!!! MIRACLE!! we got her address! and we are going to stop by soon!!!!! oh we are so blessed here in Shields and I know that the Lord is the one guiding us in our work!!! 

Well I got to go but I love you all-- wish me luck with the new calling! 

Love you!!

<3 sister Monroe

ps please thank Jada for me! and Melanie too!!!!  tell everyone hello for me!

oh an pps I think Nic comes home this next week- could you please be sure to give him the missionary survival kit that I made- I have no idea where I left it. . . .. . .

LOVE YOU!! <£

12.30.2013 - Amazing Ward - blessed to be in South Shields! (lots of pictures)

hi'ya mate you alright?? well it was great to see you all on christmas!!  I want to send pics this week so I won't write as much---

we had such a great week!!!!  On Christmas eve we spent the evening with 4 ladies in the ward and we had such a good time- reading the nativity and singing hymns and sitting around sharing our favorite christmas memories- we were laughing so hard and she made a lot of food- and she had chinese food!! YAY that made me happy- made me think of my chinese peeps.

Christmas was great :) thank you for the camera and skirts and such!!!  and for the paper christmas tree we love love love it!

Boxing day was a pday so at 6 we went out and worked and visited 2 different members, i just love the members in our ward! We have really had so much fun!!!!

We have just had such a good week!  I love south shields! even though it is a lot slower of an area than I am used to-- bless an english area ;)-- but I do love it!

It is amazing the change we have seen in D. and we realized that he started progressing so much once he started reading the book of mormon!  it is amazing the change that has come into his life! and we are just so grateful that we could help him this much!

So my embarrassing story of the week-- we were at tea at this older lady in our ward and I was walking from the kitchen to the table and I tripped and could see myself going down- but i couldn't stop myself!  ahhh the christmas tree was right there- luckily I caught myself on the fire place!  hahaha it could have been bad!  but bless sister morley- she didn't even see it happen! sister Neilson and I were laughing so hard!!!

yesterday we were visiting a member- who is lovely! and i was overwhelmed with a feeling that i was supposed to be here in south shields- it was the most amazing experience and I was just so grateful to be here!!

and ps we get to lie in until 8 on news day-- wow SO BLESSED!!!!!!

whelp i love you loads!

oh pps I got Mel's package- tell her thank you SO much!!  we are using the puzzle tonight and i LOVE the bath and body lotion!!

love you <£ sister monroe

12.23.2013 - Happy Christmas!

Hey family!!!!

YAY I am so excited to see you soon!!!  So skyping will be around 6:30 pm England time!!  (I only have an hour- but we will make the most of that hour!)  YAY can't WAIT!

Well it has been a really good week :) Time is going WAY too fast here in South Shields!

Monday- all the sisters went to the huge mall in gateshead, it was a lot of fun :)  Sister Neilson and I printed our Christmas cards!!! They are coming your way!!!!! :) be excited ;)

Tuesday was the Christmas party! With the north zones- it was a lot of fun to be with the missionaries focusing on what really matters most!  There was a talent show and the South Shields Sisters we sang a Christmas medly and changed the words to Christmas songs so it was about our mission. It was hilarious-- we even got President and Sister Pilkington laughing :) hahahaha We watched its a Wonderful Life, it was really good!!!! 

Wednesday we got flogged. . . a lot. . . . but still had a lesson with D. and S.! That was good :)  Right now they are our strongest potentials but we are probably passing off D. to the elders soon. . . . . .

Thursday we visited less actives and knocked around their areas- there are so many in this ward!!  It's good though, we are trying to build strong relationships with those we can get in to!

Friday was the ward christmas party- and both D. and S. came to that!!  They seemed to have a good time!  Yay!!  There were a lot of fun games and food, I really really love this ward!  I can't believe it's already been 3 weeks here!  They are really lovely!  

I had my first English Christmas Pudding!  Ask gramps about it!  Ask him if he likes it!!!!

So in the mission tour with Elder Kieran last week they talked a lot about real intent- so Sister Lybbert and I decided we needed to exercise with real intent in the mornings-- so we have been running most mornings the past two weeks-- its been good :)  I feel like a zombie when I run, but I get back and have more energy! so that's good ;) 

We decided it was time and in our song to we 3 kings- (at the end of the chorus) we sang ''loving the members has worked you know- continually we feel our testimonies grow-- our spirits weigh more than they did before. . . they're swimming in custard galore! ( don't know how to spell that oops!) 

Oh man english custard- it is SO good :)  ask gramps! That is something you can have on your Christmas Eve English dinner!! that and yorkshire puddings!! YUMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Saturday and Sunday were great days! Sunday there was a carol service it was really nice, the primary did the nativity :)  Nothing brings in the spirit like that!!! 

Lovely week!  Well I am excited to see you all soon!!! YAY for skyping!!!!

I love you!

<3 Sister Monroe

ps I got your package! and Grandmas!  Tell her thank you so much!!! and please tell all the family and everyone else Hello, happy christmas and I love them!

oh I got a card from sister Harwood- it was really really sweet :) tell her thanks!

<3 love you!

12.16.2013 - Incredible Members

Hello family and friends :)

Hi'ya you alright?!  Well it has been another fantastic week here in South Shields! I am really loving this area!! 

So on monday last week- The Powers in our ward took us out shopping, they wanted to get us something for Christmas and they bought me a coat.  How nice is that!  I felt so so bad- but I am so grateful for the coat!  It has kept me warm and dry this week and it meant so much to me that someone here cares about us so much!  Sister Lybbert got the same coat and they told us they just want us happy and warm this Christmas.  It really was so sweet of them!

We worked hard Tuesday and Wednesday we are finally getting used to the area!  Our days consist of going by and visiting less actives and knocking in their areas.  So much knocking and we had success this week!  We got into 2 houses!!!! YAY!! and then a load of potentials that said we can call by next week :) yay!!!

Wednesday night we slept over at the Gateshead sisters flatt-- it was SO fun! We got there after 9 pm and we had so much fun!  We had to wake up at 4:20 to catch a metro to go to get on the coach to drive to York.  4:20 came so early because we were up most of the night :)  :)

There was a mission tour with Elder Kieran of the area 70, so half the mission was there- back to York I went :) it felt like being home :)  it was such a good meeting!!!!  Learned a lot and it made us really pumped!  It was also good to see other missionary friends :)

We had a miracle this week!  We were going to a less active that we are working with- helping her study the book of mormon and we've made a plan for her to give up drinking and smoking-- (i think I told you about her last week- the one who decided to give up smoking and drinking and that day we just happened to stop by).

So we were about to go into her house and a guy walked by- we talked to him  he said he was ''atheist'' but we set up a return appointment for later that day.  Well long story short- he is no longer an atheist, he came to church and loves the book of Mormon.  He has already read the whole thing!  WOW miracle!!  Even though he loves it, there is a lot of work to do- but it was amazing!  We are so blessed and so grateful that we talked to everyone because the Lord really does put those that are prepared to hear the gospel in our paths!!!!

Ya :) it has been a great week!!  Thank you for all your love and support!!  I love you all <3

ps thanks for the amazon package! and THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE 12 DAYS of CHRISTMAS!!!!

Love you!!

<3 Sister Monroe#

ps I am sending a little something home-- sadly I don't think it will make it for christmas, but let me know when it gets there!!! <3