08.05.2013 -- Elder Ballard visiting Mission!

Hey family!!  So you're going to lake powell! Ah that's exciting!!  Tell the family I say hey and that I love them all!  I sent a letter your way and it had two pics in it- let me know when you get it!

I have some exciting news too, Elder M Russell Ballard is coming to do a mission tour this week! and we are having a mission conference on Wed and he is speaking at it!  I am so excited for a couple of reasons 1. it will be exciting and great to hear from an apostle! 2. the whole mission will be there!! and all of my MTC friends are in the south so it has been ages since I have seen them! way pumped!  It is crazy though so it is held in the only chapel that is big enough to hold all the missionaries so it is past Leeds- we will be traveling like all day long to get there!  but I am excited!!

So this week we worked so so so hard.  Seriously I was working hard before but this week was insane!!  I loved it :) Sadly the majority of our solid investigators dropped us :( which was really sad. . . but we did see some miracles!

So there was a ward BBQ on Saturday and J. told us S. and J. were coming. The day of the bbq J. phoned us and told us S. wasn't coming but J. said she still wanted to come and to have a lesson from the missionaries! that was a BIG step! So we had a really powerful lesson about the Atonement and the Book of Mormon, and we asked her if S. could get baptized, she said no.  She also said she wouldn't pray.  I was thinking oh NO! we had a powerful lesson!!! What the heck! but then she told us she has been praying at home and she has been praying with S.! That made me so happy to hear!!!!!! 

We have been doing service at an elderly lady's house, all 6 missionaries have been gardening and we have worked for maybe 6 hours total and we are just now starting to see the dirt- but it has been fun!

We had a really good district meeting this week, Elder B. talked about Elder Holland's talk on missionary work and the Atonement, and it is a really powerful talk! It has helped me so much!

We ran into B. in the street, set up an appointment, it was really good! He said he was going to come to church, then didn't show up :(  so I don't know what's happening with him.

BC. is still so great, we don't meet with him as much but we take him teaching with us and he is such a great member present! The chinese group is so great, they all fellowship each other and become such good friends!  It is really neat to watch them become good friends and come to church together and FHE and grow and learn together.

At the BBQ we had an investigator there named H., and he is a really religious guy- so we watched the Restoration DVD- we had one of the guys who was just baptized, another member, and W. (who is the Chinese group leader) and 2 of the sisters investigators.  We were able to have a really good talk after and it was really powerful!

I am so grateful for the gospel! and for the Atonement! I love you all so much! Thanks for all you do to support me!  You are the best! Have so much fun at Lake Powell! Send pics :)

love you <3

~Sister Monroe

07.29.2013 Start of 3rd Transfer -- New Companion from Taiwan

Wow it is so crazy that transfer 3 starts today!! AHHH So Sis R. left (moment of silence) I am going to miss her so much, but I got my new companion! Her name is Sister H., she is from Taiwan- she has been out for about a year but this is only her 2nd area!  She is like the complete opposite from R., but she is super great and I love her a lot.  It is crazy because I am done with the 12 week training program, and Sis H. doesn't take language study so I went from a 7 hour work day to a 9 hour work day. But it has been great! I love it!!  I am learning a lot about patience, since we do things so differently but we are both working so hard and it has been great the past couple of days!

So Sis S. left too, and Sis I. is training again so Sis S. is here- she's from Cali San Diego, she is super cute and the best news is she will go running with me!! YAY! haha Sis S. lasted 2 times and then stopped going with me hahaha so I am way excited! :)

We have a new DL and two new ZLs.  and most of our zone changed so it will be good to get to know everyone.  So they changed the districts up a little bit and I'm not in the Gateshead district anymore, which is sad because Elder H. is still there and he is like our bff.  But we are in the Durham distrtict and our DL is Elder B.l, he has served in Newcastle before, he has actually been on the chinese agenda for a lot of his mission even though he isn't a chinese speaker- (which gives me hope that maybe I can stay that way too!! haha) so it will be great :)

This week has been really good.  So we got in contact with B.- he has been so busy with school and he has his huge project due in 2 weeks and he told me he was afraid that if he gave up the time to study (by praying and reading) and if he got a bad score he would end up not believing in God.  So we met with him and resolved his concern and he promised he would come to sacrament meeting, but then he didn't show up :( so sad. . . . . .

But we had a great lesson with J. and S..  We showed the Finding Faith in Christ dvd.  J. and S were crying through it. So at the end I bore my testimony about the Savior- and the spirit was so strong- I teared up a little. Poor Sis H.- she had no idea what was going on haha.  It was so great though!  J. told us she wouldn't come to church but we got them to commit to saying a family prayer this week (for J. that is a big step).  Then J. and S. left and we had a great member visit with J.- her other daughter C. lives in our ward with her husband and 3 of their kids.  I guess P. is having serious heart problems and J. was so stressed about them, their kids, and J. and S.- so we had a really good talk with her and she asked me to say a prayer for the family.  It was a really powerful experience.  I love the little miracles we see with that family!

So M. and J., the couple we found last week street contacting, they are so great! They went on holiday and when they came back we met with them and M. said she believes in God.  She had an amazing experience with prayer while they were gone. Sis R. taught her in relief society that once we love and accept God we should serve other people. So M. decided since she doesn't have a job where she could share her money with the poor that she would donate her time at a charity shop. So that is what she is doing now!! M. wasn't able to come to church because of that- but J. came and had another great experience!  They are coming to FHE tonight and we are so excited for them!!!!!!!!!!! and we found out they don't live together! so we are so excited that we don't have to tell them that one of them has to move out! hahaha

Pres and sister P. came to our ward to speak- they were so great! Pres P. is such a great speaker!  He talked about missionary work and how it isn't scary and how they are already doing it.  It was so great for the ward to hear- and we are trying to work even harder with the ward in our missionary efforts.  Then all the sisters had our interviews with him, he is so great and President and sister P’s are worried about my health and they are really supportive and he was impressed with the work that we have done and building up the chinese group. I really really really really like the P’s! and their british humor- hilarious! hahaha

Well that is all I got for this week :) I love you loads!  Hope everyone is doing well!!!!  <3 Sister Monroe

07.23.2013 Transfer Calls

Hey family!! So transfer calls came in last night and I AM STAYING IN NEWCASTLE!!! Even though we all knew I was going to stay here I was so relieved!!! I love it here so much!!

Ok So much has happened that I don't even know where to begin. . But I am working on a letter so you should get it soon and it has more details. . .

Well the chinese group- it is growing SO MUCH!  Everyother week the chinese break off and have their own seperate meetings.  Ever since it has started we have seen so many miracles!  We had 6 investigators at church this last Sunday! and the other sisters had 6 as well! plus those that are already members, the group was around 23!  And the sisters had a baptism this week and another one next week- it is so amazing to watch it grow!! FHE is so much fun and the chinese love it!  Sis I. and I are going to work SO hard this transfer, we want to see the chinese group become it's own branch!!!! The only problem with that is no one we teach stays in England, they are all students so we have to find solid men who can receive the Melchezidek (ya have no idea how to spell that one) priesthood.  I am so so so so glad I get to stay here because I am so excited to be a part of these miracles and to watch it grow and to get to help as many people as I can!!!

So B. was supposed to get interviewed Saturday- he was so golden.  But he texted us told us he was tired after going to the gym so he wasn't coming. then he didn't come to church- or FHE and he hasn't called us back or responded to our texts.  So I hope that he eventually calls us. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  so sad.

S. and J. were out of town this week :/

We found a great couple! There names are M. and J.!  We have only met with them once, but they also came to church and they had such a great experience so I am way excited to continue to teach them!  Oh and B., he told me to call him after transfer calls because he would be really sad if R. and I both left, haha

Ok so transfer calls- crazy how one call changes everything, oh the drama that went down yesterday!  All I knew was that R. was leaving and (don't share this with to many people).  Sister I. has been called to train again! so sis Seely is leaving and I am getting Sis H.- i am so excited!!!!  She has been out almost a year, and everything I have ever heard about her is good!  I hear she is really funny and works super hard!  So I am so excited!!!! and we are going to crank it in Newcastle!!!

I went to the Doctor, there wasn't much they could do.  Did I already tell you this? It all blurs together. . . umm but I am feeling really really good right now! they want me to see a cardiologist but i'm not so sure- i'm feeling good now and that just takes time and there isn't a whole lot they can do.  But stop worrying! hahaha I'm good for reals! and Sis P. has really become like a mom to me, she checks up on me and is so worried.  Actually President is speaking in our ward next Sunday so she'll be up here and I'll get to talk to her more!

I am so so so sad to lose R..  She has been such an amazing trainer and companion, I love her to death and she has been so great! We have had so much fun together- wow maybe too much fun but we have worked so so hard.  Right now Sis R. and I carrying our zone!  I love her to death and it will be weird to be in newcastle with out my ''mom''. . But I am so excited for her!

ok I will send pics- have a great week! Love you!

~Sis Monroe

07.15.2013 Feeling Better!

Hey family!! So before I forget, thank you for fasting for me!  And please give a special shout out to Emily and Syd- thanks so much for thinking of me and for fasting- I know fasting is really hard but it really really helped me!!!

I know you are dying to hear so- I called sister P. on Friday, I had to tell her all of my symptoms, whats been going on and then she phones someone in America and tells them.  So someone from Etna will be calling me today to tell me when and where I will go to meet with the doctor.  But I should have an appointment either tomorrow or Wednesday :)  So never frett!!!!!!  But I am doing loads better than before!!!  So thank you all for your prayers and support! I can really feel them over here in England! 

This week was really great!  So we went to Durham last p-day, and no big deal but the durham cathedral is where they filmed parts of harry potter!!!  Hahaha I was so excited!! You can't take pictures inside but in the middle there is a court yard and I took lots of pics there because that is in the first 4 movies :) hahaha but it was so much fun! and BEAUTIFUL!!! we climbed to the top of the tower, 325 stairs and at the start there is a sign that says climb at your own risk.  But it was so much fun!! I forgot my camera today so i'll send pics next week!!!

It has been so so so hot here lately!! We haven't seen rain in like 2 weeks- which is weird! and England doesn't know how to handle heat- most buildings don't have air conditioning so we have been teaching outside in the shade- and I am starting to get horrible tan lines! hahaha and my hair is getting so blonde!!! what the heck! it's crazy! 

Monday we had the most epic FHE, we are really trying to make chinese FHE amazing so that all of our investigators will bring friends- that way we can start teaching their friends and really strengthen the group we have! 

S. and J. are doing great! S. is just so adorable!  We were going to ask J. if S. could be baptized so that way R. will get to see it before she goes home, but they are going to be out of town next weekend so sadly it doesn't work :(

B. is doing great, he is going to start to come teaching with us and he is way excited!

Our investigator B. is getting interviewed next week!!  The only thing that is holding him back is yesterday was his first time at church and they have to come at least 2 times before getting baptized.  But he is so great!  We LOVE B.! He is hilarious and he really wants to become perfect so the gospel makes him really really happy knowing that one day he can live with God and be perfect.  His faith is so strong.  I have never met more humble people, the chinese are so sincere and humble!

We met with W. this week!!  we randomly called him and he said he wanted to meet with us again, it was so great we sat there and bore our testimonies and he said he had read from the BoM since we saw him last! It is so great because I had a feeling my time with W. wasn't over!

Well it has a great week! I'm glad to hear that you are all doing well and having fun!! I love you loads!!!!!

<3 Sister Monroe

06.24.2013 -- Success!!!!

Hey family!! How are you?! it sounds like everyone is doing great!! So glad to hear it!! Spencer going to St George- how is basketball?? and emily going to Shadow mountain- that sounds like a blast-- and glad to hear she loves tennis, Sis I. (one of the sisters I live with) approves, because she is from Singapore and tennis is a social sport haha she is SO funny. . . . and you got to go to bear lake- FUN!!!!!!

Well this week has been so great!!!  First week of transfer 2 = over :( wow! time is flying WAY TO FAST!!!! I am so sad becasue this is Sis R.'s last transfer and to think we only have 5 weeks left. . . . :( she is SO great and i will miss her a ton!!!!!!!! 

So my new DL he is from Payson and went to Salem hills! hahaha follow ups are so fun every night because we bash each other- and he knows J.! so it is great fun.

ok ok I can't wait any more-- guess WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! B. PASSED HIS BAPTISMAL INTERVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So he will be getting baptized on FRIDAY!!!! Oh we are so excited!! B. is so solid- I asked him why he wanted to get baptized and his answer was so beautiful but my favorite part was when he said ''i love God and I want to be blessed'' He is so great!!!!!!!!!!!

Sadly we weren't able to meet with S. and J. this week ;( S. fell ill so we will meet with her this week and all fingers crossed and we are praying so hard for J.

This week was crazy we have a huge list of address unknown files, which are inactive people and we go to their house and knock 10 doors on each side- we find out if the person live there and when we get to their house we invite them to come back to church.  So since our area is the city centre, we don't go knocking that much and we hardly ever leave the city, so we had 2 days straight of knocking and walking up and down hills- I LOVED IT! hahaha it made me really excited for the day when I will be in an English area-- except hopefully that won't be for a while because I LOVE the chinese area!!!!! We did see a miracle though when one of the inactives, who hadn't been to church in decades, invited us in and we are meeting with him again next week!!

It has really been such a good week!! I am learning so much every day!!  I love it here in Newcastle so much!! It is so sad I sent my last email to president Lindley! :( :( oh the Lindley's- they are SO powerful!!  I wish I had more time to serve with them, but I am excited for the new president! On wednesday we are having zone conference so we will leave at 5 AM to take a metro and charter bus down to Leeds, so the north half of the mission will meet there and that is the Lindley's farewell- it is going to be so weird! But I am very excited!!!!!!! Then the next week we will have a conference and meet the new mission president!!

Well family I love you loads! Hope you have a great week! Thank you for everything you do!!! And I am so glad you read all the emails to grandma and gramps! It is so fun to be here in England where gramps served-- the English people are great.  btw what is Whitney's email address??? Love you!!

~Sis Monroe

06.17.2013 Miracles!

Hey family!!  I got the package with the candy, and the package with the dress!! THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!!!! Getting american candy was so great! and I LOVE that skirt!!!!! it is so so so cute!!! Thank you for sending all of that! Sorry I am being demanding and asking for a skirt and boots and those books! But thank you so much for sending it!!!

And thank you so much for all the letters! It is so good to hear from home!! And I think we fixed the mailbox so if you want to send them to my flat again, feel free!!! Everyone is telling me I'll stay in Newcastle for a while so letters at the flat should get to me for a while :) it's up to you where you want to send them.

So this week we have seen miracles!  My beautiful trainer, Sister R., is so great! I love her to death and she is a very powerful missionary.  But she does have some pretty bad illnesses, so we haven't been able to have a fully accountable week since I got here.  So it is sometimes very discouraging because I just want to work! But when we work we really crank it! and when we account for the week we always are right up there with the rest of the district with investigators and lessons- so it is amazing how in the time we have we are able to make up everything!! We even found 7 new investigators this week!! and scheduled 4 of them!!!!!!!!! Whoop whoop! And we got standards of excellence again this week! That makes 3 out of the 6 weeks I have been here!! President called us last Monday and told us how proud he was of us!!

I don't know if I have told you about B. but I found him 2 weeks ago while we were street contacting and we have been meeting with him ever since- so he was scheduled for July 6th but this week we realized he is READY FOR BAPTISM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So he is getting interviewed THIS SATURDAY WHICH MEANS HIS BAPTISM WILL BE THE FOLLOWING SATURDAY!!!! Please pray for B.!! he is so great we love him to death!!! At first he didn't want to come to church every week BUT Sunday was his second time coming and he loves it and is going to come every week (that is when we knew he was ready!) YAY we are so so excited!!!!!

So S. had a brownies retreat this weekend so she wasn't able to come, but J. told us she was going to come- sadly she wasn't able to make it to church because she had to go pick up S. at that time. . . but with J. softening her heart we are going to ask her on Saturday if S. can get baptized- so please pray for J. and S.!! Because S. is so ready and she really wants to be baptized!!!!!!!!!!  I have faith that J. will come around!!  J. is changing so much and I just LOVE seeing that change in her!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So we were teaching a guy named Q., he is from New Jersey.  He dropped us this week :( He got out of bed so early on Sunday to meet us at the Metro stop because he didn't want to call us over the phone to tell us that he doesn't really have that desire- but he will keep reading and praying.   we have a song we sing when investigators drop us or we have to drop them.  It makes it a little less hurtfull ;) hahahaha

So we saw a lot of miracles this week! and I am LOVING Newcastle still!! We got our new district leader this week and we haven't offically met him even though we follow up on the phone every night, so today when we go to Pday Sis S. and I are trading name tags and we are going to confuse the new guy! and We got a new zone leader and they came to the flat to drop off the packages they picked up from the mission office, and it was so great because I wasn't the new one anymore- so at church Elder M. is the new one and Sis S. and I feel a lot less green :) such a great feeling!!!!!

Can you believe I left 2 months ago today?!?!?!?!?! WOW!! time flies!!!!! ps did you change that facebook pic where I was wearing the glasses?? please do! hahaha

Well I love you lots!!!! thanks for all you do!!! And I hope you had a happy fathers day daddy!!!!

Love ~Sister Monroe <3

06.11.2013 Transfer Survivor

Service Project -- Gardening

Sister Monroe on splits

District eating at Happiness Inn (real Chinese food)

Nice Truck with Church in background

Happiness Inn with Zone Leaders

Thank You from 10 year-old investigator

Sister Monroe and a flatmate

A recent convert

Sister Missionaries waiting for transfers.

Waiting for transfers party!

Hey ya fam! so Emmy told me you are in washington! yay that sounds like fun!!! have fun at the yankee's game! so the other day we were leaving the metro station and a guy was behind us wearing a yankee hat so I asked him if he actually liked the yankee's or if he just wears the hat- he said I don't give a shiz about the yankees- i just wear the hat. . and then we talked about that for a bit. but it is so funny because people don't like baseball here but they love to wear the yankee's hat! haha so if dad and spencer had their competition of red socks vs yankee hats. . . spencer would dominate!

anywhos so this week we had an amazing miracle. so I've told you about J. and S.  well we have started meeting with them twice a week. . whoop whoop! and on saturday I invited J. to church (I WAS SO NERVOUS, she hasn't been for years) but I told her I was speaking in sacrament and I would love to have her there- she hesitated for a moment and I got sassy (i no sassy haha) and I was like J. I need you to be there!  and she was like ok.  so I ended up changing what I was going to talk about and I pretty much addressed everything to J. in the talk. and she was crying the whole time. after church I went to talk to her and she said she felt the spirit and would like to try to come next week!!!!! MIRACLE! but then my heart melted when she told me I was here for her now when she needed it and that she hoped I wouldn't get transfered.

so transfer calls came in last night!!!! wow I have been here in newcastle exactly 6 weeks- crazy but I am staying!!! yay!!!! and everyone in the flat is staying! double yay!!! and I am so glad because I love this area so so much!!!!!!!

ok I don't have much time but I love you SO SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!! so i hope you have fun in washington!!!!!  remember miracles do happen if you have faith! don't forget to study the Book of Mormon!!

hope you have a good bday dad! and a happy fathers day! don't worry a letter and an email are coming your way!

love you lots!

~sister Monroe!