November 21, 2011

Hello familia,

This week has been a brilliant one... as always. I am grateful for the opportunity and privilege to be a missionary. I feel as though I am changing very much... but we will see. Hopefully I don't ever fall back onto bad habits.

Our recent converts are doing absolutely brilliant. WoWOWO! It is sooo good to see and really helps me to see there is more than just baptising numbers. These people have no idea what they are getting themselves into, being baptised is like entering a whole new world. It is a new life. I really am grateful for the chance to have so much success in Grays, and be able to stay and see what happens after baptism. It is the first chance I've really been able to have. Theresa and Hayleigh were baptised on August 6th and it has been a roller coaster ride for them. But they are doing fantastic. Theresa is especially doing amazing. I love her. She was so hesitant to be baptised... and after the baptism almost threw in the towel about six times. Now she is in the Relief Society Presidency and she loves the challenge. She sees the change that has happened in herself and she loves it. Hayleigh is struggling a tad because she hates her job. I feel for her... but she will be strong. Gloria is the greatest in the world. There is no better example of a golden investigator and recent convert than her. She has three kids and her husband is in Africa... but she still manages to do all the things she needs to do. She will take sometimes two buses to church... with her children. She has no problems and is now being a great missionary. She gets the whole thing. She knows that this is right.

Manchu Hui is just fine... she is engaged to a very strong Jamaican member. They are great together and he really helps to support her. Eva Friday was baptised a little before I came... but was less active when I met her. Now she is active and her husband John was just baptised on Saturday. She is sooo great and bears just a brilliant testimony of the Lord being active in our life. She tells every one about our Church and is a key to our finding. The best news ever... is that they are all going to the temple tomorrow. ALLL of them... to do baptisms. It is going to be an absolutely incredible experience. They are all quite close because they all have Sunday School together. I am not grateful that I can not be there. I have more than just a friendship with these people. They are literally my family. I love them dearly and want everything good for them. They are treasures in my life... that I never expected to have when I came out on my mission. I thought it was robotic work... but this work is to be done with all the Love you have and can muster. Nothing works here... unless you love the Lord and help His children. I know every thing hangs off of those two great commandments. A great Brother taught us that. These recent converts have changed my life and helped me discover a different type of love. I think it is quite similar to the love that Christ has for us, a willingness to give everything for their happiness.

The baptism with John Okorie was just so simple and smooth. I hemmed his trousers :) Go Elder Krebs. His wife spoke and he gave some comments as well. Their testimonies are sooo simple. They believe in Jesus Christ and want to follow Him. They don't know what Kolob is and they don't need to know. They have a testimony that they can change through Jesus Christ. So simple... So perfect. This is the simplicity that Paul talks about in the New Testament. John love the missionaries and we love him. Wanna know something crazy? We only taught him five time total! It has been hectic for him... because he works in London... but he passed his interview with President and has a solid wife to read with every night. Won't it be lovely when they are sealed in one years time? The church is TRUE!

Elder Paul is a God send. He has been my best friend these past months. I love working with him and he is keeping me right where I am supposed to be. I believe he trains me more than I train him. Obedient and cheerful. We are working hard. One of the problems we've been having recently is this, we teach a fantastic lesson by the Spirit (or so I think) and then they do not read afterwards and they don't answer the phone and will cancel appointments. They are not understanding... and it is really difficult. We are examining ourselves so much it is making me sick. We are going to put a double emphasis this week on the Book of Mormon... and we are going to focus on the power it has and the promise attached to its words. Through my studies and experiences... the restored Gospel of Christ is making more and more sense. It is helping me build my faith because I know that these things are true in my heart and mind. Especially in relation to why it is needed when we have the Bible and the Christian world. Any preacher can make bad men good. But only we can help people come to the Celestial Kingdom. Only this restored message has all the truth necessary for complete joy. All the pieces of the puzzle are needed... and Joseph Smith was even better at puzzles than Jeff. Maybe because the Lord was guiding and talking with him. The truth has been lost... and now it is here for all to experience. If any one lived the teachings in this church... they would see a new light in their life. We are trying now to help people see it is worth it.

Unfortunately those open enough to try... are rare... but they are there. Even for you. Keep your eyes open because the Lord is preparing people for you and I to find and help. He will lead them to you and you to them. Don't miss a spiritual prompting from the Spirit. Don't deny the Spirit when it speaks quietly to us.

This mission is great. I love this work. I am so blessed with the people I've been able to meet. The ward here is great and takes care of me. I love them. We do have a Thanksgiving meal planned on Thursday at 14:00. It is starting to get cold in England... but I'm excited. Life is good. Transfers are in 2 weeks and I will most likely leave because I've been here for a while. Sad that I will be transferred right before Christmas because there are many families here I would love to spend time with over Christmas. There is something to learn from it though. Always something to learn out of every experience. Hopefully I'll get transferred to an area with a car so I don't freeze over the winter. I love you all... mind how you go.

Love,
Uncle Bubs