June 5, 2012

Dear Mummy, So sorry for not emailing you yesterday. We had to be in London at 10:00, which meant we had to leave our flat at 8:00, for Zone Leader Council. I felt like a real Londoner yesterday. Except it was a Bank Holiday and the tubes weren't so packed. We had the meeting in the newly refurbished Hyde Park building. It has been under refurbishments for the past 8 months, and now it looks brilliant. The foyer has been turned into a Visitors Centre, and they have six Sister Missionaries working there full time. The building is in the best location ever. Right in the smack of London. On Exhibition Road, 5 mins walk from Hyde Park, South Kensington, Knightsbridge, and Harrods. 3 museums surround the church... The Victoria and Albert Museum, The Science Museum and the Natural History Museum. And Imperial College is right across the street (Right up there with Cambridge and Oxford). The have put a Christus facing the street, behind a wall of glass. Thousands of people walk by every single day. During the Olympics it will be tens of thousands. One day it will be a Temple. I know it. It is a wonderful building, and I feel very attached to it. Mainly because I served there for 5 months. At Zone Leader Council I was asked to give my departing testimony. Quite sad. I didn't like giving it. I don't feel as though I am leaving... and so I just bore my testimony of the Saviour. A couple of things that I have read recently gave me a study idea to complete. I read the story of Lazarus in Abraham's Bosom, and this scripture in Jacob 4:6... "Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea." My idea now is to go through the Standard Works that we have and record the characters and their testimonies of the Saviour. Then, I can have a list of close friends who knew and followed the Saviour. As I do this... I think it will help my faith to become a little more unshaken. I don't think I will have time in England to finish... because I am in the middle of a couple other studies. Too much to study, too little time. My companion is just great. No problems. Ashford is feeling better and better. We are working hard here... and it is beginning to pay off. We had a family come to church on Sunday. They are from Slovakia, but they lived in Switzerland for 2 years... and there are 3 or 4 members of the Ward that speak German. On Friday... Elder Fields is coming home from his mission. You don't know him... his family is in this ward. He has been serving in Switzerland... we are just going to send him over to teach and prepare them for baptism. They can speak their Swiss German together. Besides Tibor and his family, we are teaching Dorothy and Mikkie. Both friends or family of recent converts. Best place to get referrals... recent converts. The ward in Ashford is just fantastic. They are so loving and nice. On Saturday we had a ward BBQ. It was the best thing for Elder Vitorio and I because we don't quite know everyone. Now we got to meet and build confidence with the Bishop, members and Less Actives that were there. Unfortunately, none of our Investigators came, but we keep calm and carry on. There was a Disco, Bouncy Castle and food! All we can really do out of those 3 is food... but that is okay. We spent P-day today in London after our meeting. You wouldn't believe P-days in London. When more than 5 missionaries get together... it is terrible. Yesterday... we had about 25 missionaries all together. No one knows what to do, and everyone just wastes time. I honestly didn't care yesterday. I just like London P-days because you can chill with friends. So basically we took the tube from South Kensington to Green Park, walked to Oxford Circus, then walked to Buckingham Palace for the Queen's Jubilee, then walked to Big Ben (the bell) and Westminster tower and building, from there we walked to Tower Bridge (very long walk, but it was along the Thames and I love it), and then from Tower Bridge to St. Pauls, and then we walked to a Mexican Restaurant, but it was closed... so we went toooo... McDonald's. Not my favourite. I come alll the way to London, with some of my favourite restaurants... and we eat at McDonald's. I can't complain though... because I didn't really give any ideas. I just followed. I like following. I loved it. Just walking around London is great. It is a crazy city. For the queen's juby it was crazy... the Olympics are going to be mental. Absolutely mental. Elder Vitorio and I, plus the two district leaders in the Zone come up with goals for each months. To help everyone improve and grow. One of our "spiritual" goals this month is to "live the dream". If we do that, then every thing will be better. The way to implement this goal, or the plan to achieve the goal is easy. Every time someone asks you how you are doing... you tell them "I am livin' the dream". We are what we think, and our attitude determines our altitude. I am really excited for everyone to live the dream. I really feel as though I am. My whole life I've wanted to be a missionary and now I am. Now it is time to just dig deep and keep going. There are so many things that I still don't understand... and I still make mistakes and do not work the best I can. This life is a constant struggle, and I am so grateful for the enabling power of the Atonement. God is in charge. Our President's Wife, Sister Patch shared with us three things that Joseph Smith told Brigham Young in a dream. Be humble, Be Faithful, and stay close to the Spirit. It is sooo simple. We think outward, believe and be obedient... and all things will work together for our good. I love you all very much and miss you greatly. Love, Elder Krebs