Things to be thankful for...

So, yesterday we sacrificed part of our p-day [preparation day] so we could meet with some members who were going to have a potential investigator over for lunch. But as it usually goes, the potential ended up bailing on us. So we had another appointment with Asha today, but she also canceled, so my district leader said I should email since I didn’t get to yesterday. So yesterday was my first interview with President Patch and that went well! He told me that they did the same thing a year ago (open an area with a greenie and a 'dieing' elder) and at first it was real hard but now in that same area they had 25 investigators at church between the Elders and the Sisters of the area! So that just gives me a bit more motivation to keep trudging on. After that we went shopping cause they have wonderful deals in the summer time. I love the English style, so I bought a shirt, tie and shoes so I will need some money transferred in:/ Oh, I forgot, when I first got in the house I found an English suit that fit me perfectly, and when no one claimed it or knew who’s it was, the zone leaders gave it to me! So with that new suit, shirt and shoes I have something to wear to Zone Conference. And elder Gallagher is going to give me one of his suits when he leaves, so I bought him a pair of shoes (something is telling me I'm going to get a financial training in my next email from home).

So today was Zone Conference and it was awesome! They had all the greenies and dieing Elders bare testimony. It’s weird to think that Elder Gallagher only has like twenty days left but at the same time its not. He is getting a bit trunky and it’s slowing down the work. President Patch has this wonderful vision that every area can baptize every transfer and I really think that we are going to make it happen!! We invited Francis (the doctor from Nigeria) to be baptized and he really was awesome. He looked at us as if we had insulted him and said, “'why not, of course I will if I know it is true!” So I have been praying that he will keep reading the Book of Mormon and get that confirmation from the spirit that it is true. Also, Asha, we are waiting for her boyfriend to get his Visa so they can be married and she can get baptized. I think I told you about Pyi? The Buddhist we grabbed off the street after we got hosed? Well, we taught him about the restoration and showed him the DVD and he really connected with Joseph Smith. Then this Sunday we taught him about the first half of the plan of salvation and then I invited him to pray. His prayer was so simple but so sincere and powerful. He prayed to his Father in Heaven and so sincerely thanked him for his Son and the plan of happiness that he can repent and return to live with his God. The amazing thing is he didn’t even believe in God two weeks ago. The coolest part about this is that all the time he says how all of this sounds familiar and just makes absolute sense! He owns a Chinese take out shop and works ridiculous hours so it is hard to meet with him but I think Elder Gallagher and I are going to drop by and see him this week.

So President Patch told me that he will be speaking in our ward on the 25th of July and before I knew what I had said, I said that we were going to have 2 conformations that day.... I really hope it works out that way.

So walking everywhere I go is taking a toll on my feet. Some days they are fine other they just kill. I have three blisters on top of each other on one of my toes!! I also think I have planter fascitis or what ever it is. It feels like someone took a knife and made a slit down the middle of my nonexistent arch every time I step. But so that I’m not negative and complain about hosy people, hot days, long hours, black boogers, trunky companions and girls that don’t know how to dress when the sun comes out, I'm going to list what I am thankful for:

That I can cook, sew (a little), walk with out pain, sleep well at night, see the good in almost everyone, stay positive, see others’ side of the story, see through the lies, that I can plan, being ok with the back up plan, being able to make up a second back up plan on the fly, my history knowledge, my heritage (big one), knowledge of the scriptures, gardening skills, pyrotechnic skills (don’t ask), common sense, playing the piano (a little but getting better)...and being a bit oblivious at times is nice too! I'm lucky that I'm in the area I am. Talking with some other greenies today, I guess they see a bit of persecution and all I see are Bible bashing born again's and Jesus hating Muslims. Oh, and I ran across a communist extremist. I almost started laughing listening to her tell me that Christ is anti-human and that America and capitalism are evil. I didn’t really think that people believed that having the government run your life was the right thing to do. I really did start laughing though when I told her that we were representatives of Jesus Christ and she said, “How do I know that your not just CIA? That’s when I just left.

Any how sorry no pictures again. Elder Ho Kum has a card reader that I promise I will use next week I just don’t have it with me today. I'm thankful for grandma’s example. I took the ipod with me to my interview yesterday and showed President Patch what I had and he said I could keep it, which means that I'm probably the first missionary ever to have an ipod in this mission (legally). By the way, mom did you get Tim Holmes address for me? Oh and I'm thankful for President and Sister Holmes we got a referral from temple square the other day! It was a Muslim that loved the idea of families and the importance of families but she didn’t really want to listen to us beyond that. Mom please send snail mail to the mission home. There is talk of shutting this area down again when Elder Gallagher leaves so I wouldn’t want some random new tennant to get my precious chipotle sauce! Oh, I found the best bbq sauce the other day; you should see if you can get it! It’s made by gracefoodsuk and it is called jerk bbq. It’s Jamaican and it’s awesome. I'm trying to remember anything else from this week but as soon as I write something in my journal I forget it. I have gone through three pens in a week I have been doing so much writing! Speaking of writing. Thank you mom for your cards, grandma you long awaited letter has finally arrived and I was so happy to get it! Lindy and the young women of the ward thank you so much for your letters! Lindy and Grandma your replies are in the mail every one else you'll have to wait till next pday... sorry.

It does not even feel like I'm in England yet it just feels like I have gone back in time to the spring! It’s around 75-85 everyday with a slight breeze and sunny skies! It has only rained on my once for about 5 minutes. Can you believe that? And we get beautiful Arizona sunsets every night- its awesome! The only thing that is off is my sleeping habits. Since I have the primitive instinct to rise with the sun and lay down with it I've been getting up at four every morning and going to bed around eleven. Its driving me crazy cause I'm so freakin tired I can hardly make it through my studies in the morning. I spoke in the ward last Sunday about going on a mission and that went well then the bishop asked me to help him teach a class that prepares people to become an Elder. I was surprised but excited for that. Well I don’t really have anything else so I’ll leave you with a little thought:

Yesterday’s armor is not good enough for today’s battles. We need to be constantly improving our armor in anticipation for Satan's new tactics and strategies. The great thing is we don’t have to come up with the ideas by our selves. We have a prophet and 12 apostles for that all we have to do is listen and apply their advice. We need to be like Moroni who as the commander in chef still asked the prophet for advice and win against amazing odds. Then he also prepared his people with tomorrow’s armor and then the Lamanites had no idea what to do (Alma 49)

Love you all!

Elder Solomon

P.S. can someone please give sister Orlando the biggest hug possible for me? And tell her I love her and she is awesome
Thanks:)

Day of Judgement

[Note from the Editor: After requests to 2 missionary sons to capitalize their "i"'s in their letters to make the editing easier, all my boys said I shouldn't waste time editing the letters...they say it isn't important to them, so it shouldn't be important to me (and everyone else who reads their letters!) So, here you go, an untouched version....at least Brighton uses periods!]

So toady started out pretty rough. the landlord paid an unexpected visit to the house and to say the least he wasnt happy. from the broken bed to the kicked down door. the pennies stuck in the wall and the jungle backyard to the unsightly front porch all the way to the remants of half burnt toys scattered around the over grown garden he didnt know what was worse so after a brief email and shopping we have the rest of pday set out for us. mom i havnt gotten any letters or packages since the ones i got last week cause we havent gone into the mission home but im sure they are there and safe. so starting from the ground up in this area Elder Gallagher and i have been spending all of our time finding and droping by old contacts. it also seems that everyone that we set up an appointment with "hoses" us. yesterday elder gallagher asked 'how many times have we been hosed' my reply was how many appointments have we set? bearing that in mind the Lord works in mysterious ways and our faith has not gone in vain. im not sure if i told you about asha but she is an investigator who is waiting for her partner(boyfriend) to get a visa so they can be married to get baptized. the other day we kept trying to get a hold of her and finally before a appointment we had she answered the phone and did not sound well. elder gallagher then told me how she gets bad migranes. well we set up an appointment any how and taught her about priesthood blessings. when we asked if she would like a blessing she smiled and told us how on the bus home today before she had spoken to us she had the impression that she should ask us for one. Elder Gallagher anoited then I blessed her. it was an amazing experience to feel the Lord work through his Priesthood power as i acted as voice for the blessing. we followed up with her a couple of days later and she has no more headaches! Her faith is amazing. so then saturday we were sitting at the chapel waiting for a potential to come to an appointment but they never came. so dissappointed we went finding again and litterally the first person we stop (Pyi) was interested and we ended up taking him back to the church and teaching him! he is solid an loves learning and want to know how to receive the Holy Ghost! Elder Gallagher and Elder Koppe taught him yesterday morning while Elder Ho Kum and I went to PEC. in all yesterday we got hosed four different times but again right after we got hosed we being a bit discouraged went finding and again the first person we stoped (Niveeda) wanted to see the chapel! she is muslim and wanted to see how we pray we also taught her some of the basics and she will becomeing to church next week and we have an appointment with her some time this week. so then right after that lesson i called Marious (a Romanian mechanic student) who we had contacted earlier this week and set up an appointment. it was awesome we showed him the restoration dvd and the spirit was so strong I know that he felt it and wants to meet with us more! the slight problem with Marious is that he has only been here for a five days and has a hard time with English. so moral of the story, try to make it happen but when it doesnt keep walking forward and then the Lord will make it happen. one quick note. its a shame dad that you had to experience English food. i have had so many dinner and lunch appointments this week that i have wanted to kill myself! the food is amazing and we have only had the same countries food once! and i have to say zach if all Brazilians cook like that you are lucky mate! thank you Mike Taylor and Kassidee for the emails i wasnt expecting any! you are all awesome. so i worte some letters last week that i have carried around with me all week cause i havnt had the chance to buy stamps. its amazing how the sun is up from 430 to 1030 and i still dont have enough time in the day to do everything that i need to! i guess that is His way of keeping missionaries out of trouble! you all did good at nanas house with the tree that thing is a monster! oh and i could use some tips on pruning rose bushes... ours are a bit out of hand. Taylor I dont even know what to say but that im proud of you and that im lucky that you are my friend. Kassidee I'm glad that you had such a good time at girls camp. sounds like they were telling you what have always been trying to :) Mike could you please keep a closer eye on preston? haha im just kidding but thanks for the email im glad you havent forgotten me yet! keep the reading up! everyone loves the many stories i tell about when i did ac back in arizona and my crazy managers! i still grab and hoard any golf balls i can find! Keep the faith!
love,
Brigh...... Elder Solomon

Be strong and of a good courage

OK, holy cow I forgot to tell everyone that we got to go tracing on our last Friday in the MTC. It was awesome and we met a boy named Adam that was prepared by the Lord! We taught him the first three lessons! We also gave him a Book of Mormon and got his info to send to the Manchester Mission... so anyhow, Wednesday was my first real day in the field! When we finally got to the mission home we got our stuff off the bus and sat in a conference room where we got briefed and guess what was sitting there for me! Letters from Taylor, Kassidee and Sister Thompson! I was so excited but everyone laughed at me cause I had to keep turning the page around cause they wrote in circles! I got dizzy and lost my place a couple of times (good laugh but that was cruel). So then after a brief interview with the President we got our dads (trainers)! My trainer is Elder Gallagher from California. He is on his last transfer and is also the district leader!

So Nancy will really appreciate this but my first area is Lea Valley in East London, which is the Hyde Park zone! We stay in a house (61 Mark Manor Ave, London e17 8hj also called the Mark Manor mansion) with the zone leaders! Before we got there, there was only the zone leaders, so basically we are reopening an area cause we have no investigators! We spent the next day street contacting people all day! We did the math and we ended walking about 21 miles! And yet Elder Gallagher still gets me up to go running in the morning! I Love it! This area is amazing! Only about one in ten people are white and one out of three white people speak English! Everyone is either African or Asian (middle eastern, they call them Asians in the UK). Most white people are from Eastern Europe so I have talked with a lot of Polaks. The ward is awesome. 90 percent of the ward is first generation Mormons and the only white people are the Elders, the Bishop, and the Elders quorum and Young Men’s president. Everyone else is foreign. Elder Gallagher was here for six months then got transferred to Dover and Essex for six months, and then back here for his last transfer. So we have been lookin’ up some of his old contacts, which is working out for us.

So today we had our first zone meeting and Elder Gallagher was asked to do some training, so we decided to do it together. He said just prepare something in personal study, and then we will exchange ideas. So I did. Well, this morning he said he had nothing, so I did the full 20 minutes training for our zone, which includes the AP's! [Assistant’s to the President] I was so nervous being the only greenie in the zone! But it went great!

We then went to Camden town and I got my cute little man bag (we don’t have backpacks in this mission). As a new missionary I get an extra half hour in the morning to do an Atonement study. It is great and I cherish this time everyday. I haven't really learned anything new but I took the time to get all my thoughts and understanding down on paper about the atonement and it has really been neat and I have really felt the Spirit tell me that what I know is true and really happened!

I love the work. I’m getting better and more confident with stopping strangers on the street and telling them about the church. Rejection is easy here; if they are African they just walk away, if they are British, they say, “Sorry I’m busy”, and if they are eastern European, they say they don’t speak English (which is probably true... I should learn Polish). But truth be told, I can’t wait to actually teach lessons. They say that for every 18 new investigators a missionary gets, they get one baptism, and that every area should have a baptism a month. I totally believe it and hope that I can just make it through the trail of faith that comes first! I found a ring on the ground that says “be strong and of a good courage”. I always keep it with me even though it doesn’t fit. I also found a musket ball! It was wedged between some cobblestones. I carry that too and always think about Joseph Smith's martyrdom when I see it.

Well, I love you all and love hearing from you. Don’t be offended, but I don’t miss anyone at home... except grandma. By the way, tell her I need a letter so I can get her address and write her back! Oh, thank you Jeremy, Maggie and Nana for the letters. Your reply is in the mail. Can someone get me the addresses for Stacy and Zach? I got emails from them but I can only reply to immediate family members. Brigg, Sheldon, I want letters! If letters are sent to the mission home I will only get them when I go there which will be once a week while I’m in Lea Valley but if I get transferred to Norwich (which is where Elder Brock Fultz is) then I will only get them whenever we have zone conference.

[For now, send letters to the mission home addressas listed on website]

Send my love to everyone I know!
Love,
Elder Solomon

Sorry, no pictures. I haven’t had time to take any, and I also don’t have a cord to hook the camera up to the computer! So we'll just have to get the dates off the pictures and then cross-reference them with my journal. Which I have been really faithful with! I’m up to 38 pages already!

I'm great!

Sorry but I don’t have anytime we are leaving tomorrow and I won’t get to email again till Monday, so Preston, Mom, Zack and Stacy know that I did get you emails and that I’m doing great!

Romans 8:31!!!!!

The only letters I have gotten are one from mom and one from Maggie. I guess I know who my real fan club is ;)

Love ya all - keep the course!

Hello everyone!
So I need some help I really need that pedigree chart asap because this week we are doing something with it and if you can email it maybe I’ll be able to get them to let me print it off for the activity. Anyhow, I was wondering where our Scottish family came from cause I’m friends now with an Elder Garroway from Glasgow, Scotland, Paisley I think.

Anyhow, we went to the temple last p-day and it was awesome. I love the Preston temple. It is so small and simple, but the spirit is so strong and peaceful. This how complex is like that, even the 'football pitch' were we play soccer! Ok, so I’m better at soccer then I am at basketball which is what we play when it rains... so every other day. It seems like I got stuck in the tall group cause the average height is 6'4!! It’s crazy! Oh, mom the office couple are Elder and Sister Powell! I guess you went to school with their son Eric? They talk about it all the time.

Anyhow last Friday we got to go to the Manchester City Square at Piccadilly and go street contacting. Elder Palmer and I had great time getting rejected! It’s sad to see how many people 'only believe in science' (nacho libre). Ha! I actually said that when someone told me. We talked to these three teenagers on the train for about the Book of Mormon and gave them each one and got an address to send the missionaries to! It was cool. I need to learn to use the filter between my brain and my mouth. One lady told us the she didn’t believe in the after life and I said, “well, that’s boring!” Oh well! Elder Palmer and I have finally gotten down teaching in unity and switching off teaching then testifying. It’s so cool to be directed by the spirit then hear someone testify and say the exact right thing to back it up! I’m so excited to be here! President Thompson of the mtc presidency told us when we first got here (and kinda got emotional), “Thank you so much for coming to my land and helping me teach my people about the gospel.” I’m so excited to continue the work that the most amazing missionaries of the 19th century started! Like Heber C. Kimbell and Dan Jones. Those guys were studs!

Being a district leader is awesome! I try to have as many devotionals as possible and it is so cool to see when whoever I ask to share gives a devotional that is inspired and then is also the subject of a class or big group devotional [later in the day]! Elder Cerr, the area authority, came by on fast Sunday and gave a great talk about obedience which seems to be the subject for the last week. its so much easier to just be obedient with exactness then to try to find ways around it and miss the blessings. It’s only when we are obedient with exactness that we get the full amount of blessings. He talked about when the Saviour told his disciples to throw the net out on the other side of the boat and how they displayed faith and they caught so much fish that two boats started to sink cause of all the fish! It’s crazy also to see the difference between the missionaries that are not completely obedient and those that are. The ones that are not seem to be more plagued by homesickness and more tired and have a harder time teaching then those that have forgotten themselves. Like I said I love my district. I have had the opportunity to sit in the leadership council where all the dl’s give an accounting for each missionary in their district and I have to say mine is the only one without problems and I love it! I think they called me to serve them cause they knew I was the weakest and I couldn’t handle a group with problems.

Anyhow, I had a great thought the other day. faith grows according to obedience. Peter had enough faith to jump out of the storm tossed boat surrounded by contrary winds to walk on the ocean because he had followed the Saviour so long that he knew with a certainty
that if the Saviour commanded it then he could do it! And he did! So the application I had was if we are having a hard time following someone who is our leader, display some faith and just do it then you will understand. So Brigg and Sheldon if you do not have faith in mom and dad then just do what they say and then after a trial of your faith (Ether 12: 6) then will you have the witness that what they are saying is the right thing and you will gain a testimony of obedience.

Any how, love you all. My half hour is up!

Elder Solomon

First week in the MTC

Hello all!

Mom, I was so excited to get your email but a little sad that that was all I received! Oh well, today was the first time I even thought about any one from the states anyhow. So lets start with Thursday/Friday, which ended up being all one day! So I left Phoenix with Elder Farnsworth and Elder Wright from Mesa who are both going to different missions. At the airport in Atlanta we met up with 35 other missionaries from Utah and headed out on a redeye flight to England! I couldn’t sleep the whole ride I was so excited! Elder Seigel who sat next to me was 6'10"! So there was nothing but gangly arms and legs allover the place. If he wasn’t in the MTC I would say that he was high all the time but I guess that is just his personality! So when we got here [to Manchester] we hopped into the white bus and shipped to the MTC [in Preston] where we went for a tour and were meet by the presidency. We all had interviews then finally at 9:00 we were put into companionships and districts. I was call as the district leader for the Moroni district and I have had and awesome experience with it! My companion is Elder Palmer from Heber, Utah who is going to London South. The presidency said that this is the biggest group of missionaries they have ever had representing 11 states and 7 different countries!

One friend I have made is Elder Tonga from the north island of New Zealand! He told me the other day in breakfast, “The harder you eat the harder you work!” and lets just say he is a hard worker! He also is a dl. [District leader]. We have had the Spirit in such abundance here that I swear they have and animal care center for dogs in the basement! I go from meeting to meeting being lifted more and more! Sunday was real special. The whole theme was the restoration and the Prophet Joseph Smith. I didn’t learn anything that I haven’t known but the spirit has born testimony so strongly that it would be impossible to even think about questioning the truth of the gospel restored! Also, yesterday we had a devotional on temples and President Clegg and his wife spoke about some amazing experiences that they all had. Me retelling the stories would not do them justice! I wish I had more then half an hour to type because I feel all flustered that I can’t tell you every thing and I’m sure I’m forgetting the most important things.

The food is hit and miss. But I did have my first fish and chips and I must say it was quite enjoyable! The English are a different breed and do things much different from us! But I love them. The spirit is real and the promise in D&C 100:6 is true. I have learned so much already I wish I could tell you it all. Inspiration is real and I pray that I may always be worthy to receive it cause you never know when you might save someone’s life, or more importantly, their salvation. This Friday we go to Manchester Square and get to do street contacting I’m so excited. Quick story: I talk in the sleep and the other night I guess I didn’t know where I was and used some fool language quite loudly!

Love you all! England has been prepared for me now it’s my turn not to let them down!

Love,

Elder Solomon

Setting Apart

When I was in that mission...

Proud Grandma's

I guess this is it. Saying goodbye with a smile, atleast! See ya in 2 years Kassidee.