Letter

Hey for my spiritual thought for the week i thought i would send you a letter i typed our to send to a recent convert

 

Lazy?

Efficient?

 

You choose.

Dear Lizete,

Hey I had a few extra minutes in the office today so I thought that I would write you a quick letter.  I am doing very well.  As you know I am serving in central London in a ward that is strictly young single adults. It is so much fun! (Not to say that serving in your ward was not fun for me). I have kind of been out of the social loop for a while. I have spent most of my time with people that are a bit older than me and I have seemingly forgotten how to interact with people my own age. Naturally it has been a bit awkward adjusting to the new area and interacting with the YSA but now I’m getting the hang of it.  We live in South Kensington just a ten minute walk from the Natural History Museum. Imperial College is also really close to us. We spend most of our time walking around the campus and talking to the students. Imperial College is a very famous college, one of the top five in the world, so they have some of the most brilliant students in the world. They seem to come from all over the world. I have meet people from America to Iraq, China to Norway.  We have very interesting conversations; I have learned a lot of great things form these smart people. It is sad that many of them believe that God cannot exist because science does not give supporting evidence.  I am often reminded of the Lords counsel when he says ‘But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God.’ It seems like these students who have no religious beliefs but have tons of brains live a bit of a hollow life. However I have seen how on the flip side having a relationship with God makes life all the more fulfilling.  The other day we stopped a young student from China who did not believe in God but ‘believed in science’ (as if there was some kind of contradiction). We took a few moments with him to discuss how religion and science co-exist. He felt the Spirit testify of truth. He accepted our invitation to pray. We are now teaching Joe on a regular basis and each time I see him his faith is growing in leaps and bounds! Just as yours did as I taught you. Now he is preparing to be baptized. Last time I saw him he testified that if we follow what God tells us we will be happy, and safe. I want to echo Joe’s testimony. I know that as we follow the teachings of God as found in the Book of Mormon, the Bible, and as given by modern day prophets, we will be safe, safe from debilitating doubt, safe from crippling sin, and safe from the ever enticing lures of temptation.  I know that Christ gives us the grace that we need to succeed. I know that through his Atonement we all can be cleansed of our sins and resurrected. I know that families can be together forever and I know that God loves us.

May our Father in Heaven watch over you.

May you ever be diligent in honoring your baptismal covenants.

Love,

Elder Solomon

Weird?

Hello Family,

 

What an wonderful E-mail. A week later I hope that you all are recovered from London's Run. I am really sad that I was not able to be there for it. I have enjoyed so much being involved with the Run and the organization. It was such a great learning experience for me. You can add my name to the list of people truly touched by the event.

 

Speaking of running I have a funny/weird story to tell ya'll. Last preperation day we went and played football and I took off my shoes and ran around in the mud bare foot. Remember that story? Well it is not over. I completly and thoughroughly enjoyed being so free. For me it was great to feel the mud squeezing through my toes and sticking to my feet. Their is something spritual (for me) about it all. (don't think I'm wierd I promise I'm not going to start danceing in the woods nacked). Anyways the impact of this experience have not been positive. So heath-wise I'm great but psycologically I'm not. This week we had to do a ton of reports in the office. I've spend tons of time infront of this stupid computer that I'm going to get square eyes. It has been really hard for me to get a hold of it all. So I've began haveing mild attacks of frustration and anxiety. I don't know where it comes from but it starts with my feet and kinda goes throughout my body. As soon as I take off my shoes it leaves. As soon as I put them back on it comes back! I swear! Just like my twitching finger! So now whenever I am in the office I just kick off my shoes and whenever I leave the office I grit my teeth, make and ugly face and put them back on.

 

One of my previous companions (Elder Sheppard) is in our ward and we take him out teaching all the time. What a great person. It is so crazy that the friendship you build on your mission are so very strong. We had a Zone Leader Council today with plenty of good experiences. President Patch is amazing, totally inspired. Anyhow we gave a training about how unity and good examples as leaders will help lift the mission. I don't remember what point I was makeing and I shared a comment dad has shared with me a lot. I explained about QCHS never getting past the quarter finals  then said 'If the fish stinks look at the head'. My point was misunderstood and President asked from behind us. 'do you want me to leave for this one?'... so embarrasing.

 

Hey Its snowing right now! first time this year... bit late huh?

 

WEll have a good week!
-- 

I changed my mind.

Hey i had a good think about it. I want you all to come pick me up. Remember making the plans that my visa expires on the 28th i think? 

My mind is blank... really?

Hello family,

 

My three companions (# 14, 15, 16) Elder Hales, Elder Hall, Elder Giboin (counterclockwise from me)

I've been starring at the monitor for five minutes trying to think about what to write and nothing is coming. Elder Jacob left me with a great quote, he said 'what a missionary chooses to think about when he doesn't have to think is indicative of his dedication.' Today is P-day so i don't really have to think as much as usual and it seems like whenever I don't have to think my mind is just blank. What does that say about my dedication? ...At least I'm not distracted. This morning we drove up to St. Albans to pick up my companions (from a work over) and to play football. This morning it was stupid degrees cold and i forgot to bring a sweater so i was freezing my face off. Well we got to playing and it warmed up right quick (well i did at least). Then my competitive side kicked in. In England there is no such thing as a dry football pitch (soccer field), that was the case this morning. I was playing in a pair of canvas shoes (not football cleats) and i was slipping all over the place. It was basically playing mud football. Then i had a brilliant idea. I've played mud football before and i was really good at it because of my exceeding great skill at running bare foot. Well I took off my shoes, everyone said i was crazy then the game proceeded. It was great i didn't fall (to many times) after that! I'm tired now.

 

This week was a bit strenuous. We went on three work over with six different missionaries. Since we are in a trio we send two Assistants to the area then one stays in this area with two missionaries from the other areas. Now remember I just got here. I hardly know what is going on, mostly I'm just following the footsteps of my giant companions. Well for two of those work overs I stayed in Britannia. (this is me shooting myself in the head). Now on top of that we schedule work overs with all the struggling companionship's. (which normally involve one struggling missionary). Well on both work-overs I got two struggling missionaries. I'm not complaining now we had a great time it was just at bit stressful. 

 

By the time I go home I will be an expert at Heathrow Airport. Last week we took a sister there who had finished her mission. This week it was a different story. We have a missionary who developed a serious problem. The amazing NHS told him that it was cancerous and it was probably a tumor. Bit of scary news. His parents were notified and Travel arrangements made. Well after a few more test it was diagnosed as a blood clot in his thigh. Still pretty crazy. So they put him on blood thinning medication and he stayed at our flat for a week. Meaning that we had 7 missionaries in a 4 person flat. Absolutely manic. Well Thursday morning, while the real assistants were in different areas, I had to take him to Heathrow Airport. It was one of the most depressing things I've had to do on my mission. The only thing I could compare it to was when i had to drive people home after they got let go at work. But its more intense. He is from Idaho, of course a strong Mormon community. I just remembered over and over again hearing that having a missionary come home early, for medical reasons or not, is almost as tragic as having a death in the family.

 

We will be going to Heathrow again tomorrow. Elder Gregory Hall from Yorkshire has been serving in this mission for 4 months while he has been waiting for his visa to go to the Salt Lake City South Mission. He has really become a fantastic missionary. I was teaching with him yesterday and wow i was just really impressed. Its hard to expect any different results since he has served with 3 zone leaders, 3 assistants and one district leader, in his short time here. The cool thing is that he is going to be in the MTC (with Brigg) and will be miles ahead of everyone else. Its going to be crazy for him to see the difference between missions.

 

I think that the worst part about being an Assistant is that I don't really get to focus much on my studies, it is putting a bit of a damper on things. Studying the scriptures is so essential to spiritual health. I guess I'll just have to find time during the day to squeeze in my studies. We had a great meeting with President Patch on Monday for the weekly key indicator. He shared a spiritual insight that he had received while meeting with the Area Presidency. He read Helamen 3:23-25 which talks about how thousands were baptised then a verse later how 10,000's were baptised and he attributed that to member (namely recent convert) referrals. With this inspiration he collected his favorite 40 baptise stories from the last year and has asked us that each time we meet with a ward leader that we share one of the miracle stories. I'm going to attach the file. Have a read through. All of them are true, most are accurate :)

 

 

p.s. I'll come home and take you to England another time :) Hold me to it!
-- 

New in Britannia, South Kennsington

St. Paul's Cathederal

Elder Hales and Elder Giboin in the office

Ok so one Tuesday I forgot to tell you that my Preparation days are now on Saturday so that is when you'll be getting my emails from now on. so serving in a quad is really cool we get tons of work done.... its like having two companionship's cool huh? My companions are all really great guys, I don't think I have laughed this much my whole mission! I really hope that they can rub off on my and I can be funny and relaxed again. anyone that played football with me will understand that when i take something seriously I don't do much laughing. I fear I'm kinda like that again. With transfers it was a bit odd. My body was displaying all the symptoms of a nervous wreck but I felt super calm. I didn't slept for more the three hours for three or so nights because I was just thinking and listening to elder giboins snoring. The church is true. I got a blessing from Elder Hall and Elder Hales and now my body feels great and I'm sleeping at night... as long as i fall asleep before Elder Giboin. Leaving Basildon was super hard. So much of my heart is there. However as usual I have felt a 'release' from that area and a 'calling' here. Its great being in a singles ward because you focus on the YSA that you run into, which means that I don't have to talk to the old grouchy folks, another advantage is that being in central London I don't have to do any tracting!!! yea!!! the only down side is that talking to people in London is completely different then talking to people in Essex. Its almost a completely different language and London people are a bit more intelligent then that. We spend most of our time finding around Imperial College which is one of the most prestigious universities in the world, in some categories top five in the world. So I talk to alot of intelligent people now. So I got an email from Preston who shared a bit of leadership advice. He referred to Ammons example of humility in leadership. thank you so much for your advice Preston. Please if any one else has any more advice it is more then welcome. I was doing this great study the other day where I read Alma 46 and 47 and compared the difference between Amalackiah and Moroni. Man that was great. Maybe some day I will share it all with you. I'm so grateful that I have been keeping a pretty accurate study journal. Today I took two or so minutes to look back on some notes I had taken from the past. On November 17th I wrote down this great quote from Brigham Young where he talked about how not one side moment is unnecessary for those whose aim it is to improve our selves while here. That really seemed to ring true. I've been listening to a talk by Brad Wilcox given at Education Week in 2009 (I think) He talked about grace and how sometimes we miss understand that the only time we receive this divine help is when we have exhausted all of our energies and might working on our own. An idea that comes from reading 2 Nephi 25:23 'for we know that it is by grace we are saved, after all we can do'. In this talk he went through and emphasised each word and talked about how grace really works. My favorite thing that he said was 'I no longer say 'God helps those who help themselves' but rather 'God helps us TO help ourselves'. Its a powerful talk, y'all should read it. Elder B.Solomon (Brigg that is) remember that, Christ is with us helping us every step of the way, He doesn't just step in once we fall down at the end of our limit. While I'm sharing missionary advice. Our MTC President told us something that has always stuck with me and has proved to be a true principle. "Yours success as a missionary will have more to do with your ability to control your thoughts then by anything else". Kay I'm done preaching. Dad thank you for your reflections. I enjoy reading them. You have no idea how much I look up to you and how much you have effected my life. Thank you for being there and being a positive influence. 

Ive attached a few pictures from our visit to St. Pauls' cathedral today. they were haveing a service so we couldn't take pictures inside or go up to the dome:(

And one of Elder Hales and Elder Giboin in the office.

Also I'm going to forward an email from an investigator. We taught her on Thursday for the second time and then she sent this amazing Email...Yes she is Chinese.              :) they are the best

Love,

Elder Solomon

The end of an era

Wow what a week. So finally all of our prayers were answered. this
week has been absolutly amazing! I think the Lord really loves the
next missionary who will be replaceing me in Basildon. So I have been
here now for six months and it has gone by so flippin quick! Like a
day. Well this week we finally picked up five new investigators ( more
in one week then the past 2 months!) Two of which are super solid!
Maddie is a 17 year old collge student. Two years ago she began
writing her piano teacher who left to serve a mission in Scotland.
When that missionary returned Maddie went to church with her, (in
Basildon, It was one of my first weeks there) and began reading the
Book of Mormon. We six months later she has read the Book of Mormon.
Feels it is right, and is half way throught the Doctrine and
Covenants. She is Absolutly Amazing! The only problem is that her
family is completly against the church  :(  we'll just have to wait
until July when she turns 18 to baptise her I guess. Had some solid
workovers. Anyways I think I'll cut to the real juicy news. I'm
getting transfered! I've been assigned to serve in the Britannia Ward
in South Kensington! I'm So excited it is the only singles ward in all
of Europe! It was a funny call. President Patch called me and told me
that they were releasing five zone leaders and that I was one of them.
My response was 'Fantastic!' Then he told me that I was going to serve
in a Trio with Elder Hales and Elder Giboin. Those guys are awesome!
they have been to gether already for three months so I might be a bit
of an outsider in the group but I'm cool with that I'll just get to
sit back and learn from them. Well Elder Hales called me later to tell
me that we will actually be in a Four-some? I guess there is an
English missionary who is waiting for his visa to go to Provo so he
will be serving with us for a week or so. I'm not quite sure how that
will work. Mind as well make two companionships eh?

We had dinner at Bishop Nicholls house last night. They are such good
people. Bishop gave me a big hug at the end of the evening. I felt
special because he only hugs people on Christmas. I will really miss
Basildon. The good thing is though that I'll be able to come back here
on workovers!

Well have a great week!

Elder Solomon

I AM NOT TRUNKY!!

Let me just put down a preliminary note... I'M NOT TRUNKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And all the invitations and exhortions not to be are not helping. if anything they are just reminding me that could justify having a reason to be the 'T' word. So for future references please don't ask me if I am missing home, or longing for this and that yet because I am not. My head is 100% in the game and my heart is too. There never was a time in my mission that i was more deticated then now. I feel that I have lost time to make up for.

anyways.....

I've had a good week. Yestderday was fast and testimony meeting it seemed like only all the super solid people in the ward bore there testimonys. It probably helped that there was an area seventy there. Personally I think Bishop assigned people to get up and bear testimony. Anyways it was great. So yestereday was like the sixth week in a row that we didn't have any investigators at church. Quite frustrateing to say the least. We found out this week that our only investigator (who were are only seeing about twice a month) fell pregnate with the guy that is keeping her from being baptised. Hopefully having another child will facilitate a paradigm (thanks for the word mom I love it!) speaking of words. One of our district leaders (Elder Thompson.....) is super intelligent and it seems like he is the only person that I can have proper intelligent converstion with. We trade words all the time and are continueally philosofising and and hypothesising. Oh man it is great! Well lessons learned this week.... Don't rely on someone else to remember something you can remember your self. Being happy is contagious (visa versa). When in a bad mood I can best serve the world by locking my self in my room.

We had our exchange with the assistants this week. went again into London with Elder Giboin (Scotland) I had a great time with him. It was so refreshing for my spirits to teach chinese students again. Its like stealing sweets from a baby. So it may sound like I'm lazy and I like teaching them because it is so easy but the truth is that i love teaching them because they are so innocent and eager to learn that the spirit is so strong whenever we have an appointment with them. I had a great time street contacting with Elder Giboin. The assistants serve in the only singles ward in Europe. So walking around the streets of London we are primaily looking for student YSA age people. Its tons better then talking to all the grouchy old 'ducks'. I'm getting a bit tired for them telling me to get a real job.

Well life is great

Elder Solomon