Beautiful Fall in England

The leaves are turning and starting to fall.  We are attempting to do service tracting, where we just go knock on doors and offer service to people.  But so far not anyone has had us help them.  Hopefully it does turn into something.   

Here’s a picture of a huge leaf we found.

This is on our walk on the way to church.  

Our church is on the hill right next to this huge golf course, so it’s a great location. We didn’t have church in our building this week because there was a youth convention at our church. So we went to the other ward.  They were doing the Primary Program and it went super good.  If we were just able to have an investigator there, it would have been amazing.  They really talked a lot about the restoration.

Most of the investigators we got last transfer aren’t very interested now.  So this transfer we basically started fresh.  We set a lot of appointments with new people.  22 people to be exact, but only 3 out of the 16 appointments this week actually happened.  All 3 of those turned into good investigators.  In one week, we have gotten more solid investigators than we did all last transfer- which is crazy! 

One day we were out OYMing (open your mouth).  My companion stopped this guy to talk with him.   He was like I’m a Christian, can I be a missionary like you?  We explained he could, but we should teach him the gospel first.  We were able to have one lesson with him.  We offered him baptism and he said ya when he comes to know these things are true. But when pushed for a baptism date, he became a little confused because he said he had already been baptized.  We tried to explain it to him again without a lot of success that day.   Now we have a Book of Mormon is his native language and so plan to go back and have him read 3 Nephi 11, which talks about how we need to be baptized by immersion. 

Trying to get a nice photo of both of us…..

Another time we were out tracting and knocked on this guy’s door.  He said hi and asked how we were.  We started in with our message and he said no thanks guys, I’m a Christian.  We asked how his faith has helped him in his life.  Then he admitted that he was actually trying to find a church to belong to.   Loved hearing that!  We invited him to learn more but he was like no thanks, I’m busy.  (Then you come back with when can we could back- don’t give them the option of if, ask when.) To this he responded, he was free all the next day, which was Sunday.  So we invited him to come to church in Dunstable with us.  He didn’t make it to church, so we will try to see him again this week.

Snails are everywhere, it just so happens that they stick to our badges.

Most interesting place to teach---a gambling establishment.  We were out on the street talking with people.  I asked this young man what did he think the purpose of this life was.   He didn’t know, but asked who we were. We talked with him and invited him to know more.  He was like okay, where at?   We suggested we could do it right here on the street in town center.  He asked what about other there? I thought he was talking about the park bench.   But no- he meant in this gambling place, where you can watch horse races and stuff.   No matter to us, we had a lesson in there with him.  He is a really cool guy and really interested in finding out if there is a God.

Being a follow up trainer, means my companion has been out for one transfer.  This is his second and so I am to finish up with the 12 weeks of extra study/training and try to help him become a better missionary.  It’s more responsibility and I feel it.   Surprisingly, I didn’t know I knew so much about the lessons and doctrine, until I was the one in charge.  I know a lot more than I thought.  The ready reference guide was helped me a lot also. 

Sometimes missionary work makes us tired!

  

I was thinking the other day, nothing on the farm will probably be the same when I get home.  The new track, could be another new one before I get home.  And all of the work on the rock piles, how much cleaner the farms will be.  Our new shop should be about the same, but other than that, everything could change!

They do have John Deere’s in England.  Just a few minutes walk from our flat are some fields.  Of course, no irrigation though, a cheaper way of farming.

I got the letter you sent just last week already.  Seems that with the government shut down, mail is getting through quicker!    It’s getting a lot colder here.  We have to pay for our own electricity; it’s a pay as you go.  We have started using the heaters, and so the electricity is going sky high.  I am just like—wow—to be accountable for all this.  When I was home, I never had to worry about all of this stuff! But it’s been a good week!  Nice to find some new investigators and to be teaching.

Love you all and hope that you have a great week!

Love, Elder Stevenson