Date
August 10, 2015
Area
Carlisle, England
Companion
Elder Tiegel
First week in Carlisle
Dear everyone reading these words of me,
I am very unsure on where to start, the first thing I must say is the keyboards are all the same. They are really odd, with many differences, there 4 key has a £ sign not a dollar sign... I mean like really, and there @ is hard to find, I am completely thrown off here. But lets go with the last 7 days I have had in the MTC, now the people I taught were teacher setups, where the teacher had pretended to be a Progressing Investigator they have taken all the way to the temple. Besides the concern there, the MTC taught me many things and gave me way to much study time. I am sure if I only read the Book of Mormon I would have finished it 5 times in the MTC. But the reason I didn't was due to us planning for the Role-played people. Now my mother was asking who Inta and Adam were, we taught Adam twice, and he was very difficult, and Inta we were able to converted to be baptized. Even though they were fake, the love and devotion was still there. We taught a Number of "Investigators" who were not baptized but taught us how to teach.
Transfers day was very Chaotic, I was placed as the very Transfer leader, which made me in charge of making sure everyone going to Manchester will get there. Gladly we all did, and I wasn't in trouble. At the Mission home we had quick lessons on what to expect and how to expect things, then having an interview with the Mission President as well. After the quick movement of the lessons and interviews, we headed over to the near by church. Where we were given our companions. As we entered the building there were singing on both sides called to serve. Once we entered the Chapel, we were soon greeted by all the trainers. hugging and shaking there hands, (Shaking hands for the sisters only). After the greeting we spent around 30 minutes in the meeting, then we got to the exciting part of meeting our companions. I was second to last on the list making me wait to the very end. I was soon called to be with Elder Tiegel. who was very popular and excited to see me, he is a foot taller than me, but does not matter.
After the meeting, we had a car due to our large area, and him being the district leader of the large area, and the only district leader to have a car. As we talked about things he asked me, "you have a licence?" (in the interview the Mission President asked me, do I have a Licence and two do I like to drive.) I replied "Yes, Why?". He soon told me I was driving due to him speeding into England an getting his licence revoked. So I was chosen by the Mission President through revelation to go and drive 2 hours north to the city of Carlisle, I must say before you ask, Driving is the exact same, I am just in a tiny car. I miss my Truck with a passion. Because everyone here drives hatchbacks. With this Drive it was very easy, the Lord blessed me to catch on quick. Giving me improved ability to do such driving. I love driving, but sometimes its odd to be on the wrong side of the road, I will just have to get used to it, for I may be doing it for the next 12 weeks. Elder Tiegel comes from Germany, and is at the age of 26th with a great testimony.
That evening we had a progressing Investigator, but sadly had to cancel due to use taking so long to get to the Flat. There I unpacked and set up everything, buying Dr. Pepper at the Store to try it out as well, as we grabbed Dinner. the Dr. Pepper tastes like Dr. Pepper Ten, I may just stick with Coke for now.
The next day was Thursday where we Did weekly planning, getting our goals together and how to improve each other. This day we met President Queen. We then had a tea appointment with Brother and sister Mccruddion, they are both returned missionaries having a great life, and then we went out and met Ben, the one we didn't get to see the day before, he will be my first baptism, me and Elder Tiegel really taught two by two. he told me soon after that I did a great job, and he gave me a 7/10, and would give me a 8/10 if in a better mood. He Mentioned that there is always improvement, but he does not know exactly what to improve on there. I am quite confident about this so far. We were lost at finding his home, we taught him how prayer can help him through trials.
Friday was a very filled day, we went out and did some finding, running into 4 people this day, and we will teach them lessons here in the next coming weeks. two were elderly and interested in what we had to say, One of them we did some service by getting her some Prescription drugs, the other was just staring at us and so I asked her if she needed help, and instead she wanted to hear our words. We then met two Romanians who played instruments in front of Elder Tiegels stores before he came out. Elder Tiegel Sold Sport cars before he came out. We then just went tracking after all of this.
Elder Tiegel had come up with a great idea of doing street display's where we set up a stand and teach people about what the church does. We were going to do this Saturday, but no one could come so we didn't. Instead we did some potential investigators, and we met with Stephanie, who is a girl who likes to club, and we want to help her, but it will take time to help her develop it.
Sunday we went to sacrament, there I sat next to Ben, who was great. I learned a bit more about him, he loves computing, and Astronomy. Afterwards we had lunch at Elder and Sister Hamilton the districts Senior company, we had rice and chili together, it was good. We did some 12 weeks after the lunch which is a program to help me adapt and teach better. We went to two Potential investigators and got two appointments this week, and a member to do some service for here and get some tea time after. We then had a 30 minute drive to Penrith to meet Alexi and Oana. Who are great people, and are willing to change, but have a hard time doing so. We ate Tea time there and we taught a spiritual thought of God is the end teacher, and who we should go to for answers.
A spiritual thought. 3 Nephi 18 discusses Family prayer and how we should not allow anything to stop it of the world, not to have a favourite TV show pull us away. Because once we do, the habit will be lost and the desire may become minimum, so always continue in it.
Love and Care Elder Thorpe
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Elder Joshua Thorpe