10/21/12

Hi,

I am so glad that you are home from the hospital and feeling good! :) I haven't worried at all about it which is weird but I just felt good about it after some prayer! So glad to hear everything is good. Also to answer your questions.. I had an interview with Pres. Millar on Sand he said I will be staying in Exeter for one more move and so I don't think I will be here for Christmas. I am ready for a change but I also absoluetly love all of the missionaries that I am serving with and Exeter ward. But I do hope this is the last transfer I will be here.

Also yes I love the skirt that you are wearing and I would love one :) I need clothes tho because winter is going to be cold but I don't know if you want me to buy them here or send some! because I am just going to get basic stuff and layer up! it's not too cold yet but it's starting to get cold.

Yesterday was stake conference and we got to listen to some amazing speakers. A member of the Seventy spoke to us as well. He's in the 3rd quorum or something but it was really good. He was talking about forgivness and how Heavenly Father want's nothing more to forgive us. But we need to be careful because we carry around and do little sins that we think are just apart of who we are but we should get rid of them. It's going to be those little things that cut us off. That statement really struck a cord. There are so many things I just bypass because it's not that big of deal but in reality it is. And then he went on to talk about trials and so many times when a trial arises we pray instantly for relief rather than praying for strength and trying to understand the lesson that Heavenly Father is trying to teach us. I do that so much. and in some cases maybe we would be able to get thru things easier if we would try to see the bigger picture and see what we are supposed to learn from the experience.

Seven is doing good! He has a baptismal date now and he is still hilarious as ever. In our last lesson during his prayer he thanked God for his new career in Christ.. It was horrible because I started laughing during the prayer. I don't even know if any of the things I tell you sound funny or if you have to be there. He is just so funny.

We also met this guy named Ben! He is a biker and he's way cool! We just started to meet with him so hopefully it will progress well. He is way funny but has a lot of issues. He loves us coming around. We got pictures with him and he said that when he and I were getting pictures together he felt a warmth. I hope it's the spirit he's talking about. but he is awesome!!

This week has been a good one and I am so excited because we are finally starting to get Exeter rolling again so that is good! We are seeing a lot of really cool people. Sister Adam said that isn't her mom.. so look some more.. haha but we are still having so much fun and get along great!

How much is the limit for christmas? and who got me? it's going to be weird without you guys but at least it's only one :)

I love you all so much and you guys mean so much to me! :) thanks for all of the support and for all of the prayers.

Love, Syd

10/14/12

Family,

I am way better this week than last week until I read Nathans letter about Mom in the hospital and now I am worried! but it will be ok if I just rely on the Lord to help me not to worry! I hope you are out and well by now but I will be praying hard for all of you. Thank you for telling me tho because I don't want to be in the dark.

 A yes I still love my companion! We have so much fun! And her moms name is Karen Adam. We think that she may have added the wrong darlene haha!

Also what are we going to do about christmas? are we drawing names or am do you guys just want me to get something little for all of you? let me know :) I can't believe we are already talking about christmas. It's going to be strange without you guys.

This week like I said was way better than last week. I was really having a rough time but I went on an exchange in Cornwall with Sister Ball and that was just what Ineeded.. a little change and then we had a zone training which was exactly what I needed again and it answered a lot of my questions and concerns that I had so I was so very grateful for that. Sometimes I am too hard on myself but in the conference they were talking about not getting discouraged and just account with the Lord. Numbers don't matter.. we should aim to improve them but put a name to a number cause it's the people that matter most and as long as we get the confirmation from the spirit that we are doing our best that's all that matters. It's not about impressing people it's about working as hard as you can and doing the Lords will. I just needed to be reminded that we can't be perfect...yet.. haha but it was good and I got a lot of comfort from it.

We have been meeting with this chinese girl named Brenda and she is awesome!! She is so golden. She has been in England for three weeks and for two of those weeks she has been at church. We met her the first week she was here. She is so interested in learning about God and she wants so badly to know that He is there. When she told us that this week we invited her to pray and ask right then and there with us if God was there. She prayed but she didn't realize that we meant pray out loud but she was praying in her head. The spirit was so strong even though we couldn't hear the words we could feel her prayers being answered. It was such an amazing experience. She then had some questions about baptism and so we explained what it was and we felt that we should invite her to be baptized and she was more than willing to accept. It was a really good lesson and the spirit is teaching her so much. She is so pure and so humble. Sister Adam and I both just think that she is amazing.

Well I am going to london today for my appt so that's good! I love you all and pray for you constantly! Love and miss you so much.

love syd

10/7/12

Hi,

This week has been a long week. I am glad that I get to email you guys now. I got to watch all but the last session of conference so that was good. I loved it so much. One of my favorites was from Pres. Uchtdorf. When he said stop looking for the finish line and just enjoy the moment that you are in. I find myself a lot looking for the finish line and thinking I will be happier when I get to it and that's not how it works. we can be just as happy on the journey and that's where all of the important things happen. And we should just spend meaningful time with people that we love because it is precious. I can't wait to be able to spend time with you guys again. I miss you so much. I have been struggling a bit this week but Sister Adam showed me something that her mom wrote her. She said that it's ok to miss your family and be really sad that they aren't here because it just shows you how much you are sacrificing to serve the Lord. If we weren't sad or missing home this wouldn't be a sacrifice. It put things into a better perspective for me. This is a huge sacrifice and I would have never realized how much I love all of you guys and what you mean to me without this experience. It's hard but it won't last and it's for the Lord's precious children.

Also the new changes about the missionaries is so awesome!! There will be so many more missionaries coming out! It's going to bless the church so much and so many other peoples lives. All of us missionaries were way excited!

So this week we were teaching this chinese guy named Seven. We have to go very slow because they don't know a lot about Christianity or God. He has been meeting with us for a few weeks now and so we were just telling him that his faith had grown since we had first met him. He was like What?! what's growing? we were like your faith is reallly growing and then he was like My FACE has grown since I met you?! haha we were like nooooooo and explained and then he got it. He thought that we were telling him that he had gotten fat since we met him hahaahaha.

I just love you guys so much and I really miss you! I think about you everyday and how blessed I am to have such a wonderful family and how fortunate we are to have the lives we live. I am so grateful to have the knowledge of the Gospel and for all of you! I love you! I can't wait till christmas!!

love syd

9/30/12

This week has been good. Same ole things going on haha. and it was kind of a long week. We are teaching a Polish guy and he now has a baptismal date so that is good. We are still trying to find a lot of people to teach but it's good. We have started to teach a few chinese people which is awesome. I love them. Sister Adams taught a lot of them in Liverpool when she was there so she is really good with them. His english name is Seven. Hahah it's awesome. He's hilrious as well.

We are teaching a guy named Kyle and he has a little boy named Loki who is 3! and we always ask him if he want's to say the prayer and so Sister Adam was helping him. She told him to say thank you for my Dad and when she said that he like jumped up and was like daddy yeah!!! haha it was so cute and then at the end she said in the name of Jesus Christ amen and he yelled at her. He was like "you don't say that word!! it's bad. you just say amen and look up!" it was sooo funny! I may have already told you that but i'm not sure.. but he is adorable.

 

Also I love the pin that you sent me! it's awesome. I am probably keeping that pin for myself! I loved it and I loved the chocolate covered cinamon bears as well. and everyhting else. Yeah just send the makeup in a little envelope to exeter! because i need it and i won't get it for a while if you send it to the Mission Home. And you keep asking if i have gotten my package from the MTC. I hope you don't ever send stuff there because i wont get it... send it to the mission home.  Also sister adam's mom added you on fb so you can accept :) and yes we are still getting along. haha. also I loved the table things that you are making. you are turning so crafty!! I don't think it's grandmaish!! haha I think it's cute.Today we are going to Plymouth to chill with the elders again so that should be fun!! sorry I don't have much to say this week. but I hope you guys have a good week and I miss you guys so much. like a lot. I love you!

love syd!

9/23/12

Hello,

My week has been good. It's gone by really fast! I am glad that he liked the archery! haha i loved it too! it was so much fun.  and yes i did get the pin so thank you! :) i might give it as a gift because i already have one for myself from malayna haha so it can be from both of you! but i will just wait and see because i don't really want to give it as a gift. but i should get my package from the mission home soon. should get it this week.

Not a lot has really happened this week. We are just trying to find new people to teach. Um we went knocking one day and we were coming out of someones garden and there was this scary looking dog staring at us. We didn't really think anything of it but as soon as we tried to leave it freaked out and started barking and growling at us and darted at us. It was holding us in this garden. Basically we were trapped. Then we threw Sister Adams planner to try and get out and that worked. But then the dog was guarding the planner. and we really needed her planner. so we tried to get it and the dog just ran at us and was going to attack us hah. Sis Adams almost got bitten. It was so scary haha but funny afterwards. We got her planner back eventually. Our miracle for that day was that we didn't get eaten by the dog. haha

Recently I have been studying the Christlike attributes and it has been really good. I am only on the first one but they are so good. They make you really think about the person that Christ was and just how amazing He really is. Makes me want to be that much better. Because the more Christlike I am the happier I will be. It's amazing. I can't believe I didn't take this time out to really study before I left!!

Not really too much happened this week so I don't really have a lot to say! It's starting to get a lot colder here. I don't think I am at all prepared for the winter time. But oh well. Since it was transfers there were a lot of changes. We got a new district leader and 1 new missionary and then another missionary who has already served here. The new missionary is from SisterAadams ward so she was way excited about that because it makes her feel more at home. anyway sorry there isn't much going on at the moment :) but could you please send me some recipes :) thank you!

Love you all so so much!

love syd

9/16/2012

Hello Mom, Dad, and everyone!

You guys look so good in your pictures! I love them. I am also sad that we won't be talking because I miss you so much too. I have really been missing you guys so much the past couple of days. Also I am glad that you got all of the packages finally :) and yes I do need the sd card back. I will be sending another one back here soon because it's almost all filled up. They were kind of boring but I am glad you liked them. I can't believe that Liam is engaged to her. Yes I know her not very well tho! that's way cool. tell him I say congrats and that I want an invite :) Also I did get Patty's letter and the money! Tell her thank you so much as well! I really love all the mail and stuff I get. It helps me stay sane without all you guys. The more the better. for christmas I am just concerned about clothes cause mine are starting to wear out a bit. Not too bad yet! Also I do need some makeup right now. They don't have it here so I will send you them so that you know wht to get and what to send. I don't have any preferences for christmas. Good efy cd's.. I don't really mind. Whatever you want to send. also will you email me some recipes for snickerdoodles and for german pancakes? thanks. Sorry to hear about Ruby! I don't really remember who that is or if I even know her. :( Also I haven't got your package yet cause it's still at the temple but hopefully this week.

 

I still love my companion so much. It feels like I have known her for ages. It's great and we get along so much and we just have so much fun! Her name is Sister Adam and she is from Aberdeen Scotland! I am pretty sure I have told you guys already but you keep asking haha. but yeah she is great. I am learnign a lot from her and learnign so much about myself. I think that is why I have been reflecting so much on what and who I want to be becasue I am responsible for teaching her and training her to be a missionary so I just want to be a good example cause ultimately that is the best way to teach.

 

Well this week has been good! We have been finding a lot so that we will have people to teach. I have really been reflecting on who I want to become and who I want to be at the end of my mission. I want to have changed for the better. I don't want to be the same person I was when I left. And I know that if we do everything that the Lord wants we are going to be so blessed! even if we don't know why we are doing it. there is a reason. I just really want to change and have my life aligned with the Lords. We will be happy if we do that. We will have challenges but we will be better prepared to deal with them if we fully give ourselves to the Lord.

We did archery last week for pday and it was so much fun! Dad when I get home I want my own bow!! haha it was so much fun! I lloved it so much and I was pretty good haah. There were no sites or anything on the bows so that was a bit difficult. We played against the elders and we totally won! haha

 

anyway I love and miss you all so so much! you are alll the best ever.

syd

9/9/12

To nathan!

hey buddy! i miss you so much too!! and that is hilarious about the spider but really kind of gross! haha Don't go crazy! :) i only have a year left so it's fine don't worry it will go really quick! you will go on your mission soon enough! just enjoy the moments that you are in and you will love every second of it! Don't wish your life away! you are amazing and i love you letters! i will write you one as well because this is short!

love you so much

love syd

 to the family

so this week has been really good! i got my new comp and she is so great! She loves these things called kebabs and so we got one the other day. I tried lamb.. it was the most horrific thing that i have ever tasted!! i almost threw up because it was so horrible. never eat lamb. haha we have had some really good times because she is funny and we are always laughin which is really good.

So I have been thinking a lot this week about who I am and what it is that I am doing here. As in what do I want to look back on and see when my mission is over. There is this thing called the 4th missionary and it's about becoming someone the Lord wants you to be rather than becoming someone by accident. And it really hit me that i feel like i am just letting myself become someone by accident. because i have been giving my strength and my talents to the Lord but i had to ask myself if i was giving my heart. and it isn't until we completley give up what it is that we want to do and give the lord our heart thta he can shape us into our fullest potential. it is then that he can help us acheive and become more like christ and help us gain all of the attributes that will make us the happiest. It will give us the peace of heart and mind in knowing we are on the same page as the Lord and we are doing what he has set out for us to do. I just was thinking that i want to look back on my mission with no regrets and i want to walk out of it a better person, a changed person. Not only on my mission but i want to look back on my life and decisions that i have made and be proud and know that i included the lord and that i did what he wanted me to do. I want to become someone pleasing to him and not someone that the world pleases. If we don't change for the better then what is the point of life. We have to give up all of our desires and do what the lord wants. it doesnt mean that we cant have fun we just have to know how to let the Lord take the lead in our lives and not fight inside with our own natures and our divine natures and as soon as we give up that inner fight we will sore and become who we want. :) I love the gospel!!

I will write more in the letter i write!

love you all so much and miss you! love syd

9/3/2012

Hello my lovely family!

 This week has been so good! I finally got my companion and I absolutely LOVE her! She is so great! We have sooooo much fun together and I love it. We just bonded instantly! She is basically already trained. I am pretty sure she came to train me some more. I have already learned so much from her and I am positive I haven't even taught her half the stuff that she has taught me. She is such a good missionary and she is just a natural at everything. The other day we were running for the bus and this little family were walking across the street. They walked directly behind the bus so we couldn't see them and they had a pram. She was sprinting and didn't see them and took out the pram and the child and just continued running. She said sorry but kind of forgot to stop and make sure they were ok. it was hilarious. It might be something that you had to witness but anyway.. it was funny and the baby was ok. Everyone was just shocked. She is hilarious and we are just constantly laughing which makes everything so much more fun.

It's nice to be able to be in just one area again. but while I was gone things kind of died so that means we are doing a lot of finding so we will have people to teach. We spent most of the day on Saturday just contacting and knocking. We were feeling like knocking was being really ineffective so we decided to just go and contact people on the street. We got off a stop early and the second person we stopped was golden. She was like I feel like my prayers have been answered and I just feel lost and confused and we were like "don't you even fret we can help you. :)" Maybe not like that but she just wanted to know her purpose and so we asked her if she had a minute and we shared some of the plan of salvation with her and invited her to come to church. So the next day at church I was a bit sad because we invited a few people and none of them came! About 5 minutes after church started she showed up. It was so great and we were so thankful. Afterward she was like I feel like this is where I needed to be today and I felt very comfortable here and I definitely felt the spirit. So that was an amazing miracle and we are seeing her again tomorrow.

It's just so great to be here and I am loving every second of it. And it's so amazing to be able to be led by the spirit. Sister Nelson, Willard and a few others were talking the other day about finding new people. Sister Nelson was like I wish that we had some sort of device that told us when people were ready for the gospel and it would just beep when we pointed it at them.. and one of the members was like.. we do have a device that tells us that.. it's called the spirit!! Listen to the prompting of the spirit we have our own little walky talky between us and God that is telling us where to go and what to do. Make a conscious effort to listen more closely. As I have been doing that I have been able to recognize better what it is that I need to do and it can be applied in missionary work as well as in making daily decisions about our life. HOW LUCKY ARE WE TO HAVE THIS WONDERFUL GIFT!! I love the gospel. I love you and i hope that you all have a wonderful week and are having fun camping.

love you all like crazy and miss you as well!!

Love syd