Thanksgiving Week!!

Hey everyone. Happy thanksgiving! We actually didn't even know it was thanksgiving on Thursday until a bunch fo members texted us and told us "Happy Thanksgiving!" And me and Elder McCook were all "Wait, its thanksgiving?!" then a bit later we're like "wait, these people are english, what the heck! how did they know?" Haha.

 

its kind of funny, someone came up to me and told me happy thanksgiving, and asked "they celebrate it alot more in America than England, don't they?" and I was just like... "you serious... its an American holiday!!!" haha. England is becoming pretty Americanized in a way. But at the same time its still really different.

 

For thanksgiving me and Elder McCook went out to eat. We actualyl didn't have dinner with a member that day! Haha. What are the chances. Anyways, I got a kebab, which is way different than anything in America really, but they are SO good. Elder McCook got mcdonalds. basically the best thanksgiving meal ever! Wish I would've taken pictures.

 

Anyways, this week is going to be really good, we've got Zone conference coming up with a general authority, and stake conference coming up with a DIFFERENT general authority!!! Haha. Its going to be awesome. I can't believe December is right around the corner!!! I better start playing Christmas Music.

 

Alright well, I still have to e-mail President Millar, I love you guys, thanks for the e-mails everyone. I hope I got to all of you!

 

-Elder Blumenthal

Mormon 9:15-16

Four Month Mark Today!

Today marks the 4th month that I've been out on my mission. Seems like just yesterday taht I was reporting to the MTC, but at the same time, not really. its weird.

 

Anyways, this week has been really good, we're preparing Abbey for her baptism and I'm excited for her. She's awesome! Right now I'm getting ready to go get a haircut from Calum at his house, hopefully he can cut hair good! haha! Going to be a good P-day today!

 

Another thing that's been on my mind lately is the Book of Mormon. I was just thinking of the common question: "Why do we need the Book of Mormon?" then I was reading some quotes from Ezra Taft Benson, who was really keen on the importance of "flooding the world with the Book of Mormon." There are loads of reasons to why we have the Book of Mormon, and there are loads of correct answers. For me, i think the Book of Mormon is there to show us that God truly does not leave anyone alone. The Nephites were visited by Christ and their entire lives changed just because, from that experience, they knew that they were not alone. The Book of Mormon shows us that God still speaks to us today through modern day prophets, it shows us that the fulness of Jesus Christ's gospel is so simple that a child can understand it. When we choose to complicate certain situations, or our own situation, in the eternal aspect of things, doubt enters our minds, and the adversary can have control over us and bring temptation into our lives. I invite everyone reading this to read from the Book of Mormon, ponder its message, and ask God if it is true. I know you'll receive an answer, because I have.

 

I have to get going but I'm thankful for all your letters and e-mails, I promise you all that when things look bleak, they WILL get better, if we have faith!!!

 

-Elder Skyler Blumenthal

 

Ether 12:6

Obama Won? Meanwhile, In England...

Well I couldn't much think of a clever title to this week's e-mail, haha. But yeah, the election was actually pretty publicized here. A lot of people are glad Obama won, but the only reason i'm discouraged is because if Romney won, it would've brought a lot of attention to the Church. Oh well, better luck next time I suppose!

This week was really great. We've been working with the same few people, but they're all really progressing well, and we hope to see Abbey baptized soon! So its going to be awesome. I need pictures of these people! But I keep forgetting to take them. This week I'll promise to take photos of everyone that we're teaching, or just people that we see often.

Anyways, among other things, its getting really cold here in England. Its getting harder and harder to cycle, haha! Because the wind rushing when you cycle down a big hill. I bought gloves the other day and now I am wearing my big winter coat religiously. Haha! Its not even December yet. The sun sets at around 5:00 here and by the time it hits December, it will start to get pitch-black outside at around 4:30 PM. How crazy is that?

Well I heard all the crazy news back home, everyone seems to be getting engaged and stuff! And they're mostly my age. What the heck!!! Haha. Anyways, sorry for the really short e-mail, I don't know what else to say. Elder McCook is a great companion, love the guy! We just sit there when we're bored quoting different general authorities in their voices, so funny. he can do a perfect Boyd K. Packer impersonation! HAHA!

Alright well, love you all, until next week! Hope you're all listening to plenty of Christmas music by now. Haha! We definitely are. We can't wait for christmas, i don't know why either. I don't even know what to expect as a missionary.

with love,

Elder Blumenthal

P.S. http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/04/what-thinks-christ-of-me?lang=eng 

speaking of Christ, here's a great talk from Elder Anderson at the last conference in April. So good!!!

Most Hilarious Week Ever.

Okay well we had transfers this week and i got paired up with Elder McCook. I think you guys already knew that, but yeah, great guy. So awesome. We actualyl had quite an effective week for me being in charge of the area and not knowing what the heck I'm doing! Haha!

 

Well anyways, last saturday we were chilling there having a good time, got back to the flat and noticed that neither of us have any keys. haha! We locked outselves outside of our flat!!! And the doors in england are stupid, they don't have handles or anything so yeah. But anyways Calum came over at like 10:00 at night from his house and was trying to use a stick through the letter box to open the door! It was so funny! He always does it at his house (he's a pro at breaking into his own house lol) but our door is funny so he couldn't get it open. So we had to call the Zone leaders, and they drove all the way from Crawley (about a 30-minute drive) to pick us up and bring us to their flat to sleep. Haha. On the way there I was like super loopy because I was so tired and I was just laughing at everything. i felt so bad for the ZL's because we had to wake them up so we could find a place to sleep.

 

Anyways, next morning (this is Sunday now) we get back to the flat because Brother Lambert says he has a spare key for our flat just for this situation. Well anyways, he comes over and finds that the key isn't working. What the heck!!! So we still can't get into our flat!! So we go to church all gross and scruffy looking, but we get back home and have Ryan pelham jump through our bathroom window. the window is like 6 inches wide and he somehow fit through it! It was so funny seeing his legs just dangle out of it. Anyways he got through and opened the door for us, it turned out that when Calum and I were trying to open the door with the stick that we hit the lock on the door, so that even keys won't open it. What the heck is the point of that!!! Haha so we finally got everything sorted out because Ryan could fit through a tiny window, it was so hilarious.

 

Anyways we had a fireside by president Millar at the chapel, it went really well and we had 3 investigators there. There was actually quite a bit of people that showed up to an event that basically me, Elder Wainwright and the Stones just came up with one day. Haha! So it was awesome that there was a good turnout.

 

Well i ahve to get running, but this week has been great, thank you everyone for your e-mails, and sorry if I haven't replied to your e-mails, this week has been a little funny with transfers and I think I might've read some of your e-mails and forgot to reply to them. I hope you all are doing all you can to stay strong in living the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Just as the 4th Article of Faith says, the first principles are Faith in jesus Christ, Repentance, Baptism and receiving the Gift of the Holy ghost. We should ALL strive to follow these simple principles, no matter how long we've been in the church. As we have faith in Christ, repent of any sins or wrongdoings that we've done, and renew our Baptismal covenenants as we take the sacrament each week, we feel the presence of the Holy ghost that we were promised when we were confirmed members of the church. Always remember that the Sacrament isn't just a routine thing, it is essential to living the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and helps us have the spirit with us each week.

 

Love all of you, hope to hear from you soon!

 

-Elder Skyler Blumenthal