Wintertime In England!

Hey everyone,

 

These past few weeks have been really good. Sorry for not writing a mass e-mail earlier!

 

We've been doing a lot more tracting and finding people, since our ward has came out with a goal of 24 baptisms this year! Which is huge, actually almost double most other area's goals. The ward really wants to help us out in our efforts which is great.

 

Its getting really cold here as well. Luckily I've got enough for the winter in terms of winter clothing. Oh, and to top things off, my bike broke! Like, completely. The back wheel is pretty much destroyed now! Haha. So we're going to be on foot now. Which is kind of cool since we can hopefully run into and talk to more people on the way to appointments.

 

Well i ahve to get going, sorry for the short mass e-mail. I just wanted to echo the words of Alma, specifically from Alma 5:26

 

"And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?"

 

As Elder Cook said last conference, its important to always remember the Savior and of course the gospel!!! The principle of repentance is change, and we should strive to always be better!

 

-Elder Blumenthal

Happy Christmas!!!!

Hey everyone,

 

This christmas was great! We spent Christmas at 4 different members' homes! Which was legit! So much food. Best birthday ever!

 

We spent Christmas breakfast at this family the Rivera's, they're way cool, and Brother Rivera is from America! He's lived here for ages but he still has a proper american accent. Kind of funny. But yeah, great time there

 

Then we went to Brother Graham Fuller's house for Lunch, it was awesome, Never been to his house, but I loved it there. It reminds me of Grandma's house back home! I don't know if thats an insult but it was awesome. haha

 

Next we went to Calum and Hannah's for Christmas Lunch number 2, haha, it was super good, but yeah Calum and Hannah treated us so well for christmas, and they got me a jumper that I was in desperate need of for the winter. Now I won't freeze to death! Calum's son Mark got a little miniature motor bike, it was the coolest!!! It looked like he almost died on that thing! He rides it better than I could! haha

 

Finally we spent Christmas dinner at the Bardens where I got to talk to the family, and ate a bunch of trifle, a favorite dessert here in England, and mince pies, which are tiny little pies with loads of random fruit in them, really tasty! But Trifle is the best by far. When I get home I'm going to make that stuff. The bardens were really nice for letting us in their home for Christmas, and got us loads of presents as well, along with Sister paternoster

 

On Boxing day we spent a good portion of the day with Sister pelham and her extended family, the Mainwarings, it was awesome! But way too crazy! Reminds me of thanksgiving back home a little bit, but with way more little kids running around. The pelhams made me a birthday cake and bought me a sweet purple tie, they are the coolest! I'm convinced that this was the best Christmas away from home ever! Haha, still miss you guys back home though :)

 

I'm hoping you all had a wonderful Christmas and remember the true meaning of it, a commemoration of our Savior's birth. Also hope you all will have a great new year's!!

 

-Elder Blumenthal

Happy Christmas To Everyone!!

Hey all,

sorry for not sending a mass e-mail last week. I don't know what got into me!!! Anyways I guess I'll talk about what's happened the last 2 weeks.

We found a few new people to teach which is really great especially for the holiday season. We saw a member Julia who has been having a hard time and found an investigator through her at the house! It was so awesome. Basically we were reading some scriptures from Doctrine and Covenants and I just felt impressed to invite her non-member friend (who was just kind of sitting there) to read a verse out loud for us, and then she got really emotional and long story short, it was a really spirit-led discussion with her. So awesome. 

Anyways Christmas is going to be really fun, we have FOUR people to see and eat with! For some reason because me and Elder McCook kind of double-booked 2 people for visiting on christmas, so we just decided to see each of them on christmas haha! We're going to be so fat tomorrow!!!

We also had a really funny experience the other night with the Pelhams as we visited an older member of the ward in the carer's home. It was so funny. Basically she was sleeping and didn't want to be woken up, but the carer lady woke her up anyways and she was really mad. It was so funny.

We also had a great zone conference, we went to the Temple. It truly is the "lord's university" because every time I go there I learn, like, a billion new things. So nice to have had that experience. We also saw a complete non-member family for a dinner appointment! It was hecka weird. Haha!! But it was nice. Basically they've been friends with the last set of missionaries and so when we came we didn't know who they were at all and stuff, so it was pretty awkward. Haha!!!

Okay well I've got to get going, can't wait to talk to the family tomorrow for christmas, I hope everyone has a great holiday and remembers the true meaning of Christmas!

Moroni 7:16
(Notice that substituting "Spirit of Christ" with "Spirit of Christmas" gives it the same meaning. Because the Spirit of Christmas IS the spirit of Christ!!!)

-Elder Blumenthal

The Holidays Are Coming!!!

Christmas is in the air!!! Well not really. but it is really cold!!!

 

Actually, Christmas is quite big here in England. i suppose it should be, but yeah, they decorated the high street with lights and everything, its so awesome!!! But not many people have christmas lights on their houses.

 

Anyways, this week was pretty great. We've mostly been going around trying to catch people in, which is pretty tough, and the holidays are abysmal for knocking doors and such, but we still need to do it basically. Me and Elder McCook have resolved to, when in ANY situation of teaching or contacting, we ask "who do you know would be interested?" or something like that. Basically, do what the back page of PMG says and seek referrals from EVERYONE! Because most of our strong investigators now came from referrals from other investigators!!!

 

Sunday went well also, we had Fast&Testimony meeting. Andrew, one of our investigators, showed up at church and even he got up there! He did pretty well for not being very familiar with Testimony meetings. We also had a great lesson in Priesthood about Dallin H. Oak's talk, "Good, Better, Best" which talks about how we must forego some good things to make use of the better and best things in our life, namely strengthening our faith in Christ as well as our family relationships. Kind of made me think... There isn't anything more important than those 2 things. And best of all, IF we do all we can to come closer to Christ and His gospel, then naturally our family relationships will become stronger as well. The 2 are inseperably connected. Never forget that the Family is the basic social unit of society, and that God intended it to be that way.

 

Anyways, I have to get going, but thank you everyone for the e-mails, I'm sorry fi I didn't reply to some of you, i wouldn't remember if I did or not! love you all!

 

-Elder Blumenthal

 

P.S. just some photos from Zone Conference last week. I forgot to upload them!

Week 20? You Serious?

Is it really week 20? Holy cow. That's like, 1/5 of my mission! That went by pretty quick. HAHA!

 

Okay well where to begin this week. The Zone Conference went amazingly well! We had Elder Kearon, a member of the first quorum of the seventy(!!!) address us. He is is awesome!! He joined the church at 26 years old. it was really funny hearing how he joined the church. he said "I couldn't believe that some young boy had a vision of God... In New York no less!!" Haha. But yeah, the spirit he radiates is awesome. He really pumped me up to go out there and spread the gospel.

 

We also saw Elder Wright, a member of the third quorum of the seventy, at Stake conference a few days later. He is an awesome speaker. He seriously is so humbled and zealous, you just KNOW the church is true after listening to him speak. haha. He was talking about a lot of things, but something I really remembered is him telling us that when we're discouraged, don't compare ourselves to other people. Do a personal spiritual analysis of ourselves, and if we are committed and trying as hard as we can, that's all that matters really.

 

Well I have to get going, today is a pretty busy P-day. We're having a thanksgiving P-day even though most of the zone is from Europe or Britain. haha!

 

Love you all, thanks for the e-mails, be sure to read and pray often.

 

-Elder Blumenthal

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