The Journey. All the bits between.

So my short time in Bedford came to a close. On Wednesday 11th of December I packed up all my stuff and moved to Hyde Park, to be with the sisters in the visitors centre for a few days, before my flight to the MTC. 

It was weird to have so much time on our hands. It seemed more like a waiting game. There didn't seem to be much to do until someone came into the centre. It made me really appreciate not being called to a visitors centre. All that time sitting around. I think I would have gone a little crazy by the end, but I'm sure those who have served there truly love it. 

The next few days went rather quickly, soon I was on my way to the airport to catch my flight. Mixed feelings! I was honestly so sad to leave, I'd come to love serving in the London North mission, would not have minded serving the rest of my mission there at all, but was excited to start the next part of the journey. 

13 hour flight to Dallas, Texas. Pretty uneventful. Dallas Airport...hectic! Possibly one of the most stressful couple of hours in my life. Never again. My time to reach my connection flight was limited, we had already landed later then scheduled and I needed to collect my baggage and re-check them in, go through security and finally, get to my gate on time. Challenge accepted.

Got to baggage reclaim, only to find the conveyor belt was broken with only half the luggage out, none being mine! So I tried to stay calm. 'They'll fix it soon, it won't take long!' 30 minutes later my patience was wearing thin. Panic started to creep in. What if I miss the flight?! I don't have a phone, do I even have numbers to call anyone if I do?! Thankfully it started up soon after that, and I was able to collect my bags and head to...oh, erm...Which way do I go? There's no airport staff around to ask...Follow the crowd then!

So with baggage finally checked in I headed to security, with about 15 minutes to get to my gate. Stressed was an understatement. Bags and coat went through. Coat came back to me. They took my bag to search! I'd realized I'd left a mini bottle of water in the side pocket from the other flight, and quickly told them so hoping it would make it a little quicker. Out came the bottle of water and the rest of the contents of my bag piece by piece at what seemed a snail pace. I was sure I was going to miss the flight by this stage! Ran to the mono-rail to get to the other terminal, then on to the gate, only to find they had changed the gate number, ran to the next gate with another guy who happened to be on the same flight. We made it, out of breath, hot and disgusting, to discover the flight had been delayed by 2 hours! I was not amused in the slightest. At least we made it on time.

So I sat down next to the couple who I met at the wrong gate. We got talking, and he mentioned he was coming home from Bournemouth as he had been travelling with his bank...he'd also been to Australia recently for work. By this time I was thinking 'That must be a really good bank, to be able to travel all around the world. Didn't realize bankers did that too much' Some how later on in the conversation it came up that a couple of my friends had been to see Imagine Dragons the night before. 'I'm in that band' he exclaimed. Yep. I'd only gone and sat next to Wayne Sermon from one of my favourite bands! He found it rather funny how I'd misheard him. He let me get a photo with him and signed my missionary planner. It made my stressful travel adventure worthwhile! Seriously, who can say they spent 3 hours with Wayne Sermon and his wife?!

Wayne Sermon and I. He signed that planner ;)

I'm not the best at travelling, always seems to have the worst luck with loosing tickets and what not. So I never really expect anything to go smoothly anymore. Hope for the worst and when the best happens be pleasantly surprised, enjoy the journey!!

It's not about the place, it's the people!

I can truly say I love all of my companions, and the other missionaries I served around during my time in England and Australia. I am grateful I had for the opportunity I had to be around them, to learn from them all, for we can learn something new from each person we speak, if we only listen with love.

The time I spent with Sister Wen was short but sweet. I love her dearly, and can't wait to be able to be reunited with her (not too long now, she finishes in less then 2 transfers!) Hopefully pop up to Liverpool for her homecoming! So exciting!

 I must admit, we didn't have the greatest start. I was stubborn, new to the mission life, felt completely out of my depth, wondering what on earth had possessed me to give up every sense of comfort I had back home! But she truly led by example.

It is with some regret I look back on my second day in the mission. We were just starting companionship study which includes singing a hymn, much to my horror! 'Surely we can bypass this today?' I had never sung in front of anyone before. And I really really did not want to start either. I cannot sing. For the life of me. However, Sister Wen refused to skip the hymn, so we continued to sit in silence for the next 50 mins, avoiding each others eye contact. Finally the Elders knocked on the door to drop our area book round and we had a reason to avoid the topic. Ashamedly. I felt awful for being so stubborn, but I was so afraid of singing in front of her or anyone. Thankfully I soon got over this fear and we were able to have companionship study the rest of the days I was there and the rest of my mission... ;)

Once we got over the initial first week together things started to improve. Sister Wen was an excellent example of a diligent and faithful missionary to me. She would always be working, even while we cooked dinner, we would flick through the area book sorting out the different suburbs, who we could potentially visit, where we could go finding on the way, and started to create a plan of how we could work in the ward and what needed to be done. 

We soon came into contact with Lesley. One of the less actives in the ward. She worked on Sundays so wasn't able to attend church, or even sacrament meeting. We soon came to love her. As we came to get to know her, we asked about her baptism and other general questions. She told us of how she had to overcome her fear of water, how she didn't agree with being called 'sister' and refused to answer to anyone who addressed her as Sister. We shared a message about the Book of Mormon with her, how much it meant to both of us and how it has changed out lives for the better. Afterwards Lesley opened up explaining how a few years ago she had stopped reading it. She had stopped in Jacob 5, as she didn't understand any of it, it just didn't make sense no matter how she read it, and she hadn't really picked it up since. We then offered to read it together when we next came round, and help her understand it. She was grateful for the suggestion and took us up on our offer. 

And so we went round to her house twice a week, each time reading a few more verses from Jacob 5 and discussing what we learnt. The first time we started read a few verses going round taking turns, then would stop every few and share our opinions of what it was saying. I loved listening to what they both had to say, they both saw it in a very different way and it opened my eyes. Then it came to my turn. Panic. 'Well, I can't really share what I learnt, it wasn't as good as what you just said. I don't even understand this chapter yet. I don't know anything!' I would think. But I would stumble and attempt to form some kind of opinion around the verses we had read, then thinking 'How on earth am I going to get through this mission when I can't even understand the scriptures?!' 

What she said next made it all worth while, the doubts flushed away temporarily. 'I'm starting to understand! I see what it's saying to me.' We were all filled with excitement! She knew that the spirit was helping her to understand and her eyes were being opened. She loved how we all gained something different, how we could all read something and gain what we needed at that time. I am grateful for spirit and it's power, that when we try our best, it will be there to make up the rest. 

"And the spirit shall be given unto you by the prayer of faith; and if ye receive not the Spirit ye shall not teach"

I loved those evenings we spent with Lesley! She was so kind-hearted and welcoming, grateful for our visits. I was so sad when I had to leave! I didn't even have a chance to say goodbye to this wonderful lady! I look forward to being able to visit her when Sister Wen finishes her mission. Last I heard she was back at church, working towards going through the temple for the first time. The joy I felt when I heard that news was insuperable! I pray that one day I shall be able to go with her and sit in the celestial room with her, and feel our Father's love. 

After a few of those evenings with Lesley, I took the opportunity to study Jacob 5 more fully. It is one chapter I often neglected to read, because I just found it confusing. Branch goes into vine...then he takes the branch and puts it into another vine?! Great...?  Jacob 5 is now one of my favourite chapters in the Book of Mormon. It really shows Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ's love for each of us, and how much he really does care for us. They are willing to do so much, and desire with all their hearts that we return to them. 

My favourite verses would have to be Jacob 5:71-51

'...If ye labour with your might with me ye shall have joy in the fruit which I shall lay up unto myself against the time which will soon come. 

And it came to pass that the servants did go and labour with their mights; and the Lord of the vineyard laboured also with them...

And thus they laboured, with all diligence, according to the commandments of the Lord of the vineyard...and they became like unto one body; and the fruits were equal; and the Lord preserved unto himself the natural fruit, which was most precious unto him from the beginning. 

...And blessed art thou; for because ye have been diligent in labouring with me in my vineyard and have kept my commandments, and have brought unto me again the natural fruit, that my vineyard is no more corrupted, and the bad is cast away, behold ye shall have joy with me because of the fruit of my vineyard'

I especially love the part where it explains that when we labour with our mights, the Lord will be with us also. We are never truly alone in this work. He loves each and everyone of us, so He will be there to guide us as we help others find their way back to Christ, as we invite them to change and come closer to Him. It is His work we are doing. And it truly is a great work. We are so blessed to be able to be a part of it, whether full-time missionary or member. 

Bear in Mind; 

'Faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work...Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.' 

We need no badge, we need no set level of knowledge. Only a desire and love for our fellow men, knowing that our Christ shall help us with the rest. 

Every member is a missionary! 

Bedford. It gained a place in my heart!

Ugh...Hello Mission Field?! 

It soon became apparent that my visa was not going to arrive on time, no matter how much I wanted it to, and so plans become unsettled once again. Was I still going to the Provo MTC? Or would I be able to go to Preston while I waited for my visa? Or I could end up serving while waiting for it to come? It was a highly stressful time, plans kept switching and there was no certainty with any of them. 

My start date soon crept up, still no visa! I was trying to remain calm knowing that, as always, it was in Heavenly Father's hands but I still felt somewhat disappointed, discouraged even. It finally arrived on November the 11th, 6 days too late for my MTC place, and apparently it was now booked up and full until the 17th of December. My heart sank. Such a long wait! I just wanted to start my mission, was it really too much to ask? 

Another plan soon came to light. I would 'visa-wait' in England, London North mission until the 17th of December when the MTC would be able to take me. My desire was granted. I would no longer have to wait however, I would be going straight into the mission field. That simply terrified me! 

The next few days were a blur. Race to the shops to buy a few warmer clothes, organizing when we would get over to England, when and where my setting apart would be! Next thing I knew I was sitting in my mission president's office, a fully set apart missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints about to be assigned my area and meet my trainer...That moment of anticipation and excitement! Was this real? Surely not. I'll wake up in a minute. My trainer walked in, Sister Wen from Liverpool, a fellow English missionary. We were going to be 'shotgunned' into Bedford. 

It was a pretty cold night! Brrrr!!

Yep...My first badge in the mission!

Bedford.

It was here in Bedford that I truly gained a testimony of one of the quotes in Preach My Gospel. We recited it every morning as part of our recitations before starting our companionship study. It took a couple of days to remember it at first, but it is one I have never forgotten, and hopefully never will. 

"I have often said that one of the greatest secrets of missionary work is work! If a missionary works, he will get the Spirit; if he gets the Spirit, he will teach by the Spirit; and if he teaches by the Spirit, he will touch the hearts of the people and he will be happy. There will be no homesickness, no worrying about families, for all time and talents and interests are centered on the work of the ministry.  Work, work, work—there is no satisfactory substitute, especially in missionary work"

Sister Wen and I worked hard. We soon picked up the area, going through the ward list, visiting less actives and members to see what we could do to help them at that time. I have fond memories of visiting their homes, getting to know them and their concerns and reflecting on what we could do next time to help them progress in the gospel. I also learnt that if we are not working out of love for the people, we are not doing it for the right reasons. If we are simply going through the motions, teaching the lessons rather then caring about their needs, their desires, truly knowing them and understanding them then we cannot help them as our Heavenly Father would have us help them. 

President Monson said in the April General Conference in his talk. Love - the essence of the gospel. There could never be a truer statement. Beyond comprehension is the love of God for us. Because of this love, He sent His son, who loved us enough to give His life for us, that we might have eternal life. As we come to understand this incomparable gift, our hearts will be filled with love for our Eternal Father, for our Saviour, and for all mankind. This talk is one that often pops into my mind as I think of the gospel as there is such truth and comfort found within. There really would be no point to anything without love. Without love, I imagine only Lucifer's plan of force, without knowing true happiness in this life. Love truly is everything. 

I'm a little lost for words in attempting to describe why I loved Bedford so much. It just felt right being there. We didn't really have any solid investigators, pretty much all of our appointments fell through and we were both learning the area. It was hard. Yet so rewarding. There is no better way to explain it then this quote.

A person cannot give a crust to the Lord without receiving a loaf in return 

I love this quote, at yet at the same time, I find it frustrating. I want to be able to give something back to the Lord, yet no matter how much I work and try to serve him, he's just going to bless me for it even more, and then I would have more to give back. It's just a never ending cycle. We are never ever going to be able to repay Him for what He has done. It's just something I need to accept, and continue to strive to do my best anyway.

I realize I have not written so much about my time in Bedford here, but rather the things which I learnt. that I was able to learn in my time there. There is so much that I would want to include, so many wonderful experiences that I would be writing forever. So I thought I would leave it here for tonight. We can never be too kind to our fellow men.

"I have wept in the night

For the shortness of sight

That to somebody’s need made me blind;

But I never have yet

Felt a tinge of regret

For being a little too kind"

And so it all begins!

Well I’ve been home one month now. Crazy how time flies these days. Still feels as though I’ve only just got back, still as disorganized as ever. But I thought I would write a little of my experiences on here, maybe look back on them in a few years! And it will help me ponder the experiences I had in those wonderful 10 months.

I look back and wonder how I actually made it to here. From growing up in primary, all through youth I always said I would never ever go on a mission. I had no desire to and would not be forced into it or talked into it. Even when the announcement to lower the age of eligibility to serve was made I laughed and thought ‘No chance’ No sooner had I thought that then another popped into my mind ‘But you can, it would the best experience of your life, to help so many people find the truth’ I was suddenly filled with excitement!! I could think of nothing else until I’d spoken to my Bishop to start the application process! It took my just under a year to get everything I needed to done, but finally the day came!

It was the 10th of July 2013. I had just traveled from Bournemouth to Jersey to come home for the week on Condor Ferries. That ever so familiar route which I had grown accustomed to working that it seemed weird to be a passenger. So I walked out the terminal at the harbour and walked out the door to meet my parents, no sooner had I done so the phone started to ring. It was Katy! ‘It’s here, It’s here! Your mission call is here!’ 

So there it was. Australia, Sydney North Mission…Insane, that can’t be right, what had I done to deserve to serve in such an amazing country?! I was fully expecting to serve in England. Leeds, Manchester, Scotland/Ireland mission. Any of those would have been sufficient, but Australia!? I kept repeating it to myself, it just wouldn’t sink in! It was rather a shock. 

A few days later I was flicking through my EFY 2007 Journal. And came across one of the lessons we had been taught. It was about preparing for missions. At the start of the lesson on the desk were placed envelopes. ‘Fake mission calls’ for everyone in the room. I opened mine and read ‘Australia Sydney Mission’ I remember thinking ‘Wow, what if that were actually happen?!’ But quickly dismissed the idea. Why would I go on a mission? I certainly didn’t have a testimony! And wasn’t going about trying to find one. Oh, how things change!

Finding this truly helped me see that Heavenly Father really is in control of our lives, as long as we allow him to. He has a plan for us and as we follow the counsel the prophets have given us we cannot be led astray. He knew I would serve a mission even then, even when I was a child, and he knew exactly where he wanted me to serve! It gives me great comfort in knowing this, that whatever I go through there is always a purpose behind it.

Doctrine and Covenants 90:24

Search diligently, pray always, and be believing, and all things shall work together for your good, if ye walk uprightly and remember the covenant wherewith ya have covenanted one with another’

Through my experiences I know this to be true. Always remember the bigger picture. Our purpose in this life as we know it. To be able to grow, experience these things, and learn to rely and trust in our Father, to continually strive to return to Him through the power of the atonement, given to us so lovingly by Jesus Christ and our Father in Heaven. I love this gospel. I would be lost without it =)

22 Oct 2014