November 16, 2015

This week was pretty great! I could not believe some of the things that happened this week! I also learned that "waterproof" doesn't necessarily mean, Scotland/Ireland waterproof! haha! Anyway, lets get in to the nitty gritty of the week.  You'll have to forgive me, normally I use my planner to write the weekly update but with the new transfer starting today, I have the new empty one, as opposed to the one that has the past week on it.  So I am going completely by memory here.

Weekly Planning in our Flat

MONDAY- Monday was pretty great as they always are.  We only had a half P-Day since it was moves week.  So, we emailed and then we cleaned.  We then headed out to so some work which really consisted of chapping and doing some more AUF's.  Oh how I am coming to love AUF's. (again, heavy sarcasm!) But we are almost done so that is a bonus.  

TUESDAY- Tuesday was a full day of work and since neither Elder Allred or myself were moving, we had a whole day to do more AUF's.  Only this time, we did not plan smart and we walked all the way across town, almost a total of 6 miles, round trip; in the rain, and wind, and cold.  IT WAS AWESOME.  My umbrella gave up the ghost, though, so I have done some patchwork to keep it alive until further notice.  But Tuesday was kind of uneventful as well.  We did, however, order Dominos so we arrived home right at the pizza guy got there and it was awesome.  I haven't had pizza in a while! It was pretty good, but America does it better!

Elders Thayne, Allred, Stanley, Plewe, Mickelsen & Parkinson

The true Belfast District Elders

WEDNESDAY- Wednesday was moves day, but really just a regular P-Day for us since we weren't moving.  So, we went to the pool hall and played some pool and snooker.  Then we walked around town for a while looking at some of the random shops and stuff that are around here.  Then at 6:00, we headed out to finish the night by doing more AUF's.  So, just a regular ol' P-Day.

THURSDAY- Thursday was weekly planning.  We were also going to teach a lesson to a new investigator named 'N' but her mom collapsed an hour before the lesson and she had to cancel at the last minute.  But, she did thank us for the Book of Mormon we gave her and said that it had been helping her tremendously in her life with the stress she has been under lately.  We are teaching her in a couple of hours and I'll be able to tell you about her more next week.  But we are super excited for her.  The rest of Thursday was pretty wet and cold, so we tracked and that's about it.  Exciting, I know.

FRIDAY- Friday we went to Dunmurry.  Dunmurry is just North of Lisburn and is still in our area.  We had some AUF's to do up there so we decided to dedicate a day to it.  The weather started out really nice and we took advantage of that by knocking all 14 floors of and indoor high flat.  Then, when the weather worsened, we decided to knock doors outside.  WE ARE SO SMART!  But, the sympathy card doesn't really work here with the rain.  People just look at us like we're crazy.  Elder Allred even wrings out his gloves on some people's doorsteps and that doesn't soften hearts at all.  But Dunmurry was good and we shouldn't have to go back up for a while.

SATURDAY- Saturday we had coordination, but it fell through so we went over to 'T's house and showed him some Mormon Messages.  We always have pretty good lessons with 'T'.  I just wish he would come to church but he'll get there.  Then we did our usual Subway run after 'T's and we headed out to start marking more doors off our AUF's list.  We are so close! But that was Saturday.

SUNDAY- Sunday was awesome!! We went to church, but that morning we were feeling kind of bummed that we didn't have any investigators at church.  We we go to church though, some girl just walked in! She is 15 years old and her name is 'A'.  She walked in and she didn't talk to me when I said good morning and tried to shake her hand, so I thought she was a family member of someone in the ward.  But, nobody knew who she was so we sat by her and got to know her a little bit.  She was researching online about churches in the area and felt good about coming to ours! She had remembered that her uncle in the States was a lot happier when he was in the church so she decided to give it a shot.  She came and she got to know a lot of the Young Women and has friends and has accepted to be taught and accepted a Book of Mormon!  So that was pretty awesome!!  The rest of Sunday flew by as we tracked while we waited for our dinner appointment with the Jacksons.  Then we left there and did some tracting to finish out the night.

This week was very awesome!  I cannot explain how good is was!  The Lord is ready to bless us all if we are willing to put the work in.  Nothing will change my mind on that.  The key to missionary work is work.  Work, work, work.  

Love to you all!! Talk to you soon!

My Ponderizing scripture: 3 Nephi 17:1-3
1: Behold now is came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words he looked around about again on the multitude, and he said unto them: Behold, my time is at hand.

2: I perceive that ye are weak, that ye cannot understand all my words which I am commanded of the Father to speak unto you at this time.

3: Therefore, go ye unto your homes, and ponder upon the things which I have said, and ask of the Father in my name, that ye may understand, and prepare your minds for the morrow, and I come unto you again.

Til the work is done!

-Elder Mickelsen