Alec, Elder Burgess, and investigator skyping with new convert

Familia! 

 

Can you believe it's Christmas?! Amazing how time flies.  

The People

Our new convert brought her friend to church on Sunday! She's a great missionary. Her friend was impressed with the church and how welcome she felt. Hopefully we can teach her when she gets back from her holiday! 

I've been focusing recently on pushing myself even more with talking to the people on the tube. Ex: I would talk to someone, they wouldn't be interested, so I'd change seats or move and talk to someone else.  

We met this week with a recent convert of a few months ago. He's a great guy, and an amazing photographer. Quote from him"The thing that holds us back is our limiting beliefs. You have to replace limiting beliefs with liberating truths". He was quoting someone else, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. He also gave us a very big/nice christmas gift. What a guy.  

For the day of gratitude for "Light the World", our new convert texted Elder Burgess and I individually and expressed some really nice things. I'm grateful for her! she taught with us today and did a great job.  

Another new convert taught us the Restoration this week and she did very well! She has a great understanding and desire.  

Christmas

Tomorrow will be a great day! I'll tell you about what we do tomorrow night (afternoon for you).  

Miracle

I was in line at Pret a manger to purchase my dinner (a nice chicken salad), the lady asked me how I was doing. I responded with a big smile and enthusiasm. The price then came up on the register, then went to £0.00. She said "it's because of my smile". Seeing me surprised and confused that I'm getting a free dinner, she then just said "Merry Christmas".  

Love you all! Merry Christmas

Elder Withers

 

 

Hey there familia! 

Christmas is in the air. We just completed a week of Christmas Conferences! That was fun... We had pizza and salad every day for lunch. Wow... I was proud of myself for my discipline in my eating. 

Funny

Elder Burgess and I got matching Christmas T-shirts for the Christmas Conferences (after lunch everyone threw on a Christmas jumper). We looked rather smashing in them. I'll send a picture! 

 

Alec and Elder Burgess

 Spiritual

Christmas conference was so great! I enjoyed the talks given by President and Sister Stevens and a couple stake Presidents that attended. I look forward to Christmas and hope we can spend at least some of the day with people who would otherwise be lonely/without anything to do on that special day.  

Our investigator was baptised on Sunday!! It was so great to be a part of her conversion. I'm so impressed with her obedience, her love of God, and her consistent study and prayer habits. As I've expressed before, she's so pure and sweet!  

Our new convert spoke at Bamboo's baptism, and did an incredible job. I'm very impressed with how much she's grown as well. They make quite a team! 

 

 

Have a wonderful week! Enjoy celebrating my half birthday on Thursday.

 

Love,

Elder Withers

Alec and Elder Burgess in front a PROTEIN!!

Hola familia! 

It's been a great week. I've been much better in journaling! Sadly I left my journal in the flat so I don't remember as much juicy details. 

 

Royal Albert Hall

 

The Work

Our investigator is ready for baptism, and tomorrow is the day! She tried on her baptismal clothes and is good to go. We asked her if there's anything we could do for her in our last lesson, and she was so sweet in her response. she expressed a lot of gratitude to us for all we've done to teach her, and answer her questions from the Book of Mormon. So sweet!

My growth

I'm shrinking! Lol I've been quite disciplined recently with my diet. I'm determined to get fit before judgment day arrives.  

I'm so grateful for the many trials I've experienced on my mission. For they turn me to God, and lead me to rely on him to overcome. 

Funny

We introduced our new convert to PMG, and invited her to study Lesson 1 so she can teach us on Friday. She said that she will be a great teacher, that it's in her genes. What a girl.  

Skyping lesson

Hope you all had a great week! 

Love,

Elder Withers

Alec and Elder Burgess with ice rink in South Kensington

 

Hello family!

This was a great week. Winter is coming (as well as my half birthday). How is everyone doing over there? Christmas will be here before you know it... Here are some juicy tidbits about my week:

Companion

Elder Burgess and I had a nice lunch with a member today. We also took a nice selfie with a scenic background. I'll make sure to send it. 

 

Alec as Joseph in the live nativity

The Work

Our investigator is doing so well! She has already passed her interview and will be baptised on 11 December. She even brought a friend to church last week. Sadly, she wasn't interested (yet) 

The American says he believes the Book of Mormon is true, and understands that that means that this church is the only true church. However, he's been tough to get ahold of. We should see him tonight, and we'll smash him with the Spirit & Christlike love & boldness & Christmas. 

We finished transfers this week! It was a bit crazy but good. We pretty much spent friday-monday morning with President and Sister Stevens. Tuesday night was the departing dinner! It was special to hear the testimonies of the sisters in my MTC group! Very strong. Then the very next morning, 18 new missionaries came in! All of them have such great faith and excitement about the work. I quite enjoy interacting with the new missionaries coming in.  

Transfers with President and Sister Stevens
 

The Work outs

We ran three times this week in Hyde Park. It's a nice run! for 2/3 of them, we ran for 30 minutes. It's probably a bit over 3 miles.  

Funny

I asked our new convert what she wanted for Christmas, and she said she wanted a boyfriend. Haha Elder Burgess and I tried to matchmake for her, but to no avail. haha On a more serious note, she did baptisms for the dead yesterday with a group of YSA! So fun. 

Spiritual

I'm so grateful for personal study time. This morning I changed the way I studied the Book of Mormon; digging in to footnotes, and spending time reflecting and writing down thoughts and impressions. I am so excited to continue this pattern of study. Previously, I was too focused on staying with the mission's reading of the book of mormon, as well as doing other things in study time. I plan to stay caught up with the Book of Mormon reading and finish by Christmas, but I'll just devote more personal study time to the Book of Mormon. After all, it's the most correct of any book! 

Love you all! Happy December.

Elder Withers