Hashtag BLESSED

Dear fam, 

      What a busy week! Sister Funk had her trunky meeting, so I spent the day with Sister Infanger in Harborne. She goes back home to Idaho in 10 days, so it was a privilege to spend that time with her. It was my first time driving in Birmingham city centre and it was quite a terrifying experience! 

                      Nevertheless, we are alive today! 

      

      We also had MLC (mission leadership council) which was bomb. We did a lot of counseling about things we want/need to change in the mission. We received a lot of good training, especially on how to work with the disobedient. We also discussed how we can help the missionaries that we are over to be BOLD. We were challenged by President Leppard to "rediscover our testimonies". How cool is that? I know this is inspired because when the strength and depth of our testimonies deepen, our desire to share it will grow. We will feel a burning desire (greenie fire) prompting us to spend hours in the rain talking to every soul that we possibly can. I know that as we deepen our faith and trust in the Lord, that His presence will be more abundant in our lives. 

British hot chocolate on a rainy day :)

 Erin took us out for pizza & burgers. So rad.

Sleepover with the Harborne STL's. So fun!

 My beautiful Sister B <3

4 hours of service and destruction. Woot!

Sister Olsen! Such a fun exchange!!

       You know, sometimes we act as though tracting is this easy thing that comes naturally to us missionaries, but it is actually quite difficult. 95% of the doors that we knock on are slammed in our face. :) We have to give ourselves a pep-talk before we begin knocking a street and pray for the courage to continue forward when the rejection is relentless. Sometimes we tract an entire street and nobody wants to know. Other times, we find those who have been prepared and are waiting to receive us. Moral of the story is: Fourth floor, last door! #nevergiveup

 How cool are these coasters? Meow.

       We stopped by one of the senior members of our ward on Wednesday. Vera was a former trapeze artist, met her late husband in the circus, and has thee coolest conversion story EVER. As she was relaying her precious experience to us, it was as though Sister Funk and I were paralysed by the spirit and for those twenty minutes, we didn't speak a word. We were just as a sponge; soaking up every ounce of spirit that there was in that room!!  She told us how she was on her knees in her empty living room, praying for God to show her the way; desperate for guidance. She threw her hands in the air to ask Him to show her a sign and that is the very moment that the missionaries knocked on her door. As soon as she opened the door, the only words that they could utter to this broken-hearted woman were, "We think you need us." She let them in and a few months later, she was baptised! But the coolest part about this story is: that morning these two missionaries, too, were down on their knees praying to be led to someone that needed them, so they got on their bikes and peddaled. They were guided by the spirit the entire time; telling them to turn left here, right here, etc. When they came to Vera's door on the outskirts of a little Welsh village, they looked at each other and said "this is it." The rest is history. Sister Funk and I were absolutely mesmerised and totally inspired by her story. We cannot wait to find our "Vera" here in Ponty.  

Cardiff leadership swagger. ️

B.E.S.T. sandwiches at Sue's this morning. On point!

       Exchanges continue to be wonderful. We are so blessed to serve 12 amazing sisters. They teach us SO much! We find out next transfers dodge on Sunday and we are expecting every companionship that we are over to change. It is also extremely likely that I will be leaving Pontypridd. I put a good word in with the big man upstairs, but if He sees fit that I travel to another area for the remaining months of my mission....cool. I will be quite bummed, but "I will go where you want me to go", right? :) 

       Today we went to St. Fagan's National Welsh Museum. What a cool place man! We shared the gospel with quite a few people and one man actually told us about our history as latter-day saints. He said that there was one of our churches in every village and all the sermons were preached in Welsh. And then when the saints left for Salt Lake City, the villages were nearly ghost towns. Empty. He said "Can you imagine what would've happened if they didn't go? This place would be completely different!" Fascinating. I'm so grateful for their faith in following the guidance to travel to Utah and act upon the testimonies that they gained. When the first missionaries were sent here, I don't know that they knew what an impact they would make on the church itself. When I meet members for the first time, they often refer to the great missionary Dan Jones. What a privilege it is to be mentioned alongside him in the beautiful country where he once brought hundreds of souls unto Christ. 

 St.Fagan's Castle today. BEAUTIFUL.

       I am grateful for the opportunity to share my testimony with power and with boldness. I know this church to be true, therefore I cannot keep it only to myself. I am grateful to know that the Lord is aware of me and my needs as His missionary. I know that He will provide a way for me to find the people that I promised to find in the premortal life. My work is not finished just yet. I know there are more beautiful adventures ahead of me here in Britain! I love this work and I love the Lord! 

The red house was made in 1680. Such a beautiful place.

     "Coincidences are small miracles that we don't give God credit for." Remember, His hand is over all!! 

       Love from Wales,

               Sister Sydney Jones