Strange things are Happening! 10/9/12

Sorry, I didn't email yesterday.  We got a call Saturday morning saying that we were having a mission football tournament in Cardiff on Monday.  So Sunday night after conference we drove down to Cardiff and stayed with some sisters overnight and then we played football (soccer) for about 4 hours yesterday.  And oh man it was fun!  They split the teams by stakes and even though my stake is the biggest area wise, we have the fewest missionaries so our team suffered and had to wear wimpy pink shirts.  But it was alright because we got 3rd out of the 4 teams and we all had a load of fun.  Sis.Benson and I were the only sisters that played, so it was good because we played the entire time.  It was misting the whole time so we got covered in mud and soaked, but it really was a blast.  And I am quite sore today, but it was worth it.

 Conference was AWESOME! I loved it!  It was really funny to hear the American accents.  Ha ha!  There's not a huge difference, but I could definitely tell that the apostles and people speaking were American - especially the women in the Relief Society broadcast.  They just sounded really cheesy. Ha ha!  I don't think I have much of a British accent, but I definitely think that my American one is less harsh. It'll be fun to talk to you guys at Christmas (:  But it was so nice to be able to go and be spiritually fed for all those hours.  We didn't get to listen to the last session of conference because it would have played at 9pm on Sunday evening. We'll just have to wait for the Ensign to come out next month.  Yeah, and that is crazy that they lowered the age limit for missionaries!  It's super exciting, but I am a little jealous that it didn't come out sooner.  I could be married by now!  Ha ha!  Just kidding.  The Lord knew I needed to come when I did.  I still haven't figured out why, but I trust that He knows better than I.

Sadly Shaish did not come to conference.  None of our investigators did.  We had a couple less-actives come though, which is good.  It has been really difficult to set up appointments with out investigators.  They are hard to get a hold of or cancel.  I really don't know what to do to get consistent and steady investigators.  Shaish seems golden, but we don't know where he lives and we don't have his phone number.  I loved that there were so many talks in conference about the Savior's Atonement and how it covers all of our trials and struggles. My mission  is teaching me a whole lot about patience and faith in the Lord. It is easy to wonder why things are going the way they are, but I know that the Lord gives us difficult times to help shape us in to more valiant sons and daughters.  It isn't always a fun process to go through, but apparently it is the most effective way for the Lord to test us.

 Last night we also recieved an even more surprising phone call from Pres. Rasmussen.  There is a new sister missionary coming in from Armania tomorrow.  She stayed at the MTC an extra 3 weeks to learn English.  And Sis.Benson has been asked to train the new sister in a new area in Gloucester! So tomorrow we have to drive down to Birmingham where I will receive a new companion!  Oh man, this is crazy!  Sis.Benson and I had just decided that we were going to be companions until she dies in March, but not anymore. Six months together has been a long time but really good.  Now that she is leaving I am pretty scared because I have depended on her for so much.  My new companion will be Sister Louis from India.  She has been out less than a year and doesn't drive.  I will be the designated driver.  I don't really mind because I have been driving for 2 months straight now, but Sis.Benson knew the rules of the road better and could help me out, but I don't know if SIs.Louis knows any better than I.  Plus, I am taking my driving test next week and I am way nervous. Driving in Cardiff over the weekend was one of the craziest things I feel like I have done on my mission.  Sis.Benson is also a bit scared as well because she'll have a brand new missionary that doesn't know much Enlgish and she's opening a new area - they'll be splitting the elder's area and putting them in, and they'll be on bikes.  It sure is crazy how fast things can change.

 We were supposed to take the car in this week to get fixed, but after having to go to Cardiff and now to Birmingham, I'm not sure when we'll take it in.  And I honestly have no idea who is paying for it to be fixed.  The police called me yesterday morning just to ask if I would be willing to go to court if they needed me.  I said yes, but I don't think I will simply because it's not that complicated.

The weather is gradually getting colder. The prettiest leaves are the ones on the vines that turn red.  A few trees are turning yellow and some just died and fell off.  I attached a few pictures of "Thomas S.Monson Transfer Football" and us in Cardigan the other day.  I really miss Cardigan. It is more difficult to do missionary work when you live out in a forrest. Ha ha!  But good things still do happen.  I hope you all have a wonderful week!