MONDAY 27TH AUGUST 2012-WEEK 4

Here I am in the lovely green state of Virginia! And what a great place it is! As we flew over, it felt like I was coming home - it's the spitting image of England! I love it here!

 

So, I'm serving in the Poquoson Ward - it's a ward of about 200+ members so it's relatively big! It's got a lot of young families and a big youth so I'm really happy to start my mission here! The ward loves missionaries - we get fed every night and are free to pop in at any time! It's refreshing to have that as Poquoson is a bicycle area... yes, I'm on a bike ha! I'll make sure I send some photos although it won't exactly help my 'street cred' and definitely fulfills the missionary stereotype!

 

My new companion (and trainer) is Elder Bernfeld - he's awesome! He's very humble and hardworking - although his attempt at an English accent is rubbish ha! We've got a very similar vision for the ward and our missions so I feel confident that we'll make some miracles happen in this transient little town. It definitely needs it - last month, they had their first baptism in three years! Elder Bernfeld and I expect to change that to one a month - pray for us ha!

 

We have some fantastic investigators right now - there's one lady called Danielle who is incredibly faithful and is working hard towards baptism! She has such a love for our Saviour and knows that, by entering into the covenant of baptism, she can develop her relationship with him! I'm really excited and grateful that we get to play a part in this process... I know it will transform her life as well as ours.

 

So, I feel that I should share a funny story once a week with you all - so, here goes! Elder Bernfeld and I were cycling back from the chapel two days ago with the sun shining and the wind in our hair (well, his hair!). All of a sudden, these black storm clouds come over and we're caught in a tornado storm in the middle of nowhere! By the time we arrive back home, we're both soaked from head to foot and shivering! In fact my shoes are still wet now! I think I needed to learn the lesson of carrying an anorak with me everywhere sooner rather than later! Oh, plus, Elder Bernfeld wants to be a personal trainer so he's got me doing P90X each morning... Ben, I know you'll be laughing by now! It just looks wrong ha!

 

Long story short - missions are great! As much as I loved the MTC, it's nowhere near as spiritually intense as being out in the field is! These are real people now and I love that... each person I pass could be the one I've been praying for since I was little boy! Know that I've thrown myself straight into the work... I've never been shy after all so why start now! I haven't had anyone be rude yet which is great but I'm sure it'll come ha! And that's fine :) If anyone is reading this and considering if a mission is for them, listen up: JUST GO! I promise you that, if you pray for a witness of whether you should, you'll get one - I did! And the moment you meet a person with a sincere desire to learn more, you won't be wondering if you should have come or what you could be doing otherwise... you'll be grateful that YOU get to be the one that teaches them! Test it; it works,

 

Love to you all,

 

Elder Pelham