"Come as you are, and go away different"

Another week has gone by in this blessed and sunny land of England. Yes, I said sunny. To be fair to the weather it has actually been a beautiful week with I think only one day of cloudy, rainy, miserableness...

All in all it was a wonderful week! And my first full week in shrewsbury. And man was it full of experiences.

First off, I absolutely love serving with companions who are learning English. Number one reason why is because their testimonies are so simple and powerful.. they teach so clearly and even though they might not be able to express all that they feel, they put their entire hearts into the few words they are able to muster.

Secondly, because they say the darndest things.

We played a game on monday evening after our Book of Mormon study class and when the paper came around to SIster Gantulga she meant to put the word "ship" but in her rush she spelled a different word that changed the meaning entirely.. I'll let you use your imagination. Well bless her little mongolian heart... she had no clue what she had written or even what it had meant but it left the rest of us doubled over in laughter and tears! haha she went home and looked it up in her mongolian dictionary and the look of shock that came over her face... she's the cutest!

We also met a man named Stewart this week. He was a lovely chap... and completely drunk. He said hello and he stopped smiled and then read our name tags. "Jesus! I know him! I carry his cross on me at all times! Look, I'll show you!"

Thinking that he was going to pull out his rosemary beads I was completely unprepared for when he pulled his shirt off and showed us the massive tattoo all over his back.. which he seemed quite proud of.

It caught me off guard but we told him who we were and what we do. He told us he was in the military and has been trying to spend the rest of his life seeking forgiveness for what he had done and that hopefully one day when he dies he will be able to see Jesus.

I felt such a love for this man who had been burdened with so much. We just paused for a moment and then, looking him straight in the eyes, we asked him if he would like to feel that peace now? If he would like to know know that he could see Jesus and be forgiven now?

I could never in a million years forget the relief that washed over that man's face.

"you could do that? You would do that for.. me?"

He couldn't believe that he could feel that now and that he wouldn't have to wait until he died. We testified that because of Christ, all men could repent and be forgiven for their sins... that peace and comfort was available to all who would come unto Christ and that we were called of God to deliver this message of Christ's Atonement.

Whether we're able to see Stewart again or not, I know that what we were able to share with him that day gave him some peace that he had been searching for for many years. And this is the message that I have the privilege of sharing every single day! I know I only have a month left, but truly, even if I only had a day left on this earth this would be the greatest thing I could ever be doing.

There is not much in this life that can sufficiently prepare you for the trials that you will undoubtedly face, at least not fully prepare you. But it is the trials that will come that will undoubtedly prepare you more fully to be with God again. For "this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God". This gospel is the way to prepare to be with our Heavenly Father again! He loves us, and He has given His Son so that we may be with Him again.

I love being a missionary!

I also ate some really hot Thai food. I started to cry.

Apparently it's not too spicy for mongolians though because Sister Gantulga thought it was hilarious that I couldn't handle it...

ALSO! It was the annual Shrewsbury flower show!! Its two days of... well, I would guess flowers? But i'm not entirely sure because it cost like £26 to get in and there was no way I was spending that much for about an hour of our lunch time haha but luckily we could see the massive fireworks show from our window at night! One day I want to come back here and see this show though... it's been going on for about 182 years and this town is quite proud of it :)

Well, tah tah for now! We have exciting things coming up this week and I absolutely adore this town and all of the people here! The ward is brilliant and so welcoming, they feel so much like family already :)

love you all!

Loads of love from England!

Sister Reed!