August 22, 2016

so every now and then I pull out my preach my gospel, turn to one of the blank pages in the front and write a few things that my mission has taught me... i just realised that I should probably update that... but this past week has taught me some things that definitely need to be added to that list:

- seriously, just love people
- be yourself. more work happens that way. no one likes talking to a brick.
- read the book of Mormon. its got some great stuff
- repent everyday. its worth it.
- public transportation is the worst (the music is so much better in cars)
- "when Jesus says yes, nobody can say no" (favourite song- sing it beyonce)
- there is a ridiculous amount of languages in Africa.
- how white i am (although I can now do some Zimbabwean dance moves)
- what sadza is.
- your mission area is what you make of it, not what other missionaries tell you it is
- numbers are only important for the people behind them
- repentance is change
-what kangaroo tastes like, and how guilty I feel for eating it...

i dont know if I can actually put my finger on when i learned these things, maybe this week is just the moment I was able to put them to words (and actually most of them are really old lessons I learned at the beginning of my mission)

I also learned a lot about mosiah 18:9-10. and how to apply it. I think that's why i came out in the first place, to learn how to live this promise i made when I was baptised.
another thing i learned is how much I love being in the Stamford area. It can be and incredibly hard area, with a LOT of "im not interested, no thank you" (which is some seriously polite rejection, have I mentioned this is the poshest place in england?) but only if you look at it that way. we have been having a lot of success lately.
a cool moment I hope to never forget is that sister mwoyosvi and I taught one of our investigators how to repent, and considering how long she has known missionaries, it was surprising that it was a pretty new concept to her. but a good one. :)

love you all! hopefully I will remember to send pictures later.
cheers!!
-Sister Wadsworth :)


i am so glad to be in england now. can you get ally's dorm address for me?
I met a guy who lives in ely.... i would visit but its in kelsie's mission.
my companion already speaks english, though she has a hard time understanding because everyone speaks fast and she speaks really quietly.
the biggest driving adventure was that we drove for almost an hour to the edge of our area, drove all the way back, realised we left our phone in holbeach and drove all the way back for it! it was awful.
I'm trying my best to ignore the fact that I've been out for so long. it doesnt really feel like it at all. I'm reading a little ahead of you right now, in alma 22. maybe you can catch up, because i seem to be taking my time, marking everything up.
also, if you were wondering why my emails were so short, I really didnt have much good stuff to talk about...

and I dont think I will ever get that song out of my head. thanks mom. all of my companions should have learned it by now.

On Mon, Aug 22, 2016 at 6:19 AM, kelly wadsworth <mkwads@yahoo.com> wrote:
Dear Rachel,
Guess what???? It's peach time!! Yeah!!  (sigh)  This year there are 20, yes, count them, twenty, boxes of peaches sitting in the kitchen .  Actually, there are only about 15 now, but we (I) started off with 20.  Aren't you glad you are an ocean away this year?  I will send you a picture.
So, in other news, school started on Wednesday.  So far, everyone is doing ok.  But it has only been 2 days, so I know it can't last.  Natty is liking middle school.  She is still in band, and has Mrs. Zierow as her home room teacher.  They should start real school work this week, so we wil see if she still likes it next week.
Ally made it home Thursday night.  Ellen Pearson brought her home.  It was so nice of her, especially with all that was going on with school and peaches and YSA activity for Chelsey.  Ellen was a life saver for sure.  Cami was pretty sad that we didn't come up, but mostly because she left her Harry Potter blanket here last month, and she really wanted it back.
We will be heading up to Reno on Wednesday, to take Ally to UNR.  She has to do an orientation and get moved in to the dorm, then I will be coming right back home.  Peaches.  sigh.
It has been fun having Reiko and Ryder back.  I suddenly feel so much more needed.  All my kids are grown up and don't really need me anymore (even Natty gets along fine without me most of the time).  but the extras need me to feed and clean and wipe them.  So, yea!! I am necessary!!  And I get so much more done when they are here.  I don't know why.  All summer long, we pretty much just chilled.  And now, I get things done.  Of course, it's only been 2 days, so we will see . . . .
Benson started his job out at Echo on Friday.  He weeds and cleans.  He is already planning how to spend his money.
Jacques is playing football.  They had a scrimmage in Ely on Friday.
This weekend was Stake Conference.  I stayed home last night to do peaches, sigh, but Dad and Chelsey and Ally went.  Today was the day the Children's choir sang, and they were so good.  Each time they started a song, I would get chills.  I'm not sure there will be another children's group any time soon, but it was really neat to have them this once.
Tyler spoke in conference today.  He talked about temples, and related running hurdles and just plain running to going to the temple.
So how are things going for you?  I don't put everything on your blog, so if you want to tell me things, I will edit, or just not put it on.  You don't need to always be brave for me.  I know things get hard.
How is training going?  Did your companion need to learn english, or did she already speak it?  Any driving adventures?  Can you believe that you have been out for almost a year?  Time has been going so fast over here, is it  flying by for you, too, or just us?
We just started up scriptures in the morning again. If you want to follow along with us, we are at Alma 12 tomorrow.
Well, I need to get to bed, so I can be bright and cheerful tomorrow.  I love you.
Mom

ps  I am happy today for the sunshine, for skies of grey or blue.  for within my heart is a song of love, I'll live, I'll work, I'll do!  No cloud can cast a shadow, over courage such as mine.  And I'll sing my song as I go along. I'll live, I'll work, I'll do!!




--
-Sister Wadsworth :)

1. Really old church
2) branch walk
3) I notice this in the new temple pamphlets
4) more branch walk

August 22, 2016

so every now and then I pull out my preach my gospel, turn to one of the blank pages in the front and write a few things that my mission has taught me... i just realised that I should probably update that... but this past week has taught me some things that definitely need to be added to that list:

- seriously, just love people
- be yourself. more work happens that way. no one likes talking to a brick.
- read the book of Mormon. its got some great stuff
- repent everyday. its worth it.
- public transportation is the worst (the music is so much better in cars)
- "when Jesus says yes, nobody can say no" (favourite song- sing it beyonce)
- there is a ridiculous amount of languages in Africa.
- how white i am (although I can now do some Zimbabwean dance moves)
- what sadza is.
- your mission area is what you make of it, not what other missionaries tell you it is
- numbers are only important for the people behind them
- repentance is change
-what kangaroo tastes like, and how guilty I feel for eating it...

i dont know if I can actually put my finger on when i learned these things, maybe this week is just the moment I was able to put them to words (and actually most of them are really old lessons I learned at the beginning of my mission)

I also learned a lot about mosiah 18:9-10. and how to apply it. I think that's why i came out in the first place, to learn how to live this promise i made when I was baptised.
another thing i learned is how much I love being in the Stamford area. It can be and incredibly hard area, with a LOT of "im not interested, no thank you" (which is some seriously polite rejection, have I mentioned this is the poshest place in england?) but only if you look at it that way. we have been having a lot of success lately.
a cool moment I hope to never forget is that sister mwoyosvi and I taught one of our investigators how to repent, and considering how long she has known missionaries, it was surprising that it was a pretty new concept to her. but a good one. :)

love you all! hopefully I will remember to send pictures later.
cheers!!
-Sister Wadsworth :)


i am so glad to be in england now. can you get ally's dorm address for me?
I met a guy who lives in ely.... i would visit but its in kelsie's mission.
my companion already speaks english, though she has a hard time understanding because everyone speaks fast and she speaks really quietly.
the biggest driving adventure was that we drove for almost an hour to the edge of our area, drove all the way back, realised we left our phone in holbeach and drove all the way back for it! it was awful.
I'm trying my best to ignore the fact that I've been out for so long. it doesnt really feel like it at all. I'm reading a little ahead of you right now, in alma 22. maybe you can catch up, because i seem to be taking my time, marking everything up.
also, if you were wondering why my emails were so short, I really didnt have much good stuff to talk about...

and I dont think I will ever get that song out of my head. thanks mom. all of my companions should have learned it by now.

On Mon, Aug 22, 2016 at 6:19 AM, kelly wadsworth <mkwads@yahoo.com> wrote:
Dear Rachel,
Guess what???? It's peach time!! Yeah!!  (sigh)  This year there are 20, yes, count them, twenty, boxes of peaches sitting in the kitchen .  Actually, there are only about 15 now, but we (I) started off with 20.  Aren't you glad you are an ocean away this year?  I will send you a picture.
So, in other news, school started on Wednesday.  So far, everyone is doing ok.  But it has only been 2 days, so I know it can't last.  Natty is liking middle school.  She is still in band, and has Mrs. Zierow as her home room teacher.  They should start real school work this week, so we wil see if she still likes it next week.
Ally made it home Thursday night.  Ellen Pearson brought her home.  It was so nice of her, especially with all that was going on with school and peaches and YSA activity for Chelsey.  Ellen was a life saver for sure.  Cami was pretty sad that we didn't come up, but mostly because she left her Harry Potter blanket here last month, and she really wanted it back.
We will be heading up to Reno on Wednesday, to take Ally to UNR.  She has to do an orientation and get moved in to the dorm, then I will be coming right back home.  Peaches.  sigh.
It has been fun having Reiko and Ryder back.  I suddenly feel so much more needed.  All my kids are grown up and don't really need me anymore (even Natty gets along fine without me most of the time).  but the extras need me to feed and clean and wipe them.  So, yea!! I am necessary!!  And I get so much more done when they are here.  I don't know why.  All summer long, we pretty much just chilled.  And now, I get things done.  Of course, it's only been 2 days, so we will see . . . .
Benson started his job out at Echo on Friday.  He weeds and cleans.  He is already planning how to spend his money.
Jacques is playing football.  They had a scrimmage in Ely on Friday.
This weekend was Stake Conference.  I stayed home last night to do peaches, sigh, but Dad and Chelsey and Ally went.  Today was the day the Children's choir sang, and they were so good.  Each time they started a song, I would get chills.  I'm not sure there will be another children's group any time soon, but it was really neat to have them this once.
Tyler spoke in conference today.  He talked about temples, and related running hurdles and just plain running to going to the temple.
So how are things going for you?  I don't put everything on your blog, so if you want to tell me things, I will edit, or just not put it on.  You don't need to always be brave for me.  I know things get hard.
How is training going?  Did your companion need to learn english, or did she already speak it?  Any driving adventures?  Can you believe that you have been out for almost a year?  Time has been going so fast over here, is it  flying by for you, too, or just us?
We just started up scriptures in the morning again. If you want to follow along with us, we are at Alma 12 tomorrow.
Well, I need to get to bed, so I can be bright and cheerful tomorrow.  I love you.
Mom

ps  I am happy today for the sunshine, for skies of grey or blue.  for within my heart is a song of love, I'll live, I'll work, I'll do!  No cloud can cast a shadow, over courage such as mine.  And I'll sing my song as I go along. I'll live, I'll work, I'll do!!




--
-Sister Wadsworth :)

1. Really old church
2) branch walk
3) I notice this in the new temple pamphlets
4) more branch walk

the faith to work 8/15/2016

hello everyone, 

for a week that started off so slow, i cant actually believe how fast this week went by. its been another crazy one for sure.

a few miracle have happened this week, its been so great. the first one is how blessed we have been to find potential investigators this week. we have been doing a lot of finding (mostly tracting, but with a few other creative methods thrown in there too) this week, trying desperately to find some new people to share the good news with. so, while they are not the most solid of potential investigators, i'm exercising faith, hope, charity and love, that the gospel will be able to bless their lives. :) and still continuing to find... 

another miracle and huge blessing is that we had three (!) less active members come to church! it was so amazing, especially when they saw one who had not been in over two years, and the look of surprise and joy when they saw him at sacrament meeting will live with me forever. (to be completely honest, i didn't think he would come, but he did! and my faith in heavenly father has grown so much more) 

another miracle actually from last week was that I PASSED my theory test!! I know it was all of the prayers that helped. now i have to pass the actual driving part... that happens on the 9 of september, so if I fail, i might not be allowed to drive for a while before I can rebook that test. 

less of a miracle was that i had to give a talk in sacrament meeting. it was on charity, and like the rest of my entire mission (not just in this area, in ALL of them) I also had to teach something else (this time it was relief society). I was expecting something to come up for sunday school,
​but it never did which I was very grateful for, although we did get a text asking us to do music time sunday morning (I was actually sad to say no to that one). 

we also had a really great zone meeting (although the other sisters in our district couldn't make it because of food poisoning..) but honestly i felt like it was just for me. every training they gave was something I have struggled with on my mission. 

so what I learned this week was:

- trust in God a little bit more, he'll bless you for it

- life is more stressful when your worried about driving tests.. 

- being a real person on the doorstep is a lot more fun than trying to be a missionary (and more effective too, you get a lot more interesting conversations, and friends that way) 

- how the headlights work on our car (its been an unbelievably real struggle..) 

- im really bad at remembering to do 12 weeks.. (the training for new missionaries.) 

if i was to leave you with a scripture for this week it would be in Alma 14, where i was studying this morning, and just how much patience and faith alma and amulek showed in their afflictions. but what I learned from it was that faith come first- then comes a trial to test you- and after that trial comes a miracle. 

which is what i actually have seen in stamford. it has been a hard area for so many missionaries who have treated it that way. i knew when i got here it would be... but through diligence, and a lot of patience, our members are starting to trust missionaries again, and to see the miracles that nobody but heavenly father could see before start happening. 

love you all, and have a good week! 

much love,

-Sister Wadsworth :)

1. you know its a great day when you match your umbrella :) 

2. zone meeting (if its upside down sorry. i dont know why) 

3. me and my girl! 

August 8, 2016

Dear everyone, 

so, here i sit again. wondering what happened to me this past week that is email worthy? well... let me tell you.. its been a good week. :) 

we were able to teach so many people this week, which was amazing (because most missionaries consider this a pretty dead area..) but we did it! and had members at them too! (granted they were all less active, but it was still really good to see) yup. we've been stopping by so many people on the branch list that happened to have non member family there too! its been great. although, that sad part is that we STILL dont have any new investigators to continue teaching, but plenty of people to keep visiting!

we even had some pretty amazing lessons this week too. 

the highlights were to be able to teach one of our investigators who has been through some pretty rough times the plan of salvation. and then having the lesson in church be about her concerns! it was amazing for me to see (though she didn't come to church.. :( but it was still good for me to know that the chapter we left her to read was exactly what she needed) 

other highlights are that we were able to teach our investigator on a date twice this week! Emma is getting baptised in the first week of September, i'm so excited. she's nine, and so shy.  I also find it really ironic that once our ward mission leader goes on holiday to Germany for a month, things start picking up a bit. 

the weirdest thing that happened to me this week was we were out tracting, and we interrupted these two old ladies' fish and chips. their door was open, so knocking was weird, then sister mwoyosvi yelled a hello a couple of times.. and we were suddenly standing in these ladies' front room teaching them the restoration. one of those moments when you walk away thinking "what just happened?" I actually get a lot of those. you'd think I'd be used to them by now. :) 

training is still a lot of fun. the hardest thing I'm finding is that i need to remember to explain things to my poor girl. I just kind of throw her to the wolves some days. whoops. so I'm working on my communication skills. 

we jam a lot to shona music. its great. I cant understand any of it, but i know its talking about jesus. :) haha. my girl is so great! we are seeing so many miracle together that i'm not sure what's going on, but i'm not complaining! I was really sad though to be there for her first agnostic argument... some people just like to argue. they dont care that god loves them. :( I think its been a huge culture shock for her from Zimbabwe where the church is growing so much!

love you all! sorry you just need to get used to my horrid emails! 

love, xx

1) honey comb!!
2) our pizza night
3) she was so happy to see African food.
4) district donuts

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Crazy day, crazy week, crazy life August 1, 2016

Hello every one!
So maybe I should explain this week in the order of the subject line..
My crazy day today has been that we have people working on our super
dodgy fireplace thing. Sometimes it makes scary noises.. But these
people came at nine this morning, started banging, and are still
working on it. They don't leave until, four this afternoon! Day
spoiled.
But we also ate pizza as a district, so not so spoiled anymore.
My Crazy week:  have I told you I'm training?? That makes life
interesting. 😊 my beautiful greenies name is sister mwoyosvi (I say
it my-yo she) she is from the wonderful land of Zimbabwe, she speaks
Shona, but also English. If you thought I was quiet, she is too. Here
is both of our beautiful faces. When we found this beautiful lake.t

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