Robin Hood and Teaching people about Jesus

Ey up everyone, It was a really smashing week! We did some missionary work with a soon to be missionary, had some crazy cool lessons with blokes from around the world, talked to some World Cup fanatics, and I had my last Zone Conference!

     

First off, yes I had my last Zone Conference! Time seems to be slipping through my fingers like crazy. We met at the Leeds Cross Gates chapel. I said hello and goodbye to loads of familiar faces. This conference was definitely one of my favorites! There were lots of laughs and spiritual stuff. Next month our mission is, as President Turvey jokingly says, "Conquering more of England!" Our mission is getting 3 more stakes south of us. We also had a testimony meeting where the new and departing missionaries bore their testimonies. I've known all of the Elders in my group since the MTC and I've served around quite a few of them.  All of us have grown so much! It's bonkers..... haha!

     

In the Worksop Ward currently there are some missionary age young men. One is on a mission in Australia, one leaves to Africa next month and one is getting his mission call this week. We took the one who is getting his mission call this week teaching with us. And we saw loads of cool miracles! We were on our way to meet up with him at the chapel to have a video lesson with an investigator and we bumped into another one of our friends who is Kurdish. So we walked with him to the church and gave him a tour around. He's proper bothered about the gospel. Later in the day we met on the street a really cool Spanish man that wanted a Book of Mormon from us. After that we had a mint lesson with our Romanian friend. He is still learning English so we had to use Google translate a bit in the lesson. He's very Christian and wants more light in his life as he says. When we talked about how Christ visited the people in the ancient Americas his eyes lit up and he said, "I didn't know that! Tell me more!" He's not only Christian, he's proper Christian! He read the New Testament in like 3 days. He was excited to read the Book of Mormon because he said that the bible has lots of prophecies about the latter days that he doesn't understand. One mind blowing things he told us in Google translate was, "In the Bible it says, "I will send Elijah in the Latter Days what does that mean?" That's the same Elijah who restored the sealing ordinances of the Temple! The only problem is that he works a lot, but we are going to help him to discover more for sure! We had some really cool lessons this week and we'll be continue teaching our new friends and getting them to church for sure!

     

We went to the Sherwood Forest to look for Robin Hood.  No such luck, but we got some smashing hats! (Picture below)

The World Cup started this week too. Loads of people are rocking their St. George's flags on their cars houses and especially pubs! I'm glad I'm on my mission during this football fanatic time of the year.... haha! People are a little bit more open to talk if you mention football. I'm buzzing for the other miracles that will happen for the rest of this transfer! I'm gonna make this last month count for sure. Here some pics from the week, Cheers!

-Elder Holyoak 

Soon to be a missionary ward member finding with us

Worksop

Late Birthday from the States

England showing its World Cup pride

Sherwood Forest

Worksop M8!!

Ey up ducks!! That's what a couple of people have actually called me here in Worksop. This week was had a really funny lady yell at us, I got going home advice from President and Sister Turvey, and more!

     

It was a well nice first week in Worksop. Once I got all of my luggage sorted, I took a train from Newcastle to Sheffield and met Elder Legisma. We took another train to to Worksop and went directly to church to help with a funeral of one of the members. I obviously never met the man, but he sounded like a very Christlike example to his friends and families. After the service, we helped set up food and I got to know loads of members. Everyone was very warm and friendly. 

     

Worksop is a pretty small town south east of Sheffield. Currently it is the 2nd lowest point of the mission, but that will change with Norwich coming in the mission next month. This town reminds of serving in Bridlington with the small town feel, and a bit of Wakefield from all of the foreign people and outer villages. I've already talked to many Polish and Romanian people. Elder Legisma is from Laguna, Philippines. He's been on his mission for 2 transfers so I have the pleasure of follow up training him. He's 21 years old and is a convert to the church since he was 11 years old. He's a really hard working missionary and a cheeky monkey.

     

We had a funny experience when we were knocking the other day. Elder Legisma has started saying, "God loves you!" after every interaction with people we talk to. There was a woman we talked to that wasn't too bothered by us at all, but she told us to leave. So after Elder Legisma did his thing, she started yelling at us with words that you'd only hear in your local pub fight. Elder Legisma was a bit shaken up, but I couldn't help but laugh because it caught me so off guard.

     

Yes, I had a little going home meeting with everyone in my group this week. We met at the Leeds institute building. President and Sister Turvey trained us on how we can manage making plans for home and still finish our missions strong. They have so much love for us missionaries! They even gave us tips and tricks on marriage, which is really funny coming from your mission President.... haha. 

     

The work is a bit slow right now, but we are at the finding grind. Take care, hope everyone has a mint week!

-Elder Holyoak 

New companion Elder Legisma

American Summer kickoff and Transfers!

Ey up family and friends! This is gonna be a juicy update so buckle up. Transfer calls came, we went on some more exchanges, I got treated at Sister Thompson's again, we witnessed a Turkish baptism, and we had an American Summer kickoff!!

     

So, first off transfers calls came once again. I had no idea what to expect this time, but I am leaving! I moving to a little city called Worksop near Sheffield. I'm gutted to leave Newcastle and the Geordies, but I'm excited for the last stretch of this big adventure! I'm also getting reassigned to be a normal missionary, which means more time to do missionary work.... Woo! I'm super excited. My new companion is going to be Elder Lagisma from the Philippines. I love Filipino people. They're well nice. Elder Kearl is surprisingly getting transferred too. He's moving down to Huddersfield, right next to Wakey where I was living. In our mission we are getting 3 more stakes from the centre of England, Nottingham, Norwich and Leicester stakes next transfer. So there are lots of changes all around the mission. 

     

For this week's update I went on an exchange with Elder Edwards. We had a blast. Loads of finding and funny experiences. We were knocking at one point and found a Polish family. I learned how to say "How are you?" and "What is your name?" in Polish, so naturally that's what I asked. Then we got let in and taught them! We had a really good lesson with them, but unfortunately a day later we got a negative Facebook message from them telling us they weren't interested anymore. It was a really cool experience though.

     

For my exchange with Elder Gray, we did some finding in Walker on a the hottest and humid day of the year so far. We did a baptismal interview over in North Shields and of course we had to make a pit stop at the one and only Sister Thompson's home. She made us nice food and a birthday cake for me just a couple day after my birthday. Bless her! 

     

On Friday and Saturday, we had 2 big highlights for the week. A Turkish lady who was taught by the Newcastle sisters had her baptism and we had our ward party. The Turkish lady speaks very little English, so they actually Skyped in the Turkish speaking Elders who helped in the teaching process. These Elder initially were serving in the country of Turkey, but got reassigned to Germany as the mission in Turkey was closed because of government issues. They helped translate the entire baptismal service. There was such a sweet Spirit there. She said the entire time, "Thank you so much," and "I feel happy!" This gospel really is meant for everyone, we really all came from the same place and are brothers and sisters!

     

On Saturday was the ward activity and it was called, "The American Summer Kickoff!" It included many American originating games like Ultimate frisbee, Kickball, and Spikeball. We educated them on them on how to play all of those games that they've never heard of. It was a really cool mix of cultures. The members organized a series of minute to win in games and an American quiz, which I was rubbish at.... haha! I've never seen such a good turn out and an event run so smoothly that I've helped organize. It was a real success on building relationships, trust and excitement for missionary work with members, which I think every missionary craves in whatever unit they are serving in around the world. Loads of members brought their friends as well! Some new YSA aged friends came and will hopefully come to Institute with the new Elders in the area.

     

Aye it's been a propa canny week like. Ne more hearin them Geordies sayin, "Ha way man I divent want your boook! I'm gonin doon tun Worksop man, where they divint soond like this man." 

Translation: "Yes It's been another really good week. No more hearing the Geordie saying, C'mon man I'm not interested, I don't want your book! I'm going down to Worksop where they don't sound like this."

    

I'm proper excited for the future! Have a good week cheers!

-Elder Holyoak

Dinner at Sister Thompson's