Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Pictures from Neal - Received 8/24/09





A slick looking district













A pair of dirty dudes.













A very dirty zone.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Email from Neal - Received 8/24/09

Hello to my amazing family,

Sounds like families is what brings happiness…. At least that is what I am getting from that email. Gee, I wonder why God so heavily ordains the family????? It sounds like you are all having a blast with all the funny kids. I am really going to have to spend a good chunk of time with them when I get home aren’t I? I miss them a ton!!

Anyways this week has been a good one. Like I said I had my first district meeting, and it went very well. I talked all about Unity, cause I really want the district to be unified. I think that I am succeeding so far. I was scared, but it all went together very well. The Zone Leaders were there, and the great part was that E. Kingsley is one of the ZL’s. I was at his first district meeting in Manchester, and now he is at mine! It was great! After the meeting though I went on exchanges to Liverpool. I LOVE THAT TOWN!!!!!!! The people are so amazing! We went out finding for about 45 minutes and I got 7/4 in that short time. It was incredible!!! Everyone would talk to you. The Liverpool accent is way cool as well! Its called the Scowce, and its very interesting. It was good though. I drove down THE Penny lane from the Beatles, and that was really funny.


We had a really cool experience yesterday. The sisters (who are really an example to us all) were street contacting outside of the church on Tuesday before district meeting. They talked to a lady who said that she was looking for a church. They invited her to ours and told her the time and the day. Well she showed up yesterday, and really loved it. We were able to teach her the Restoration during the Gospel Principals class, and then we all went to Sacrament Meeting. Our meeting schedule is the reversed one, and I am really not a fan of that. This is the one advantage that I can see to it. She became a new investigator before sacrament, and then we had another investigator at sacrament meeting, AMAZING!!!  It was an incredible miracle. We have been praying and looking for those who are prepared and ready to receive the gospel, and the Lord has answered our prayers once again. She is from Romania, but speaks very good English. I was so thankful that we were able to see that blessing and miracle. We will be teaching her tomorrow, and I am very excited.

We are going on the church history tour on Wednesday and I am way excited. We are going to be gone mostly all day long. We have to be in Liverpool for 9:40 in the morning! I am really looking forward to seeing all the sights!!

My studies have been amazing lately! I just read Hebrews 12 today, and it was amazing. Check out vs. 1-14. They really are true!!!! They really help us know that all the trials that we go though is because God Loves us! He wouldn’t give us trials otherwise. I really know that the reason that we go though hard times is because God knows what it is going to take to get us to learn what we need to learn to get to the Celestial Kingdom. I am so grateful for the trials that I have gotten to go though. I spent two hours getting soaked yesterday (I didn’t bring my umbrella), but was happy and smiling the whole time. It was fun, because I knew that I was doing the right thing!!!! I am loving my mission. I love all of you, and I am very grateful for all the support that you give to me. I know that I am in your prayers, and rest assured you are in mine! Stay strong and know that God Loves each and everyone of you!!!!

Love,
Elder Neal 

Editor's Note:  Pictures forthcoming!  Stay tuned!

Monday, August 17, 2009

E-mail from Neal - Received 8/17/09

Hello to one and all,

Wigan is great. I am really enjoying it so far. The ward is extremely strong and they are really great and funny people. I am still trying to settle in, and get used to my new calling, but I know that that will all come with time. I am District Leader over 3 other companionships. My district covers the other elders here in Wigan, the Elders in Crosby, and the sisters in Southport. You can go look all those up on your map now ha ha ha! It is fun, but crazy especially at night. As soon as 9:30 hits my phone is ringing off the hook. They all call into me, and then I have to call the Zone Leaders and report in. I never thought that it would be this crazy, but hey that’s life, and I am loving it! I have really been blessed in the past few days. I have really seen a large change in myself over the past few days. I am not sure if it has to do with the leadership role, but I am not counting that out. I am feeling great, working hard, and always staying happy and positive. I have felt a lot stronger and more confident over these past few days, more so than I ever have before on my mission. I know that the Lord is supporting my so much, and I am so grateful for that. I have been receiving inspiration right and left as well. My studies have been better, deeper, and more spiritual. My prayers have been much more meaningful. And my work has really changed. I have struggled with bus contacting my whole mission, but now I am doing it without question. I have truly lost myself, and I think that I have found out why. Before I came to Wigan, I was really worried about myself and that was all. My companion was strong and he was doing very well, so I really didn’t need to worry about him. Now that I am here, I am worrying about the other 7 missionaries in my district all the time. They are constantly in my prayers, and my thoughts. I want to help them in anyway that I can; I am ready to do whatever it takes to get that done!

I had a really amazing experience yesterday. I had been feeling all day long that I needed to go out and work with Elder Mecham (brand new missionary). I had talked to him on the phone, and been trying to help him get settled in, but at church he still just did not seem as though he was adjusted. I knew that I could not ignore a spiritual prompting, and so we went on a mini exchange in the afternoon. I was really glad that I did that, cause I found out the reason why I needed to go with him. He is struggling to get settled into the way of mission life, and he has even been thinking about going home. He has been trying to get over those tough thoughts, and he has been doing ok, but I really think that I helped him out a lot. We had a good chat, and did some good finding. He saw how I work, and he picked up some good techniques. I am going to be working closely with him and he is going to be just fine, I am sure of that!

Liverpool – I really haven’t seen much of it. I went there on Saturday for a District leader meeting with the ZL’s and to be honest it really kinda reminded me of Manchester. It was different, but it still felt the same. I want to go and see more of it, and I know that I will get a chance to. We are going on a Church History tour for Zone Conference next week, and Liverpool is going to be a main stop. I am excited!

I am way jealous about your stake conference. I have gained such a great appreciation for church leaders on my mission! I love hearing them speak now. My whole attitude about church has just completely changed since I came out here. I love everything about it now. I want to go to activities, I want to go to General Conference. I look forward to Sundays. Am I still me???? I love this gospel, and I am so glad that I am a huge part of it right now. I am sorry that this is short again, but I only have an hour, and so that’s tough. I hope that you all have a good week! I am praying for you all the time, and I love you all so much. I am doing my first District Meeting tomorrow, so please pray for me!!!!!!!

Thank you for all of your support!!
I love you all so so so so so so so so so so so so Much.

Elder Neal















Elder Erickson

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

More Pictures from Neal - Received 8/12/09

Picture 1: Our Pet mouse (sort of)
Picture 2: Us with Karen (left) and Jenna (Right)
Picture 3: Me and E. Llaguno (amazing man)












Pictures from Neal - Received 8/12/09

Picture 1: Tom, Tom, Tom. That was a hard goodbye
Picture 2: Me and the Brox's (MY FAV FAMILY EVER!!!!!)
Picture 3: Doing Service
Pictures 4 & 5: (no description given)



















































E-mail from Neal - Received 8/12/09 (Pictures to follow!)

Hello to one and all!!!!

Yes, yes it is true. I am saying bye, bye to Blackburn. I am off to bigger and better things in Wigan!!! That’s right, the place that Lionel [Bienvenu, our favorite local Sportscaster] always makes fun of on “Soccer Tuesday” is my new area. That is not all though…… I am also now a District Leader. I am scared. Not as scared as when I trained, but still quite scared. I have a big district as well. Me and my comp (E. Erickson from Layton, UT), Sisters in Southport, the other elders in Wigan, and the Crosby elders. Yea I am scared. This is a big responsibility, but I am ready for it!!! I am going to work hard, and do all that I can to get things going here. The area is quite good already, and I am coming in at a great time, but I am still scared to be DL. The address to the flat is…

137 Wigan Rd.
Hindley
Wigan WN2 3BL
England

WRITE ME, ANYONE!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry that was kinda over the top, but hey what are you going to do. I am not sure how long this is going to be, cause I only have an hour on these Computers so I am going as fast as I can.

It was really hard to leave Blackburn. That has been my favourite area so far. I was only there for 3 months, but that doesn’t matter. We had so many good things going there. It was so hard to leave Tom, I actually think that that goodbye was the hardest. He has made the decision that he is going to serve a mission. That made my day. You are going to meet him Mom and Dad, if we meet no one else, you have to meet him!!!! Jenna and Karen were also really sad that I was leaving. I am going to try to make it back to there baptism, and I think that my chances are really good. They are amazing, and I am so glad that I got to teach them. They are going to be great in the church. Karen already acts like she has been a member for years. She told us that she only came to church with Jenna just to see how it was, and she said that she was only going to go once. Yea that has changed….. THE SPIRIT CHANGED HER!!!! I loved that area so much. If I had more time I would write you about all the amazing things that happened in the last week, but I don’t. I will write them down and get them to you soon. There were some miracles that happened that is for sure. Lets just say that the MTC came to tract in Blackburn and we now have another kid dated for Baptism!!!!

So yes I am now in Wigan, and I am really looking forward to it. I am close to Liverpool, and that is the Zone that I am in. I had to get to Preston today and then we took a train to Liverpool, then back to Wigan, it was good. We actually met a family whose son just got home. They all came back as a family to see England. We rode the train all the way from Preston to Liverpool with them. His little sisters were asking me all sorts of questions cause I guess I have been in England a long time. I know that 5 areas makes me sound old, but I really don’t think that I am. I am just in the middle some where right????

Well I am really sorry, but I am going to have to get running. I only have an hour and that time it approaching fast! I love you all sooooooo much, and I thank you for your support. I will be writing to you on Monday, and I will get my mind set into the 1 hour mode so I will get you a better letter.

Love you,
Elder Neal

Editor's Note: Pictures to follow in separate post.

Monday, August 3, 2009

E-mail from Neal - Received 8/3/09

Hello All,

What another amazing week this has been. I guess the miracles just keep flowing in this amazing work!! We found 10 (count them 10) new investigators last week. We were teaching like mad. We also were able to get 82/21!!!! We have been running around constantly, and that’s why I am tired. I do need to take vitamins, but remember Mom I am not in a third world country; I can just go to ASDA and get some. I am sleeping quite well though and I am taking naps on our breaks (when we get them). We are working hard though, and that’s the important part. I am loving this time so, so much, and I am so glad that I am here.

The weather has been fun though. It has been raining here almost everyday. They first said that August was going to be really, really nice, but then they changed that and said that it was going to rain the whole time. The past two days have been really nice though, so we are hoping for the first prediction. That is crazy that you are getting a ton of rain though. I guess that that is good though. We have needed it for so long! I am used to rain now. I have a nice umbrella that a member gave to me, and I am all set. My black suit has gotten wet more times than I can count though. I have decided that I am going to wear my black one into the ground. I am never wearing my new one except for special occasions and my grey suit is going to be my Sunday/meetings suit. I figure that when I destroy both sets of pants in my black suit that I can just go to ASDA or Primark and get a plain pair of black pants. I only have what like 9 something months left, I have really lost track. All of my long sleeve shirts are dying rapidly. All the left cuffs are gone. I am trying to make them last, but they are a lost cause. I am going to go look at some shirts today, and if they are reasonable I might get 2-3. I have one that I found at the flat so that would give me 4 and I could deal with that. I have started to man up and wear short sleeve shirts more now. If it stays nice that is all I will wear for the next 2 months, but I doubt it!

3 Nephi 11 – It was a bit more than just baptism that he told them to do. He gave them the Authority to baptize, and that is the absolute Key!!!! With out the authority we have nothing. That is really what sets us apart from everything else. I am so thankful for that fact, and I am so grateful for the blessings that I have received from that authority!!! The Church is so true it's not even funny!

So you want to hear something way funny about Swine Flu….. until further notice the Europe Area Presidency have banned handshakes and hugs. How funny is that?!?!?! The Elbow knock is becoming big among the YSA and the fist pound is big in the youth! I think that it is all a big scare, but whatever I will obey. Me and E. Llaguno decided that if one of us gets it, then we are just going to infect the other one so we are both down at the same time, and we don’t lose a ton of time being sick at different times. I have been laughing about swine flu a lot lately. Everyone in our ward has gotten it, including the bishop!

Tomorrow is interviews with President and I am really excited as always. I love chatting to president, he’s amazing! We will be in Chorley all day, which is also way good. The temple is closed for cleaning right now, and they are doing a ton of work. They are ripping out the back to ponds and cleaning up everything. I didn’t know that you clean perfection, but you can I guess! Transfers are this next week, so I will not be writing until Wednesday or Thursday. I am not sure what is going to happen. I think that E. Llaguno is going to train, but that is just my guess. I could move, but I could also see us two staying together for another transfer. We will find out, but I will let you know of course.

I think that that is all. Know that I love you and am so excited to be here. This is the best place that I could ever be. I love Blackburn so much! Stay strong and keep studying. I started the Book of Mormon over again and I just started 2 Nephi today! I am almost done with the New Testament and then it is on the Pearl of Great Price, followed by the D&C!!! I love the scriptures!!!

I love you all so much!
Take care
Elder Neal