E-mail from Neal - Received 11/4/09

Hello all of my Snow bound family!!!

I am jealous….. I really, really am jealous. We have had nothing but rain the past 3 days. It has been interesting, but nice. I haven’t got caught out in the rain yet so I am happy about it still. I do miss snow though. I think that someone is going to have to take a drive up to Estes or I-70 or something and take some pictures, cause I need it. There is a sign on the side of a bus that shows someone skiing and a gorgeous snow covered mountain and it says “The Recession…… Can kiss our Snowballs” I laugh whenever I see it, and it really makes me want to go snowboarding. I will live though. I am glad that you all have snow though, at least one of us does.

I guess I should tell you that I am staying in Wigan with Elder Boahene for another transfer. There was some talk in the zone about be going Zone Leader, but I am not ready for that. Maybe soon, but not yet. The rest of the district is moving all around though. Elder Diatel is going to Rochdale to be a District leader, Sister Mather is training, and Elder Tonks is getting a new comp. I am going to have 3 new missionaries to get to know and love…. That shouldn’t be hard. I am excited for the new transfer though. This is going to be a good one. The work is really beginning to take off, and that always makes me happy! The Becoming like him activity is amazing too, and that has helped everything!! I will talk more about that later.

Halloween was great! We had to stay in after 5 because Halloween is much different over here than in America. Lots of mischief, and a white shirt and a tie make for a great target! We had dinner at a really cool members home, and then got to go to the Halloween party. Ashley was still an investigator cause she hadn’t been confirmed yet so we could go! It was way fun. As you can see from the pictures we went as the Men in Black! The ward loved it. We pulled is off quite well I thought. The party that we had at the church was very American. We had a trunk-or-treat, and it was a lot of fun. I really love being missionary!

Today we are going to the Temple!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so excited! I have jumped at every opportunity that I have had to get to the temple. We are going to be catching a bus here soon, and then getting a lift home with a member. It is going to be a good day.

Alright now it is time for the Becoming like him section………

I really could be here all day long telling you the things that I learned this past week, but I will just talk about the highlights. I will start by telling you that this activity has changed the way that I look at a lot of things, and it is only the first week! I am really excited for the other 8. First of all I am going to invite you all to do something. In the back of chapter 6 there is an activity that you can do and rate how you stand. Do that activity for the specific attribute on Monday, and then the following Monday, and see where you are at the end of the week. I think that you will be pleasantly surprised. I saw an increase in many of the categories. Anyways I think that the main thing that I learned this week is that Faith is Action!!!! I knew that before, but I am actually applying that now. My prayers changed this week. I stopped asking to be given the faith and strength to open my mouth, but I starting saying that as I opened my mouth, bless me with success, and strength and power. Power is given to us in response to faith. Miracles come after you EXERCISE faith!! I could give you scriptural examples, but we would be here all day long. That has become a strength of mine, expounding upon the scriptures that is. I really felt great power come to me this week. I have loved the study of faith, and now that I am on to hope I just keep getting stronger. I am really looking forward to the time that we are going to have when you come over (while I am still a missionary) to talk about this activity, it is going to be amazing!!! I have learned some really cool things, and I am so grateful for that!!!!!

Because of this study the week has been amazing. So many great things have happened, and I know that they have happened in response to our faith! As we act in faith the lord rewards and blesses openly!!!

Continue to study hope this week, and let me know how it all goes!!!

I love you all so much, and I will write you again on Monday!

LOVE,
Elder Neal