December 5, 2011

We saw drastic improvements this week. We went from teaching nobody all week long to finding 4 new investigators and scheduling 3 of them for baptism. Woo! We weren't even able to schedule 3 most weeks in Leeds 5! We dedicated all our efforts this week on building our teaching pool, and it's beginning to take form now. Of course, we cannot be satisfied with this since a teaching pool of 4 is still very small, but it's a good foundation, especially since 3 are scheduled to be baptized before the end of this year. I got too comfortable with Leeds 5, having a very experienced trainer and working in a very blessed area, so the lesson the Lord is teaching me here in Grimsby I'm sure has a lot to do with diligence, full-hearted work, and patience. I was told by one of the APs today, Elder Turvey, who
I grew pretty close to in Leeds, that I was sent to Grimsby for a very specific reasonl He didn't know what, but he said it was a very speiritual experience when they were doing transfer work with President Lindley and the inspiration came to send two extra elders to Grimsby, which is known as a tough area for missionaries. For whatever reason, they knew it should be me and Elder Dundee serving here, even though we are both very inexperienced and opening up a new area. It's a new week now and after having a much needed P-day, we are ready to get right back out to work to build up our teaching pool again. We had a really fun P-day today. We took an 1-1/2 hour train ride to Doncaster where the Hull Zone played both American and English football against the Sheffield Zone, and afterward we had Dominoes (it costed 225 Euros for the whole two zones) and watched Kung Fu Panda 2. We also had a Secret Santa, which missionaries use each year as an opportunithy to get gag gifts for other elders. I had Elder Blome in Sheffield and I got him a Twilight beauty kit, and one of the missionaries with me in the MTC, Elder Lee, got me a sock (inside joke) with some Pokemon cards in it.
I have gotten to like a few things I never ate before. Well, maybe not like, but tolerate. I can eat brocolli, cauliflower, green beants, mashed potatoes doused in cheese or butter, and even brussel sprouts. I also like two of the traditional English Christmas desserts most missionareis don't being fruit cakes (if they're warm) and minced pies.
Gotto go. Love, Elder Winder