London life

   
                                           

Hello

How are you doing?

This week has been crazy. I didn't expect to spend so much time in an

office, but there is so much to do. I don't want to bore you, but I do

actually really enjoy the office work. It's really cool to see the

mission from a different perspective. In my time as a zone leader, I

learnt that the Holy Ghost helps you to not only think about the

missionaries you are looking after but also feel the way they are

feeling and sense what they need to improve. This feeling has

noticeably increased since I came to London and it has been a very

sweet experience. Me and Elder David are working well together, we

understand how each other operates and we are able to teach and train

quite successfully with one another. Elder David has some great

qualities, I admire his drive to succeed, for example - I remember in

London North him trying to pick up a few phrases from different

languages, he would get investigators to write down things to say and

he would study them religiously. I remember thinking to myself, 'how

long will that last?' These days he can speak to most nationalities we

meet in their native tongue for atleast enough time to win them over

and then his personality comes out and they are engaged for another 10

minutes minimum. He's brilliant and I love serving with him again.

So this week we had the mission wide leadership conference - 2/3 of

the district leaders are brand new so it was a really important

meeting! A lot of learning going on and we had a visit from Elder

Watson - emeritus secretary to the first presidency - President

referred to him as the 'gate keeper' and said everyone had to get

through him to get to the Prophet ( he was secretary to seven of them).

Mike and Christine Stevens were showing him and his wife around London

- they said it was funny because they don't know London that well! It

was good to see them, I forgot how northern northerners sound!

                     
                       Mike and Chris Stephens from my home Stake

This week I went on exchanges with Colchester and Hyde park, I was

back with elder Johnson in Colchester with his new comp Elder Judy, we

had too much fun! And then my exchange with Elder Ballsteadt and Liete

in Hyde park was quite the experience. We taught together and found

people to teach in the underground tunnel between South Kensington

station and the chapel. Then evening time came - a member from

California called president and said he wanted to take some

missionaries out for dinner - president said to take the Hyde park

zone leaders as he thought me and David were out of town! So we headed

to a hotel called 'The Langham' on Regent street. That's right, regent

street. 

We met brother Quist in the Lobby, I was about to suggest we
go to a nearby burger shop, but he was quick to refer us to the menu
of his hotel restaurant. Btw, this lobby looked like a temple. 

He then said 'does this look good? Cos we have a reservation for... Now!'. It

turned out to be the greatest meal I have ever eaten. It took a while

to chose what to order because each dish cost more than my weekly

allowance for food. I said this to bro Quist and he replied ' well

it's a good job I'm paying'. It was incredible though, we all had

three courses, and we went home 3 very happy missionaries. 

Brother Quist is a stud, we had a great conversation too, what struck me about him was his faithfulness to the gospel, especially the covenants he

has made in the temple. I could really sense how integral they were to

the way he lived his life and the priorities he has. He has 5 kids,

and his daughter is serving in Romania, she was taken to dinner a few

weeks ago and when he found out he wanted to do the same to some other

far from home missionaries. It was a real treat and I'm sure will

inspire me and my fellow elders to remember to treat the future

missionaries we will meet to the greatest meal of their lives one day.

Anyway, I must go!

Here are some photos I have been taking with the iPad!

Hugs and handshakes

Elder Nolan

       Tower bridge, taxi, tree, bird from the window of our Toyota Yaris

                                         


On a massive detour, sneaky shard shot - just needs a young missionary
with a b.o.m or a kid doing some kick ups and this would be a money shot.

                                         


             Took this going 30mph - the bus lane is just a lucky bonus.

                           

            Lego tower bridge shot from a missionary flat window sill.

                             


                         Taken in the Mews next door to the chapel