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
