Sister Gaffney with her companion (trainer) Sister Muhlmann
Hey Everyone!
I'm in the field now!! It is so exciting. I am loving it! The area that I'm in is called Newcastle Emlyn and it is fantastic. It is a really big area so we have a car! It is just like Cornwall, cute, green and even comes with the little roads that you can only fit one car on! I love it and it makes me feel so at home. My companion is Sister Muhlmann. She is German and is from Munich! (Yes Dad I told her that you live there ;) haha) She is totally fantastic! When we had our interviews with President, he asked us to give him 3 words that we wanted our companion to fit. Mine were hardworking, compassionate and fun. She is definitely all 3!!! I couldn't have asked for a better trainer. She is brilliant.
The zone leaders, district leaders and sister training leaders all love the fact that I am English and when we spoke to them on the phone, they all loved my accent haha. I wasn't fazed, I've had Americans copying my accent for the last 2 weeks. (Sister Stewart you are amazing at it. :P) I really love being in the mission field but I do miss the MTC and everyone that was there with me.
So on Thursday last week we went finding in Manchester. They literally just put us on a bus and dropped us off in 2 different areas. It was so scary! We did pretty good though I think and by the end we were more confident with approaching people. I feel like a pro now though... we do it A LOT. One tip I have, don't go up to a group of young guys and try to talk with them... It is horrible. Me and Sister Sorenson learnt that the hard way unfortunately. It will not happen again!
Friday and Saturday were pretty much the same as the rest of the time at the MTC. We had classes all day and were tired for pretty much all of the day. It is still great though and the Spirit is super strong all day at the MTC, even during meal times. It really is like a mini EFY only with a lot more Americans.
Sunday was so great. I loved being in Sacrament meeting with a room full of missionaries and hearing the missionaries talk too. It was one of the best sacrament meetings that I have been in. I would go to that meeting every week if I could. We had an awesome activity in the afternoon too. It was a music activity and we sang I am A Child of God in 11 different languages. That was very cool! I couldn't say half of the words, let alone sing them lol. We also sang the EFY medley. The Elders gave me goosebumps when they started to sing. It was 100 times more powerful than at EFY and there must have been 10 times less people in the room.
Testimony meeting was my favourite part of the MTC experience by far. I have never felt the Spirit more strong then I did in that meeting. We started off the meeting with a musical item. It was 4 people from my district. There was me, Sister Sorenson, Elder Passey and Elder Laird. We sang I Know That My Redeemer Lives and at the harmony part, we all sang the different parts. I sang the soprano part. I think it sounded great and we did get told afterwards that it sound great! I was super happy with it. So proud of the four of us. Everyone in our zone shared their testimony in the meeting and the spirit there was amazing. At some point I found my self at the podium too. It surprised me haha. We sang How Great Thou Art and I had the most incredible spiritual experience of my life! I couldn't sing the majority of the song because I was stunned and in tears. It was an experience that I won't share in this email but I will never ever ever forget it.
Monday was lessons again but we also had our last day with our District. So we took photos and got to see Elder Holt's dancing once again... It is so hilarious to watch. Brother Ibba started to join him too and I'm not really sure how it happened but we were all singing Backstreet Boys, N-Sync and One Direction by the time it got to snack time. I miss my District!!! :'(
Tuesday was just a blur to me. We had different lessons to prepare us for going into the mission field. It was a great day and we even got a special performance/skit thing at the end from all of our teachers. That was really funny and obviously the acting was spot on... Maybe... Or not.
We got to go to the temple for the Tuesday night session as the last thing at the MTC. It was so amazing. I love going to the temple and Preston temple is just beautiful. I loved sitting in there with all the missionaries on our last night together. We went outside and were taking photos for ages too. That was pretty awesome as well and I love looking at the photos when I get a spare minute.
So Wednesday was a pretty early start, 5 o'clock give or take a few minutes! We had packed the majority of our stuff the night before and just had a couple of things to chuck in that we used in the morning. I managed to get all my stuff in the suitcase and close it without sitting on it! (Aren't you proud momma?!) I do think it weighed like twice as much somehow though.
The Elders were pretty tired on the bus and a lot of them fell asleep. I was running on nervous energy and my tummy was doing backflips. When we got to the mission home, President and his wife were waiting for us and apparently President already knows about my singing. It came from someone in the stake...I think he said that my Bishop told him. We had lunch and interviews etc and then we met our companions.
After I met Sister Muhlmann it was time to go. We had a really long drive ahead of us. I think it took us 5 hours to get to our flat. We were both exhausted. By the time we had eaten dinner and I had unpacked, it was time for daily planning and bed.
In the last few days, everything has been all about God's children. We met with some investigators and less-actives and we went finding too. One of the people that I GQ'ed (street-contacted) wants to see us again so we are having a lesson with her on Tuesday. She's Irish too so I am uber excited. We also have a lesson with another potential that we met whilst tracting. She is friends with a girl in the ward and seemed really keen on gaining a belief for herself. I am really looking forward to teaching them both. I can't wait! My companion keeps telling me that I am a star and that I act like I have already been a missionary for ages. I don't believe her though and still feel pretty nervous about talking to people. It isn't as bad as I thought it was going to be though and I do love doing it. We have had some pretty rude people as well which wasn't fun but I am not going to let it get me down.
Yesterday at church we had 2 investigators there and 2 of the less-actives. We are seeing miracles already! I also asked one of the investigators to get baptized and she said yes! Her date is set for the 30th of August! It is so exciting. We phoned President Rasmussen to tell him and both he and Sister Rasmussen were so excited! It was an amazing feeling when she said yes. I loved it and want to ask everyone to be baptized!
Samuel Hawkins if you are reading this, WHERE ARE MY EMAILS?! I'm waiting! Haha.
I miss you all so much and I can't wait to tell you more about my mission each week.
This really is the Lord's work and he is blessing me everyday for being here. This is where I am meant to be and I know I am doing the right thing!Ether 12:12 - Show him your faith and you will se miracles. This is so true and I have seen it already!
I love you all and love reading your emails!
Love Sister Gaffneyxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I'm in the field now!! It is so exciting. I am loving it! The area that I'm in is called Newcastle Emlyn and it is fantastic. It is a really big area so we have a car! It is just like Cornwall, cute, green and even comes with the little roads that you can only fit one car on! I love it and it makes me feel so at home. My companion is Sister Muhlmann. She is German and is from Munich! (Yes Dad I told her that you live there ;) haha) She is totally fantastic! When we had our interviews with President, he asked us to give him 3 words that we wanted our companion to fit. Mine were hardworking, compassionate and fun. She is definitely all 3!!! I couldn't have asked for a better trainer. She is brilliant.
The zone leaders, district leaders and sister training leaders all love the fact that I am English and when we spoke to them on the phone, they all loved my accent haha. I wasn't fazed, I've had Americans copying my accent for the last 2 weeks. (Sister Stewart you are amazing at it. :P) I really love being in the mission field but I do miss the MTC and everyone that was there with me.
So on Thursday last week we went finding in Manchester. They literally just put us on a bus and dropped us off in 2 different areas. It was so scary! We did pretty good though I think and by the end we were more confident with approaching people. I feel like a pro now though... we do it A LOT. One tip I have, don't go up to a group of young guys and try to talk with them... It is horrible. Me and Sister Sorenson learnt that the hard way unfortunately. It will not happen again!
Friday and Saturday were pretty much the same as the rest of the time at the MTC. We had classes all day and were tired for pretty much all of the day. It is still great though and the Spirit is super strong all day at the MTC, even during meal times. It really is like a mini EFY only with a lot more Americans.
Sunday was so great. I loved being in Sacrament meeting with a room full of missionaries and hearing the missionaries talk too. It was one of the best sacrament meetings that I have been in. I would go to that meeting every week if I could. We had an awesome activity in the afternoon too. It was a music activity and we sang I am A Child of God in 11 different languages. That was very cool! I couldn't say half of the words, let alone sing them lol. We also sang the EFY medley. The Elders gave me goosebumps when they started to sing. It was 100 times more powerful than at EFY and there must have been 10 times less people in the room.
Testimony meeting was my favourite part of the MTC experience by far. I have never felt the Spirit more strong then I did in that meeting. We started off the meeting with a musical item. It was 4 people from my district. There was me, Sister Sorenson, Elder Passey and Elder Laird. We sang I Know That My Redeemer Lives and at the harmony part, we all sang the different parts. I sang the soprano part. I think it sounded great and we did get told afterwards that it sound great! I was super happy with it. So proud of the four of us. Everyone in our zone shared their testimony in the meeting and the spirit there was amazing. At some point I found my self at the podium too. It surprised me haha. We sang How Great Thou Art and I had the most incredible spiritual experience of my life! I couldn't sing the majority of the song because I was stunned and in tears. It was an experience that I won't share in this email but I will never ever ever forget it.
Monday was lessons again but we also had our last day with our District. So we took photos and got to see Elder Holt's dancing once again... It is so hilarious to watch. Brother Ibba started to join him too and I'm not really sure how it happened but we were all singing Backstreet Boys, N-Sync and One Direction by the time it got to snack time. I miss my District!!! :'(
Tuesday was just a blur to me. We had different lessons to prepare us for going into the mission field. It was a great day and we even got a special performance/skit thing at the end from all of our teachers. That was really funny and obviously the acting was spot on... Maybe... Or not.
We got to go to the temple for the Tuesday night session as the last thing at the MTC. It was so amazing. I love going to the temple and Preston temple is just beautiful. I loved sitting in there with all the missionaries on our last night together. We went outside and were taking photos for ages too. That was pretty awesome as well and I love looking at the photos when I get a spare minute.
So Wednesday was a pretty early start, 5 o'clock give or take a few minutes! We had packed the majority of our stuff the night before and just had a couple of things to chuck in that we used in the morning. I managed to get all my stuff in the suitcase and close it without sitting on it! (Aren't you proud momma?!) I do think it weighed like twice as much somehow though.
The Elders were pretty tired on the bus and a lot of them fell asleep. I was running on nervous energy and my tummy was doing backflips. When we got to the mission home, President and his wife were waiting for us and apparently President already knows about my singing. It came from someone in the stake...I think he said that my Bishop told him. We had lunch and interviews etc and then we met our companions.
After I met Sister Muhlmann it was time to go. We had a really long drive ahead of us. I think it took us 5 hours to get to our flat. We were both exhausted. By the time we had eaten dinner and I had unpacked, it was time for daily planning and bed.
In the last few days, everything has been all about God's children. We met with some investigators and less-actives and we went finding too. One of the people that I GQ'ed (street-contacted) wants to see us again so we are having a lesson with her on Tuesday. She's Irish too so I am uber excited. We also have a lesson with another potential that we met whilst tracting. She is friends with a girl in the ward and seemed really keen on gaining a belief for herself. I am really looking forward to teaching them both. I can't wait! My companion keeps telling me that I am a star and that I act like I have already been a missionary for ages. I don't believe her though and still feel pretty nervous about talking to people. It isn't as bad as I thought it was going to be though and I do love doing it. We have had some pretty rude people as well which wasn't fun but I am not going to let it get me down.
Yesterday at church we had 2 investigators there and 2 of the less-actives. We are seeing miracles already! I also asked one of the investigators to get baptized and she said yes! Her date is set for the 30th of August! It is so exciting. We phoned President Rasmussen to tell him and both he and Sister Rasmussen were so excited! It was an amazing feeling when she said yes. I loved it and want to ask everyone to be baptized!
Samuel Hawkins if you are reading this, WHERE ARE MY EMAILS?! I'm waiting! Haha.
I miss you all so much and I can't wait to tell you more about my mission each week.
This really is the Lord's work and he is blessing me everyday for being here. This is where I am meant to be and I know I am doing the right thing!Ether 12:12 - Show him your faith and you will se miracles. This is so true and I have seen it already!
I love you all and love reading your emails!
Love Sister Gaffneyxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx