A & E...I dislike the Doctors...

So... this has been a great week. This weekend has been long and this next week will be absolutely insane. 
First things first it is so good to hear everyone is doing well and that school is starting. i can not believe it is that time again in our lives. Grandma officially has no grandchildren in High school ... only great grand children... yep mum ya'll are gettin' old. But hey so am I.. I'll be 23 soon, that's ridiculous. Well, to me at least. 
So this week we had a few INCREDIBLE lessons with Brian and Steven. They are both progressing so much. Brian is now getting baptized on the 29th of September. He chose it and feels good about it, but knows that nothing is going to stop him now. Poor guy though is hit with adversary at the moment, but still has such great faith that he knows the only thing that will get him through this tragic time is the gospel and his Saviour. I feel privileged to be one of his missionaries. He said that on Saturday night before we were going to come that he wanted to tell us to leave it for the night, but couldn't do it. Then when we got there we found out, after a while that he is mourning for the loss of 2 loved ones who a day a half prior had died suddenly and tragically. He just walks all day and night to deal with it, but he told us that he can't hide his emotions and what is truly inside from us. I gained a testimony of being a representative of Christ at that moment. When we are actually representing Him to others they can't withhold their inner most thoughts and desires. this week Brian had told us that when his cast is off he will borrow a  car from someone to get a lift to church and if that doesn't work he will run... ok people we are talking 24.5 miles here!!! This is dedication. He wasn't joking either. He kept saying when you find the truth you can't go back on it. How true is that. this gospel is true. It is the answer to every question and i have learnt that more than i can express here on the mission. people on the street LOVE to tell us all about their... lives... past present and future... good and bad, gory,sleazy, and so on... but with every comment we can come back with something gospel related. God is in all things and all things testify that there is a God.  Alma 30:44 But Alma said unto him: Thou hast had signs enough; will ye tempt your God? Will ye say, Show unto me a sign, when ye have the testimony of ^aall these thy brethren, and also all the holy prophets? The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the ^bearth, and ^call things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its ^dmotion, yea, and also all the ^eplanets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator.
Steven... oh my goodness from last friday to this friday he has read from the end of Jacob to Alma 42.. woot woot. That is impressive for an investigator I must say. Cool thing is he taught us the plan of salvation just simply from reading. when the sisters had taught him the first time he said that he didn't actually pay attention.. two gorgeous woman in your house... who would be able to focus on God.. haha or so he said. But now he has real intent. He knows 100% that God lives and answers your prayers. He is 80% sure that this church is true and 90% sure the Book of Mormon is the word of God. He said i feel just like all of you sisters described when i read it. You can't disprove it and he said I am sorry for trying so hard to disprove it. I am so pleased with his commitment and dedication to find out for himself. He said he will be baptized, but not until he is ready. It will be soon enough though :) The man just needs to come to church!! 
So, tomorrow I have the privilege of giving my DEPARTING TESTIMONY.... stop it. Too soon. Not right. I was excited about it till it became reality. But anyway it'll be my last Zone conference, so this is it. Crazy sauce. Wish me luck on giving testimony about the mission and life and what i know in 60 seconds or less... haha with me and my rapidly long winded mouth.... it'll be a challenge and super duper fun. i will cry and if not who's gonna bake me cookies? ya that's what I thought... no takers. it's the distance, init? 
Alright to the purpose of the subject above... A&E.. Accident and Emergency.... doctors, hospital. don't you be frettin' it was sister Javed not me. During Glenys' massive dinner Sister javed started to feel pain, not I'm full past the brim pain, but actual pain. She thought nothing of it though because of her full past the brim pain. So we go over to Brian's for a lesson and during the lesson I look over and see my companion in agony.. odd. but no offense to her, but she doesn't have high pain tolerance so I thought it was just carry over of the dinner pain and that we were on the floor. Back pain.. it happens. So as we are leaving she gets a bit ahead of me and comes back and says it hurts sooo bad. I didn't know what to do, so I said alright well we'll be home soon, let's just drop off glenys. Anyways she made us aware it was really really severe pain so we get home call the rasmussen's and they tell us to be better safe than sorry and go to the local A&E to get it checked on. So the Zone leaders come and pick us up and we get there at 1030pm. While we were there funny things happened besides the actual check ups. like these drunk guys come in (we had policemen right by us mind) and they were the harmless drunk sort and sis javed starts freaking out.. what if they talk to us and I say then we talk back. They aren't liable to remember anything anyways, but they were with it enough to have a conversation.. almost..  though. So they chat with us then go away and the police lady behind me starts asking us questions about what we do, who we are, why we do it, where we come from then we chatted about her and she said about how obsessed she is with america so we talked about that for a while and it was all really good and friendly. She asked questions and we answered them. She even said I had a nice soft accent.. I was chuffed. Anyways, so these drunk guys come back and sit in front of us again and start chattin'. ha They start talking about how badly they hate the police and just want them to get off their backs. so I asked them if i could give them advice to help them out with this problem... they were like ah yes please, thinking it was going to be epic, and I look at them and say, "DON'T GET DRUNK". They looked at each other and looked at me and said.. that's the worst advice ever, I said actually it's the only good advice you'll ever get. The policemen are dying laughing behind me!! it was the truth, what else would I say that wouldn't be lying! but if everyone were sober here the police would be out of a job. It's mainly daft drunks they deal with. Poor things. oh well. it was a good night i guess. the chairs there were super cold and super hard... but it is free, so i guess it is better than nothing. it was clean- that's a plus. But the doctors were so silly to Sis. Javed, they kept on with 'she's just being a baby'... hello could you have a little less tact. oh well, she didn't understand them anyways!! haha But we finally were released at 645am and were back in the flat by 730am. We were given the permission and guidance and counsel from president to sleep until sacrament meeting (1150 was the start) and then after come home and sleep and get better. It ended up being a urinary infection so they said, but this morning our mission GP called and asked a few questions. Because they just let her off with pain killers instead of an actual prescription and her symptoms did not add up to a urinary track infection he advised us to go back today and be reevaluated. We were there for HOURS... but it's alright.They said that it is actually a water infection and gave her antibiotics. So hopefully the saga is over. Bless her she does not like to be in hospital... neither do I if I am honest. but I wrote all my letters I wanted to today.. positive :) 
Family I love you so much i can't get over it. thank you for all you do for me. thank you for your support and prayers. I pray for each of you and I am so happy that you are all doing soooo well. keep it up!! love love love you! 

 Sista Fili

Dear Family,

       Man it's been a beautiful week. I love Wales.. rain. shine. rain. shine. I never have to worry about a drought.... nope filling up the tank for the rest of my life here in Wales. That's how I am choosing to view it. The members just say I will catch a cold, but I don't care. Brollies are for sissies.. ... when I say sissies I mean younger sister missionaries. of course. You just get used to it. The problem is that where there is rain there is wind and brolly's and wind don't work very well, especially if you want to talk to anyone. oh well. The Lord will protect me and it's all good. I love the rain though. I love walking in it and just soakin... and then coming home. so not coming home afterwards is kinda uncomfortable.. but none the less, I feel like i am sacrificing something minor for sometihng greater I guess. Weird? yep. This mission isn't full of scary things, it's not full of bad, yucky, no hot water flats, in fact we are spoiled rotten here. So being soaked is just great!!! That is what we have to make up for the rest it all. Rain.

       Brian= best man I have ever met... today. He is amazing. We had that lesson about being forgiven and repentance.. what it truly is. Since then he has made restitution above and beyond what he thought he was capable of. He came to church yesterday and just gloried in it. He knpows this is where he needs to be. The week before he had gone somewhere else and felt without. He is so excited for his baptism!! today I will send you a poem he wrote with a few other things i was planning on sending last week... sorry it didn't go yet, just crazy stuff here. I am so grateful for him. He is helping me see that there are such elect people that God is working with and the miracles are outstanding. I can not tell you how this man and his repentance process are a miracle. I will one day though, but not today over email. Still a little personal for the internet.

     Steven is donig well and is gaining the promise given in Moroni 10:3-5.. He has been reading the scriptures daily and even understanding enough to ask questions like, "if we believe in the BoM, and Brigham Young was a prophet of our church and read the same things I am reading right now.. then how did he miss Jacob 2?" hahaha I was dying. So funny. He is a total joker. But none the less, the power of God is working within him. He said as he reads, even when he doesn't understand fully, he feels something stirring inside. yay for the sprit and I know that it is true. I love this gospel so much. There is nothing greater than seeing someone else love it as well.

     The Jones family are some members in the Beacon Heights ward. Arnold nd June Jones are who I want to focus on though for a moment. The grand parents of the family. They served a mission at the temple in Preston and worked in the London temple all right after their son died in a tragic accident, not a car accident mind. They told me of some of their experiences and we just enjoyed time talking about the joy of the temple. Oh my goodness me i reckon I will take a temple prep lesson for RM's from them right before I come back. They said they would do it for me for a dinner appt. around that time. it is amazing the spirit that was in their home because of the type of communication they have, the spiritual things they have on the walls, and the fact that you can tell they LIVE the gospel of Christ. No doubt about it. I thought about it and I feel like our home is like that alot of the time.. well at least when I was there ;) But isn't it interesting that whjat we put in our homes reflects a different kind of behaviour. I think that is true.

     This week I have been reding 3 Nephi 11-18. I love my Saviour. I love His teachings. I love that He tarries with us and perceives our thoughts and the intents of our hearts. I love that He gives commandments that help us find, live and experience joy. Real joy. He warns us not of what HE will do, but of what SATAN will do if we do not live His commandments. In Ch.18 I was reading about the importance of prayer and of partaking of the sacrament. v. 25: "And ye see that I have commanded that none of you should go away, but rather have commanded that ye should come unto me, that ye might feel and see; even so shall ye do unto the world; and whosoever breaketh this commandment suffereth himself to be led into temptation." Now this verse in particular is talking about church and not dismissing anyone from coming, but the same can be applied to prayer. Sometimes we don't feel comfortable or worthy to obey these two commandments. Sometimes we lack desire to do so. When these times come and we feel no spirit, and feel as if God has forsaken us we must recognize that in the scriptures there are invitations that if read correctly also have warnings attached to them. v.7 "and this shall ye do in remembrance of my body (talking about the sacrament), which I have shown unto you. And it shall be a testimony unto the Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my spirit to be with you." If we remember Him we will have His spirit, but if we don't and infact reject what we know.. maybe we won't. but He never rejects us. v.32 "Nevertheless, ye shall not cast him out of your synagogues, or your places of worship, for unto such shall ye continue to minister; for ye know not but what they will return and repent, and come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal them; and ye shall be the means of bringing salvation unto them." God loves us. He gives us commandments that we may be safe from the adversary. Steven asked us why God is so strict and if we do anything wrong He will punish us. We were able to explain with scripture, "Wherefore men are FREE according to the flesh; and ALL THINGS are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, THROUGH THE GREAT MEDIATOR OF ALL MEN (Jesus Christ),or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and POWER OF THE DEVIL; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself." It is not punishment of God, it is punishment of the devil. We choose punishment or blessings. None the less it's our choice, until we give our choice to the devil so much that he starts to take it away and we are caught, but still if we turn to God with FULL PURPOSE of heart- He will save us. I know that to be true. I that God's comandments keep us safe, happy, and drama free.. if we CHOOSE to obey them. The greatest part is that we can live in full confidence knowing it is our choice.. so don't ever give it away.

I love you family. I pray for you always and hope that you know how much I care for you. I hope that everything made sense in this email and that it all came off how i wished for. I love being a missionary and just want to give him all my time and attetion for the little time I have left. I hope that I can do so and that you will pray for me to be able to do so. Life is crazy and I have ALWAYS been one to plan for the future, whether I am focused or not on the present. Right now i am focused on the present, but need help NOT to plan for the future in my down time.. solution equals no down time. i am working on this and hoping that you will pray for me. I just want the Lord to know how grateful I am to be His missionary and to be able to give my whole heart and know the moment it's over that I did so. No questions or opinions needed. Thank you for your examples!! I lvoe you all!!

oh aunt mell tell Tommy congrats on the engagement!! hope everything works out with getting to Peru in time!! super quick!

Romans 15:32

         Sista Fili

I Love Good News!

you alright?! (the british way of saying how are you... I used to think everyone thought I was doing bad)

so first off sorry if my sentences sound juvenile for the next 6 weeks... I am talking to a sister from pakistan, who speaks very little english, more than anyone and teaching her english but must explain things in simple terms .. hence the juvenile way of speaking in these last few sentences. It's starting to become how I think now too... what an issue. But there we are.

So announcements to respond to :

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUM!! (heather did I miss your's from ages ago and Davin and everyone this year.. don't you worry.. it will be made up for in 11 weeks ... dad thanks for pointing that one out!)

(oh ps sooooooooo sorry I did not say it last week. I remembered and all and was all prepped to write it and then I guess got distracted and never actually said it.. bummer.)

 

Baby baby- how did I know that would happen!! I love pregnant people. hey heather do you remember when you and steve first got married and i nagged you for ages about when you were going to have a kid.. now you are on #5!!! congrats!!

 

Aaron and Aubrey- that blows my mind, I am sooooo happy for them. you are right mum they will be the best parents ever.

 

oh My companion's cousin is serving in Mesa right now. She spends part of the day in the visitors center and then part of the day in her area. She is sis. Javed as well. If you see her- do talk to her.. she's stunning. Tell her hello and cheerio from me and ssiter Javed!!

oh I saw a picture of paul tieman in one of our ward members old missionary albums.. he served in the EBM too!! so cool.

 

I am glad that everyone seems to be doing well and that grandma is settlnig well into her new place. I had sent her a letter to her old address, but it didn't make it so I need her new address.. or I'll just send it home and you can get it to her.. ya? ok. I have some stuff to send today anyways.. so get excited.. I am excited too. you may laugh alot and that is good, it is with purpose.

 

This back half of the week has been great. It's kinda crazy to have 2 areas and be the only one who "knows" them both.. especially with someone who doesn't know what anyone is saying 2/3 of the time.. it's improving :) I can't imagine how she feels. Yesterday morning I woke up frustrated, lonely, overwhelmed, and very irritable... yes the natural man did overcome me... dumb!! ... but As I fasted and prayed for strength and listened to the talks I had more peace, but that did not solve it because to be honest the pressure just got worse. At the beginning of transfers everyone just loves to bombard the missionary who they do know and ask her loads of questions and what not, which is good.. but my mindset was not good. Alot of the questions were for things sis. javed didn't understand or that I needed to explain to her, but it felt doable.. just irritating when everyone is doing it at the same time. Right before our dinner appointment something happened that I am grateful for because the ice was broken. Sis. Javed is deathly afraid of dogs. Like literally won't go near it she sees it and either my arm comes off or I am in need of a companion because she is gone. It's kinda ridiculous sometimes, but there we are. Anyways, the family whome we were visiting didn't have a dog, but there was a dog just out by the front of it and she wouldn't move and got mad with me because I didn't tell her.. I didn't know the neighbors had one... . now understand we were extremely late for this DA and by this point the whole dog thing was getting to me because it's out of my control. I don't mind asking people who we know and know we are coming to put their dogs away, but how do you say that to a stranger.. you know? especially when the dog isn't even paying attention to us... so I didn't loose it, but I snapped a little.. oh so embarrassing.. but it's ok my companion will be the angel in a second because really that is what she is. An angel. She came to the door and said 'i know, this is my weakness'. I understand why it is.. bless, her cousin was killed by a dog. but that night when we got home i felt bad. I don't have too long of a irritable behaviour before I snap out of it and think of the jerk face that I can be... we talked.. man it took a long time of prying... like all of language studdy, for her to finaly open up. And the thing that impressed me was that she wasn't mad at me for snapping. She isn't ever mad with me for anyithng... she is so Christlike. She just wants to do and be the best she can be and it taught me something about becoming like Jesus Christ. It taught me that if we always look in to see our weakness instead of anothers than we will never judge another. She loves to say who am I to judge another when I am not perfect... I thouht alot about that. It is something I love to tell people to put on in their character, but then I thought about it... who AM I  to judge another? who is to say that I am not the only judgemental one of the bunch? Those who do not judge.. for realsies... are the ones that never tell anyone else not to judge. They only talk about their weaknesses, not others weaknesses. I am learning so much from my companion and yes sometimes it is frustrating, but why should I care? I am serving a servant of God and that is a privilege. She truly is a wonderful person and I am grateful that I get to learn from her for the next 6 weeks or so.

We taught Brian on saturday and it was amazing. He had told me the night prior on the phone that there was sometihng he was keeping from us... from the world for a long time and that he would tell us but that he wasn't sure he was worthy of baptism anymore because of it. This broke my heart to hear but saturday morning during my personal study I was reading 3 Nephi 9:13-22 and I knew that the Lord had something to tell Brian in these verses.. So I had left him Alma 36 and he read it and said I am alma... here's what happened (it's personal so I won't say over email) and then said and this is why I can't be baptized and I looked at him and knew that these verses were for him. So I asked if we could read them and on verse 20 he stopped. He couldn't read through all of it because of the tears .. and he said.. eventually... God IS saying this to me... this is for me. I knew at that moment that my Saviour loves His children. He knows us. He wants us to come back to Him and He has taken our sins upon Him that He might heal us from the imperfect state we dwell in while in this tabernacle of clay. In v. 15 Jesus Christ tells us "Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. I was with the father from the beginning. I am in the Father, and the father in me; and in me hath the Father glorified his name." Now how can I relate this to us.. well I am Sister Lauren Lee Filichia (I am not saying I am Jesus Christ or anything, aight... just read on ;)) a daughter of God. I have been given the power to help create life and other creative things here upon the earth. Before I came to earth I was with the father since MY beginnining. If I live worthy I can be in the father, and if I give my will to God the father will be in me and through me, as His daughter since baptism, I will be able to glorify his name. I saw this and thought about how blessed we are to have the knowledge that we have. No I am not His begotten son, no I am not the creator of the universe, no i did not give my life that God's other children might have power over death, but I am one of His beloved daughters. I am a creator of life as a mother... someday... and for 18 months and for the rest of my life I will give my life to the Lord's work that I might glorify His name and bring His daughters and sons back to Him to dwell in His glory. This isn't just for me, but for all of us. Our purpose in life is not different to Jesus christ's, it is the same.. just maybe a lot less painful and much more imperfectly done. We are to help God bring to pass the immortality and eteral life of man. not just for 18-24 months, but for eternity. What can we do today to have the Father in us and us in the father? 3 Nephi 11 talks about how they couldn't understand the sound of God's voice till they looked steadfastly toward heaven. it is no different now than it was then. We will not recognize it till we look to Him in our lives. How can we have our lives facing steadfastly heavenward more now than yesterday? I am trying to be more like my saviour and am not always very good at it, but it's not about being perfect today it's about progressing everyday and I know that we can. i  know that I am weak, but with God I can be strong and for that i will give my life to Him. Thank you for all of your prayers, your support, your love and more than anything your examples. I learn from all of you. My mind draws upon the different times when you all showed me who Christ is through the represntatives you are and because of that i will progress little by little (very little, I am a slow learner) each day. I thank you each for that.

Alright enough with the sermon.. so sorry.. everytime.. but I hope it is something that helps boost you somehow a little each week. Your emails do that for me and I am soooooo grateful for them!! i love you all I'll be seein' you!!

 

Sista Fili

 

Dear family,

wow that email from mum gave me all sorts of emotions. but my first question is how the heck did you know about my companion? so crazy. ya Sister Javed is great. I will learn alot from her. I am alittle overwhelmed though right now- two areas, only driver, now an english teacher, and I feel like I don't know any of it that well... even english... . But if the Lord calls us to it He will get us through it. I guess that's how everyone feels at home for sure. Poor Cherise- she will be in my prayers. I hope she is ok. How serious is serious- does she have her gorgeous hair still? Man, I can't wait to see these kids... ah my pride and joy. I hope they haven't forgotten me- one of my biggest fears for sure. Student council for the boys.. I love it. Following in the family footsteps. I  hope they all know how proud I am of them. They best be ready for a massive cooch (hug) when I get home.

This whole transfers thing was kinda insane though. On Monday night we get the call and I was actually supposed to be serving with 2 sisters- Sister Javed AND Sister Matapo (from Africa). I was not opposed to either at all, but I felt weird about Sister Matapo in this area, but pushed it aside thinking that it was no big deal. Well the next day I still felt uneasy. We spent loads of time with the Zone leaders and discussed it and no mtter what they said to put me at ease it didn't work. So we go to a members house and told them who was coming and my feelings were confirmed with one comment from them and I knew I had to make a call that I was not excited about at all. So I called and they said they would think on it. I guess president went to sleep that night and felt my concern, he too knew that the original was not right, so a move was made and we got a call yesterday morning about a sister McRae coming with us and this made me feel good, she could drive- and speak english- pressure simmered down! So we get to transfers and president calls us all in to his office and the final decision was that sister mcrae be sent to stamford with sister giles and sister matapo so that she can drive because they can not. Sos that is how it ended up just sister javed and I. i feel that this is right though. Although I feel overwhelmed I have confidene that all will be but a small moment and it will teach me more than I ever thought possible. This is my future family prep right here. i am becoming a few different roles, but I know that it will be fun and glorious because let's face it- this is the Lord's work. What isn't amazing about that. I will miss sister nelson and sister Laborero though- they are like sisters to me. It was an amazing transfer, but I am glad that we can all feel so confident about the way things are and just feel privileged that God allowed us to be together for those 6 weeks.

So this last week we had an exchange with Sisters from new castle Emlyn. Sister |benson came to me and Sister Nelson and sister laborero went there with sister lafevre from ...ARIZONA BABY. yeah she be cool. ASnyways it was fun- we got completely drenched. the first picture is us when we though the rain was heavy- it got worse and then we had to run for cover and go home and change- like anyone would let our soaking bodies in like that!. 

Then this sunday Brian came to church... who by the way has a baptismal date for the 1st of september!!! He is so elect.. kinda not sure if his mind is alittle gone or not, but still this person has been touched by the masters hand and is ready to make chagnes and come to God. At church he bore his testimony and just lvoed it. trhe scarament meeting really was incredible. I can't say enough how amazing it was. A few people bore their testimony who have lost someone close recently to them and it was brilliant the spirit that was felt. We later found out that brianm has not only lost his wife, but his daughter as well. He lost them 7 days apart. My heart goes out to this man, and my glory goes to God for knowing and prompting others to give their feelings on the plan of salvation. So then we look over and guess who is in our congregation- only sister mitt romney. ha the woman is welsh!! I guess they were doing some tour on her family history and she has a horse in the olympics... man they are posh. She is goregous. i have never felt so unfit in all my life than I did stood next to her. But I guess you can only expect that. You want to know what she said about the election though............. ya I thought you would... she said, no matter what the polls say, she knows her husband will win- it has been written.... whoa. That's kind of a big deal. Too bad the Brits don't fancy him. All of a sudden everyone told us this... but we refrained from too much discussion. it's not like we have much to say but ok didn't know that I've only been gone for... all of it. but still it was cool. We got a picture with the future first lady... first mormon first lady in fact! haha. Who knows. I think Sister Laborero was more excited than us Americans though- funny girl.

it's been an amazing week and I am grateful for the tender mercies of God all around us- really there is nothing better than when you take the time to notice and then humility is spread all over you and all you feel is a deep sense of love and gratitude. If only everyone could just take sometime to look around them and notice the beauties of the world. I don't think then as many would not believe in God. He is everything to us and I am grateful for His sacrifice. I know that my purpose here is being fullfilled and that today with this new transfer my mission can begin today. I may only have 12 weeks left, but in those 12 weeks i pray that I will be the best instrument for the Lord that I can be. I love this work. I love being a missionary. I love new beginnings and I love challenges. When I am not being challenged I know that there is something wrong and then another transfer comes. God does here our prayers and I know Sister Javed was an answer to mine. I hope that you all know how I pray for you. Good luck with school beginning again mum and I pray that Grandma continues to settle in well in her new home. I miss you all. Love you!!

I'll be seeing you :) Cheers!!

 

 Sista Fili