Heading Back To My Greenie Area...Longmont

Nissa! Favorite Spanish group member!

HOLA HOLA!

Okay so transfers!!!!!!.....So in the Boulder ward we found out early on that the English sister were being swept out to bring in Elders. The ward had to know to work out housing situations and they totally spilled the beans. So we knew we would be getting Elders but had heard nothing about what was happening with Hermana Stratford and me. Then a few days before transfers Bro. Gourgouris (First councilor in our ward) was talking to Sister McDonald and spilled the beans that they told him that the Spanish sisters are just moving to a different members house. So then Sister McDonald spilled the beans to us that we were staying. So basically everyone knew about transfers before they even sent out transfer doctrine (voice mail with transfer information) So I was so happy to stay but Hermana Stratford and I were both a little bummed because we were kind of itching for a change. So come Saturday night transfer doctrine comes and we're like...okay let's just listen to the voice mail to see where everyone is going. They started out with missionaries leaving the Boulder zone and I hear....Annnnnd Hermana England will be leaving us. So of course I start hyperventilating and freaking then he says...And she will be going back to her birth place in the Ute Creek Ward in Longmont Colorado! I was seriously freaking out. So that's the news people. I'm headin back to my greenie area. Longmont here I come...again.:) 

These last few days have been really hard saying goodbye to everyone here. I have come to love Boulder so much. The people here are strange but some of the kindest most compassionate people I have ever met. 

Oh story time....So it was my last week in the Boulder ward and I had to leave with a bang so here's what happend...

Remember I told you about the Monreal family and how the Husband Humberto was in jail slash immigration. Well he is home now!:) So happy. So anyway they both come to church yesterday and I got to meet him for the first time and Hermana Monreal was so happy. Just beeming. I was so happy for them. So the meeting starts and Humberto signals for me and Hermana Stratford to come out in the hall. So we all go out and he asks us if he can go up at the end of the meeting to bear his testimony and thank the ward for their support. We were like...umm they already kind of have a program and tesimony meeting is next week so you can do it then. But he insisited that we ask the Bishop. So we signal to the front and Bro. Gourgouris comes down and we tell him so then he goes back and gives us the thumbs up. Humberto wanted me to translate for him but I wasn't about to make a fool of myself in front of everyone so I asked Bro. Coreson a kind Spanish speaking member of the ward to translate for him. So they actually had him come up at the beginning of the meeting and Both Hermana Monreal and Humberto start walking up. So he starts thanking people and the translation is going great. Then it starts to get weird...He starts sobbing and publicly apologizing to his wife for all these things he had done. THEN he (very dramatically) drops to his knees hugs her at the waist and is saying "Perdoneme Perdoneme!" While Brother Coreson is awkwardly still translating at the microphone saying...forgive me forgive me. hahah Poor guy. And Hermana Monreal is holding his head sobbing. Hermana Stratford and I just kind of sunk in our seats. We were like...woops our bad. hahah Oh well weirder things have happened in the Boulder ward. :) It's hilarious now. 

Anyway the reason that it is hardest to leave Boulder is because we have seen so many miracles these last few weeks. We are still teaching Danika and in our last lesson she explained to us that while she was watching this movie about Christ and another one about the restoration she felt something. She said she couldn't really explain it but she said it all made sense to her and she had this feeling in her chest. We explained to her that it was the spirit talking to her. We also read in the Book of Mormon with her and she is really gaining a testimony of it!!! Also Yolanda, (can't remember if I told you about her) she was a referral from the Elders and we taught her once before...we went back and she had read the intro to the Book of Mormon and had all these good questions. We taught her the first lesson and she accepted the invitation to be baptized if she comes to knowledge that it is true. She said she really wants to know and that she believes she can receive and answer to her prayer like Joseph Smith. Ahh she is so great. AND we found A FAMILY! Their names are Corina and Oscar. They were a referral from their trailer park manager. They are so willing to listen to the Gospel. She particularly had questions about infant baptism because they were about to baptize there little baby boy. We were able to read in Moroni 8 with her and explain the age of accountability. She loved it. She agreed with us that children are innocent and can not commit sin. She seemed so happy and just kept saying...that makes so much sense! It was the most amazing experience and really kicked off her testimony of the Book of Mormon. 

It is breaking my heart to leave these people but I have comfort they are in good hand with Hermana Stratford and her new companion Hermana Vargha (from my MTC district!) As well as the Boulder ward. I am so sad I will not be a part of the rest of there conversion story but I know Heavenly Father needs me back in Longmont.

The missionaries in Longmont have been saying that Bertina is struggling a little bit and I think that might be part of the reason I am going back. Whatever it is I have Faith that I will be able to find people who need the gospel there. 

Anyway so many of our prayers were answered last week! The work is progressing so much here! And I know it is there!

OH I almost forgot to tell you! My new comp is Hermana Soto who is from Mexico originally and speaks fluent spanish! YAY! ayudeme! Down side is that she has health issues and can basically only eat veggies and chicken. But hey I'll get super skinny. Boom! Mission weight issue taken care of. 

Sorry this is a novel....Davis...If you even made it this far. Perdoneme. haha 

Les quiero muchisimo!

Hermana England 

P.S. Oh and I forgot to congratulate Uncle Dan. He will be such a great stake pres! 

AND Mags for being in the Prom royalty. Such a babe. Proud of you for making a fool of yourself in the assembly though! Remember when I had to do the same thing but for homecoming and right before I went out on stage I bent over and the whole back of the prom dress ripped. So I just went anyway. Haha embarrassing. 

AND Davis. I'm glad you are staying and you like your new comp! 

Love you. 

Oh and dad yes I am still a Sister Training Leader 

Lunch with Gail before transfers!

 Nicole, me and Danny...

my Bead For Life family!

Saying goodbye to all my Boulder favs...

Gourgoun's family..love them!

Sister Plenert

The Hall clan...minus Bro. Hall... 

Laughing at this picture because we are not

suppose to have kids on our laps but Chasen

always clumbs on Hermana Stratford...

This is her trying to stop him :)

 The Benson's (minus Heather @BYU I)

Love them!

The Croppers...coolest couple ever!

Last visit with Monreal's and Hermberto

is out of jail!!!

I'm going to miss Boulder so much!

Service Is So Fun!

Big service project in Boulder!

Clothes drive for A Precious Child organization

We found some keepers...

 Elder Craft and Elder Jacson having fun!

Service is so fun!

This is an after Prom activity that the

missionaries help set up every year.  It is 

so crazy!  They decorate each room in the high

school with a different theme and games...

It was such a cool missionary opportunity!  

Everybody asked who we were and what we do!

We talked especially to one woman who was

pretty interested in learning. I'm sure the

Broomsfield Elders got investigators out of it!

It was awesome!

We Have Another Spanish Investigator

Dying Easter Eggs!

Hey everyone, 

So it sounds like you all had fun in St. George and had a good Easter. Easter is so awesome! I love remembering what Christ did for us. And yes I did see the "Because of Him" video. Blew my mind. I'm obsessed! If you havn't seen it go look it up now! Amazing!

Thank you so much for the package! It was perfect! I loved it all! Thank you so so much! Hermana Stratford also loved her skirt and everything! We matched on Easter and looked pretty darn cute if we do say ourselves.

Mom and Dad! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!! Okay so I am a terrible child because I almost forgot...the other day I said to Hermana Stratford...Crap, I think it's my parents anniversary and I didn't say anything in my last email. Haha so I kind of remembered but sorry for being an awful daughter. Anyway I love you both so much! You are both my rock. Thank you for teaching me and raising me in the gospel. I am forever grateful to you. 26 years baby! You both still look as hot as you did on your wedding day! Which is saying something with the huge glasses and the puffy sleeves. OW OW! 

This last week was good but pretty hard to get appointments. Just like Davis said La Semana Santa made it a little hard with our Spanish investigators. But we did see an awesome miracle! One of the girls from the YSA ward served her mission in Guatemala and she goes to these Spanish mingle things. Anyway long story short one of the Hispanic women, Bernita, in the group opened up to her about leaving her husband because he was abusive and asked her to come pray with her because she knew she was a missionary. She said yes but that she would invite the missionaries serving right now to come with her. So all three of us went and talked with her about her situation and the Love that God has for her. It was amazing and we are going back on Saturday to teach her more. She is amazing and so willing to listen. I am so excited to see her progress. Such a wonderful women. And it is awesome because we havn't been teaching in Spanish much lately so we have another Spanish investigator! :) yay! 

Well Easter over all was just amazing! As a missionary you really get to focus on the true reason for celebrating and I have grown to love and respect my Savior more this week. I am so grateful for Him. He is the reason I am here. 

Love you all so much! 

Love, Hermana England 

P.S. Thanks for all the emails. I ran out of time to write back this week but they are comin! :) 

P.P.S. Don't have too much fun at prom Mags. If that senior tries anything on ya just read him Colossians 2:21 

Matching Easter skirts...

Thanks Mom :)

Hermana Stratford can relate!

An Easter Message

Hola mi familia!

Today is Easter and I am missing you all lots.  I have been thinking a lot about family lately and how unbelievably blessed I am to have mine.  I just want you all to know that you are my world!  I am who I am today because of you.  I really feel overwhelmed right now because of how incredibly grateful I am for each of you.  Thank you for the good times, the bad times, the laughs, the inside jokes, the advice, the trips, the movie quotes, the time spent together...All of this has truly shaped me and for that I am forever grateful.

Mom, Dad, Dalton, Kenna, Davis, Maggie, Sophie, Bowen...you have each given me so much just by being my family.  Thank you for being you!  Thank you for your Christ like examples.  Easter is such an awesome day to remember what Christ did for us.  I know that He lived.  I know that He died for us and I know that He rose again.  I have never been so sure of anything in my life.  It is true.  It is all true.  We can use the power Christ has given us. Each of you have been instrumental in the building of my testimony.  You will never know how grateful I am for that.  

I love you all more than you will ever know.

Happy Easter

Hermana England

I Love Being A Missionary!

Pic with Aly and me...I love her!

Silvia being her Diva self...

Matthew and me holding Neilee's puppies!

So little!

Matthew painted our nail...

 Me kicking Adolfo's trash in 

an arm wrestle!

Only In Boulder!

Pearl Street Everybody...

Notice the cat on the guys shoulder!

Also, hula hoop girl in the back was their

interprative dancer!

I can't wait to bring you here some day!

  The "My Little Pony" car!

Dozen's of my little pony glued

to the top and roof of the car...

 Lizards someone glued to their car...

 No shoes required...

I LOVE BOULDER!

Miracles Are All Around Us

Russian B.O.M. to show Rach!

HEY HEY 

So I just wrote y'all on Friday...not much has happened since then so I will expound on a few things.

But first I will tell you about our awkward Safeway experience....So we being Preach my Gospel missionaries took the advice from the good book to be out in the open more so that we can talk to random people and find new investigators. So we decided that we would weekly plan sitting at the tables in the front area of our Safeway. First of all we nailed it because we started talking to these two teen age girls and one of them is totally a potential investigator now! Booya. The prophet and apostles know what they are talking about. Anyway after she left we finished up weekly planning and Safeway was going to close soon so we pack up our things to leave. We start walking toward the automatic doors and I am right behind Hermana Stratford. My A.D.D. kicks in and as I am walking I start staring at these people on the other side of the store (I'm a people watcher) Still staring at them we are about to walk through the door and all of a sudden I slam into Hermana Stratford. She just stopped super bluntly and I rammed into her back almost dropping all my stuff, with my head still looking backwards. There just happened to be a worker man standing by the doors who starts laughing out loud at us. Then I realize the automatic door didn't open and that is why she stopped so abruptly, so I start waving my arms up and down and jumping in front of the door to get it to open. Hermana Stratford (don't ask me why) goes in front of the exit door and starts waving her arms around and jumping to see if that door will open. With no luck from either door we finally stop and look over at the worker guy who now has another worker woman with him and they are both laughing so hard they can't speak. Super embarrassed we ask them why the automatic doors weren't working....When they finally stop laughing they tell us that they locked them right before we came up. Awesome. They couldn't have told us that any earlier? They then directed us to the door on the other side of  the store and still laughing at us told us to have a good day. So we start walking over but disgruntled from what just happened we run into each other again.....ya we are bright...For some reason Hermana Stratford  and I have those kind of moments a lot!

Anyway something AMAZING happened! Eva has kept in touch with us a little bit since she moved but we have been so nervous about her moving right after her baptism. We were working on getting her ward information so we could call her Bishop and get her fellow-shipped in her new ward but she would never send us her address. So the other day we get this call from her and she tells us there is someone who wants to talk to us. Then we hear this man start speaking to us in English and saying Hey we are here with your friend Eva. Turns out it was a senior couple in the Georgia mission. They had received a media referral to go visit her. We were able to fill them in that she had been baptized and needed the recent convert lessons. They assured us that they would get her in contact with the Spanish missionaries and help her be integrated into the ward. I was so happy I can't even tell you! I am so glad we have a church that takes care of it's members and is the same all over the world! And the biggest miracle of all is that WE never turned in a referral and we have no idea who could have! Graciela the woman she lived with here said she didn't know her new address. The Bishop and ward council didn't either. We asked everyone and no one knew. I am convinced that Heavenly Father just slipped that media referral in the system to make sure Eva was taken care of. Miracles are all around us! 

Love you all so much!

Hermana England 

Right after Hermana Stratford and I got our hair cut
we visited the Monreal's.  We were telling her that
we got way too many layers cut (Particularly
Hna Stratford, she had bangs around her whole
head!)Hermana Monreal just said...

"Oh that's how all the Mexican girls cut their hair!"

Then she told us how they "flip out" all the layers...

then she went an dgot her flat iron to show us!

Aren't we pretty!

I love spending time at the Monreal's

Craziest kids ever...

Conference Was SO GOOD!

Denver Temple!

Hey ya'll

First of all CHELS HAD HER BABY!!?! I can't believe she is a mom! That is so cool! The name Archer is adorable! Tell her I love her and I can't wait to kiss that baby to pieces when I get home!!!

So sorry about the no email last Monday we had to proselite all day because we went to the TEMPLE!!!!! It was pretty much amazing! I have missed it so much! This whole past few weeks have been basically the best thing ever!!! Sisters general meeting, General Conf, Temple, Cafe Rio!!! Who could ask for more! :)

The temple today was just perfect. I really needed that boost! I was able to see the new (not new new) video and wow it was awesome. I learn something new every time I go to the temple! Especally this time. I am so excited for the Fort Collins temple to be done! And guess what! Ground has been broken and they are beginning construction!! :) YAY! We are already planning Nielee's year trip to the temple! She is so excited! ALSO! One of our recent converts Graciella went through the temple!!! :) She is the one we made sopes with! I think I accidentally spelled them sopas last time...and mom they are not scones they are this delicious thing made with massa and frijoles and lots of yummy stuff. Anyway the temple is amazing and I am depressed that I can't go for another 8 months:( triste. Go lots for me!

OH. MY. WORD. Conference was SOOOO GOOOOD! Davis is so right! It is like the coolest thing ever as a missionary. After several of the talks I was like falling out of my seat and saying...."Oh my gosh wasn't that SO GOOD? Did you guys here that?! That was SO GOOD!" haha everyone thought I was weird...except Hermana Stratford because she was right there with me. haha  We were SO excited for Sunday morning session because Dankia said she would come...but alas she did not. She said her mom had something come up she had to help her with. At least she was doing service right? Hopefully she will come to church next week! Other than that session we watched it at the McDonald's. Some of my favs were Elder Holland about defending truth, Uchtdorfs about being a grateful person, Elder Oaks on the priesthood (We didn't watch priesthood session but they showed us his because it was so awesome) and Elder Ballards on missionary work and Preach my Gospel. I loved how he said it would be cool if members would right there missionaries about things they learned from PMG. :) So cool! Write to me about what you learn!!! But over all the coolest thing about conference was that I recieved some answers so specific prayers of mine. Not even just through what was said but just how the spirit taught me. So cool! Can't wait for the Ensign to come so I can study them more!

Okay so much to catch up on so instead of writing everything I want to and all my feeling on every matter I am just going to state the facts here....First, we had another lesson with Lithia and it was AWESOME! She agreed to take the lessons! Bad news is we will proabably have to hand her over to the Lafayette Elders because she is English and out of our ward boundries...we give them so much work! Your welcome Elders :) Fariba's husband was in town from Iran and we were super worried he would hate us or that Fariba would be in trouble for talking to us, BUT he was awesome! Super nice and wants us to go back before he leaves. We found a few new investigators :) Fingers crossed about them! The Monreal family (recenty reactived) have been doing great, their dad Humberto is out of prizon and in immigration (Good because his trial is finally moving but bad because he may be deported)

Anyway lots of things going on around here. We have lots of work to do! :) Love you all!

Hermana England

PS. Please keep Sister Taliulu and Elder Wengreen in your prayers, both of their moms passed away in the last few weeks.

Sister McDonald took us to the temple!

What a great day...

Watching conference at the McDonald's