May 26, 2014

Dear Family,

How I miss you guys so much. Every single time I read all of your letters it reminds me of home and how great all you guys are. Did you know that you guys are the best? Like seriously, I love you guys.

Well, we finally have a move-in date for the new Flat. We'll be moving in on June 10th. But there's a kicker. Transfers is the week right before that and I have been with Elder Cooper for 2 transfers now. But you never know! Maybe I will stay. But it's all up in the air right now. Lots of people are going home the next two transfers and they're going to need some new leaders to step up. 

This Wednesday we have interviews with President. I'll ask what President wants to do with me, then. But you can never be sure on things like this. Sometimes the spirit speaks at the last second, so we'll see what happens.  

This week has had some definite ups and downs. I went on an exchange with one of my Zone Leaders, Elder Grice, and we had quite an adventure. We had a car so we were going to take the Didcot Sister Missionaries home because Sister Bolinder has been sick for the past 2 weeks. But, on the way we had some car problems! The car started misfiring and it's a diesel, so that's bad. After a whole lot of phone calls and talking to three different garages and a very terrifying drive all around Oxfordshire we ended up back in Kidlington that evening. Then we had to take the bus and train all the way back to Reading! It was madness! So, it would be super great if I could get some $ on my card, pronto, because this whole exchange escapade has sapped all of my funds temporarily!!! And I still need to replace my ruined trousers... 

We also had to drop our long-time investigator, Tim, this week. His set religious views get in the way of him simply praying about the Book of Mormon. It's really sad. I was pretty gutted. Missionaries have been working with him the past 4 months and last Friday we put it all on the line and it didn't pay off. It's really difficult to put the gospel above your friendship with someone because that's what Tim is, a friend! But if he isn't willing to learn and progress... well... we have much better things to do with this time we have consecrated to the Lord.  Pray for his future, though.

That was one of the biggest things Elder Grice taught me. As a member of the church, we covenant to live the Law of Consecration when called upon. I think a mission is one of those times!

We have picked up some new investigators this week, though, and one of them looks very promising. Rio, from East Timoor. Great guy. I'll be sure to update you about him next week. 

You better enjoy Memorial Day as much as I would have if I was there!

I love you guys!

Elder Glasgow

May 12, 2014

Dear Family,

It was so nice talking to you all on yesterday! I really did not mind the madness at all. I just enjoyed seeing everyone. It was kind of strange, though, to see you guys. It's almost like I only think about you guys on Mondays and then Mothers Day and Christmas. My mind is just so preoccupied with being a missionary!!! 

I loved all the pictures you sent this week, too! It was probably the best week of  pictures that I've gotten, yet! 

Sometime I wonder what it would be like to be on the receiving side of the gospel - to be an investigator and possibly even a convert. Sometime I wonder if I had not been born into the gospel if I would have accepted it. It's a strange coincidence. I've come to realize, though, that the preexistence plays such an important role in our lives here on earth. I guess it was all in for me so heavenly father just had to put me in a family with the gospel so I would accept it!

It can be really difficult, though, to see people reject the gospel. We knock on their door and speak truths; pure truths, and then, being so numb and stubborn, they tell us to shove off and go bother someone else.  My life would be nothing with out the gospel!

To answer some questions...

1) I've realized that what happens in this life is nowhere near as important to what I am doing. Anything can happen but it's what we are doing, ourselves, is what matters. People can reject me all day but if I am out being obedient and working I will be blessed.

2) One of the best ways I've seen member missionary work is to invite a friend to a Ward activity and having the missionaries there, then simply introduce them! Let the missionaries take care of the rest. We're good at that. Another approach would to simply be an example. People watch you. Dare to be a Mormon!!

3) More effective scripture study should involve a prayer at the beginning and the end, with a question or questions on your mind, and a study journal handy to write down any impressions. Along with that, at the end of every chapter of "Preach My Gospel" there are ideas for study and application with some great ideas. 

4) Our goal as a companionship is to teach at least 20 lessons a week and no less - to reach out to at least 20 people and give them some truth. 

5) My favorite scripture is Isaiah 40:28-31. ''Hast thou not known, hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, niether is he weary.'' It ends with, "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."  

6) Finally, my relationship with Christ has become extremely personal over the past months as a missionary. He has made my life so easy. I've come to gain this mentality of being able to overcome any trial because Christ already has. It's really that simple. He shows me how to do it and I do it. His yoke truly is light and his burden is easy.

Theres a video on mormonchannel.org that talks about weaknesses I bet you guys would all enjoy. http://www.mormonchannel.org/youth-videos?v=1463164184001 heres the link. 

This week some of our investigators' College Terms end so the work should pick up a bit. Along with that we should probably be finding out if we got the Flat we submitted! Should be good.

Thank you again for your letters and encouragement. I enjoy every last word. Heres some pictures!

Love, Elder Glasgow

Pix: Cinco De Mayo Burritos, London Temple with investigator Tim, Holloway  University

May 5, 2014

Dear Family,

Thank you again for your wonderful letters. I love reading them every week. It's nice to know what's going on back in sunny AZ. Haha, maybe you guys should check the weather over here more often and you might appreciate it more. 

Today was a nice easy pday. As you can see, Its already 4:30pm and I just started emailing. Well, there's a little something called Bank Holidays here and let me just say - I might just despise them. The whole country just takes off the Monday around a holiday and all the Libraries shut down and it's lame. So, we're here at the Chapel today.

It turns out there is a Mission Burrito here! It's not Chipotle, no sir, not even close to Cafe Rio or Costa Vida, but I did stuff a burrito into my face 4 hours ago. It was awesome. I felt so Arizona-ish. My splurge of the month. 

Oh! so I'm guessing that you guys have not gotten the small package I sent Crew, yet? Hopefully it gets there before his birthday. If not, Happy Birthday Crew! you're 8 years old!!!!!!! I hope you like the card and present I got for you.

So.... I keep forgetting its Mothers Day next week.....I KNOW! I'm a terrible son.... I'm sorry mom. But I will be able to Skype you at 7;30pm, England time. Along with that I will be having to check my email every day due to our Flat hunt. I just sent you a contact request on Skype, sooo yeah, it would be good if you checked that.

AHHHH thats so cool for Mesa High Volleyball!!!! I wish I could be there. And send me Crew's tumbling video!!! 

Okay, so about me... this week has been alright. We've had some pretty good teaches with some of our investigators. We had to drop a few more people this week BUT we totally have a Temple trip with Tim planned. And I've got to say I am so stoked! I just love the Temple! You are so lucky. GO more often! 

The weather's been pretty nice to us, too, this week. It's been a little chilly - just enough for a jacket, and it was SUNNY the other day! It was great! 

Haha, so the other day Elder Cooper and I were running out of food to make so we ended up making a ''what we found in the flat'' soup. Man, it was delicious. There's a picture of me with it. I think it was the Cream of Chicken soup that saved it, though. 

Sad news, this week I totally wrecked a pair of my trousers. Like unusable. So I would appreciate it very much if I could get a bit of cash to buy some new ones. 

The search for a Flat still continues! We submitted one last week but President did not approve. He thought if we moved there we would be doing more gardening than missionary work. Something along the lines of being too spacious. Oh, and we're not looking for a 4-man flat, anymore. Only a 2, which is fine. Not much gets done in a 4-man Flat, anyway. Way too many boys. 

It's so strange to think that I'm thousands of miles away from you guys. It's unreal. And then I remember just exactly where I am and it's even more weird. Anyway, I miss you guys a lot and hope you guys are finishing up the school year alright. Whenever you find yourself thinking, ''how the heck did I ever end up here???'', just remember that those who walk on the straight and narrow path of the gospel are never lost, because we have a perfect example to lead the way! 

Love, Elder Glasgow