September 22, 2014

Dear Family,

Flippin' Heck! That's a baby! And it was born! And I'm 5000 miles away so I just have to sit here at this computer and wonder what it was like for all you guys. It feels so strange to think about it. I almost struggle to accept the reality of it all. Aubrey just had a baby. My sister! 

Who took all those black and white pix? Is that like a new fad now? Are they going on Pinterest? I bet they are. All you guys are so up to date on the tech ever since I left.  

Good news! Sometime near the end of the year/into the next, my mission is getting Ipads! I don't know all the details yet. I'm pretty sure they will be Ipad mini's and we'll buy them all individually and then take them home. 

Bad news (there always have to be both, we live in a fallen world, after all) I left my nice winter jacket in Oxford..... yeah. And it's starting to get cold here. Also more sad news, we didn't get to go LARPing, last week. We went to the caves, but didn't have any time for LARPing. The caves are called Chislehurst caves. Maybe dad the history major knows something about them? The are actually chalk mines and were used as shelters during the war. Sadly, we weren't allowed to take any pictures... so i don't have any. You can google it to see what it's like. It's pretty cool. 

Dad- LARPing, also known as Live Action Role Play is...more or less real life Dungeons and Dragons. You dress up in costumes, get fake weapons and then beat each other with them. It's great. It would've been super cool in the caves. We just didn't have the time, but it's okay. 

 

Grandma is done with her mission???? Where has time gone!!! I'm so old. Do you guys realize I turn 20 in two months? How does that make you feel mom and dad, child number 4 is coming up on the big 2-0h?! Oh gosh. Speaking of birthdays, do you know what would make everything really easy? Just send me letters and some pictures and put the money you would have used on me in my account. I'm realizing that everything in America is more or less here. it just has different names most of the time. And the stuff here is nice and I like it a lot. Like suits... suits here are nice!  We'll save $ on postage.

So John and Tasha weren't able to come to church and we've been unable to meet with them all week because John is always working late. I feel like all they need is to just hear the first lesson and then they'll be hooked. It's just finding the time to sit them down and teach them is the problem. I feel like Du already has her answer. She knows there is a God. She found it a long time ago. She just keeps rationalizing and doesn't accept it. We'll still keep working with her, though, so that her kids stay in the gospel. 

This week I also had to go on a 3-day exchange with Elder Herrod because he got the flu and they still had appointments set up. It was a long three days of practicing the uke and guitar, eating bacon sandwiches.  It was kinda like hanging out with one of my best friends. But now I'm back in real missionary life and I'm pumped for this week. 

Thank you all for the letters. I'm excited for all of you, especially for this new adventure of Aubrey and Tyler, new mom and pop, haha. 

Love,

Elder Glasgow

ps, I forgot  my shaver for the three day exchange, and Elder Ye is the best cook in the world!  Mmm-MMM!!

September 15, 2014

Dear Family,

You know, sometimes I feel like a goof just sitting here in the public library here in Woolwich because while I read all of your emails and look at your pictures I have the biggest grin on my face the entire time! I just love hearing from you! It's the best. 

​I'm glad Serena and Justin stopped by. Haha, when Serena told Justin she was going to visit you, mom, he said "hey, I wanna come, I miss Melanie", hahaha. He's a great guy. And ALL of his friends are on missions now. I think it's working on him slowly and eventually... When he sees what kind of changes all of us RM's have made, it will open his eyes a bit. Serena told me about Colton, too. I think it's just a matter of time. 

I really should start taking more pictures of my food. I had it going for a bit on the Isle of Wight, and now that I'm in Little Africa it needs to start again. I've never heard of Zigney. Most of the food here is from Nigeria and Ghanna. So, it's Gelaf Rice, Peanut Stew, Foo Foo, Pepe Chicken; stuff like that. I love it. 

Elder Ye (pronounced yeah) is just great. He's a convert of only 3 years. He and his mom found the church through his mom's friend who went to Salt Lake City (of course!) and they both joined pretty quick. His dad joined just before he left on his mission. He has loads of faith and isn't afraid of anything! Back home his branch is only about 100 people but the area has like 6 million people in it. Crazy. I love serving with him. He's also a really good cook, so I get to enjoy Chinese food. haha. 

John and Tasha and their two kids, Elliot and Harley, were at church yesterday! It was great to see them there. They couldn't stay for Sunday School because their kids were getting a little antsy. Next time they will come more prepared. We should be teaching them this weekend. We're also working with a part-member family pretty closely. Their last name is Xiao Ying. The mother, Du, still hasn't joined the church even though her two daughters Joanna and Kalleen were baptized about a month ago. Du struggles to come to terms that God exists, and now she has enrolled her kids in a Chinese school that is on Sundays, so her kids can't come to church. Elder Ye and I have prayed about it a lot and worked for a solution, but progress is slow. Either we need to find a different Chinese school, or Du needs to find God. The latter would be best. We also have some other RC's, Taylor and Mark, who are moving along nicely. 

I really want to get more involved with the members here. It sounds like the Sisters back home are on it. I'm so excited for Uncle Blaine, too! 

Today I don't have many pictures, just me and the Woolwich District at a Chinese Buffet, for elder Da Bisschop's birthday. Haha, funny story about Elder Da Bisschop. Da Bisschop means The Bishop in Dutch (he's from the Dutch part of Belgium) and his dad is a Bishop! So, he's Bishop The Bishop! haha. 

Today I'm going LARPing with a couple of missionaries in the Zone, in some caves, so I should have some super cool pictures next week!

I love and miss you all. Thanks for the emails and pics

Love,

Elder Glasgow

September 8, 2014

Dear Family,

Where does the time go?!?  I feel like it was just yesterday we were talking about how I had already been out a year, and now I hit 13 months!  It's just crazy how fast time flies!  Thank you so much for the pictures and emails this week!  I just can't help but smile as I read and look at them all. 

It sounds like you guys are doing alright.  Life is continuing on, back in the good ol AZ.  I sure do miss that place.  All we get here is a bunch of gray skies.  Not exactly the most exciting thing in the world.  But it is cool when you get all the history with it. There's not too much of it over there. haha. 

Elder Ye and I are doing great. The mission is making some major changes and they've really changed the way we are working.  It's a bit of an adjustment, but it will be worth it.  There are people everywhere around here, and they, for the most part, are very religious.  Especially the Africans.  I just love it.  African culture is so exciting.  I love the food, too!  It's so different but so good. 

We picked up a wonderful new family this week!  Yep, it turned out I came all the way here to little Africa and the most prepared people we meet are mostly the Anglo's.  I have some very good feelings about this family, too.  The mother's name is Tasha and her husband is John.  John's parents are LDS but he only went until he was nine.  And Tasha has so many wonderful questions and is coming to church on Sunday.  We'll be teaching them once or twice a week from now on.

Last p-day we went to a place called Greenwich (that's "Gren-itch", in the Queen's English)  It was super cool.  I took a fair amount of pictures, too.  London is so cool! 

Brighten is Pregnant??!!  I always thought Avery and Wake were enough! hahaha.  But that's so exciting!  That will be two new faces to meet when I finish up over here! haha.  Aubrey, you are so pregnant, too!!! 

So, I found some really great books in the Flat that I'm now reading.  One is "Doctrines of Salvation", by Joseph Fielding Smith.  Man, I love it.  Studying church and gospel doctrine has become one of my favorite hobbies, since coming out here.  I just love learning about the gospel. And I want to share with everyone what I have learned!!! 

Chase - I'm pretty sure I have a letter coming to you soon.  I wrote it about a month ago but I just haven't had the time to send it.  I can't exactly remember what it says but just in case, I have some things I want to tell you.

The single most important relationship that I am so glad I worked to strengthen and develop, other than my relationship with God (which is inexplicably important), is the relationship that I have with our very dear Mother. I'll let you figure out why. 

Soooo... just so you know, I'm still keeping my eyes peeled for a suit.  And there are some sales going on right now....  Anyway! 

I just love it here. and I love to hear how you guys are doing. 

I love you all,

Elder Glasgow

September 1, 2014

Dearest Family,

I have now made it through 4 days here in Welling. It is such an adventure.

I don't actually live in Welling.  I live just south of the river Thames in a place called Woolwich (pronounced wool-itch).  There's probably some bits in the news about it every once in a while.....sadly not good news, if you know what I mean.  We live just 5 minutes away from a Mosque and there are churches everywhere!  So I'm in the Maidstone Zone, which is the farthest East Zone and my area is the most West of the Zone, so I'm the only one in actual London.  Woolwich isn't exactly too touristy at all..... nothing like Oxford, haha.  But, if we get permission from the ZLs we can go to the Wandsworth Zone (South London) and if we call up President he will let us leave our mission to go visit Central London, to see the more famous Landmarks, but that won't be for a few weeks.

Woolwich is really really busy with a lot of suburbs.  It's pretty dodgy in a few places, too.  But most of the people here are actually pretty nice.  They're willing to talk.  I love it more and more the longer I am here. 

The Ward is pretty awesome, too.  About half of them are African.  They make good food.  Plantains and Gelaf rice and chicken and all sorts of African stuff.  It's all real spicy, too, and I like it. 

You'll never guess!!  The Bishop is Mark Manning and he has a mormon.org profile. hahahaha.  Check it out.  It's so cool. 

My companion is the best. He's from central China.  I'll send you guys a picture of him.  He's so funny.  He talks a bit like an American though because all his comps have been American.  He's been here for two transfers, now.  

My District is only 4 Elders, though.  Just me and Elder Ye, and then a really big black Elder from Paris, Elder Embulu, and then another Elder from Belgium, Elder Da Bisschop.  They're all really good guys.  It's weird being in a small District again, though.  District meetings will be interesting. haha. 

So the week before I arrived here there was 4 baptisms, so Elder Ye and I are working with all of them now.  My favorite is this really nice Chinese family.  The mom has still not been baptized but her two daughters who are old enough were, and the youngest son will be baptized when he turns 8.  We just extended a baptismal date to the mom, Du, yesterday, though.  We're going to get her in the water on the 13th of this month. I hope she makes it. 

Our investigator pool isn't too massive right now, so we'll be finding a lot this week. But I have great expectations for the work here. 

It's so fun to be around Elder Herrod, too.  All 6 of us, my District and the ZLs, are in the same Ward, so I get to see him often. Today we'll be heading to Greenwich so I should be getting some great pictures to send next week. 

CRAZY STORY FOR YOU GUYS!!!! So on Tuesday, my last day in Oxford, Elder McCammon and I decided to go knock some doors around C.S. Lewis's house.  We found the actual house and so we knocked and a guy answered and we taught him!!!!  Sadly, he's leaving in a week.  But I taught a guy in C.S. Lewis's house!!!!

It's so great to hear from you guys. I love and miss you all. 

Elder Glasgow

(I was in Oxford Feb 6 - Aug 27, 2014.  pic of my last day in Oxford. )

August 25, 2014

Dear Family,

Well, as I alluded to earlier in the week, I'm moving! Yup, on Wednesday I pack my bags and I'll be off to Welling, a.k.a., South-East LONDON! Woohoo! I'm so stoked. My new comp is Elder Ye and he is from China! And my last comp, Elder Herrod is one of the Zone Leaders there! And one of my good friends, Elder Jackman, who was also my MTC District Leader, will be one of the Wandworth Zone Leaders, so he'll be just a few miles from me! It's all so exciting! I've a lot of stories from elder Herrod about Welling. It's kind of like little Africa. So I'll probably have lots of interesting stories for you all soon, and the people, and food. 

Anywho... Thank you so much for the letters and thanks for the bit of cash mom. It helps a lot. 

I always loved camping with Dad and the brothers so much. I definitely  plan on doing a fair bit of camping when I get back. I'll take Crew and Chase all over the place. 

This week was really good for the District and myself as well. We're still working with the Polish family and the Maxamiano's as well. The Maxamiano's make the most delicious Brazilian sweets ever, and our polish family is going to feed us on Tuesday, as well! I wonder what Polish food is like. 

I'm going to miss being here in Oxford a lot, though. I've made a lot of really good friends; missionaries, members, and investigators, alike. And now I have to leave them all. The work is going so well here, too!  An Elder from Switzerland is coming here to replace me as well, Elder Mossner. I think that's how you spell it.... it has two little dots above the o so I think it's German. Elder Astorga, my comp, is going to Southampton to be a District Leader, and an Aussie from my MTC group is coming here to Witney. So, I'm missing out on it all. 

Grandma is almost done with her mission?!! Where has time gone?!! Oh boy. Now I'm just thinking about everything that is going to happen soon. In three months I turn 20, then Christmas, and then it gets warmer, and them I'm home! GAAHH!!! 

*ahem* sorry, I'll get over it - like I always do. ☺

Read the Book of Mormon and study Preach My Gospel. Christ is simple, and so is the gospel, and the simple stuff is in there. 

Love,

Elder Glasgow

August 18, 2014

Dear Family,

Thank you so much for you emails this week. It's good to hear about everything that's going on back in the good ol' AZ. 

​I always loved going over to Preacher Canyon for Fathers & Sons and Ward Campouts.  Those were the best, even when it did rain a bit.  Still, fun stuff.  And the monsoons!  Oh, how I miss those so much!  The rain here is just so annoying and cold - not like AZ rain.  Even the thunder and lightning here is different.  I don't like it very much.  No comparison.

This week went alright.  I think there's been a lot of opposition experienced by the whole District, but really that just means something good is about to happen.  We had some good Service Projects this week, as well.  We helped a family move and then one of the Wards got together and we cleared out someones very overgrown garden.  I got to use a scythe!  It was so cool!  Sadly, I don't have any pictures.... maybe the Tanner's took some. I'll have to ask on Thursday though... hmm.  But it was super cool! 

So, Oxford is quite the diverse place.  In just one day we can meet anyone from Nigeria to Brazil to Australia and everywhere in between.  You can meet a Catholic, a Jew, a Muslim, a Born Again, a Hindu, an Atheist, and another Latter-Day Saint all in one day!  It's really cool.  I'm always picking up new words in different languages, too. 

So, next week is Transfer, and I feel like my time here in Oxford may be coming to a close.  We had interviews with President on Friday and I asked him about it.  He hasn't made any of the calls yet, so he couldn't tell me for sure.  But he hinted a bit to me getting out of here.  We'll find out on Saturday... oh well. 

How many baptisms has the Windsor Ward had since I left?!  It seems like another person is getting baptized every other week!!!!  The Ward is going to be so different when I get back!

I heard about Truman (Crocket).  That's so cool he's leaving already.  And I heard Tyler (Whitehead) is already out there, too!  I saw what Hamilton (Crocket) was up to the other day.  He's a Zone Leader in Punta Arenas - the coolest place in all of Chile to be! 

This coming week should be good.  We have two families we are working with, a Brazilian one and a Polish one.  I can't spell either of their last names so we'll just leave it at that. haha.   We're also going to have a work-over with the Zone Leaders on Friday and then someone in the ward is getting married on Saturday and we'll be helping out with that as well!  Lots to do!

I love all you guys.  I'll be sending some letters soon, too.

Elder Glasgow

(Another pix set with the Harry Potter Hogwarts connection to Oxford Divinity College...)

August 11, 2014

Dear Family,

Thank you so much for the letters and pictures. I just loved every last one of them. I always loved going with all of you to California. Some great memories were made there. Now I have a comp that is from there, so I may just go more often now... haha. 

This week has been super great for myself and the District. We had 2 baptisms, and I had to interview them. They weren't exactly your run of the mill interviews, either. One was a nine year old named Hillary and the other was a Romanian guy named Gabriel. My interview with Hillary was nice and simple. She was so excited to be baptised and it has really blessed her family. They have been inactive for quite some time but the dad, George, has been coming out awhile now so he was able to baptize his daughter. 

Gabriel, man, let me tell you about Gabriel. He's from Romania. The Witney Elders found and taught him. His english isn't super great but luckily one of our Zone Leaders is from Romania, so he was able to help Elders Astorga and Fairbourn, and he interpreted for me during the baptizmal interview. haha. Gabriel has such a strong testimony. All he wants to do is follow the Savior. When he goes back home he has 32 people that he knows who want to be baptized! It's like something out of an Ensign article. Elder Popa, the Romanian ZL; his parents are going to go visit Gabriel when he goes back to Romania for a bit, and the work there is just going to explode!

Elder McCammon and I are out and about working hard everyday. We met a nice Brazilian family the other day. We are seeing them on Tuesday. We're still teaching our Polish family, and we have a couple of other investigators floating around in the works. 

Thank you again for all the letters you guys sent. I got them all and will be sending some replies soon. 

Today we're taking the ZL's and the rest of the District on a tour of Christ Church College given by our Bishop. He works there. I did it back in February but now everyone else is new to Oxford, so I thought I would set it up again. Hopefully it doesn't rain..... but you can't be too sure about that in England. 

I love you guys and hope you enjoy all my pictures this week. 

Elder Glasgow