April 27, 2015

Dear Family and Friends,

So, about an hour ago I was sitting in the McBride's house (they're the Senior couple here) just about going crazy, borderline freaking out. Last night, being the wonderful citizens we try to be, we saw that the Recycling bin was out for pickup, so we took out our recycling because it was piling up in the kitchen quite nicely. Luckily, my companion and I were both wearing shoes, but we took no thought in bringing keys or the phone or anything else for that matter, because we were just taking the recycling out to the street. But after a series of unfortunate events (well, I guess it was just one event...) we locked ourselves outside of our Flat.... So we wandered over to the Mcbride's (who didn't have a spare) and ended up spending the night in their Flat.

The next day (this morning) we woke up and decided to call the Office because if anyone knows how to get us out of this it's the office. But no, they didn't have the right number for our Landlord and, according to them, we have both keys.... which were in the Flat. But after a lucky phone call to our Ward Mission Leader, it turns out that they have the spare. So we got back to our Flat at 10am this morning and now I'm here. So yeah, quite an eventful last 16 hours....

Anywho. Thank you so much for all the emails this week. I loved reading every last one of them and seeing all the pictures! I didn't get a video of Chase playing volleyball, though.

So, my week. I'm going to be honest, it was a bit of a doozy. Elder Fairbourn has been sick all week and then on Friday he had an allergic reaction to some medication and now he's on a trial run to see if he's lactose intolerant.... So its been pretty crazy. 

We lost contact, for a bit, with our paraplegic friend, Andy, but we found him again and will be seeing him next week. He is doing alright. We're going to go have a BBQ at his house with the Sisters and teach him about prayer. It should be good. James and his family are doing alright. Hopefullly we'll have time to teach him this week. This week will be a busy one, though. We are going all the way to Crawley for IPad Training. Oh boy. It's Mission Conference so it will be really nice to see everyone there. 

Lately, Elder Fairbourn and I have been struggling to get some quality work in, but this week we will be striving for perfect, exact, and over-the-top obedience to whip us into shape. I feel that as my due date gets closer and closer I get more and more tired. But we'll do our best to push through and get past it.

Last night we hade an extra Sacrament Meeting over in Tiegnmouth with a couple of the members and Less Actives over there. It was really great. Elder Fairbourn and I got to pass the Sacrament. The talks they gave were wonderful and the spirit was so strong there. It's been different going to a school where we meet in right now. It's kind of noisy and bleak and lots of members don't come out because of that, so it was really nice to just meet in a nice little cozy place and enjoy it all.

So, that was pretty much my week. Thank you again for the emails. They're the best.

I love you all!

Elder Glasgow

April 20, 2015

Dear Family,

Well, well, well. Another week gone by on the good old mission. Thank you for the letters this week. I'm sad to hear about Bro. Waite. Sister Waite was one of my Primary teachers. I always enjoyed her lessons and learned a lot. We do have quite a wonderful ward back there, though, and I'm sure you guys are doing your best to help her.

I can't wait to see everyone when I get home. So many stories to share! I want to have a big mission potluck with the gang one day. That would be so cool.

Has the Volleyball season already been going? Why haven't I been updated on this stuff??? Is Chase the Varsity setter? I need to see some footage of him playing.

So, maybe I should finally tell you guys a bit about Elder Fairbourn. First and foremost, I love the guy. He's really great to be around. He's from Logan, Utah. Some of his hobbies include Ultimate Frisbee, Hiking, Camping and just being outside in general. We want to hang out when I get back. He might even be at my homecoming if all works out. We also got the great idea to build proper dugout canoes together. I'm pumped for it.

He did get sick this week, which wasn't super fun but we did manage to get some work done. Got another new investigator. His name is Andy, and he even came to church! It was really great. It was actually his first time ever coming to a church in general. I think he enjoyed it. Made a few friends there.

We also went guitar contacting this week. It was pretty sweet. I put together some hymns to sing to and play with the guitar on the High Street. People enjoyed it. One lady asked when I was gonna release an album. haha.

Other than that.... not much. Just finding and visiting members and serving them and all that lot!

Thank you so much for the letters this week. You guys are great.

I love you all!

Elder Glasgow

Guitar Contacting

Buckfast Abbey

 

April 13, 2015

Dear Family,

Thank you again and again and again for the letters this week. I love them every time.

I'm doing good this week. We just had Stake Conference, yesterday. It was really nice. The speakers were President and Sister Millar, President and Sister Crossland, from the Temple Presidency and the Stake Presidency. A lot was about the spirit. President Millar's talk stood out to me a lot. It was about the Liahona and the scriptures. The Liahona guided Lehi's family through the wilderness. It was dependent on their faith and diligence to keep the commandments. The scriptures are the same. If we have faith and are righteous, not only will we gain knowledge from the scriptures but intelligence from our obedience.

This week has been pretty crazy for us. Lots of our plans fell through and lots of our appointments were cancelled. Nevertheless it was a good week. The Ward here is just great. Yesterday we were invited by the Bishop to the Youth Fireside at his house. There is a solid bunch of youth here. I like it. We want to start working with them more. It's kind of hard when we don't have a Chapel to meet in but we'll try our best. We are going to start putting on Ultimate Frisbee every Saturday morning. I bet the youth will love it.

Funny thing... so, ever since I started serving with Elder Pulman, my last comp, I've have the chance to learn how to play the guitar. So, I've been playing for like 3 months now and I've already had loads of chances to share it with others. There's a less-active man here who has a non-member family, and we are working a lot with them. I've gotten to be really good friends with James and it turns out that he also plays the guitar and we are going to have a jam session soon. There's also a Priest in the Ward here who plays and he wants to jam with me and Elder Fairbourn, as well. It's just amazing how improving our talents can do so much good around us.

On a side note - Happy 53rd birthday dad. I love you.

We have picked up another new investigator this week as well. His name is Pedro. He's talked to us about a dozen times in the street over the past month or two. He's a real funny guy. He's atheist but he loves the Mormon church! We'll be teaching him on Saturday I believe. I'm excited to see how it goes.

So, how to be a good Ward Mission Leader. Lets see....

A good Ward Mission Leader:

-Sets the example for member missionary work in the Ward

-Studies Preach My Gospel

-Follows up with his full-time and Ward Missionaries

-Holds a weekly Correlation Meeting (preferably with members of the ward council in attendance)

-Goes out on teaches with the Missionaries

-Works closely with the Bishop in the conversion, retention and reactivation process of the people in his area

-Knows the ward members all by name

-Arranges activities that both the members and missionaries can bring their friends and investigators to. (working with auxiliary leaders of course!)

I can't think of anything else....

But this week was good. Next week should be good too. I'll get to go to church for the 2nd time since moving here. haha.

I love you all and miss you.

Elder Glasgow

P-day at Torquay

More Torquay

Me and Elder Fairbourn in Ogwell

April 6, 2015

Dearest Family,

What a week it has been! I just loved all of General Conference. Because of the time difference I haven't been able to see Sunday afternoon, yet, but I will catch up on it hopefully this week. So many good talks. I loved Pres. Uchtdorf's Priesthood Session talk a lot. Very applicable to missionaries and ward leaders, and everyone really. I felt one of the major topics of the General Conference was on the subject of Marriage. It's just so important. It's kind of scary for me to think that once I'm home from my mission marriage is the next big step in my life!

It's always so strange when all this exciting stuff is happening at home.  Babies, parties, outings. And I don't get to be there to see it. Lame sauce. I guess you guys are missing loads of my life as well, though.... It will be soooo cool though when we get to catch up on everything.

So things here in Newton Abbot are going good. We picked up 2 new investigators this week! One was a former investigator we thought had died.... but he's alive! An Easter season miracle! He's a really great guy. His name is Julian and he is a paraplegic. He's paralyzed from the shoulders down. He really likes when we come and visit, and wants to be baptized soon, too. His struggle is that he has an infected bone in his hip that flares up and when it does, the docs give him 12 hours to live. It also takes an hour to walk to his house.... but its totally worth it! But after we baptize some people out there they can just drive us.

The other guy is named Sonny. He's about 29 and lives on benefits all by himself. He's had problems with drugs and stuff but really wants to change. Good kid. So things are looking up!

The Ward here is so great. There are so many people to visit. It is wonderful. our Ward Mission Leader is a star, too. His wife makes sure we are fed as well, haha.

Today we are heading over to some caves over in Torquay (sounds like tor-key). It's soooo beautiful over there! I'll send some pictures. Whenever we go to District Meeting or to whatever, over in Paignton, the other Elders' area, we bus right through it, right along the beach. Last week, for p-day, we went and played some Frisbee and walked along the coast. Just beautiful.   

Thank you so much for the letters this week. Hope all is going well. Enjoy all those kids for me. I miss 'em loads!

Love

Elder Glasgow

March 30, 2015

Dear Family,

I've been asked so many questions this week I don't even know where to begin!

Newton Abbot is sooo beautiful! All of the rolling hills and old buildings and little rivers here and there. I just love it all!

The first few days have been great! Elder Fairbourn has been here about 3 months now. He's a really great guy. He goes home 6 weeks before me though, so I might be finishing him off.

We don't have too many proper investigators right now but there is a super great Ward here. I would say the strongest in the whole Stake. There's about 150 at church every week and there's actually 5 High Councilors from this Ward. Bishop is great. Bob (our ward mission leader) is super solid. He's only been a member for 3 years!

Saturday we got to go to the Temple. It was a great way to start the Transfer. We had about 5 recent converts (one who got endowed) and the rest did baptisms. I got to be a witness and do the confirmations. So cool. I can't even explain what a wonderful experience it was.

So we have 2 sets of missionaries in the ward. There's us, and some Sisters in Tiegnmouth. Right now we have to meet in a school (yeah, its kind of interesting) but we'll be back in the Chapel come June, I think. It's being renovated.

I got to see Stonehenge on the way here! Super cool again. Not a bad pic, huh?

Theres also a Senior couple here. The McBride's. They are great.

We'll be going to Exeter to watch General Conference. Then we'll go to Plymouth the next week for Stake Conference. Pretty close together, but it's happening.  

 

Ummm.... That's really it. I love it here. I'll get some better pictures next week, though!

Thanks for sending the package. I cant wait!

One more thing, dad, do you wear cufflinks?

Anyway. Love you all!

Elder Glasgow

March 23, 2015

Dearest Family,

First, Transfer news... Well, Elder Pulman is leaving to Salisbury. And I'm leaving to Newton Abbot. Yup. They are going to put Sister Missionaries in Sutton. Exciting, huh?

Even though I haven't been here too long (just about 3 months) it's kind of hard to leave. I made lots of really great friends here. Rosemary and Pauline (they're members here) were pretty chuffed that we are leaving and Sisters are coming. But I think the Ward needs some Sisters. It'll be good. My new companion is Elder Fairbourn. I was his District Leader back in Oxford. He's a really great guy. I always loved going on exchanges with him. 

I'll miss Elder Pulman a lot. We had a good run with one another. When he Skyped his mum on Mothering Day I got to talk to his dad for like 5 seconds and they are expecting me to visit one day. Mom, Wales is on the west side of the UK, above the big peninsula that juts out at the bottom of England. Elder Pulman is up there on the list of favorite comps, though. 

So could you get me all the dates for like going to Utah and San Diego, asap? Both Elder Herrod and Elder Jackman will be in Cali close to the same time in Aug, and I would like to see them. Elder Herrod is from San Diego so it shouldn't be a problem. But I think he'll be in Utah for a few weeks from when we get home so I dunno really... Anywho. I could really use the details...

Yes, I am getting your videos, dad. That turkey was impressive. (bowling alley, three strikes in a row) 

As for my week. It's been pretty good. We helped out Aaron Burns again with his owl pens. We stopped by lots of members and less active members. Elder Pulman did get a little end of the transfer trunkiness, though. We put together a cheese board to cheer him up, haha. It did the trick. Dad, do you remember a cheese called Port Salut? I like it a lot. It's French. We've also been packing and cleaning our Flat, cuz Sisters are moving in and it needs to be pretty tidy... and not too smelly.  Gotta get that Elders smell gone. 

So, I've been asked by a few anonymous people to give out some advice, some feedback, some Cannonisms...

So, just as a reminder, no one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. EVERYONE. Well, only one person didn't, and his name is Jesus. Sometimes we see different sides than others. We all have different points of view. We might be scared of what other people think, we don't want to offend, we all want everything to work out. But it doesn't always go that way. The most important thing to remember is that we work out our OWN salvation. With fear and trembling, of course. The Savior expects us to forgive everyone. In fact, he said that if we don't forgive others, he's going to have a rough time forgiving us. Remember that the Savior knows how you feel and there are people all around you to back you up. 

When Elder Dyches of the 70 came around for Zone Conference he told us something I thought was really awesome. After telling us that we would all be getting training on ipads, he told us that one reason that we're getting them is so that when we go home we can have the control to stay away from where the Spirit cannot reside. He also explained that these ipads will not change very much with how we do missionary work. It will help, but there is always 2 sides to the coin. 

Chase, when the time for preparation is passed, the time of performance arrives. Think about that. Get back to me about it, okay? 

This week I read the book "Our Search for Happiness", by Elder Ballard. I would invite you all to do the same. I can promise that it will help. 

Next time I write I'll be out west! Woohoo!

Love you all!

Elder Glasgow

March 16, 2015

Dearest Family, 

Thank you so much for the letters this week. I always like to know how every one is doing. I miss you all so much and can't wait for the day I get to see you again. 

So I called the office the other day to send you my Release Letter...or at least what they thought you needed.... but I gave them the wrong email address... so I'll call them again today and get that all sorted. Expect an email from Sister Porter or Sister Cannon soon.

To be honest mom, when you told me about sharing a room with Crew, I was pretty pumped, and really, I still am. I don't really mind sharing a room with Chase or Crew to be honest. Both are fine by me. 

I want to see a picture of Brighten. You guys keep telling me she is very pregnant, but all I can do is just imagine it. I think the only bit I got was at Chirstmas.... 

Dad, some of my favorite snacks are..... milk chocolate flavoured McVitties Digestive Biscuits, Custard Cremes, Moaoms, Custard with almost any cake, and this drink called Shloer. So good. I'm hoping there's some shops in AZ that sell some of that stuff. It's probably pricey, but would be worth it every once in awhile. 

Shame you won't be getting out to the Grand Canyon. I've never hurt my hamstring. Shame I'll be missing Havasupai by like a month, too. Lame. 

So, let us see. We dropped all of our investigators but 3. So we have Mellony who is really busy but we should be seeing this week. Paul, who just went and saw "Meet the Mormons". And there's Tim. He refuses to be called an investigator, though. We have dinner with him and his member wife, Pauline, almost every Sunday. They are just great. Lots of fun. 

Here in Sutton we don't really have too many members.... just like 2 families and some older members. So it's sometimes a struggle to get members out. Sometimes working with the Elders Quorum can be a challenge because our Elders Quorum President is a PCO, a Cop. So, he's ALWAYS busy. The ones we do have, though, are pretty great. Yesterday we were over at the Sperry's so Elder Pulman could Skype. They are a great family. They are over here from Utah while Brother Sperry is getting a Masters Degree in.... bug bites? I can't remember the technical term. They have 4 kids and they are the cutest little bunch of kids ever. Really great family. Brother Sperry goes out with us whenever he has the time. 

Speaking of Elder Pulman and Skype, I talked with his family and they are expecting me to come over to Wales for a visit. I am totally down for that! I really need to figure that one out.  

Elder Pulman is doing great, though. I really enjoy serving with him. We all struggle sometimes but he's made lots of improvements since I got here and has moved forward ages from like a year ago. He's great. No concerns with him.  

Zone Conference was great! Elder Dyches came and taught us loads. How to teach to needs, and the necessity of showing love. Pure and sincere love. I really, really enjoyed it. 

That was pretty much my week.

Love you guys!

Elder Glasgow

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