(mom note:...Sidney wasn't able to send a general email for me to send to you all, but below are some bits and pieces of mine and a few others that she sent, which sums up her week. I hope you all don't mind the mish-mash of her recent happenings! lol! By the way, I had heard that it was transfer week this week and asked her about it...I included her response below.)
Mom you jinxed it!!!!! So you know how you said probably nothing will happen this transfer.... yup I’m moving off to WiganðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ I’m excited though. I heard Wigan was an amazing ward!!! And my new companion is Sister Terry who I am really excited for. I just can’t believe I am moving again..... Wigan is near Liverpool so I will get to hear very interesting accents! Also, I’m leaving my companion Sister Washburn to a trio😂 She is a bit nervous for it but she will do great.
Sister Sidney Sever is serving as a missionary in the England Manchester Mission until the summer of 2019. This blog will serve as a record of her weekly communications to her family and any other fun information or pictures and videos we can get our hands on about her experiences there! She will, no doubt, be a bright shining light and example in Great Britain...which they most definitely need, with the cold and cloudy weather there!
Monday, August 27, 2018
Monday, August 20, 2018
Week 5 in Lancaster
Hello y`all!!
This week was pretty great and full of miracles!!!
Ray was still sick this week so he didn't come to church:( But he has been praying every single day and reading the Book of Mormon and even listening to it on audiobook!!! It is amazing! I know that if he keeps it up he will get an answer.
I love my investigators. They are amazing. Oh and you remember Lynne from my last area!? She is being baptized this Saturday!!!!! Also, John and Michelle are married now!!! It's crazy. I'm asking President if I can Skype her before her baptism, I won't be able to go but I can at least talk to her. MARIA CAME TO CHURCH!!! This week we had a lesson with her at a members home and we talked about baptism and what we as members sign up for. It was just in Mosiah 18. She just is concerned about tithing... She says that she just didn't know how she will be able to give up 10% of her income. We told her that we can set up a time to talk with bishop and we can have a lesson with her and him present, Which would be really good. But she has agreed to go with us to a baptism this Saturday! She only came to sacrament this Sunday though because she had to go to university.
I love my investigators. They are amazing. Oh and you remember Lynne from my last area!? She is being baptized this Saturday!!!!! Also, John and Michelle are married now!!! It's crazy. I'm asking President if I can Skype her before her baptism, I won't be able to go but I can at least talk to her. MARIA CAME TO CHURCH!!! This week we had a lesson with her at a members home and we talked about baptism and what we as members sign up for. It was just in Mosiah 18. She just is concerned about tithing... She says that she just didn't know how she will be able to give up 10% of her income. We told her that we can set up a time to talk with bishop and we can have a lesson with her and him present, Which would be really good. But she has agreed to go with us to a baptism this Saturday! She only came to sacrament this Sunday though because she had to go to university.
Well, in my personal study I am now reading through Mosiah and chapter 18 just is... amazing. It talks on the promises we make as we are baptised. We should mourn with those that mourn, comfort those that are in need of comfort and stand as a witness to God at ALL TIMES. What incredible promises we make. As I am teaching my friends, i want to make sure that they understand that we should support everyone in the church and constantly strive to follow Christ together. I love this church and know it is true.
Sister Sever
Monday, August 13, 2018
Week 4 in Lancaster
Hello friends and family!!!
This week was full of miracles! (As all weeks are) I have gained loads of relationships in the ward! My companion and I are actually in the lake district as I am speaking! The members are the Collins`.
Also, we have this friend named Ray. We met him around a week ago in town. He is so nice!!! He actually stopped us to tell us what a great job we are doing. Our first lesson with him HE set the expectations with us by saying that when he learns that our church is true we can expect him to be baptized. Not only that but he said that when he says he does something he will do it! Also he has a feeling this is the right church😃 He is SO nice as well.
Yesterday, Sister Washburn and I said a talk in church. I talked on baptism and she talked on the Holy Ghost. Guess what the speakers before us talked on..... faith in Jesus Christ and repentance. They took a page from Preach my Gospel. I also sang in a women's choir for a musical number (shout out to Mother!).
I love this gospel so much. We are so lucky to have the chance to renew our baptismal covenants every Sunday. I invite each of you to read Mosiah 5:7-8 and think on if we are truly born of Christ. We should always remember his sacrifice for us and have his name written in our hearts.
Love you all!
Sister Sever
This week was full of miracles! (As all weeks are) I have gained loads of relationships in the ward! My companion and I are actually in the lake district as I am speaking! The members are the Collins`.
Also, we have this friend named Ray. We met him around a week ago in town. He is so nice!!! He actually stopped us to tell us what a great job we are doing. Our first lesson with him HE set the expectations with us by saying that when he learns that our church is true we can expect him to be baptized. Not only that but he said that when he says he does something he will do it! Also he has a feeling this is the right church😃 He is SO nice as well.
Yesterday, Sister Washburn and I said a talk in church. I talked on baptism and she talked on the Holy Ghost. Guess what the speakers before us talked on..... faith in Jesus Christ and repentance. They took a page from Preach my Gospel. I also sang in a women's choir for a musical number (shout out to Mother!).
I love this gospel so much. We are so lucky to have the chance to renew our baptismal covenants every Sunday. I invite each of you to read Mosiah 5:7-8 and think on if we are truly born of Christ. We should always remember his sacrifice for us and have his name written in our hearts.
Love you all!
Sister Sever
Mosiah 5:7-8
7 And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters.
8 And under this head ye are made free, and there is no other head whereby ye can be made free. There is no other name given whereby salvation cometh; therefore, I would that ye should take upon you the name of Christ, all you that have entered into the covenant with God that ye should be obedient unto the end of your lives.
(mom note!!!)...as a bonus to this week's letter to everyone, I will also share a portion of her email to me personally. I asked her specifically about whether or not she has had opportunities to share her musical talents, what a typical day looks like for her as a missionary, and her favorite/disliked foods thus far. Here is her reply:
"I have many opportunities to share my talents. The ward sometimes can be lacking in those areas. I had to play the piano a few times in Rossendale, but this ward is HUGE on music. So much talent you would love it. I sang this Sunday and I'm singing next Sunday as well.
Well I wake up at 6:30 and usually run for exercise. We plan out our day for 30 minutes and prepare for an hour and a half. Then we have personal study for an hour and have to be out of the house by 10:30. The rest of the day is very unpredictable. We try not to tract (knocking door to door) because it isn't very effective. We sometimes do something called a street display at town centre where we have a table and a poster of Jesus Christ and some book of Mormons in different languages. Since lancaster is a university town there are many people from different countries. It is very diverse. We call by returning members and friends. As to how people respond... it depends on the weather. You may think I am joking but I am completely serious!!! The sunny days are the best days. Depends on the accents. Liverpool.... it sounds like German. Not gonna lie. Other accents in comparison are not that bad.
Favourite foods!!! The Indian food is TO DIE FOR!!! I love samosas. I also love how they cover Sunday roasts in gravy. Yorkshire puddings are lovely. Black pudding is okay but I would rather eat stuffing. I hate the texture. I also hate tripe... not good. Don't try it. It's gross. Also the sausages here are... not very good. But I can eat them. Other than that not too much I don't like."
(pictures 1 & 2 are of the church where John Taylor, the 3rd president of the church, was baptized. The rest are misc. ones of my companion or of the Lake District)
Monday, August 6, 2018
Weeks 2 & 3 in Lancaster
Hello family and friends!!!
Sorry my weekly letters are slowing down!! Last week was hectic. We only had half a p-day since we went on a mission tour. I will send pictures below. IT WAS INCREDIBLE!!! I seriously love this mission. It really made me think of the missionaries back then. Sure they were baptizing like 200 people per day but they also had so much more adversity. We visited the apartment the missionaries stayed at when they had their first baptisms and they said the morning that they were going to do the first baptisms they were attacked by the devil. Of course we missionaries do experience hardships in different forms, but I cannot imagine how it would have been then. But the fruits of their labors quite literally saved the church in the Americas!!! They really inspire me to make sure I work my hardest for the short period of time I have in England.
We had a lesson with Maria this week and it went... INCREDIBLE!!! She brought her cousin from Barcelona with her! So we taught them about the Plan of Salvation and gave her cousin all of the pamphlets in Spanish. She is going back to Barcelona today. Hopefully we have prepared her to accept the gospel in the future. But Maria is progressing really well. She compares a lot with her church. While we were in her lesson, tithing came up and she said that she wouldn't be able to pay it because of all the charities she donates to... so that might be a concern.
Also, this week was insane with the book of Mormon references! I just noticed how scriptures are coming to my mind in lessons and when we are sending scriptures to returning members and investigators. My desire to read the scriptures has increased so much from when I first came out! I remember a year ago when I first got my mission call, I read the entire book of Mormon but I definitely didn't understand or have the growing testimony of it. I LOVE THE BOOK OF MORMON!!! A couple days ago we did a street display in town and this man came up to me and I could tell he wanted to bash me. Usually when those people come up to me, I try talking to them about their lives before I mention religion. We talked for a few minutes and he asked about the book of Mormon. I bore my testimony of it and in that moment I just became so aware of how important the book I was holding was. It truly testifies of Christ and that the gospel is restored. The man's heart was definitely spftened as well. He said he wants to learn more but no return appointment. Also I read this week in Mosiah 1:6, we know the book of Mormon is true because we have them before our eyes. I cannot describe my feelings any better.
I love you all and hope you have an amazing week!
Sorry my weekly letters are slowing down!! Last week was hectic. We only had half a p-day since we went on a mission tour. I will send pictures below. IT WAS INCREDIBLE!!! I seriously love this mission. It really made me think of the missionaries back then. Sure they were baptizing like 200 people per day but they also had so much more adversity. We visited the apartment the missionaries stayed at when they had their first baptisms and they said the morning that they were going to do the first baptisms they were attacked by the devil. Of course we missionaries do experience hardships in different forms, but I cannot imagine how it would have been then. But the fruits of their labors quite literally saved the church in the Americas!!! They really inspire me to make sure I work my hardest for the short period of time I have in England.
We had a lesson with Maria this week and it went... INCREDIBLE!!! She brought her cousin from Barcelona with her! So we taught them about the Plan of Salvation and gave her cousin all of the pamphlets in Spanish. She is going back to Barcelona today. Hopefully we have prepared her to accept the gospel in the future. But Maria is progressing really well. She compares a lot with her church. While we were in her lesson, tithing came up and she said that she wouldn't be able to pay it because of all the charities she donates to... so that might be a concern.
Also, this week was insane with the book of Mormon references! I just noticed how scriptures are coming to my mind in lessons and when we are sending scriptures to returning members and investigators. My desire to read the scriptures has increased so much from when I first came out! I remember a year ago when I first got my mission call, I read the entire book of Mormon but I definitely didn't understand or have the growing testimony of it. I LOVE THE BOOK OF MORMON!!! A couple days ago we did a street display in town and this man came up to me and I could tell he wanted to bash me. Usually when those people come up to me, I try talking to them about their lives before I mention religion. We talked for a few minutes and he asked about the book of Mormon. I bore my testimony of it and in that moment I just became so aware of how important the book I was holding was. It truly testifies of Christ and that the gospel is restored. The man's heart was definitely spftened as well. He said he wants to learn more but no return appointment. Also I read this week in Mosiah 1:6, we know the book of Mormon is true because we have them before our eyes. I cannot describe my feelings any better.
I love you all and hope you have an amazing week!
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