Week 2 in the MTC

    

      So the MTC believes in having us venture outside of the MTC as much as possible.  We actually went on a church history tour on...Friday, I think??? The days get mixed up.... (to be honest, it fells like P-day was only 3 days ago. It's going by way too fast, but that's okay, because I am ready to be out in the field). OK, so we visited this house where Heber J. Kimball got visited by the devil, and then went to this river place where the first baptisms were held. It looked like a scene from the Hobbit. I have pictures so you will see what I  mean. There was also this pole where the first missionaries preached. I took a picture there with Sister Rasmussen.

Also the first lodgings of Gordon B. Hinckley when he was on his mission in England, where his dad wrote to him and told him to forget himself and go to work!
      It is so gorgeous here! Also, IT WAS LIKE PARTLY SUNNY FOR LIKE 2 DAYS!!! I remember when I first came here and I had the attitude of- "I love cloudy days and rain", and I still have a good attitude when it is cloudy and windy, but WOW, am I happier when the sun is out!

My teacher was in such a good mood, she just had us ditch class and walk around the temple.

(Speaking of which, Uncle Eric will be happy to know that I met Graham Dunn!!! I have no idea if I spelt that right. He is a very nice and sweet guy. It was so cool to meet someone who had a connection with my family. It really is a small world).
     I just want to say that I think that other languages are so cool. There is a person who speaks Norwegian, another Danish, and another Swedish, and they all understand each other!!! The one who speaks Swedish legit just gave me Swedish chocolate, and it is the creamiest chocolate I have ever had in my life!!!! Oh my word that was good!  (Sorry, when I'm writing emails, we just all kinda hang out in the hallways, emailing everyone on our tablets, before we go to town. All the missionaries just hang out together, and everyone knows everyone in the MTC). Also speaking of food...I had haggis a couple days ago. Now for those of you who don't know what haggis is, it is the inside of a sheeps stomach. I should have taken a picture of it when they were cutting them open because they look weird. It just tasted like stuffing so it wasn't bad at all. Also, they have this soda called Urn Bull, and it is a Scottish drink. I encourage you to find it and try it. I don't know if they have it in America, but it is so good! 

     Oh, I forgot to mention that when we were in Downham for the church history tour, we went to this really pretty church that looked like a castle and sang "Called to Serve" The acoustics in there are amazing. I think we sounded incredible, which is surprising, seeing as I think that the MTC is full of tone deaf people! Mother would cringe.

 

     Okay so you remember my teacher that wrote "Come Unto Christ"? Well, he has the best story ever for his first door knocking experience. Apparently he didn't know the language very well, and his companion was making him speak it at one door, and this guy was not happy with our church and began yelling at him. He didn't understand a word, but his companion was trying to calm him down. His companion just decided to leave but in the process accidentally kicked his car and set off the alarm, and Brother Hunter was spooked so much that he bumped into a pile of bricks, which then landed on the guys car.... he told us that whatever door knocking experience we had that was bad, we can have comfort in knowing his will always be worse, haha!

     We were proselyting in Piccadilly yesterday, and I was SO close to giving this guy a Book of Mormon. He was talking to us just curious about what exactly our church believed in (which to his knowledge consisted of Mitt Romney, Donny Osmond, and a secret room) and he was holding the Book of Mormon and looking through, it but told us that he would read through our pamphlets.  But, we changed his view, that we were in fact, not crazy, like the Jehovah's Witnesses.  But, he wasn't ready for a Book of Mormon.

     I'm going into Chorley today!!! I'm hoping to see those owls again. That was super cool. It's basically like the farmers market in Hanford in the shopping district in Chorley. Also, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD AND MIRANDA!!!! Wow are they getting old. uuummmm I would send Miranda Swedish chocolate. She would love it. Oh wait.... we have no good chocolate in the US....ooohhhh wwweeeellllllll. haha I'm joking. I say, when in doubt, put it on really comfortable socks. That always makes me happy so I would do the same with her. Oh, I should probably explain one of the pictures I am sending you. It is of Elder Toly, who is the district leader in district, LEHI. who is also in my district.
He was wearing our teacher, Sister Harkness's heels. We didn't even notice until after he recommended us all to sing "As Sisters in Zion" as a group. And the girl who I have a singular picture of, near the river, is Sister Heminger from Colorado,

I LOVE YOU ALL!!! You guys are always in my prayers as well.

-Sister Sever

1st Week at MTC

    

     Ok, so I just got done with a session at the Preston Temple! Super pretty! I loved it so much, it's really just a gorgeous temple. The outside stone kinda reminds me of a castle.
     My companion's name is Sister Rasmussen and she is from Colarado. Super sweet girl! Also I before I go any further I should probably let you know that since the England MTC is so small(only 50-60 missionaries) we are the guinea pig or experimental MTC, so I actually get to proselyte in Manchester Piccadelli square every Monday and find real investigators! 
     I have the chance to Skype someone from home, to teach them a lesson with my companion. My parents can say hi to me over Skype, but cannot be in the lesson or take up a lot of time. This will be anytime next week. You can email me anytime you want and I can read any email, I get but can only respond to emails that are to schedule the Skype call. I was thinking maybe I could talk to Preston? Anyways the proselyting in Manchester was probably the most fun I have ever had!!! I made it my goal to say hi or good morning to every single person who passed by me, but most people ignored me or looked at me and got scared and then immediately took out their phones and tried doing something else. Haha. I thought it was funny. I talked to a ton of people though. A lot of them weren't interested in the BOM but just were lonely and wanted to talk.
     I have AMAZING teachers in the MTC.  Their names are Sister Harkness and Brother Hunter. Sister Harkness is probably the funniest teacher alive and has been my "investigator" for the entire week. Brother Hunter is a very musical person. He actually composed the lyrics for Come Unto Christ, or he played it (?)... he also sang in the tabernacle choir this one time and is a trained opera singer.
     I can leave the MTC grounds for P-day into Chorley which will be cool. I haven't done it yet since I'm emailing you but I'll get around to it. Also, my emails can only hold a certain number of pictures so I'm sending more. Sister Rasmussen is the blonde one standing next to me in all the pictures and I have a singular one of her. And all the people in the picture that's not the picture of everyone in the MTC is the people in Lehi district and they are all going to my mission, except Elder Ruiz who is going to Hungary (he is the one in glasses). The weather is not bad at all, to be completely honest. I mean it's cold!! And windy! I broke an umbrella at one point- it didn't like flip inside out, it just broke! But it's worth it because it is so beautiful and green outside. It's snowed more than a couple times but it hasn't stuck.  It has also hailed more than a couple times. We were so lucky when we went to Piccadelli because it was cloudy, but it wasn't raining. And I went out to see the temple a couple days ago and it was kinda sunny so I took pictures. I don't know exactly how to put the pictures I got from my camera into the email.... so these are all from my tablet. I did take pictures with my camera though, so don't think I'm not using it, ok? 
     I only have one word to say about the food....... lamb!!! Kidding, I have more to say, but that about summarizes it. I have had lamb three times now... be jealous! And yes, it was delicious!  The food at the MTC  is sssooooooo good.  A lot of missionaries don't like it though.  They have also have ginger beer for us. And carbonated vimto!! (Thank you father for introducing me)
     The jet lag never really got to me, luckily.  I think I was tired for the day I arrived, and then was fine throughout the week. I was lucky, so many people got sick. Also I'm getting a flu vaccine here because I don't know if I just didn't get one or something but it's not on the copies I brought here.

P.S.  Just went to Chorley town square and already broke my tablet screen also took pictures. There were just owls chilling on the side of the road and we could hold them for 2£ The people in Chorley are super nice. And... I finally rode a double decker!!

England MTC check in!!

So I made it safely to England!!!! I've only been in the MTC for like 2 hours but so far everything has been amazing. When I got to the Utah airport, around 20 other missionaries boarded with me so it was pretty legit. Also, I may or may not have lost my passport in the New York City layover at one point. I got it back, thank goodness, because somebody found me before I even realized I lost it. It was just a classic Sidney move haha! Also, the plane was super posh (yeah I'm saying that word) between NYC and England. Super nice!!! And little kids with British accents are the most adorable thing ever!!! Anyway, I love you and I'm doing a-okay. I'm here mostly intact. I know you guys must be broken apart by now though. I don't know what you guys will do without me!!! One more thing, P-days are on Tuesdays at the MTC here.

chip chip cheerio

Sister Sever

(mom note):  I was texted by a random person in the Salt Lake City airport this picture below.  Apparently, he was an old YM's leader of one of the Elders in the group and thought it would be fun to send to the missionary parents!!  Made my day. :-)