Week 11 in Wigan

Hello friends and family!!! 

Today was a very special week!!! It was November 11 and it signifies 100 years since WW1 ended!!! Pretty incredible stuff! So it is a HUGE thing here. The poppy flower signifies peace and supports soldiers and veterans and so everyone wears one. The churches help sell them in poppy appeal stall and the profits go to the British legion which helps all the families of those who have died in conflict and the veterans who have returned home. This Sunday was the exact day of when it ended and the church did something really special where there was only an hour of church at 1. And at 11 am we all went to a cenotaph(a war memorial) and spent 2 minutes of silence, remembering those who have fought for us! There were actually tons of people there!!!! It was really special. It was kind of weird though because it was really cloudy and rainy before the minutes of silence and then 5 minutes after it had cleared up and it was sunny!! 

We had interviews with President McReynolds this week which is always fun!! Then we had a lesson with Debora!!! She is the sweetest!! We talked to her about callings and ministering assignments. Then also her records are in!!!! So hopefully we can go to the temple with her soon!!!!! She is also super excited to minister!!! She is just amazing. She said that the church and its members have helped her so much and she wants to help those in the church as well. 

We also met with Charlotte and Yvette this week!! Charlotte is getting married on May 31!!!! Now she is thinking of getting baptised soon after and her mom wants to get baptised sooner than that. Yvette wants to get baptised while her son is home so it should be pretty soon. 

Then Katie, the miracle referral, came to church!!! Apparently there is a hole in her ceiling and so that's why she couldn't meet with us this past week.... so solid excuse. But we are meeting with her this week on Wednesday!!! She is still reading the book of Mormon and she is still amazing. 

So this week I have been thinking a lot about all the wars and tribulations that we do have in this life. I love how British people have taken the poppy as  a sign of peace. The story behind it is that there was a war in France in this place called Flanders fields and it was basically a massacre. Many people died in this field and for years nothing grew on it. Until a few tears later and it was filled with poppies. Now, English people take it as a sign of peace. I can't help but think through everything we do go through in life, our church takes Christ as that symbol of peace. The talks this Sunday all talked about how all those men who fought in those wars sacrificed their lives for their country but how Christ sacrificed his life for everyone. He made the ultimate sacrifice for all of us so that we can be happy not only in this life but in the life to come. I am just so grateful for that sacrifice and I definitely have seen how that sacrifice has changed lives including my own. 

Well, I love you all!!!!

Sister Sever

Week 10 in Wigan

Hello family and friends!!!

This week was great!!!! We met with our friend Charlotte and she asked us to dedicate her home. So her home is now dedicated and she says she feels better! So that is great! She still wants to be baptised and her fiancé and her have a marriage date!!! She said it is somewhere after Christmas. She hasn’t told her mom yet so she didn’t feel comfortable telling it to us which is reasonable. But she said it’s not too soon but not too far. 

Also, Debora got to speak at a fireside!!! She was amazing.  I almost cried. She just has been through so much and the gospel has changed her significantly. She lived in a very tribal part of Namibia where her parents weren’t Christian but believed in holy fire that they talked to and they could talk to their forefathers. So she wasn’t allowed to go to church but she believed in God. But now she is in England and met with Missionaries! 

Also, an answer to prayers is real!!! So we were supposed to help a member with a poppy apple stall in the Wigan market but Sister Terry got really sick. So we had to cancel:( But the member was very overwhelmed and prayed that the Lord could give her help. She started talking to a returning member named Sonya and she helped her! Not just for that day, but for the rest of the week!!! Sonya wants to come to church again and this Sunday she did! She not only came to church but she brought a nonmember friend named Shane! He wants to come to church as well and he wants to change his life!

Last but not least.... I finished the Book of Mormon this week!!! Seriously this book has so much power. President McReynolds spoke at the fireside where Debora bore her testimony and he said that the most incredible thing about the Book of Mormon is not its miraculous translation, but the spirit of the word of God inside it. Whenever I read it, my testimony grows and it really gives me the motivation to do the work I do. 

I love you all!!! 

Sister Sever

mom note:  I asked her about how Halloween was celebrated in England, and if anyone was aware that it was also her birthday...this was her reply:)

Uuummmmm a few members knew. The relief society president found out and invited us over for lunch and gave me a cake and some flowers haha. I think she posted it on Facebook somewhere so I will find pictures and send them. Then the best thing in the world happened!!! Our baptism!!! Mohammad was baptised and confirmed this week. Baptism on my birthday! It was seriously such a spiritual baptism. After so long, he is finally a member of the church on record! He seriously has the strongest testimony ever. British Halloween is kinda... lame. Well it is getting bigger haha. Not many people go out trick or treating. Then there is a tradition the day before called mischief day where chaps walk around with eggs and flour and then throw them at people. Nothing happened to us but we were warned about it. 

Picture below:  We went to a returning members home and her dog just sat on us haha

Week 9 in Wigan

Hello family and friends!!!!!!!

This week was really busy and full of excitement. I feel like this has been the busiest I have been for my mission life. We are just teaching so many good solid people. One of which is Soul!!!! Soul is amazing and we just hit such a breakthrough lesson with him this week. He has been a very slow progressing friend but this lesson we really just resolved a lot of his questions but he told us that despite all of his questions he knows that this church is true 100%!! He is just so close to actually making that commitment of following Christ! He is actually talking about his baptism! He really just wants to make sure he is doing this for himself and that it is the right thing to do. 

We have also been working with quite a few excommunicated members who want to be rebaptised. One of which is Yvette. She is an amazing person who has been through a lot. She definitely has had multiple trials and challenges in her life but through it all she does want to come back to this church because she knows it is true. She also has a daughter Charlotte who has never been baptised but wants to be. We had a lesson with Yvette where we got to tell her that getting her rebaptised wasn’t as difficult a situation as we thought it was going to be. She was so happy!! Definitely on my mission, I have seen not only how the gospel changes people but what it means to those that have fought to have it in there lives. The gospel has such meaning in our lives if we just let it. Once people feel the atoning sacrifice that Jesus Christ made possible for us is the time that they truly are converted. This gospel is so true and I am so grateful and blessed that I have it in my life. I am also so grateful that I get the chance to share with the people in Wigan. 

Also, this p day was a bit different than the others. So I got to play piano at a funeral this morning! The bishop asked if we could help and so of course we did. Most of the people there were non members, the person who passed away was recently baptism just a few years ago. But, I am just so grateful that I have the comfort the gospel does bring.

Well I love you all and hope you have an amazing week!

Sister Sever

Week 8 in Wigan

This week was pretty incredible!!! We had this amazing ward party that was Harry Potter themed and they did amazing on it!!! Tons of people showed up as well!! So many returning members were present and members boroughs many of their friends. We brought a lot of our friends as well. Around 6 people we are teaching decided to come which was amazing! We were all sorted into our houses as well. I guess more people are bound to show when Harry Potter is mentioned haha. 

Then, Sister Terry and I played piano at our bishop’s daughter’s baptism. Our friend Soul decided to come with his adorable son. Soul said he was only going to stay until the actual baptism portion because Manchester United was playing. But he ended up staying for the entire thing and he really liked it! He has actually been talking about his baptism as well. He says he doesn’t know this church is true yet but he does want to look into joining haha. 

This preparation day we decided to come to Liverpool and we went to some pretty amazing places. I don’t know if I have mentioned primary but it is a magical place that is super cheap and has really cute clothes. In Liverpool it has 5 stories!!! It is the biggest one I have ever seen. We also went to the second largest cathedral in the world and another cathedral that looks like a spaceship. It was pretty amazing. Also we took pictures at the docks. 

We also had zone conference this week wher I got to see my old MTC companion Sister Rasmussen! Funny enough Sister Terry was also companions with her haha. Pretty great stuff. So this zone conference our mission President had this object lesson where he had sand and really big rocks. Sister Terry had to fit all these big rocks into the sand without it overflowing and it was really hard. But when she put in the big rocks first then the sand could fit into all the cracks and it all would fit. The analogy was that if we put the Lord first then everything else will work out. The Lord’s promise to us is that when we make sure that he is first in our lives by making time for prayer, scripture study, and families, everything else will work out!

Love you all!!!!!

(mom note:  Here's a little bonus from our personal email.  We had some visiting friends over the weekend with precious England ties and we had an awesome discussion about their loves of all things English.  So Sidney gave her two cents and also piped in about some of hers as well (below).  Enjoy!

"That’s nice that you are thinking of me haha. England is pretty great. I do love it! The weather hasn’t even been that bad. Now it’s getting a bit nippy and the beginning of my mission was..... so cold. But the summer was apparently the best one they have had since the 1960s. So I can’t complain. Except all the British people said they couldn’t cope because they have never had the need for an AC before. Everyone here is obsessed with vegemite and marmite. I’ve never had it here yet but I have had pate. I think that’s what it is called. It’s this weird meat spread, it doesn’t taste that bad. I have had haggis, I actually like it. It’s just this weird stuffing. I can see it being banned in the USA😂 Just like crackers. Iron bull is delicious! It’s really Scottish. But you can get it anywhere. Also, I like the coke here, but if you see doctor pepper....🤢 It’s gross don’t get it. It’s watered down and disgusting. Yes! I have had frog in a hole. That’s like egg, pate, and bread... I think. It likes like a ball. It is quite good! Do you know what else is good!!! Roasted parsnips!!! They are delicious!! I love parsnips! Ooo and I want to learn how to make roasted potatoes with coconut oil, those are delicious! Things I have tasted recently? I have lots of Sunday roasts! We had Mexican food at a members home!! It was quite good. But I still do not get chilli with rice and why they think it is Mexican haha."

pictures1-3-Zone conference
4-'the Beatles
5-Liverpool
6-the beach
7-me at the docks
8-just cause it looks so British, haha
9-space cathedral
10-space cathedral interior
11-large cathedral
12-me in cathedral
13-companion selfie
14-15-Large cathedral

Week 7 in Wigan

(mom note:  All Sidney sent this week is what I have included below...which is basically a response to my own personal email to her.  So if it sounds a little choppy, it's because of that.  But...I was requested by Sidney to delete a special story of one of her new investigators...apparently I can't post it on the blog; might be dangerous for his safety...that's all I can say.  But if you ask her personally about it then she can respond to you and tell you about him.  And let me tell you, it is worth the inquiry.  A very special man and his riveting backstory...it's amazing.)

Debora's baptism was this past Wednesday on the 10th! 

So, I'm in Wigan... and they have really... interesting accents, hahaha. It's the best. 

Woo!!! That's is such great news about dad!!!!! That is the best Christmas present in the world!!! Its so weird how christmas is already just around the corner. Only a couple more months and i will get to see your faces!! 

Oh yeah!! I have some connections in the mission home. They love me haha. When you sent me the package last time, a senior missionary drove to Wigan to personally deliver it. They normally don't do that haha. My mission definitely has increased my desire to serve a mission with my husband in the future. Just because, I love senior couple missionaries!!!!!

That's good that Jayden is better and wow good on him for those grades!!!! It sounds like he has improved loads!!!! He has such a drive, he will be an amazing missionary. 

Yeah!!! I heard that Nate is whitewashing his first area!!! Sounds familiar to what I did in my first area. Whitewashing was so fun and I would love to do it again. I want to whitewash sisters into Wales!!! Elders can't take all of of it!!!

Week 6 in Wigan

Well! Transfers are here again!!!! And you will never guess what's happened........ I AM STAYING IN WIGAN!!!! I am still with Sister Terry!!! Which I am so excited for because I love her to pieces! Woo! I am so happy that I am staying with Sister Terry another transfer!!! I would have been so sad if she left right before Deborah’s baptism. I thought she would stay though. Also, it’s her birthday today!!

DEBORAH IS BEING BAPTISED!!!!!!! I am so excited!!! She is so ready!!!! Also, we were planning on watching general conference with her but something happened and she wasn’t answering her phone. We were a bit scared because she just wasn’t answering us at all. But it turned out her baby was sick and she had to take her into the clinic. She just kept on throwing up:( poor Kamoica. But she is really excited for her baptism and it looks like a lot of members are planning on coming and we have made sure to invite all of our friends:) We also had a lesson with her in a members’ home!! It went so well. The member s saying a talk for the baptism.

So Charlotte is somebody else that we are working with. She wants to be baptised but she just needs to marry her boyfriend haha. She was going through a rough time last week and was having doubt about the church. She opened up to us a lot about why she was having doubts. Charlotte is really incredible. Even though she was experiencing doubt, her response to it was to still come to church and she doubted her doubts before she doubted her faith. She is incredible and I love her so much:)

So our mission has a really special day the other day where President McReynolds challenged the mission to find 2 new friends this Monday!! Having a total of 150 friends in the mission. We got up to 130 New friends and we found 2 new friends as well!!! One of them We were a bit late coming home and as we were walking we stroked up a conversation with a man named Darryn!! He was super nice and agreed to come to Deborahs baptism!!! Super exciting!!

Anyways!! Wow I have to say something about this general conference!!! It was absolutely amazing!!! 2 hour church!!!! The prophet truly does receive revelation about this church and I l loved what he was challenging us as women to do. The 10 day fast from social media is a bit easy on my case but now i am going to try and finish the book of Mormon by the end of the year. I encourage all of you to do the same!!! It won't be easy but I know that whatever the prophet challenges us to do will be for our benefit and will only draw us closer to God!!! 

I love you all!!!! 

Sister Sever

1 and 2. The colours are changing!!

3. Sister Terry and I

4. A park

Week 5 in Wigan

Hiya!!!

So Deborah has been doing amazing!!! The members have helped with her so much it's crazy!!! So Deborah isn't in the best of financial situations. She doesn't have much. But, there are members who have gone out of their way to give her so much. They have given her baby clothes, a crib, and lots of food. Deborah is so humble that she won't ask for anything and will be happy with whatever she has but she was grateful with the ward's efforts. 

Then we had a lesson with Soul! It was so good. We are just having a problem with him committing to the Book of Mormon challenge. He says he just wants to start it knowing he will finish it but he has said that for about a month now. I think we have to ask him a bit differently or promise him more blessings? But the good thing is that he said when he ends the 21 day challenge He wants to be baptised!!! So when he starts we could go ahead and set the date for him. 

Also, I do want to implement more member missionary work. We have a goal of having a fellowshipper for every lesson this week. Also, I want to be more purpose minded in member visits. Not even just member visits, every visit! The ward mission leader in Rossendale had some really good advice; that we should go into every house with the mindset of getting referrals. I do want to try that. I know for the few tea appointments that I have had...maybe we didn't get a referral, but we did have good conversations about missionary work!!! 

Also, I was reading in Alma 31:5 this week and it reminded me of Boyd K. Packers quote on how t"he doctrine can change behaviours faster than a study of behaviours improves behaviour." The gospel is so true. I have definitely noticed in my life how it has improved me everyday by studying the scriptures!!! By that, I have seen it more in how we teach our friends. The gospel does so much for us and we need only pray and study it to know it is true. 

I love you all!!

Sister Sever

pictures below: 

1. Wigan for a street display 

2-4. such a pretty place I am blessed to serve in 

5. My companion and I in a double decker bus 

6.Just cause...but a great quote! 

7.  I have begun to knit!!

8. My zone