Friends....Sept 30, 2013

YO YO YO YO YO YO WHATS GOING ON MY PEEPS!! Oh my goodness, this week was a CRAZY week!!!  I have a lot to tell you, so I'll just get straight to it.  So I was on exchanges for 4 days this week!!  Which is great, but so much more tiring!!  I don't even know why either, it is just draining.  So Sister H and Sister B had a meeting and stuff, so the other Sister B and I were together on monday, tuesday, and thursday.  And Sister B has been wanting to work with me..haha who knows why, so she called President Pilkington and asked him if we could make an exception and go on an exchange.  So on Saturday I was working with Sister B.  I love exchanges.  They are great.  Plus, I love working with the Slovakian people.  They are so sweet!  And since I work in the area so often like half of my investigators are gypsies.  Also, President called me just to see how I was doing with all the exchanges and everything.  Cause I guess you aren't supposed to be going on exchanges til your 3rd transfer, and I have been going on exchanges like crazy.  Its whatev.  BRING IT.  anyways.  This week was chuck full with miracles.  I'm telling you, change your prayers, and miracles will happen!!  So lets see.....oh ya..WE SCHEDULED KAREN FOR BAPTISM.!!!!!!!!!!!!!AKDLJFALKDFJALJD!!!!!  She is amazing!  I love her so much!  Honestly, she is so prepared and has so much faith.  So we scheduled her on wednesday, like the only day Sister H and I were together, and she is getting baptized on Oct 26th..hopefully.  But she is so excited about it!  So then on Saturday my ward, Sheffield 1 had a baptism and the couple that got baptized is so solid, so we had Karen come and watch, and she loved it.  She's great.  But she has a hard life.  I feel really bad for her.  She has had 2 abusive husbands, and then her most recent partner just barely broke up with her (like 2 days ago) cause he HATES mormons.  And he was like looking up like tons of anti stuff online, and she still wanted to meet with us, so he left her:(  She's so great.  OH and I guess some of the stuff that he read to her online was that we have to wear a bunch of weirdo stuff, hahahaha like skirts down to our calfs everday, so when we went over to her house last night she was wearing a skirt, cause she thought she had to.  hahahahahahahahah I was dying.  But she is so cute and so willing, and I love her.  I just hope she can stop smoking.  Everyone smokes here, its nasty.  Okay lets see, here is just a  bunch of random things cause my mind is gone once again. 

-its been such nice weather here!!  I have even gotten a nice tan:)

-there was a fight outside my apartment on friday.  Two drunk men from the pub right accross the street, got in a fight, and they stabbed each other.  There was blood all over, and they called in the police and the forensics team.  IT was taped off for like 3 days straight.  it was gross and pretty dodgy.

-Do you know that cup game?  The one that people play at girls camp and the one that is off of the movie pitch perfect?  ya that one.  Well Ido it on the cup, and sing if you could hie to kolob, (or any song that I feel,) and the chil'n (kids) go nutso over it hahah. its a way to win the kids hearts first, then sneak my way into their parents hearts.

-Sister B and I pray that we can sing better

-Viera (one of my slovakian investigators, her name means faith in slovak) is amazing.  She has visions and dreams, and it seriously is a miracle.  She has had a dream about sister hedstrom, before she even met her, and about our zone leader before she met him.  She is going to get baptized, I just know it, and it will truly be a zone baptism, because everyone is involved with her.  She's amazing.

-We have been really praying and trying to find Kingdom Builders.  We need to find and teach people that will contribute and help build up the kingdom of God here on earth, and its working:)

-Sophie and Maria, i think i told you about them the other week, well we stopped by and they want to get baptized for real this time, so we'll see what happens:) :) :)

-I didn't get to watch the relief society meeting:(  And because of time differences, I won't get to watch one session of conference:(

This week was amazing!!!  Honestly, every day keeps getting better and better!  I love it here so much.  I will be so sad the day that I have to take my badge off.  There is power and authority that comes with this calling, and people recognize that.  Seriously, people tell us crazy secrets, just random people, because they recognize us as representatives of Jesus Christ.  I love it here.  I miss you, but I have way too much work to do!!  Til next week.  Peace and blessings ya'll.  Cheers. :)

Sept. 23

HIYA LOVE!!!  :) :) But ANYWAYS.  how is everything going in the US of A??  Okay lets see if I can write everything that I have down, my mind is going crazy as usual.  Its probably cause we email in this little indian restraunt that is filled with muslims, and it always smells like hard core drugs. so ya. hahaha.  But okay this week was so crazy!!!  Like it flew by, and it was definitely interesting, but a blast!! hahahahahahaha.  Alright so story of the week:  So on Tuesday when I was on exchanges with Sister B, we were walking around, and all of the appointments we had fell through (as usual) and since we aren't really supposed to be down town at night, due to sketchy muslims and middle easterns, they love to fight and do sketchy things, we decided to go visit one of Sister H's and my investigators, Liz.  She is the one that has a million cats, I think I might have told you about her.  So we bus over there, and she wasn't home, but her neighbor was.  And Sister H and I have been wanting to talk to her neighbor, cause she is always around whenever we come over.  So the neighbor answers the door, and man oh man it was honestly the scariest night of my life. hahah.  So she opens the door, and she looks like way crazy, and she was smoking.  But she like practically begged us to come in and talk with her.  She said that "she had a friend that she wanted us to talk to".  alright. So we went in, and I almost threw up right then, cause it was so so so so smokey, and it smelt like the worst possible smell of hard core drugs mixed with hard alcohol.  She tried to say that it was chinese that smelt wrong, but there was no way.  So already Sister B and I were kinda freaking out.  But we sit down and talk with her friend Barry who is like incredibly high and out of it.  And they both like begged us to be baptized.  anyways, we come to find out that Asi (the neighbor) was the Jehovah Witness that Liz warned us about, and her cat wouldn't go near!!!   Anyways, we were super creeped out so we booked it out of there, and we haven't gone back since.  And I never ever want to.  Seriously, the feeling in that room was awful.. its funny how on my mission I find myself in worse situations than I would not on my mission. haahah.  so there's that.  :)  Lets see, so this week has been crazy.  We have met alot of cool people, and we now have a lot of investigators.  I am becoming quite pro at stopping people on the streets.  And if they don't stop, I just walk with them or stand in front of them so that they have to stop:)  We have stopped by a ton of elderly members from the ward this week, and let me tell you, its great:) haha the people here LOOOVVVEEE to tell you their past drama and like their whole life story, even all the details that I wish I didn't know!!!  But its great, and in all seriousness, I think that even though some people aren't interested in learning more about the gospel, they still recognize us as representatives  of Jesus Christ.  Cause even on the street, people will tell us crazy detailed stories from their lives.  Okay so we have a few investigators, but there are 2 that are so solid, and I love them so much!!  There is Karen, and Sis B and I met her street contacting.  She is 44 and has had the hardest life.  She has had TWO abusive husbands, one recently put her in the hospital and knocked out all her teeth, and then she has had 2 children pass away.  She is awesome.  And then there is Richard, I also met him street contacting with Sister B , and he met with missionaries about 5 years back.  He is so solid, and I have high hopes for him to be baptized!!  Lets see.  Um the food is getting a little better, I have found a solution...kinda!  I just bring food with me, and eat in the car.  And when its tea time at members houses then I don't have to eat as much. :)  And I think God is blessing me!  Oh also, I was able to explore a bit more of downtown Sheffield today, and its sooooo cool!!!  Who knew that there are actually white people here in Sheffield?  jokes.  But really, I have never ever seen so many  muslim, slovaks, asians, indians, and africans.  its great :)  But I love you all so so much, and I think about you everyday!  I love my mission, and am having the time of my life!!  Keep on keepin on, ya'll.  #love.  cheers.

This picture was taken by Brother and Sister Allen who are senior missionaries there in
Sheffield.  McKell is visiting with some members of the Sheffield ward.

Sept 16 -friends

Whats up losers!!! Just kidding kinda.  But really.  Whats going on in the usa??  Things are going pretty good here in Sheffield.  Except that it rains EVERY SCREAMING DAY.  Ha its great, I actually have grown to love the rain.  :)  But I realized that my last email was very short, and had like no details in it.  I apologize for that, and lets see if i can get some better info out this time.  So I am working in the Sheffield 1 ward (which is an english ward), and they are all pretty famous right now.  I don't know if you are familiar with the Slovakian branch here in Sheffield ( I will also explain a little about that later as well), but the Slovakian Branch originated out of The Sheffield 1 ward about 2 years ago.  So most of the members have callings to be in both wards.  I guess you could say that we are sister-wards:)  But yeah most of the members are pretty famous on mormon.org and in the ensign and stuff.  It's great.  BUT they haven't had sisters in the ward since it first started, so Sister H and I are starting off fresh.  Also.  My flatmates (roomates) are Sister B and Sister B, and they are the sisters over the slovakian branch.  And since Sister H and Sister B are both Sister training leaders, they have to go on exchanges for 2 days every week.  Which then means that I get to be companions with Sister B for 2 days every week, and I work with the gypsies in the Slovakian unit.  (They videoed the unit and all over Sheffield 1 and about the gypsies, and they will be showing a video of it during conferance sessions in October.  So look out for it, and you will be able to see where I live, and who I work with ) :) :) :) :) I t is usually every Tuesday and Wednesday.  So that is actually really fun!!!  I love working with Sister B, seriously, she is the best and we just laugh and joke around and have a good time.  I learn a ton from her!!  IT was like the highlight of my week this past week.  They are all so nice and friendly.  And the gypsies LOVVVEE to hug you.  Haha even though I don't speak the language, I can actually pick up alot of what they are saying.  And I'm already learning some words.  This is just a personal thought, but I'm like almost positive that they derive from being jews.  No one really knows where they cam from, but they all have really wierd dreams, and so I think they are jews. :)  Okay so this week I have been sleeping a lot better!!!!!!!!!!!!  SO THANK YOU MOM AND DAD FOR CALLING THE MISSION HOME AND CHECKING UP ON ME. :) :) :)  Haha you guys are the best.  AND THANKS FOR SENDING THAT EYE PATCH AND EAR PLUGS, THEY WORK GREAT.  :)  Seriously, thank you so much.  I love you guys.  But also.  I GO T MY HARRY POTTER SHIRT THIS WEEK, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, IT WAS THE BEST, AND NOW EVERYONE IS SO JEALOUS OF ME.  (actually they already were)  But anyways.  So we scheduled 2 investigators (Maria and Sophie, a mother and daughter) for baptism, for October 12th, but they are so sketchy, and ever since we scheduled them, it seems as though they have been trying to dodge us.  So we will see what happens, but I have faith that they will get baptized:)  plus, I'm very persistent and persuasive:)  Thats right sophie, bring it.  Jokes.  But listen to this fam.  I have had 3 different people now. OKAY 3, ask me if I'm from London?  Hahahahahah I don't get it at all.  Like its the weirdest thing.  I guess the way I  look and dress and even talk makes people think that I am from london?  I guess I'll take it, cause Emma is from London, and so is Marina. SO JOKES ON THEM.  But that is a big confidence boost.  Also, next week for p-day we are going with a bunch of other sisters to go and see MR. DARCY'S HOUSE FROM PRIDE AND PREJUDICE!   I'm really really excited for that.  It's like the closest thing to a castle down here in the south.  But ya I'll take loads of selfies.  So listen to this story about miracles.  So I have noticed that the more you pray for specific blessings and things to happen, the more specific God answers you.  So,we have been praying for miracles to happen, and to strenghten our faith, okay right.  So everybody has signed up to have us over for tea, some people even 2 nights in a row (bless their hearts), and honestly, I am having a hard time getting used to the food.  They are so sweet in trying to feed me, and be nice.  And so lately I have been praying for God to help me be able to eat this new food,  and seriously guys, IT WORKS.  Like yesterday, I normally would have not been able to eat my meal and it was still hard, but i somehow miraculousy was able to eat the food.  I know that eventually I will like it.  Prayer works, and even though its in small ways, God cares about us.  There's my little missionary moment of the week haha.  But really, I love it here in sheffield, and I love being a missionary.  I miss home so much, but there is nothing quite like being here.  I feel closer to my family more now, than ever before.  I love you guys so much, and thanks for all you do!!

hags

love,

 Sister Staheli

Sheffield-- First Area

Sept. 9, 2013

Hello everyone!!!  I miss you all very very much!!!  But things are going great here!!  So I am now in my first area, with my first companion.  So I am in......drum roll please...SHEFFIELD 1 AREA!!!!!!!!  AHHHHHHHHH I almost like started crying when I first heard where I was going.  It is such a blessing to be here serving where my ancestors joined the church.  It is definitely a different kind of city then I am used to, but I love it already.  The feel of the city, is really weird...it doesn't feel like I am in England at all, it actually feels like I am in a city in the middle east or India or something haha..its different.  There is a lot of people from countries that I haven't even heard of, and the city is actually quite dirty and ghetto.  I mean it is a lot of old buildings, but very ghetto like.  But i love it.  And my companion is Sister H. (with the two dots over the O), she is 22 and from Sweden.  She has been out for almost 6 months.  She is great.  Very quiet, and doesn't speak english very good.  I live with Sister B and Sister B, they are the missionaries for the slovak area here in Sheffield.  I actually live in the same flat that Sister Hayley did..haha its pretty funny.  But yeah we actually live in a really nice area, compared to the rest of the city.  Lets see..I met the ward yesterday, and they are AWESOME!! seriously, they are great.  I love them already.  Oh and before I forget, my address is 

109 I Quarter, 10 blonk Street

Sheffield, S3 8BH

England

PLEASE WRITE ME OKAY THANKS.  Oh and did I mention that we are white washing this area?  So that means we have no investigators, no referrals or anything, so we have to start from scratch.  Its really hard.

Okay I will start with my first day here in Sheffield. so we have a car, and we are driving here (and the streets are tiny, and everyone parks on the streets), and so it was really tight and we totally hit a car hahahahah.  We side swiped a car, and it smashed the window off of the door.  She didn't know what to do, and was just going to keep driving, so I finally convinced her that we needed to go back and do something. But when we got back, the car was gone. so oh well I guess haha.  Um, things have been really slow, and all we do is go finding everyday, for 7 hours each day.  We knock on people's doors, and try to talk to them.  My first 2 days, I probably knocked on like 50 houses haha.  I have never had so many people slam the door in my face, swear at me, tell me I'm going to hell, or that God doesn't exist.  Its really sad.  The people here in England have lost their faith in God completely.  It breaks my heart.  But I will change that!!!!!!!!!!!  Everywhere we go, people think we are Jehovah's Witnesses, and they hate them ahah so we have to explain to them that we are LDS.  They food here is pretty weird..i don't like it at all..but oh well!!!  It has been very rainy, and cold lately.  I have used my raincoat everyday since i've been here.  Everyone keeps saying that winter is coming early this year, and that it will be a bad one..so yeah haha....but its great, I seriously love it here.  We did have a lesson with this girl named Liz, and she is great!!!  She is obsessed with cats and stuff.  haha we tried to teach her a lesson, but she just kept saying how she thinks we all have been cats in some previous life, and that cats are holy cause they come from Egypt.  Oh ya and she had like 50 cats, and then she started crying as she was telling us a bout her one cat that got hit by a car. She is great, and we have another lesson with her this friday!:)  Everyone here hates american's, so they don't listen to me that much, but I am getting better at approaching people.  since Sister H. is a sister training leader, I get to go on Exchanges with Sister B. this week and go to the slovak area!!  Which I'm actually super super excited about.  I'm excited to be able to work with someone other than  Sis H.  So my area in sheffield is pretty famous, I think there was a story in the ensign and mormon.org about them.  They are all really solid members  and they really take missionary work serious!  Oh ya, so there is an elder in my district who is from Albania, and he is convinced that someone in my family is from Albania, cause his mothers maiden name is Staheli, so I don't know what to tell him....hahah.  But things are coming along good, I just need to be more successfeul in finding people.  This week we are volunteering at a hospital so we can meet new people.  Even though we have a car, I still walk like 2 or 3 miles a day, so thats nice to get some fresh air.  Anyways, I don't know what else to write, but I 'll see if I can get some pictures sent out as well!!  I love you guys so much, and I think about you everyday!!  Oh ya, one last thing, I have never had as much pride in america as I do now!!  Be grateful, I love america so much now!! I hope you all have a great week!!

Alma 5: 45-46, mosiah 4;9

#staheli'srock :):)