Transfering the Sisters

 Sister Schbert and Sister Congolian are crammed into our car with all their luggage in the back and in the back seat.  We are taking them to Ashton.  Our mission president called us the night before and asked us to help these sisters.  It was a quick last minute transfer.  The sisters had one night to pack and be ready to go to a new area.

 Sister Fromgren and Sister Cristabol are transferring to the YSA in Manchester.  Again we packed them into the back seat with their luggage all around them.  Sister Blunck even had a box of Books of Mormon on her lap.  We had an hour drive through the snow to get to our destination.  This was a pretty eventful day.

 The South Ribble Sisters say goodby to each other.  It is hard to say goodby.

We all met together at the YSA building to switch the sisters and while we were waiting the Sisters gave us a tour.

Lancaster

 This is the Lancaster chapel.  It is also our stake center.  The ward there is very loving and kind.  We thought we were going to freeze to death in Lancaster on Sunday.  The sun is shining but the wind is bitterly cold. 

 Lancaster is a big city but the streets are small and quaint.  We love the ambiance in this picture.

This is an inlet from the ocean located in Lancaster.  The tide was out so the boats were sitting on the sand waiting for the tide to come back in.  It looks open and barren but just across the street there are many houses and people.  See the mountains in the background?  They have a little bit of snow on them.

Beauty in Preston Area

 We love the canals and old bridges located here around the city of Preston.  England is such a beautiful place.  The spring and summer will be amazing with all the many flowers and proper gardens.  

Miracles

Our hearts are changing.  We are seeing many of the miracles Heavenly Father is showering on the people here in England.  His blessings are everywhere but there are many distractions that stop us (all of us) from seeing them.  But when we focus and look, really look, they are there and the miracles always were.  They never stopped, but people aren't looking for the miracles much in today's world.  Many people here in England say they are atheist until you get them to see God's hand in their lives, then their hearts open up and we can teach them.  The work is slow but we continue on.  It is interesting some of the stories we have heard from members of hearing a voice warning them of danger.  Because they obeyed the voice they were protected.  One sister told us that no other church could explain whose voice that was or where it came from until she asked the missionaries and they read to her Helamen 5:30.  She wondered why the voice didn't yell at her but she said it was soft and she could feel it in her heart.  It was many years after this experience that she met the missionaries, but Heavenly Father had prepared her to hear the truth so that when she heard it she knew it was true.

 It is a miracle that we can drive here in England.  This road has cars, trucks, taxis, buses, and TRAINS.  Yes trains.  Dad saw the tracks and asked me what I thought about it but I just kind of brushed it off because there is no way that a train would be on the same road that we are driving on. Then the train came up behind us, we moved over to the side, and it went on by.  What in the world is going on here?

 This is our board of miracles.  We look at this map to see the area and then we pray to see which area we should go to.  We look at the ward list, organize it by post codes and pray again before we go out.  When we knock on the doors we are surprise how many years it has been since anyone from the church has checked on these people.  Some are old and unable to go to church and usually are very welcoming to have a visit from us, others say "I don't want no Jesus" or "I was a member once but not anymore", but we invite them back to church anyway.