No, no, no. I know. I'm not Ammon. I'm Amanda! I haven't been chopping off anybody's arms or working as a servant under the Queen of England (I wish!). But I do feel like I've seen many miracles this last week. The Lord has really blessed me. So, for the week, I am Ammon.
Flying from Provo to Scotland was quite the experience. Although we got to the airport on time (even though it took forever since there were 20 of us, 14 sisters and 6 elders), we made it. I got to chat with a few of you, and that was so much fun. It was great to hear your voices. I also got to chat with a lady while we waited for our delayed flight to Chicago. She ended up being from Scotland and had come to Utah for the skiing! She also got to see folks at conference and she loved the "vibrant atmosphere." So that was sure fun. Tender mercy.
Sister Ricks saw Pam Ipson at the airport! |
When we got to Chicago, since our flight had been delayed, they rushed us over in a shuttle to get on the London plane. When we were running to the plane, they were on their walkie talkies saying, "The group of 20 is here! The group of 20 is here!" So maybe this week I am also James Bond. Haha. But really. It was pretty awesome. There was no break between our 2 ½ hour flight to Chicago and our 7 hour flight to London. So long. But I didn't have anyone sitting next to me, so Sister Ashdown came over and we chatted and slept. Tender mercy.
When we got into London, passport control was packed. The travel lady called it "absolute carnage." But then they delayed our Scotland flight so that the group of 20 could make it. Tender mercy.
We finally made it to the mission home, which was great. It is in such a pretty area. When I traveled to Scotland before, I only saw Princes Street (which they all say like Princess Street and I don't really know what to call it). Now that I've been outside, I can truly appreciate how gorgeous it is here.
Since we'd all been up for a long time without much sleep, they wanted to keep us going so that we would get on the schedule of Scotland. Since they were keeping us up, they took us to the Edinburgh Castle! I went there before with the group from London, but this time was a million times better! Some of the missionaries got so tired that they just went into the restaurant and took naps. But a few of us (probably fewer than 4) didn't fall asleep. We ran and danced and skipped and kept ourselves awake. We went inside all of the buildings. There were torture chambers (at least I think that's what they were) and birthing rooms and a Tomb to the Unknown Soldier and all sorts of cool stuff. It really was awesome, and it was fun to hang out with Sister Ashdown. I got a lot of really cool pictures, and I will have to send them when I get the chance. I can't find the cord to my camera.
They fed us dinner and then let us go to bed, which was good because I was so tired! The mission home is nice and Sister Steed and I got to share a room with a HOT SHOWER! Mmmm. It was great and nice to spend one last night with my MTC Companion. I really hope I get to work with her again. We work well together.
The next day, we all studied and I went with Sister Brown (who is probably 4 feet tall) to the doctor's to try and get me set up in the NHS. We walked over and chatted. It was nice to hear how overwhelmed she was with her calling. They've only been here for nine months, and so I get them the whole mission. I'm excited about that. She is amazing. They couldn't get me an appointment, but hopefully I will be able to get one soon.
Fun fact about Scottish people: They always say things like, "Oh, it's just across the street!" or "It's about 10 minutes away or a half mile" and then it turns out to be way further. Their perception of geography is lacking, I would say. It's just across the street......and 5 miles later you find their home. So classic.
After studying, we
all hiked up Pratt's Hill. (Only missionaries call it that. I think it's called
Arthur’s Seat.) We all got to the top and heard the story of Orson Pratt. He
went up the hill and promised God that he would baptize 200 souls. And he
did! We hiked up the hill. Sister Ashdown and I were the first sisters up the
mountain! Yay! We were all supposed to make goals and tell God what we would do
to meet those goals. I honestly had no idea.
But I just kept thinking the number 5. So that is my goal, and I realize
that it is low. But I just hope to have 5 people be baptized and continue in
faithfulness. I think a lot of work is with less-actives as well, so I wouldn't
get baptisms but would get blessings. :) Joke. But I do hear that a normal
mission here (after I made that goal) is between 4-6 baptisms. Yup, the work is
slow. But it's moving. And times can change. And people can change.
After we made our
goals, we all sang "High on the Mountain Top" which was cool and some
tourists around videoed us doing it. There was a guy on the top of the hill who
was going to use a homemade zip line to the other hill. Now that is crazy. And it
would hurt if you fell. I wanted to watch him use his zip line, but our group
left.)
When we went down the
mountain and ate, I had my interview with President Brown. I cannot tell you
what an inspired man he is. We talked for a long time. I told him why I'd
decided to come on a mission. He testified to me that I was sent both to the
specific mission AND to him. He has a real testimony of mission presidents
helping out their missionaries. We are going to get along wonderfully, and I
have a zone conference this weekend and will be able to see him again. He is
really incredible. And he does have the Elder Eyring disease, but I like it.
Sister Ricks with President and Sister Brown. |
We had some trainings
after we had all been interviewed and President Brown was deciding who went
where. We did role plays and other things. In my first role play, I was with
Sister Nicoll and realized that she was awesome. She told me how nervous she'd
been to come on a mission and we just chatted and it was nice. Luckily I got
Sister Nicoll as my first companion.
Now, some words about
Sister Nicoll. She is awesome, she really is. She's from Arizona and has an
older brother, Chris, and an older sister, Amanda. She misses her nephew a
whole lot (join the club) and loves her family (join another club). That is
great. She has sort of a funky sense of humor.
She's awesome and I've learned a ton from her because she's a great
missionary.
Sister Ricks and Sister Nicoll |
Okay, anyway. Once I
got my companion we headed out by train. It was really hard to say good-bye to
Sister Ashdown.
We got to the train station
and realized there was a giant staircase that we had to go up, over the bridge,
and down another set of stairs with our huge suitcases. Luckily, we both
thought it was the funniest thing ever and laughed up and down. Also, it
doesn't hurt that my biceps are the size of small mountains. But you know, it's
whatever.
When we got to the
other side, Elder Howie (our district leader) and Elder Compain-Shaw met us and
took our suitcases to the car. We had a member, Sister Johnson, who drove us to
our flat. We waited for a bit though, because our branch president had gone to
meet us at the wrong train station. President Patterson and his wife were so
sweet. And there was another member and her daughter, Kelly and Lauren. They
were all at the train station, just to meet us.
When we got to our
flat and told them how excited we were and how grateful for the support,
President Patterson told us that he had tried to get a bagpiper to welcome us
to the area. How crazy would that have been? He told us he'd get it before we
left. That is how welcoming they were. The owner of our flat showed us around
and then left. President Patterson dedicated our flat for us, since it's the
first time missionaries have been there. He told us he has been praying for sister
missionaries in their branch, since they haven't had them in 19 years, and that
we were an answer to prayer. That is pretty overwhelming, but we want to work
hard and live up to his expectations. Sister Johnson bought us a bunch of stuff
to keep in our apartment because we didn't have anything. She gave us cereal,
milk, potatoes, pasta, tomato basil sauce, salad, chicken, waters, toilet
paper, and some facial wipes. How nice is that? She was seriously awesome. They
all were.
We were able to go to
bed after unpacking, and it was 11:15. It had taken a long time for everybody
to leave and planning took awhile since I had no idea what we were doing.
I was so nervous my
first day in the field. I wrote in my journal: "I am so nervous. These are
real people, real people who need the gospel and whose salvation is in my
hands! Ah! I'm scared to talk to people and I'm scared to be here! I know the
Lord can bless me and that He will, I'm just nervous that I can't do it!"
I was really nervous. Luckily, it was okay. We had weekly planning in the
morning and then I made us lunch. We went to try to find a map and got
hopelessly lost. Our zone leaders were going bring material (Book of Mormons,
cards, pamphlets) to our flat and we were going to miss them! Luckily they just
happened to drive right by us while we were lost and so we hopped in with Elder
Nelson and Elder Smithson. We went and got out district leaders as well.
Elder Howie and Elder
Compain-Shaw walked us to our first appointment because theirs was just across
the street (and it actually was) so we got to meet Sister McN--. She hates
sister missionaries because one of them was really pushy towards her husband
and it made her mad. So we got there and said, "Where are the two horrors?
They know I don't like sister missionaries!" We didn't really say much and
just let her talk for a long time. Her son is a drug addict. Her husband has
passed away. She is less active, I think maybe just to get attention. We just
listened to her and didn't push. She even gave us Iron-Brew, which is perhaps one
of the best drinks I've ever had. It's like cream soda to the max and sort of
is liquid bubble gum. Delicious! Anyway, she was really nice and when we left,
she said she was convinced that she wouldn't like us but that we had changed
her mind. And then she gave us hugs! She also told me that I was beautiful and
that my eyes were beautiful and looked like her husband's. Then she said,
"I was never pretty. But it doesn't matter whether you're beautiful or
plain, it's what's inside that counts." True that, Sister McN--, True
That.
After our
appointment, we had to do our first finding. Finding is funny. I sort of hate
it in a lot of ways. Anybody that we talk to is super friendly until you
mention God or Jesus. That's okay, though. When we were finding, I knocked one
door and said, "We are missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints--" and the lady didn't say anything and just smacked the
door. How funny is that? I remember when Adam said, "When someone slams a
door in your face, just remember, ‘I was told that was going to happen to me
and it just did!’ How funny is that?" Love it.
Since we were
concerned that we couldn't find our flat, we went to Burger King for dinner. We
ended up meeting JW there, who was a member and is 16. He has a learning
disability he said, but just said a lot of funny and a few innappropriate
things. He was kind of crazy. We told him that we couldn't read the comic he
was showing us, so he just read it to us. He showed us where our next
appointment, Sister M---, was. She wasn't there so we went chapping. One of the
men we found, J--, only spoke Polish and didn't really know what we were
saying. We are going back with some Polish materials. We did have a little
lesson with him, though, but when we asked if we could pray to wish him well he
told us that he had to go to the bathroom! Ha! That was hilarious.
The next day, our
appointment fell through and so we were finding ALL DAY. My feet were so tired
by the end of the day. We had a few cool moments though. Because our
appointment was cancelled, Sister Nicoll said we should go and drop a note by
Sister McN---'s to tell her we were thinking about her. I thought that was
weird but we did it anyway. On the way, I stopped and talked to a man who was
named G--. Turns out he's a less active for 30 years whose sister lives in
Utah! He's totally been baptized but now he smokes and drinks. He was way funny
and told us we could come back. We walked him to his door and I carried in his
groceries (not realizing they were alcohol and cigarettes, oops). He was really
cool and said he hopes he sees us again. We will make sure that happens.
Now, this is my
favorite moment from the week, so get excited. After we met G--, we were
walking and lost again and we stopped a man who helped us with directions.
(Side note: At the training, we all committed to ask someone to be baptized by
Sunday. This was Saturday night, and I hadn't done it yet. I just couldn't
figure out how!) After we'd walked away from him, I decided to go back and talk
to him. I think I was prompted, because the fruit suggests that. I walked with
him and he told me all about himself. He is so lonely and said that he doesn't
have any friends. He was so sweet. He is a TYPE 1 DIABETIC! Connection made.
And I worked baptism into the conversation and asked him if he'd be baptized. He
told me he doesn't swim. But still. It was so awesome! And God helped me keep
the promise I had made. He also gave us his number and said we could stop by.
So we will take another sister and do that. Anyway, it was really special. He
needs the gospel so bad. He needs the friends and the knowledge.
We had church on
Sunday and the branch members are awesome. They were very welcoming and all. I
bore my testimony. I talked to a lot of different people, and most of the time
when you get somebody here talking they never stop. So that's funny. We had a
little meeting with the President after and that was nice. He is really
incredible. He wants two baptisms by the end of the month. We will work hard to
do that. Our zone fast was trying to get four baptisms and have each
companionship with a baptismal date investigator. Whew!
I talked to Sister W---, J---'s
mom, at church this week. She is a Type-2 diabetic and I told her I'm diabetic
and she said, "Yeah, but you got it cuz of genetics. I got it cuz I
stuffed myself until I got it!" Haha. But the really funny part was that J---
came to church and she said, "We haven't been able to get him for weeks
and he's had interviews with all sorts of people. Then the sister missionaries
meet him, and on Sunday Morning he's in a suit ready to go to church!"
Haha. Anyway. I just thought that was funny.
We had a dinner
appointment with Sister McFeet and Sister Simon. They fed us carrot and
coriander soup, breaded chicken and pasta, and these cheese crisps that were
amazing. They also gave us little lollies/popsicles to go. They were so sweet.
They are both widows and they were brought together through the church,
basically. They've been friends for so long, and they really should just be on
a TV show together.
We met with the elders
and divided up our zone, since we are in the same branch. It's exciting now to
have papers of people, since we are whitewashing the area. Now hopefully we can
visit people on our own without the elders having to make appointments for us.
We are excited about the work! I really do want people to know the gospel,
because it's true!
I am still very
nervous and scared to talk to people. But then I hate it when I don't say the
right thing or when I don't talk to them, because I think, "That person
needs the gospel, and I was too scared to talk to them! I'm such a baby!"
but then I do the exact same thing the next time. Ugh. I frustrate myself, but
I do have quite awhile to work on it.
I'm sad I missed
Hazel's blessing, but everybody said that it was lovely! I'm glad you are all
happy and healthy. I'm glad we all have the gospel. I'm so grateful to be with
you all for forever. I couldn't be here if I didn't know that were true. I have
a testimony of the gospel and I know of its power. We are so privileged to be
Latter-day Saints, and I am so honored and humbled to be a missionary.
And sorry the e-mail
was so long. "I just have a lot of feelings." Name the movie, anyone?
Love you all!
Sister Amanda Ann
Ricks
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