Dear mom papa, family and friends,
David. While you were in Egypt did you know Daniel Davies and his wife? They are from Wales, and I think they would have been in your ward there. Anyway, if so, his family is in my ward, and his dad is the patriarch here, and his mom is hilarious! So I hope you do know them. That would be great!
Mom, ha-ha, about the pictures. I am glad you like most of them. Mostly, we just let her do anything to our makeup. Lots of it is for her portfolio, and it was just fun. But those last pictures...whew, those were scary! I mostly like the first ones. They are so fun. Ha-ha. But the experience was fun fun fun!
So we are feeling much better now. Over those darn colds! Just trying to get back into the routine. But it's been good!
We had a cool finding experience this week. We were walking around in Merthyr in the town square, and we stopped this man who happened to be deaf. But we still talked with him. He was pretty good at lip reading and what he couldn't understand, we would show him with pictures from the Book of Mormon, or I would write down for him in my planner. It was really fun to teach in that different type of way. He was so kind, and it was good to meet him. It was interesting because just the week earlier, we were talking about what we would do if we "GQ'd" (golden question) into a deaf person. I wish I knew a bit of sign language. But they have a completely different sign language here.
During that finding time, we also met a young man named Alex who seemed very interested in our message. It was raining, and despite the rain, he stopped for about 10 minutes to talk to us and he ended up taking a Book of Mormon. I really love finding, because we get to talk to so many people, and when people really stop to talk to us, we have such cool experiences. Very exciting!
I got papa's journals this week. And wow, a lot is going on about Brandon Davies and BYU right now! Wow. It’s actually interesting, because all of the press is good. It’s maybe a good thing for BYU in the long run! Apparently it's on the main page of BBC as well here, so it's all around the world. But too bad about the team! Not doing so well without him.
Your sister’s conference sounds like it was really good! Very fun. I am sure glad it isn't snowing here though. But your pictures are SO cute! Are those your boots? When did you get those? You are too cute! Very fun sister’s pictures! I love them. And the napkins were such a good idea! And the quilt! It looks amazing! Way to go! You are getting so good at quilting! Look at you.
So this week, we have had a good week. Not getting nearly as much done as I wish, but we are working hard to getting everything done. There was a ward party this week, and it was fabulous! Some less active members came that we had never been able to meet and it was wonderful! And we just got to know the ward really well. It was great! The ward here is fabulous!
Last Sunday, they asked me to give a talk on temples, so Saturday morning, I studied up on it, and yesterday morning I wrote my talk, then gave it. Talks are easier to give on a mission I think. But it's interesting, because I have only given two talks on my mission so far. One in Banbury, and one here. And both I have given have been on the temple. But both were completely different. Nowhere near the same thing. But it was good for me! But it did make me want to go to the temple! I wish we could go on our missions! That would be so great! But alas. It tis not so. But it would be nice. But I am sending you a copy of my talk. Just so you can see. And ignore the mistakes and cross outs, it's annoying to write a talk and not type it!
And can you tell me how I am actually related to Grandfather Cowley? Is he grandma's grandpa? I’d love some talks or stories from him. I don't know much about him, and I’d love to find more out.
So this week, we had the chance to teach the stop smoking program. A girl in the ward, a convert of about 4 years, has tried and failed many times to quit smoking. So she asked us for help. And we gladly accepted. The stop smoking program is amazing! I love it! It takes only one week, and you just have to follow exactly 15 steps every day, and you will no longer have the urge to smoke. That’s pretty incredible. And of the people who follow the 15 steps exactly for 7 full days, one hundred percent of them successfully quit. So it's so much fun to be able to teach it, and to have so much confidence in it! We are sending her letters every day to support her and to encourage her. But we are so excited for her. It’s a brave thing to decide to stop.
This week, we also had the chance to be able to help a woman in the ward learn to read. A lot of people here in Wales are just a bit simpler, and so they never learn how to read. It’s just a simpler place. And so this woman in the ward is in her 60's and isn't able to read. But we are excited to help her.
Cute story of the week. We were doing service for a young family in the ward, and they have a little 2 year old girl named Isabella. She is adorable! Anyway, she loves us. and the morning of the next day she came into her parents room at about 7 in the morning, and asked "where are the missionaries?" like we were really meant to be in her home at that time of the day. So cute! The kids in this ward are SO cute. And they just say the cutest things. Yesterday, we were asked to come and help in primary, because their piano player had had to leave. And seeing that both of us play the piano well, we could help. So we went in, and the kids were so funny. They just know so much! They really do pick up so much in church. The lesson was on prophets, and the teacher asked how we can sustain the prophets, and the kids said some great things. Like by being reverent. And by being friends with each other. And by being nice. And being loving. And being good. And it just went on and on. They are so bright! They know so much more than I ever thing they do.
Anyway, this has been a scattered letter. Sorry. Today we are about to take the train (!!!) to Cardiff, and play sports and spend the day with our district. It should be fun! We have a hilarious district. They are really funny. So it should be fun!
Love you all! I am so grateful for this gospel. I know that this church is the true and living church, and I know that God loves us all. I am so grateful to have the knowledge that we will be able to live with our families forever, and that the gospel is true! I am grateful for the Book of Mormon, and for the blessing it is in my life. I am grateful to be able to have the spirit with me, and to always be guided by it. I love receiving impressions from the Holy Ghost. And I am grateful for the mercy and grace of the Lord.
I love you all! And don't forget to read and pray every day! I am positive that if everyone would study their scriptures and pray daily, nobody would fall away!
All my love, heaped up pressed down and running over,
Sister Annie Clark
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