Week 23

Wow this week was so great!

So this week our mission had a challenge week! So every day we got
three challenges and my girl and I totally smashed it! We have a lot
of people to start working with now which is exciting it was really
good for us because it helped jump start our area I think and it made
us realise what we are capable of so we are gonna keep it going so we
can keep being strong and doing good work.

This week we gotta go to Coventry for a multi zone Conference so we
stayed the night in Peterborough with some sisters and then drove to
Coventry for the conference we gotta hear from the area 70 Elder
Phillip we learned a lot, sat a lot, ate a lot and drove way to much
but we still had a lot of fun.

The weather has been fantastic lately which has been nice because we
have been doing so much finding I took my girl tracting for three hrs
straight it was crazy but a lot of fun we definitely met some
interesting people on some of those streets but it was still great.

I seriously have fallen in love with this area it has been so cool to
see the country side and all the old buildings there is so much
history in this neck of the woods! There are so many adorable old
English villages we have seen and it's always nice to drive past the
sea.

We have been giving out more Bulgarian, Polish, Russian and Lithuanian
book of Mormons then English ones! It always cracks me up when we try
and have a conversation with one of them but it's pretty one sided
with the language barrier but I'm convinced if I keep praying hard
enough maybe God will bless me with the gift of tongues if we find an
elect Baltic person.

We met a lady while tracting who was sobbing at the door I gave her a
hug and tried to comfort her and she proceeded to tell me about how
she had to have her pet GUINEA PIG put down that morning we proceeded
to comfort her and teach her the plan of salvation haha. I love being
a missionary it's so cool how we get to meet random people and talk to
them about life and God and things. There is seriously no other time
in life that I'm gonna get this chance socially to talk to complete
strangers it's just so freaking cool! I'm seriously gonna miss the day
when I can't have a random conversation with a random person.

One day this week we were in Tattershall and we drove past a castle so
I made my girl pull over and we got a picture with it! It was a proper
castle by the way with a mote and everything! We are going back today
to properly check it out.

This morning we went to "The Boston Stump" it is a Small scale
cathedral built in the 1300's it has a huge tower on it that can be
scene from a castle in Lincoln that is an hour from here. I love
seeing churches they did such beautiful workmanship on them it's also
really cool seeing how people during The Apostasy were still trying to
follow Jesus Christ and building places of worship to try and be
closer to God. In a lot of Cathedrals they have graves and monuments
to the people who died and it's amazing to see what people did with
there hands when carving marble and stone and wood the details are
amazing.

We had a lesson this week with a Less active family we have been
working with. Last week was my first lesson with them and it turns out
that they didn't know they needed to be praying so I challenged them
to take turns praying at night out loud, then they came to sacrament
meeting last week for the first time in 20 years. This week in the
lesson I asked the Dad who he would like to give the closing prayer
and he said he would give it as he prayed the spirit was so strong
during his prayer, he sounded like he'd been praying his whole life it
was beautiful I of course teared up a bit during the prayer. He came
to church this Sunday and stayed for all three hours he is amazing I
am so excited for his family!

Easter was super great as well we got so much love from the ward and
ate way to much chocolate I got the call on Saturday morning from
Bishop asking if we could both speak in sacrament meeting so that was
scary it was my first assigned talk on my mission so I'm just glad I
had more then ten minutes to prepare for it. We had diner with some
members and then went to a ward fire side which was super good.

But ya this week was awesome I love being here so much it's so great I
love not being a greenie anymore I feel like mission life is so much
better not being in the greenie area I don't really know why but
something has definitely changed and I'm excited about it! Training is
pretty fun to! Sister Stirm is awesome and we've been having a lot of
fun she is a radio singer as well so we both sing a lot in the car.

 So life is wonderful and I'm doing great hope you had a wonderful
Easter and thought about the Saviour. I'm so grateful for the
Atonement I was talking to a member and we said Christmas is when we
celebrate the gift that is Jesus Christ but Easter is when we
Celebrate using the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Love,
Sister Talia Brown 🇬🇧
68, Norfolk St
Boston
PE21 9HQ
England



Love,
Sister Talia Brown 🇬🇧
68, Norfolk St
Boston
PE21 9HQ

Week 22

Well I've been out for five months! And just when I thought I was
starting to get the hang of things they went and changed everything on
me. So they killed the trio, Sister Gijka got taken away on Tuesday
and was emergency transferred to Banbury because a new missionary
never came in. And now I am the senior companion and also training and
my greenie sister Stirm has only been out for five weeks so it kinda
feels like we're white wash training a little bit so ya it been
nothing but adventures this week!

Before the trio died we had an awesome Pday in one of the city's in my
area called Skegness which is a cute little board walk sea town. It
had a super board walk feel except English style. It was super hot
that day which was awesome and we were able to go get some fresh fish
and chips, go to the Aquarium, stick our toes in the North Sea, eat
ice cream and donuts and find sea shells so basically it was the best
Pday of my mission! Oh also my mission baby touched the ocean for the
first time!

After our epic day we got the tragic transfer call so the next morning
we had to drive all the way to Birmingham and back a total of 6 hrs in
the car Blah! But we had an awesome lesson when we got back and went
finding.

We went to Nottingham again this week to go to district meeting
because our district leader is away waiting for his Greenie so we
gotta see more of Nottingham which was cool.This week we were mostly
busy with travel but we found some new people to work with that we are
excited about.

So just down from Boston is a town called Kirton and guess who's
prophets father came off the boat from there?.... Joseph Smith! So we
got a phone call from one of out mission Presidents councillors who
feels like we need to spend our time in Kirton. He thinks Joseph Smith
has some relatives who are still there who are ready for the restored
gospel. So sister Stirm and I are so excited to get to work in that
area!

We were able to help run a charity auction that some of the members of
the ward put on to help the refugees in England. It was really cool to
see people coming together to help each other out.

On Sunday we had an incredible miracle five of our les actives we have
been working with came to church! Two of them hadn't been in twenty
years it was so amazing! And it was fast and testimony meeting and my
first Sunday in the ward so I was pretty nervous but the whole day
went great.

I absolutely love Boston and I'm so excited to be here and the
atmosphere that's here. I am so excited for all the things that we
have going on here in Boston!

Love,
Sister Talia Brown 🇬🇧
68, Norfolk St
Boston
PE21 9HQ
England

Week 21

Well new week and so many new changes! I left  for Boston, England and I
got there without a hitch so that was awesome I had so much help along
the way so that was great it took five hrs to get from Gloucester to
Boston so that was fun!

My new Companions are Sister Gjika who is from Albania (fun fact the
church has only gotten to Albania in the last 25 years she's a
pioneer) and Sister Stirm from Idaho just started her mission,
it's so weird to not be the youngest in the mission especially when it
feels like I just barely got here!

Boston is an adorable little city with so many canals and old, old,
old buildings gah I love it and then on top of Boston we cover 16
smaller city/ towns and farming villages so the car has been pretty
fantastic although I miss biking a lot but maybe in the future we can
do some biking in Boston. This area is very much a farming area which
is so fun because it reminds me of home it's a bit more hilly but it's
been fun to see canola fields again. Needless to say being in a car
with a limited amount of music I can now proudly say I have about 50
Disney songs memorised now start to finish.

A lot of people who live here are from the Baltic countries so there
are so many foreign food stores and stuff it's awesome Members gave us
Lays chips from Poland unfortunately the Polish flavours are pretty
nasty so not much of an improvement compared to the English flavours
so that's probably for the best. We are starting an English class so
that should be fun. The people here are so much nicer holy flip! I
think people who live away from the city are just way happier in
general. we went tracting and a man apologiesed to me for not being
interested hahaha oh my goodness I was in shock the first couple days
because of how nice the people were being we got offered tea so many
times it was such a big difference compared to Gloucester.

We have an Investigator they found a week ago who is seriously so cool
he is from Poland and he  is so excited about the gospel he has been
coming to church and meeting with the sisters all the time. The other
day we went over the commandments with him and he told us he has a
problem with cursing so we decided to come up with alternative words
for him to say. So instead of OMG he is gonna say oh my days (very
English) instead of holy Mary he is gonna say holy flip and instead of
SOB he is gonna say Son of a Gun so basically he is gonna swear like a
missionary haha. He came to General Conference and he
absolutely loved it, it was such a cool experience to see someone
watch General Conference for the first time in there life he said the
spirit was so strong and he just loved every second of it so that was
so cool.

We went to Nottingham to watch General Conference with our
Zone. I absolutely loved watching General Conference it's a bit
different here because it's not live so we started watching the 
morning session Saturday evening and the Women's conference
night and the afternoon session on the
afternoon and the morning session Sunday evening. President
Eyerings opening remarks were amazing because it felt like they were
so direct to our investigator. I was so worried that'd we'd have to
explain everything to our Investigator but they do an incredible job
of explaining everything for visitors or new people who come to watch
it. When I was at home I never noticed this because it didn't apply to
me but now I am just so grateful for the great experience that any
person in the world can have watching conferences.

I loved Conference of course I really felt like for me one of the
things thats stuck out is having a strong testimony so we can be a
disciple of Christ. And I just loved that cause that's pretty much my
role in life right now is to be a disciple of Christ and I felt like
all the talks talked about what we can do or change to get there so
that was perfect for me.

I have absolutely loved being in Boston this week and being with my
new companions we have had so much fun and laughed so much bed time is
kind of a struggle cause we get into bed and no body can shut up but I
am so excited for this transfer that we have together!

Love
Sister Talia Brown 🇬🇧

Week 20

Holy Flip! Last night was Dodge Night! (Transfer calls!) and Sister Brown is being sent to ......... Boston! I literally don't know anything about the area except it's a big area so we get a car! of course as soon as I buy a bike I am given a car.... but on the plus side! England is about to enter into its even more rain season, and I'm gonna have a car for it! So God is good because I'm not going to be permanently wet this transfer! So as far as my companion I'm actually going to be in a trio so that will be fun, my companions are Sister Stirm, and Sister G (I'm calling her sister G because no one in my zone knows how to actually say her name or the correct spelling so until next week she is sister G) so Tuesday I leave Gloucester for Boston I take the train from Gloucester to Nottingham and then Nottingham to Boston to meet my new companions it's gonna be a total of 5 hrs travel!

So this week was a pretty great week, we stoped by a lot of people and did lots of tracting we were in a super Chavy area and we put our bikes up against the fence walked five steps and knocked on a door when a man walked up and started checking out our bikes and then he saw us and awkwardly said oh I thought they were scrap metal... bye. So funny we're pretty sure he was gonna steal them. 

This week I finished reading the Book of Mormon for the first time on the mission and I finished Preach my Gospel I really loved being able to read through both as a missionary this time around I have read them both before but this time around it has been so different I feel like I had the missionary part of my brain unlocked so Everything I read applied to missionary work in The Book of Mormon and Preach my gospel made so much more sense because I actually knew what they were talking about more. So ya that has been a great experience to have in my last week in my Greenie area to finish both.

This week we went to our investigators house he is Fijian as well we caught him at home and we talked him into coming to church on Sunday. On Sunday he came with our part member family we Baptised he stayed the whole time he downloaded the gospel library app and was reading through the material and highlighting stuff during church and started googling temples! During Sunday school they talked about temples and it reminded him that when he was younger in Suva he went to the temple open house! Sooo cool! After church we went to a members for diner they are seriously the sweetest people they helped me out so much the past four months. I'm really grateful for everything they've done for me. After diner we went to the Fijian/Tongan families house and taught our investigator the restoration and went through the Book of Mormon with the dad of our recent converts. It was sooooo good as we talked to him he just was getting it all and he said he loved it and started saying when I get baptised and can I go on a mission? it was sooo cool! After that our lesson turned into a islander farewell they sang us a farewell song in Fijian and I seriously cried the whole song we also closed with singing God be with you till we meet again. Holy flip I absolutely love these people so much they became my family here I am so grateful for them. At church we also got asked to bare our testimony but I locked it up and didn't cry I definitely lost it the rest of the day but I made it through my testimony so I've grown a Little! 

The past four months in Gloucester have been crazy, I have loved the area and the people so much I can't really tell if I've changed much yet but spiritually the mission has been so great I am so grateful for the past five months I feel like my love for the gospel is so much stronger and my gratitude is getting a lot better, I'm just realising how truly blessed I've been in my life so far. So Gloucester has been great I have loved it, it's been hard but it's been great. I love this gospel and this area and I am so excited for Boston and all the good things to happen there.

Love,
Sister Talia Brown 🇬🇧

	10:19 AM (8 hours ago)

Week 19

This week the weather was so nice Monday-Wednesday we did lots of painting and stuff which was sweet cause we gotta be outside lots especially with biking and a few times I didn't even have to wear a coat so that was magic! But then after that it got super rainy and windy. 

We had the 175th relief society party which was fun we helped set up for that and then we gotta go to the party which was fun they had tacos and they even had refried beans which is sad cause you can barely find it in Canada but they have it all over here but it freaks out most English people so sister Swasey and I gotta eat most of it.

We have been visiting a sister in the hospital and on Sunday we were able to go with the Elders to bring her the sacrament and I just love that we have the priesthood and that the sacrament can be taken to all those in need of it. It had been 7 weeks since this women had been able to take it and it was so special to be able to be there and see her take the sacrament after so long she was so happy and the spirit was so strong. 

This next week is most likely my last week in Gloucester unless they have found us a new place to live I'm pretty sad to leave my greenie area behind though I feel like it's my home and now I have to pick up everything and leave it again so I'm pretty torn about the whole situation.

Sister Swasey got her wallet stolen this week so we went searching for it at the police stations and stuff on St. Patrick's day. Fun fact don't go outside on St. Patrick's day especially if it's a Friday people be stumbling in and out of bars that whole day, we were only in the high street for the morning till noon and people were walking around completely smashed most of them were old men thank goodness there was no pinching that happened! 

The part member family I have been working with started temple prep on Sunday! The mom came and sat by me in relief society and she was absolutely beaming she said sister Brown I can't stop smiling we just took our first temple prep class! We are one step closer to the temple! That was honestly the best moment so far on the mission just hearing this beautiful mum talk about how excited she is to have her family sealed in the temple for time and all eternity! Gah it was so good! They also dropped us off a ridiculous amount of food the other day!We are so blessed to have met this family!

I've been having a few members ask how long they think it will be till I get transferred back to Gloucester gah it just about breaks my heart when I have to explain we probably won't be moved back when they get a new flat for the sisters in Gloucester... 

Life in Gloucester has been good we are trying our dang hardest to stay busy and to work hard!

Love,
Sister Talia Brown 🇬🇧

15, The Courtyard
London Road
Gloucester
GL1 3PS

England

Week 18

Spring is almost in full swing it's so exciting! The trees have great big buds on them just waiting for the right day to pop. And the flowers are ridiculously beautiful! Oh my gosh and I've seen so many bunnies and lambs! It's seriously so fun seeing different seasons in a different country. The rain has definitely been interesting on a bike but it's pretty fun zipping around on a bike instead of a gross smelly bus!

So this weeks drunk white man story happened while sister Swasey and I were riding home for the night we were passing through a dodgey part of town and sister Swasey was a bit ahead of me and I went passed this group of Chavs (dodgey white males dependent on the government) and one of them spanked my butt! And all I had was the chance to say was what the Heck man!? And then another one slapped my butt and I just kinda yelled some words at them and rode off so that was both terrifying and hilarious.

This week also while walking home someone yelled at us and threw a bottle at us but they had pathetic aim so it missed by a lot.

We also tracted a door where the people just laughed at us and mocked us for a solid minute... wow now writing this week out it kinda sounds like the most awful week but it was actually super fun there were definitely times where it was like holy flip this is kinda the worst but we had so much fun and we served so many people and that was the best part!

We moved a couple people in the ward which was so awesome because they really needed the help at this time. And we painted this woman's kitchen for her and I think it meant more to her that she had people willing to help her and make her home nicer for her. I absolutely love service holy flip it is my absolute favourite thing thank goodness for spring cleaning right now because we have been asked to help with lots this next week as well.

We also went to Cheltenham a couple times this week for interviews with president and then for zone meeting so that was fun I love going and seeing other missionaries cause it's just nice to get revamped for the week and know that we can do this because we are all working towards bringing people unto Christ!

This week we also had a lot of fun riding around this city, though I am definitely not fast but I am starting to love biking more and more! Sister Swasey explained it as getting a bit of a adrenaline rush through out the day because it's pretty crazy the fast pace of traffic here so it's kinda hard for my heart to not be racing but I'm definitely still praying all the time and I haven't died yet so thank goodness for that! 

We have been stopping by a lot of people who have been taught in the past and we finally caught this one family at home (there Fijian!) they of course invited us right in and we talked for like an hour about Rugby (sick!) and the gospel of course! and got another appointment so I'm excited to hopefully start working with them more I freaking love Islanders! They are the best kind of people! 

The weather was super warm this week so that was soooo nice! Today was beautiful we went down to the Quays and looked at the boats and stuff and then went to the cathedral again. I finally gave sister Swasey a proper tour of this city! We went through the stores and tried on some proper English lady hats as well! Because we're posh! 

So basically life is good, the gospel is good, and England is good!

Love,
Sister Talia Brown 🇬🇧

15, The Courtyard
London Road
Gloucester
GL1 3PS

Englnd

Week 17

Well we're moving! Haha Sister Swasey and I got the awkward phone call from our landlord confirming that we were leaving at the end of the month! We then called the mission home and said what the what? And they said they were done with our ghetto flat and the crap they were having to go through with it so we asked where are we moving to then? They said they didn't have a flat yet in Gloucester sooo we don't know anything till transfers so they may just have to take the sisters out of Gloucester until after they find a flat for us so ya I dunno what's happening but either way we are packing! Fun!

This first week of march has shown me what all those school rhymes were actually talking about. England is the land of spring there are seriously flowers everywhere the daffodils are all over the place and the snow drops and other flowers that we'd buy at Home Depot at home in June. So that's been really cool there are cherry blossoms all over the place now too I'm just waiting on the trees to pop now. And of course who can forget the Spring Showers..... turns out what I thought was a lot of rain is actually nothing compared to the rain fall that England gets in the spring and I swear the clouds are just mocking sister Swasey and I every time we go outside it will down pour for 5 minutes and then stop so we are always soaked. 

So we got a notification last week saying basically everyone needs to get off there butts and bike instead of bus.... so this week I bought a bike... it's funny because my first two transfers I thought wow I've never prayed so much in my life.... oh silly sister Brown... let's just say that I know what it means to have a prayer in your heart... so ya I haven't crashed yet, I've literally felt the lords hand while biking because I swear there were so many moments when I thought I was gonna die. English roads and drivers plus riding a bike in a skirt is a terrifying experience. Plus... I'm very out of shape like wow my butt and my legs have never been in so much pain Haha... and I get a Charlie horse every hour cause my muscles or whatever I did have are being ripped a part... so ya! But other then that I love biking! its the best! I'm excited for the day when my calfs are bullet proof!

Also along with the spring cleaning people are moving or painting or doing lawn care so we are doing so much service it's the best! Not that I don't love trackting but dang I could do service all day everyday!

Also with my bike it was super short notice to need to get one and have it be good to go but one of my favourite families in the ward seriously helped me out and found me an awesome bike on eBay now I just have to chav proof it so it won't get stolen!

Also Tuesday was world pancake day and sister Swasey and I so badly wanted to be apart of it but unfortunately we could not find any pancakes in Gloucester! So we had waffles! And they were amazing! Thanks Kaspas! 

Oh and sister Swasey almost died on my watch we were doing weekly planning and hating doing it so we were eating candies and she started laughing and in haled a mike n Ike and she seriously choked for 5 seconds and I just laughed at her and then realized holy flip she can't breathe... don't worry she pulled through she only had a mildly uncomfortable throat afterwards.

Oh and I found a sick VW van