Happy & Sad

So, this week has truely been interesting, alot has changed. I've
found it tough to want to be on a mission. Sometimes I think of going
home. But, I'm not a quitter. It's tough and this could easily be the
most depressing moment of my life, because it's hard to say I'm
enjoying my mission yet. Someday, I will probably look back on this
and say "I loved my mission" it's hard right now to enjoy every single
moment.
 
I've found out how rough Rochdale can be. It's one of the roughest
areas in the mission field. But that's probably why the Lord called me
here. Sometimes the level of opposition we get can be extreme. People
drunk during mid-day but, we stand firm as witnesses of Christ. I hear
this can be one of the toughest parts of a mission, you don't fully
understand everything yet, and you are taken away from all social
interaction, and the only person you can talk to is your companion. It
is rough, but I've seen the blessings.
 
A great important lesson I've learn't is that if you focus on going
home, just enduring the mission, well you just don't experince the
fullness of it. You will go home with a few experinces, a few memories
but no lessons. I've tried to live everyday, focus on my mission and
as I do, I learn, I gain alot of experinces, alot of memories and ALOT
of LESSONS. Keep writing to me, sometimes that's the only thing I've
got to keep me smiling. But I do smile.
 
My biggest Strength is also my biggest Weakness, I love people
sincerely, but when they progress, they feel the Spirit and they just
face opposition and discard all of the information they have learn't
because I love them so much, I feel sad. I know that all people have
agency to choose if they accept our message. But, I desire that they
can come closer to God.
 
But... hey No one said that a mission would be the easiest thing I
would ever do. Infact, it could be the hardest thing I've had to do to
date.
 
I've knocked so many doors my knuckles feel sore :)
 
It seems that the most humble people can be the people who don't have
much, they seem to be very receptive and whilst Tracting/ Contacting
at posh areas it seems no-one cares to listen, it's funny how that
works. However, I can say this week I've really gained my confidence
back. Talk to everyone, anyone and everyone, it's really helped me
gain the confidence as a person to just speak to anyone with
confidence.
 
My funniest experince this week was walking down a road to an
appointment, being stopped by and drunk man telling us about, how he
respected what we were doing. As we both left him, I offered him my
hand to shake, but he grabbed it and held it against his heart. A
peculiar fellow right?
 
At our ward, there is a Phillipino woman, married to an english man.
They constantly debate about whether I'm Phillipino or English, she
also served a mission somewhere in the phillipines, we managed to do
some service for them and we painted at the old people's home that he
owned. I am such a skillful painter.
 
I've gotten used to walking long distances now and hopefully my feet
can recover quicker now. We cleaned our flat, today and the Office
Elders came to remove an old desk. In Rochdale we are blessed with a
wonderful apartment.
 
It is my prayer that the people in the staines ward are safe and that
you are all happy living the Gospel.
 
Whenever it is raining on me, when people swear at us, when people are rude.
Remember, the Son of Man hath decended below any of us, are we greater
than he? D&C 122.
 
Elder Sapaden