Weekly Update 30 July 2012

Let's start off with some pictures.

This Morning for excercise we went to the Beach (30 seconds away from where we live) and I did an activity called Crabbing, which includes turning over Rocks to find Crabs because they get caught in all the Rock pools, anyway take a look at where our flat is situated and be jealous.

It was 6:30- 7:00 in the morning, I think we are going to start going out for morning excerise more often.

Today before we e-mailed we also went to another Museum,it's called the house of Mannanan, it was fun! Here are just some more random pictures.

Well, some more pictures from that Museum.

And a picture in that area, it's the West of the Isle of Man and it's and area called Peel, to get there driving was so intense, we were on these little roads which can only fit one car in but are supposed to be for two cars, it's like driving between two hedges which can only fit one car in but are supposed to fit two cars, and the scariest thing was, there was no speed limit! So I'm glad to be alive.

A picture of my companion (Elder Sutton) he was just walking up and down the rocks whilst I did some Crabbing.

I got a Fillipino badge, well actually a couple, I have a magnetic Fillipino one and a Pocket one too!

Hello!

Well, another exciting week has passed, really only the first week of the new transfer and great things continue to happen, I hope they have internet in Heaven because at this rate the Isle of Man will be translated.

At the Beginning of the week we were still in St. Helens and we got back to the Isle of man Thursday afternoon, so it sure is a lot of fun being on the Isle of Man, just so exclusive. The Weather has been great, as a missionary you really only have two things to go by in terms of weather, or at least in the Northwest of England and the Isle of Man, the two catagories are: Short-sleeved weather and Suit Jacket/ Coat weather. It sure is fun! It was so great to be back in St. Helens it was such a high for me, to go visit the ward, to see how your investigators have progressed and to see how the less- active members you worked with progress through the Gospel, It's a real joy to see them bounce to re-activation to the Temple.

Knowing that the Keys of Salvation have been turned we progress to Exaltation, think about that one!
We had a Tea appointment every night we were there, love them so much!
Zone conference on Tuesday was pretty fun too! Elder Sutton on are are just on a high aswell as a companionship, it is so fun!

When we got back to the Isle of Man it was like a different Time- Zone the Manx time zone, everything just becomes much more easy- going and relaxed and people drive slower, it reminded me of when I first came here, it was a real culture shock, but now I think that the Manx are just the most Amazingest people in the World. So, we taught a good amount, our investigator Teresa is still taking steps toward Baptism and we are just so excited for her.

A great success we were able to see is just the Balance and the effectiveness of how it was when we came back, we taught A LOT! I love teaching so... no complaints here! Our mission standard is about 20 lessons a week, we were only able to have 3.5 days back on the Isle of Man and during that time we were able to teach 14 lessons! and a lot of finding and setting up appointments! Life is good right now, I can't complain.

We are still teaching our Chinese investigator, and success this week comes from teaching a Phillipino man called Bryan, he is so great! he knows he needs to get Baptised and change, it will be exciting to teach him, I still have a vision of a Phillipino speaking ward on the North of the Island. Life is so good! I had a Phillipino dish this week aswell, it's nice to have some home food, we had a Mung bean stew type thing. Well, Church was good I was able to serve the members and play some Piano for them.

This Morning for excercise we went to the Beach (30 seconds away from where we live) and I did an activity called Crabbing, which includes turning over Rocks to find Crabs because they get caught in all the Rock pools (I'm sure my parents can attatch some Photos from the view from our Flat)

Anyhow, God be with you till we meet again.

Love,

Elder Sapaden

Weekly Update 23 July 2012

Hello!

Another week has just come and gone, it has flown by so quickly that it just seems I had e-mailed you all last wednesday, and then I closed my eyes to find myself at a computer again. This week has been a marvellous week, Teresa is still dated for baptism and we taught a whopping 18 lessons in 5 days. Something that I've come to understand on my mission is this important principle: Success is a gift, Success is a lifestyle. During the early days of my mission I would often think, there was an almost perfect correlation between: amount of baptisms = success of a missionary.

It really isn't the case, I've seen great missionaries, who haven't baptised on there mission, I've seen not so great missionaries baptise many on their missionaries, I've seen the most obedient missionaries baptise a few, and the perhaps not so faithful missionaries baptise by the tens. Success is a gift, Success comes from looking for what you can do more, it comes from a divine hand carrying you to the right people at the right times at the right places. Success is the spirit. I would say for myself I've had a successful mission so far, the baptisms aren't falling off of the trees but God has granted unto me so much success. 18 lessons in 5 days is so great!

We are teaching a Young chinese man aswell and he is just so excited to come to Church, we are teaching a town drunk who wants to change and obviously Teresa and many others.

There was a Concert at Liverpool celebrating the arrival of missionaries to the British Isles 175 years ago which we were able to attend on Saturday, the ironic and very symbolic thing was that we had caught a Ferry to those same docks where the early missionaries had landed earlier in the day from the Isle of Man, we are staying till Thursday, the original plan was to keep us in Liverpool, but St. Helens being close enough and not far at all I told them I needed to go to St. Helens so that is where I am at right now, the best ward in the World! I love the St. Helens members they really are a rare class of members who would do anything for you. I love them and they are just so great! We had the opportunity to go to Church with them yesterday and they all remembered me and it was just like catching up with old friends, I love them so much! Infact it very much felt like I was catching up with friends I had met before my mission. I was almost lulled into a sense that I wasn't a missionary and I was just visiting the ward, in my mind I was going to hug them all, but once I remembered that I had a companion I returned to missionary mode.

I had met some St. Helens members at the Concert I had met Sister Marshall the Liverpool Stake Presidents wife and as soon as she met me she invited us for dinner on the Sunday, I love St. Helens all of them arranged Dinner appointments different to the St. Helens missionaries for me and my companion and we have one for everyday that we are here! Best ward ever!

Heres a funny experience that was had after Church yesterday, Elder Kerr of the Seventy came to the St. Helens ward, I had remembered him coming to a Staines Stake youth convention and talking to us, here's how the conversation went:
"Hi Elder Kerr, do you remember when you went to a staines stake youth convention?"
"I do, we talked about the Law of Chastity that night"
"do you remember how we got onto that topic?"
"I can't remember"
"you asked us what we wanted to learn about that night and all of the youth were very shy and didn't utter a word, I whisphered to my friends "girls" to make them laugh, you asked "who said that? and I stood up and we talked about the Law of Chastity"
"I remember that, well, well, now you're on a mission and just doing great!"

It was a funny experience that I'll never forget, a immature young man who just wanted to talk about girls, just happened to clean up a little bit, study his scriptures harder and became a missionary had talked to the same seventy about 3 years later and he remembered that great experience we had together.


Well, it would be amiss if I didn't share something of spiritual worth and so this weeks little thought is just a small one. Joshua 24:15: "Choose you this day whom ye will serve...but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Joshua instructing the Children of Israel commanded them to act, to choose for themselves, just to do. He knew as we did, in Matthew "No man can serve two masters" and he knew that they needed to choose, the ability to choose the the greatest gift that God has given to us except for life itself. However, the deeper meaning and the higher law comes from the words "this day" Joshua was wise, in Alma we learn that this life is the time to prepare to meet God, and consequently we shouldn't procrastinate the day of our repentance. Think of how it would change is Joshua said "Choose tommorow, it's not that important" or "Perhaps, maybe next week go Choose so one to follow" or "try serving both, that might work" he said effectively "today" choose today. So my invitation for this week is exactly that "Choose today", who will you serve? what will you do to serve him?


I love you all!

Elder Sapaden

"Quocunque Jeceris Stabit" 

Weekly Update 16 July 2012

Today it was transfers for the mission although I got a new companion a week early, we had an emergency transfer early because my previous companion finished his mission and his Visa expired early. So It's transfers today!

We decided to go to Castle Rushen which is a castle 2 minutes away from our house, it was absolutely beautiful!

First of all, take a look at my stunning scriptures, courtesy of a wonderful Sister in the Douglas ward, it is covered in Manx tartan, a pattern that is homogenous to the Isle of Man.

Secondly, my new companion, Elder Sutton from Centerville, Utah. It's next to Bountiful, Utah. He has been out on his mission for less than 6 months, so it is very exciting to be with a semi- brand new missionary, this is only his second area, it reminds me of how I felt when I lfet Rochdale.

Thirdly, The View from our House, isn't it beautiful? can't you understand why the Isle of Man is the most coveted area of the mission.

A picture of the town we live in...

More of Castle Rushen and Me

Aloha!

This week we had a race around the area where we live called the Southern 100, it affects how we get to places and sometimes we had to take massive detours to get to places where we had planned lessons. So we were racing around races, it's all an adventure here. Well we managed to do a lot of Teaching which we are called to do and life is all Celestial at present.

I've made a lot of friends here and I love the ward here, it is quite an adjustment from coming from a ward where all the members feed you everyday and wash and Iron your shirts as well, although I have a new companion this week who irons my shirts, isn't that sweet?

Elder Sutton he is called, from Centerville, Utah... he tells me it is near Bountiful to which I nod my head and say "oh... yeah, over there, okay" he has been out on his mission less than 6 months and this is his second area, it is exciting to be able to direct the work and be responsible an as accountable as this position/ situation has placed me in, to which I welcome with open arms, my life's motto is: "Whatever you do, do it well!" so even if we are at the present moment trying, we are trying well.

An interesting part of my week was a 7 hour ferry ride, I went to drop off my previous companion Elder Stubbs to England, he finished his mission on Thursday, we had to have an emergency transfer because his Visa expired earlier than the mission was doing transfers which is why I'm e-mailing on a Wednesday, because it is Transfers today. I got my new companion Elder Sutton we had a quick 30 minute lunch at a Carvery, I love Caverys! and we raced off to the Ferry and sailed back.

Right now things are very exciting, we are still preparing one of our investigators for Baptism, she is called Teresa and she is just stunning! Her is a story that really shows how much devotion she has, on Sunday after Church she got a Taxi home, she was crying on the way home for an unknown reason to us, perhaps tears of Joy, but nevertheless she was. Immediately aware of the situation she said to the Taxi driver "I'm not crying because of that Church, I know I'm coming back from Church, but I'm not crying because of anything that Church did, I love that Church" and thus we see, Teresa is amazing!

I'm trying to make my language more scriptural, which is probably a little bit strange to you normal people, but nevertheless, it is something I'm working on. When I ask for directions it really isn't turn left, then go straight then turn right and then you have reached your destination, it becomes, repent to the left, endure straight, then reconcile to the right  and then you have reached your probationary state. Those little Motorbikes that just seem to drive the road with no thought of others are "wow, Elder Sutton we did well dodging those fiery darts of the adversary."

We have been doing alot of finding people to teach, I really love that about the Isle of Man, it seems to be very balanced between Teaching people and Finding people to teach in between, we do a lot of near the Beach street contacting, it really is different being able to see the sea out to Ireland or England or Scotland when we speak to people, it's refreshing. This week we also seem to  be teaching a lt which is just fantastic! We are teaching member of our Chinese Investigator family, I spoke to a Chinese man yesterday in Mandarin Chinese, he was convinced I was Chinese, it was funny trying to explain to him I only knew a little bit.

Well, It would be amiss and plain wrong if I din't spiritually uplift and edify you all, so something I learnt this week is about the power of fasting. Let me share some of my small hic-cups of wisdom, of which I don't have a lot of. What is communication? Communication simply put is any talk/ desires being transmitted to another being. Talking is communication, Praying is a very powerful form of communication, the spirit communicates what God has to say for us, the Prophet communicated equally the same except to a wider audience. Something I have really gained a testimony of is that Fasting is also another form of communication. How I came to that conclusion is this: we all have desires, we want to achieve those desires and if those desires being righteous and our hearts really desire them for a righteous purpose communicated by the medium of fasting really helps our will become swallowed up in the will of the Father. Heavenly Father through a medium of fasting is really able to see what we are willing to sacrifice for this purpose, many think, fasting is selfish, people want things so they go hungry, which view is completely wrong. Fasting is much more than just going without food because God said so. It is a communication between a Child's desire and a Fathers grace. I love fasting for my investigators, especially to overcome the temptations they will face as they have to come in tune to the music of faith.

I do not say this to put myself on a high horse, but I know that God values our sacrifices, we have been given our life. Our life is a gift from God, what we do with that life is our Gift to God.

Are you going to act? or are you going to be acted upon?

Love,

Elder Sapaden

"Quocunque Jeceris Stabit" 

Weekly Update 09 July 2012

So.

The first is at Zone- Conference at Liverpool with all the missionaries from the Liverpool Stake and President Preston and his Wife. I know, my shirt looks untucked, but I promise it's not. I'm wearing a Manx Tartan tie, it's from the Isle of Man.

This week we had to get Kathy some Manx number plates, just so you know what they look like, they look like that. The Isle of Man is literally its own country.

Hello EVERYONE!

Let's start with some interesting fun facts, 1 in every 9 people on the Isle of Man is Filipino, isn't that just weird, of a population of about 70,000 that is a lot of Filipinos! It gives me a little bit of Justification to say I'm in the Philippines, I was walking down the street when the other day, I just heard a group of Fillipino men, about 7-8 or them just having a casual conversation, I only expect to even heard that on my Holidays to the Philippines, It's quite astounding if you ask me. Next fun fact, the Isle of Man is its own Country, this didn't hit me until now. They aren't British or even consider themselves part of the United Kingdom, it's very different if you ask me, I'm serving in a whole different country! They have the longest continual Parliament in the whole world. It's called Tynwald. We had the National holiday of the Isle of Man on July the 5th it was Tynwald day, we had ourselves a lot of fun and they even had the Manx National Anthem sung, it was very different to England, but I love it here, it doesn't feel that I am part of the "England Manchester Mission" it should be the "England Manchester and Isle of Man Mission."

Anyhow, enough of my rant, the weather is great here, and when the sun shines, everything is just so beautiful, recently they have had a water problem here because it has rained so much some rivers overflowed and we had to drink Boiled Water for 48 hours, exciting, right? It hasn't happened often infact, we asked a member who had been here for 20 years if this had happened before and she told us only once before. It feels like I'm a Child here again on the Isle, everything, even the most insignificant is just so exciting!

For some highlights this week, we drove past the house belonging to the Governor of the Isle of Man, he had a pretty big house, we taught just under 20 lessons this week, so it has been a very successful week. We got some Manx number plates for Kathy our blessed little car, we have an investigator dated for Baptism for the 4th of August, I got new glasses because I needed some, we just spend a lot of time strengthening less- actives and we taught our first Filipino family!

It was interesting teaching a Filipino Family, they are called the Lipi's (I think) they have a Dad, a Mum and a Daughter, the most hard- hitting thing was they had similar personalities to how my family would face a missionary situation. The Father was talking and just kept asking us sincere thought provoking questions, the mother was bearing testimony of her testimony of Jesus Christ and the Daughter was about 17-18 she was mostly silent but you could see her taking it all in. They had spent some time in Saudi Arabia as well, in a place called Jedah.

This Sunday, I fasted. I tell this to you not to boast of myself or to put myself on a pedestal and proclaim "look at me, I'm so good" but, it was a great day on Sunday, we taught many people, we had really good conversations, the Lord had truly blessed us, and on Monday I got a call from my mission President calling me as a District Leader. My companion Elder Stubbs, is getting transfered to Australia. He ends his mission tomorrow, we take a ferry journey across, tommorow morning.

Life is so good right now! I receive a new companion soon, because Elder Stubbs goes home early due to his Visa expiring earlier than the transfer date, I'll get a new companion before transfers actually occurs, he is a new missionary, who has been out for about 4-5 months called Elder Sutton, I hear he has a good singing voice so we will have to get a musical item done with Piano and Voice.

Speak to you soon.

Love you all,

Elder Sapaden.

"Quocunque Jeceris Stabit" 

Weekly Update 02 July 2012

First some Pictures :)

 The wettest day ever, I squeezed my sock, that day every part of my clothing was just soaked through, even my shoes. When it's wet on the Isle of Man, it's really wet.

 Also some pictures of the Isle of Man currency, there is a One pound note floating around and I want one so, happy trading! You can use normal english money here aswell as Manx money you just can't use Manx money in England.

Today we went to the Manx Museum and it was great, There is a picture of me today, and my new haircut.

I love Manx galic it's a beautiful language, not many people speak anymore.

Hello!

What a time it is to be alive! This week I became two decades old, we didn't do anything that special... I went to KFC, I've done a year without KFC, it was too long without KFC, so I really appreciated it and I got a ferry ride to Liverpool, we were in England for a few days because of a Zone- Meeting. It was really nice. Got to teach some Chinese people with the Liverpool chinese missionaries. Here is the miracle, by virtue of being manly I didn't bother to get any cake, however a Chinese Investigator we taught had a surprise for us... it was wrapped and in a little bag, she told us it was her birthday and so she got some birthday cake for us, and so on my birthday I did have birthday cake. It was a tender mercy. We had a ferry ride for my Birthday, aswell. Riding the ferry is quite unusual, it's like a 2-3 hour boat ride and it's really strange because it has an aeroplane feel so it feels like I'm always in a foreign country on the Isle of Man.

Well... things sure are starting to get lively here, we have done so much good, we taught our Chinese Investigator family again, we taught them the Gospel of Jesus Christ and it seems to be going smoothly thus far, it will be interesting to see how it's going to progress. Another great miracle came from speaking to everyone, while we were knocking doors I saw a person walking accross on the other side of the street so we went to talk to that person, he immediately realised who we were and let us walk with him to his home where we taught him, he is doing great and accepted to be baptised and is excited to do so! He already wants to change his life and has a desire to repent, I really do know that Heavenly Father prepares people for us to speak to.

An interesting point of this week, is we knocked a door of a Castle, it was really strange, there are many Castles here on the Isle of Man and it is very strange when some of them have been converted into homes, so I can say I have knocked the Door of a Castle on my mission, you just don't think "I'm going to the England Manchester Mission to knock some Castle Doors" but we speak to everyone and it is so fun to do! Something that I have found very effective on my mission is asking members for advice, I've been able to see such great effects on my mission from doing so thus far. This sunday we asked many members this question: "Hi Brother... what would you do if you were on the Isle of Man? Where would you work? What less- actives would you see?" Too often I see that there is a line between members and missionaries. Members are missionaries, and Missionaries are members. Everyone is entitled to have good ideas and members often do! I am grateful to be in a ward where a lot of people have a lot of good ideas!

Well, it just wouldn't be right if I didn't mention Kathy in my e-mails, she is just a great car and we are getting her some Manx number plates because she has English ones currently so it will be fun, I've never had to do more administration things until I've come on my mission, I would usually depend on my parents to get things like that sorted out, but it sure is just an adventure! I got another Hair cut today, something that has revolutionased my mission is Short hair and Dax Wax. It's just so neat and clean, I look back to those times where I had long emo hair with "What was I thinking?"

A hard lesson that I had to learn at the beginnning of my mission was about becoming. I always saw the missionaries, they looked amazing, they acted professional and seemed to always know what to do. At the Beginning of my mission I just waited for that to happen to me, I waited and waited and waited, and then I realised. Missionaries just don't all of a sudden gain superpowers and are able to be fearless, bold and professional. You become fearless, bold and professional, and so I acted. I spoke to one more person everyday, I ran after people, I spoke to people on Buses until my fear just disappeared, instead of being shy I embraced all the awkwardness that the world had to throw at me, when I knocked doors I thought "wow, I don't know what to say to them, I'm just a mere 19 year old" now I say what I have to say and I say it well. A epitome that hit me was that, the people who are good count how many times they "Make it"; the professionals count how many times they "Miss it", I have learn't so much on my mission. Good is the enemy to Great! You dictate whatever you become, there is a promised blessing for every commandment, God is bound by eternal law to deliver the blessing when we are obedient, so receiving blessings and Gods help lies within our own power. It is left to the question, will you act or will you be acted upon?

I love my mission!

Love,

Elder Sapaden

"Quocunque Jeceris Stabit

Weekly Update 25 June 2012

First some pictures!

The first pictures are at Peel castle, we have done a little bit of touristic activities on the Isle of Man during our preparation days.

Peel is soo pretty and I am probably going to the Isle for a Honeymoon, it is so pretty, all of these Pictures were taken at peel castle. It's really nice here on the Isle of Man when it is sunny, it's a shame because a lot of the time it isn't really sunny, it's quite rainy or wet, or clouded over but when it is sunny it is so beautiful. I love where we live, we live next to the beach so it always smell like the sea, it is just simply great over here especially going home to the smell of the Sea/ Seaweed.

I just love it here. It's like a little paradise full of Fillipinos and Manx people.

More of Peel Castle,

 Then we went on top of the Highest mountain on the Isle called Snaefell or something like that,

our car took us part way there, Kathy is just an epic car, conquering every climb.


Hello Everyone,

This week has been amazingly brilliant! We have picked up a whole Chinese family that we are teaching, I love being able to speak some Chinese, it really helps we are teaching a Father, a Mother and a Son. It is just great... what I particularly enjoy is helping them understand who "God" is, because of the cultural differences, they do not already have any formed or set beliefs but when they understand that God is a Heavenly Father you can see sparks flying in there eyes. It is truely magnificent. We just seem to be racing everywhere aswell, it's great to feel busy, I think that this could easily be one of the busiet periods of my mission, it is great to be kept busy, but I love being a missionary because the level of stress and opposition is ust so much higher, but when you grow from those experiences it make those mundane, simple annoying things just seem joyful and easy.

Alot of what we have been still doing is laying the Foundation, it is a great part of it, running between people and between houses just because you want to speak to as many people as possible. I love speaking to people, before my mission and even now I wouldn't consider myself one of the most eloquent or the noblest of speakers, but when spoken simply and clearly, the spirit of the Lord just fills in the gaps and does the rest, people stop to listen to us, and on the Phillipino front, we have managed to find a whole street of them, so we knock doors there regularly. Just the other day we were invited in without any hesitation by a young phillipino man, he told us he wanted us to pray for him and we did, we taught a few principles and set up another return appointment, he told us where all the other Phillipinos play Basketball and so we shall go forward!

Something that has given me some more discipline is the Car, Kathy is a beautiful thing, she rides like a beast on those mountain roads and she always gets us home at 9.00pm on the dot. Exact obedience is the pathway to the promise. However, we are only given a certain number of miles that we are allowed to drive her in, and so it really is an orderly system, it has helped us plan wisely and made us more aware of how we can use our time wisely.

I learn't a great lesson this week. We had one day where it rained all day, my umbrella just broke, metal was bend and several metal poles on the Umbrella even snapped. It was intense. Every item of Clothing I wore was soaked through, I was cold, I was wet and it was just near impossible to smile. My shoes are still in the process of drying. I was soaked to the Core, just as if I had jumped into the Irish sea and then back out again. Well, despite this the Natural man was winning, I started to become annoyed, I was overcome and I was sad. The lesson I learn't that was that Hymns and Sciptures are sources of protection. I decided since there was no one on the streets anyway because they were all inside, as we journeyed back to the Car to get home again for a change of clothes to sing "Called to Serve". I sang it as loud as I could, I was smiling and even my companion joined me in singing, our hearts were lifted, we were again full of joy. The people in the cars driving past, stared at us probably thinking "Why are they smiling?, it's miserable outside" I felt a little insane infact. However as we sung the words "Onward, ever Onward, Forward pressing Forward" I knew what I needed to do. I just needed to keep on going. We all just need to keep on going. Sometimes we get rained on, we all feel depressed and it is easy in a world where not many people actually care to lose ourselves, to lose our purpose. My invitation is to keep on going! Try this, when you feel down at some point this week, just sing a hymn. I promise that as you really do that with all the passion of your being, that God will be by yourside to lift you up in your hours of need.

I love you all!

Love,

Elder Sapaden

"Quocunque Jeceris Stabit" 

this phrase is on all the Isle of Man money. It gives us a insight to how resiliant the Man people are, it means, Whichever way you may throw it, it will stand.

Weekly Update 18 June 2012

Hello!

the first picuture is just taken outside our chapel, ahh.. the joys of driving!

The rest of the pictures show an Isle of Man legend, Low clouds note that our car was on top of a small hill so looking down we literally "above" the clouds, amazing isn't it?

This has to be a taste of Heaven, because a lot of imagery dictates that heaven is also "above" the clouds... I can't believe I just compared the Isle of Man to heaven, it really just must be that great of an area in my head. Another fun fact, on the Isle of Man, you can see Wales, Scotland, England, Ireland, just everything, it is so scenic!

The Isle of Man is great!

Also, type in "Manx Tartan" in google, it is what I'm getting my scriptures covered in, it is a special fabric that is indiginous to the Isle of Man. It's beautiful, a member offered to do it for me (she loves knitting and sewing).

So..

It has been a great week once again! Manx people really are great! We had our first week together as a companionship and we really are enjoying the Isle of Man. What a blessed area. I don't know if it is classed as a different country but you might aswell call it one. I love Manx people they are just so fun. You have to do certain traditions which I think is just part of the great culture. For example, you aren't allowed to say the letters R, A and T together, you have to call them "longtails" and when you pass this sign called "Fairy Bridge" you have to say "Good Morning fairies" or "Good Afternoon fairies" I love it! It is just so unique and quirky. I didn't drive through any clouds this week or any crazy roads which actually say "no motors" on them and you are expected to drive on them. Part of this week we actually spent "across" we went to England for a few days. Oh here is a tip, never call a Manx person English, that is a dangerous move, don't worry I didn't make that mistake. We took a nice Ferry over, it was 3.5 hours it was so long. I'd prefer going by Plane, it's cheaper and quicker... however, I couldn't imagine the other missionaries faces if they said "hey look at those Isle of Man missionaries, there so exclusive they are taking a Plane back to the Isle" we would be just too exclusive for missionaries.

I got a Manx tartan tie, this week Manx Tartan is just so beautiful. It's a type of Fabric that is indiginous to the Isle of Man. I'm getting my scriptures covered in it. I love those little things that "tell stories" like someone in the future will ask me about the pretty fabric on my scriptures who I would rattle on about the Isle of Man to. Here is a miracle. We were working on the Isle of Man up in the North in a place called Ramsey we saw some Chinese people and recalling the Chinese I had learn't from Elder Peterson I had a great conversation with them and they thought I could speak fluent... and I just kept saying "Yes, Really?, Good" in Chinese back to him thinking that I could understand him. We gave him our number and he seemed semi- interested but he didn't want to set up an appointment. Before he left he said in broken english: "I call this number if I want to learn about Christians?" I replied "yes" this week on the way to a teaching appointment he called us and was speaking Broken English to us saying that he wants to learn. It was amazing, no one calls us back usually by giving them our number they usually say "I'll think about it" but he, this Chinese Man had actually called us back! We are seeing him tonight!

We spend 2.5 days in Liverpool for Zone Conference, I love the Ferry it feels like we are going to a whole different world! Techinally the England Manchester Mission should be the England Manchester Mission and the Isle of Man. The Fillipino work here is going great! I'm used to being around lots of Fillipinos now, there is just so many here, we talked to like 10+ after church yesterday. They all have little communities that we are trying to tap into, there is a whole street of Fillipinos that we keep going back to, there is one e-mailing on the computer next to me, half of the tills at the tesco we go to are run by fillipinos, they work in this huge bakery in a place called Ramsey, they all work at the same hospital. You would be surprised at how huge the Fillipino population is here, it must be the biggest in europe or atleast in the UK, you know how they have "Chinatowns" they really have "Fillipino-Towns" in some areas, on some streets we talk to Fillipino after Fillipino after Fillipino, there is only a few gaps where we talk to a Manx person.

A member approached me this sunday and asked where my parents were from, I said Phillipines, she was so excited. Her less- active son is married to a Phillipino, who isn't a member. There is as many Phillipino shops here as there is Polish people in Staines/ Hounslow. Just think about that one.

Well, today after e-mailing one of the best parts of Preparation day on the Isle of Man is the tourist sites we can see, we are going to a Castle called Peel Castle and some other sites here and everywhere!

It is a great time to be a missionary!


Love,

Elder Sapaden