Moving Day

Dear Friends and Family,
Oh how I love being a missionary.
Here we go. Monday was pretty laid back. We did our shopping and stuff and then had teacher training with the Elders. It was a fun day.
Tuesday we saw Jill from South Africa again and Sister Ip came with us. Sister Ip was great! Jill still really respects us, but sees no need to change from being Catholic. Then in the evening we saw Micheal. He's doing okay, but he still hadn't read his Book of Mormon. We read with him , and it seemed good, and we assigned him one verse a day to read (starting small :) ) and he agreed to come to the Friday night activity, so that was nice.
Wednesday we had Zone Conference and it was soooo good. I love President and Sister Patch. President is so funny. I had to give a spot talk on Virtue, but I knew I was going to do it... haha... somehow you just can feel it :) It was bittersweet however to say Goodbye to Sister Berrett, because I probably won't see her again before she goes home... crazy. Then that evening we went to dinner at the Rebelo families. I don't know how they can contain so many amazing families in one ward! It was great to hear their many stories about missionary work. Brother Rebelo talks to anyone and everyone about the church. It's great. They have 2 daughters and 2 sons and they are so cute. I love it.
Thursday we did our planning. We also called just about every estate agent in the area, because we were alerted on Sunday that we needed to move out of Sister Bettridge's house by the end of the month. Most people just laughed at us because we were looking for something at about £450 per month, and they all said that their cheapest were about $550 or £600, which was crazy! We found a couple flats to look at so that was good, but only after we decided to look at anything under £500 per month. Then we did some finding and we met some really nice new investigators on a street that apparently the Elders had tracted on Monday (and we didn't realize it), so that was pretty funny.
Friday was a great day. We went to lunch with Denise Sim. She is so great, and afterwards she dropped us off in Hemel Hempstead (where we are moving), because we had a couple of appointments to view flats. We viewed three flats and found one we really liked, but it was £495 per month. We weren't sure if we'd be allowed to take it, but it was really the cheapest one we had seen that was available before the end of the month. So we talked to the office Elders and eventually "sold" them on it as well :) So we have a place! We may be moving in as soon as Saturday... so I'll update you next Monday as to my current location and new address. Then in the evening we went with Micheal to the ward activity and it was great. What was most exciting was that Micheal did his reading, and then some, and he loved it! :) Also they had a Young Single Adult activity at the chapel and Julia (from Milton Keynes) was there. It was fun to see her! I also saw some people from Enfield, so that was pretty cool. We made Pizza's and played Volleyball. Saturday was a day full of finding. We went tracting all day, but we also found 6 new investigators, so that was fun. In the evening on our dinner break we crashed a Single Adults dinner because it was at Marge's place. It was really fun, and we got to meet a woman from our ward who I've had my eye on for a while. Her named is Fiona Smith, and the reason I've been looking at her is because she looked exactly like Jane from the Joseph Smith movie. Well we got to officially meet her, and guess what! She is Jane from the Joseph Smith movie. Isn't that cool? So that was a fun discovery.
Sunday was exciting because Micheal came to church. What was exciting about that was that he had a really good excuse not to come, but he still chose to come. I love it! Then in the afternoon we were supposed to have 5 appointments but instead we got 4 hours of finding. It's disappointing when people don't keep their appointments, but I guess they have their agency. I like finding anyways :) . So it was a fun way to end the week. I love so much how the Lord is preparing people and how he leads us to them! I love so much how the gospel blesses every aspect of our lives. We may not be able to answer every question, but with faith we can make it through any question or trial. I love it so much! Thank-you to everyone for the wonderful support you are :)
Mom- I have the best family ever. You are so much fun :) I love the Lincoln quiz :-P Thank-you so much for the cookie recipe. By the way, the attached pictures are for Sister Stevenson. She asked for them. Do you think you could get them to her via facebook or something?

Nathan- You are such a good boy. I love you!

Elder Ison- Stop being trunky :-P I got your letter. I was so excited that it was so big, until I realized that it was mostly not from you :( Haha.... thanks anyway :)
Everyone Else- I love you!

Love,
Sister Ison

That'll be four thousand dollars, or you can join our club....

So, Nathan making a new language is pretty much the craziest thing I ever heard of. Anyways, I am so hungry right now. Brats? Corn on the Cob? Ice cream? AHHH!!!! I'm happy you had a nice 4th of July! My week helped me to grow. We had to drop a few people, but other than that we're good. We found some pretty cool people to teach and hopefully they will be ready to act on our message. I am super excited to see my new bedroom. I bet it is awesome. Our landlord has been fixing up our shower and He did some painting and I got a little trunky because the smell of paint is always in our house in the summer. I got over it though, don't worry. I am glad Mom made it home safe and that all is well with her. It stinks that it rained all the 4th of July though. It is crazy that Ian is getting married too. I can't believe it. Everybody is getting married all of the sudden. Cool story: I saw Lionel the other day. He is doing really good. I talked to him at a fireside a couple months ago and he bore his testimony to me about the blessings that come from paying tithing. I was so happy to hear that because he almost didn't get baptised because of tithing. Now he is a fully active, full tithe paying, melchesidek Priesthood holder. That is pretty awesome. I also saw Helene and Jean, if you remember them. Jean still isn't baptized, but he comes to church every week. Helene still calls me her son and is doing great. David is renting a house right now from Lionel, and is doing really good too. It was nice to see all of my Recent Converts and how well they are progressing in the gospel. I want to get a few more. I will keep you posted on that. Well, unfortunatley, I must wrap up, but I love you guys and will TTYL!

Peace out!

Elder Ison

Oh say can you see?

Mount Kidsmore

Dear Friends and Family,
This week has been a great one.... of course what week isn't when you're on the Lord's errand  :) ?
Monday evening we went to Ursula's house and we got to meet her family, and she fed us a wonderful meal, and return we helped her sort through her stuff.  It was actually a really nice evening.
Then on Tuesday we got to see a woman named Jill.  She's really cool, because, although she's Catholic, she used to live with members, and has had really good experiences with the church in South Africa.  She was really excited to have a Book of Mormon, and it was a nice lesson.  People are always watching you, and I'm so grateful for the wonderful examples members have been in her life, and it reiterates to me the importance of always being a good example.  Then in the evening we went to the Hughes for dinner.   We had a super nice barbeque, and it was especially fun because the Hughes live on a canal boat.  Haha, it's pretty cool.  It's kind of like permanent camping.  They don't have a permanent address or anything.  It's pretty fun.
Wednesday morning we had District Meeting.  Then in the afternoon we went to see Louise again.  She seems confused about the purpose of the Book of Mormon, and doesn't see why she should change from being Catholic... so yeah...  Then in the evening we went to see Micheal.  He's doing pretty well, but we also aren't sure how committed he is, but we'll keep working on him  :) .
Thursday was a really good day.  In the evening we went to the Stanbury's for dinner again with Micheal, and it was great!  They are such a great family.  It was a happy night.  It was also a very hot day... in fact... the whole week was sweltering!  Oh my goodness, but I love it!  Haha, I'd take the heat over the cold anyday  :) 
Friday was so cool!  We had interviews and I got to meet President and Sister Patch.  They are sooo great! Sister Patch immediately came up to me and said that she met one of my Aunts at the Seattle airport.  That was pretty cool.  President Patch told so many stories about President Hinckley and President Monson.  He talked a lot about change..... so I don't know what he's going to do, but I'm sure it will be great.  Then I went with Sister Olsen to Enfield.   :-D   Yup, we had a workover and I got to go back to Enfield.  It was soooooo much fun!  I got to meet Alex Berry and she came teaching with us.  We went to see Cecelia with her little baby Faith.  It was sooo great to see her.  She's doing well.  She still needs to be married and come to church more regularly before she can be baptized, but I think she'll make it  :) .  Then we went to see Hayley Parish and she is soooo pregnant!  It's cute.. Haha, I can't believe she's having another little girl.  Also it was Brother Parish's birthday so they gave us loads of cakes.  Haha...
Saturday was a cool day.  In the morning we went to Regina and Victoria's house.  Victoria is AMAZING.  She reads the Book of Mormon and understands what she reads.  If only her mom were more active in church.  Then, in celebration of the 4th of July we had Pizza and watermelon for lunch.  It was great.  Then we went finding, and the very first door we knocked on this Romanian woman opened the door and invited us in.  Her name's Helena, and she met with the missionaries 8 years ago when she was in Romania.  Since then she's lived in Poland and just recently moved to England, and even though it's been a while she immediately recognized us, and experessed her desire to come to church, but she didn't know where it was!  It's so cool.  And not only that, but she has a husband and 3 children at home with her who want to come, and also, one of the family friends was there as well and he also said he would like to know more.   :)   I love how people are being prepared.  Also, it made me think about how we can't always see our influence.  Those missionaries who taught Helena 3 times in Romania may have thought they didn't accomplish anything, but they obviously made an impact on her and prepared her for now.  Cool eh?  :)   Then we went to see Icilda Williams, who is her same old self.  Then we traveled to make the switch back.  I loved being in Enfield again.  It was a lot of fun.   :)   Sister Jensen also did a great job taking over the area after only being there for 3 weeks.  I would have been petrified to do that.  So that was excellent.
Sunday was Fast and Testimony meeting and it was so good.  The youth are so strong here in Watford, and they have dynamite testimonies.  I really felt the spirit.  The gospel blesses families and strengthens youth!  I love it!  Then we had a meeting, and found out that they want us to look for a flat in Hemel Hempstead, so we should be moving before the end of the month.  I'll keep you posted.  Then after church we went to the Siu's for dinner. They had a friend visiting from Hong Kong as well.  It was a great dinner, and fun to get to know the family.  Brother Sui is on the Bishopric.  Then in the evening we did some finding and found some pretty cool new investigators.
So that was my excellent week  :)   I love Watford.  I love being a missionary!  I love the gospel of Jesus Christ.  It's so great!

Mom-  You rock my world.  I can't believe Ian is getting married!  Tell him congratulations for me!  Also give the Maxey's my love.  I have a request.  Could you send me a recipe for No Bake Cookies?  I would love it!   :)   Thanks  :) 

Dad-  That picture is hilarious?  Who made it?  Sister Jensen is from Hailey (sp?) Idaho.

Nathan-  You are so silly!  I love you!

Love,
Sister Ison

Be Prepared!

Hello Everybody!

How are you? I am fine. This week was pretty awesome. We have continued teaching our cool people, and added to our pool. Wednesday was, as you know, transfers, and I am here now with Elder Olsen. He is from the same town as my MTC companion, and they went to the same High school. He comes from a family of 6 and is the 4th. He has been out for 2 transfers. Because we went from 4 elders to 2, we picked up a cool family the other missionaries were teaching. Our first visit we went to their house to get to know them and I shared my favorite scripture, Helaman 5:12. She read it and I guess it was a good choice because she said that I was inspired. It was pretty awesome. Other than that this week was just more of the same... Sunday we only had 1 person at Church, which was less than I hoped for, but its been a roller coaster ever since I came back. One week we'll have none and the next have 9 and the next have 1. Whatever though. President Robison is gone, which is super weird, but I am excited to work with President Gamiette. Enough about me though. I am glad you had a great time in Utah Mom. I am also glad you are back. Sorry that your week was a little rough Dad. Hows the car situation? Did you find out what was wrong with it? How is my car? Is it still alive? It better be CJ, because if not, I am blaming it all on you. I hope this week runs smoothly and everyone has a chillaxed time. I am really excited to see you all in 4 months, but don't worry, I am not trunky. I love you all to death and I will ttyl.

Peace out!

Elder Ison