HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Happy New Year everyone! Yeah, its boring as a missionary. We went to bed pretty early haha Someone showed us what the celebration was like in London and dang! it was intense. The firework show lasted for like 10 minutes. They even has fireworks coming out of Big Ben. We do it legit style here in the mother country haha

So I forgot to bring my planner today so this email be me just rambling on. Sorry.
Sunday was good! Oh, I have a new companion. Things changed and I'm not with the Zone Leaders, but my new companion's name is Elder Tulip. He is from Gravesend, which is just 20 minutes outside of London. He is a brilliant missionary. He's been out for 14 months and he knows how to teach! But yes, so on Sunday we had a missionary return home and gave his homecoming talk; we also had to speak. I spoke first on the simple things we can do each week as missionary work. My talk was supposed to be 10-15 minutes long, but I was just overcome by the spirit and spoke for 30 minutes! hahahahaha I just lost track of time really, but I'm going with the spirit took control and that's why I spoke for so long haha I sorta rebuked the ward for not having us over for dinner so often. It is our duty as missionaries to leave special blessings on the homes of the members and the best way to do that is by being there for dinner. Good stuff. My companion only got to speak for 5 minutes haha

Ummmm, so yeah, the beginning of the week was just Elder Dudley saying goodbye to different people. Thursday we had District Meeting, which was on updating the Area Book when we have lessons and meet people on the street. Also, we talked about getting members out to teach with us. It is so crucial in this work to involve the members. The number of converts will not increase unless the missionaries and the members are working equally hard. We just cannot bless as many people's lives. Friday we had weekly planning and I felt sick so we just stayed in the rest of the day. Saturday we had a couple appointments and did some finding. We had to go in at 7pm because it was Christmas Eve. Sunday I just talked about, so that's pretty much it haha

I'll leave with a spiritual thought. I will quote the wife of my mission president. She sent us an email and talked about New Year's resolutions. What she says is brilliant. Heed to her plea I know I will. "Making New Year's resolutions is another way of making commitments. I hope that each of you will take the time, if you haven't already, to reflect a little on this past year, and to ponder about improvements you want to make in yourself...both as a missionary, and as a person. Think of Sister Kearon's question..."What lack I yet?" As you do this, please keep a few things in mind. Resolutions are NOT wishes...they are goals and require effort of our part. Thomas Edison once said, "Opportunity is missed by many because it is dressed in overalls, and looks like work." In your case, it is dressed in a suit or skirt, it wears a badge....and it definitely IS work!. I know how hard you all work, and I admire you for it so much. With goals (or resolutions) set and in place, your work will become more effective as you are focused on your ultimate goals."

I hope you all have a wonderful week and a good start to the new year!
Godbless.
-Elder Jaquish