This is it

Dear family and friends,

I am full of gratitude. The time I have spent in England as a

missionary for The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints has

been fantastic. My most cherished memories will be with the friends I

have made!! I feel so blessed and will forever remember my time here.

Some know some don't know, but like most missionaries, I had a rough go

from time to time. I can honestly say it has been the friends I have made

who lifted me up and made it possible for me to keep pushing. It was

right when I needed them most that I meet them. Jack Gore, heroic boy,

saved me. Grace Williams is like my 3rd mum! Adam and Mary Jane, my new

family. There are many more and I wish I had time to tell you all about

them.

This last week has been crazy. I was able to to teach Antoinette on

Tuesday with Jack and Elder Walker and Sister Turvey. I know God loves

his children. I can't even describe how special Antoinette is. She is

so faithful and happy. I can't wait for her to be baptised!!

Antoinette knows I love her so I won't say much more.

I have written about Katrina and Amiee before. I really really really

love them. They both came to watch General Conference. We watched Sunday morning

session. I am speechless. I have never had a sadder goodbye. I

never expected to make such good friends in such a sort amount of

time. Looking forward to future memories!

Thursday I went to the temple with Athena, Jack, Jack, Eder Pitcher, Elder Ward, Brianna. It was amazing. Spiritual and just a perfect ending.  

I will end with my testimony. I know that God is real, and his love ❤️ is so perfect. As they say, 'He knows me better' and I can say he does know us. Recently someone asked who the most influential person is in my life, excluding Heavenly Father Jesus Christ or the Holy Ghost. It took me a bit but the answer is Jospeh Smith! He was a prophet. He saw God the father and his son Jesus Christ. The church of Jesus Christ has been restored. All this stuff means that we can be happy and find joy and have peace and be able to have hope. Life can be GOOD. 

Enjoy the journey fam because life is great!!!!!

With extra love,

Elder Pilling 

Sent from the land of lads 

 

Makes me happy

Hiya,

This week Elder Pilling... jumps Lauren (our car), teaches with love, sees Athena

get baptised, Jack visits 3 days in a row, and finally TEACHES

ANTOINETTE.

  

I kinda don't want to type this out because I know it will be the

last. Perhaps you may get one more next week.

But anyways so Thursday we were on exchange with Huddersfield 1

Elders, I spent a lovely time with Elder Celestini from 🇮🇹. He learned

English 3 months ago and just started his mission. He's great and we had so

much fun! The day started with a run that turned into an epic hike!!

Beautiful. We had a lesson with Amiee and Katrina.  On the way there, we

visited my Fav road and jumped Lauren (my car). Text me next week if you want

the video haha

So we taught Amiee and Katrina. We get distracted sooooo much so it

started slown terms of spirituality. Katrina's big thing is that

life is too hard and sucky for there to be a loving Heavenly Father.

IT'S SO HARD. Life is hard and it's always a challenge to help people

feel the hope from the gospel. The moment I began sharing a personal

experience, the spirit filled the room.  There were no more distractions and there

was so much peace. We read from Alma 7:11. She very much felt the

Saviour's love as we read how Jesus Christ has taken the pains and the

sicknesses of all people. The gospel is amazing in how pure it is.

The bestie parts was on the weekend. Friday we had some Nando's with

Jack Jack and Antoinette. Uhh I love them. I kinda forgot how special

Antoinette is. 

     

After the food, we zoomed back to have a lesson with

Athena and Antoinette and Jack. We had the chance to read from Joseph

Smith History where Oliver and Joseph first learn about the need to be

baptised. The spirit as we read where they baptised each other was

AMAZING. I have felt such a strong spirit this week. Perhaps its

because my mission is coming to a close. I know that Joseph Smith was

a prophet. He saw God and Jesus Christ. The truths he restored bring

me so much happiness. I am so excited to be able to hear from a

prophet of God this weekend. I am just pretty happy everyone. The

church is true and it makes me happy sharing it with others. It has

helped me. When I felt alone and lost it bring light and comfort.

Love,

Elder Pilling

  

God loves you

Guys it's cold outside.

A week with a small 🚗💥🚙💥🚙 little car accident oops, musical

fireside, district fun, ya know, the usual.

So ya time is kinda flying but that's OK. I loved this week. Sorta.

Some of you may have have heard but I was in a car accident oops. NOT MY

FAULT. So I'll describe and maybe attach a pic.

This is not the mission car! 

Mission car has a little dent, but the
hatch won't close properly. 

 

Just sitting at a light in Lauren (our car), Tabernacle choir playing

when boom. We get bumped just like in bumper cars. Upon further  

investigation, there were 4 cars in total. A lady (38 weeks pregnant) was 
probably  on her phone doing like 20mph... did not see the red light and smashed

into a BMW who then bumped us. Our car looks fine but it's actually

pretty wrecked. Our hatch barely closes we think it moved about 1"

haha. Good times. Made us late for our meal though!!

Tuesday we had to drive some elders to the train station for moves and

also we were on exchange so ^^^ car accident and Tuesday I was with

Elder Graabek... yep he was in the district back in Bishop Auckland.

So ya we were in a trio for lunch and we also did some finding in

Huddersfield city center. Before beginning, we all prayed and decided

we wanted to find 2 new friends to teach and we had about 2 hours.

Definitely possible. We started and walked 150' without speaking to

anyone (there were dozens of people around) then a nice lad stopped us.

He was sitting on a bench. We sorta chatted to him but we really taught the

lass next to him. She's met missionaries before (very common) and we

shared the 21 day Book of Mormon challenge with her and it was just so

good. So literally 2 minutes after praying we found 1 new friend. By

the end of the time we had found 3!!!! It was just so miraculous.

Friday was great because Athena had her baptismal interview!! Elder

Uter, my trainee, did it so I spent like 3 hours with him which was

lovely. Athena passed and is so excited for her baptism.

Jack will appreciate this.... sat at a car wash. Just pondering life

and the last 23 months and the future. So many people ask me if I'm

excited. To be honest I don't know. I'm more nervous than anything.

Change is always a challenge. There will be some good and some bad I'm

sure but still I really love England and all the amazing people I've

met. Just today I gave a blessing to a sister who said , "That's exactly

what I needed to hear". Feeling extra grateful I can be in a place

where I can experience so many amazing spiritual experiences. Having

cried the last 3 Sundays, I've really felt a strong pull towards family

history work. Should be interesting I guess. We drive around lots and

so we've began to branch out from listening to the Tabernacle choir to talks. 
Lately we listened to President Nelson's devotional for the youth, Elder Cook's

face 2 face event and many more talks on repentance, conversion and

the spirit. A common theme..... GOD LOVES YOU.

I'll take a moment to testify that Gods plan is perfect and that he

knows you and has given us everything we need to return to live with

him. I often feel a little in the dark and a little lost but there is

always a glimmer of hope brought about by faith which brings 
the light into my life.

The musical fireside was about Jesus Christ and was titled Come unto Christ ~what Jesus Christ can help us become. A talented elder sang Savior Redeemer of my Soul and it really just stuck with me. This one line I LOVE "hath made me whole" it really has become very clear that only Jesus Christ could overcome spiritual and physical death and only through Him can we be made whole. To be redeemed is to be restored to honour or worth. We can become so much more through Jesus Christ.

Jack came and said hi

Love ya genes,

Elder Pilling :)
Sent from the land of lads

Hope of a better life

So this week includes: A prank from the assistants, rain, a run, some

miracles, more miracles. And a fantastic sacrament meeting. Oh and

Williams plus that other fam for Sunday meal 💙💙also Jack

So basically we had interviews and it went well. I gave a departing missionary testimony and was quite surprised with the way I spoke.  President is great. Big BMW fan. Sister Turvey used to drive an orange car haha.

A few lessons that were really good. We invited Amiee to be baptised... she said yes..... we had a lesson with Athena and talked about Shadrach Meshach and Abendigo haha no time to correct. What Nebekanezzer saw changed him. When they were saved from the fire the spirit testified to him. Anthena really connected and chose the day of September 29 for baptism !!!!!!!!!

Ok so Sunday was interesting because during the opening hymn a member came up and said oh the first speaker isn't here can you step in. Just 5 min on the Book of Mormon and how it testifies of Christ. I knew the member who was late and felt fairly confident he would show up in time.... well guess what. I gave a talk. It was good because I was perfectly calm and was clear and really enjoyed speaking (not normal for me).

Everyone who has ever been a missionary may have had this thought. The thought that you don't want to leave the mission. Well I never believed that would be me. I kinda was like naaa. Well the last few weeks I have loved!! My true love for the Savior is really what has changed me. It's fantastic seeing hope develop in someone's mind as you share what is a reality. The hope of a better life is so real. My time is ticking away here in England. I love all the memories. I treasure my friends here.

I know that it is by faith that miracles come forth. I spent 45 min with a brand new Elder from Italy. With the short drive we had 35 minutes to find a new person to teach. We decided we wanted 2 new friends. We prayed and went for it. Guess what, there was no one around haha. So we got back in the car and went to a new area. And we talked to 6 or 7 people. Then Elder Celestini asked if we can talk to teenagers. Yep. So we met Amber and Kaycee Lee. Both were not super motivated and not bothered until they learned about the blessing that can be gained from it. Boom, they both wanted a fresh start and wanted a life of joy. It was amazing and Elder Celsestini was soooo happy.

I gotta dash. Busy week with a musical fireside and what not. Getting a new district leader tomorrow. Busy times. Also if anyone cares, I bought a new reel for my fly rod :) I'm so chuffed. 

Love Elder P illing
Sent from the land of lads

Choose to let Him in and walk with Him

Ah it was a pretty good week :)

Taught a Slovakian family (so fun), celebrated Elder Uter's birthday

with a finding extravaganza and lunch, drove Lauren all over 2 tanks

of petrol... and spent 24 hr with Elder Sanchez from the 🇩🇴 that was

really fun!!

Ok I'll just dive in with whatever. We did a lot of stuff but not much sticks out.... ok funny story. We were knocking doors 🚪 and this lady answered.  She's probably 50 and is like we aren't interested. I asked what do you believe in and she calls over this other bloke, probably 22 years old and asks him what they believe. He's standing there at the door, probably 6'3,  completely naked with a nice little pillow from the couch covering up the frontish area. We talked for like 15 minutes about what they believe in and how faith has helped us. It was sooo funny. He wasn't even bothered. Haha classic mish stories.

So the week started off quite spiritual for me because we had the musical fireside at the mission home. But it kinda dwindled here at the end and I'm not too sure what to share with you all. I guess I have one more story. 

As Elder Sanchez and I were just having a blast on Saturday teaching people and what not, I got hungry in the evening and so we went to the local fish n chip shop. Did not feel like fish so we got tower burgers which are chicken burgers with a hash brown on it !! So yum yum. But it gets better.  We go to get a drink and they have Dr. P the original 23 flavours. (England has crazy sugar laws and so the Dr Pepper here is gross, actually all soft drinks here aren't that good) anyways so I really enjoyed my can as well as the half Elder Sanchez didn't drink! Good or bad news, I still love it 💙

But before that Dr. P miracle happened, we taught our friend Amiee and her mum Katrina. It started off interesting because Amiee, who loves football, started her season and will most likely have games on Sunday mornings so she asked us, "Will you still come teach me if I can't go to church?" So I was completely honest and had the opportunity to testify that God is real and that Jesus Christ is our Savior. I can't even describe to you what my relationship with Jesus Christ means, he saved me and I know he is there to lift and strengthen everyone else too. In this little moment in time I felt the pure joy the gospel brings. My mission has had its ups and downs but on average it's been the best 2 years. 

Naturally those who have difficult lives often think there is no God because there are too many horrible things that happen. It is forever a challenge we will all face. A famous poem by Robert frost says, "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by and that has made all the difference." I have often experienced a challenge, trial, difficult moment and I always have 2 choices. To follow the Savior and seek out strength from him or the other is to blame God and run and hide. There is a great power that comes when one chooses the road less traveled. For myself I would not have come remotely close to completing my mission. The first 2 weeks were so hard. There were challenges that popped up that no one knows about. This all leads me to my favorite song called Peace in Christ ( Dad if you want to sing at my talk pick this one :)) anyways one line really has taught me so much. "There is peace in Christ... when we walk with him" Jesus Christ experienced more than any of us ever will. His life was not a walk in the park. The truth is our own life will never be easy. I have learned 2 very important things. 1st life is extremely hard and there will always be those days when you feel as though you can't go on. 2nd Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of the world, which means he can lift us and strengthen us. Matthew 11:28 "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."  When we walk with him who is our Savior and Redeemer we will feel peace. We will be lifted and strengthened. I know this not because it's what someone taught me. I know this because I have experienced it. I have felt the burdens lifted and have felt peace in the moments that have been most challenging.

I can testify Christ lives and loves us. He is the prince of peace. If you choose to let him in and to walk with him you too can feel the same peace that I have felt. 

Love ya fam (and friends)!

Elder Pilling,

Sent from the land of lads

Oh ya we may lose our car and will have to either get bikes or ride the bus. Idk stay tuned for next week.

Friends

This week was packed full of all my FAVORITE people.

So Elder P wakes up at 3:30 am, teaches Amiee, meets President Johnson

and his wife, makes pancakes, and then eats them.

So it'll be a quickie today. Mission tour and mission meeting and

mission home fireside. All in a week.

To start, we had a mission tour. Thursday we woke up at 3:30 am!!

The coach left the church at 6 and we had to drive elders to the

church (no public transport that early) it was epic. Incredibly long

day. I did see ALL of my friends. Every single one. It was magical.

The main focus from President and Sister Johnson was unity. Be bonded

together and work together. We all have the same goal so work

together. Interesting. Especially because everything we have planned

for to see more success was built upon unity (planned like 2 weeks

ago).  So it was refreshing to hear we were on the right track. I did a musical
item with some others. We did not have time to practice because we were
too busy, but it sounded ok.  Maybe president Turvey will eventually post it. 
Here are pics of me and my friends. 

  

And look at these 2 they are companions now !!  

Ok we had another meeting and I loved it. Saw all my friends again! look who snuck in there... the 4 of us were in the same district and loved it!

So overall I loved the week. Our friend Amiee and her mom Katrina came to church!! So very excited. Check Facebook because she tagged me in a photo :) actually look below.

And best part of the week was after the meeting on Friday I got to see Mary Jane and Adam! They were on their way home!! Also Sunday I saw Jack and Antoinette. And all my York friends. Wowowowo I'm blessed !!!

Love you 💙

Elder Pilling 

P.S. Needless to say I'm happy :))))) 

Sent from the land of lads 

Consistently put your faith in Christ

Sorry for the lack of wording on the last bunch of emails.... today

I'm starting at 8:30 am so I should get a nice juicy one done!!

This week Elder Pilling... teaches John over the phone, participates

in a free car 🚗 wash, attends his church meetings and puts on a

jumper :)

As you most all know I moved areas! Side note, it was a surprise because I only have 1 transfer left.... Anyways so 3 elders went home about 10 days early to get to school on time. I figured only 3 naaaa I'll just stay in York might get moved when the actual transfer comes but probs not. JOKES Wednesday night president called and then I frantically said goodbye to all my friends in York Thursday and took a train down on Friday. (This all happened 9 days ago).

I am in the Meltham Ward in the Huddersfield stake. It's in Yorkshire (best county) which is beautiful. Proper green rolling hills, stone walls, tiny roads with random cute little villages. IT'S A BLAST. That was the one thing about York. It was flat which makes things not so pretty haha. So our ward is a collection of small villages and for some reason members of the church love it here! As I said before there are sooooo many members. We have a car because the buses are kinda non existent. Little Hyundai ix20 it's got a nice 1.4L 4 cylinder. Absolutely gutless. Gets good fuel economy tho. 30 English mpg which is I don't know maybe 27 Merican mpg???

Soooooo things have been pretty wild here. We have some REALLY great friends who I love!!! As a mission all you do is INVITE. And for the most part it's a struggle to get people to keep the commitment you leave. BUT our friend, she's 14 and she has kept every single invitation so far. We taught her and her mum the first time about a week ago. And she just finished 1 Nephi !!!!!! I AM SO CHUFFED (google it haha) 

John is 18 and he went on holiday so we just called him Tuesday and started teaching him on the phone. Love technology. It was great he's nearly done 1 Nephi too!! 

Wednesday we had a lovely district council s/o to Elder Cook 🙏🏼. It's sad because transfers are tomorrow (the real ones)  and Elder Cook and his trainee are moving to York and leaving us... bitter sweet because they get to teach Antoinette!!! If y'all remember a year ago I was in the same district as Sister Atkinson for 6 months... well she was in the same district now but is moving down south. So lots of changes, sad days. We are getting lunch with em all today :p :))) 

Saturday we did a FREE CARWASH listen up fellow missionary friends. THIS WAS SO GOOD. So we just had 2 elders in cardboard boxes that said "Free Car Wash" dancing on the street then the rest of us were at the chapel washing cars. We did 5 chapel tours, handed a bunch of Book Of Mormons out and now the missionaries have some really solid return appointments!!!  Huge success. They just got out of their cars and as we washed them while some missionaries taught them or toured them around the church. 

Ah so in my studies I've really focused on conversion (President Turvey asked us).  Anyways there's 1 word that always stands out. CONSISTENTLY. In all the talks I've read and all my studies, to be converted is to consistently live the gospel. Consistently repent and do better. I have really seen blessings as we strive for conversion. Starts with a single step in the right direction. If you feel stuck, put your faith in Christ and take a step. Besides, I think you'll be a little surprised with what is possible. 

Love love love England and the people here. 

Sincerely,

Elder Pilling 

Sent from the land of the lads

The chairs represent how many transfers we've been out.