Dear Everyone,
Just something quick as I've squandered my emailing time (sorry!)
1. It's getting cold and rainy. Not fun but I think it's just a thing and we'll have a bit more summer later.
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| The Walsall Sikh temple |
2. We heard and then saw what I think was a Sikh wedding procession from our back window (which faces the adjacent Sikh temple). It was very colourful and looked cool.
3. I don't know if it's this way in the States but in England, you can only visit someone in hospital during their ward's visiting hours. We may be visiting a lady from the ward tonight. The cool thing though is that being missionaries and having badges, we can get in whenever regardless of visiting times. I guess really all we have to do is say that we're from the church and they'll let us visit someone outside of hours.
4. I spent two hours on the phone with various members I haven't met trying to arrange a ride for a teenage investigator of ours. No one could do it. There were people on Holiday, people with car problems who were taking a taxi, people taking mothers-in-law to Manchester, people picking up husbands from hospital, people who don't drive, people who already had full cars, people who had to be at church early, and everything else in between. The good thing though was that I think many people were willing to do it so that was nice to see. Eventually I found someone who could do it (though he'd have to make two trips and bring us with him and it would be really tough). Just as that was settling, we got a text that this particular investigator was sick and wouldn't be coming to church. I guess it's a good way to get to know the ward though!
5. We had dinner on Friday with an awesome member couple. The husband is an avid antiques collector and we got to see some way cool stuff! Hoping to get to go back and take pictures at some point.
6. I had an epic exchange with our Zone Leaders in Wolverhampton. It was fantastic!
7. Elder Ruka is doing ok. Somehow, I'm cold even with my jacket, sweater, and pocket heater (thanks Aunt Lisa!) because the heating in the chapel isn't on while emailing here but he's fine in a white shirt. Not sure which one of us is from an island in the pacific any more...
8. I think I've hit the beginning of the end of rearranging the flat/house so that it works for me. We assembled the bed frames, acquired a wardrobe (so that we're not cramming 20 shirts, 4 suits, and 8 sets of trousers in one), and cleaned up a bit so that it now feels a bit more like a home which is really good. Also, since shopping last Monday, I've been able to cook in the kitchen using my own food which feels great (despite the large amount I spent to buy all of the unique staples I've come to rely on).
9. Our flat has a cheap electronic keyboard. Unfortunately, the only hymn book we have is the mini green one Marta bought me before my mission and I have to hold it open with one hand in order to play using the other but once we lawfully acquire a normal hymn book, I will have mastered the hands separately of a few new hymns which will hopefully come together with both hands on a real piano shortly thereafter. There isn't much time to practice on the piano in the first place but I think it will become a Sunday night thing because I finish weekly call-ins before nine and the time from 9:30-10:30 is free (on other nights, I have to do nightly call-ins with the other teams in the District at that time)! BTW Marta, bedtime is 10:30, not 10:00 for missionaries (which, by the way is the best-I totally need all 8 hours of sleep and cannot imagine how I survived in college with only 4-5 and everything I was doing then).
11. You may be wondering why this is still going on if I have limited time. Well, it's a bank holiday so the other Elders are going to email here after we're done instead of at the library like normal but there's only one key (here they are!) which we have so we've got to wait for them.
Time to go. Love you lots! Write me please!
Elder Houghton
