27 July 2015

Oh My I Love Being a Missionary

 Oh my I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY! This past week has been a crazy and awesome adventure and I have loved every second of it! I am serving in the Gillingham 2nd ward and my new companion
My new companion, Sister Haynie
from Tuscan Arizona
is Sister Haynie from Tuscan Arizona!!!! And okay I love her already so much! She came to me already trained pretty much and I keep forgetting that I am training her because that is how good she is! I am sooo excited to be working with her this transfer! We are going to see miracles:)

The Gillingham area looks a lot like my last areas...... England has the same kind of houses everywhere. They are all connected and are just these skinny little things! And everything is crammed really close together.

 Sister Haynie is amazing and we are already such good friends! She is the 5th of 10 children in her family! Crazy huh haha, and it is funny having an American companion because I am not used to hearing an American accent all day every day! She is so great and I am really looking forward to working with her. She reminds me a lot of how I was when I first came out, and it has been crazy to reflect on the last 6 months and see the missionary that I am now becoming. GOODNESS I LOVE THIS WORK!!!!

Wednesday was a crazy day pretty much all spent at the Mission Home at Hyde Park. We were there with all the trainers starting at 10:00 and didn't get to meet our new missionary until 4:30.... it was a long day of waiting. haha. The reason it took so long was because there are 19 new missionaries this transfer. And lots of sisters! That is so great to see:) My training on the 12 week program went pretty well also so that was good.

So when we got to meet our new missionaries, straight away we went out and did like 45 minutes of finding on Exhibition road! Sister Stevens caught a way sweet picture of us talking to someone! Haha. We had a great conversation with this Chinese guy and brought him into the Visitors Center and gave him a Book of Mormon! The VC sisters got his number and I really hope that he is able to come to the gospel.

After that, President Stevens talked to us for a bit, we took pictures, set up their iPad, and were on our way. Yes.... that was an adventure as we had all 3 of my huge and heavy suitcases that were stuffed full..... seriously I don't know how I have so much stuff, but as I went through it later there is nothing I can throw away. haha. And all 3 of Sister Haynies suitcases. So going through the tubes and the train was quite an adventure..... hahaha. My arms were sore the next day.

Elder Haysman from Australia, Bastian from Mauritious, 
Castilian from Netherlands,  and
Nakumaha from some islands by Samoa
I was really worried about getting to our area with all of our stuff, and I prayed a lot for kind people to be able to help us, and all day long there were so many people who helped us with our luggage. Including a member in our new ward who called and offered to pick us up from the train station. GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS!!!! That was a nice little miracle that I am so grateful for!

The first few days were interesting as we didn't really know where to start. In Aylesbury we covered two cities... Leighton and Ayelsbury but now we cover 3 cities. haha it is a huge area and the Ward mission leader is working to try to get us a car! Our area is Rainham, the Isle of Sheppey, and Sittingbourne! The chapel is in Gillingham, and we live in Sittingbourne!

We met with the Ward Mission Leader and the RS president our second day here and spent a lot of time in the area book. Okay I love elders, but they did not keep good records of the people in the area and basically left us with nothing. So we are going to be working hard to build up our teaching pool over the next week! I can feel the miracles coming! :)

High Street in Sittingbourne England
My new home town
Sunday was an amazing day. We were asked to both speak in church on Sunday... Welcome to the ward! ha... and we spoke about missionary work! Obviously... it was so great! The ward is super excited to have sisters! We felt so much love from the ward and it truly is a wonderful ward! More of an aging ward, but there are still some great young families as well. I am really excited to be serving here!

We had a really sweet miracle at church as well:) So on Friday we sent out a text to all of the members in the ward just saying about how we are excited to be here, and inviting them all to invite one person to church this Sunday. On Sunday after sacrament meeting we found out that there was a member of the ward who invited her friend to come, and actually she has been inviting this friend to come for the past 4 years and today was the first time that she came. So we got to meet her and they came to gospel principles class... which we teach and we found out literally 1 minute before that we were teaching it. haha this is what
All the new missionaries and their trainers
with President and Sister Stevens
happens when you are a missionary... you get really good with on the spot lessons and thoughts and stuff. It is great!

So when we found out, at first we were going to teach "Faith in Jesus Christ..." But then to start we went around the room and said something interesting about ourselves and she told us about how for 4 years she has been talking to her friend who is a member about the church and she is interested to learn a little bit more about it. So we then changed the lesson to, "The Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days" which is basically the whole restoration lesson. Oh my goodness the Spirit was so strong in that lesson! She had some amazing questions and all of the members in the class were able to share their testimony as well it was just the greatest thing ever!

Towards the end she started crying and said about how this was the first time she has actually come
Outside of flat. We are on the top floor!
So those two little windows up there.
to church, and when I was speaking in sacrament meeting, I mentioned about how I challenged everyone to invite someone to church, and at that moment the Spirit just hit her and she started flooding tears as she realized she was the person who was invited to church, and she is now going to read the Book of Mormon and we are going to be teaching her this week!

UMM WOW!!!! What a miracle! The only downfall is that she doesn't live in our area and she is only here till Friday, but oh well because good thing the church is the same all over the world!!!!!! Ahh that was so cool! And Adam, I am going to give her your Book of Mormon this week:) Just thought I would let you know! She said she wanted a physical copy rather than on her phone, so I told her that I have a special one that I am going to bring to her!

OH MY I LOVE THE GOSPEL SO MUCH. I love Sister Haynie and I am super excited for this transfer! Life is good and the gospel is true. It really is that simple. It is true wherever you are in the world and it is true for every single person on this earth. God loves us all. I see the truth of that statement every single day!

THIS WEEK PRAY TO KNOW WHO YOU CAN INTRODUCE AND INVITE TO THE GOSPEL. Whether it is an activity, family night, family dinner, church, etc. I know that there are people in your life, neighbors, family, friends, people you work with, etc etc etc, who are prepared and willing to accept the gospel. So OPEN YOUR MOUTH! And I promise you the Lord will bless you with those opportunities to share your testimony:)

ONWARD AND UPWARD!

Sister Ranck

Sittingbourne England
Kent Garden
Some more pictures from Aylesbury




21 July 2015

It is moments like this that I know that God cares and loves each of His children...

Welp, last night I didn't sleep well that is for sure. And here is why.... I AM BEING TRANSFERRED. Guess where? GILLINGHAM. (not Gilling-ham... pronounced Gilling-um) And guess what else...... 

I am WHITE WASH TRAINING.

Stop.... Yes okay for those of you who don't know what that means I will be training a brand new missionary again and will find out on Wednesday who it is, AND we are both going to be new to the area so we won't know the area or the ward or anything. Holy goodness. They are pulling the Elders out of the area and we will be replacing them. Oh my goodness this will be one exciting adventure!!

I am going to miss Sister Obley
Oh my Sister Obley and I have become so close and I am going to miss her like crazy! Last night we went to the Sheppards again for Family home evening and it was the best! We were there when President called and told us that I will be transferred. Sister Obley and I both just cried! I love this girl! We have been told by a few members that we are the most hilarious companionship haha because she is so funny and we always are joking around with each other and gahh I am going to miss her!!!! She has taught me so much about how to have faith and patience in the Lord. She is such an example of that and these past 3 months have been amazing! It has been so much fun watching her turn into this bold and confident missionary! I am so proud of her. 

Friends from the Aylesbury Ward.  They will always hold a
special place in my heart.
I also am gonig to miss the Aylesbury Ward SOOO MUCH. Seriously. I feel like I am a part of the ward now and I love the members sooo much! Especially these past few weeks have just been full of activities and gah I am going to miss it. You just never think you are going to leave your first area and then it happens and now I get to start all over again! But I am super excited for the adventure!!!! AHH BEING A MISSIONARY IS SO GREAT I JUST LOVE IT.

This last week was the greatest ever. Seriously! And it started off on Monday going to LONDON. We went with Sister Rodriguez from Texas, Sister Mclchova from Czech Republic, Elder Zarse from Germany, and Elder Fanga from Tonga. We went to China town and we met a member from St. George who gave us each 20£. We also found a mini SUNFLOWER FIELD. And I just so happened to be wearing my sunflower shirt...
I love sunflowers!!
haha. AND oh my Big Ben is so beautiful. It was such a fun day:)

On Wednesday we were at Hyde Park all day for interviews which was great as well! President and Sister Stevens are so wonderful and so full of love! I will get to be with them again all day on Wednesday for the new missionary meeting! I have also been asked to do a training with another sister on the 12 week training program... hopefully it goes well.

Margaret's baptism
This weekend was just the best as well!!! Saturday was just a day of fun!!!! Starting with.... A BAPTISM. Yes the Elders investigator called Margaret got baptised! Oh my she is the most lovely woman and her journey started over 30 years ago when she first met the missionaries. She lost contact with them for many years until a few weeks ago she saw them in town and went up to them and told them to get in touch with her. Her baptism was one of the most beautiful moments! Sister Obley and I were there to give her the towel when she came out of the font, and with tears in her eyes, she said, "I want to do it again!" She then shared her testimony with everyone and it was one of the most beautiful and pure testimonies I have ever heard! Goodness I love the gospel so much.
Welp that was the beginning as the rest of the day we were at the chapel for first the family fun day which was a huge ward activity and there were tons of non members there as well! There were lots of activites and a barbecue and it was so much fun! Then after that, there was a farewell party for Luke and William who are both going on their mission the same day to the Scottland/Ireland mission. What are the chances of that! So we played tons of games and it was just the greatest day ever! Everyone was like... "Sister Ranck I didn't know you were so competitive!" hahahaha....
Family Fun Day
I seriously love this ward so much!!!! A Piece of my heart will always be in Aylesbury.

Okay I need to tell you about a less active that we have been working with here in Aylesbury. Her name is Theresa and she met the missionaries like 5 years ago. But since she has been a rollercoaster in her activity in the church. She has had a rough life as well and struggles in her faith. 

In my first transfer with Sister Hernes, (I think I told you this story but I am telling it again.) we were on our way to district meeting and our bus was like 40 minutes late... well we got to Aylesbury and were heading to the chapel when some lady stopped us and just kind of went off about life and how she is struggling. She even started crying to us as well. She told us that she was a member, and we shared a scripture with her and bore our testimony, got her number, and headed on our way. 

Well that was the start of her rebuilding her faith as she told us last week that she was having such a horrible day when we first met her and all day she had been praying for help in some way.... then she saw us. Since then, she has continued to struggle and has lost a child, has many health problems, etc etc etc. But we have built a friendship over the past few months and we have been able to help her to rebuild her faith and gain her testimony again and begin to come back to church. She said that there have been many times where she was really struggling when she got a
London!!
phone call from us, or we showed up at her door. It is moments like this where I really know that God cares and loves each of His children.

This woman is one of the most Christlike people I have ever met. She loves everyone and tries so hard to help out in any way that she can. I have loved getting to know her over the past few months. I wrote her a card and gave it to her on Saturday, then yesterday she texted us this...

"You made my day, my week, my year and I have never gotten close to any sisters before when I have been inactive. I feel so much better and happy and stronger to deal with things I am going to come back to church now 110%. That scripture, your note, and your message means so much to me. I know I waver in my faith, but I mostly do know that my Father in Heaven exists, and I know that Jesus Christ is my Brother and Saviour, and I know that he was a pure being who walked the earth with love, compassion, kindness, just every goodness going in His heart. I try so hard to live my life as he would and to base my whole being on how he would. What you said blew me away (I told her that she was one of the most christlike people I have ever met.) and I will stay strong. Thank you!"                                            
Big Ben in London!

Okay reading that made my heart so happy!!

I truly believe that one of the reasons I was in this area was to get to know her. I love her so much and she truly is incredible and such an example to us all that it is never too late. Christ is always there. 

I love this gospel with my whole heart. A scripture I have come to love is in D&C 90:24..

"Pray always, and be believing, all things shall work together for your good."

THE CHURCH IS TRUE I KNOW IT WITH MY WHOLE HEART AND SOUL.

ONWARD AND UPWARD.


Sister Ranck


My friend, Malcom

Will Sheppard

Elder Romney

Anabell Wall and Eloise






The Sheppard family - they are hilarious!














































Chinatown in London





Chinatown in London

I love Sister Jest

My girl Helena