John 3:15

 Hello!

So this week has been crazy! Haha it's definitely been the week for people yelling crazy things at us. So that's always fun! Profanities, bible bashers, etc... But the wonderful thing is, it doesn't really bother me as much any more! I know our message is true. :)

Monday we chilled in Bedford for P-Day and then has dinner at a members house. PERFECTLY cooked steak and homemade cheesecake. I'm pretty sure I was in heaven. Haha the members here have begun to really know me. We currently have 3 packs of American bacon and 2 dozen eggs in our fridge, from members. At church I was talking to a member and she asked what we liked to eat, when another member walked by and just said "BACON." And yesterday we had bacon wrapped chicken. So...I think I have left a good impression. ;)

From Tuesday to Wednesday we went on an exchange! So I was in London with Sister Phillips! SO much fun. She is also a VC sister so it was just a lot of fun. :) Wonderful to work in London again! Although it was a different area, it was still so wonderful! I really love London. :) I just love England!!! :)

Thursday after District Meeting, we took some awesome pictures in the rapeseed flowers. SO PRETTY. Ahhh I love spring time in England. :)

We also got our hair all Africanized by Geralda. :D SO FUNNY! I will attach the pictures. She braided our hair and after she just looked at me and said in her broken English "My daughter, my black American daughter!" And now every time she sees me, she calls me her black American daughter. :) She is magnificent! Ah, I just love her and her beautiful family. (She is our recent converts Alberto, Albey, and Geo's mom.)

Saturday we had an awesome experience. We stopped this guy, Peter, in town. He smelled a little like alcohol and began to tell us that we had stopped the wrong guy, he loved theology, and that he wanted to sit and have a debate. So we sat..and it did seem a little bashy at first. I started to get really angry and so I sat quiet while Sister Shigekiyo tried to get him to make sense. Then I sat there, thinking about how I was going to go home, sit on the couch and probably be frustrated! We had been yelled at, and now this guy is going on and on about crazy things and other religions and I just didn't want to be there. But then, as I sat there looking at this man, my heart opened and I was just overwhelmed with love for him. I felt like I got a small glimpse of how Heavenly Father must feel towards this man. It was incredible. And as soon as I began listening through these new ears, everything changed. He began to open up about some family problems, which is why he was wandering around town after having a few beers. We then offered to say a prayer with him and he began to get very emotional and teary eyed. He grabbed my hand and thanked us multiple times. We then walked with him to the shop and will probably see him again sometime this week. :)

Man, it's just incredible the amount of love I feel for people here! On Sunday, Helder and Marinho were confirmed and then sustained as the newest members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. As I watched these two boys stand, the spirit I felt was almost over-whelming. Here were these 2 boys whom we had prayed over, cried over, screamed over, and laughed over, taking the right steps to make it back to their Heavenly Father. I am so grateful to be a missionary and see how the Gospel, and the Atonement, can truly change the lives of everyone. I love this work more than anything, and I KNOW that this is where I need to be. :)

I was reading in John 3 today about the first and great commandments; to love thy God and to love thy neighbour. I realized how every commandment we are given is an expression of love towards us, and how as we keep them, it is all an expression of love towards God. THAT is what is important in life. The love we show towards others and towards our loving Heavenly parents, and our Saviour Jesus Christ. I know that this is true, and now more than ever, I can say that I truly love everyone here. I love England, I love my mission, and I love all of you. :) Thank you for everything! And I leave this with you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. :)

Love always,

Sister Moody