New Year for new beginnings

You mates alright? I am fitting in here in South Shields. The accent here is harder to understand then in my past areas. It sounds more Scottish then anything. I love this area though. The ward here is amazing and so friendly. Christmas was simple this year. I loved focusing more on the saviour and his birth.

Christmas Eve Sister Weakley and I went to a members home. The Cawthornes fed us and we watched Polar Express. Christmas Day we got to sleep in till 8. It was amazing! Even though my natural instinct was to wake up at 6:30. We had a great breakfast and had fun as sisters.

We had Christmas lunch at the Powers (an older couple in the ward).

They feel like my grandparents. I love them. We watched a movie with them and that completed our Christmas. It was so lovely!

Here in England after Christmas is a holiday called Boxing Day. Our Boxing Day was eventful... Sister Weakley and I traveled to Newcastle to shop. Boxing Day is like Black Friday back home. Not as big,

but a lot of the shops have sales. We got tired and went back to our flat to rest. We were watching a film then heard a massive noise. We rewrote a song to explain what happened next. (To the tune "The Wise Man and the Foolish Man")

We were sitting on the coach and heard a CRASH, We were sitting on the coach and heard a crash, We were sitting on the coach and heard a crash, And we were all freaking out.

The ceiling came down and the sisters cleaned up, The ceiling came down and the sisters cleaned up, The ceiling came down and the sisters cleaned up, And it took our boxing day away.

Yes you read that right. Our bathroom ceiling fell down. It has been raining a lot here in England. There seems to be a leak in the roof and the ceiling couldn't take it anymore. Sister Weakley and I cleaned it up and called the mission office. Because it was a holiday we couldn't get someone to fix it right away. So Sister Weakley and I took down some of the ceiling ourself. Part of the ceiling was still falling down. So we got a knife and cut it down. We pulled all the instillation out and cleaned it all up. Mission's teach you life skills. Love it!! Cannot believe this week will start a new year. Make the most of it!! Talk to you guys later. Love you all!

Until next week, Sister Garrett

Snowing in South Shields.

Hello family and friends,

Well two days ago I received a welcome from South Shields... it was snowing. Which was ok for the first thirty minutes until the cold moisture settled into your bones. Snow here is not the same as Utah snow. Here it is wet and slushy. The next day it turned to ice. I was almost fell walking to church. It was great though! :) Other then the weather South Shields is pretty great! We have gotten to know a lot of the ward already. Thursday night we had a Relief Society activity, where we got to meet a lot of the sisters. I still have trouble remembering their names but that is normal. Days here in South Shields are made up of finding, visiting less-actives, and trying by members. We are starting completely from scratch.

As for my companion, (this is to please my parents)😉 her name is Sister Weakley. She is from Pleasant Grove, Utah. She has been out for 13 months now. This is her fourth area like me. She is 20 years old. I interviewed her knowing people would like to know her, so here are her responses...

Birthday: 16 August

Siblings:6

Favorite color: sunset orange

Favorite animal: wolf

If she was an animal a horse would best describe her.

Favorite food: shepherds pie

favorite snack: blueberry muffins

Favorite drink: strawberry lemonade (Not milk? There must be a problem.)

Hobbies: scarpbooking and water aerobics

If you had a day out what would you do? Go to Disneyland with my sister

Dream holiday

: Hawaii

Before her mission she was a nanny and she went to Dixie University in St. George.

After her mission she plans to be a teacher.

Hopefully that pleases people. 😊 Well hope everyone has a fantastic week! This week for us is the mission Christmas party. I am so stoked! Anyway, until next week.

With much love,

Sister Garrett 󾓪

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Silent Night. Holy Night

Hello family and friends!!!

So sorry that I haven't emailed in so long. These past few p-days have
been hectic. We have been traveling to have zone P-Day in a city
called York. It is an amazing city but it takes an hour and a half by
train so we have been cutting emailing time down. But I will quickly
catch you guys up:

The past few weeks have been the same as my whole mission. Finding. We
have been putting the hours of finding in but it hasn't seemed like we
have had any results. The only person we have found who is solid is
Chelsey who I talked about last week. She has been very busy because
of Christmas so we haven't been able to teach her. The work goes on.
We will find those who are prepared.

The less activities we have been working with are Rose and Anita. Rose
is still smoking but she is trying to quit down. She has been reading
her scriptures from a scripture jar we made her. She absolutely loves
it! I am not sure if I have mentioned Anita before but Anita is so
sweet! I love her so much. I have been able to connected with her. She
is a very sad woman. There are a lot of things from the past that
trouble her. When we first met her she was very closed off. Members
have told us that she doesn't answer the door normally but she did for
us. She has opened up so much to us and the Gospel.

Wednesday our flat was sick. Sister Hart, Sister Jesse, and I were
throwing up. Poor Sister Froerer just had to stay in the flat and look
after us. It was great. The next day I felt a little weak but we went
out and worked. On Thursday night the Pontefract ward went to a
nursing home and sang carols.

Since the First Presidency has wanted the church to improve our
sacrament services, the ward has been coming up with ideas to invite
the spirit. One Sunday, fifteen minutes before the service was going
to start, the Relief Society President came and asked us to sing
before sacrament meeting started. Since then the ward has been coming
on time to hear us sing. Every week they come up to us and ask us if
we are singing. Especially the old members of the ward love it! This
Sunday we sang Silent Night a capella. I felt like tearing up. The
spirit was so strong!!

Well transfer calls were yesterday. And the news is.... Sister Jessee
is staying. Sister Froerer is staying. Sister Hart is leaving. She is
staying in the stake but moving to York. And I am leaving as well. I
am headed more up North. (So in other words it is going to colder.
Yay! 😬) I will opening up a completely new area. Seems like they
really like me area booking. I will be serving with a sister named
Sister Weakley. I am excited!!! Talk to you guys next week.

Much love, Sister Garrett