Prayers , Pregnant Ladies and Pie oh my!!!

Hiya!
The weather is autumn/winter and it makes me happy. I feel like I am in Canterbury again and for some reason that makes me really happy. That or I'm just excited for Christmas. ;) 

Inside joke of Sister Phillips and I: We always sing 'Where are you Christmas!? why can't I find you? except we will insert 'investigator' or 'planner' etc for Christmas. Some times we do just say Christmas. :)

Cool experience:
On Saturday we were on the bus heading to Aylesbury for a Ward party. Sister Phillips and I usually sit apart on the bus so that we can talk to people (but we stay in sight and sound of each other ). On the row behind me ,there were two young adult men who were heckling me. And they were just speaking loudly, not touching me or anything, but I felt afraid. I knew they couldn't do anything to me, but I felt afraid. SO I began to pray. I prayed that their minds and hearts and thoughts would be turned from me, that they would be distracted and leave me alone. (they continued to heckle as I prayed) and then I said 'I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.' and they stopped!! They were silent for a long time and then talked quietly to each other for a bit, for the rest of the 20 minutes, and then they got off the bus.
God really hears and answers prayers. Even of little ole' Sister Coleman in Leighton Buzzard.

We have a new Friend! His name is D- from London! He is so cool! and he has a date for baptism, he is reading the Book of Mormon and praying about it! YAY! 

I am ill. again. Not terribly ill, but I do have a cold. and that is no fun when you are a missionary. So I asked the Ward Mission Leader, Graham Jest, for a blessing. It was probably the most interesting blessing I have recieved. It was not 'arise and be made whole'. instead it was: 'I bless you to be able to bear this illness. be able to go to appointments set. Rest when necessary. And  blessed with righteous desires to serve.'  and that was basically it. I was  surprised. but I know it is true. I do feel a bit better today which is a relief. but it was kind of a 'be patient, be diligent, push through, but don' t push too hard.' message. which I think is better for me. I am going to learn more and have another period of spiritual growth I think. We shall see. :)

I have a new favourite scripture. It is Alma 33. It is my soul on paper. I have never particularly noticed it before because I always  focus on Alma 32 (faith and the word are like a little seed) and then Alma 34 which is about the atonement. but Alma 33 is just beautiful. It is about prayer and evidence from the scriptures that Christ really would come and why that is SO important. I particularly love verse 11 :

4 For he said: Thou art merciful, O God, for thou hast heard my prayer, even when I was in the wilderness; yea, thou wast merciful when I prayed concerning those who were mine enemies, and thou didst turn them to me.

 5 Yea, O God, and thou wast merciful unto me when I did cry unto thee in my field; when I did cry unto thee in my prayer, and thou didst hear me.

 6 And again, O God, when I did turn to my house thou didst hear me in my prayer.

 7 And when I did turn unto my closet, O Lord, and prayed unto thee, thou didst hear me.

 8 Yea, thou art merciful unto thy children when they cry unto thee, to be heard of thee and not of men, and thou wilt hear them.

 9 Yea, O God, thou hast been merciful unto me, and heard my cries in the midst of thy congregations.

 10 Yea, and thou hast also heard me when I have been cast out and have been despised by mine enemies; yea, thou didst hear my cries, and wast angry with mine enemies, and thou didst visit them in thine anger with speedy destruction.

 11 And thou didst hear me because of mine afflictions and my sincerity; and it is because of thy Son that thou hast been thus merciful unto me, therefore I will cry unto thee in all mine afflictions, for in thee is my joy; for thou hast turned thy judgments away from me, because of thy Son.

And then:

19 Behold, he was spoken of by Moses; yea, and behold a type was raised up in the wilderness, that whosoever would look upon it might live. And many did look and live. 

 20 But few understood the meaning of those things, and this because of the hardness of their hearts. But there were many who were so hardened that they would not look, therefore they perished. Now the reason they would not look is because they did not believe that it would heal them.

 21 O my brethren, if ye could be healed by merely casting about your eyes that ye might be healed, would ye not behold quickly, or would ye rather harden your hearts in unbelief, and be slothful, that ye would not cast about your eyes, that ye might perish?

 22 If so, wo shall come upon you; but if not so, then cast about your eyes and begin to believe in the Son of God, that he will come to redeem his people, and that he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins; and that he shall rise again from the dead, which shall bring to pass the resurrection, that all men shall stand before him, to be judged at the last and judgment day, according to their works.

 23 And now, my brethren, I desire that ye shall plant this word in your hearts, and as it beginneth to swell even so nourish it by your faith. And behold, it will become a tree, springing up in you unto everlasting life. And then may God grant unto you that your burdens may be light, through the joy of his Son. And even all this can ye do if ye will. 

I love the members in this ward! We ate mexican food with Sheppards and they wrapped us in warm blankets cause we were soaked and freezing (our fault for being unprepared for the rain that day). We were able to help the Richardsons jr. clean their garden and see their brand new baby! We also always get a lift with the Richardsons Sr. to church and they play classical music which makes me happy (they are the ones that showed us Batmans house). We were able to go talk to people on the street with a young woman from the ward (Harriet). she was fantastic at giving away pass along cards. and we have fallen in love with the Aallon-by-Briggs family. They are portugeuse/english and they are fantastic. I will share their conversion story another time, but we love them and they love us.

I slaved over a cottage pie on sunday. It tasted pretty good in the end :)

I purchased a baked potato with chilli at a cafe called 'on a roll' in Leighton Buzzard. (yes they do have jacket potato carts in the street, I am going to buy one this week and send a pic). 

We had a really great quiz night with the ward. I couldn't answer any of the American trivia. I never memorised the Presidents. All of the members knew the answer.... awkward!!! BUT, I did know the opening sentence of 'Little Women'. :) :) :)

There are also a million ladies in the ward that are having babies and we had a baby shower activity night. They got us to do all of the games and it was fun :).

I love you all! I hope you have a fabulous week!

I love you!! 

Love, 

Sister Coleman