Boxing day 🥊 (Dec 26th 2017)

Happy Boxing Day everyone!! I sure hope you all enjoyed your Christmas! Thank you for all of the mind letters and emails!

Not a ton happened this week but Saturday we had the chance to travel to Macclesfield (part of our district) for a baptism! We took the train there with Hannah and Heather and then Eli drove from work and met us there! ELI loved the baptism and was actually in tears at some points of it! He's the best and we are so excited for him!!! But Sunday morning, we got to the church and we had received a message from him that night saying that he wanted to postpone his baptism! He didn't drop us (thankfully!!!) He had compared himself to the gentleman getting baptized and thought that he just wasn't ready enough. Very true he's got a lot to learn still, but he is so much better than he gives himself credit for! In his message, he said, "I don't own a suit, I listen to metal music, and I don't like singing the hymns!". 

Christmas day was great!!! We were well taken care of and had a great time! I loved being able to see my family yesterday. Shout out to them because they're the best! Nothing super exciting happening today for p-day so that's a bummer. But I hope you all have a w/o fearful new year and stay safe!!!! 

Xx Sister Washburn 

PS- if you send me anything:

A) send it to 

Springwood Suite G5

Booths Park, Chelford Road 

Knutsford WA16 8GS 

United Kingdom 

B) be sure to add my first name or at least a "K" because we just got a new sister Washburn in the mission so it would be helpful haha. Don't want her stealing my mail lol.

Merry Christmas 🎄 (Dec 19th 2017)

Merry Christmas!!! So crazy that Christmas is 6 days away! Sorry that I forgot to maybe mention that this week, p-day is on Tuesday! Yesterday was transfer day so it got changed around. Sister Schulze and I are staying together another transfer! That means spending Christmas together!!!! We are so excited! 

This week we had a lot happen! ELI IS DATED FOR BAPTISM!!!!! Wednesday evening we had a lesson with him and it was super last minute to the zone leaders came and fellow-shipped with us at the church. We taught him the plan of Salvation and he loved it! As of right now, he is dated for the 20th of January! After that lesson, he was telling us that he just wants to learn everything, and quickly! He is so prepared! He has an issue with smoking, so we taught him the word of wisdom Friday evening with a member who also struggled with it before her baptism. He was really nervous at first and wasn't sure if he would be able to five it up, but he said Sunday at church that he is already down to smoking a quarter of what he used to. That's incredible!!! We are so excited for him!! 

Tuesday afternoon Sister Schulze and I felt prompted to tract a certain road in the dead of the afternoon. When we first got started, we got no answer after no answer at the doors. Then on the rare occasion that we did find someone in, the usual "I'm not interested" and the slamming of the door or they were rushing back to work from their lunch break. But we felt like we needed to stay. So we were getting towards the end and we were knocking on this door and suddenly a car pulls up. My first thoughts were that it was going to be super awkward when they got out of the car so I was bracing myself a little bit, but they quickly welcomed us into their home! We sat down and started talking and this woman, Angela, was going on how much she admires Mormon missionaries for all that we sacrifice to come out and to share the word of God! It turns out that in the previous transfer, the zone leaders had tracted into her parents and they loved the elders! She and her husband, Paul, also told us that they had just recently left the Catholic church and were praying for what they needed to do. Paul left to go run an errand but we kept talking and Angela said a prayer for us and the spirit was so strong!! We taught her the Restoration and she LOVED it!! She was so eager to learn all that we had to share! She is honestly so golden!! We walked out of her home and we were grinning from ear to ear for the longest time because it was such a blessing and a miracle!

Thursday we had a Christmas party for the South Zones of the mission here in Stockport. It was great!!!! Since we live across the street, we were kindly asked to wake up at like 6 and head over to the church to help clean everything and set it all up with President and Sister McReynolds. We ended up not leaving until like 8:30! Then we rushed home, showered and got ready then went right back. We just hung out all day and played games and we had a "talent show" that was more of a variety show but it was so good! My mission is the best I live them all so much. EMM for life!

Okay, so I'm going to keep this story short and censored because it was nasty! On Sunday we went to tea at a members house and we have all heard stories. It's not healthy there.... But she made us a nice roast dinner and I couldn't eat it. Like there was dirt and stuff in my good with like hair and I wanted to puke. Then she made this strawberry trifle dessert. It's normally my favorite thing ever....but not that day! As soon as we left her house and we were walking down the street, I made sick all over the road. I look back now and it's a hard pass next time she offers to feed us, but in the moment it was the worst thing in my life. I love members and the service they give us! 

I hope you all have a very merry Christmas and a wonderful new year! I will talk to you next week! Keep the Christmas card coming I love them!!!! 

Springwood Suite G5

Booths Park, Chelford Road

Knutsford WA16 8GS 

United Kingdom 

Xx Sister Washburn

Baby It's Cold Outside (Dec 12th 2017)

Hey hey hey!!!! So two weeks until Christmas eh!? That is absolutely crazy! 

This week we had quite a bit happen! So the 6th of December is Saint Nikolaus Day in Germany so Sister Schulze and I celebrated by setting out our shoes the night before and then we woke up and they were filled with lots of chocolate and some incredible feet warmer things to go in our shoes. They're a blessing for sure! 

So, on the Isle of Man, I never went on exchanges because....ya know...I was on an island and all. So this week was my first exchange in 5 months!!!! But it was great! We went to Manchester and stayed with Sister Lewis and Sister Silva, our STL's and it was so fun! They're crazy but it was really good. 

Saturday was our mission "Day of Miracles". President McReynolds had sent a message earlier in the week saying that Saturday was our set apart time for finding and in the morning, the whole mission would start off with a special companionship study focused on Chapter 9 of PMG (it's on finding people to teach). It was so good!!!! Then after that, we stepped outside the door and we saw miracles all day long. We all prayed together as a mission for our companionship, as well as those in our district, zone, and across the mission to have Christmas miracles. The results were outstanding!!! Heavenly Father really does bless us and help us in His work! Amongst some of our miracles we saw was:

• getting in contact with a former investigator finally and getting an appt and having her come to church Sunday with her daughter and expressing her great desire to meet with us often!
• meeting a very less active member while doing some inspired tracting. She hasn't been to church for 20 years but has recently started her family history using the church's resources and has been thinking of coming back to church. None of her family are members and after being baptized at 21 she quickly went less active due to lack of support 
• finding two new friends to teach in town during our street display (Sunny and Samantha)
• we have an investigator named Margaret who would NEVER come to church due to concerns regarding the sacrament and other things. But we called her Saturday and invited her AND SHE SAID YES!!!! She came Sunday and had an amazing time! 

Those are just a few of the big ones but all day I saw Heavenly Father hand in everything! The song "Count Your Blessings" comes to mind! I love being a missionary! 

So next Monday is transfers so we are anxious to hear if Sister Schulze is moving or not...we have a feeling like she is leaving us but we'll find out this weekend! Today we are playing sports and making ginger bread houses with the elders but I'll put pictures next week! Love you all and hope you have a great week!!!!! 

Xx Sister Washburn

It's Bent (Dec 4th 2017)

It's officially Christmas time folks!! I am so excited for the Holidays! I do have to say though, it is pretty weird not jamming out to Michael Buble's Christmas album all day every day but there's always next year!!!! This week, with the beginning of December and the #LightTheWorld that the church is doing, we had a great week of doing some street displays in town and sharing the good word! People actually hate us but it's fine. No one ever wants to stop and listen. A woman the other day actually yelled at me because she doesn't believe in the religious part of Christmas (literally the whole reason we even celebrate) and just likes it so she can get expensive gifts. Then her like 10-year-old son jumped in and started going at me too. Gotta love people though ❤

On Thursday we had a great opportunity to have a multi-zone conference in Crewe with Elder De Feo of the seventy. It was incredible and I learned so much!! One of my favorite things that he talked about was that we are all given challenges. And sometimes those challenges are really hard! But they are always for our benefit and even the benefit of those around us. Through our hardships, we can all increase our testimonies of the Saviour Jesus Christ and His Atonement. He said it a lot better than I just did but I just want you all to know that I know that Christ lives and that He can and will help us and save us from all things! 

Moroni 10:32 " 32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.

33 And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot"

WITHOUT SPOT! All of it.... completely gone! That is a pretty incredible promise!

So I've been so awful at taking pictures this transfer and I'm sorry! I want to try better this week so I actually have some things to send home. But I love you all so much! If you want to, mail me your Christmas cards!! I'll add my address to send them to at the bottom but that would honestly make my Christmas this year! Have a great week!! 

xx 

Sister Washburn 

Sister Washburn 

Springwood Suite G5

Booths Park, Chelford Road

Knutsford 

WA16 8GS

United Kingdom

Should I start dreaming of a white Christmas? (Nov 27th 2017)

Alright, so this week was absolutely freezing cold!! Last Monday I forgot to mention something super funny that happened.. so last Monday we bought matching Chewbacca onesies with the elders and took some squad pics. They're like really warm so that's nice because our flat has no heating! 

Thursday was obviously thanksgiving for all my Americans! Hope you enjoyed it!!! My Thanksgiving was proper rubbish but it's great! I'm grateful for all my experiences in this beautiful land! We ended having hot dogs and bread and mashed potatoes. It was gross BUT it was all good because one of the elders made homemade pumpkin pie and it was ACE!! 

Saturday morning we woke up to have our morning exercise at the church with the elders and it was snowing!!!!! Then they text and said it was canceled so we went and played in the snow for a little bit! It was freezing cold this week! I hate winter and I've heard it's really not even winter yet. I've said that a lot but it's true. All the people say "oh just wait until January" NO THANKS!! 

So our investigator Eli has been doing so good this week! He called us while we were on the bus and I got to talk to him for a long time about the book of Mormon! He has a lot of questions and is so ready to just learn all about it! 

Sorry that this week is awful! But I promise that I'm doing good and loving life! Have a great week!! 

Xx Sister Washburn

Cheese on Wheels (Nov 20th 2017)

Okay, I love Stockport! It's so good here!!!! We literally live right across the street from the chapel it takes no time to walk here! Sister Schulze is amazing and the ward is incredible!!!! 

We have lots of different countries represented in our district! India, Austria, Germany, England, and Canada than me and another elder from America (the blessed land!)

So Sister Schulze is German and she is sharing all kinds of German traditions with me! They Have St Nikolaus day on Dec 6th where we put the shoes out and he leaves candy in them! They sent us a package this week for a Christmas countdown and stuff for our shoes. I'm excited! She's also teaching me German!!! 

So this week was crazy! So two major miracles happened!

1) we are teaching this girl named Heather and she's 16 and so good!! But her mum was not so keen on her seeing us and about the church. BUT we fasted this for her heart to be softened and prayed....like a lot... and Saturday night we got a call from her and her mum all of a sudden had a change of heart and is okay about everything!!! So we are slowly working towards baptism and getting permission and stuff because Heather really wants that. So keep them in your prayers! 

2) So the Sister met this man named Eli about a month ago on the street and have been trying to get him to come to church for a while but he's never come. And on Saturday night we were texting everyone to come to church and Sunday during Sunday school he text us that he was on his way. So he showed up for the last hour of Church. We gave him a quick chapel tour and gave him a Book of Mormon and the ward was ACE at fellowshipping him! So many people came up to say hi and introduce themselves and he loved it! He kept talking about "this feeling" that he had while there. It's going to be really good to work with him and he has such a big desire to learn and kept saying that he really just wants to learn everything about our faith because he feels it is good. He also calls the book of Mormon the book of love so that's really funny! 

Alright, so I have never laughed so much the first week of the transfer as I have here in Stockport! It has been so good so far!!!! Really funny story! So there's this woman in her 40s that is very much in love with one of the elders. I would call her a secret admirer but it's not secret and she doesn't just admire she stalks him. It's creepy but super funny at the same time. She sent us this text this week and I cried laughing. #yuck 

Okay, have a great week folks! Love you all so much!! 

Xx Sister Washburn

Sister Schulze

Stockport, England!!!!! (Nov 13th 2017)

Happy Monday!! So today is a pretty crazy day so I'm going to keep it short! I'm off the Isle of Man!! It's been a great couple of months living in Douglas but it's time to peace out. I love everyone that I've met here and I miss them all so much already! I'm headed off to Stockport which is just right outside Manchester! I'll be serving with Sister Schulze and she's from Germany (but she basically sounds American!) It's going to be really good I'm so excited! 

Yesterday in sacrament meeting, Sister Watt and I did a special musical number! She played the piano and I sang....my biggest fear ever but it was really good! Never doing it again though! Once is plenty for me haha!

I don't even remember what happened this week but that's about it! I hope you all take care and I wish you all the best! Thanks for your love, support, and prayers!!! 

xx Sister Washburn

We bought a Christmas tree!! (Nov 6th 2017!)

This week flew by (as always)!! So Tuesday was Halloween and we had a pretty good day. We went over to our ward mission leaders house and had tea with their family. We had to be in early that night so we got home and spent that time studying a little more and catching up writing in our journals! 

This week was kind of a load of rubbish missionary work wise! We got dropped by basically everyone, even less-actives we have been working with! But there was also a miracle!! We were going through the former investigators in our phone and came across this woman and so we called her and got her voice mail but then later she text us and said that she thinks about the missionaries and the church every day! And it was especially weird that we had called her because she mentioned that it's been ages that she has seen us around, but that morning, she saw us walking on the prom it "sparked some old feelings" from when the missionaries would come around! Then we called her and she said it was really strange!! Coincidence? Try again! Divine intervention folks!!!!! Heavenly Father is SO aware of us and our circumstances! 

Yesterday was Guy Fawkes Night (Bonfire Night) but with it being on Sunday, we had a ward bonfire night activity on Friday night. Bonfire night (or Guy Fawkes night) is basically an odd version of the 4th of July but not really at the same time... In a nutshell, a long time ago a man named Guy Fawkes wanted to blow up parliament... but he got caught before anything happened and everyone was safe. So basically they are celebrating that nothing happened. Every year they do a huge bonfire with a scarecrow type thing hanging over it (representing Guy Fawkes because he wanted to kill the king so was killed for treason) and they set off some really lame fireworks! Good try England. Good try.... but it was fun being out with the ward and loads of non-members were there that we got to talk to! 

Today, Sister Watt and I did something a little crazy (not really that crazy actually)... We bought a Christmas tree!!!! How could we resist!? So we rushed home and played some festive music and put it up. With no Thanksgiving here in this blessed land, it's straight to Christmas folks and I'm loving it! 

Hope you have a FANTABULOUS week!! Love you all! 

xx Sister Washburn

getting ready for a cold night out!

bonfire night!!

CHRISTMAS!! ☃️🎄

Sister Watt <3

Manx ice cream!

My beautiful island 

Peel Castle!

"But my pudding belly is empty." (Oct 30th 2017)

Happy Hop-Chu-Naa everyone!!! This week was great! Sister Watt and I worked really hard and saw loads of miracles! Recently, our mission has had a really big focus on getting our friends (investigators) to attend church! And so we went crazy this week and invited EVERYONE and went above and beyond to make sure that we had as many people as we could, commit to coming to sacrament meeting on Sunday! Sacrament meeting is a great place for them to really feel the spirit and be taught. We have a pretty small teaching pool at the minute but we had 3 people commit to coming and they all came!!!! There was one man that sort of committed but he didn't show up...it's alright we'll get him this week ;)

Saturday was a really special day! President and Sister McReynolds came over the visit the Isle!! We picked them up from the airport Saturday afternoon and then they took the car to go do some of their own stuff then we met up for dinner. They took us to this really posh restaurant to eat and it was so good but I felt really bad. Then we were able to go visit some people with them that evening! Sunday was church (obviously) and then we had a munch and mingle afterward! Sister Watt and I made sugar cookies and they were gone in the blink of an eye. But then we had to get them back to the airport for them to go back to Manchester so after we did a couple of things and got to have interviews with them, we drove them back down south to the airport! We took a nice selfie together and said our goodbyes. It was SO GOOD having them here and we were literally spoiled because it's just the two of us. Never again will I ever get that much time with them hahaha.

Today for p-day we went with a member and her daughter to this little village called Cregneash and we picked turnips and carved them! On the Isle of Man, the Manx people celebrate Halloween (Hop-Chu-Naa) differently. It's really interesting but so fun getting to know different cultures and practices. 

Nothing really that exciting but I love you all!! Thank you so much for all of your love and support! I really need it right now lol. Have a great week! 

xx

Sister Washburn

Dropping President, Sister McReynolds off at the airport. With Sister Watt.

Agglish Yeesey Creest dy Nooghyn ny Laghyn Jerrinagh (Oct 23rd 2017)

Hello, my wonderful family and friends!! I hope you have all had a great week! I don't even know where this week has gone! On Tuesday we got to sail over to England and spend a few days there as go to our Zone Conference in Manchester! I love going over but it was especially good this time because we got to stay with Sister Wamsley and Sister Lim! Sister Lim goes home at the end of this transfer and obviously sister Wamsley is one of my best friends so it was great to see them and spend time with them!! Early Wed essay morning we set off from Liverpool to Manchester for the day and it was crazy! It took us something like 3 1/2 hours to get there when it normally just takes about 1-1 1/2 hours. Crazy train traffic and they were crammed full of people! But we made it and it was good! 

Thursday we did a little bit of an exchange before heading back on the boat to Douglas! The boat ride was really good on the way back. When we went over on Tuesday, because of all the storms recently it was super rocky!!! Thank heavens for motion sickness medicine! But the boat got in around 10 Thursday night and then we had to walk home.....in the pouring rain..... Good times though!! 

Saturday we went to go see one of our "eternigators" (eternal investigators) named Iris. She is this 79-year-old woman who is super bitter about life but we just try to serve her and help her feel God's love. But this time we went over and ended up teaching her more about the book of Mormon, completely different to what we had planned earlier! But the spirit was so strong in that lesson and I know it touched her heart! Every time we see her, we invite her to read the book of Mormon and pray about it but she never does! Super frustrating sometimes, but this time, she promised us she would read it and pray. It made my heart so happy and I know that none of it was possible without the Holy Ghost there to help each of us! 

Today for p-day we don't really have anything exciting planned. Sister Watt doesn't really like going and doing stuff and we have a lesson this afternoon with an American that we found a little over a week ago! So that kind of interrupts p-day a bit, BUT you do what you gotta do for the people! 

This weekend President and Sister McReynolds will be coming over to the Island and we are SO PUMPED! It's going to be great! But I hope you all have a fabulous week and thank you so much for the letters and emails, you're the best!! Keep it coming ;) 

xx

Sister Washburn

Vino and me. Last night with her before she moves back to 
Sri Lanka! 😭 

Sister Watt and I with Vino.

Love getting letter thank you ❤

Changos Burrito bar in Manchester. SO GOOD!! 

Believe in Miracles! (Oct 16th 2017)

Hello everyone!!!! What a wonderful week on my wonderful island in the Irish Sea!! The Isle of Man is expecting the effects of hurricane Ophelia so people say we should be getting some really harsh winds and lots of rain the next couple of days. I don't really see how that is different from any other day here in the wonderful British Isles but.... 

Sister Watt and I just found out about 2 minutes ago that we get to go over to England this week for zone conference in Manchester! The sisters in the past never got to go over this often so we are truly blessed! Pray for us and that we will be able to have smooth sailing tomorrow!

Last week I mentioned a lot of miracles! Well, sadly all of our dreams were crushed. Sister Watt and I were blessed to find so many new people that we were excited to meet with this past week but as we called to confirm appointments or called by their home when we said we would, we haven't been able to contact anyone! Yay!! And we also got dropped by an investigator of ours that was golden for the gospel out of the blue. I mean, everyone experiences hard times. I changed the wallpaper on my tablet this week to a quote from President Monson; "So much in life depends on our attitude." 

So Sister Watt like I said last week is really good at exercising!! So I am proud to announce the progress I have made in the past couple of days! We have been waking up early and running for an hour on the promenade and I am up to about 4 miles without stopping. It kills but it feels oh so good at the same time! We even went out one day this week while it was "raining"! It was just a mist so we thought we were okay but by the end of it, I was dripping wet. But all is well, it was a good exercise!

Sunday evening we had a Europe Area broadcast with Elder Ballard and Elder Clayton. It was so good!!!! I love listening to the leaders of the church and their counsel! One of the favorite things that Elder Ballard talked about was seeing miracles in our lives. He talked about how he went to Ethiopia one time and they were experiencing a big drought but he felt impressed to bless the land with rain. Oddly enough, about 3 hours later the skies cracked open and it was pouring rain and it rained the rest of his time there. Crazy!! Then he said, "Miracles begin on our knees". I have so much faith that if we ask our Father in Heaven in faith, that we will be able to see miracles in our lives and in the lives of others! 

Sorry that I don't have any pictures this week! We have been so busy that I have just totally forgotten! I hope you all have a great week and always remember that I love you and keep you in my prayers! 

xx

Sister Washburn

Welcome to Hawaii!! (Oct 9th 2017)

Another p-day! wow!! So last week was really good! Sister Wamsley and I made it down to Manchester in the car safely! We had train the trainers that night and it was really good!! Funny thing... I hate chicken enchiladas! Like, I don't know why but I just can't eat them! And so Monday with all the traveling I really didn't eat much and by the time I got to the mission home, I was starving!!! And they feed you dinner so I was so pumped. Then my dreams were quickly crushed when they said we would be eating.....you guessed it! CHICKEN ENCHILADAS!!! no thanks! but I was so hungry I ate it anyway. Heavenly Father really does bless his missionaries! haha. But we had a really good time there and I got to see Sister Menlove one last time before she goes home at the end of this transfer!! And then we also got a new car!!!!! It is so nice! And it smells like brand new and it's only like 3 months old or something.. super sick ride!

Tuesday we got up early and started our track to Liverpool to drop off Sister Wamsley and her stuff then we headed to Warrington to pick up Sister Watt then onto Heysham to get to the ferry to get us back onto our quiet, little island free of big scary motorways and traffic! I love it!

Sister Watt is great!!! We are having a lot of fun together and have seen so many miracles the past couple of days! Seriously she is great! AND she is super healthy so we have been waking up early and exercising really good and eating super healthy. Praying for a miracle and I get my cheeks to shrink back to their normal size and my muffin top to fade away ha-ha-ha-ha TMI sorry.

It has been really cold and rainy and windy so I'm breaking out all my winter gear and the locals are saying it's not even bad yet so PRAY FOR ME!!! This AZ girl is going to freeze to death this winter! 

But yeah I hope you all have a really great week! I love you all so much and appreciate the emails and your prayers for me! You rock!! If you're ever feeling crazy, feel free to send me a letter or an email! I love hearing from you and seeing your beautiful faces!

xx

Sister Washburn 

Pictures!!

1) Sister Watt and I doing face masks her first night!! 

2) us and the new car

3) I have no clue... we're cute though 

4) Sister Menlove!!!!!!! 💗💗💗

5) Elder Barker ruining our pic 

6) quick stop at the temple last Monday on our way down to Manchester! 

7) the new whip 😍🚗