Top of the mornin!
Boy oh boy, there's quite a few things that need mentioning! Crazy how much things can change in about one months time! Overall, life is going pretty swell. Of course there are challenges, ups and downs, but that's life for ya I suppose. Right now we are in week four of six in the transfer, and yes, I am still in Ashton. Oh blessed Ashton.. It'll be six months of being here at the end of the transfer. After looking at the calendar, I'll be hitting my year mark in.. Five and one half weeks. Ouch! I know I will be asked by many, "Can you believe it's been that long??" Which my response would be a typical... "Yes! But at the same time, a big, resounding, no!" Yes, it has gone by quickly, but because I have changed so much, it seems like who I was is like a dream..? Hard to explain in words really.
Anyways! On to the substance of this post! Perhaps I'll begin by explaining the title. Haha, basically.. I'm a daddy! Most RM's will know this, but for those who don't, when a missionary is asked to train a brand new one, you call him the trainer, and the new one the trainee. However, things get goofy away from home, and somewhere, someone decided to call it the dad and his son. Really feels like it in ways! When I first began training, I would make a silly joke to people where I said "I was really hoping for a girl.. But I guess a boy will suffice." Ha, it makes people think I'm a dodgy badger for a moment. Flip! I forgot to tell you where my "son" is even from. Elder Paulsen is from Copenhagen, Denmark. Brilliant young man, lots to learn from him. He is 18, loves to have fun, laugh, be happy, help others, is a master at football (soccer), and... erm, he is the oldest in his family with three younger sisters! He learned English when he was in third grade so there isn't really a problem there. Has a silly desire to gain an English accent.. Ha, one quick story to share so you can kind of get a feel for his silly personality. I was explaining to him that if he wants a good start to this accent he has to use words only England uses in a specific way. This is the example I gave him, and he made a dumb joke with it. So there are three words that, for the most part, mean "very" but can only be used with certain adjectives. These are: well, proper and dead. So I gave him three examples. "That chippy was well nice!" "That bus ride was dead boring with no one to talk to!" "He looks like a proper chav." Then I asked him to give me an example of his own, to see if he understood. He explained that he could use this following sentence when someone declines our invitation to learn more. "No thanks mate." "Well.. you're proper dead to me!" Hahaha.. so now we'll say that under our breath when people walk away.. He'll get the hang of things the longer he's out in the mission field for sure.. So that's Elder Paulsen. Very loving, energetic, love him to bits. Only was homesick the first few days which is normal when he spends a lot of time with his sisters and is really close with his dad. He told me to include that bit so it doesn't sound like he is an allstar or sommit. Even though he is, and I am very blessed to be his trainer.
Right, on to something I have been dying to speak about for quite some time and it basically surrounds the question.. "What is it like to live in England??!" So sort of like the culture.. the people.. the silly way they do things over here, etc. Please note that these are some things that I have noticed over time, and can't possibly help you picture everything perfectly. Feel free to ask more questions about England and I will do my best! Ready? And boom! You are beamed over to Ashton! You open your eyes, and you are outside. You see a bunch of doors across the street with numbers above them. These are my neighbours. Basically in this part of the area, there is one, two story building on a slight hill, where we share the same walls. Its like this in a lot of England. You only see houses that have their own walls/yards/driveways/roofs to themselves in the posh/nice areas. You notice many cars are parked on the side of the road, most people don't have driveways, but simply park their car on the curb! You then walk down towards the town centre/bus station. Every town in England has one of them. You hear an ambulance somewhere in the background and some crummy kids about 12 from across the street yell over to you "Bible Bashers!" Never gets old that.. Then, this lady, who is from the Muslim faith is approaching and you say good morning; she greets you with a slight smile. They are nice people, probably.. one sixth of the people that live near you probably because there is a Mosque that doesn't live too far from you. Time to cross the road. You press the button that will give you the signal, but still wait. A fancy, yet loud car zooms past you, obviously quite reckless, driven by some chav, but that isn't anything new to you. Happens all the time, and you usually think.. "idiot.." The indicator for you to walk hasn't changed, but there are no cars approaching, so you, along with other people cross halfway across the road. Nothing is more embarrassing than waiting for the indicator and then have someone cross the road from behind you.
Near the town centre, you see lots of people walking around the markets and outside the various stores. They come with many looks. A lot of the ladies dress quite stylish, thats England for you. Everyone got mad style! However... many of the women also wear too much makeup, have fake tans, wear their hair in this.. "chavette" up-do, and have defined, basically black eyebrows. I guess its the thing? Its odd.. no likey. Not all look like that, but its definitely a stereotype. You can see some poor, rather raggity older people having a smoke (the smell is a lot worse than back home), a few Hindu families walking around, some Africans with their adorable kids, and a couple chavs "swaggin" around in their trackies (sweats) and Adidas shoes. You then go to catch a bus up to try-by someone who said would be in around that time. The bus is a few minutes late. Someone lets you go ahead of them in the queue/line because "you were there first" (I swear, everyone does this! So funny!) You show your bus pass to the driver, he greets it with a "cheers" and you look at where you should strategically sit down. Walking slowly, you notice most everyone gives you the weird look, probably the look of praying you don't sit by them. Most of the old people sit in the front, and love to chat amongst themselves so you go to the middle-back. Right when you are about to strike up a conversation with a man, his phone goes off and he answers. Others in front of you are reading the Daily Metro Newspaper, and you can't help but wonder who is doing well in football at the moment. Yeah, you can't bring forget football in this country. Its the life for all males. Most either support Manchester United, or a Manchester City.. I got to end it just about there. Hopefully it was entertaining to some degree! Remember, that was all quite stereotypical, not precise! I know there are loads more things I could have shared, but for the sake of my time, and yours I'll get to the point of a few other cultural things. Many critters in England. Snails and slugs are a plenty after rain for sure. (It is the worst!) I've seen.. both frogs and toads. Many different dogs that people walk, most the time I can guess which kind and get it right. Many cats wander on fences, or lie about in small gardens. Erm.. Ran into a couple foxes! The second time, it came out of nowhere, and was probably five yards away from me, then it ran away! Still dying to see a hedgehog, but they are nocturnal I believe. Many homes have cobwebs somewhere on the outside, so yes, spiders sadly roam around here as well.. Birds flock wherever and many bridges/signs/lamp posts have spikes on top so the birds won't land on them. People eat a variety of foods, like.. kebabs, curries, fajitas, fish/chips, chinese.. also more "normal" dishes like.. pasta, roasts, meat pies. The other day I had a wonderful tea which was sausages, with mash (potatos), and baked beans to put over it all. Sounds mental, I'm sure, but its well nice. I know I could keep going, its hard to mention it all! Sorry not sorry!
The work is going wonderful for us here. Got a few people progressing, good number attending church, met with some former investigators, going by some less actives, and finding more potentials! Great things are in the making, but it does come slowly, yet surely. I found myself reflecting on the things that I have changed, and what other things I still would like to change. Its crazy who I have become and becoming. I love it! Pondering was something that Joseph Smith did a lot before he prayed and received the First Vision. A simple invitation I would love to extend would be for you to sit down at a quiet place with notes at the ready, and reflect on how you have changed over the past year. Are they good changes? Are you a happier person? Are you on the right path that God would have you be? What more do you want to change? Are there habits that need breaking and others that need forming? How can you slowly, but surely have things things come to pass? These are just an example of some questions that you can ponder about. I love yous all very much. I know I'm a goofy one, but I mean well...
Have a good day, and I hope you've enjoyed your quick stay here at England.
- Elder Bennett
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| | "Oh beautiful Mossley... Sigh. You're great..." |
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| Elder David (Germany) and myself after an exchange. BIG smiles! |
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| "Elder Honorio (Brazil) loves the golden "duck face.." |
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| "The sisters in our ward got around to heart attacking us like they did many other members!
Hopefully you can read their good jokes/quotes! Haha!" |
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| "Elder Nelson (my papa), and Elder Paulsen (my son) with me after transfer meeting." |
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| "Ye Old Trafford. Man United. Banter!" |
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| "Oh the fabulous Fletcher Family! Love them to bits!
Bottom starting from left: Naomi, Matthew, Rebecca, Rachel, (grandchild) Beth. Middle: Naomi's man Lorenzo,
Elder Lauener, Brother & Sister Fletcher, Eve, (grandchild). Top: Myself, Isacc, and Jared! |
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| "Hardcore service. Loved swinging that pick axe!" |
