Following in the footsteps

Hello one and all! Whether you be in Asia, America, Austraila, Africa, or Europe. :) First of all, thank you for all the emails, letters and prayers. I appreciate it more than you'll ever know, and love you all!

This week has been really really amazing! :) I feel like I'm finally getting a hang of things here in London as a missionary. I can successfully navigate the tube system, I know most of the members in Hyde Park 1st Ward, we're seeing some mighty miracles, I'm using the right terminology (trousers(pants), rubbish bin(garbage), football(soccer), pardon(sorry), tea(breakfast), I've learned massive amounts of knowledge and my testimony of this restored gospel has just kept growing! Now that doesn't necessarily mean that the days aren't ever hard though. There are times when no one, absolutely no one wants to talk to us. There are doors slammed in our faces, and people who yell at us. There are days where people cancel on us, or our investigators that we love drop us. There are times where I just pray all day. But what gets me through is that this gospel is true! We all have a loving Heavenly Father who answers prayers. We can constantly become better, and be forgiven of our mistakes because Jesus Christ already suffered for our sins, and will always strengthen us when we need him. We have not only one, but two ancient records that testify of our Savior and Redeemer. And we have a living prophet on the world today who can receive direct instruction and revelation from God to these modern day problems happening in the world. Sounds too good to be true doesn't it? Well it isn't. And if I've been blessed to have this knowledge my entire life, all I really can do is share it with others. :) 

Anyways, these last 7 days really have been fantastic! I wish I could tell you a play by play, but this email would be way too long, and way too boring, so I'll give you some of the highlights of the week.

On Tuesday we were able to see M!! Remember how a few months ago we were teaching a really sweet lady from Thailand, and she was going to be baptised but was outside of our area? Well... we referred her to the missionaries there so that they could continue teacher her, but something happened and no one ever visited her! :( We kept teaching her over facebook, but really we couldn't do anything else. Well, just 2 weeks ago she informed us that she would be moving, and not to any ol' place. But she would be moving into Earls Court!! OUR AREA! :) Miracle of miracles. Seriously! We've started to teach her again, and her husband is interested in learning more too! :) Oh how I love her! Sawatika!   

M is doing well too! He's still working so hard to overcome wine and live the word of wisdom, but he informed us this Saturday that it had been 1.5 weeks since he last drank. He's still working toward baptism this next month! :)

On Saturday we had Visitor Center training (like every Saturday) but, this week something really hit me. Elder Cardall gave a training on the history of missionary work in the British Isles, and the spiritual giants of missionaries we are following in the footsteps of. I've never really thought of it, but I'm following the legacy of the very first missionaries of the church! Along with those first apostles called by Joseph Smith there were many many others. President Benson, President Hinckley, Elder Ballard, Elder Holland, and Elder Cook and more all served in the British Isles and they all left a legacy behind. I am honestly so honored to be representative of the Lord here in this beautiful country! I feel so privileged to follow in these men's footsteps and continue to share the good news of the gospel. To raise the banner as those first missionaries did that "Truth will prevail." I love this work, I love these people, and I love my savior Jesus Christ!

Have a fantastic week everyone! Sorry this email was so long... you get a gold star if you made it through the whole entire thing. Love you all SO much!

Love, Sister Rebekah Croft

Teeth that aren't so wise and the typical day

Hello again from the currently rainy, and very cold London, England. Fall is finally catching up with this part of the world, although it's quite different from autumn in Utah. There are no mountains here, so that means no watching the leaves change colors. But one thing that I absolutely LOVE is rain, and autumn here means the beginning of the "rainy season". Maybe I'll get tired of the clouds, rain jackets and umbrellas but for now I'm embracing it. And who knows maybe the leaves on the trees in the city will change colors eventually, and I'll get the best of both countries. We'll see. ;)

Wow, is it already P-Day again? Seems like I just wrote you all. :) So recently I've been asked by a few people how a normal day in the life of a London visitors center missionary goes, so I figured I would start off with that.

This is what a typical Wednesday would look like:

6:29 "Arise and shine" usually we'll go jogging through the streets of London, or run to the chapel for some volleyball or Zumba as a zone

7:00 Breakfast and get ready for the day

8:00 Personal Study- love it!

9:00 Companion Study with Sister Apiyo

9:55 At the Hyde Park visitors center for shift. When we are online answering chats and picking up calls on mormon.org in the morning we are the only 2 missionaries in the entire WORLD online to help people!! Because of the time difference we are the only visitors center open at that time. It's kind of stressful sometimes trying to answer everyone, because of the lack of missionaries but it's also humbling that the Lord trusts me enough to be one of these sisters. Sure sometimes people come online to argue or waste our time, but most people that come online are really searching for the truth!  :) 

The other half of the time I'm out giving tours to anyone who walks in through the doors and if they are interested I'll pass along their information to the missionaries in their area. Miracles happen everyday while in the VC!

3:00 Out in our area teaching people, OYMing (open your mouth) on the bus/tube, visiting less active members, doing service, and everything else that other missionaries do. 

9:00 Back at the flat to plan for the next day, update teaching records and other odds and ends

10:30 Fall into bed and sleep Zzzzz

As for miracles this week we had many! On Thursday we were able to have a lesson with M. We taught him with a recent convert who also had a difficult time with the word of wisdom. During the lesson he was able to bear his testimony of how the gospel has changed his entire life. It was so powerful! M is still progressing towards baptism (yay for that!), but we'll have to move it back because it would have been on conference weekend. Ooops! 

Also, this week the Bishop asked us to visit some specific less active families that he didn't know much about. We dropped by a family on Friday and it turns out that it is a part member family! The son is willing to learn and come to church. We'll see what happens :)

Now your probably wondering where the title of this email came from... well on Saturday Sister Apiyo and I headed to the dentist to get Sister Apiyo's wisdom teeth out! :P One was especially bad and impacted, to the point in fact that they had to call a specialist and cut her tooth in half to pull it out. Poor girl! We've just been home this whole weekend so that she could recover. Eating lots of yogurt, and Ice Cream of course, as well. Prayers are real though, because she was able to go to church the following day for a few hours to see all of our investigators and the members of the ward. :) What a trooper! There is no way that Heavenly Father wasn't a big part of that. 

Well, family and friends I love you bunches!! I wish you a wonderful week wherever you may be. And never forget this: Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and he in reality translated an ancient record which is the Book of Mormon! (oh how I love that book) :) Heavenly Father is a loving God and Jesus Christ is the savior of the world, and they love and care for everyone on this earth who ever it may be! 

Love, Sister Rebekah Croft

_____________________

I got an unexpected phone call this past week from a couple who live in central Utah named the Pittmans. They had just returned home from a trip to London where they had met Rebekah at the Hyde Park Chapel Visitors Center. They visited the chapel twice...once on a weekday to look around and to find out what time church services were held, and then again on Sunday for church. Both times they had the opportunity to chat with Rebekah and Sister Apiyo. Sister Pittman asked Rebekah for my phone number, telling her that she'd love to call her Momma when she got home and tell her how she was doing...and was there anything Rebekah wanted her to tell me? I talked with both Brother and Sister Pittman, but Sister Pittman and I had a good, long conversation...first and foremost about Rebekah and then about our families and missionary service. She clearly adored Rebekah, even though they hadn't spent a lot of time together. She got emotional relaying Rebekah's message to me about how much she loved and missed me and that was doing well. Sister Pittman said that Rebekah was a delightful missionary and that she looked so happy. She had taken some pictures, she said. And though they didn't have internet, she had printed them out and was planning to snail mail them to me. She asked if I'd send letters occasionally letting them know how Rebekah was doing and would I please let them know when her Homecoming was so they could come see her when she got home? Frankly, I was completely overwhelmed and I couldn't stop the tears....the kindness and thoughtfulness of these people to go out of their way to make a call to a woman they'd never met to reassure me of my daughter's well being...someone they only had the chance to briefly make contact with! It felt like such a tender mercy to me....like even though my daughter is so far away, Heavenly Father is sending people to watch over her in my place while she serves her mission.

A not too shabby week

Hello one and all from the United Kingdom. :) How was everyone's week? This week in London was really fantastic! Nothing earth shaking, or mind shattering happened, but it was another week chuck full of little miracles.

Something really frustrating this week is that we couldn't meet with M. :( He recently got a job, and started taking English classes which is so great, but it makes it harder to meet with him during the week. He's still progressing towards baptism for next month though! Lots and lots of prayers are going his way! Our other investigators are also doing well! I. the 17 year old, sweet brit is doing amazing! She came to the YSA activity on Thursday night and we were able to show her the video about Joseph Smith's experience- "The Restoration." I always forget what a powerful movie that is until I watch it.. but it's true- Joseph Smith really did get an answer to his prayers, and through him Christ's church is back on the earth again! After she left she texted us later that day telling us how much she loved the night, and asked us what chapter in the Book of Mormon she should read. :) Oh how I love her! We'll have to refer her to the London South mission this week because she lives out of our mission.. but I hope we'll be able to go to her baptism!

Another little miracle: Sister Kerr- another sister in our district meet a man named K. on the bus earlier in the week. She asked him to come to the visitors center and they would give him a tour, but found out that he lives in our area instead. We met up with him and he's really enthusiastic to learn more about the Book of Mormon! He told us that he keeps seeing the buses with "I love Mormon" written on them, but didn't know what "a Mormon was". We were able to read some of the Book of Mormon with him and when he left he was really excited to read more. :) He also told us that if he reads more in the Book of Mormon and finds out that it's a true book he wants to be baptized. That was just fine with Sister Apiyo and me. :)

Odds and ends:

1. Sister Apiyo and I got separated again, but this time on the tube... yay for nice people that let us use their phones!

2. We had a badmitton tournament today with all the missionaries in our zone and Sister Apiyo and I got crushed.. but it's alright because we're having a rematch soon! 

3. We made a Jehovah's Witness friend in the park. Sometimes we run into each other and have funny conversations. Although it's a different belief they understand how we feel as missionaries because they do it too! Nice people. :)

4. Some people yelled at us. Some people were really nice to us. We had some really good conversations, and some really awkward conversations.

5. I learned member missionary work really does work when we were invited over to a Filipino dinner and were able to teach one of their friends! 

Sorry this week was a bit boring.. but I really love this work! I love this gospel and I love sharing it with others- and I guess that's what is most important at the end of the day! I hope you all have a wonderful week back home! :) Love you! and never forget that God loves you!

Love, Sister Rebekah Croft

(Picture courtesy of the Hyde Park Chapel Visitors Center Facebook page....)

Iconic clock towers and great people

Hello friends and family! I hope everyones week was fantastic. :)

This week to put in two words was amazing & exhausting! Which I guess is appropriate for a missionary. Sister Apiyo and I are finally seeing some success from building a solid foundation last transfer. God has been leading us to some incredibly prepared people to learn about the gospel of Jesus Christ.

On Monday of last week Sister Apiyo and I both sat down together and were trying to figure out what our vision, or goals would be for this transfer. We decided to pray and fast for guidance throughout the day and as we were, some really incredible miracles started to occur... First we had a lesson with E.J., our Portugal investigator who we met on the bus the other day. We gave him a quick tour at the Visitors Center last week but we weren't really able to talk about the Book of Mormon or anything else. Throughout the whole lesson the spirit was just really strong! He kept asking questions and was really engaged with what we were talking about. At the end of the lesson before he had to leave we led him to the baptismal font and explained to him about baptism, then we invited him to be baptized and he said YES! :) We'll continue to teach him, and hopefully his family soon! Aw, he is so great!! About an hour later a sweet, sweet 17 year old girl walked into the Visitors Center and told us that she wanted to be taught by the missionaries. She told us that she had leaned a bit about the church from school and that she loved the idea of families being eternal! :) We are now teaching her and she's going to be baptized the end of this month!

We also had mission conference which was just flat out incredible! Clayton Christensen and his wife came and spoke to us about member missionary work. Wow.. they are really pushing member missionary work over here! It's incredible to see the difference of the missionary work being done now, compared to even 10 years ago! We are constantly working with the members in the ward. I'm still learning, but I've seen that the most effective way to do missionary work is by getting to know and loving the members of the ward. Then after developing trust the members will start to give us referrals of their friends. It's the best feeling ever when a member comes up to us and asks us to teach someone they know! :)

Non-missionary related (sorry): After living in London for over 3 months I finally got to see the iconic clock tower everyone has been talking about! :) Big Ben, Westminster, and the London Eye was literally 4 stops away from our flat and we've never been.. naps on P-Days are a thing. ;) But today, we finally went and let me tell you, it was spectacular!! Maybe it's childish.. but today some dreams came true.

(Should out to the I Love Mormon double decker bus in the background!)

A funny story also non-missionary work related: The other day Sister Apiyo and I were riding the bus somewhere and we were talking to people like normal. Suddenly I realized that Sister Apiyo was outside the bus and waving frantically at me from the other side of the window. I ran to the door as it was closing, and the bus started to drive away. :o Now normally this wouldn't be a big deal.. but as companions you only have 1 phone, and you are NEVER supposed to be apart.. not the ideal situation. haha When I got off the bus after it had went around a few corners I had no clue where Sister Apiyo was! Trying to laugh it off, but secretly frantic inside I tried to find Sister Apiyo...it took nearly 30 minutes but we finally found each other in the crowds of people. Phew!! Prayers work. They really do. :)   

Love you all. Have a fantastic week and don't forget to do some member missionary work. ;)

Love, Sister Rebekah Croft

Transfer 3 begins

It's transfers week!! ... Wait back up. Again? My second transfer is

already over! Although it seems like it came and went in a blink of an

eye I've absolutely loved the first 3 months of my mission! :) I

wouldn't trade any of the experiences I've had, along with the people

I've met, or the things I've learned for anything. I've loved serving

in the Hyde Park 1st ward. The people in and outside of the church are

AMAZING!

Sooo... Transfer news... Drum roll please..

I'll be staying in Hyde Park 1st ward and I still get to be companions

with Sister Apiyo- good thing too, because I love that Ugandan girl!

:) There are changes in our district however. Sister Griffeth

(remember her from the MTC) will be coming to Hyde Park 2nd ward so this also means

she will be living in our flat! :) This means out of the sisters in

our district Sister Griffeth and I have only been here for 2

transfers, Sister Kerr for 1 transfer, and sister Apiyo for 5. We are

all SO YOUNG in the world of mission work!! Plus Elder Jensen who got

here when I did will be our new district leader and will also be

training. We're all gonna have to work really hard, and we're all

going to learn a ton this transfer. I'm SUPER excited though!! I have

a really good feeling that many many Miracles will happen in these

next few weeks.

This week to be blunt and very truthful was exhausting.. It was the

last week of the transfer so Sister Apiyo and I worked really hard. But,

although we came home every night absolutely pooped we saw some mighty

miracles from our efforts. Here's a few highlights of the week

1. We found this guy on the bus at the beginning of the week who was

really interested about learning more about Jesus Christ. He told us

he had heard a lot about Him, but didn't really know why He was

important. The next day we invited him to come to the Visitors Center

and we were able to give him a quick tour before he went to work. He

seemed really excited in his broken English. He told us that at work

he was talking to one of his co workers about it and guess what...his

co worker is a MEMBER! :) What?! He proceeded to tell us that his co

worker told him all about the church and how it really was Jesus

Christ's church on the earth today! Truth. He also has a whole family

willing to learn. :) We'll be seeing them again this next week!! You

could say I'm a bit excited.

2. Sister Apiyo and I got hopelessly and completely lost but in the

process we also found 2 other families to teach! :) But we have to

refer them to a different ward.. The beautiful thing about this gospel

is that families are central to Gods plan! They are meant to be

eternal and forever. :) I realized this again and again this week in

full force.

3. Paul Cardall came and gave a devotional at the Visitors Center.

He's Elder & Sister Cardall's son and also a famous piano player. If

you haven't heard of him go look up his song from the movie Ephraims

Rescue! Nothing brings the Spirit more than music I always say, and

Paul's testimony was so powerful!

4. Summer is officially over in London. Either that or the sun is on

vacation too! The 3 umbrellas, boots, and bright yellow rain jacket

have come out of the suitcases. ;)

Sorry this email is shorter... I'm writing this on the tube and I type

sooo slowly on this iPad. More next week. Promise! :) I love and pray

for you all more than you know!

Sister Rebekah Croft

 Goodbye old district... :( I'll miss these amazing missionaries!

______________________

Rebekah tried to send some pictures last week that never came through so she resent them this week:

We found the Dr. Who phone box in Earl's Court! :)
Sister Phillips: England, Sister Croft: America, Sister Apiyo: Uganda, Sister Lung: Hong Kong, Sister Dabrowska: Poland.

At the Victorian & Albert Museum The Book of Mormon is a luxury.

Sometimes the Filipinos in our ward give us some strange food...  We love it though! :)