Tea Time

hello 1
FROM:Alyssa Longmore
Monday, January 9, 2012 5:07am
This last week has been eventful. We spent one of our days doing a service project for some sisters that are a part member family. We cleaned up there back yard and got rid of so many weeds. What was great was we were able to organize this with the other 2 sets of missionaries in our ward, another ward member, and even bring along an investigator who happens to be a professional gardener. It was an amazing experience to all come together and do something good for someone else.

I also had the opportunity to go out with the sisters in the Man South (Manchester South) area. I learned a lot from getting out of the regular routine. I decided I want to carry a Book of Mormon in my hands where ever I go because it is the Book of Mormon that is the key stone of our religion. It will help me to talk about the restoration with more and more people.

Yesterday we had an amazing miracle that happened. We took advantage of our opportunity to fast to prayerfully seek assistance from the lord in faith, that we might have someone new to teach, specifically for the coming week. We fasted for what seemed like the longest time I have ever fasted in my 21 years of life. We went to a part member families home after church to have dinner. We had to wait for a while because the meal wasn't done cooking. So we played with the members grand kids. They were so cute. We had a little tea party with them that is what the picture is of. lol Once we finally ate it really wasn't much food but we were grateful for what we got. When we got home for the night we were starving, but we were supposed to get right into planning so we were obedient and we did. After our planning we ate something and got ready for bed when we got a text from a girl. She said her name was Nichole and that we met her a little while ago at the Christmas Concert. I knew exactly who she was. Her boyfriend is living in New Castle and they were on a train coming to Liverpool and met some missionaries. Those missionaries invited them to the Christmas Concert that very night and they came. I met Nichole and set up and appointment with her but lost my planner before we met. It had all of her contact information in it. I was so upset with myself. We tried so hard to get in contact with her. We asked the missionaries for Andrew’s number but weren’t able to get a hold of him. When we spoke with Nichole she said she had been trying hard as well to get our number and finally got it. We are seeing her this Monday evening. Our prayers were answered. I know that the Lord will keep His work rolling forward despite the imperfections of people. I love the Lord with all my heart and want to share experiences like this with everyone because they happen all the time on my mission. It’s amazing!

Our investigators are doing wonderful. We are just excited to have more. The many recent converts too are doing great and I love how sincere they are.

Personal study is one of my favourite parts of the day. It is the time where we can be showered with knowledge and inspiration all through the spirit.


Sister Chuo is a great example to me. She knows how to have fun yet still have the spirit. She will always be someone I look up to.

-Love Alyssa Ann

Service

From:Alyssa Longmore
December 27th
I was glad I was able to see you on skype:) My Christmas was amazing. I felt the love of Christ more than ever and that is really what Christmas is all about. The mission is going great. We hopefully will have a few baptisms in January so that is very exciting. We are teaching many people and I feel we are making a big impact in the Liverpool area. We just had our transfer calls a few days ago and both my companion and I are staying in Liverpool. I know the Lord has great plans in store for the Chinese people. We are teaching so many of them and they have great faith. It is amazing because they come from a country that teaches them to not have a belief in God. I am really starting to feel like I am just an instrument in helping Him accomplish His work. I feel the spirit is starting to work through me. I am learning so much out her. I love it! I love you!
-Love Sister Alyssa Ann

A note from the mother of a missionary(me): The only time I cry for Alyssa is when she writes. I am so grateful that she is having this experience and that she is loving her mission and especially the Savior--more than ever before. I can tell in her words she wants so badly to help others find the joy that she has found through the gospel. A big part of this joy comes through families sharing their love for the Savior and their desire to choose the right. Thank you everyone for the example you have set for my kids. It has not gone unnoticed.
The woman Alyssa mentions (Christine Jones) is from Draper and was visiting Liverpool for a while. We look forward to meeting her.
Thanks-Melanie
From: Alyssa Longmore
Sent: Friday, January 6, 2012 5:44 AMThat makes me so happy that you met with the missionaries. And yes I got your letter and I must have looked sad when we skyped because I am always so tired but don't worry mom, I am happier than ever! I am loving it here! Missionary work is great.
I am so happy for Chelsea. Yay finally! lol So are you enjoying the time with dad. You probably will be going to Idaho today. That is fantastic.... Oh I have a question for you. I shared a story a while ago, I think it was the first year I was in college it was called "The Birdies, or Little Birdies or Free the Birdies" something like that. I think I have it saved on one of the many computers but will you try to see if we have it. If it is not there will you try to find it on google. It is a story of how a little boy was crushed by the garage door and he was visited by angels, "the birdies" and he said he flew with the angels to all different beautiful temples and he said there were so many birdies in the temple and some where locked in cages. The birdies that were with him said that he needed to live so he could come to the temple to free the birdies..... It was just an amazing story but a member we really need to win over wants that story and I told her I would ask you if you could find it. If it is too hard to find though don't worry about it.
I love you so much mom and I hope you have been able to get in contact with Christine Jones. If you do, please do something for her. She took care of Sister Chuo and I and fed us and she is a truly amazing woman. She probably will tell you about her stay here in England but she was working so hard everyday to help her sisters. One of her sisters is very overweight and sick with many illnesses and the other is extremely depressed. They both are chain smokers and there house is being destroyed by their smoking and lack of cleaning it. So Christine spent everyday while being here looking after her sisters and fixing up the home. We had a missionary service project where we fixed their front and back yard. We wanted to cook a meal for Christine but she had already started making it and fed us instead. She is a really Christlike women. She is even dropping off a bag I sent back with her to you. It has some shoes in it that I don't need and some candies and little notes. I hope you get them.
Well, mom, you are amazing I love you so much. Please write me. Even though I am miles away please know I am there for you. Remember DONT LET SATAN WIN! I love you! The church is true.
-Alyssa Ann

Christmas in England

We were able to Sype with Alyssa at about 7:30am Utah time. As we all gathered aroung the computer we may or may not have shoved eachother to get a front row seat of Alyssa. She looked beautiful-so excited and full of life. She panned the camera around a little so we could see her companion Sister Chao (she had twisted her ankle playing basketball the night before) and we also saw the 3 girls who's flat she was in, and who let her use their computer to Skype. Their names where Phoebe, Sheena and Nikki--all very nice.
Alyssa and her companion said thank you for the gifts. They were excited to have a few gifts to open, but honestly I think they were just excited to be missionaries and serving the Savior who's birth we celebrate at this time.
We asked a few questions and these were her answers
Mom: What do you eat for breakfast? Alyssa: Salad, we also eat a lot of lamb and
and Parsnips
Cassie: Do they have a Walmart? Alyssa: It's like Walmart. It's called ASDA
Dad: Is it hard to understand the accent? Alyssa: Sort of. It sounds like a mix
between Irish and English (the
girls from England disagreed)
Grandpa: Are the people very receptive to the Gospel?
Alyssa: At first the English might seem
cold, but they are not. They are
very nice. There are a lot of
people who smoke and a lot who
are Atheist.
Taylor: Do you like your new camera? Alyssa: Yeah-but I haven't gotten to play
play with it much
Alyssa also told us she is continuing to work with a lot of Chinese people. She said her and her companion asked a couple what they had heard about Christ. They responded by saying-oh he's the one that multiplied the rice. (um....I think that was loaves and fishes)
She also talked about an investigator named Dean and how strong the spirit felt each time they entered his home. He is great at sports and was in some sort of accident about 7 years ago where he lost all his memory. He is studying the book of mormon diligently and wants to read it cover to cover and get every question answered before committing to baptism. Alyssa and Sister Choa have tried to teach him that he doesn't have to be perfect before committing to baptism. They are hopeful for him.

Alyssa just looked so happy and so intently focused on all of us. She was radiating with light. When I told her this she said it was just the light shining in from the window behind her. I beg to differ.

Christmas TIme

I am very excited for Christmas and to see what it will be like with having it truly surrounded with bringing others to Christ. That is one thing I feel I am learning more and more of out here, and that is the Love of Christ! I feel as though his love is starting to work through me.... ps watch the little documentary on Mormon.org about Chris and Cameron. I don't know what it is titled or how exactly to find it but if you want to feel the love of the Savior, watch this video. I hope you can find it. Oh and tell Cassie everything will be ok and that I love her and will be praying for her.

So on Christmas I will try to skype you at about 2:00pm here, which I think will be about 7:00am there. Hopefully that wont be too early. I might just call your cell phone first to figure out the details. I can't wait to hear your voices and see your faces. Wow technology is cool!
- Love alyssa

Daft Americans!

Hey Dad!
Yes I feel your prayers. :) Thank you. I am loving being on a mission! It took some getting used to but it truly is great. I have been learning a lot by experience and scripture study. I love you dad and can't wait to talk to you around Christmas. Something that I have noticed is that member involvement is so important in missionary work. I know in Utah it is a little different. I don’t even know if there are missionaries in our ward or stake but if you can try to help them a little. Referrals are great and even if you invite a non-member or less active to an activity that is a great way to do missionary work. Christmas time is a great way to do this since there are so many activities. I still remember having the missionaries over for dinner as a little girl. It made me really want to be like them and serve a mission myself. If Cassie could see and experience that, that would be amazing, not that she would want to serve a mission just because of that, but it still would be cool. I love you very very much. Thank you for being such a wonderful father to me.
-Love your dear old daughter, Alyssa Ann Longmore

Mom –
Thank you so much for sharing what my great little sister did! I love her so much and I may or may not have shed a tear when I read what she did. I love you all so much. Something that has been said in my patriarchal blessing is that I have been blessed with an abundance of talents and am expected to use them to bless the lives around me. I never really knew what my talents were. I really am not the master of any trait and therefore it was hard to see what I was supposed bless others with. The following is a page from my journal...
"Sundays are by far my favorite day of the week so far on my mission. It is the day where I get to soak up the spirit and learn from others for a change. It is a great feeling when our investigators, recent converts, and less active friends come to church and we get the chance to do some networking. I love talking to people and letting them know that we care about them. I have always loved speaking with people that look a little down trodden, sad, or lonely. I feel like I have a gift of knowing people’s feelings even before they say how they are feeling. (Even if you are continents away ) I also think I am good at expressing my love and care for others and cheering people up."
Did i tell you that when i was in the MTC sister chambers and I did a duet in a ward in Chorely in sacrament meeting. BAH HA it was not the best but I really wasn't nervous for it. wierd.
I love you and am glad that you are taking steps to slowing down. Please just remember what is most important in life. oh and yes I do get to talk to you on Christmas and you would be crazy to think that i wouldn't want to. I have been so looking forward to this time. We actually can skype if you want. -Love alyssa ann longmore(sister that is)

Hey Taylor.
.. SO i get to e-mailing about at 11:30ish (england time)
I have a funny story. One day we went out to do some finding. which just means we go around on the street talking to everyone. We were talking with this one girl and she was great. She seemed really genuine. It started to rain so I got out my umbrella so we could continue our conversation and right as i opened it a huge gust of wind came and blew my umbrella way down the street. Lol. it just kept flying farther and farther. The best part was that no one was on the street until right before that happened. A nice man ran after my umbrella for me though. It was kinda embarrassing, but it gave us something to talk about. I bet they were thinking, "Oh this daft(which is an English word for stupid) American, doesn't even know how to use an umbrella." imagine that being said in an english accent. Well I really love it here. I have noticed that people are surpassingly really nice. They are much more sarcastic and private which at first glance might make them seem rude but in actuality they are great people. The accents are funny and i fell i am not picking up anything:( but maybe that is for the better. The Liverpool accent is crazy! Love you. I cant wait to talk around Christmas.
Love Alyssa

1st Baptism

Nathan is from China and had no idea who God was...look at him now!
This is Alyssa's first baptism experience as a missionary. She had just
been in the field 3 days when this baptism took place. Sister Chuo continues to be Alyssa's trainer. (Alyssa says to take not of how tired she looks :))

Monday-Monday

Mondays are email days from Alyssa! Yeah!!! We all jump (ok maybe not jump)-get out of bed with a little more enthusiasm these days knowing that we should have an email or two from Alyssa. She seems to be weathering the storms of the mission life and is learning and growing by leaps and bounds. I love the fact that I am her mother and yet she is the one who has taught me so much.

She sent us her first official letter(s) via postal service last week. So exciting! The envelope looked like it had been through a minor battle, so we were glad the letters & pictures arrived intact. (the picture of her by the bridge is from her MTC days. She went out on a run. The pic with the boat in front of it that says 'Scallywag' is a home near the MTC-crazy!)

I will include her pictures that she sent in this post and also a collection of the emails she sent to us as well!
Taylor
You are so GREAT! I love you and am so happy for you. You have to let me know how you like the DLD! I prayed for you to get the job. I am so happy everything is working out. I have only read the BOM through all the way once but pray to Heavenly Father for Him to help you to accomplish what you need to do. Tell him your specific goals and He absolutely will help you accomplish those. I have experienced so many miracles and I know that God will help you if you try your hardest to do what is right. Look up Mathew 7:7-8. ASK KNOCK SEEK. God will help you if you do your part. The thing that I think would be good is to write down your testimony and see how it grows and develops as you read the scriptures. Love you. Have a good day
-Love alyssa


Dad-
Thank you for sharing all of that and I totally want to try the game now. We hardly ever track here because we are so busy teaching lessons but maybe while finding we can play it. I love hearing stories about your mission. I hope no one else gets sick and hope mom is doing better now. That is so great to hear that taylor got the job. Missionary work is hard, as you know, so it is good that he is starting to prepare now
The gospel really blesses families.
And ya I am starting to get used to sister Longmore. People always say, " oh like Longmoore Lane." Yup we are famous here in LiverpoolWell I love you so much Dad and wanted to tell you that you have been a great example to me. I feel you are someone who truly has charity. You always find ways to help people along the way. Charity is the pure love of Christ and something that everyone should strive to develop. So thank you to both you and mom for raising me in the gospel and for being such wonderful examples.
-Love Sister Longmore
Mom-
We have had a wonderful week full of miracles. I would love to share a few of those experiences with you.
We had a little difficulty while teaching one of our investigators, Tiffany. When teaching her 2 of the lessons, she was having a major concern and we were having a hard time getting to the root of it. Just when we thought it was resolved it, Tiffany would not be satisfied. It was really frustrating because we were really trying to teach to Tiffany's needs, but it is hard when you think their need is one thing and really it is something different. It wasn't until we went on a brief exchange with the Sisters from the Isle of Man that we noticed the change of heart in Tiffany. When we visited with her we focused all of our efforts on really resolving Tiffany's concerns. Sister Davis shared a personal experience and the spirit was felt so strong. You could tell Tiffany felt it. She was sitting for a while just thing about what was said and what she had felt. The miracle was she truly had a change of heart and all of the sudden her concern was resolved. I don't exactly know the precise thing was that helped resolve her problem but all I know is that the credit goes 100% to the spirit that was brought and felt.
The other day we had a miracle with one of our recent converts. She is 14 and the only member of her family. She said that at school she realized many people act fake and pretend to be someone they are not. She then realized that she too was being somewhat fake and not really standing up for what she believes in. She said she felt so bad because she felt she let the Lord down and didn't really know who she was anymore. She was having a really hard time. She said she came home and cried to the Lord and asked said how she needed someone to be there for her. Not too long after that I called her asking if we could visit her that very night. The only reason I called was because one of our investigators had to cancel. It was no coincidence. We are an instrument in the Lords hands in fulfilling the needs of others.
In my gospel study I have been striving to learn how to be a better missionary and simply a better person in general. I have learned how everything comes down to remembering the Saviour and acting on what we know to be true.
This week has been amazing. Thank you for the great zone conference and mission home fireside. I learned and felt the spirit so strongly at both. The church is true!

Thanks Mom and I love you too! You don’t need to worry. I am doing great. I did get my Thanksgiving package when I went to zone conference, which was great btw. I got to go to the temple:) I learned that every covenant we make refers to the Savior and teaches us to remember him ALWAYS. I am praying for each of you and praying extra hard for Taylor. I hope he is doing ok. If he can learn anything now before he goes on his mission I think he needs to learn how to rely on the Lord. That is something we always can be reminded of. Mom remember to slow down once in a while. The spirit, revelation, and promptings come when we slow down and give God time to fill our hearts and minds with things we need to know. Thank you for helping me in my journey of life. You’re wonderful!!!!
-Love alyssa ann