How many members are in the ward/branch that you
attend on Sunday?
I am in the Hereford Ward, and right now about 90-100
people attend church each Sunday.
How often does it rain?
It seems to generally rain at least once a day. right now it
pretty much always rains during the night, and we wake up to wet roads. The
weather is weird here. . . you can have a massive down poor that lasts for 15
minutes, and then a few minutes after that there are blue sky's and the sun is
shining. :) We had an unusually fair summer, and if I remember correctly there
were several weeks where it didn't rain at all!
Are you allowed to chew gum?
We are asked not to chew gum in public, and I am not a big
enough fan of gum to buy it just so that I can chew it in the flat!
What do you usually eat for breakfast?
When I don't have much time I generally have cereal and an
apple. Otherwise I may eat eggs, hash browns, or French toast.
How far do you bike every day?
That's a tough one! It depends on the day, but I think the
average is probably about 4 miles, maybe more. The church building is a 2-3
mile bike ride away, so if we have some sort of meeting we need to attend at
the chapel it adds quite a bit.
Do the members help you by giving referrals?
The members do occasionally give us referrals, one of which
we are teaching right now. Referrals are wonderful! When the members are really
involved in missionary work, the work goes forward much more effectively. Right
now we are helping each family in the ward to develop a family mission plan
which involves them picking someone they know and friend-shipping them. Eventually
as the members focus on praying for and loving a friend, that person will ask a
question which will give the members to share their testimonies. This plan may
take a number of weeks before we are able to see the fruits of it, but
hopefully it will help the members to find more solid referrals for the
missionaries.
Do you eat with the members very often?
We tend to have 3-4 dinner appointments each week.
Describe your morning personal study.
When all goes as it should, my personal study is planned the
night before. Personal study starts at 8:00, and I study what we plan to teach
investigators that day, concerns and questions people have asked,
chapters from Preach My Gospel, and gospel topics which I want to understand
better so that I can become a better missionary.
What time do you get up and go to bed?
I get up at 6:30am, and go to bed by 10:30pm.
How many missionaries are there in your
mission?
There are about 240 missionaries in the mission right now.
What is the name of your mission president and where
is he from?
Our mission president is named President Rasmussen, and he
is from Idaho.
What is your least favorite English food?
I like most English foods, especially since they tend to
cover everything with gravy! I may have to say hot dogs or steaks. Both are
quite disappointing.
What things you did prior to your mission prepared
you the most for mission life?
The most important things would probably be living, not just
knowing, the gospel of Jesus Christ, learning to work, and studying the
scriptures. I wish that I had done more of all of these things before I got on
my mission! As far as I can see nothing you can do will totally prepare you to
be a missionary, but if you really do these three things they will be a
great strength to you.
What is your favorite part about being a missionary?
My favorite part is being able to see someone change their
life, repent, and be enlightened by the gospel. It is wonderful to be able to
see that happen with people you care about. Unfortunately that does not happen
all the time, so my second most favorite thing is when I can look back on a day
and say that I have done all that I was supposed to; that I have fulfilled my
purpose.
How are your shoes and clothes holding up?
I brought two pairs of shoes, and so I figure I can't start
on the next pair until I hit my year mark! :) My heels are working on wearing
through the back of the first pair of shoes, so I patched them with duck tape
and I found another pair of shoes in the Hereford flat which I have been using
for all my heavy walking. Other than that, my shirts and trousers are getting a
bit frayed and some are getting a few stains, but they are still usable. The
one thing staying really nice are my suits! I only use them for meetings, so
they still look like new :)
Are the roads in your area cobblestone, or more like
our roads here?
The roads are cobblestone only in city center. The rest of
them. . . have a lot of potholes and bumps. They are a bit nasty on a bike if
you aren't careful.
Describe your flat.
Our flat has a huge room right in the center with a high
ceiling and the kitchen to one side. We use this room for study, working out,
and relaxing. Coming off of the main room we have a bedroom, a bathroom, and a
room for our clothes, drying racks, and ironing board.
I love you so much!
-Elder Winters
Double-Duty Missionary!!!
