5 moves 3 areas and 6 companions

Well, I'm getting moved to Dunfermline on the east of Scotland.

I'm super bummed because the work is just starting to pick up and get good. I'm loving everyone here and we are finding tons of people. I'm going to miss Elder Christensen. I don't know exactly why the Lord wants me there but I know it is for a great cause!(: Some Good things about serving in my new area is my new companion was trained by Elder Andrews and I have already served around him and gone on exchanges with him. Its Elder Lauricella. He is a good guy. Another plus is it's in Fife and that's where my name Penman comes from. President Brown said there are some Penmans there so that's cool. 

This week was a hard week. We worked pretty hard, tracted a lot, but had rare success. We had a lot of dropped appointments. We had some really good memories and helped members.

Monday I got my blood tested* and then we traveled to Derry/Londonderry. [*Note--Elder Penman has a chronic sore throat, swollen glands, and is very fatigued]

On Tuesday, we had a joint district meeting which was pretty fun. We learned a lot on how we can strengthen members. In my studies on this topic, I found that when ever there is a struggle with a member there is a lack of understanding somewhere along the line. This lack of understanding hurts your relationship with your Heavenly Father. The lack of understanding separates you by making you forget that you have a father to child relationship. So as a representative of Jesus in our area, we should help members find those understandings for themselves to strengthen that relationship. If we were to strengthen that relationship with every member, we would end up with an amazing branch or ward that would bear much fruit. How great would that be if everyone in the church, even the world understood that better? We would have a better church and a cleaner world. All we have to do is strengthen ourselves then strengthen one person at a time. Sounds so easy right?  (;

Thursday, we got the blood test back**. [**No Mono] We went to Rachel's home for dinner. She made some amazing soup!!! It was amazing. After we were about to teach her friend then his mom called and was taken to the hospital and almost died... So we didn't end up teaching him. 

Saturday, we got to help the Lee Family paint their kitchen. It was awesome! The Lee family are a part member family and it was really good to get to know sister Lee's husband Andrew Lee. He is a fun guy! I taught Elder Christensen how to back flip on the tramp and the ground,. So now he is a pro!! We also taught a part member family from South Africa. They're going to have us (well not me) over for an African BBQ!  

Sundays, we are having a FHE meeting at Tom's with Rachel and Noah every week and switch off who teaches. And Rachel taught this week about clean language and how a boat or a ship is steered by such a small part of the ship and our tongue really will move us spiritually a lot. Either for good or for bad. 

Elder Penman on the Derry Peace Bridge

Derry Peace Bridge

I love all of you so much. If you ever need anything just ask.

Elder Christensen 

Elder Penman

Telling his best bud Noah about his move

Everyone trying to be happy

Snow--"Yu'll frostbut yer ankles"

Well to start this e-mail I had something, a very amazing gift given to me from the Lord this week. Today a Nigerian man Elder Andrews and I found with the Lords help, got baptized!!! (This is the man Sugaba from previous posts) This is probably the most joy I have ever felt in my soul in my whole life. I'm so happy for him though!

We think the Elders were writing www.Mormon.org in the snow

Our week--we got dumped on by a lot of snow! Not compared to back home, but they still end up shutting down buses. We got stuck out in a town called Strabane. But it was nice to be in dry cold weather instead of wet cold weather.
 We finally got our heating fixed and now our boiler broke, so now we don't have heating or hot water. I keep telling myself if Jesus lived homeless, living in a cold house is better than nothing. Our members let us shower at their houses! Which is nice.

We taught a man named Pete and he told his member friend Rachel after the lesson that he knew what we were saying was true because of the warm peaceful feeling he had. I love when the Spirit directs the lessons like that.

making snowmen at the Omagh Branch meeting house

Well that's my week. Pray for missionary opportunities and act on them!!!

I love you all so much!

Elder Penman

Elder Christensen

Elder Penman and Noah.  Best buds. 

the Peace Bridge in Derry.  

The Derry Peace Bridge over the River Foyle bridges a 400 year old physical and political gap between two sides of a once, bitterly divided community [The Troubles in Northern Ireland]. Designed by Wilkinson Eyre Architects in London and funded to the tune of £14 million by the European Regional Development Fund for Peace it is a very impressive piece of architecture. With two structural arms heading in opposite directions, symbolizing the unification of both communities from the opposite sides of the Foyle river, the Protestant Waterside and the Nationalist Bogside, these two opposed and independent arms are now united in a structural handshake across the river. Opened in 2011 this 235 metre  long, 4 metre wide curved footpath, track and cycleway stretches from the Guild Hall in the city centre of Derry City to Ebrington Square and St Columb’s Park on the far side of the River Foyle.

http://www.irelands-hidden-gems.com/derry-peace-bridge.html  

Just a Classic Week.

All Ireland Conference January 2015

This week was great. We went to Dublin for an all Ireland conference. I got to see some familiar faces, it  was great. We listened to a talk by President Uchtdorf which was given in a new mission presidents' seminar. It was an amazing!!  I loved that talk. He spoke on fearing NO MAN! It gives me something greater to strive for, to fear no man. 

Elder Novotny, Elder Penman

Elder Lindsay, Elder Penman

Elder Penman, Elder Haller

This week we found a Hungarian woman who has had contact with the church before, she has friends who she has gone with before. We gave her a Hungarian Book of Mormon and she wants to meet in a few weeks after she visits Hungary. I don't know how the teaching is going to be but it will be fun! 

We visited with the Cathers again this week.  they are the best! We taught the Family Proclamation to the World. 

Porcupine Meatballs

Rachel fed us this week, she fed us these meatballs my mom makes back home! They were so good!!

I don't have too much time but have an amazing week!

Elder Penman

Long Walks and Beautiful Views for New Year's

Elder Penman and Elder Christensen--Chappies with Cappies

Hello!

Brother Tom with hair?  

Oh I forgot! Last weekend, Elder Christensen and I walked and hitch-hiked for 10 miles over hills and through the middle of nowhere. We bused into this tiny tiny town with our handy dandy trusty road atlas and found our way from a little town Trillick into the country side somewhere. It was so pretty though, to get up on the mountains (HILLS) and see an amazing view of Northern Ireland. It was so much fun and we talked with the people who picked us up about the gospel. We didn't have too much luck with that but we were able to make it to the place we were looking for. We got stuck out in the country so we had to call our branch president for a ride.

Elder Penman with HAIR!

So for New Year’s, we woke up at 11:59 to watch the clock turn 12 then went back to bed, we were so exhausted. That day we went to Rachel Goodfield Tucker's. We watched Surfs Up (one of my favorite movies)!!! We then ate a very traditional Irish meal with lots of potatoes. I am trying to talk Rachel into getting recipes from my mom so I can eat my favorite food the next time we go over.

Santa Claus hanging around

We had a very cool experience this week. Me and Elder Christensen have been praying to get more appointments with the members so we can best help the branch be prepared for taking in new members and even helping us find new members. We were contacted by a part-member family this week and got to visit with them. We shared The Family: A Proclamation to the World. I don’t know if you have ever read through that, but the Spirit is so strong when you read through it. The words they were inspired to write are so powerful and strike your heart. I love it so much. It invites the spirit so strong and is an amazing way to have the happiest family and help us become better parents more like our Heavenly Parents are!

While I’ve been studying Gods Gifts in the topical guide I’ve come to realize how incomprehensible our Heavenly Father’s love really is. With my telestial mind I can only begin to understand the smallest of love that our Father in Heaven has for us as individuals. Jeffery R Holland said, "Above all else, never lose faith in your Heavenly Father who loves you more than you can comprehend." So all of you, if you are or ever will be offended by anyone, do not ever turn away from this overwhelming and wonderful love He has for you!

Elder Christensen at the flat

Festive New Year's hat!

We watched a ton of talks this week while we ate and there was a common theme in all of them. At the end of most general authorities’ talks they always tell the youth they love them and are pulling for them. I finally understand why... We are the future of the world and of the church. We are so important for everything that will happen fulfilling prophecies from the Book of Mormon. These plans will move forward with or without us. God’s plan will not nor ever could be foiled.

We still don't have our heating on yet. We can’t get a hold of our landlord to tell him, so we still study by an electric heater with our biggest coats on. It helps keep us awake during studies every morning!  ;)

I'm using a study journal and writing little notes for the things I study and it helps so much! It helps me receive better revelation and understand more. All of you should try it. It’s Awesome!!

Antique Coins

Antique Coins

Push on Everyone~Endure to the end.

Elder Penman

Ether 12:25-32

25 Thou hast also made our words powerful and great, even that we cannot write them; wherefore, when we write we behold our weakness, and stumble because of the placing of our words; and I fear lest the Gentiles shall mock at our words.

 26 And when I had said this, the Lord spake unto me, saying:Fools mock, but they shall mourn; and my grace is sufficient for the meek, that they shall take no advantage of your weakness;

 27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

 28 Behold, I will show unto the Gentiles their weakness, and I will show unto them that faith, hope and charity bringeth unto me—the fountain of all righteousness.

 29 And I, Moroni, having heard these words, was comforted, and said: O Lord, thy righteous will be done, for I know that thou workest unto the children of men according to their faith;

 30 For the brother of Jared said unto the mountain Zerin, Remove—and it was removed. And if he had not had faith it would not have moved; wherefore thou workest after men have faith.

 31 For thus didst thou manifest thyself unto thy disciples; for after they had faith, and did speak in thy name, thou didst show thyself unto them in great power.