Belfast to Dublin (and more)

Just another speedy week has come and gone! It has been slow for teaching but we have had tremendous blessings in our finding. I love our Father. 

   

     We blitzed Lisburn! (blitzing is having both companionships in an area working) Elder Blosil serves there he is from my MTC district. It was so fun to GQ and tract with him. Every missionary and person in our life that we come in contact with can and will teach us something. We just have to let it happen and be humble enough to admit we are not the best at some things. The next day I was with his trainee, Elder Mickelson. He is AWESOME. We had some good talks, he is a little bit nervous to stop people. I love to play the game "Dare" with missionaries that are a little nervous to talk to everyone. I dared him to do some crazy things, and he did it. It was exciting. Doing little games while finding helps me stay sane. As long as it doesn't take away from the sacred calling of being a missionary. You all know me... I never get bored. I will do a lot to stay excited and to make things fun. I got to go on exchanges with an Englishman... Elder Sheppard. We had some fun in the Newtownabbey area. It is a super pretty place right on the ocean and the water is so blue. 

    

    Tom Henrie from Omagh came and visited me and took me out for lunch. He is awesome. I missed him so much. I can't wait for the time we get to Blitz in Omagh. 

  We saw an Orange March the other night (**see note below). It was crazy. We also saw a drum battle. They use drums like some people use rap battles. They are so good at playing! It's so loud as well that you can hear it through the towns and the city!

    We got to go down to Dublin for the All Ireland Conference. The drive was beautiful! I love Ireland.  It was so good to see tons of missionaries I have served around. I got to see Elder Christensen again! It was great. We had to give an instruction on the Holy Ghost with 4 other missionaries. It was fun to give instruction with 6 people total. I love teaching people what I learn through the Spirit because when I share what I learn I am able to learn these things more fully and in a deeper, clearer way. We learned about how missionaries are only a reflection of the Holy Ghost. We only direct the Spirit so others can feel of God's love and learn that our message is the most important message in the world and that it is true. I love this gospel more than life itself.

I Know God lives and It is through the Book Of Mormon that the Spirit was able to speak to me. It was prayer that allowed me to speak with our Father. I received an answer as real as this email... not only once but time and time again. I know as a representative of Jesus Christ that you can receive the same spiritual witness. 

    

Elder Penman (:

Men from Orange Order March in Belfast in July 2015.
Picture from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/  

**Note from Mom:  An Orange Order March is a parade by Ulster Protestant fraternal orders who commemorate the victory of King William of Orange over King James II at the Battle of the Boyne.  It can become pretty volatile because of the long standing conflict between Catholics and Protestants in Ireland.  Many Northern Irish people think the marches are too divisive.