Week 42: "Make it like 'Candles in the wind' but a thousand times better"

Hello friends, neighbors, colleagues, and all around familial pals. This week has been a bit of a crazy one, so bear with me as I attempt to reflect, recollect, and regurgitate the last seven days of Elder McKinley's life into a convenient format for the reader's digestion.

This week was crazy but good. So Thursday was spent doing service for most of the day. We helped a guy begin to move from his old house to his new one. Let me just say two things about the incident. First, Robinson's brand squash should really up their game and make squash that is strong enough to merit the name "Sqaush" and not just taste like normal juice that might be a little more potent than usual. Only those of you in this mission or those familiar with the idea of squash will be able to infer into this nuance filled rant, but still, I thought it worth including. Second, I solemnly swear before all of you, my loyal readers, that I will never, ever, ever eververververververververververververververververververververververververver move house before I am ready to move house. If you show up to help me move, I promise there will be boxes already packed, items ready for removal, and a game plan already created so when I do move, all you will have to do will be to literally move things from the old place to the new. It just makes the whole entire process that much more manageable and stress free. We also tidied up the garden of an old welsh lady who lives in our ward and it was one of the most fulfilling things I have done in a long time. If you don't feel pure joy when an old welsh woman looks you in the eyes with a smile on her face and says "I was feelin a bit down, but you've gone and lifted my spirits", then you may never know true happiness. We ended the service filled day with kebabs from posh nosh (what a name right?) and went home and crashed. 

Friday I had the chance to be one exchange with Elder Clement. He is one of the funniest missionaries I know and is just a stand up human being. He is also going bald but that has nothing to do with his character, and everything to do with the fact that he will be bald in the next 10 years. We were able to have a really good time. We continued to help with the move that happened yesterday and we had god time to chat. We were also able to do some finding and we found so many cool people. I love my mission because I get so many opportunities to just talk to people about life and we have some of the most amazing conversations that I would never have had otherwise. We ended the day with the petersens for dinner and, like always, they made great food and just were amazing human beings. 

Saturday rolled around and we had our final interviews with President Gubler and Sister Gubler. That is where this email title comes into play. to all you parks and rec fans out there, if you replace the words "Little Sebastian" with "President Gubler" in the classic song "1,000 candles in the wind", and also replace the idea of it being for the death of a small horse.. oh sorry excuse me I mean a miniature pony, and it is just about my mission president going back to utah, it sums up how I feel about it. He is such a good man and he and his wife have really helped me learn and grow so much and I will miss them dearly. I received some really good advice from them and I just know that I was meant to be here in England at this time so I could learn specific things from them. The evening rolled around and we had Stake Conference (just a semiannual large church meeting of all the congreagations in a certain geographical area). We had the chance to hear from Elder Sabin, a general church leader who actually spoke to our mission back in february. He is such a kind man and is a wonderful speaker. One of the things he said that struck me was "don't worry, just keep your covenants". in this context, he was referring to the promises that we, as members of our church, have made with God, like our promise to follow His Son and keep the commandments. As we seek to honour our promises to God, He will honour His promises to us. I have seen this and I know it to be true. Even if you aren't religious or if you are religious but are not familiar with the idea of covenants, my challenge to you this week is to either ask me or someone you know that has made a covenants with God (like being baptised or something of the sort) to ask them why the made such a promise and how it has blessed them. There is power in promises, especially ones made with God, and I know myself and others would love to share more. 

Sunday was again this big meeting with Elder Sabin speaking once more. Suffice it to say, it was wonderful. We then made our way back from Reading and worked hard to the end of the day, hitting our beds at the end of the day, exhausted from the long travel and powerful lessons and messages of the day.

Monday was a little slower. All I can say about Monday is that being a missionary does not make Monday any different. It is still that first day of the week where everything is difficult but you power through it because you have to. It was a good day though. The day ended with one of the assistants for the mission coming in to oxford late that evening in preparation for the exchanges he was going to go on with us the next day.

Tuesday! After an eventful morning of frisbee and stinging nettles, district meeting and milkshakes, we went on splits with Elder Walker, all three of us. It was just an exhausting day but it was full of miracles and really good plans and ideas for how to move the work forward in Oxford. I did have this really cool experience where Elder Man and I were walking through the park and these two guys were playing frisbee all by their lonesome. A little background info: elder man, elder burton and I play frisbee for exercise every morning. Elder burton is probably the best of the three of us but we are all pretty good. Anyways, Elder man and I just went up to them and I stuck out my hand as if I wanted to catch the disc. They threw it to me. I did not catch it. But them we threw the frisbee with them for a solid 20 minutes, got to know the two of them, and should be seeing one of them again on Friday! It was so much fun and it was such a great way to break up activities of the day. All in all it was a pretty great day.

British word of the week: rock up - so I don't know if this is exclusively british but it is super common here. It means to arrive. Like I could say "we were just standing there playing frisbee when these two chaps rocked up in white shirt and ties and asked if they could join"

British Food of the Week: jammy dodger - its a cookie 

Companion comic: Elder Man, who is from Hong Kong, has requested that we play the national anthem for the United States EVERY. SINGLE. NIGHT. TWICE. It is getting a little...interesting haha. Let's just say that he loves america and was super excited when I gave him a dollar bill earlier today.

Scripture of the Week: Helaman 3:29-30

I wanted with some thoughts. I was thinking about it and while I was in my interview with President Gubler, I realised something. I am so happy where I am. I so happy being a missionary. I am so happy being in Oxford and being in England and just being able to serve and teach and share what I know to be true. I would not trade these days for anything in the world. I know all of it is possible because I have a God who loves me, a Saviour who suffered and died for me so He could sustain me, and the support of so many who I love all around the world. I love you all and hope you have a marvelous week. Keep well,

Elder Finnegan McKinley
England London South Mission (for now...)   

Pictures:

what is the name of this bus stop

hello there elder walker

suneset at the train station

interviews with the reading zone