Elder McKinley's Stint Across the Pond

Hello everyone! Here we are once again. I feel that the weeks are getting shorter and shorter, and yet, in the midst of them, I feel they get longer and longer. The passage of time has become muddled and at the same time clear. It sufficeth me to say that indeed, the sunset of my mission has begun, albeit a slow one. I hit eighteen months on saturday and felt the occasion deserved some extra pomp, so I did the same thing that I do every day. It was a blast though. I was even treated to fake mexican food (their words not mine) for dinner by a family in the ward #elpasoforthewin In honour of being out for 18 months, I thought I would share with you 18 things I have learned on my mission so far: 1. Exact obedience does not mean perfection in execution, but perfection in expectation. 2. Running in the morning does make a difference in your day 3. Some of the best friendships are forged in furnace of time and affliction.  4. There are times when you need to sacrifice sa...

Ayup lads and laddettes. So, I'll be honest, I've spent most of my time talking with my family and rearranging my flat so I wouldn't have to use bunk beds anymore.  I will be brief today but next week should be better. I've said that for weeks but hey, in 6 months it won't matter   just kidding, kind of.  This week was a blur. We went to London and had interviews with our mission President. They were wonderful. I keep thinking about how much I've grown and how I have changed and thank the Lord for the miracles he has worked in my life as I've been serving Him.  I don't really even have pictures from this week.  But yeah things are good. Time is going swiftly. I have less than 6 months left. Here we go into the final stretch everyone.  British word of the week: *see attached* this is one of the most British things I have ever seen  British Food of the week: Costco here sells jacket potatoes alongside their pizza?? Sc...

That's what a local member says to us every time we see her haha Howdy everyone! It's been a great week. To those of you getting these emails for the first time, I'm sorry it didn't happen sooner. I realised that my contacts hadn't been updated. So, many apologies there, but here we are. Woodley is fantastic. We have been meeting different people and I cannot tell you how great it is to be back in a city. It's amazing. I love the countryside, but there is just part of me that's a city boy. Honestly, I'm both. And if I'm really truly honest, who I am and where I like to be changes a lot. But hey that's the fun of life.  Elder Allkja and I have been really privileged to teach a lot of cool people this week. Today we went to Oxford (my old area) and the memories were almost overwhelming. But it was brilliant to be back.  I feel time is moving so quickly but I love where I am and what I'm doing. This email isn't as substanti...

So I apologise in advance. This will be super short because of poor time management and I'm also cheating by responding to the one from last week. But hey I have to make the best of the situation.  This week has been really great. The title comes from mission conference we had on Wednesday. Elder Sabin, a church leader in Europe, came and spoke to us about missionary work. This is the third time I've heard him speak. It gets better every time. I actually had an interview with him after the conference and he gave some really great counsel and advice to me. It was a deeply spiritual day and a really great refresher for me.  Other big thing this week was Soy's bday. Thanks for the pictures you sent and the prayers you prayed. They made a massive difference. I was able to spend the afternoon with a large extended family similar to my own and it was the best thing I could ask for. I felt his presence and his love for me. I testify I know I will see him again because of t...