The Latest from Elder Frederickson: "Leaving the MTC!"

This was written to be sent tomorrow, but turns out I had a bit of time to send it tonight! :)

Hey family/friends!

How are you guys doing? Good, I hope. I don't have TOO much time to write, but I'll get down as much stuff as possible. It's hard to believe that it is my last day in the MTC! I leave EARLY tomorrow morning for the mission home. Once we get there, we will have lunch and get assigned our areas. I will probably be teaching that night. It's so hard to believe how fast the past three weeks have flown by. I feel so prepared and beyond excited to begin serving the people of the England London South Mission.

 

We went street contacting again yesterday in Manchester. We were going to go on Friday, but it was raining so much that they decided to switch Fridays schedule with yesterdays. We had SO much more success this time. We talked to many people and were able to get our message across quite well, in my humble opinion. The coolest experience by far, however, was on the train back to Chorley. Right when we got on the train, a couple other Elders and I started talking to a man. As we got to know him, we discovered that he had been sentanced to 20 years and prison, but had been released ten years early that day. He was on the train to a rehab center, because he wanted to change his life. Three months befre he was released he discovered Christianity and gained a testimony of Christ. He told us about his son and how he loved him. We were able to teach him about the concept of eternal families and a bit more about the church. We then gave him a Book Of Mormon and told him to read and pray about it. The joy on that mans face was amazing, especially when we told him it was free. It is incredible to me how the Lord prepares people to receive the gospel. Just thinking about it- finding a man on a train from Manchester, on a day we weren't even supposed to be there, who had been released 10 years early from prison THAT DAY... it's just so powerful.

Sunday was also a great day. We sang again, this time in the Chorley 1st ward. That was a bunch of fun. Then, in the afternoon, we all gathered in the Chapel and each of us shared something we loved about our country and then sang our national anthems. There were many beautiful moments, as people expressed such deep love for their country. USA's wasn't as heartfelt because there were like 15 of us singing together and half the people just said they missed the NFL hahaha but that's okay. That night, we heard from President Walker and President Williams about the Atonement, then we watched an incredibly powerful message from Elder Holland called "Feed My Sheep." It really made me change the way I think about the church and missionary work. I don't know if these devotionals are available to the general public, but if they are then WATCH THEM. They are fantastic.

I am getting both excited and nervous for tomorrow! It's defnitely going to be a big day. I'll let you all know my new address as soon as I get it! Just a general note, if any of you have sent letters to the address I posted on Facebook, I have not got them yet! I will get them tomorrow! From now on, though, my address will be updated on Facebook whenever I move areas. I'll be in my first area for two transfers (12 weeks) at the minimum. That's a new policy- you stay with your trainer in your first area for two transfers. I can't wait to see all the letters I KNOW you all sent me. :)

Other things

• Congratulations to Elder Burnett... the people of Argentina are so blessed to have you serving there as a missionary. I'm so excited for you. Thank you so much to Mom, Amy, and Sister Eliason for following through for me, you guys rock! 
• I think the best way to get me money is to just put it on the card you guys gave me and then I'll take it out at an ATM and have it exchanged? I don't know, let's try that and see how it works.
• Turns out that the only Olympic events in my mission are Sailing and Beach Volleyball hahahahaha so yeah doesn't look like I'll be going to either of those, but that's okay!
• Apparently, Alex Boye MIGHT be doing an England tour in the next year. If this is the case, that would be awesome.
• A nice umbrella would be nice, I don't think the 5 Poud one I got last week will last much longer.
• It never gets dark here, it's still pretty light out until like 11 PM. It's crazy.
• If any other people I know are reading this and get their mission calls (Dabrick, Joey, etc.) then LET ME KNOW hahaha via email or writing. Or both.
• Thank you so much to mom, Aunt Becky, and Grandma/Grandpa Frederickson for the letters! They made me happy! :)
• Keep sending pictures okay? I miss your faces and do not want to forget what they look like.
• Thank you so much for all the emails! I will do my best to reply to them all! Keep emailing!
• My P Days in the field are on Wednesdays, so I think the next time you'll hear from me is next Wednesday. We shall see though, I'm not gonna pretend like I know everything hahaha.

That's about all I have for now! I love you all so much. I am so grateful that I have been given this opportunity to serve. The things that I'm teaching every day are true. The Lord has allowed me to witness miracles already, and I'm not even in the field yet. My testimony has grown so much, and I can't wait to share it with both those I teach in England and to the people reading this. Don't take my word for it though, that would just be silly. Read the Book Of Mormon. Pray about it. Find out for yourself. You will know it's true.

Love,

Matthew Frederickson