Ashford Adventures! July 2015

Last Wednesday we left the comfort of the MTC and headed into the real
world! We took a bus to London where we met President Stevens and his
wife. They are so nice! We are their first group of new missionaries.
Then we met our new companions. My trainer is sister Top from Norway!
She is fantastic.
Ashford is a biking area! Biking in a skirt is a bit of a challenge
because it is either getting caught in the gears or blowing up and
flashing everyone. We are going to the shops today to get some better
skirts for biking. The first week has mostly been following my trainer
around Ashford and being really confused because I don't know anyone
or the area and am still adjusting to missionary life. Sister top
probably gets tired of me asking where we are going and who we are
meeting. Thank goodness I have a very patient trainer!

Thursday we had a district meeting in Dover. It was so beautiful! It's
on the coast and you can see the coast of France across the channel.
After our meeting we got fish and chips and ate them by the coast with
the White cliffs in the distance. That was one of those moments where
I thought "Wow! I'm really in England!" Another one of those moments
was when we where riding bikes in the rain on a cobblestone pathway
next to an old chapel and a red telephone booth.

The other day we had a dinner appointment with the Kuypers. On the way
there we got caught in a downpour! Thank goodness sister Top said I
should bring a extra jacket. By the time we got there we were
literally dripping. They gave us towels to help us dry off. It was
still raining when we left so we had to ride home in the rain as well.
It has been great to meet everyone! The Ashford ward is very small but
everyone is really nice! Everyone keeps telling me that I just missed
the summer season. Which puzzles me cause it's still July. But this is
England and they don't really have summers. I used to make fun of
people who bundled up in Utah when it wasn't that cold... Now I am one
of those people! It's cold here, especially when it rains. If it is
sunny then it's pleasant.

On Thursday, someone wasn't home for their appointment so we decided
to go tracting on that street. The houses are very small and all
connected, so it kind of looks like a long wall with separate
doorways. Sister Top asked me which way we should go and I felt like
we should go right. And the first door we knocked on was very
receptive and we set a return appointment!
Sister Top has been in this area for a while, so she knows her way
around and the people really well.
The other day we were crossing the street and my shoe came off! So I
had to run back and pick it up on this busy road while everyone judged
me. Haha!

We were riding to an appointment when we passed a sign that said 
"zebra crossing". I got really excited and thought maybe I would see a
zebra, but I was disappointed to find that a zebra is what they call
the crosswalk.
It's also funny how many people have asked me why I have a Scottish
surname if I'm from America.
Missionary work is hard but I have also felt the Lord help me a lot!
The church is true!
Love you all,
Sister McFarland

Sent from my iPad

Crazy Flights and the MTC

Dear Family,

I finally made it to England! It was a bit crazy getting here. We missed our connecting flight to Manchester so we stayed the night in a hotel in New Jersey. I was mixed up on my geography so I was surprised to see the statue of liberty from a distance. I thought we were on the other side of New York. On the airplane there were 5 sisters and 2 elders, we stuck together the whole time. We got to the MTC n Friday at 8:00. Because we missed one day already, we got put right to work. (the first day is usually more relaxing.) JET LAG IS REAL oh my goodness it is so real. I don't think I have ever been more tired in my life. Not even that time I stayed up all night watching Harry Potter.  If you thought sleeping on a plane is like sleeping in a car then you are dead wrong. When we would pray at the MTC I wouldn't close my eyes because if I did I would fall asleep. The first day was like drinking from a fire hose while half asleep. President Preston has encouraged us not to say "awesome" or "cool" cause they are too American. So its been fun to say things like fantastic, spectacular, brilliant, etc.
My companion is Sister Swann from Queensland Australia! She is fantastic. We work really well together and I am already catching on to Australian lingo. She is quite funny and also very spiritual. The MTC has about 40 missionaries total. Its really nice having it so small cause I already feel like  I know everyone here. So mom, that picture you got of a large group of missionaries is literally everyone who is here right now. Everyone is really nice and from different backgrounds. One of us will say something and then have to ask someone "do they say that in England/Australia/America?"  There is a sister here named Sister England who is from England going to England. She is way fun. All of the missionaries I have met here are marvelous.
It is so beautiful here! There is a little pond behind the MTC where one lone duck lives. I named her Patrica. She stares at me through the window sometimes and it creeps me out. everything is super green. The Preston Temple is really close, so we got to go walk around the grounds the other day. I felt like I was in the Secret Garden because there were so many beautiful flowers and hedges and walls of roses. For exersize time, we cant go play football (soccer) outside if it has been raining too much because the grass is too slippery. We have some excersize equipment inside but It rains a lot here. In the past week its rained almost every other day. Yesterday we finally could go outside. sister Gwilliams and I went running on this really beautiful path were we saw four rabbits. I had my first experience touching stinging nettle that brushed my leg. Its true to its name! But after a shower it was much better.
We do a lot of role plays. They have rooms that are decorated like living rooms where we go teach our teachers who are investigators. I think that it is a qualification to be a great actor to work here because they feel very real. I think its the best way to practice though! Tomorrow we are getting dropped off somewhere in Manchester where we will go finding on the streets. So I'm a little nervous for that!
Last night I was laying in bed and I found a Puck hair! Somehow it traveled all the way here with me.
Today we got to go to the Temple! It was great. My pictures will be coming in a separate email, I don`t have enough space.
I love you all! You are all spectacular!

love,
Sister McFarland