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

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