Skyler's First Area: Stockport

February 9th 2012


hi everyone! 


i've survived the mtc and i'm out in my first area!. my first area is...drumroll....the city of Stockport! 


My first companion's name is Elder Corbin. he's from marrieta california. he's a pretty good guy. he's been out for about a year now so he know's what he's doing and is doing his best to show me the ropes. 


the last few days have been really eventful. we woke up at 5 yesterday. the busses came really early to ship everyone out to there seperate missions. it was really hard to leave. i really grew to love the mtc and made a lot of friends there. i thought the mtc was hard work, i didnt know anything!


the busses took us to president prestons house where we at breakfast and had some trainings and a personal interview with him. he is awesome! during our trainings we practiced a lot of role playing. i hated role playing! we do it all the time at the mtc. its something im getting used to now though. ahaha.


after that we went to the stake center for our transfer meeting to find out who our trainers were and where we'd be serving. there is about 120 missonaries in our mssion and about half of them were there. a few of them were on their last transfer and would be going home then next day. they looked so much older than me! you could tell they are were awesome missionaries and knew exactly what they were doing. they were a great example to me.  all of us new missonaries were scared out of our minds. i was terrified the entire day! i hope i can adjust to mission life as quickly as i adjusted to life at the mtc.


when we found out we were going to stockport we dropped out stuff off at the appartment and then immediatly went out finding. in this area we ride busses to get everywhere so we mainly talk to everyone on the busses. and we talk to EVERYONE. its crazy. i'm really not used to it because it goes against what i've been doing for 19 years where i don't want people to bother me and i don't want to bother anyone else! it's really tough because it seems like almost everyone is an extreme athiest. they won't listen to a word


i need to practice getting good at rejection too. haha. for some reason i just figured everyone would hear what i was saying and say yes. 


i also taught my first gospel lesson today. his name was john and we talked with him for a little over an hour at his house. we discissed the restoration of the gospel. i know that he could feel that it was true but he chose to ignore it. it was very frustrating. i could tell he believed it. he just didnt want to take a chance and change his life. i felt really bad for him.


i've really stretched myself the last 48 hours. this is the hardest thing i've ever done in my life by far but i'm doing my best. i'll be in training for 12 weeks (two transfers) and i'll probably be in stockport the whole time.


it's been freezing cold here. it was snowing a bit early today. our appartment is freezing! i wanted to send some pictures but i forgot to bring me camera so i'll to try and get a few next week. i wanted to take a picture of my tiny bunkbed. my feat hang over the edge! definantly need a king size bed when i get home. 


my P day will be on mondays now. i'll have a lot more time to email now too so i'll get some better responses for all of you. i'm sorry they've been so short lately. they only gave us a half hour at the mtc. my new address is


Flat 3
Romney Court
286 wellington road north
Stockport
Cheshire
England sk4 2qs


like i said i'll probably be here about twelve weeks.


you can also send mail and all packages to the mission office.


England Manchester Mission
Springwood suite G5                                                       
Booths Park
Knutsford WA16 8QZ
England


i love and miss you all very much and i want to hear from everyone. make sure to remember to pray for me and the people of england. they need to hear the gospel


god be with you til we meet again!


Love Elder Ford