March 22

I promise we do still talk to people on the street. Even if I never email about it. Okay here's a story of us talking to someone on the street. *Sister Matthews and I walking from our flat to the galleria* *luckiest girl in the world starts walking toward us* sister Matthews: "hi! How are you today?" *Girl: looks up, smiles broadly and about to answer but then looks down and sees our badge.* *friendly to confused to sheer terror she frantically steps back and eyes get wide* *proceeds to half run away.* *i look at sister Matthews* "did you remember to brush your teeth today?"

Yes this is a real story don't question the exaggeration. 

Just imagine dad trying to pick up Avery. That's what it is like. 

Hahaha I love missionary work. 

Sister Matthews and I made a deal that if we ran three days a row in the morning then we could get ice cream. That works right? I'm tellin ya we are too good to each other. 

Speaking of my best friend here, we had her funeral yesterday 😪. She was so young. But she has served well. District meeting was her funeral service and I think we surprised her with it!! I made a program for her that I will attach a pic of and put together a video of the missionaries in the district giving her advice and saying goodbye. It turned out pretty well actually! Sister Matthews really liked it. 

At the end of a missionary's life in the field, he or she gets a "funeral" at their last district meeting. Basically they bear their testimony and we say a few parting words. Usually funny. 

This week we fought our hardest not to wear coats. And it was not always the smartest choice. Ah ha this is why I may go through DayQuil fast. 

Wednesday we had an exchange with sister Barnes and Sister Benson! Both from Utah. And crazy but Sister Benson knows Jake Roberts! Remember? The guy who owes me cold stone? Oh man I don't think he remembers who I am but I distinctly remember he owes me cold stone. Fun to have connecting friends though. She went to Brighton High School. SPEAKING OF WHICH sister Matthews and I found a high school musical cd in our flat. And that music is allowed. So we jammed to "gotcha head in the game" while cooking fajitas. I was so impressed she knew all the words to the songs. I have started to forget myself :(. But wow what a party!

It was great being with Sister Benson! The weather was so beautiful that we had companionship study in the park in short sleeves!!!!!!!!! Huge progress. Also we were talking to people on the street. We met a guy named Saed. He had a TON of questions so we invited him right then and there to sit down and talk with us for awhile. He agreed and we all got tan while learning about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Life can't get much better. By the end of our lesson he agreed that if he knew he would be baptized. Yay!! Only small problem is we haven't been in contact since...yah....that happens a lot. Oh well we will keep trying. 

I think my favorite thing is committing people to be baptized. Everyone should accept the invitation! Because it is conditional. It's only if they knew that it was true they would be baptized. If God told them specifically then they would be baptized. Which proves true with most people who want to follow what God wants. If their desire is right, then they are good to go. 

Thursday was a big day. Sister Matthews and I can officially ride our bikes without handlebars!!!! Well only for about 6 seconds. Let's not get crazy here. We do need to stay safe. Major accomplishment nonetheless. We also traveled to Huntington. That place is famous for being absolutely tiny and absolutely filled with miracles. So many prepared people somehow live in Huntington. You would never guess it looking at the two street town center, but wow they are there! We spent the day with Sister Brito (MTC companion!!!!) and Sister Lannnan(sister brown's trainee, my granddaughter). It was sister Brito's birthday. She turned 35 yrs old! And she is rocking missionary work. They are just working through a couple of rough patches so Sister Matthews and I visited them on Thursday. 

Friday was interviews with the best man - President Stevens. I think we nearly talked to him or sister Stevens every day this week. Crazy that never happens. We are so so so lucky to be able to work so closely with them! One of the best things about serving here for sure. We talked lots about the new leaders of the mission. With sister Matthews and sister Mattos ending their mission this transfer, they are going to have to start calling really young STLs. I'm the oldest by at least two or three transfers now. Crazy how everything turns around in a blink of an eye. 

After interviews we had an exchange with the stevenage sisters Sister Vonn and Sister Pail! (From Utah and Austria). Ah Utah isn't it great? Did a bunch of finding as we are attempting to revamp the teaching pool. 

But we do have people for you to pray for!!!! Please pray that Rita and Nora will come to church this Sunday. We met Rita a week ago. I was buying shoes and she was the cashier. We started talking and she even gave me 15% off! Game over with that we are definitely teaching you and your husband the gospel. We saw the both of them Sunday night and it was a great lesson. Alejandro (Italian catholic) is super skeptical and questions everything while Rita (Nigerian Pentecostal) believes everything about Christ but thinks all churches are true. Quite the interesting combo. A ton of promise though. 

Nora is another friend that actually the stevenage sisters referred to us. She has a TON of potential. She is at the very beginning of her faith where she doesn't even know how to pray or how to get answers!! Oh my very favorite!!! She is going to absolutely love everything and it's gonna be so so so great for her. We just need to help her at the beginning stages not to feel overwhelmed by everything.

And then Wednesday we went to lion king!!!!!!! Wow I have been able to see lion king in London and New York. I am too spoiled that's for sure. Finally got a London shirt for lily tho so the mail will be sent out on Friday after super MLC tomorrow. And we are completely safe from any attacks in London. We were not near Westminster at the time. 

I hope you all have a great week and I'll talk to you again on Monday!!!!!! 

Love, Sister Soulier

Ps I'm gonna attach a million photos and vids hope you enjoy them and hope they go through. 

Sister Matthew and I keep track of our favorite quotes from the week. Here's a couple of them. Sorry if they're not that funny. We thought they were hilarious. 

(Sister Matthews and I just chat with Sister Peery and pepper her with questions. She was talking about our children and how what we learn here will affect them. My response)

Soulier: They're not even born yet!

Sister Peery: And you're already messing them up!

(Thanks sister Peery 😒) 

Sister Peery: I asked for an apple ale. I clearly broke the word of wisdom. I could feel it in my arms.

(We were talking to our assistant ward mission leader and bragging that we could bike without holding onto the handle bars. This was his response) 

Pete Thomas: Do you know about the boy who tried riding his bike with no hands? He rode past her and shouted, "Look mom! No hands!" Then he rode back and said, "Look mom! No teeth!"

(Talking to a member)

Ian: We won't be there in time for the Lord's Supper.

Matthews: You mean the Sacrament?

(A member's prayer)

 Brenda: Bless Ian. Bless Rio. Bless everybody who knows me.

(We were talking to a district leader about how to help a sister overcome homesickness. This is his advice) 

Dalley: Cry your heart out. Everyone needs a good cry.

Parkin: Sorry, that was longer than 4 minutes.

Matthews: I know - I was counting.

Parkin: I didn't know you learned to count in Africa!

(So many African jokes)

(Apparently drinking green tea is allowed in South Africa. Sister Matthews said she use to have it at her stake presidents house)

Lindsey: Sister Matthews and Sister Peery broke the word of wisdom. What's new?

(Sister Stevens calling sister Matthews to boost her spirits) 

Sister Stevens: Are you doing anything fun on p-day?

Matthews: Well, President gave us permission to see the Lion King..

Sister Stevens: Oh that's wonderful! Are you going to sleep over in London for super MLC on Thursday?

Matthews: Are we allowed to?!

Sister Stevens: You should go to lunch before and then go and get gelato afterwards. There is this place where they make the gelato into these gorgeous rose petals. It is amazing! It's right by west end. (GOOD dodge of the question sister Stevens)

Matthews: We will go try it.

...

Sister Stevens: Well I hope the Lion King helps! For sure, gelato does.

(Giving advice for falling asleep quickly)

Sister Stevens: When I was on the primary general presidency I used to lie in bed thinking of everything I had to do the next day and my brain wouldn't go to sleep, so I would count backwards from 200 in 3s or 7s. It gets boring pretty fast.

(Can you tell she majored in math?)

(Elder Tobon explaining how him and Elder Davis got permission to go see Lion King) 

Tobon: I'm going to give you two examples. When I ask a question, it's like you're in a plane and I'm trying to land but the plane crashes into a hill and it's a big mess. When elder Davis asks a question, you're in the air flying smoothly and then suddenly you're like, "Oh! We're here!"

Brother Thomas: My father got shot three times in the leg during world war 2.

Sister Thomas: Well that was a bit careless of him. 

(Our district leader when as a district we found 15 new investigators)

Satterthwaite: Elder Marin give me five give me five give me five!!! Alright alright here's a massage!!! *continues proudly screaming throughout the room*

(Sister Chiping on the phone)

Chiping: Man, I can't wait for our future. I hope our chicken is not burning. 

Soulier: Sister Matthews made fajitas and they were so good. 

Chiping: Ah Sister Matthews you're ready to get married. 

Sister Matthew's funeral

Stevenage Sisters

Sister Benson