"It's not all a bucket of puppies, but the good is far outweighing the bad."

Hello everyone! Greetings from the land of sun, old people, alcoholics and coconut ice cream. Life is good at the moment. It's not all a bucket of puppies, but the good is far outweighing the bad. No matter what people say, happiness is always an option. 

So here are the deets for the week:

District meeting and exchange with good old, zone leader Elder Mapfumo. Him and I worked together occasionally at the beginning of the the mish, so it was way good to reconnect. So many black jokes. I never thought I would make so many connections with so many people here, and I love it. Our district is really getting tight, and Elders Wirtala, Mapfumo, Bradley and sisters Thomson and Klingonsmith and I are all pretty good friends now as a group. The sisters initiated a prank war, with tricking me into eating a "vanilla icing" (toothpaste), chocolate cupcake. It's on. Updates on the prank war next week.

Work is really starting to take off here in Southport and Liverpool. Sheila Barnes, a friend of the Bishop's family, has finally made the commitment to be baptized, so we and the sisters are helping prepare her the best that we can. I am interviewing her on Wednesday, and when she passes, she will be baptized on the 10th of May!

Our investigator Grant has been making incredible progress. There have been so many miracles and "woah...did that just happen?" moments with him. Words can't explain it well enough. He is a psychology focused intellectual with a rough and gritty past, but he is finally recognizing the spirit and Heavenly Father's love. On Sunday, Elder Bradley and I were inspired to go over and visit him, and it turned out to be an amazing lesson of peace. He needed to then run to the shop, so we walked with him...only to bump into some of his friends...especially Ian. Turns out, Grant has been talking to Ian about us and how his life is changing because of it, and Ian needs a life change more than anyone. I have never seen a man so sad and rock bottom before. He lost absolutely everything, and is left carrying an empty beer bottle in his pocket for sheer protection. Needless to say, he was totally open to the gospel message, and long story short...we set up a lesson of Friday for both Grant and his fiance Haley, Grant's mum, and Ian. It's just a testimony to me that Heavenly Father works through us to help all his children. 

The rest of the week was pretty bland, but we got to meet with some good families. Sunday roast at the Fullwoods were incredible. Since a lot of the families are really well off here, we have been teaching a lot of "what really matters" and "materials don't bring happiness" and "the importance of family" lessons. So far, it's going really well and we are making some good connections. 

Random note, we explored Hesketh Park and the Botanic Gardens, so you should pull it up and check it out for yourselves. There are some beautiful area's in town here. 

Well, that's about all I have to say for myself this week. Just a heads up, next week is both a Bank Holiday (lame)... and transfers (5 week transfers rock)! So look for my words on Tuesday. I doubt I am leaving Southport yet, so no worries there. I love you all, and hearing about all your adventures makes me happy. Only 10 months left for me on mine, so it's an even better time to make the best of it. Peace out home skillets, talk to ya next week!

Elder BA

p.s. the man sitting across from me looks exactly like Jack Johnson. 

p.s.s. TBT seriously played Where is my Mind?? what the cuss

p.s.s.s. Tell Brien I love his guts

Easter in Southport. Power of Prayer.

What's up home skillets?! First off, bank holidays suck. They totally throw off my groove, but I'm happy that I got to finally read your words and email today. This library is overloaded and we barely got our computer reservations. It's a bit hectic, but now...I just get to chill and type out my brain thoughts. Life is good:) I love you all, and I hope you all had a killer Easter. 

Ok first, I will rewind a bit and give you this weeks deets:

The missionary work this week really really picked up, which was much needed. There was a lot of prayer, and Heavenly Father rewarded us with a lot of prepared people that we met on the streets and trains. It feels good to teach people that are genuinely interested in what we have to say. Oh yeah, a mini miracle happened. So our focus has been to find a family, and also to help boost up Bishop's confidence. So, I asked him to pray about an area that we can go find a family in. Apparently, Bishop took it really really seriously, prayed and pondered hard, and basically gave us a whole battle plan of what area's to hit and in what order. So one day we went to the first street in the area to go finding, and after about 30 or so doors...we found a family! It was incredible, and the Steph, the mother, was so happy and open to hear about what we had to say. The spirit was strong as we focused on eternal families, and she invited us back again. As soon as Elder Bradley and I left her door, there was a flurry of high fives and prayers of thanks. We then called Bishop to give him the good news, and he was super surprised, but it gave him a major confidence and faith boost! Hopefully this is just the beginning to the work boost here.

Other than that, we just met a lot of interesting people on the streets and we explored around Southport and Liverpool and the beach more. Fun adventures. Oh yeah, we went over to a members home one night, only to find that they locked themselves out of their house. They were panicking a bit, and were just about to break the window, but then inspiration hit. Long story short, I ended up climbing up through the second story window and squeezed in and unlocked the door from the inside. Byron, their 13 year old, came up to me after and said " thank you thank you so much...you just got me out of so much trouble". Haha now we are tight.

One night, our appointment fell through so we were left with nothing planned for the last hour of the day. We were walking through town center and passed a group of hood-rat skaters. After a dare from Elder Bradley, I walked over and started talking to them...and ending up getting challenged to a game of SKATE. Haha so I rolled up my sleeves and borrowed one of their boards, and we had a legit game of skate. I wasn't doing too bad until the kid I was playing, Daniel, moved over to the 4 stair and started busting out some tricks over the gap. I ended up just doing one ollie off the 4 stair but after that I was just like "I'm done, if I get hurt, I'm dead". So he crushed me in the end, but we earned some major props with that crowd. Since then, we passed the skate park and saw Daniel there, and we got a wave of respect. It felt good.

Nothing too exciting happened after that, but yesterday morning we had a huge ward football match. I am loving the sport now, but am still no match for these European naturals. I am loving the ward so far, but its such a huge change from my other areas. A good portion of them are temple workers, and they are so posh and formal, especially at tea appointments, and I feel way out of my comfort zone just coming from Barrow. It's been fun getting to know them all though. Easter Sunday was very good, and we had a solid 90 or so come out (the largest number that I have seen my entire mission). 

Well everyone, I love you all. Life is good at the minute, and I'm grateful that you are all doing well. It's crazy, I will be able to SKYPE in just a couple weeks! And next Easter, I will get to spend it with you. Thank you for all your love, and all your awesomeness. Till next time, peace out!

Elder Bryant Goodman

BA

Kitchen

Meditation balcony

Flag Wall

Grandma bedroom

Weight room

Bathroom

hallway

living Room

Tarn Haws hike

money tree

Muddy shoes and Blue Skies.

Hello everyone! Nothing but blue skies today, and it feels awesome. Short sleeve shirts everyday, and i'm even shifting from pasty white to a pseudo tan. Life is good, and I love you all.

Well...this week has been an interesting week here in Southport. Haha here are the week's deets:

On Monday, it was pretty much the most exhausting p-day ever. We ran everywhere, not by our choice. I hate late buses.Good exercise though. However, the good running came from playing football at the church with a couple kids from the neighborhood. I hope we can get to know their families and start teaching them like we did in Wrexham.

We had a beach adventure! We were working in Ainsdale just south of us, where we met and taught our new investigator Brian!, but it opened up right to the coast...and we couldn't resist. It was seriously the best beach I have ever seen in England. So...we were spontaneous and decided to have an adventure and beach contact all the way to the Southport Pier. It took way longer than we thought, and we ended up getting stuck in some muddy bogs, but the ocean air and the sun and the good people along the way more than made up for it. Haha we got several strange looks, especially when we finally made it to the pier. All people could see where two weirdos in white shirts and ties and muddy shoes and trousers and one holding a walking stick that he found along the way (me). Good times.

Thursday though, was absolutely chaotic. Small taste of the day...I burned my fingers on the stove in the morning, our afternoon appointments fell through, the bus didn't stop for us when we needed to get to our coordination meeting, so we caught a later bus, only to realize we left the phone back at the stop, got off and had to run all the way back, miraculously found the phone that someone took, finally made it to coordination, only to get talked down to by our ward mission leader who only likes our sisters, who Elder Bradley and I do not get along with,and then...the rest of our appointments fell through for the evening. Yup, that was a good day to be over with.

Except for an adventure down in Ormskirk on the weekend, the rest of the week went pretty downhill as far as missionary work goes. I have never had so many appointments fall through in my life. Our motto this week was just "come what may and love it". Haha I'm glad that a new week has started.  Time to start fresh and just move on.

I can't believe I have officially been out for 13 months!! Craziness. I can't wait to see you all again. I love you all, and you're the raddest family I could ask for. My intro. testimony on Sunday was focused on living simply and "simplicity is beautiful", with family being the most important thing in our lives and in the life to come. The gospel is for eternal families, simple as that. So thank you all for all the love, and keep it coming, and I'll do my best to return the favor. Till next time, peace out! 

Elder BA

p.s. sorry for the lack of photos! It's been a bit busy, but I promise I will be trigger happy this week

Fullwood Family. 

Sunny Southport.

Hey everyone! From all the crazy travel adventures this week...it seriously feels like it's been week's since I have talked to you all. It's been a weird time warp. We packed up, headed to Kendal for a last Barrow tribe BBQ and football match, Manchester for Train the Trainers, stayed in a flat with 10 other elders including elder caleira, and spent the night on the floor with my good friend Elder O'brien, the 300 pound New Zealander. Awkward but good night. Then transfer meeting, then Liverpool, then glorious Southport. But I want you all to know I love you all...and i'm loving life. Southport is soo much different from Barrow, from the people, the scenery, the fresh sea water smell and just the general vibe of the area. Oh, another major bonus...my companion and I are super tight! Elder Bradley easily ranked up to one of my favorite elders in the mission. Just imagine Dale and Brenden from Stepbrothers....haha that pretty much sums up our relationship. I don't think I have ever laughed more than with any other companion. He is from California, super chill, qwirky in a good way, and willing to pretty much do anything and actually work. We actually started running in the morning! The weather is beautiful here, and the coast and pier are awesome. Life is good.

 

So far, I am loving Southport. I met a handful of the members already, and they are simply just good people. The Bishop is qwirky and has a recording studio in his basement, and we have been talking about doing a music project soon, skadoosh. We also got to watch conference at the Fullwoods...probably the wealthiest but most genuine mormon family that I have met on my mission so far. Southport is super posh, and they live in the poshest part of it. Good family, a lot of kids, one of them really reminds me of Randi, and their incredibly smart and witty 8 year old Ben and I are already friends. They might be my Southport family.

 

We also got to explore Liverpool a lot more. We watched the Saturday morning session there, and afterwards got to soak in that gloriously dirty city. It has so much character, I love the scousers, and of course...there is Beatles stuff everywhere. One day, we are planning on doing a district activity here and hitting up the local sights including the Cavern where the Beatles first played. I'm stoked!

 

Already did some skate shop contacting. I was really tempted to buy a board.

 

The work is also good here too. We have a good investigator named Grant, super intellectual with a crazy past, and he is getting really close to baptism. We just got to work out the kinks. The sisters here also have a couple dated for baptism, so we have some hope on the horizon. Ah, its good to be in a good area again.

 

Well that's about all I have to say for now. I am looking forward to the new adventures this place has for me, and I'm excited to get to know and love the people here. I feel so much more engulfed in the experience here, way more than Barrow. Basically, I don't want to waste any time, and I am happy to live and serve. I love you all. Till next time...peace out!

 

Elder BA

 

p.s. there are a lot of retired old farts here. I hope the one sitting next to me didn't read that off my screen...

p.s.s. our flat is brand new, and it's the poshest flat I have ever lived in. We dont have any slugs or mold, the carpet is clean and we have a balcony that overlooks a ton of trees. I think this was a reward for enduring Barrow.

p.s.s.s. new address

 

Flat 5, Clairville, 21 Lulworth Road

Birkdale

Southport, Merseyside

PR8 2FA

UK