#LoveLikeMaddie

 Hiya everyone!!!

This week has been jam packed and another great week. Lots of tender mercies and sweet moments this week as well:)

On Saturday, it marked two years since my beautiful cousin Maddie was taken back home. Although it's been sad, there is much to rejoice over because I know we will see her again. She is with Heavenly Father and happier than ever. She is working so hard, being a missonary on the other side of the veil. And she's not gone, she's here with us helping and protecting us. I have truly felt her presence helping me here on my mission. Saturday morning was a really sweet time for me. Because of the time difference, there are a couple hours that I am awake and all my family is asleep. I felt that Maddie was hanging out with me for a couple hours before her sweet family woke up. It was just really special. I strive to be more like Maddie. To love as selflessly as she did. She was so happy and just an absolute light in this world. I am so grateful for eternal families and love my whole family so very much!! #LoveLikeMaddie

Here's the happenings of the week:

-On Tuesday it was transfer day! And we had to say goodbye to Sister Foster. I am SO SAD. I have been with her since August 9th, so four whole months!! She is just the absolute best and I love her!! Ya know when they talk about making forever friends on your mission? Yep, she's one of them:)

-the new sister is Sister Kingston! She is way sweet and I love her already:)

- went caroling with the youth at the senior living home! Which, is one of my favorie christmas traditions ever!! every year, on Christmas eve, my family and some other families would go sing at a senior living home. Every year. (ok except for COVID haha). But it was so special to be able to do that in ENGLAND, like what?!?! Tender Mercy for sure.

-We helped at the Hartlepool Heat-n-Eat. The chapel there, everyday this week, opened their doors from 5-8, to anyone for free soup, free hot chocolate, and a place to be warm:) With the prices in England going up for heating and food and everything, there's a lot of people having a hard time. So we went, invited people on the streets to come, and then sat and talked with them while they ate a nice, hot meal. It was so heartwarming and just so good. Each night averaged about 20-30 people, some nights more:) 

-English class is always a highlight:)

-had some great lessons with the friends and members we are working with!! I just love the work here!

-had the ward christmas party!! It was so fun! They decked it out in Bethlem theme and there was different stalls for all the different foods. The food was shwarma, or kebab, whatever you want to call it. Its basically pita bread, with lamb or doner kebab meat and a bunch of toppings, pretty good

-on Sunday we sang the entire day, legit. We went to church and the second hour was the nativity program put on by the youth and primary kids, but of course they needed more singers last minute, so all 4 of us sisters got recruited to sing with them. Then we got recruited to do a musical number for christmas sunday so we practiced that. Then that night was the Carol service in Hartlepool to end the week and we practiced from 4-6, then performed from 6-8. Killer man. But so awesome!!!

-the old guys in the back row were betting on how old I was during church, and one of them came up and asked me, and I was like 19, and he was like, ''oh man! I lost the bet, I thought you were 15!'' RIP hahahah

-music is one of the ways I feel the spirit the strongest so it really has been so cool to just feel the spirit and to remember Christ throughout this week!!

Such a good week!!

Merry Christmas to everyone!! Woot woot!!

Love,

Sis. Jepp:)

Saying goodbye to Sister Foster :(

Driving academy zoom call! That's right haha, practicing
and studying to get my license here 

Walking around town like this hahahaha 

Beautiful iced over pond at South Park 

Ward Christmas party, Bethlehem themed!! 

Missionary Choir for Carol Service 

Kathleen and her spring rolls:) 

Massive plates of Chow mien 

President and Sister Broadbent are the best!! 

A FEROCIOUS Winter

 Picture this, you walk outside and start heading towards the park to take your dog for a walk. You're used to winters in England so you bundle up and get going, not thinking too much about the ice and frost everywhere and the biting cold that you feel, because again, you're used to it. But then, you get to the park and you see two...People? Figures? Short men? Kids? Bears? You have no idea what they are, but you just see two bundles coming towards you. Then, only when they are about 10 feet away do you notice one of them is carrying a book? And then you realize, after talking to them, that these bundles are two sisters missionaries, from America, who have never experienced a winter like this and who are trying their best to stay warm.

Now did that really happen? Not quite, but that's what I think everyone that sees us imagines haha. It's COLD here. Like I'm standing in the Costco freezer section cold.

 My mom knows, I DESPISE tights. Those things are itchy, annoying, and just a pain. But those awful creations have become my best friends here. Thick, fuzzy ones of course. 

Proper attire as a missionary here: thick tights, socks, boots, long skirt, long sleeve, jumper (sweater), big coat, gloves, scarf, beanie, and oh yea, it still won't block it all but oh well. 

Am I being a lil overdramatic? No. Hahaha jk, maybe a lil. But I always have been a wimp to the cold so yea. But it makes for some really good memories. I went sliding down this bridge that was covered over in ice the other day. 

Also, we don't have hot water. None haha. So we take ice cold showers, so our mornings are full of screams and shouts from the freezing water but boy are we awake. 

Haha OK ill actually get going on the highlights of the week. I just thought I'd try to entertain you with the hilariousness of a missionaries life for a lil bit. I think it is all super comical and wouldn't have it any other way:) (mostly hehe)

Okie dokie, here ya go:

- visited Wakworth Castle on pday and got some yummy ice cream by the sea because you just have to, no matter the weather

-did some fun service projects of moving things for peeps this week

-went caroling on a bridge in Durham as a district this week

-interviewed a Swan, if you want the video just message me:)

- waited for buses for years this week because of the ice on the roads everything was delayed

-watched the first half of the world Cup, England vs. France. We lost and boy is everybody not happy about that. They are going on and on about a French ref that skewed the game and robbed us of a penalty kick

-Hazels baptism!!! The other sisters have been teaching her, and I've been on a lesson with her and she's just the sweetest!! So so happy for her!! The only sad bit was that there was no heating at the church either so the water was ICE cold. She took it like a champ though

-played the piano for the baptism and for sacrament meeting. Yep messed up a few times but hey, it worked:)

-had choir practice again with the missionaries because we are singing again next Sunday! 5 songs. Took 2 1/2 hours to practice. My vocal chords are broken.

-oh yea! No electricity or heat on sunday in the church, so we just had an opening prayer and song, passed the sacrament, and closing song and prayer. It was hilarious. But then everyone stayed and talked for like an hour and a half in the dark and cold so we should have just had church.

-oh yea!! Transfer news! I'm staying in Darlington for another transfer! With Sister Flake!! 6 month area here we come:) I love it here though so I'm okay with it:)

- had some really good lessons and miracles this week!!

-had tea with a lady who served her 35 years ago! She came and found us and took us out to tea:) so cool!

- gave our sweet friends at English class a Book of Mormon and they were so happy and excited to read it!!

Overall, I just have felt so much love and joy this week! Christmas here is so fun and we have been trying to do fun Christmas challenges and service things to spread some cheer:) everyone's hearts are a little softer at Christmas and it's so cool to see Christ change people here. I am so grateful to be here!!!

Love, 

Sis jepp:)

Warworth Castle 

Giant wreaths in Durham! 

Wakworth Castle 

Cute Lil town 

Hazels Baptism 

Cute David and Hazel

Caroling in Durham! Super sunny out :) 

Sister Foster put some flags in my hair :) 

Lounging in Lorraine's chair haha 

Too cold to pose for a picture :) 

English Class!! Left to right: Emily, Loreci, Sister Flake, Huseyin, Burcu, Rachel, Sister Foster, Sister Richards, Sister Jeppson 

Beanies for the win

Quadruplets, lil boy style 

Methods to stay warm in the mornings, models: Sister Foster and Sister Richards 

And LAST BUT NOT LEAST...I have to share...WOOT
WOOT MY BROTHER IN ENGAGED YEET!! Welcome to the family Jane:) love you guys!!! 

Dirty darlo= crackheads, smackheads, you name it!

 Well there ya have it folks, the truth comes out. Darlington is known to the locals as dirty darlo. Why? Because its full of crackheads, smackheads, you name it. Hahaha. At least that's what Lana told us. For sure it can be a little sticky around the town center and a lil sketchy, but Darlington is beautiful and safe i think:) we just don't go downtown during Friday and Saturday evenings, cause it's pub time. Anywho...this week was amazing!!!

Here's the highlight reel:

-got to decorate the Dunns Christmas trees!

-watched England annihilate Wales in the World Cup on Tuesday 3-0, let's go! 

- went on exchanges with Sister Foster!! Man I love that sista so so so much!! And I'm sad because next week is transfers ans she finishes her mission! She will be very missed. But it was a really really fun day!!

-knocked doors a ton and it actually paid off! We found a lot of really cool people this week by door knocking, messaging on Facebook, and finding around town

- had interviews with president and sister clare! They really are the very best and care so much for each missionary individually. I don't know how they do it, but it's awesome.

-had a great lesson with stephen this week! Always a highlight for sure. I don't know if you've been following, but I've taught Stephen 1-2 times every single week I have been here in Darlington. I met him the third day being here. So we are tight haha.

- went whiteboard finding as a district and asked what is your favorite thing about Christmas and got SO many responses, every inch of the whiteboard was filled. I love it!

-Trish had us wrap all of Kates presents right in front of her haha and it took us two hours. But I loved it because it was something I would do at home:)

-I hit my 6 months!!!! Which means I officially have one year left! Kinda crazy huh. 

I should probably explain the family pamphlets to everyone because we are the only mission in the world that has them so far. So president clare worked as part of the media and marketing team for the Church before this and so he's really good at all that stuff. He's been feeling that the Lord wants us to really focus on families at the moment, so he created this pamphlet that is BEAUTIFUL. it's really simple and shares 5 Key Ways to Raise Strong Families and has a QR code on the back. That leads then to a website he created which explains more! It's so wonderful and is super easy to give to families, especially when the mom is busy trying to take care of her kid walking by. He also created these simple Christmas cards that lead to a website he created with videos of Christ on it that then leads back to the family website he created. Which leads to the church's website. Basically, he's a genius and we have seen SOOOO many blessings from this. I'll include the links at the bottom.

This week was full of miracles and we found so many people. We were also able to reach so many people and give them a resource, whether it be a family pamphlet, Christmas card, or what have ya, lots of people had a way where they could feel the Spirit and be touched by Christ this week. It was so amazing and I feel such joy to be here!! In the words of Sister Flake, "I could just hug God right now!"

Love, 

Sis Jepp:)

White Board finding as a district!! 

Santa Clause was playing the clarinet and wanted to hop
 in for a pic! 

Catterick Garrison is the army town and this was outside of the
 infantry school. 

Angel of the North

Newcastle!!!

YES I GOT SUSHI FOLKS, highlight for sure! 

The Angel of the North is located in Gateshead England.  It is the worlds largest sculpture of an angel with about 33 million people visiting it each year.  It stands 66 feet tall and 177 feet wide which is larger that a Boeing 757 aircraft.  It can withstand wind speeds of over 100 mph.  

Fangirling over Chris Hemsworth 

Ice Sculptures in Darlington!! Themes as Peter Pan! 

We ran into our good friend Luke!! He is working as a
 security guard at the markets. 

Sister Jepp falls asleep on the bus

Sister Jepp falls asleep in the car, also I have seen pictures of two other Jeppson cousins sleeping on their missions so it must be in our genes or something. haha 

Christmas lights at the Dunns house. 

Visiting Mary Jane :) 

Sister Foster just chilling 

England beat Wales!!! 3-0 

Decorating the Dunns house for Christmas!