"Fellow citizens with the Saints"

 Merthyr is truly a remarkable place.

There is a member hear named Graham who is preparing to enter the temple. To help him prepare we meet twice a week, once for dinner and once for a scripture study. At the dinner he invites Josh and helps us teach him. Josh is getting baptized in October as soon as he turns 18.

During our last scripture study with Graham we all felt the Spirit as we read Alma 31. In particular the prayer Alma prays on behalf of the Zoramites. As we spoke about how valuable we are in God's eyes, we invited Graham to remember his worth when facing temptation.

Come Sunday Graham was glowing. He said he had a tough morning but he knew church was the place to be. On top of that, Josh also came and sat by us and Graham. Finally, we had Leanne, another friend of ours who is getting baptized in November, come up and talk to Graham. Throw into the mix all the ward leaders and stake leaders talking to our friends and you will understand how tight this ward is knit together.

We had a Elder Baxter of the First Quorum of the Seventy speak to us all last night. Aside from ending with some very specific dating advice, he also told us we aren't just teaching the Restoration nowadays. Back on his mission, that is what he did, but back then everyone also had a Bible in their house. These days we are called to testify of the reality of God and Jesus Christ in a post- Christian society. The most effective way to do that is with the Book of Mormon and the Holy Ghost.

Have a great week!

Elder Killian

Pic #1 - volunteering at "Parkrun" everyone came to tell us we were the most excited people and they wanted us back next week. We were also the youngest by at least ten years

Pic #2 - a bunch of coins an elder saved for his whole mission. It equated to about 88 £

Pic #3 - the place we did Parkrun at along the the Taff River

Shoulder to the Wheel

 My driver's license came this week. Officially only took me 8 days from taking my theory, to passing my practical, to getting the hard copy license in the mail.

Elder Hanson and I had many plans in place this week to find people who we could start teaching. Without fail, every plan fell through. The success we had came from a person who referred himself over the internet.

His name is Jonathan and he is 28. His father passed away a few months back. He did alot of research, clear down to Kolob. I was on exchanges when the lesson happened but apparently it was amazing! He has a copy of the Book of Mormon and we will be following up on how reading Alma 32 went on Tuesday.

We set ambitious goals at the beginning of the week and didn't hit them. We did see more miracles than ever before though. I know that God sees the effort we put. A speaker at church yesterday spoke about how when we put our "shoulder to the wheel" it is often the "shoulder" that God cares about strengthening more than the "wheel" He cares about moving. Elder Hanson and I pushed all we could and the wheel didn't move as far as we thought it would, but we learned so much.

Have a great week!

Elder Killian

Pic #1 - Hanson heading into Slater's to buy an Welsh suit for his birthday

Pic #2 - pday today was us eating Welsh cakes in a market

Pic #3 - my license came in the mail, this is how we notified the office

Licensed

 Hello everyone!

I booked my theory test a few weeks back and the date came for me to finally take it on Wednesday. I did my prep though so it wasn't too bad. After passing the theory I then went to book the practical test which consists of 42 minutes of driving with an instructor. The only available dates to take it were the following Friday, or the first week of January 2023. I decided to get it over with and take the Friday one.

So Elder Hanson and I woke up at 6 AM on Friday morning and drove two hours to Cardigan (a little Welsh town on the coast). I passed the test, definitely thanks to the many prayers I said and the blessing I asked for. We then drove another two hours home. It cost us about five hours of driving on a Friday morning before noon, but I am now licensed to drive in the UK and most of Europe too. Just in the nick of time too as my US license expires in September.

Elder Hanson and I set some pretty faithful goals for things we wanted to accomplish this transfer. As we reflected on our progress, we realized we need to find a new person every single day to hit our goal, clear up until the 31st.

We started strong and then Sunday hit and it seemed hopeless. We were booked solid with meetings. We had thirty minutes to knock a couple doors before church but no one answered. Imagine our surprise now when a member comes in with two visitors in tow. He proceeds to give them an incredible tour of the place, clear down to the cleaning closets. We barely got a sentence in before he took them off to see another parts of the building in between sacrament and classes. After church he then finsihed the tour and ended it right in front of us by saying, "and here are the missionaries." We got her and her daughter's number and will be teaching them about the Book of Mormon soon.

Have a good one!

Elder Killian

Pic #1 - service project in 33 degree Celsius weather

Pic # 2 - passed my driving test, messed up my name though so I think they think I am Killian Desmond Lynn 

Pic # 3 - an AP about to go home, I'll see him at BYUI though

Lots of Cello Music

 I'll start by saying I am writing my own email again this week. 

Wales has continued to be lovely. I can understand the Welsh accent much better now.

My companion, Elder Hanson, is a performance-class cellist. President Gallacher is a big advocate for using music to share the gospel so Elder Hanson has a rented cello he plays at appointments and in sacrament meeting. We have seen some major miracles from his playing. Members who haven't come since COVID will show up at church to hear him play. Most of our teaching appointments start with a hymn and it brings the Spirit so strong.

On top of teaching lessons we have spent so much time looking for people to start teaching. The success hasn't been great but not from lack of trying.

I want to tell you a little bit about Graham. He is a member who feeds all four of us missionaries, a recent concert, and a friend we are teaching, every week! He lives with his dog, Holly. Every Sunday he comes to church at 9:00 and welcomes everyone. He likes to walk alot and has given out dozens of copies of the Book of Mormon. He is an incredible example of what it means to be Christlike. He is preparing to go to the temple for the first time and we are so close to getting there. If you could include him in your fast this week it would be really appreciated.

The friend who comes to those dinners with us is Josh. He was about to be baptized a few months ago but his mom said no. He lost hope but kept meeting with us and now that he is about to turn 18 he really wants to get baptised. He actually knows the ward better than I do. He comes to church each week in shorts and a t-shirt because if his mom finds out where he is going she wouldn't be happy. We are trying to figure out how we can help with that situation and improve the relationship there. Please fast for him as well.

Pic #1 - giant dragon inside of a shopping mall in Merthyr

Pic #2 - preparing to play the cello in sacrament meeting

Pic #3 - another dragon but drawn on a chalkboard in the church

Last Move?

 Hey everyone,

It's Elder Killian again. Figured it was time I wrote my own emails again, Joseph Smith was onto something though by dictating to people, it is nice...

I have driven through Wales many time one filming trips and to train zones. On one such trip I had the impression I would never have a chance to actually serve in Wales. I kind of came to terms with that, which wasn't hard since I have loved my mission regardless of where I am. I am pleased to report that impression was not correct though as I am currently living in the heart of Merthyr Tydfil.

It is a small town (by English standards, not Idaho ones) of about 80,000. It does have a small town feel to it though.

When we go out street-contacting, we only really have one place called Cyfarthfa Park. We walk around a lake in the shadow of Cyfarthfa Castle. It was built by a rich tyrant who was hated by the whole town because he controlled everything. Apparently anyone with red hair here is likely one of his (many) descendants.

It took me a couple weeks to get use to the English accent, the Welsh one is much more thick. Some of the nice older members I spoke with at church were totally unitelligible. Elder Hanson tells me they were speaking English but I have my doubts.

I feel as though this area and my companion have both really helped me start listening to the Spirit more. Elder Hanson is one of the most spiritually sensitive people I know. He is a big example for me. I recall one moment sitting on a park bench next to a stranger who we were chatting with. We shared the first vision account with him right there next to the castle and I felt the power that comes with what we believe. It was a good week.

Thanks for reading,

Elder Killian

Pic #1 - on a beach in Swansea

Pic #2 - service at a really amazing Welsh families house

Pic #3 - teaching the Plan of Salvation on the fly