December 15, 2014

My week was pretty good. I taught my first lesson and got my first investigator. It was the guy that ditched us when we found that homeless guy. We finally pinned him down and got to teach him he said he would learn more and if we could actually convince him that it was true he would get baptized haha. So that was pretty good. I travel a lot just around to different little villages usually but for meetings like the ones my district leader companion has to go to we go to cities. The closest one is probably like 40 minutes on a bus. as for Christmas parties I have one tomorrow that I am going to that is 40 minutes on a bus then 30 minutes on a train. Haha but on the way back I am going to go get pictures of Durham cathedral, which is the one that they filmed most of harry potter in. It looks awesome at night because it’s lit all up so we are going to stop by there on the way back from Newcastle. But yea not a whole bunch of travel because we don’t have a car so we limit it. Christmas I am at a family named the Hancock’s and they are going to have us skype there at their house. So I’m excited haha. Their family reminds me of ours haha especially dad so it would go good haha. I also laughed a whole bunch and got some dirty looks from the people in the library I’m at since Zeus peed on Santa. That’s great haha. But yea it should be a good week I’m going to take a bunch of pictures tomorrow. I’ll send the good ones to you. Can you send me a picture of just you and dad? Just over email I’m making something that I’m going to keep for my mission but I need pictures haha. So just one of you and dad I don’t care if they are individual or both of you in one. But yea I need it haha. Love you I’ll talk to you next week.

Love Jeremy

December 8, 2014

Yea hehe 10 emails is crazy just a little bit too much for me to type in an hour haha. Flogged is ditched that when you show up there is no notice or anything they just don’t show up. The church was an old boarded up one that we found down this random street it was pretty cool, all the gravestones that I sent I have like 10 more pictures of them some punk kids came in and kicked them all over I bet because the gate was broken and a couple of the windows were broken that’s why the boards were there. All of the gravestones had awesome quotes on the from scriptures and stuff it was cool to walk around. The weather is cold but not too bad. I don’t need socks or gloves haha that’s great Kira got married haha and the English people where I’m at talk to us but there is not many foreigners so it’s hard to compare haha. We have talked to mark a couple times but we haven’t been able to teach him yet something is going to happen this week elder Olsen and I can feel it haha. Yea the spirit helps you when you’re talking to someone it’s like you’re not the one talking its pretty cool to experience. As for money I don’t need any right now just save it all up and put it all on for Christmas! haha we have Boxing Day off and all of us are going to go shopping the day after haha. Don’t sent the pictures to the mission home I won’t get them for forever! Ha-ha just send them to my flat at the address I gave you will give it to you again. As for small items I don’t know really what I want or need if you think of something then by all means send it haha. kc didn’t email him I don’t know if he even got mine haha but yea this week we didnt really even get to do anything we traveled a lot and I got to see my mtc companion elder casey that got his visa withheld and he got sent to Colorado springs for a transfer haha COLORADO SPRINGS!!! I talked to him all about it haha it was cool seeing him again oh and I ate this thing called a kebab it’s so popular among the missionaries that it’s called being kababtised so I’ll send a picture of that haha. But yea I hope you have a good week!

My address is

101 Washington cresent

Newton ayecliffe DL5 4BE

Great Britain

 

I miss you and I love you haha talk to you later

Love jer

December 2, 2014

Well I have an hour to email and my 3 word per minute typing speed is hard to email back to like 10 emails in an hour haha. But thanksgiving was great. The investigator didn’t show up we got flogged haha but something happened after that it was pretty cool. Me and elder Olsen felt we had to be here for a reason so we stayed there waiting for the guy for about 15 minutes. A guy can up and sat on a bench behind us and he was talking about how he had nowhere to go to someone on a phone he hung up and started crying. I and elder Olsen got up and sat next to him, he said his grandma died two days earlier and he was living with her but they kicked him out of the house because it wasn’t his. He had been staying on the streets for the past 2 days. Elder Olsen got up to call the bishop and see if we could help him out. When Olsen was on the phone the guy was asking like awesome questions to me. I told him a little bit about myself and why I was here then he asked about the church and what we do. I told him about church on Sundays and told him he should come he said he would uh they he asked what else do we do that is different. I got into prayer and he asked you guys pray? If I wanted to ask god for help how would I do that? So explained to him how to pray somehow that got into the sacrament I told him about that then he asked why we take it then I talked to him about baptism. He asked me what that was and I said that we do it the exact same way that Jesus Christ was baptized, by emersion. He got super excited and by the time elder Olsen sat back down he asked if we could come by and teach him more and that he would come to church and that he would look into getting baptized. It was pretty awesome haha. But we got him food for the weekend after he found a place to stay. he didn’t show up to church because he had to go out of town to help his brother do something but he should be back sometime this week and we will teach him then. It was pretty cool I bore my testimony like 5 times to him haha one for every one of the things he was asking me. That was probably like my favorite thing that happened this week or for my whole mission so far haha. We got to help somebody and it felt great doing it. I’m sorry I sent dad a one sentence email haha I was probably being kicked off so I had to cut it short. uh you can do either one with the pictures I can get them developed here that would probably be the quickest thing but yea I’m also getting kicked off right now I will see if I can stretch it and see if I can send a couple pictures to you haha love you have a good week.

Love

Jeremy

 

New Pictures!

Lucky me, we got a midweek email!

Jeremy was able to email midweek for a special occasion. His dad, Bryan got one and I got one.
Here's the one that he sent his dad:

It’s going good here I’m not teaching very many nonmembers yet but I’ve been talking a lot with the less actives. My companion says my testimony is like our secret weapon ha-ha so I guess I’m getting better at sharing it. We usually walk. This town isn’t very big but then we take busses to get out to the other little villages in our area. Our bishop in this ward lives right next to us and he is the landlord. He’s hilarious! I’m learning a lot, the other day my mission president gave us permission to email in the middle of the week because it was Remembrance Day on Tuesday. Remembrance Day is a holiday that celebrates the signing of the treaty on the 11th day of the 11th hour. In the middle of zone conference we had a moment of silence for 2 minutes. It was a really cool meeting. My mission president is a great speaker. He talked for about 75 minutes and the whole time all of the top half of the mission was on the edge of their seats listening. I was randomly selected to follow him and give a 3 minute talk on an attribute of my choice. So I chose hope because it’s the one I have studied the past month or so. He said I did a great job considering I had nothing prepared at all. I am learning a lot more then I ever thought I would out here. Sister Pilkington the president’s wife taught all of us a song that goes well with what we are doing out here. It goes like this...

 Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag

And smile, smile, smile

Just think of all the happy times we'll have

Smile boys, that’s the style

What’s the use of worrying??

It never was worthwhile

So, pack up your troubles in your old kit bag

And smile, smile, smile

 

It was great hearing every missionary in that packed chapel singing that song because it applies to all of us.

Here's the one for me:

So my mission president gave all of the mission permission to email in the middle of the week so we could tell our parents about Remembrance Day and our zone conference on it. Remembrance Day is celebrating the signing of the treaty that ended world war one. We had a moment of silence in the middle of zone conference for 2 minutes but they taught us a song that the soldiers from England would sing in the trenches. I sent it to dad. Its nuts the statistics of the soldiers from the small villages on England are crazy. They sent 16000 men out to the war out of the villages in our mission and only about 20 of the villages had all their sons return. The average life span of a man fighting the war from England was 36 hours. That’s crazy. Everyone in England buys poppies and wears them all the up to the 11th day of the 11th month (Tuesday) when the treaty was signed. I gave a talk on hope following the mission presidents 75 minute talk. I didn’t have anything prepared so I just went up and talked with a couple of scriptures thrown in too. My companion gave a 20 minute instruction on training models that are like roleplaying games to help us learn the lessons. It was pretty good, I got to go to both the north half and the southern half of the missions zone conference so we got a car and drove for 2 hours down to where we needed to be it was nice having a car for a day. It was fun. Today and this weekend hopefully it will be normal with less meetings so that I have the time to study and actually go out meeting people. It should be a good week, on p day after I emailed we went to a tk maxx which is basically tj max and I bought with much advice from my companion a coat that should last me for the rest of my mission, it better because it was £70 and that’s about 120 dollars. Lol so yea it has been a good week. Hopefully going to stay that way. I’ll talk to you on Monday.

 

 

Missionary Monday! November 10, 2014

A member is a cop here and let me get in the police car. That cop’s wife’s name is Tina Hall, she messaged you on Facebook like my first night here with a picture of me. Look at your messages, she talks to all the missionaries’ moms and girlfriends while they are in her house so you can talk to her! I got a coat and a blanket I’m going to go buy more today. I don’t know what I need yet but I think it would just be easier to just add money to the card but I would need a little bit more money because of the exchange rate here is crazy. I’m not really teaching anyone other than less actives and part member families. We met this guy walking down the street and we are going to teach him and his wife tonight it should be good, he’s a very....interesting man. He told us some old war horror stories that he has seen so it should be pretty good to tell him that he can be forgiven of all that. When I have more spiritual experiences I’ll let you know. I don’t know any suggestions for agency look it up in the topical guide and stuff and true to the faith is awesome to find explanations of stuff that would otherwise be hard to understand. I got your letter it took 10 days to get here so I wouldn’t send any food in those care packages. Tea is like dinner basically we eat regular food. I have had English fish and chips (so good) and fajitas that were not like any other fajita I have ever had because English people don’t know how to make Mexican food lol. I just got into Jacob in the Book of Mormon. I’ll talk to you next week!

 

Missionary Monday! Nov 3, 2014

Well my home address is

101 Washington Cresent

DL5 4BE Newton Ayecliffe

Great Britain

I’m only here for 12 weeks though that’s why they say to send it to the mission office so they can give it to me where ever I am. It’s way different here then Colorado lol. It’s not too cold yet but it is super green. The people are crazy friendly where I am at. They put me in this area that’s like the best area in the mission for my first spot. Not too many nationalities here where I’m at just English people. The food is pretty good so far I have had tea appointments every night of my mission so far, ha-ha they love us. There are the same categories of stores here they are just called different stuff. No Walmart’s just small super markets. I’m going to buy my suit coats from charity shops which are basically just goodwill’s so they shouldn’t be too bad. I’ll send a couple pictures I have now that I have a good computer to send them on.

I’m collecting a lot of stuff like good talks and I also have a goal to read the Book of Mormon by Christmas again and highlight everything that has to do with my purpose as a missionary. I’m going to do another one after this one but on a different topic so I need help coming up with another topic. I was thinking families or something along the lines as that. Oh and can you send pictures of everyone? I have like no pictures of my family! Or my friends for that matter.

Pictures!

New emails have arrived. I am a little behind getting them on here but it is so good to know that he is in England safely and he seems to be happy.

27 October 2014

Dear Brother and Sister Carrigan,
It is with pleasure we welcome your son, Elder Jeremy Michael Carrigan, to the England Leeds Mission. We find him prepared and committed to serve the Lord and to share the message of the Restored Gospel.
Your son's first companion is Elder Olsen who was prayerfully selected to ensure the best introduction to missionary work for Elder Carrigan. They will be serving in the Newton Aycliffe 1.2 Area in the Billingham Zone. We are confident their relationship will be a mutual blessing.
Weekly encouragement from home will certainly help inspire Elder Carrigan's missionaryeffort. We encourage you to write him once a week with your letters uplifting in spirit.
Please let other family and friends know how important it is to write positive, encouraging letters that support missionary work. Your son's permanent address is now:
Elder Jeremy Michael Carrigan
England Leeds Mission
Lister House, Lister Hill
Horsforth
Leeds LS18 5AZ
England
You can send letters and packages to your son's flat address, but make sure you
remember transfers happen every six weeks. Families and friends are asked to not visit
or call their missionaries in the field. Such calls and visits will undermine the effectiveness of missionaries and their companions. Please feel free to call the mission president in the event of an emergency at home. Missionaries are not to call home without the president's permission.
Any anxiety of the missionary about finances will hinder the work. Please do not send
excess funds, too much money can be as detrimental as not enough. Personal, practical
and inexpensive gifts from home for birthdays or Christmas are permitted but adding
money to their personal funds is more cost effective. However, because missionaries
move frequently, and space is very limited; large, heavy or unnecessary items are
discouraged. Your missionary is limited to two bags and a briefcase. The best gifts are
consumables, such as ties, socks, small personal items, and goodies.
 I want you to know that Sister Pilkington and I consider it a privilege to serve with your son and promise to help all we can, and strive to direct his efforts in the Lord's way. We are available at all times, and Elder Carrigan's physical, emotional and spiritual welfare is of utmost importance to us.
Sincerely yours,
Graham Pilkington
President

Oct 27, 2014

Well I am here and it’s pretty awesome. I’m in a 2 person flat with 3 other elders, it’s pretty tight quarters. I’ll send you some pictures once I’m all set up but my trainer, that you should’ve gotten a picture of, is elder Olson and he only has about 3 months left so this is his last transfer. I’m in a town called Newton Ayecliffe. It’s pretty nice here some nice houses and really packed tight neighborhoods. I met my mission president and he’s great, super inspiring. It’s my 3rd day in this area and I’m already teaching 4 members. I have family home evening tonight with a less active and then I’m teaching 2 investigators. Also its pretty cool, Elder Olson is super good at talking with people. The story about me almost going home in the MTC is that we taught a lesson to an actor but we didn't know she was an actor so I was pretty nervous but then when we taught her she didn't want to talk to us at all and was a huge jerk and I didn't feel good about that at all. I felt the spirit leave me and it sucked so I went out in the hallway in the middle of class and I heard words come to my head that said give up but right as I heard that my teacher gave me that blessing. So I’m here, the ward is awesome, England is awesome, once I get unpacked my flat will be awesome!  I guess I’ll talk to you next Monday.

 

October 23, 2014

I am leaving for England in the morning at 6. Elder Casey however didn't get his visa in so he has to stay for a few more days to see if it will come in it sucks for him but yea I'm going! I’m doing OK. I'm just doing laundry again the night I leave and they said I could email home. I’m super happy I chose to do this. It sucked in the beginning and I almost came home believe it or not but my district saved me and my teacher brother Roberts (freaking awesome guy) gave me a blessing and I realized I was here for a reason. Oh and speaking of churchy things, I want you to look up a couple videos that I’ve seen out here. One of them is a Mormon message called "it was mom" and another thing is a talk that an Elder named Elder Cray showed us today. He’s a convert and he said that this talk is one of the reasons he is still in the church. It is called "His grace is sufficient" by Brad Wilcox and it’s a BYU devotional its super awesome! The Boston boys left yesterday morning and they were sad that we had to stay but they got to leave but they said that everything happens for a reason. I pulled Elder Cray to the side and talked to him about the talk and I said that I think that me seeing that was the reason why I stayed one more day in the MTC. He gave me a hug and said yea I thought that would help.  I’m doing great, I have been going to gym almost like every night and I have gained 3 pounds but I have been running and playing volleyball a lot so I think that's why I didn't gain like 15 like everyone else. I’ll write you again when I’m in England this next Monday. :)

Love Jeremy

 

Missionary Monday October 20, 2014

Email time! Such a great way to spend a Monday hearing from our missionary!

Things are going good I think. The book store has like everything you could ever want for a mission. The church doesn't even know when I'm leaving. I've been going in every day waiting for them to tell us but they don't even know supposedly but I think they just don't want to tell us because one of my companions visa hasn't come in yet. I have been writing in my journal like crazy. Alec told me he has his wisdom teeth appointment for the 28th, I think, so I told him to make to the MTC by Christmas because its awesome here on Christmas day. I went to the Provo temple for the last time today too it was pretty good. The main guy from Saints and Soldiers was in the presentation so that threw me off a little bit.

That was about it. I am hoping as he gets into the mission field that his letters will have a little more to them and that he will open up more about his experiences. Right now he's new and still writes like he is texting me. Lol! He puts that in a lot of his emails.

That's all for this next, more next week, hopefully he will be in England by then.

October 17, 2014 VISA is here!!!

Just got word from the church office that Jeremy's visa is here. He has flight plans for October 23rd. He flies out of Salt Lake that morning. Wish I could be there to see him off. I have sent him 2 care packages and mail. I have also heard people are emailing him. That is great! Thank you for all the support.

Missionary Monday Oct 13, 2014

I have waited all day for an email. Finally it came! I miss his noise in our home.  Here is what his new email said. Actually  he sent me three emails all at once. I guess he kept thinking of things while he was still able to email. Warning! His emails are not long and they are edited to be in letter written form instead of text message form.

The food isn't too bad. Its like glorified cafeteria food, haha! I have 2 companions both got there visas held back and are going to England like the same time I am, hopefully we leave on time together. Their names are Elder Casey and Elder Lapu'aho, they are both from Utah. I'm in a district with 7 other guys that are all going to Boston together. One of them is from england and we have been asking him questions constantly lol. We are all super close and its cool to have distractions with all the people here.  Uhh lets see what else i sent alec a letter. I just got back from the temple and it was awesome! Now we have an hour to email then we have to do laundry! haha I would love care packages with cookies everyone else is getting them that would be awesome too.

Love jer

His next one said:

oh and I'm district leader. lol.

 

Arrival at the MTC October 8,2014

Jeremy left this morning to serve the Lord in the Leeds England Mission. His visa did not arrive in time to go to the England MTC so he went to the Provo one instead. He was ordained a missionary the night before. He was given a beautiful blessing by President Mantlo. Then he stayed up packing half the night. I know he had all this time but waited until the night before. Alec Barton was there to share in the packing frenzy. We had to be to the airport at 6am. So it was going to be a long day for him. We are so proud of him and the decision he made to serve the Lord. His first email came that night. It reads:

From: Jeremy Carrigan <jeremy.carrigan@myldsmail.net>

Date:10/08/2014 9:05 PM (GMT-07:00)

To: banda86us@yahoo.com

Cc:

Subject: I'm here!!!!

I made it to the mtc. They are giving me 5 minutes to send an email home. uh I'm going to write a letter too and send it whenever I can.  I had a very long first day I hope the others go by faster then this. They say that they do but I'm not so sure haha. So yea i'll send another email on Monday.