Letter from President Foulger

Dear Brother and Sister Cannon:

What a girl you have raised. She is not only a wonderful young woman, she is a terrific missionary. Wow! Lot's and lot's to be proud of here. I often tell the missionaries that I wish their parents could see what I see.

E-mail - Dec. 27, 2006

"We have 3 hours of normal preparation day today and I am so grateful. My companion and I both were disappointed in how easy it was to slip back into "normal" behavior in just the two days we had to do whatever we wanted including watching G rated films. We rented High School Musical and Chicken Little. It was a fun way to remember Christmas. the night before the Bishop and his wife put on a huge dinner party for those who would have otherwise spent Christmas alone. The evening was finished by watching "White Christmas" in the Relief Society room on big blow up chairs. It was great! My Christmas presents were perfect Mom! I was so happy to talk to all of you on Monday. It made it much more real that I am So dramatically separated by time and space from all of your lives and details. I am so pleased that it doesn't change how I feel or what I know about you. Our conversation left me pondering on how important my family really is to me. Heavenly Father had it right when He sent me to you. I am so blessed. I am also shocked to hear you got a copy of my President letter. I hope you enjoyed the part that saiD "letters are confidential so you may be open in your comments." Oh well. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I love President Foulger. He has such an impressive testimony. I got a beautiful card from Aunt Linda and Uncle Mel and the Woffindens sent me a Christmas card. They are so sweet. Thank y ou for your prayers and letters and everything. HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

E-mail - Dec. 20, 2006

"The Church must be true or something! This place is so perfect for me. I love and ache for Milton Keynes, but Seven Kings has been an answer to so many of my unspoken prayers, (or yours). Sister Christensen is from Topeka Kansas and she is so wonderful! She has studied Special Ed at Kansas University and she has a woober voice. It's crazy. We work hard and laugh a lot. I'm very at home already and it's a perfect place to spend Christmas. Our area covers a huge portion of East London. We live with two senior sisters. Sister Liljenquist and Sister Telford. They have been in Ilford for almost 9 months and they will probably be moving to the Hyde Park ward for the remainder of their mission. They do mostly less-active work and they also cover the media referrals, both of which we will take over when they go. I love them a lot and their role is very important but very different from ours. It does feel more like home, they buy most of the food and take care of cleaning and things. We live in a small flat with a washer but no dryer and we use public transport to get around so there is a ton more OYM-ing (open your mouth) on buses (the double decker kind), trains and tubes. We tract a bunch as well which belive it or not has been the source of most of the success here. It's so different from MK but I know it was exactly what I needed to revitalize my mission. I was too comfortable in Milton Keynes.

So many miracles this week. After a long afternoon of tracting, we made our way to the bus stop where there was only a young girl. I was kind of nervous to talk to her but then she approached us "Are you from the Latter-day saint church?" We were thrilled as she explained that she, her brother and her mom were baptized 10 years ago and had moved around so much that they had lost contact with the church. We set an appointment. It was so amazing. We taught them the first lesson and Sister Cobbinah (the mom) would finish our principles as we taught. Michelle remembered and sang all of "I am a child of God" and talked about how every church she had been to since she had lost contact with the church she knew wasn't right. The Spirit was so strong and at the end Sister Cobbinah told us how much she wanted to go to the temple and tell everyone she knew about the church. It was so awesome. I'm so excited to go to the TEMPLE! It's going to be so cool -- half the mission will be there. "

E-mail - Dec. 13, 2006 - Transferred!

"It'll be alright, I'm going to Ilford (Essex) about 30 minutes from serious London. I'm going to be with Sister Christensen from Kansas. She served with Sister Anyanwu for 4 1/2 monts in Britania Ward so I know some funny stories about her. I really do feel okay about it. It's just that no one told me this would be a hard part of missionary work. Sister McKeen has been crying all day and we have been trying to say goodbye to as many people as we can and still leave time to pack. Brother Settle is official. I can't believe I'm going to say goodbye to them, at least we have tonight with them. The Baptism service was wonderful. The Relief Society sisters all gave me a standing invitation to stay with them when I come back to visit, same with the Settles. I hope someday you will be able to meet them. We were just talking about the spread of all these amazing people we have met (and will meet) so diverse and wonderful. I know that this is the Lord's work. I love it a lot. loves and kisses, Abigail"

Gingerbread Houses

Sister McKeen and Sister Cannon made these houses for their investigators. Abby's decorating skills have improved since her earlier efforts. Great job!

Ready for Christmas

"Christmas is everywhere and people seem to be very aware (a few seconds longer before the door shuts or at least a smile at our energetic "Hi-AH's). Sister McKeen went berserk with the decorations you sent and the Lawrences bought us a little fiberoptic tree. Our room is a Christmas wonderland. I think I would die if I had to leave beloved Milton Keynes 2 weeks before Christmas, but I would do it if I had to."

Merry Christmas Missionaries

The Stockings were hung by the window with care (next to the Malteasers Advent Calendar).

Silly Missionaries

Sisters with Elder Wilkinson and Elder Atwood

Color Guard

Sister McKeen was a member of the Davis High Color Guard. This is very impressive!

Companions - Milton Keynes

Sisters Cannon and McKeen

E-mail - Dec. 6, 2006

"I will admit that I had some pretty tramatising things happen to me this week, the kind of things that made real just what kind of battle we are fighting, but the Lord is looking out for us and at least I know I'm on the winning side. Last night we had Dinner at the Bletchley Bishop's house (Norton). Sister Norton reminded me so much of you, Mom, and the house felt so much like home it was really wierd. She even went all the way to the base to buy American green chiles for the enchiladas and Ranch dressing. It's good to be loved by the members. Brother Settle is being baptized on Saturday and I am so excited! It will be a wonderful occasion, and we have another scheduled for January 13, Helene Bostock-Smith. She is so great. I don't remember if I ever told you about her. She has had extensive exposure to missionaries in the past. She loves the "Mormon People" but for whatever reason she was never baptized. She ordered the Finding Faith in Christ DVD and we turned up. We must be doing something right. I feel like the Lord is just pouring the blessings out. I love you all and I'm so grateful for your prayers. thank you for all your support. Until next week."