Well, transfers week is here already! Since Elder Santiago and I have been together for two transfers we are getting new companions. Elder Santiago is going to Lee Valley in east London, I will be staying here and getting Elder Falke, who is originally from Germany.
Transfers week always brings a lot of excitement, the climax being our "moves call" on Monday night where we tell all the missionaries what is happening. This isn't as exciting as it used to be since our mission is moving more and more digital. All of our records are kept on our iPads, and when we get transferred the new area's data gets pushed to our iPad. Since this happens on Monday now, everyone finds out where they are going before moves calls.
So, what have I learned over the past transfer? It was reaffirmed to me that English winters are hard as a missionary. We saw the season take its toll on a lot of missionaries around us. Though winter is still here, I have also seen friendships strengthen as we all press on together. It is sad to see some of those missionaries get transferred, and for a few go home because they have finished their time. It is often just little things that make hard times not only bearable, but enjoyable. Having a good conversation on the street, making something really good for dinner, discovering something new in personal study, etc...
One of my recent discoveries is Pascal's Wager. Pascal was a French mathematician who lived in the 1600's, a time and place of much religious excitement, like most of Europe. He came up with the following:
On a grid, there are two columns and two rows. On top of the columns, they are headed: God exists, and God does not exist. On the rows: I choose to believe in God and act on that, or I choose not to believe and act. Now we have four combinations:
If God exists and I choose to believe and act accordingly, I can inherit Eternal Life. If God does not exist and I choose to believe I lose nothing. If God does exist and I choose not to believe, I forfeit eternal life. And finally, if God does not exist and I choose not to believe I gain nothing.
Of course, it is a bit more complicated than that in reality, but Pascal argued that by logical reasoning the best possible choice is to choose to believe in God and act accordingly, because you get the best possible outcome. In other words, there is nothing to lose and everything to gain. Just a small thought for my logical mind.
Upcoming this week we will go into London on Wednesday, meetings on Thursday, and a lot of admin work. Woohoo!
Cheers!
Elder Spencer Ammermon
England London Mission
64-68 Princes Gate, Exhibition Road
South Kensington
London
England SW7 2PA
(Our last dinner together of the transfer in Colchester) (sister Phillips (far left) is going home tomorrow)