Cables on a Mission

So Happy to Have Luc, Rachel, Ange, Beth and Richard Here

2011-08-18T17:26:00.001-06:00

Elder Clark Gets Married - Nancy Hole Visits

2011-07-23T12:36:00.001-06:00

Definitely one of our favorite elders, Cody Clark, invited us to his marriage and sealing to Emily in the Idaho Falls Temple and to the luncheon afterward in Menan on July 7th. I have seldom seen a couple who looked so radiantly happy as they entered the sealing room. It was a sacred privilege to be there.

The next day, on the 8th, we had a delightful time with Nancy Hole and her mother at the Olive Garden in downtown Salt Lake. It was so fun to catch up on all the news of the YSA in Cardiff.

Dearden's Come for the 4th of July 2011

2011-07-23T12:18:00.002-06:00

It was a special treat to have President Andrew, Ann, Melissa and Lois with us in meetings on Sunday the 3rd of July 2011. President Dearden and Melissa bore their testimonies of the atonement in the Gospel Doctrine class I was substitute teaching. It was an incredible experience. Ann bore her testimony in Sacrament Meeting where we were singing patriotic hymns because of the 4th of July weekend. She started by saying in her delightful Welsh accent, "I'm glad it is not 1776 or I might be shot." She is delightful. Lois and Melissa helped me prepare dinner.

President Richard and Amy Moffit had a gathering at their home for the Deardens on the 6th of July. We loved greeting them and the missionaries who knew the Deardens. Of course, I love Alex Bearnson and he has a beautiful wife and a very handsome little son.

I absolutely love Amy Moffit. She is my kind of person.

It is always fun to see Sisters Cami Russell and Calli Stillman, here with Melissa. Cami and Calli have come to see us at our home and they are delightful. In addition, Elder Sessions and of course, Elder Gerber have been to our home. It is fun to see the missionaries and catch up on what they are doing.

A special surprise was to see Elder Aaron Wark visiting from Scotland.

I love him and his accent.

Blair McGarvey Spence was also there. Aaron and Blair grew up in the same ward in Scotland. It was a small ward and very few missionaries went out from there, but how lucky for us, they were both called to the England Birmingham Mission at the same time. Great people, full of joy!

More Visitors from Wales

2011-07-23T11:41:00.001-06:00

I decided to add things to this blog that pertain to our mission to Wales.
It was so nice to have Helen Kay and her two children, James and Erin, here on a Sunday.

She was visiting a former missionary companion who lives in Bountiful.

Now in the photo below, they didn't really come here, but I loved this picture of Luc's family.

Luc, Irena, Rachel, Cammie, Zoe, Michael Rasmussen.

All Good Things Must Come to an End

2010-10-15T00:38:00.000-06:00

This will be my last post on this blog. If you want to see what we are doing now that we are home, I have started a new blog, "Linked By Cable" and I post things there once in awhile. Thanks for stopping by.

England Birmingham Mission Reunion

2010-10-15T00:35:00.000-06:00

I was so excited to be able to help a little bit with the reunion and it was a privilege to work with Amy and Dick Moffat (that seems strange because they are still President and Sister Moffat to me). There were a lot of missionaries, many of them engaged or married, and everyone had a great time talking with one another and catching up on the latest events in their lives.

I was most surprised to see Elder Hansen (center photo) from Sweden. He had to leave his mission early because of health reasons, he is doing really well now, and he has moved to Layton, Utah to run a potato chip business his family owns. His family has immigrated to Utah also, living in Draper. It was so fun to see him as well as so many other missionaries. They have great enthusiasm and goodness about them. It has been a privilege to work with and know them.

General Conference and Welsh Friends

2010-10-15T00:26:00.000-06:00

We were so happy to be able to get four tickets to a session of April General Conference and were able to two of our grandchildren, Katelyn and Spencer. They loved being there as much as we did.

In addition to the friends we saw at Conference, we also had other visitors from Wales as well as Elder Gerber returning from his mission.And we certainly learned that God knows who Peter is and has been looking out for him. Peter has such amazing potential and we pray for him and hope for the best.

Bev and Nolan Gerber, in the bottom center photo with Elder Gerber, have been so generous with us, allowing us to use their Bear Lake Cabin for a family reunion which was fabulous. We had such a great time building wonderful family memories there.

Our Homecoming, Melissa's Baby, and Family Gatherings

2010-10-15T00:16:00.001-06:00

Julie never does anything half way. The cupcakes and other foods for Melissa's baby shower were divine and everything was breathtakingly beautiful. I was thrilled to be able to see Ellie shortly after her birth. All of my girls and their families were here for our Homecoming. I loved being with everyone and truly appreciate the sacrifices they made to come. It was so nice of the Gerbers and the Bearnsons to come also. It was a fun day indeed.

Welcome Home

2010-10-15T00:06:00.001-06:00

We couldn't have asked for a more joyful homecoming. It was fun to see our family at the airport with their Welcome Home sign.

Our daughter, Kim, kept us busy from the moment we stepped into our home. She is a delight.

We were only home five days before Elder Cable had his needed surgery. Within a couple of days he was feeling great and doing lots of things around the house.

Meals, Gifts, Songs and Love

2010-05-11T18:06:00.008-06:00

We had already been scheduled to speak in Sacrament meeting on the 14th, so that turned out well as that was to be our last Sunday. After the closing song and prayer, the congregation had us stand while they sang, "We'll Keep a Welcome." Oh how we love that song. Indeed, we will have a feeling of hiraeth after we leave her.

The Young Single Adults held a big Family Home Evening to say good-bye to us. Students came from all over South Wales and it was so nice of them. Because there were some investigators, Elders Burri and Clark were able to come also. After the lesson Luc sang the solo introduction to "We'll Keep a Welcome" then they all joined in. This song is so poignant. Oh how we will miss these young people. Several have promised to come visit us in America. We hope so, but we shall see.

The 16th was our last day in Wales. David Beale came over from Bristol and helped us go to the EBM office, taking all our luggage because it would not fit in our little car. We love him and will truly miss him. We admire his goodness (he has never even tasted a cola drink and neither has any of his children). We also respect and admire his abilities. He is legend.

Sister Ogden provided a wonderful dinner at their home, then a sweet testimony meeting, one of the most powerful I have ever experienced, with the other departing missionaries. Elder Wark's (from Scotland) testimony was one of the most powerful and amazing I have ever heard. Then President & Sister Ogden had us and Sister Cunha stay overnight at their home. The Elders stayed at the mission office. President Ogden got up at 3:00 a.m. with us, we shared some sweetrolls and he wished us bon voyage as the AP's drove us all in a van to the airport. All went well as we flew out from Birmingham to Paris to Salt Lake City. Truly the end of a very sweet experience.

CES Departing Gift - Davy Miner's Lamp

2010-05-11T17:19:00.006-06:00

As we will be heading for home next Tuesday, February 16th, our S&I Coordinator came to our Institute class this week to give us a departing gift of this Miner's Lamp. He read the following letter as he presented it to us in front of the class:

Dear Elder and Sister Cable,

A Davy Miner's Lamp is the traditional British farewell gift in the Seminaries and Institutes of Religion programme.

The miner's lamp is symbolic of many things. The Master said, "let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matt. 5:16) For the last fifteen months you have held up a light to the young adults in Wales. The Psalmist tells us: "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." (Psalms 119:105) The scriptures have been your lamp and with them you have illuminated many a darkened path for students.

Welsh LDS miners have figured prominently in church history. You may remember that it was miners of Britain who helped bring about Fast Sunday. Originally, the first Thursday of the month was set aside by the Church for fasting. However, the hot conditions and heavy work in the mines caused severe discomfort for miners who were fasting, and "Fast Thursday" was changed to "Fast Sunday" in Britain because of this. Later, in 1896, this pattern was established for the whole Church. It has been estimated that some 14 percent of LDS immigrants in the mid-nineteenth century were miners, mostly from the British Isles and in particular Wales. Their contribution was considerable. Many were employed by Brigham Young to pioneer new mining colonies to exploit the mineral resources of Utah, especially iron and coal. You also have been pioneers developing the S&I programme in Wales and helping Welsh students discover their hidden potential.

The miner's lamp is a safety device--a lamp of protection, to warn in times of danger and prevent tragedy, even death. As you have served your mission, watching over and teaching Institute students, your light has been their protection. Wherever the miners went, they took their safety lamps, known as "Davy Lamps," after the inventor, Sir Humphrey Davy. The lamps were able to detect the presence of explosive gas, without causing an explosion themselves. One little-known fact is that Davy refused to patent his invention, even though had he done so he would have made a fortune, so widespread was its use. The reason he gave was that the lamp was created to serve the cause of humanity, for which he sought no reward. As you have taught the Gospel in Wales at great personal cost, the students and priesthood leaders have seen the same spirit of selfless service in you.

God Bless you. Wales and its Saints cannot thank you enough.

David Beale

S&I Coordinator

That was so nice. I must say it is extremely difficult to leave these students who are a bright and shining light to us. We have gained so much more from them than we have given. What a joy they have been.

__________________________________________________________________

6 COMMENTS: [I had to add these as I deleted this post then re-entered it.]

Julie said...

That is so awesome!! What a great thing to have in your home to remind you of the experiences you've had and the relationships you've formed while in Wales. You have sure done a great work there, and it will be so nice to have a little tangible reminder of that.

February 11, 2010 9:46 AM

Becky said...

I can't believe you are coming home early. What an abrupt end to your mission. I hope Wayne is doing well. I bet Cherie will be glad to have you home -- and the rest of your family as well.

February 11, 2010 11:36 AM

Wren said...

Very nice blog! Thanks so much for sharing.

February 13, 2010 12:32PM

Kim said...

Very appropriate. Thanks for always letting your lights shine for me, and protecting me from hidden dangers as well. I love you.

February 14, 2010 12:38PM

Julie said...

I think you should continue blogging, now making it all about your awesome family. :)

February 18, 2010 12:17 PM

Katie Kerr Wrede said...

You must be feeling such mixed emotions. I hope the best for you and Wayne.

February 19, 2010 8:29AM

Just a Few More Hours

2010-05-11T16:47:00.006-06:00

As Elder Cable requires some surgery that cannot be done here for quite some time, we have been advised by our Mission President and the Area Authority to end our mission three months early and return home to have him taken care of. It is with great regret that we leave the members, our Institute students and the missionaries whom we have come to love so dearly. We are excited to be home with our family again, but for today there is sorrow in leaving, even though we know it is right and for the best.

Everyone wants to say good-bye in a special way and they are showering us with meals and little gifts. They are far better to us than we deserve, but we love their warmth and kindness.

Sinead Cross, an investigator, wanted to fix dinner for us and the Elders. It was a fun evening. On Thursday we took the Elders to Interviews at the Ward as Elder Clark can't walk very far or ride a bike because of an unknown pain. We take them everywhere. Thursday we were off to Merthyr Tydfil for our last time teaching Institute there. We love those girls and they are hilarious. I recorded their Welsh accents. That was an experience!

Friday we did our last flat inspections. What a delight. It is something we will definitely miss. Our first stop was in Pontypridd, Elder Hummer and Elder Jagoda's flat. Elder Hummer had a teddy bear on his bed, Buster, and told me they have been together since he was a baby and that I should say "Hi" to Buster. I did. There are not a lot of missionaries who could get away with having a teddy bear, especially one that his companion must say "Good Night" to every night, but Elder Hummer is so cool, he can. In fact the missionaries call him Commander Hummer.

Elders Hummer and Jagoda really wanted to win the "Cleanest Flat Award" as Elder Clark nearly always wins. When we arrived they told me to look at the refrigerator. On it was a note: "Sister Cable, look in the fridge." I did, and there was a beautiful bouquet of roses for me. They won.

There's nothing quite like TGIFriday's. I wish we had discovered it sooner. It was fun to treat the Elders to lunch between Elder Clark's appointments with Dr./President Dearden.

Countryside in Wales

2010-05-08T19:09:00.007-06:00

I thought I would put up a few photos of Wales. These were taken on January 29th after we did flat inspections. We decided to have lunch at Thornhill Farm, really close to where we live, and I think the countryside is beautiful. It was a clear, sun-shiny day, well at least part of the day. The weather here changes every five minutes. It rained within ten minutes of these photos. But that didn't last -- we soon had sunshine again.

You can see the Severn River and England in the background; and my beloved sheep grazing in the meadow. I am still amazed at how green things are, even in the middle of winter.

____________________________________________________________________

(Because I deleted this post and added it again later, I will add the comments just so I don't lose them.)

4 COMMENTS:

Becky said...

VERY cool pictures. You are an awesome photographer!

FEBRUARY 3, 2010, 4:43 PM

Julie said...

Beautiful Wales. I'm sad to say that you're coming home to a place that is not that green in Winter. But if we get a little snow, it will be a beautiful white!

(Regretfully, I've lost the other two comments.)

22-29 January 2010: Baptism - YSA - District Mtg. - Paul's BD - Flat Inspections

2010-05-07T20:59:00.010-06:00

When I look back over a few days, I am always surprised at everything that happens. Ken and Margaret's baptism was one of the best. They are so excited about being members of the Church.

I am ever surprised at how willing our YSA are to go to a lot of trouble for their "fancy dress" parties and dances. They have such a good time with one another.

It was also very kind of our students to come to our home for Family Home Evening when Elder Cable was too ill to go out. We loved having them there and we had a good time.

Any time we can spend with the missionaries is always an enriching experience. We especially love Elder Clark and Elder Burri and are so lucky to be able to spend extra time with them as we help them shop, drive them to teaching appointments, and teach with them. I love to listen to them discuss the gospel and express their love for the Savior and His work.
Another "fancy dress" party, this time to celebrate Paul Pratt's birthday. The theme was "suit up" and everyone was requested to wear a suit. We ate at Nandos in the new St. David's Mall which is first class all the way. The new John Lewis department store there is amazing.

Nathan East and Simon Hayes always wear their missionary name tags on the inside pocket of their suit coats. For fun they put them on the outside for a photo. They both miss being on their missions.

Sean Chen Chen will soon be going back to China. Oh how we will all miss him.

Flat inspections in Cardiff, Blackwood, Cwmbran and Newport. It has been hard to inspect all the flats we need to because Elder Cable doesn't feel as well as he would like. We love visiting the missionaries in their flats and you never know what you will find. Do you like the "Lads on Tour" flag in the Newport flat? In these photos we have missionaries from Italy, China, Germany, Sweden, England, and the United States.

Winter Loveliness

2010-01-24T11:24:00.001-07:00

Invalids, Institute, Zone Conference & Friday Forum

2010-01-23T11:39:00.006-07:00

Transfers, A Wedding & A Birthday

2010-01-18T15:28:00.003-07:00

We absolutely love and admire Elder Clark and we are so happy that he is our new District Leader. He is an amazing missionary and one of the nicest people I have ever met. Elder Burri is from Switzerland and he will be a great co-senior companion with Elder Clark.

The Family Home Evening we had on the 11th was amazing. It is good to have Jess back and to have Ben meet with us, a pleasant surprise. Luc taught the lesson, always a treat, on Elder Holland's article in this month's Ensign, "The Best is Yet to Be". He used as discussion topics, "Remember Lot's wife." and "Faith builds on the past but never longs to stay there. Faith trusts that God has great things in store for each of us." As each of us shared our feelings and experiences I realized that almost every one of these students were suffering hardship in one way or another, yet their faith was firm and they felt the comfort of the Holy Ghost in the midst of their struggles. These young people truly inspire me.

January Comings and Goings

2010-01-08T04:54:00.007-07:00

With the joy of having our Institute students returning, though a few at a time, we are also experiencing one of the hardest parts of our mission. Just as you get really attached to someone, especially the missionaries, they leave. Elder Halaufia has only been in Rhiwbina for six weeks and he and Elder Clark make an awesome companionship. They work so well together, they teach with the Spirit, they are both dedicated missionaries and they are so much fun. Just as we become attached, they transfer missionaries. We are so thankful that Elder Clark will be here, but Elder Halaufia has gone to Nottingham. I would like to share a story he shared with our Institute class last Tuesday.

We asked the Elders to talk on some specific things to solidify the principles in the Institute lesson (Alma 17-24) which was emphasizing missionary work. Elder Halaufia said that after he finished his time in the MTC, while he was waiting for his visa to come through he was assigned to a three-some in Salt Lake City. He was excited to be a missionary and wanted to do his best and work hard. They lived in a member’s home and he said, “Let’s go knock some doors. I’m ready.” The other two Elders said, “This is Salt Lake City. We don’t knock doors in Salt Lake City.” Elder Halaufia wanted to know how they found people and the Elders said, “We go to the home of a member and they give us a referral, then we go teach that person.” Elder Halaufia was still excited and wanted to knock some doors because he had always thought that was what missionaries do. So the Elders condescendingly said, “Okay. Let’s let Elder Halaufia feel like a missionary. Where do you want to go?” Elder Halaufia said, “Well how about here, right in our neighborhood.” So they went across the street and knocked on the door. They could see someone coming toward the door. That was when Elder Halaufia got nervous, wondering what he would say, but he was determined. When the door was answered, it was a woman who said, “I have been waiting for three years for one of you to knock on my door. Come in.” So they went in and started teaching her the Gospel. You’ve got to love Elder Halaufia. He truly teaches with the Spirit.

A New Year Begins - 2010 is a Lovely Number

2010-01-03T14:41:00.003-07:00

End of the 365 Day Challenge. Hallelujah!

2009-12-31T14:39:00.005-07:00

Christmas & Boxing Day

2009-12-26T15:25:00.007-07:00

I am totally exhausted from all the parties, celebrations, Christmas services, and family get-togethers we have attended. It has been very nice, people have been phenomenal and overly kind to us, and we have been constantly fed. Christmas is a huge deal here and they have many public as well as private gatherings.

First was the rebroadcast of the First Presidency Christmas Devotional on the 13th which we really enjoyed even though it always makes us homesick to see the sights and sounds of Salt Lake City. It was a beautiful way to start the season for us.

On Friday, the 18th Luc Rasmussen invited us and the two sets of Cardiff missionaries, Elders Gerber & Wang and Elders D'Ottavio and Richter, to Student House where he served us a fabulous traditional Christmas dinner he had prepared for us and the students still here. It was so nice and so good of him to do this for us. We had a really fun time there. Now they will all leave for the holidays and we will miss them.

Cardiff Stake held a Carol Service Sunday evening, the 20th. You cannot believe the difference carol singing is here as compared to home. The people of Wales, who seem to naturally have really good voices, really sing with all their hearts. It makes you want to sing the same way. Because of the power of their singing, with the strength of the organ, I felt like they would actually raise the roof. I will miss hearing the singing of hymns like this when we go home. Gillie Grant also prepared a wonderful traditional Christmas dinner for us. She is always overly generous toward us.

It snowed on the 21st, a rare occurrence in December here, but it made everything more Christmasy. Also on the 21st we went to Roger and Margaret Wilson's for a lovely Christmas lunch. Elder Cable has especially bonded with Brother Wilson. They are a sweet couple and very loving.

The England Birmingham Mission party was held on Wednesday, the 23rd from noon until 6:30. PMG Jeopardy is always a favorite game and the talent show is unpredictable and amusing. We had a very nice Christmas dinner and an especially nice program at the end commemorating the birth of our Savior in narration done touchingly by Elder Ezard and in song. Elder Cable and Elders Clark, Halaufia, Gerber and Wang sang, "O Come, O Come Immanuel". Nicely done.

New Years Eve was spent at the home of Peter and Lisa Hammond, with more wonderful food. They always sing Christmas carols and have the story, "The Three Trees" read. It was a nice evening, partly because Elders Clark and Halaufia came with us. They are good and fun Elders.

Christmas morning at 9:30 am we went to the Stake Christmas Service. It was not heavily attended, but it was my very favorite part of Christmas. They had a program read by various people in the ward, mostly the Parry family, telling the story of the birth of the Christ child from the point of view of others around him. And of course there was a lot of singing of Christmas carols interspersed. The script was written by sisters serving at the London Temple and it is brilliant.

We came home and opened our few Christmas gifts and that was very nice.

Then it was a wonderful Christmas dinner at Alex and Jo Winters' home in Taffs Well. They live in an old (200 years) stone house that is so very charming. And Alex and Jo have two small children who are very well behaved and charming. Alex is a star on children's television, CBBC, and we had a wonderful time with them and Elders Clark & Halaufia. It was the perfect Christmas day. They bought us all gifts to remind us of our time in Wales. I got a red scarf with the symbols of Wales embroidered in it, the daffodil, leeks, the Prince of Wales ostrich feathers, the dragon, and the flag of Wales. We are spoiled.

Christmas evening we went to Colin & Sue Winters to enjoy the gathering of all the Winters clan. The families of Colin & Sue, Helen & Rob Kay, Claire & Jamie Holcombe, Alex & Jo Winters and Gareth Winters and his girlfriend, and others. Of course there was an abundance of food and beauty all around. Elder Clark called his family from the Winters home. We then came to our flat and Elder Halaufia called his family from here. We had a delightful talk with Elder Clark about the scriptures and the gospel. We love our Elders. They loved calling home, but it does make it harder for them to be away.

We were not finished yet. Saturday the 26th was Boxing Day, a day for more celebration. We were invited to join Derek and Sue Parry and their family. We spent Christmas with them last year, but Jo invited us to their home in October, so Parry's invited us for Boxing Day. It worked out super for us. We ate another big traditional Christmas dinner, watched the family open gifts and enjoyed the teenagers in the family. Parrys are always so very good to us. In the evening we went back over to Colin & Sue Winters' home and another feast was spread. All of their family came again and after eating all we could, we all played Articulation, a word game, women against the men. It was a fun and raucous game.

Sunday was Church and then dinner at Gillie's again. But it was quiet, restful and very enjoyable. I can't believe how good people are to us and I am quite embarrassed by all they do for us. We certainly don't deserve it.

We miss our family so very much, especially during the holidays. We wish we could be with them, enjoy our family traditions and listen to them tell what is going on in their lives. They are so very precious to us.

We are so thankful and increasingly aware of the great blessing of our Savior, Jesus Christ. His condescension, humility and willingness to help the one, no matter the status or comeliness of the one, is such a gift for us. He has given us everything. We will strive to come closer to following his example in the coming year. We love our Institute students and the missionaries and feel so blessed to be able to associate with them. We pray continually that we will be able to make a difference. We know that Jesus Christ is the literal son of the Eternal Father and the way, the truth, and the light. We know the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith. We know the Book of Mormon is the word of God for us in this time and it will change your life if you prayerfully and sincerely read it and embrace the principles it contains. We know by personal experience that these things are true.

Elder Cable's Birthday

2009-12-19T12:21:00.004-07:00

I'm sad to say that I caught the flu this week which made it impossible for us to go to Chorley (by Preston) as planned for S&I Training and a session at the temple. We were very disappointed. We always enjoy meeting with the other senior missionaries and the S&I training is always motivating and inspirational.

We feel deeply grateful for the generosity of Gillie Grant in taking Elder Cable, Lynne and me to tea for his birthday. It was celebrated at a beautiful, authentic Welsh pub in a 400-year-old stone building, the Maenllwyd. The atmosphere was delightfully quaint and the food was perfectly and beautifully prepared. We had such a nice time.

Friday we were cooked a wonderful Christmas dinner by Luc Rasmussen at Student House. The two sets of Elders in Cardiff were also invited and we had a really fun time. Tomorrow the few students left in Cardiff will be going home. We will miss them during this break. Luc is amazing, so generous and willing to help others. The hospitality he extended was unexpected but deeply appreciated. The dinner was plentiful and delicious.

OUR MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU

2009-12-12T12:59:00.005-07:00

1) At a District Meeting; 2) My Beloved Sheep; 3) At an Institute Activity; 4) Raglan Castle; 5) At Castle Coch; 6) Cardiff Castle; 7) Forest of Bluebells in Wales; 8) Stratford-on-Avon; 9) Tintern Abbey

Christmas Parties, Zone Conference & Baptisms

2009-12-12T08:56:00.007-07:00

Thursday we saw so much beauty at Cardiff City Hall that we had no idea existed. It has wonderful marble statues, paintings and stained glass windows. It was good that we went there. We ran into Laura Slater, one of our YSA, and she invited us to a concert she was performing in that evening in City Hall, so we went. Luc also came and we were able to sit with him.

We went to a baptism on Friday in Pontypridd and one again on Saturday in Rhiwbina. The Spirit that is felt at these baptisms is beautiful as these tender, new converts accept the gospel and take this step with full faith in Jesus Christ. Baptisms at Christmas time seem to be especially appropriate.

Winter & the Christmas Season are Upon Us

2009-12-06T02:06:00.008-07:00

We are so excited to have Elders Clark and Halaufia in our Ward. They were asked to bear their testimonies Sunday. Elder Halaufia was born in Tonga but raised in Florida, even playing football for the University of Florida (or was it Florida University). He said, "I prayed and prayed to know if the Book of Mormon was true. I never got an answer. I prayed to know if I should go on a mission. When I went to Church the Bishop asked me if I would like to go on a mission. That was my answer. I now know the Book of Mormon is true. There is power in that book." Elder Clark, from Idaho, said, "I know that the Book of Mormon is a tangible piece of Heavenly Father's love. Being on a mission brings me happiness, the greatest happiness I have ever known."

I have newly discovered this quote by Sir Winston Churchill, and I love it. It applies so perfectly to missionary work: "Success is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm." When I see the missionaries doing this very thing, my heart is filled with love for them as they continue with full faith and an optimistic spirit in their efforts to find, teach and encourage others to accept Christ and remain faithful to His church. It isn't easy, but they actually do it.

I was amazed at the ambitious plan Kaylee Hillier and Jess Witts had to have our students build a nativity scene in one activity after Institute last week, but they did it. I love that we now have an Institute Nativity and I think it is very cute. Nice job Cardiff YSA!

As we inspected missionary flats it was evident that the Christmas spirit has touched our missionaries. Two flats had Christmas trees and the other had adorable Christmas decorations. It was hard for me to see one missionary receive many, many Christmas packages and the companion receive nothing. I am hopeful that all will receive something before Christmas. I know if they don't their companion will share. Christmas is joyful, but can be hard for some missionaries. Notes or other remembrances from home mean so much to them.

The Institute Choir sounded wonderful at the Saturday night session of Stake Conference. I am so impressed that they will sacrifice so much to be at every meeting they are asked to attend. Besides all the demands of university and work, they devote an amazing amount of time to the Church, many of them holding positions of great responsibility in their wards. They inspire me.

Transfers & Thanksgiving

2009-11-28T11:40:00.007-07:00

Sister Russell has departed for home and Sister Strein was sent to Leicester (for you Americans, that's said "Lester"). Now we have Elders in our ward instead, and Elder Clark was so excited when he heard he was being transferred to our ward he could hardly contain himself. We are just as excited to have him come, and his companion, Elder Halaufia, is great too. We hope they have great success and love the work here.

It's always exciting when we have investigators come to Family Home Evening and Institute. You really think about what you are teaching and how you teach it. The members of our classes are all on such different levels, but somehow it all works out. Best of all, some who have been fairly inactive have been coming regularly and even volunteering to do extra things to make the gospel come alive for all of us.

We had such a great time with the senior missionary couples in our mission at the home of President and Sister Ogden. The food was unbelievably good and such a great touch of home. As long as we couldn't be with our dear families, this was a good alternative. It is wonderful to talk to other missionary couples and compare their activities to ours. Elder & Sister Karren are amazing S&I missionaries serving in Birmingham. It is so fun to talk to them.

We have so much to be thankful for at this time of year. We are blessed with wonderful families and with a marvelous heritage from our ancestors. Our daughters are so precious and so helpful and caring for one another. Our grandchildren are delightful and bring us joy beyond anything we ever expected. The opportunities we have had to associate closely with the wonderful young adults here in Wales and to learn from and be inspired by them is a high privilege, one that we will sorely miss when our mission is over. The time we spend with the young missionaries is rich and rewarding. We do treasure every opportunity we have to be with them, and especially the times we can teach with them. It is at those times we are shown the operations of the Holy Ghost and how great things are brought to pass through small and simple means. We love and admire them. We are thankful for our Savior and have learned, more than ever before, to appreciate his atonement and the incomparable love manifest by the Father and the Son in providing this gift for us. We find great joy in knowing that Joseph Smith truly saw the Father and the Son and did all that was required of him to bring about the restoration of truth upon the earth. Our gratitude is deep for all we have been given.

Things Will Never Be the Same

2009-11-21T15:20:00.006-07:00

The Stake President made a lot of leadership changes in the Rhiwbina Ward this week.

We learned that there will be no more CES missionaries here after we leave.

They are "whitewashing" our area by taking the Sisters out and replacing them with Elders.

Someone once told me change is good. I hope so.

Elder Cable still feels very poorly, but it has been so good to get a little more back into our regular routine. We miss our Institute students when we don't get to see them. And we love every minute we get to spend with the missionaries.

Not Everything Was Good

2009-11-14T13:22:00.008-07:00

President Uchtdorf's CES Fireside talk was exceptional. He said exactly what the YSA need to hear with an unbelievable delivery. He was charming, friendly, fun and yet powerful. He gave so much good advice and challenged us in such a way that I want to live better and be better. This was a choice opportunity, and we can even watch it again on lds.org, which we have done a couple of times.

President/Dr. Dearden has been so caring of Wayne during this illness. He is very much appreciated. We appreciate all everyone has done for him and hope he will now get better, become stronger, and that we will be able to resume our missionary duties. I had some very interesting chats with the various taxi drivers as I went back and forth to the Heath Hospital. One wasn't sure whether there was a God or not (I told him there was and that He loved him), another was mad that the English newspapers don't report the big Welsh rugby match scores, and another thought George W. Bush should have dropped a nuclear bomb after 911. Go figure.

The weather has been miserable with driving rain and 68 mph winds so when Sisters Russell and Strein dropped by just before their mealtime on Saturday, even though they have a car, they were sopping wet and very cold. So I fixed them some piping hot tomato soup and toast while they warmed themselves by the space heater. They were gladdened and soon went on their way. They have a new appreciation for the Elders who are on bikes in this weather.

Good Friends and Beautiful Autumn Weather

2009-11-07T09:28:00.006-07:00

We were so pleased that Luc invited us over to Student House 42 for dinner on Sunday. It was so good and made us feel all warm and cozy on this cool autumn day because he made a delicious Acorn Squash Soup. Chen Chen was here and that is always a great bonus. We miss him. His parents came by and as usual it was great to visit with them.

Lynne Pearce invited us to dinner Wednesday. She is a great cook and she made her amazing fresh blackberry and apple crumble. I always eat too much of that. Friday night Elder Gerber and Elder Wang fixed an American dinner with Chinese dishes added for the Chinese new member and her investigator friend they are teaching. They invited us to join them and I was so excited because Elder Gerber made Stove Top Stuffing. Such a wonderful taste of home. They had several other very good dishes, but I was happiest with the Stove Top.

Guy Fawkes Day or sometimes known as Bonfire Night is an interesting British holiday. In 1605 some men who thought the government was persecuting Catholics decided to get rid of the government by blowing up Parliament on its opening day when the King and the Prince of Wales would be present. In the nick of time the plot was discovered and Guy Fawkes was discovered in the basement of Parliament where barrels of explosives were hidden, ready to be lighted. Guy was captured, tortured and hung at the age of 35. Since then children make an effigy of Guy Fawkes, carry them around town asking for "a penny for the Guy" then they take the money to buy fireworks. They then have a big bonfire and burn Guy Fawkes in effigy. This has been going on for 400 years. We have heard fireworks for several nights. Our YSA had a big bonfire in their back garden, with effigy and all.

Remember remember the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason why gunpowder, treason
Should ever be forgot...

Zone Conference & Achievements

2009-11-02T11:03:00.012-07:00

Elder Cable is so happy that he finally has his British driver's license. With the 163.00 pounds for the application fees, the 30.00 for a computer learning program and 148.00 for driving lessons, it cost 341.00 pounds stirling or about $575.00 to get his license to be able to drive for the next seven months, but he did it on the first try. Most need to take the tests more than once, paying for fees again each time. We are thrilled.

Zone Conference was excellent this time. Elder Rapana spoke on Our Purpose - "To invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and his atonement, . . ." He used the example of the brother of Jared who had such faith he saw the finger of the Lord, and his faith was so strong, Jesus Christ revealed himself to the brother of Jared as he would be when he came to the earth to bring salvation to all who would believe. So it is with us. As we develop our faith, God will reveal himself to us.

We have lost 10 companionships or 20 missionaries in the past year. President Ogden said Gideon's army was drastically reduced so they would clearly know that it was God's hand that gave them success. By the end of the year we will be down three more companionships, or six more missionaries. We have zero Americans coming to our mission this next transfer. In our Zone Conference of the Cardiff, Cheltenham and Merthyr Tydfil Zones we have missionaries from Germany, Italy, the United States, Scotland, Finland, Sweden, South Africa, Tonga, New Zealand, Switzerland, England and Canada.

Elder Bohn was one of the missionaries who shared his departing testimony as he will go home next transfer. He said, "When I was preparing to go on a mission, my Stake President asked why I wanted to go on a mission. I said, as an 18-year-old, 'Because it will make me a better person.' Now I know the real reason. We are sharing the greatest message ever given to man."

Sister Russell said, among other things, "There have been so many people who have tried to get me to deny the gospel. I will not do it. I cannot do it. I love the Book of Mormon. I don't want to go home. I didn't want this day to come."

President Ogden had Elder Gerber come to the front, then related the experience he had when he had Elder Gerber transferred back to Cardiff. It was clear that this is where the Lord wanted him even though logic, policy and past experiences would preclude it. But it was certain that the Lord wanted him back in Cardiff so he is here. Much of it had to do with Peter, his prayers for direction and prayers that the Lord would intervene in his life now that his wife has died. President Ogden said Elder Gerber is that intervention.

It is so great to have Elder Gerber back in Cardiff. We always have great spiritual experiences every time we teach with him and his companion. Elder Wang is such an asset and a happy, pleasant person. It was really nice to go teach these Chinese women with them. We went to Fang Lin's baptism in April, and now they are teaching her friend. They taught everything in Chinese and when they had us bear testimony, Elder Wang would interpret what we said. It was an unusual, but rewarding experience.

Students, Missionaries & Nursery Rhymes

2009-10-23T15:23:00.007-06:00

You may argue with us, but truly, we have the best mission there could possibly be. Our Institute students are amazing and more are coming all the time. Even Ark, who was baptized Saturday, is strong, knowledgeable, and anxious to share the Gospel. The opportunity to teach the doctrine of Christ, to explain the creation, fall and atonement, let alone the words of Isaiah is a daunting challenge yet it stretches us and somehow the Book of Mormon comes alive for all of us. We see the hand of the Lord every day.

It was such a privilege to be with Elders Gerber and Wang when they went to teach Peter. We talked about eternal families, a very tender subject for Peter. As his wife recently died, he wanted to know about temple work and had many questions. He is full of faith and gains strength from his steady, quiet reliance on the Savior.

Elder Wang, who is from mainland China, is a "miracle conversion". His best friend introduced him to the gospel, then his friend's mother flew with him to Hong Kong where he met with the missionaries and was taught all the lessons in one day and was baptized the next. Obviously he was truly converted as he is now serving a mission. His is not an isolated case. A few years ago there were a few hundred native Chinese in mainland China who were members, now there are thousands, many of whom are "miracle conversions" taught in one day.

One of our Institute students, Lisa Morgan, who lives in our mission, was just called as a missionary to serve in our mission, the England Birmingham Mission. This is the first time I have ever heard of that happening. She was surprised, but is anxious to serve.

We inspected flats in the Coventry Zone today. It was fun to see the missionaries we knew from when they were in Wales, it was great to see how clean some of the flats were, and it was really fun in Banbury to see Banbury Cross. They are celebrating it's 150th birthday this coming Sunday. Apparently there was an older cross in Banbury, but this one replaced it 150 years ago. And as an added bonus, we also saw the beautiful statue commemorating: "Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross to see a fine lady upon a white horse. Rings on her fingers and bells on her toes, she shall have music wherever she goes." And indeed, she did have rings on her fingers and bells on her toes.

Transfers & Lost Sheep

2009-10-18T09:06:00.006-06:00

We taught Institute Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. It is great to hear the comments and the testimonies of these young people. I have gained such a burning testimony of the love of God and of His Son Jesus Christ as we have studied the Book of Mormon. To teach of the creation, the fall and the atonement to these young people is a privilege indeed. The depth of gratitude I feel for Heavenly Father that he was willing to allow his beloved Son to suffer and die so we could find our way back to Him and for the love of the Savior for his Father and for us that he willing suffered as He did when he could have stopped the suffering at any point overwhelms me. "I Stand All Amazed."

Transfers brought us great joy. We keep nearly all the missionaries in our District and we have Elder Gerber back. What a bright light he is. He is training a companion straight from China. I think Elder Gerber was the only Chinese speaking Elder left in the mission but this transfer brought two natives of China. It took a long time to get their visas.

Elder Gerber, with Elders Sessions and Wood, taught Peter and Elder Gerber baptized him. Peter's wife passed away a couple of months ago and he had to go home. We were worried we would lose him. But he is back and with Elder Gerber here too, it is a very good thing. Elder Gerber, his companion and we are going to teach Peter tonight. I am excited.

We attended Ark's baptism in Pontypridd Saturday. He is a very intelligent, spiritual person who has studied hard and was so ready for baptism. He brought two non-member friends to the baptism. He was introduced to the Church by his friend girl, or girlfriend, I'm not sure which she is, but she is beautiful and has been a member since she was eight. Ark is reading the Book of Mormon diligently and he and Tracy have been attending our Institute class in Pontypridd. It is a privilege to associate with them.

Elders Kennett and Clark are doing a great work in Pontypridd. At the baptism I sat by Bill, a Chinese university student there whom they baptized four weeks ago. He is solid. Two weeks after they started teaching him he went out and bought a suit so he would be able to attend Church appropriately dressed. I love his humility and cheerful spirit.

Paul, who was baptized in September, had not been to Church for three weeks. We were very worried that we had lost him. We could not reach him by telephone, nor could the Sisters reach him at his home even when leaving notes, or at his work. We were very concerned. He was at Church today. He had been very ill and had spent five days in the hospital without a charger for his mobile phone. He is much improved and received the priesthood today.

General Conference and More

2009-10-10T10:29:00.006-06:00

General Conference was once again a marvelous time of spiritual joy. I especially enjoyed the talks by President Uchtdorf and Elder Holland, as well as many others. The Choir's rendition of "O Divine Redeemer" was especially beautiful. Then we were able to share our impressions and experiences with each other at Family Home Evening and gained additional insights and inspiration by doing so. What a great blessing it is for us to be associated with these young adults.

In addition, Tom and Julie, our daughter and her husband, were able to meet Luc who was in Salt Lake for General Conference. That means a lot to us as it is great to share some of the experiences of our mission with our family while we are away.

It's the Little Things

2009-10-03T14:02:00.006-06:00

Often it is not the big things that make a mission so memorable and meaningful. It is the many little things. One of them was the testimony of Ben Edwards, one of our Institute students who was baptized in February. I would like to share a few things he said Sunday in Testimony Meeting: "I'm not the greatest reader. But any time I am driving or walking around I turn on my iPod and listen to some Conference talks. My mother asked me this morning if I thought I had done the right thing [in joining the Church]. I said, 'Definitely. I know it is the right thing or I wouldn't be going.' I am thankful for the Cables and that they are teaching Institute. Last week in Institute when someone [Paul Pratt] read the Introduction to the Book of Mormon it reminded me of the first time I read the Introduction. I had such a wonderful feeling that filled me. When I heard him read it at Institute, I felt that feeling again. It filled me. I must confess I didn't listen to much else. I just wanted to keep that feeling." That's what it's all about.

President Dearden spoke at the Stake Temple Fireside, encouraging the people to use the temple, to attend often. He said, "There are so many beautiful churches in Wales. They are a testament of the people of that time. So very many of these churches have been converted into low price goods stores, houses for derelicts, art and craft stores, homes and even garages. That is a testament of our time." Are our temples being used as they should and as much as they should?

Simon Hayes taught our Family Home Evening lesson about the history of the Church in Britain. In 1837 Joseph Smith asked Heber C. Kimball to go to England and start the work there. At the ordination of Elder Kimball, Orson Hyde was present and right then volunteered to serve also. They landed in Liverpool on July 20, 1837, and baptized their first converts on July 30, 1837 in the River Ribble. Within months there were hundreds baptized in England. Heber C. Kimball baptized 1,500 converts.

Dan Jones served two missions to Wales, the first in northern Wales and he baptized one person in a year of working there. His second mission was to southern Wales where he baptized 3,200 in one year. Most of his success was in Merthyr Tydfil. The Osmond family has roots in Merthyr Tydfil. Simon Hayes, our FHE teacher this night, is a 6th generation member of the Church. That is rare here as most of the early converts immigrated to Utah.

It was different teaching Institute this week in three different places with three very different classes, but each one was rewarding in their own way. It is an amazing privilege to discuss the principles of the Book of Mormon with thoughtful, responsive young adults.

As all of you know, General Conference was fabulous, but that is a story for another week.

Institute Begins Anew - Book of Mormon!

2009-09-26T11:23:00.006-06:00

We had 46 come out to our opening Institute. That is about 16 more than normal. I'm sure we won't always have that many because so many came over from Swansea and won't be able to do that every week, but it was fabulous for our opening class. We have several new university students who have moved in and several YSA who have just become old enough to attend. It was a great night and Jess had some fun get-acquainted activities ready.

Friday was filled with really bad news from various friends and family. It made me so very sad. There are times when it is so frustrating to not be able to "be there" for someone so dear to you. I guess I will just have to count on being strengthened and refined through adversity.

Week of History & Wonder

2009-09-19T06:15:00.007-06:00

What a great week! Our Institute students are coming back and it is wonderful to greet them again. We love them so much and stand in awe at their spiritual depth, capacity to love, and ability to make anything fun as long as they are together. What a privilege to be a small part of their lives! In addition to our class on Tuesdays in Cardiff, we hope to have an impact on the students in Pontypridd as we teach there on Wednesdays and in Merthyr Tydfil when we teach there every other Thursday. How fun it will be to teach the Book of Mormon on several different levels of understanding.

We have diligently studied the Book of Mormon all summer and have gained an increased love for the Savior, an added depth of understanding, and an overpowering gratitude that the Book of Mormon was written, preserved, translated, and made available to us by the hand of God through the work and sacrifice of so many choice individuals through a long and turbulent history. Our students may learn nothing, but we have. It is true. It has power to save.

Zone Conference

2009-09-17T14:56:00.018-06:00

Our Zone Conference was with half the mission, Birmingham, Cardiff, Cheltenham and Merthyr Tydfil Zones. We visited some of the historical sites with great meaning for the Church in England and indeed for the Church as a whole. From these beginnings a solid foundation was laid for the establishment and expansion of the Church in Nauvoo and later in Salt Lake City.

Summer is Winding to a Close

2009-09-13T14:08:00.009-06:00

We are so excited that our Institute students are coming back and we are working feverishly to make sure the coming year will be a good one for them. Pontypridd Ward wants us to hold an Institute class there for their newly baptized YSA's. We will try it for awhile and try to slowly integrate them with the Cardiff Institute. It's where they belong, but they are insecure about joining us. We will also be teaching in Merthyr Tydfil every other Thursday. So with FHE on Monday, Cardiff Institute Tuesday, Pontypridd Wednesday, Merthyr on Thursday, Friday Forum every other month, training meetings with David Beale, lesson preparation, missionary flat inspections, District Meetings, Zone Conferences, CES Firesides every other month on Sundays, and the likelihood of teaching the marriage class in the Rhiwbina Ward on Sundays, our life is filling up again. Oh yes, we have also been asked to do some Home Teaching as a couple. And in our spare time we teach with the young missionaries, a special treat.

Good Things Happening

2009-09-05T16:16:00.004-06:00

It was such a joy to see Paul baptized on the 5th. He is a good person who wants to feel closer to God and has studied much. He is a delightful personality and will be such an asset to the Rhiwbina Ward. That and Elder Cable passing the first part of his driver's test, then being able to go to West Wales and see the beauty there were all good things.

An Emotional Roller Coaster

2009-08-29T13:45:00.006-06:00

This is a picture of all of the grandchildren of my father and mother. Our four daughters are the four furthest to the left in the photo: Kim and Chantel on the back row and Cherie and Julie in the middle row. I absolutely love all these magnificent people and every single one of them have been through the temple except the 18-year-old; 12 of them have served missions and one is a bishop.

Words are inadequate to express the love and appreciation I feel for our daughters for all they have done to help Mom in my absence and to represent us at the funeral of Dad. Each of them have done all they could under their individual circumstances. Cherie felt it was a blessing to be able to visit Dad so often over the past five months that he has been so ill and to stop by daily over the past weeks. Chantel and Kim both have brought their families to see Dad in the last little while. And Julie has done all she could and has also represented me at the funeral by giving my talk with her words and spirit added. The four of them sang, "How Great Thou Art" even though it was emotional for them.

It was nice that all 22 of Mom & Dad's grandchildren were present at the funeral, some coming from New York, Virginia, Arizona and other distant places. Friends and family filled the church back to the middle of the cultural hall. What a great tribute to a great man. He was always so dignified and so handsome, as Elder Cable said, a beacon on the hill.

Dad's life theme was service and that was the theme of the funeral. If we can put into practice what Dad exemplified, we will all be better people - and happier people.

We appreciate all the expressions of love and support. The kindness of friends has given us strength and filled us with gratitude.

Best of Times & Worst of Times

2009-08-22T14:51:00.005-06:00

It has been so rewarding to be able to go teach with the missionaries. It has been a special joy to teach Paul Pace with Sister Russell and Sister Stillman. Paul is unusual in his enthusiasm to hear more of the gospel, his anticipation of being baptized, his thoughtfulness and diligence in reading, and his acceptance of the principles being taught. And he is fun.

Visiting the flats of the missionaries has been interesting, fun, and inspirational. They are so good to us and they really are trying to do everything they should. We have had the opportunity this month of inspecting 16 flats, 8 in England an 8 in Wales. This has allowed us to see some beautiful places, and even to visit Stratford-on-Avon again. We love it there and feel fortunate that it is in our mission. Elder Riggs is so nice, it will be hard to see him leave in a couple of weeks.

The gospel makes the passing of my father easier for us to accept. It is a good thing for people who have lived an exceptionally good life to be able to leave mortality when their bodies are worn out. The plan of salvation helps us understand that wonderful things await him as he moves to the next stage and the joyous reunion he is having with his parents, siblings, friends and others.

I think it was President Hinckley who said, "The pain of death is swallowed up in the peace of eternal life. Whenever the cold hand of death strikes, there shines through the gloom and the darkness of that hour the triumphant figure of the Lord Jesus Christ. He, the Son of God, by whom his matchless and eternal power overcame death. He is our comfort, our only true comfort when the dark shroud of earthly night closes about us when the spirit departs the human form."

Missionaries, Amazing Missionaries

2009-08-16T14:38:00.004-06:00

Even though we miss the missionaries who have been transferred, we still find great joy in the missionaries we have here. It has been especially lovely to be able to go to England for flat inspections and get acquainted with a few more missionaries. It is so gratifying to see cheerful missionaries, even when the work is hard, the expenses are high, the people won't listen, the weather is soggy. But the missionaries are happy and accomplish amazing things. Sometimes it takes patience. Sometimes it takes extra faith. But they are obedient, believing, creative, and just plain deep down good.

I love the scripture Elder Rawlings shared at our last District Meeting: Doctrine & Covenants 123:17: Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed. We have seen the promise in the scripture fulfilled in the work of the missionaries here.

Wales and Welshmen

2009-08-08T11:23:00.003-06:00

Going to Ledbury, Gadfield Elm and Hill Farm on Saturday was such a treat for us. The trip up there was exceptionally beautiful, so we hope to drive through that area again. In particular, we would like to visit Abergavenny while we are not programmed as heavily as usual. It has been a great opportunity to see more of Wales. Luc's family, the Rasmussen's, have certainly facilitated that. They invited us to their home where they fed us and entertained us. Zoe is a gifted musician and played the harp for us after a delightful lunch prepared by Luc's Mom and sister, Cami. Luc's father is the Bishop in Swansea and his mother teaches Institute there. Then we all went to the Gower and walked the Worm's Head. The day was very windy, cool and overcast but it was still delightful and felt so good to walk along the Gower and listen to the sea. I loved the geese, cows and sheep we saw as we drove through the countryside. The Rasmussen's were so nice to us and we appreciate the time they took to show us more of Wales. That evening we went to Family Home Evening at the Swansea Chapel with the YSA in that area. It was nice to meet with them and several are our regulars in Cardiff during the school year.

Zone Conference was enjoyable and a great way to spend my birthday on a mission. We love seeing the other missionaries and learn what they are doing and feeling. We always learn something to make our mission better at Zone Conference. But we really miss being able to see Elder Bearnson now that he is out being a regular teaching missionary which he loves.

It is nice that one of our YSA is getting married. Sam Gould and Caroline Elston will be married, I think in October. Their engagement party at the Park House was lovely and it was so fun to see the other YSA, especially Chen Chen who will be here for a few more weeks.

Great Opportunities

2009-08-02T15:15:00.005-06:00

Can you believe, Elder and Sister Green prepared Dutch oven potatoes which were delicious and a wonderful lunch at Gadfield Elm. He had his Dutch ovens shipped over here at great expense, but he loves cooking with them for parties. And he even did it in a pouring rainstorm, covering the brikettes with a garbage can lid to get them started. It was great to get to know the other senior couples in our mission and learn of their assignments and activities. They are amazing, capable people.

Welsh Proms, Institute and Caerphilly Castle

2009-07-25T13:26:00.006-06:00

Serendipity!

2009-07-24T13:06:00.003-06:00

You never know what you are going to see when you walk to Whitchurch Village to mail a letter.

Many Miles

2009-07-18T12:07:00.008-06:00

It was incredibly kind of President and Sister Ogden to take us to dinner Monday evening after a long day of interviews in Cardiff and Swansea. They were delightful and seem to be very capable. They have been in the EBM 10 days and they have already made three trips to Wales. They certainly aren't afraid to work hard and all the missionaries we have spoken with are very impressed with them. The misssionaries are still struggling not to mention the name of the Moffats because we love them so much, but they all seem happy and optimistic about the Ogdens. I think being a Mission President & his wife would be two of the very hardest jobs in the Church. Three years is a long time to be away from home and family and the problems and demands on them are constant and varied.

We inspected flats in Heads of the Valleys, Aberdare and Merthyr Tydfil on Tuesday and in Aberystwyth, Cardigan and Haverford West on Friday. You never know what you are going to find when you go to a missionary flat. But I will say that the huge "Super Heroes" mural in a room of one of the flats was unusual.

We saw some beautiful scenery in West Wales even though it was a very rainy day. We took advantage of the trip and went on another 15 miles to St. David's the smallest city in Wales and perhaps the whole U.K. To be classified as a city you must have a cathedral, and St. David's has a cathedral, built in 1180 A.D. on a site that had been used for worship since 500 A.D. St. David is the patron saint of Wales and this seemed like a must-see place. We were not disappointed.

Whitchurch Village

2009-07-13T14:24:00.011-06:00

We love our little village.

Visitors and Visits

2009-07-12T02:00:00.003-06:00

It has been a week of variety. We have been to Swansea twice and enjoyed the beauty there while having our Institute lesson and activity. We have been to Bristol for training. Seventeen BYU women are here studying Welsh history or the Welsh language and they are meeting with us when they can.

I can't tell you how much I love our missionaries. They set such a good example for me and I learn from them every time I am around them. They inspire me to try to do better and to have the kind of faith they have which is unshakeable. They actually do teach with power and authority, with no discernible fear. They are led by the Spirit.

I have done a lot of FamilySearch Indexing and we have studied the Book of Mormon, the life of Joseph Smith, and related materials. It is wonderful to have this time to study but doesn't make for interesting postings. More next time.

Missionary Week

2009-07-05T14:01:00.005-06:00

There are so many flowers in bloom all the time.

The hydrangeas are spectacular right now.

Merthyr Tydfil Chapel

(David O. McKay's mother was from Merthyr Tydfil and he dedicated this chapel.)

We have had a very good week with some especially good missionary experiences. District Meeting was exceptional and we have such respect for the missionaries in our Zone. We are busy with flat inspections, teaching the marriage class in Sunday School, Family Home Evening, Institute, a Single Adult lunch, FamilySearch Indexing, trying to teach with the Caerphilly Elders (flogged again the third-time in a row we have tried with them), and a baptism for the Cardiff Ward. It was especially nice that the missionaries invited us to the Zone lunch at Pizza Hut on their P-day, courtesy of our Stake President, President Dearden. It was so good to be able to talk to them in a fun, relaxed setting.

We also went to the Merthyr Tydfil Stake Seminary Graduation. It was nice and they gave David Beale a Miners Lamp (Davey Lamp) in appreciation for the many years of service he has given to the Seminaries and Institute. He was surprised and loved it. It is so cool and so symbolic of the safety and illumination it gave the miners and the safety, light, and illumination the gospel gives us. This is the second time I have seen the miner's lamp presented and it is a wonderful thing from Wales as they have such a strong coal mining history.

Departures and Grand Experiences

2009-06-27T10:35:00.003-06:00

Our YSA wanted to have another Family Home Evening Monday and we jumped at the chance to do so. Our numbers are very small but that did not prevent us from having a really good FHE. Luc taught, starting with the Miracle of Forgiveness and continued with a discussion on overcoming the natural man. I really liked the quote he shared on the importance of never giving up on ourselves by Michael Jordan: "I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I've been trusted to throw the game-winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life, and that's why I succeed."

We will miss President and Sister Moffat ever so much but know we will be happy to have President and Sister Ogden come to lead us. It will be interesting to watch what changes will be made. The Ogdens are very lucky to have two great AP's, Elder Bearnson and Elder Brower, help them get a good start. President Moffat will be teaching an Institute class when he returns home which will make him very happy. Sister Moffat will be pulling her family back together, assuring them that they really don't love the missionaries more than them, which their probably believe, considering how much the Moffats love the England Birmingham Mission missionaries.

On Tuesday David Beale asked us to meet with him at Chepstow Castle. What a joy that turned out to be. David wants us to assimilate as much Welsh and English culture as we can while we are here. He is always looking for new places for us to visit and ways to do so. We had a good meeting with him and then toured the Castle which was fascinating. Most of the castles in Wales were built in the 1200's while the Anasazi were building or vacating their dwellings in the southwest part of the United States. The weather was perfect all day and we loved our lunch on the patio of the Afon Gwy pub overlooking the Wye River.

We then drove about seven miles to Tintern Abbey and went through the ruins there. It is surprisingly intact and grand, but missing the roof which allows the grass to grow inside, everywhere. It was beautiful and almost overwhelming. It was very large and much more intricate than I would have thought. Truly a lovely place to visit and a perfect day to sit outside and eat an ice cream cone.

James Snookes led the discussion of Henry B. Eyring's talk on Adversity at Institute in Roath Park Tuesday. He really brought out some thought-provoking ideas leading us to the conclusion that adversity in our lives can be a blessing if we respond to it well for it will refine and sanctify us we if respond to it properly. It will help us become what God wants us to be. James concluded, "This principle really strengthens my love for Heavenly Father."

While James was teaching, some rough, young guys walked by and started mocking James, and all of us. Without missing a beat James said, only loud enough for us to hear, "Ahh, the great and spacious building. Anyone want to join them?" We love James. Jess even came from Reading to be with us. Simon left for Seattle to coach football (soccer) this summer. He will certainly be missed.

Because Elder and Sister Owen are finishing their mission this week and they will not be replaced, we will now be inspecting nine additional flats for a total of 18 missionary flats from Swindon, England to Aberystwyth, Wales. We are now the only senior missionaries in all of South Wales.

Too Much Fun

2009-06-20T10:13:00.005-06:00

The lessons this week by Luc on "hope" at FHE and by Simon on "covenants" at Institute on the Beach were so well done. I am always impressed at how well these young people teach. Of course these two are returned missionaries and that never hurts.

We had such a good time at the beach in Swansea. It was beautiful and the weather was great, but Elder Cable thinks he is as young as our YSA and tried to play Ultimate Frisbee with them but tumbled into the rocks and has a horribly looking (but not deep) wound on his forehead from the encounter. He just tried to have too much fun.

The sandcastle competition was great. We had great fun watching all of these young people work so hard for a long time to build the best tower to set their little rock on, and then fortifications to protect the tower. When the tide came in we watched with bated breath to see whose rock would stay above the tide the longest. The ones who won were the ones with the most experience and with the Captain Moroni approach. It was fun.

I have enjoyed the opportunity to do a little Family Search Indexing and was thrilled to find out that I can now use the Church's New Family Search and Family Tree. It is amazing to see the things they have on there and it will be fun when I have the opportunity to analyze and hopefully add to and, if necessary, change information right on-line. It is a great concept and brilliantly done. It will be so nice when all the bugs are worked out in Family Tree and it is out of the beta-testing.

We ended up at the Caerphilly District Meeting instead of our district meeting due to a communication glitch. It was great to meet with them and they were very kind to us. The spirit was present and we learned some very helpful things. Then Friday we went to Swindon to check one flat. It is fun to see the Elders even if it is just for a few minutes. Saturday we went to Cardiff and signed a new one-year lease for the Richards Terrace flat. I like that flat because it has wonderful lace curtains and you can hear the birds sing all the time as it is next to an aviary.

We are excited about Zone Conference on Monday but saddened by the thought that it will be the last one for President Richard and Sister Amy Moffat. They have been magnificent.

Changes, Transfers, Graduations and a Baptism

2009-06-15T04:53:00.004-06:00

ROATH PARK RECREATION FIELD

Our students are going home for the summer and we will miss them, but at least some will still be around. Even in a week when you don't think much is happening, when you look back over the week, there have been quite a few memorable experiences. We all had fun at FHE playing "How's Yours?" a game my granddaughter, Melissa, told me about. Tuesday at Institute Luc led the discussion of Sister Lifferth's Conference talk on Respect and Reverence then they had great participation in playing Rounders. After that the men played Rugby while we ate goodies and talked. The weather was perfect even though the forecast was for rain. It was beautiful at Roath Park and so good to be outside.

Transfers brought many changes this time, as it is the last transfer day for President and Sister Moffat. I don't even like to think of them going home.

Seminary graduation was very nice. Of the eight graduates, six students have also been attending Institute: Melissa Dearden, Lydia James, Johnathan McColgan, Michael Parry, Laura Sutton and Michael Wilkinson. Michael Parry conducted and I haven't heard anyone do a finer job. He was amazing. He will be a great asset and a strong leader in the Church here in Wales. After the graduation they had ballroom dance lessons. They all participated and had a wonderful time. The treats by our Relief Society were beautiful and well received.

President Dearden's talk at Seminary Graduation was excellent, as usual. His points were (1) Learn what you need to learn; (2) Do what you should do; and (3) Be what you should be. One of the things he said when emphasizing that we must do what we should do is: "When you have trials and tribulations do not stop doing the things that will help you the most. Don't stop reading the scriptures, praying, attending Church, keeping the commandments. Don't stop. If you are drowning, don't stop swimming." He concluded by saying Seminary (and by extension, Institute) is a part of all three things. "We are to learn, do and become. The gospel of Jesus Christ is not about attendance. It is about perfection."

Edward Bruce's baptism was nice and he was happy. Everything worked out in spite of some early cliches. It was a nice evening. We enjoyed meeting the new missionaries in our area.

Flat Stanley

2009-06-07T13:23:00.003-06:00

This week our granddaughter, Paige, who is eight years old sent us a Flat Stanley and asked us to take photos of him in his travels and send them back to her to share with her school class. He had a great time with our Institute students, going to Family Home Evening, and playing frisbee at Roath Park. He also enjoyed the Institute lesson given by Luc Rasmussen at Castle Coch, but only watched them play "wide games" and it is a good thing because the YSAs sustained quite a number of injuries. Thank goodness none of them were serious.

On Wednesday we went to Caerphilly to teach with the Elders but the investigator was not home when we arrived, she broke the appointment and Elder Ezard was especially upset because he hated to have us come all that way and not be able to teach with them. We said, "It is just a part of missionary work."

Elder Stevenson serves in Pontypridd but was on splits this day. He joined the Church a year or two ago after being stopped on the street by the missionaries who came up to him and said, "We are Momons and you probably think we believe in polygamy, well we don't." That was a unique approach but it peaked his interest and he listened, learned and was baptized. He then met and became engaged to a life-long member and still decided to come on a mission. He is still engaged and he is still a great missionary. However, he seldom uses the approach that caused him to listen.

Thursday we taught Peter with Elder Wood and Elder Gerber and it was a great privilege to be there. An experience like we had that evening is impossible to convey properly but it had a tremendous impact on all of us. I have seldom had such a deeply moving experience.

We had such a good time at Nando's and love that our YSA thought enough of us to invite us to spend the evening there with them. The "Student House Seven" photo was taken at the Bristol Convention. Pictured are Luc Rasmussen, Jess Witts, Nancy Hole, Dai Hole, James Snookes, Sean Chen Chen and Paul Pratt. Sean has gone back to China and we miss him terribly.

Unusual Week of Great Experiences

2009-05-30T13:29:00.006-06:00

There were so many things happening this week that I can hardly keep track. Having President and Sister Heidi Swinton come to the Bristol Conference to speak to us this Sunday was a special treat. Many of our Institute students have served as missionaries under President Swinton and loved seeing him and hearing him speak again. Sister Swinton was masterful in her talk to the Relief Society and our very own President Dearden taught us especially well. The activities, dances, talks and testimonies were memorable and an unusual experience for which I am grateful.

Beth Hippard's vocal recital was well attended and a joy to experience. She has a beautiful voice and sang with great expression. I could truly understand why her email address is "songbirdbeth". Many other of our YSA participated on her program and the whole evening was lovely.

Besides all the good, there was deep sadness. My father is not doing well at all and has been in the hospital for several days and it appears he will be unable to live at home again. In addition, Truman G. Madsen died and I keenly feel his loss. He was an impelling force in my life from the time I was 17 even until this day. He gave me much.

We love the missionaries, especially Elder Bearnson as he was the first missionary we met when we arrived in Wales. He and Elder Adams came to visit us the first day we were here. It was so comforting and he has been incredibly nice to us ever since.

Milestones and Opportunities

2009-05-24T11:56:00.004-06:00

The school year is winding down and we will soon lose many of our students and friends to the summer vacation. Most of the Uni students are going home to work for the summer. For those who live in Swansea and other places fairly close by we will hold summer Institute having the students themselves teach from the most recent Conference talks. They have already signed up for every lesson. We will hold them in various places in the Cardiff and Merthyr Tydfil Stakes, i.e., part of the time around Cardiff and part of the time in Swansea on the beach. Our first evening will be at Castle Coch. The setting there is so beautiful and it fires the imagination with thoughts of knights and Robin Hood and damsels in distress.

What an amazing opportunity we had of attending the Institute graduation in Bristol which went very well. Elder Cable's Institute Choir sang, "If the Savior Stood Beside Me", and Luc did a fine job of conducting the ceremonies for the Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil, Bristol and Cheltenham Institutes, all under the direction of David Beale and the Stake Presidents.

The YSA Convention was held at the same time and there were about 300 YSA attending from all over England and Wales and Scotland. It was well organized and service projects and the activities for the four-day event were really good. It surprised us that more YSA came to the Relief Society, Priesthood and Sacrament meetings than the dance, especially as the dance was well attended and great, with a live band and several specialty numbers. We are glad they chose the spiritual.

We feel very fortunate that our assignment at the YSA convention was to accompany a group of them to Bath, England to do street contacting under the direction of the full-time missionaries there. They gave us some materials, told is briefly what to do, and let us go. We had a street display, they sang hymns, and so many of them were very good at stopping and talking to people. We placed a few Books of Mormon and a lot of Pass Along Cards. In addition to those from England, we met people from Notre Dame, Montana, Las Vegas, and St. George. Small world. The best though were the long conversations they had with people. One young man wanted a copy of the Book of Mormon in French and was very interested in getting the Restoration and other pamphlets in French. The sweet girls I talked to from Notre Dame were happy to remain Catholic.

While they went paint balling, had salsa dance lessons, etc. we stayed in Bath a couple of hours and looked at the wonders there. I have always wanted to see Bath and it was amazing.

Mid-May Memories & Missisonaries

2009-05-16T12:54:00.012-06:00

ENGLAND BIRMINGHAM MISSION MISSIONARIES

Full of Faith, Diligently Working, Obedient

Elder Bearnson, AP

Elders Wark and Walker in Swindon

I loved it when we inspected this missionary flat in Bridgend.

They have prayer mats beside their beds

so they can pray as long as they want to.

Elders Patterson & Bodily in Bridgend

Sisters Stillman, McGarvey and Mitte GQing at the bus stop

in front of the Church in Rwibina

Elders Wark, Larsen, Weeks and Moffet in Swindon

Elder Wright in Yate

Elders Wright and Israelsen in Yate

Elders Gerber and Wood in Cardiff

President Moffat - Last Companionship Standing

(Or how well do you know PMG?)

Elder Bearnson, Jack Kirby, Elders White and Brower

Elders Heller and Hickman in Blackwood Gwent

Elder Mackay in Newport

(and finally a spotless flat there)

It is hard to believe that we have already served one-third of our mission. We have had such incredible experiences and met so many amazing people who have enriched our lives. We only have one more Institute class to teach, then we start our summer program which will be much more relaxed (hopefully some will be at the beach) and they will be taught by the students themselves from April's Conference talks. I am so looking forward to it. Starting in September we will be studying the Book of Mormon and we are so excited.

Keerqin Ji has returned to China, but she sent me an email in response to my promise, "Stay close to your Heavenly Father and you will be happy." She said, "I will always remember the promise I have made with Heavenly Father." No finer words could have been said. We will miss her.

Keerqin Ji and Sean (Chen Chen)

Zone Conference was an especially spiritual, motivating experience. The missionaries are so good and the feeling in the room was extra special. President Moffat, when speaking to them, said something I had not thought about before, "Right now, as you serve a mission, you are probably living the law of consecration as closely as you ever will in this life. You are out here for two years doing what the Lord would do if He were here." "Make it a celestial mission. There is no greater privilege than bearing testimony of Jesus Christ." He then went on to say, with great emotion, "There used to be things I wanted in life, but all I want now is for you missionaries to find people."

May Flowers & More Information

2009-05-09T09:23:00.010-06:00

Bluebells are at their peak so it was a

real treat to go for a walk in the woods.

The bluebells stretch on and on, blanketing the ground.

We have been studying intensely for our up-coming Institute lessons on the book of Revelation. Kaylee Hillier reminded me of the scripture discussions on BYU Radio on the Internet that are so valuable in gaining increased understanding of the scriptures. We have listened to those on Revelation over and over again and they have been especially helpful, which was intimidating to me, but now I find rather interesting. Instead of concentrating on the symbols and descriptions as literal manifestations, I can now look at them as poetry, manifesting truths and testifying of Christ, His kingdom and the plan of salvation. As Andrew Skinner stated, "It [Revelation] is principally a book about Jesus Christ from beginning to end." And, "If the book of Revelation is anything it is a testimony of Jesus Christ." Victor Ludlow added that it teaches us that "Christ will be the victor over all things." I think Bruce R. McConkie sums it up for me, "Each pronouncement in the holy scriptures . . . is so written as to reveal little or much, depending on the spiritual capacity of the student." I have much to learn.

David Beale added additional insights to the book of Revelation, and he is a master teacher so we learn as much on how to teach as we do on what to teach. Now if we could only implement what he teaches us.

It was so nice to be able to meet Elder Sessions, now Aaron Sessions, and his parents. After Elder Sessions went home and was released from his mission he and his parents came back and toured London, Paris and now are in Wales to see some of the people Elder Sessions taught the gospel. His parents are fun and interesting and he is so very nice.

Good-bye April Hello May

2009-05-03T14:09:00.006-06:00

It is a very different experience to sit in sacrament meeting beside a new member as I did Sunday. Harriet was baptized the night before. Sunday morning we sang, "Praise to the Man" as the opening hymn. As we sang the words of this favorite hymn I realized this was probably the first time she ever heard that our beloved prophet Joseph Smith had "died as a martyr" and that "his blood" was "shed by assassins." It was a poignant thought to me. It is amazing to see the gospel through new eyes.

Visit From an Apostle

2009-04-25T14:31:00.004-06:00

On Tuesday the entire England Birmingham Mission met to listen to counsel and encouragement from an Apostle, M. Russell Ballard. We also heard from his dear wife and Elder Oaks, our Area President, and Sister Oaks. As usual, it was wonderful to see President and Sister Moffat and to hear their testimonies. Elder Ballard's main message was that we are all to "Become Master Teachers." In addition he taught us such principles as, "Try to lock into your thinking that every soul is precious." "You must internalize Chapter Three of Preach My Gospel. Then you will have a sense of confidence that makes you a different missionary." "If you talk to more people you will baptize more people." "Build great affection for the Savior Jesus Christ. Give thanks for Him and that you have this opportunity to serve him." It was a great privilege to hear him and to listen to him answer questions from the missionaries.

I was overwhelmed by the power of the Spirit present and the goodness and greatness of the missionaries serving in our mission. Our visiting authorities had the highest praise for them and for the amazing leadership of President and Sister Moffat. We are truly blessed.

By the way, we inspected the flat of Elder Ballard's grandson this week. It was nice and clean. He is our Zone Leader, something we didn't know until his grandfather's visit.

Another Varied Week

2009-04-19T06:52:00.006-06:00

Usk Outing

2009-04-18T08:36:00.009-06:00

The cute little village of Usk, Wales

Some little black lambs at the castle.

These geese are beautiful, but they are also mean.

One attacked me, caught my skirt and would not let go or back off.

I certainly backed off and finally the goose let loose.

Cherie warned me that they are mean, but no - I didn't listen.

Usk Castle

Magnolias and Ruins

Wood Carved Geese by a Young Man at the Castle.

We talked with him and he told us about his carvings.

He was wonderful, talented, handsome and very nice.

We ate lunch at a wonderful authentic British pub,

the Nag's Head Inn, and it was good.

Elder Cable had sausage, potatoes and steamed veggies.

I was going to have salmon, but instead had a toasted cheese sandwich.

I know, I am boring.

Some of my favorite things to see are the sheep and lambs of Wales.

Gill Grant wanted us to meet her sister, Joy, and both of them wanted us to see more of the Wales they love so on Saturday the 11th of April they took us to Usk and then to the Brecon Beacons. Joy and Gillie are delightful and very kind and generous. It was an absolutely gorgeous day, there were a lot of people in the Beacons because it was Easter weekend, and it was so refreshing to be out in the pure air and the glorious sunshine.

An Amazing Week in April

2009-04-11T13:57:00.003-06:00

Out Like a Lamb - Spring Arrives

2009-04-07T06:27:00.005-06:00

Remember to click on the photos if you want to actually see them and to be able to read the words.

In spite of the fact that it was a very stressful week due to the ill health of my father and the struggles my mother is having because of it, it was a very spiritually fulfilling week. It is soul satisfying to see my daughters and others take over and help Mom and Dad when they are needed, even going beyond what is necessary. I think they have strengthened family bonds that may not have been solidified had we been home. Working on presentations on the life of the Savior, studying PMG and the scriptures, and especially General Conference have inspired and humbled us. I am amazed daily at the "tender mercies" that are given to us as we try to serve on our mission. Our Institute students bring us joy that is hard to explain and they are always willing to help in our efforts. In addition, their insights and testimonies strengthen ours. You might say we learn together and all are edified. What a privilege!

A Walk Around Roath Lake

2009-04-03T09:12:00.011-06:00

Everything is in bloom.

Just Us and the Hyacinths that Feed the Soul

Stepping Out

Hyacinths and the Lighthouse commemorating a Welsh seaman.

The seagulls all a-flutter, circling over the lake.

I loved the beauty of this swan.

A cute little Welsh girl with naturally curly golden hair.

THE END

Training, Temple and Touring

2009-03-28T11:48:00.007-06:00

We are having so much fun with the video our Institute students are making and I am totally amazed with the quality of the production. The opening credits alone knocked my socks off. James Snookes has done a magnificent job of shooting and editing the video, we have costumes thanks to Terri-Ann and others. And our students are cooperative and enthused. The choreography by Nancy and Laura is fun and it is going well. Jess and Simon are adorable as lead dancers and everyone else is super. Too bad we weren't able to show it to a wider audience, but it is still worth the effort if for no other reason than it was so fun to do. These young men and women have surprised me with their ability once again. You would think I would get used to it.

At Family Home Evening a non-member friend of one of our regulars came even though our member, their friend, had to work and did not attend. Not only that, she brought another non-member with her. I love that they feel this is a good place to be and they want to associate with LDS students.

We also had at least one investigator at Institute and several new students. I would love to see more coming and bringing their friends. Ben, our new convert, said in answer to a question in class, "You have to sacrifice to develop spirituality." We asked, "Like what?" He said, "Like cricket on Sunday." (He is on a professional or semi-professional cricket team.) We asked, is it worth it? He quickly responded, "The joy of cricket lasts a day and blessings are forever."

Wednesday morning early we left for Preston, England for CES training for two days and what a rich, rewarding experience that was. We were taught by such capable, fun CES leaders as well as the Temple President, President Jones and his wife; President Clegg, the MTC President, and we learned so much and felt even more. President Clegg said that Europe will lose about 25% of their missionaries as the new missionaries are being assigned to more productive areas rather than replacing those in Britain and Europe. Right now there are only 24 missionaries at the Preston MTC, and sometimes there are as few as 14.

We were able to attend an endowment session at the Preston Temple where Elder Cable and I were the witness couple. Attending the temple was an unexpected and special treat. We were also asked to act as investigators at the MTC for some Elders who have only been on their missions four days. That was amazing. You can really tell the difference between a missionary who has prepared before his mission and one who has waited until his mission.

One of the couples, the Magelsens, serving all of Ireland, were in the MTC with us. The Perrys are from Prescott and know my brother, Dick and Carole, his wife. That was fun. It is fascinating to me to learn that each of us serving CES missions in the United Kingdom are doing such different things. I like our mission the very best. Some don't have any interaction with the young missionaries, some sit in a YSA Center from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm every single day, some spend an amazing amount of money and time on feeding the YSA, some have missions that cost them $6,000.00 a month, some do not teach at all, some spend the majority of their time preparing reports, some feed the YSA dinner every day and breakfast often as well. We spend most of our time studying the Gospel, preparing lessons and best of all, loving the students and as an added bonus, we get to teach with the young missionaries. Sonny Donaldson, Mike Dockrill and David Beale are such inspirations to us and are trying so hard to make us all we can be. We love them too.

Friday was the Institute Friday Forum in Cardiff which is for the Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfill, Bristol and Cheltenham Stakes. Unfortunately, Northampton, England was having a big YSA Convention so only a few from Bristol came here, none from Merthyr or Cheltenham. Such a huge disappointment as we were prepared for the choir to sing but realized that we wouldn't be singing to anyone. The group attending was the choir. We hope to be able to sing at Institute Graduation in May. And because we were gone for two days prior to Friday, Luc ended up doing everything. He is such a great leader.

Saturday the Senior Missionaries from the England Birmingham Mission had an outing here in Cardiff. President and Sister Moffat joined us and that was a special treat. We started at Castle Coch and fully enjoyed the visit there, then went to St. Fagans where we ate lunch. The Moffats came and sat by us and we loved talked with them. I used to think it would be so neat to be a Mission President, but when I watch them I see how terribly difficult it would be. I truly don't know how they do everything they have to do or how they deal with all the problems they have to handle. Every day it is something new.

Being able to walk around in the beautiful spring day at St. Fagans was renewing. The weather actually was very nice after a light sprinkle when we arrived. Then the sun came out and everything was beautiful. I love the daffodils and the lambs which are both real symbols of Wales. They were abundant.

It sounds like all we do is play, but I promise we do teach. I will be teaching Sunday School, Family Home Evening and Institute next week - three days in a row. We are looking forward to General Conference so much, as I always have. It sustains me.

We love the Gospel, it is a privilege to represent the Savior in this land, and our love for Him has deepened and grown. There are hymns about Him I can't even sing now because I am so overcome with emotion at the thought of what He has done for us.

Spring is Finally Here

2009-03-21T13:42:00.006-06:00

It was a different week. One day was spent getting rid of the rubbish in the flat in Newport that had accumulated through the transfers of many sets of missionaries and one day was spent purchasing and delivering new mattresses for the Sisters, then disposing of the old ones. We spend a lot of time preparing lessons for Institute and Sunday School as well as studying Preach My Gospel and the scriptures in connection with that. I think studying PMG is my favorite thing to do other than being with our Institute students. We have also spent a lot of time studying the "Teaching Emphasis" and TIP, both on how to improve our teaching.

Our Institute students are making a video of the a scene from the Book of Mormon about the interaction of Ammon and the two King Lamonis as seen through the eyes of an unlikely investigator. They have gone to a lot of work, preparing the script, getting costumes and props and learning a Bollywood dance scene to end the video. I admire their abilities and their hard work.

We have had an opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the Spring that has finally arrived. The sun has been shining all week and the daffodils are blooming everywhere. You see them in the lawns of the commons, covering the center of roundabouts, in the park by the castle, along fence lines at the schools, in flower boxes in the city and even on our dining room table. They bring joy.

We learned that the new Family Search is available here in the London Temple area. I was excited and tried to use it, but was not allowed to do so. I'm not a part of this temple district because my membership is still in Bountiful. This new avenue of research and name submission is not yet available in Bountiful, and if I understand correctly, it is not available in Utah yet so as all around me are enjoying it, we can't.

David Beale came and brought us an English treat: Marmite. He absolutely loves it. I will never understand why. It is foul smelling and disgusting to eat. He grew up with it and I cannot fathom why people eat it. You spread it on buttered bread. Mostly it is made of yeast. The only good thing about it is the cute bottle it comes in. David laughed and laughed as he had us eat some. Perhaps it is an acquired taste.

We have discovered one thing wonderful food-wise. Marks & Spencer. Their food is delicious. It costs a little more but everything is top quality and really very good and best of all, they have a lot of pre-made items you just pop in the microwave or oven. I like their clothing as well and when I am rich and famous I will buy some.

Week of March 8th through 14th

2009-03-14T16:37:00.004-06:00

From St. David's Day to Missionary Delights

2009-03-07T13:12:00.006-07:00

Our FHE had 19 in attendance and several were either investigators, non-member friends, or newly baptized. Many were new so Paul had everyone introduce themselves by giving their name, where they were from and their favorite sleeping position. That broke the ice! Thanks to our grandchildren, I now have ideas for activities for weeks to come if they ask me again. The Institute choir Elder Cable has started is doing very well. We had 28 stay for practice last week after class. They really sound great. The video they are making should be very amusing. They are depicting the scene from Alma 20 between Ammon, and the two King Lamonis as seen through the eyes of a hoodlum - very dramatic.

It was a good and busy week. Luc and Jamie called us Thursday to let us know Jamie got his mission call to the Scotland Edinburgh Mission. They are so excited and pleased with the call and I was very happy that they cared enough to let us know as soon as the call was opened. In fact they invited us to Swansea to be there when he opened the call, but we had a teaching appointment with the Elders to go to Peter's.

As I've said before, teaching Peter is a very unusual and humbling experience. Elders Gerber and Wood taught on tithing and asked us to each bear our testimonies of this principle and we were happy to do so. I gave the example of our Thanksgiving dinner in San Antonio, Texas to which we had invited company when we were first married and were very poor. When it came time to shop for the dinner we realized we did not have enough money to buy anything if we paid our tithing. We did contemplate not paying then and try to make it up later. We knew the Lord would understand, and we did have GI's to think about. We did not want to ruin their Thanksgiving. But we went ahead and paid our tithing, not knowing what we would do. A few days later Colonel Cowley and his wife invited us to Thanksgiving dinner and when I explained that we had already invited some soldiers at the base to eat with us, they said, "Please bring them too." What a great relief! We had a wonderful time. Wayne talked about tithing not being about the money, but it is a sign of our obedience. He also told of the time while he was a student at BYU earning $0.75/hour, he had no money, no food, but decided to pay his tithing but wondered what would happen to him. The next day he got a letter in the mail with no return address. Inside was $10 and he does not know to this day where it came from. Elder Wood testified about when he had a date for the Jr. Prom but the only money he had was his tithing money. It was a hard test, but he paid his tithing then prayed that Heavenly Father would help him solve his problems. The next day his tax refund came and he had a wonderful time at the prom. Elder Gerber told about his grandpa whose advice was, "You can't afford not to pay tithing." Peter listened to all this then he turned to Malachai 3:11-12, all on his own, read it to us then said, "I know the devourer will be rebuked. That is why I pay tithing. I have paid tithing, 10% for 15 years." He already lives this law and knows it is a commandment. When Elder Wood tried to explain what tithing is used for in our Church, Peter said he doesn't need to know. "It is God's money." He has such faith and there is always a sweet spirit when we are with him.

We saw Ben at the baptism tonight and he was excited to tell us that he will get the priesthood Sunday and will be made a Priest. Isn't it amazing that he was not even a member two weeks ago and tomorrow he will have the authority to baptize others. He is very happy about that. I asked him if there was anything we could do for him and his reply was, "Just stay in my presence as long as possible." He is very fun.

Probably one of the more meaningful parts of the week for me was the time spent with David Beale Wednesday and Friday. He is a master teacher and has such a fun personality. He told us that because we are converting so many from Africa, we need to teach about the history of the priesthood as it related to Blacks and it should be done early on rather than have them be surprised after they are baptized by our former practices. He has a great article on this that I need to get. He also told us the Parable of the Happy Islanders he made up to explain foreordination. I keep thinking about what he told us about how to teach: Teach less. Talk less. Testify less. Have the students: Teach more. Talk more. Testify more. When preparing a lesson, don't focus on what you are going to teach, but focus on what your students will be doing. You are not teaching lessons, you are teaching students. Don't worry as much about covering the material, instead worry about having the students teaching, talking and testifying to each other. It is a new paradigm and hard to implement after years of teaching differently.

Last Week in February

2009-03-01T11:30:00.006-07:00

Once again, so many things happen in week. There have been happy times, disappointments, joyful discoveries, concerns, spiritual strengthenings, responsibilities added, opportunities not taken, and tender touches of the Spirit. It is hard to do all the things we feel we ought to be doing, but each day is a new day and we can strive anew. I want so much to be worthy of the scripture we chose as ours for this mission, "And this is the blessing which hath been bestowed upon us, that we have been made instruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work." (Alma 26:3) Each day we have the opportunity to try harder to make that happen.

Week of February 15th through 21st

2009-02-21T14:06:00.005-07:00

It was a great week, in many respects busier than some of the others. We have more fun at Family Home Evening than any other time. We feel we are making some kind of contribution at Institute each Tuesday and we truly love every minute we can spend with our students. They are brilliant, fun, strong, and they teach us more than we teach them. We love them.

We took the Sisters to District Meeting as Sister Mitte has injured her back and couldn't drive. Elder Bearnson was there and it was wonderful to see him again. He is amazing and it makes us so happy to see him. The meeting was very good and Elder Wood did a great job of conducting it and presenting better ways for us to succeed.

Teaching investigators with the Elders and the Sisters is a privilege I can't begin to explain. It touches me deep within my soul to watch investigators learn of and accept truths of the Gospel. I feel the love of the Savior for these investigators as they commit to do His will.

Flat inspections are fun and it strengthens me to see the strength of these dedicated missionaries.

We went with Elders Wood and Gerber again this week to teach Peter and Peter was as remarkable as ever. He can hardly wait until he can be baptized. He is such a special person and he was so happy when I gave him the picture I took of him and Elders Session and Gerber. He thought abstaining from alcohol and tobacco was good and had no problem with that. But when they mentioned tea and coffee, he said, "Tea and coffee?" The missionaries said, "Yes. We do not drink tea and coffee. Will you live the Word of Wisdom and not drink tea and coffee?" He looked up and simply said, "Yes. It is a commandment." That's the way he is about everything.

But of course the highlight of the week was Saturday night when Kurosh and Ben were baptized. Luc, our wonderful Luc, baptized Ben and Ben was deeply touched by the experience. He will be a great member of the Church. His parents and both Nanns (grandmothers) came. Kurosh, on the other hand is all alone in the world. He has no family, he is here as an assylum seeker, he is very shy and withdrawn. He now has people in the Church who will care for him. Elder Gerber spent a lot of time learning the baptismal prayer in Persian. When he baptized Kurosh he said the prayer first in Persian and then in English, then he baptized him. It was very impressive. Right after the baptism the Zone Leaders took Kurosh with them to teach an investigator. He was so happy to be able to do that.

Second Week of February 2009

2009-02-14T13:03:00.006-07:00

It is amazing how many things can happen in a week. In addition to Ben, we learned that Kurosh wants to be baptized and it looks like that will happen on the 21st also. Elders Session and Gerber stopped Kurosh on the street and talked to him about the Church. He had only been in Wales a few days, he listened to the Elders, and has accepted the Gospel. It appears to be true, the future of the Church in Great Britain and Europe is with the 18-30 year olds. It is an amazing privilege to be able to work with them.

We have spent a tremendous amount of time this week studying the Gospel, part of the time preparing our Institute lessons, part of the time preparing a lesson for Relief Society, and a lot of time reading Preach My Gospel and reading and marking the scriptures referenced in PMG. I also finished the Book of Mormon for the second time since we started our mission. I only mention this to encourage my grandchildren and children to read, read, read the Book of Mormon. I have gained an even stronger testimony of its truth and power.

We had transfers this week and lost Sister Morris and Elder Sessions. We will definitely miss both of them.

I especially liked Institute this week as the students responded to the lesson and volunteered many, many comments regarding the Holy Ghost as a teacher of truth powerful enough to confound the mighty. It was thrilling to me to see and hear them open up. Their insights are deep and spiritually powerful.

I gave a pass-along card to a Jewish Israeli at a stand in the mall in Cardiff. He said he hoped it wouldn't hurt his sale to me of products from the Dead Sea, but, "I am an atheist." I told him that it wouldn't. (I bought things I don't need.) We talked for a few minutes, I told him to look us up on mormon.org and he said he would. He said I could come back and talk to him any time and added, "And you don't have to buy anything." I told him I would like that. When we left he said, "God bless." Interesting comment from an atheist!

Any time we can go with the Elders to teach Peter is a highlight. He is thoughtful, bright, serene, confident, studious and has such a simple and direct testimony of the truth. I am continually amazed at how powerful the Spirit testifies when the Elders are teaching him and I believe it is because Peter has such strong faith and is so receptive to the teachings of Christ. I hope and pray that his wife in Sierra Leone will receive the missionaries and join the Church too. Peter is scheduled to be baptized soon and we are all looking forward to that. He could be such a powerful strength to the Church back in Sierra Leone, or anyplace else for that matter.

Ben Edwards

2009-02-09T00:01:00.007-07:00

Great News!

Ben Edwards has decided to be baptized on the 21st of February. He has been coming to Family Home Evening and Institute for quite some time. He participates in all the YSA activities and has even gone on the Stake Temple trip to the London Temple the last two excursions. He waits on the grounds or in the visitors center while his friends do sessions and then talks with them between times and just enjoys being there. When he came to Church Sunday morning he showed me his new scriptures, a quad, that he bought while at the temple on Saturday and he was so excited to have them. He has been taught by Sisters Morris and Martinec and we are all thrilled at his decision. So is he. As soon as he made the commitment, he sent text messages to all of his YSA friends. He has asked Luc Rasmussen to baptize him.

First week in February

2009-02-08T23:45:00.005-07:00

Baptisms, Missionaries & Institute Students

2009-02-07T01:55:00.020-07:00

Raymond Shepherd and Elder Cable

Elder Cable and Norland Kapler Mohoukou

Elders Toolson, Burtenshaw, Gerber and Sessions

Elders Gerber and Toolson, Elder and Sister Cable, Sisters Morris and Martinec, Elders Sessions and Burtenshaw

Elders Sessions and Gerber are our District Leaders.

Sisters Morris and Martinec are in our ward.

Elders Burtenshaw and Toolson are our Zone Leaders.

Dai Hole, Terri-Ann McKenny, Jess Witts, Luc Rasmussen

Ben Edwards and Elder Burtenshaw

What a great experience. Elder Cable was able to baptize Raymond Shepherd, a sweet man who is very sensitive to the promptings of the Spirit. He told me that when he was baptized, "The Spirit was so strong. I could feel it all around me. When I came up out of the water, tears came to my eyes." And they did. Raymond was tracted out by Sisters Morris and Martinec. He has been a Jehovah Witness for 22 years and the break was very, very difficult for him, but he knew this is what the Lord wanted him to do and that he had to do it. Missionaries had tried to teach him years ago but he would not listen. When the Sisters knocked on his door he thought, "I need to let them in. I think God has brought them to me again."

Norland Kapler is a student who was befriended by Syr Mambou, a recent convert. Syr talked to him about the Gospel and got him to listen to the missionaries. It has been an incredible experience to go with the Sister missionaries when they teach Norland. If he didn't quite understand a concept, Syr would often explain it to him in French or any one of a number of African languages. Norland was very accepting of the doctrines and principles and so determined to have a better life which he believes the Gospel can give him. And it can. Syr and Norland are now friends and will be a great help to each other. Norland came to Family Home Evening last week and he absolutely loved it. Syr and Norland come to Institute whenever possible (transportation is a problem) and they have both told us how much they have enjoyed the experience. Syr said, "I love the Apostle Paul, so I really enjoyed your lesson." They have so many challenges and trials to overcome and I pray for them daily.

Our missionaries are great. You hear so much about goof-off missionaries, after all they are still very young. But I don't see it with the missionaries serving in our area. They are dedicated, obedient, humble, spiritual, hard-working missionaries. It is a blessing beyond measure and really unexplainable to be able to accompany them when they teach investigators. We have had some of our most spiritual experiences at these times. They have a way of bringing the Holy Ghost into the center of the discussions and it permeates the lessons. It is a privilege to know them.

These are some of our favorite Institute Students. It is amazing how much we love them after such a short time. They surprise me daily with their goodness. For instance, Luc bore his testimony at the baptism (after apologizing for his scruffy appearance due to his impossible schedule) and said, "I was having a very hard week at Uni. I was just walking around listening [on his iPod] to a talk on the Fruits of the Spirit. As I did so someone's name came to my mind. I felt I should visit this person, so I did. I found that they were having a hard week also. We were able to share and when I left we both felt better. I know I was guided by the Spirit." I love that. First, how many university students walk around listening to talks by Church leaders on their iPod instead of music? Second, when he was prompted, Luc went straight-away and did as he was prompted. That's the way they are. Dai misses his mission so badly that he still wears his name tag on the inside pocket of his suit where others cannot see it, but it is still close to his heart. He shows it to me once in awhile, but adds, "But it has lost its power." But Dai is still powerful. He baptized Norland and was happy to do so and has taught incredible FHE lessons. Terry is the sweet and enthusiastic girl who talked about how Institute had "saved" her and was such a blessing in her life. Jess is very capable, talented, smart and spiritual. She came up to me a few weeks ago with a sparkle in her eyes and told me with excitement that she is going to General Conference in Salt Lake in April. It is a dream come true for her and she is just the type of person who should have the privilege. What a blessing and joy each of the young adults are in our lives.

And another hope and blessing is Ben Edwards, a non-member who has decided to listen to the missionaries again. Ben has been very active in Institute and Family Home Evening for quite some time and we are very hopeful that he will actually join the Church. His comment after the baptism was, "There was a very warm feeling in my heart tonight." Dai said, "That's the Holy Ghost, Ben. Listen."

The End of January 2009

2009-01-31T15:23:00.005-07:00

And so we end the month, and certainly more happened than we expected at the beginning of the month. Besides all the great experiences we have had with our very dear Institute students for whom we have the highest regard and have come to love, and the wonderfully spiritual experiences we have had in teaching with the young missionaries, and the opportunity to participate at a baptism, all the reasons we are here, who would have thought we would also be able to visit St. Fagans and learn about Welsh history and culture, as well as visit Stratford-on-Avon and fulfill a life-long dream.

Of course the very best times have been those when we have felt the love of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ as it has been manifest to us by the Holy Ghost. These times have been so much more frequent and are so much more powerful since we have come on a mission and they are sacred and humbling. This cannot be explained, but these experiences are deeply felt and are treasured. I know the Lord is in this work and it is a marvel to see His hand work in the lives of those who are seeking Him and in the inspiration given to His missionaries. Hearing about it is one thing, as we did before, but it is entirely different to experience it day by day.

Week of January 22nd through 28th

2009-01-28T08:06:00.006-07:00

We have had some amazing teaching experiences with the young missionaries, especially in teaching black Africans, one from Sierra Leone and one originally from the Congo who most recently came from London. I am so impressed with their strong desire for a better life, their faith in and love for Jesus Christ, their thought-provoking and important questions, the depth of their character and their determination to live each principle taught. Peter has a wife and two children in Sierra Leone and is studying here in Wales for a year and hopes to make a better life for his family. He believes the Gospel will help him do that and wants to be baptized.

Not long ago Syr, a black asylum-seeker from the Congo joined the Church. All his family have died except one sister. He had no friends, no money, absolutely nothing, but he decided to reach out to others and tell them about the Church. He found Norland and they are now friends and Sisters Morris and Martinec are now teaching him. The Church has changed Syr, helping him overcome some of his shyness and reach out to others. He blessed the sacrament for the first time Sunday and his prayer was full of the Spirit and it was powerfully done. I've never heard anything like it, especially from a man who seems afraid to talk to you. When teaching, if Norland did not understand something, Syr would explain it in French or an African language. They both speak more than four or five languages. Norland is studying plumbing and Syr is just hanging on waiting until it is legal for him to get a job. He had one set of clothing, though he always looks neat and well groomed. A member bought him another. Hopefully his status will change soon. It has been such a blessing to be involved in the teaching of these fine young men. If all goes well, Norland will be baptized on February 7th. I hope we can get Syr and Norland to come to Institute and maybe even Family Home Evening.

The Sisters had eight investigators to Church on Sunday so we were all busy welcoming and helping them. Three were Christians from India and they were very impressive. We shall see what develops there.

On Tuesday we went to a training meeting put on by all the important area people who want the Outreach Initiative extended to England and Wales. President and Sister Moffat as well as David Beale and so many other of our line authorities were there. President and and Sister Moffat took us to dinner before the meeting and they are always such a delight. I love them and they are so kind and good to us.

This meeting at the Solihull chapel was very close to Stratford-on-Avon so we easily got permission to visit there. It was delightful even though it will be much nicer in the spring and summer. I was thrilled to be able to visit all the places I have heard about and have always wanted to see. In addition to many other sites, we saw Shakespeare's gravesite in Holy Trinity church. It was most interesting. Stratford has been so commercialized, but it is still wonderful to me.

Week of January 15th thru 21st

2009-01-22T15:56:00.006-07:00

Elder Gerald Causse was the General Authority who came to our Zone Conference this time. He is from France and has been a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy for a year, and he is Julie's age. I could be his mother! That certainly made me feel old.

It was so rewarding to have Institute go well this week. It did so much to encourage me and make me want to keep trying. We taught, "I Know That He Lives" and shared testimonies from some of the presidents of the Church then opened it up for them to bear testimony of the things we have been studying, especially of the Savior Jesus Christ. Their testimonies were exceptionally sweet and meaningful. We ended with some testimonies from the "Special Witnesses of Christ" DVD and it worked out very well.

Let me share a couple of the testimonies of the Institute students so you can get an idea of what I am talking about:

(A lovely young woman) "[A friend boy] and I cycle to Institute from Student House (about 4 or 5 miles) every week and it is really hard and I often do not want to do it, or I want to quit, and I am so tired, especially when we come up that last hill toward the Church. But I know it is so important for me to be here. Institute has saved me. I have regained the testimony I thought I had lost a long time ago. I know my Savior lives and loves me."

(A young man) "I have been told through the Holy Ghost that God lives. The thing I am most sure of is that God loves me. I know that God loves me."

(A young woman) "In taking Institute this year I prayed I would understand the scriptures and they have been opened to me and I know I should be in Institute."

(A young man) "The gospel is really such a light, a bright thing in my life. It helps me to be optimistic and have hope for a better world."

(A young woman) "I have had a need recently to depend on my Heavenly Father. I have studied the atonement and it has helped me so much."

(A young man) "It has not always been easy to live the gospel but as I try it becomes easier. Being with you at Institute and YSA activities helps me. I know it is only because of the Savior that we are here together. I feel grateful so much that He was willing to go through that pain for me."

I really feel that the best lessons are when they can learn from each other and bear strong testimony of the truths we are discussing. What a privilege it is to serve among them.

Missionary Missionaries

2009-01-18T14:39:00.008-07:00

Keergin Ji and Elder Cable

I've mentioned that we have been told not to look to the "missionaries" to do things when we meet people. In fact, we have been told, "You are the missionaries." Well Saturday we felt a little more like we actually were missionaries. I went with Sisters Morris and Martinec to teach the second lesson to Raymond, a Jehovah Witness, in his early 60s, I would guess. He was so nice and though he wanted to talk about so many other things off the subject, he did agree with what we taught him about The Restoration. He said, "I'm not going to tell people in our congregation yet because I don't want to upset or offend anyone, but when I am a Mormon then I can let them know gradually. When Sister Morris told him about the First Vision he said, "Isn't that lovely. Joseph Smith. I will have to remember his name. Maybe I will put it on a piece of paper and tape it to the wall. He is important." I truly enjoy going teaching with the missionaries and it was great to be able to add my testimony to the things they were teaching Raymond. He said the prayer at the end of the lesson. Very sweet.

Sister Martinec, Keergin Ji, Sister Morris

In the evening we went to the baptism of Keergin Ji, a YSA age Chinese student. Jack Kirby came and Raymond came, as well as many, many of our Institute students and several from the Ward. It was a beautiful evening, filled with the Spirit. One of our students, Jess Witt, spoke on baptism and I spoke on the Holy Ghost. And Wayne was honored to do the baptizing. It was a lovely evening. Keergin was so happy to be baptized and has such a pure radiance about her.

Jack Kirby is still being "persecuted" by members of his former congregation for joining the Church. Someone comes almost every day and tells him what a horrible thing he has done. They are mean about it. He said, "I don't understand. They didn't pay any attention to me before I joined the Church so why are they spending so much time coming to tell me what a terrible thing I have done now that I have joined the Church." Kind of like Joseph Smith when he told the ministers of his First Vision. He wondered why so many people would be so upset with what he, a boy, said. Satan is still alive and well.

Raymond came to Church today and I sat by him. After every hymn, every talk, everything that happened he would say, "That's lovely." He asked me while the sacrament was being passed if it was okay for people to pray during this time. I said yes, so he bowed his head put his hands together and I could hear him say, "Dear Heavenly Father," and he continued to whisper a prayer. It was very sweet.

Second Week of January 2009

2009-01-15T00:32:00.006-07:00

Now that we have learned to find our way around a little better, we actually love inspecting the flats for the missionaries. They are always so kind, fun and impressive. It is great to see good missionaries doing what they are supposed to be doing. Elders Hepworth and Hansen are the very cleanest missionaries ever! Elder Hansen is from Sweden and he insists on cleanliness and order. He is a cute, fun missionary and he showed me a long scrapbook type card that "a friend" had sent him for Christmas. He was so pleased. I said, "I can't believe he would spend that kind of time on the card. He smiled but didn't admit he had a girlfriend.

The Stake Seminary meetings are great. It is a real privilege to watch David Beale teach and it is fun to watch the response from the students. He divided the glass into groups of three or four and gave each an "adventure" scripture reference from Acts, had them read the scriptures and then draw what happened on a white board. Then one from each group came to the front and explained their picture and what happened in the scripture. The students absolutely loved it. He has such a great way with people.

Wayne absolutely loves his new suit and I think he looks good in it. Notice the name of the Church in Welsh. I am so sad about losing Liyang. He is brilliant and so very nice. The Chinese students all have chosen an English name to make it easier for people. Liyang Zhou goes by Alex, but just among the YSA. He is Liyang in our ward. Chen Chen goes by Sean. Keerqin goes by Betty. She is being baptized Saturday and has been dating Sean. They are so very quiet it is hard to get to know them well. I will be speaking at her baptism.

It is such a privilege to teach about the Savior's life and atonement. I had several very spiritually moving experiences while preparing for the lesson, but then the lesson did not go well. I don't know exactly why but I was, and am, very discouraged. I want so much to reach these young people and to make a real difference in their lives. When it does not flow, does not go well, you can't get good responses to questions it is very disappointing. I will keep trying.

I have actually done my "365 Day Challenge" for fourteen days. Only 351 to go. I think that is the longest I have ever kept a New Year's resolution, but I am also still trying to "do better".

First Week in January

2009-01-11T12:42:00.005-07:00

I have decided to accept The 365 Day Challenge to record something every day. I think it will be a fun way to remember our mission and perhaps give you a glimpse of some of the things we are doing. We shall see how it works. I do hope to blog some other things as well when I can think of something especially interesting. Remember, you can click on the photo to enlarge it if the writing is too small for you to read.

New Year's Resolution from Cardiff, Wales

2009-01-01T02:50:00.003-07:00

1. Do better.

That's all. Just do better.

Christmas Parties

2008-12-26T11:49:00.030-07:00

I apologize that everything on this post is in reverse order with the most recent event on top.

This is the top of the lighthouse at Roath Park.

Roath Park is a place I found on the Internet before we came here and I have wanted to see it ever since. Imagine my surprise when our little Christmas walk took us exactly there. I loved it.

And there sits Nanny McPhee on the bench with her walking stick (a gift from President Parry) and her long black coat. Ben gave me the name but was at least kind enough to say I was prettier than Nanny McPhee who had big warts and awful teeth. But she is magical!

Meg, Lisa, Jocelyn and Peter (on his cell phone) below. Elder Cable and Ben on the right. We all walked to Roath Park after dinner and after Brother Parry passed out all the gifts and they were opened and appreciated. It was a beautiful day and I think the walk was my favorite part of Christmas.

Peter and Lisa Hammond

Lisa is the Parry's daughter, she has three children. The food was fabulous and the company delightful. President Parry was the main cook:

Turkey, Yorkshire pudding, chestnut dressing, steamed vegetables, roasted potatoes and Christmas pudding with a fabulous sauce, among other things. Nummy!

President & Sister Derek and Sue Parry invited us to their home for Christmas dinner and sharing in family time together. It was wonderful, relaxing, and most pleasant.

Our missionaries: Elder Adams (Florida), Elder Alex Bearnson (Providence, UT), Sister Morris (California) and Sister Martinec (Las Vegas) and our new convert, Jack Kirby at the Christmas Eve party at Lisa & Peter Hammond's home. They make me happy.

On Monday the 22nd of December we went to downtown Cardiff to sign a lease renewal for a flat in Roath and saw the above church with a vegetable market right by it. Sadly, the church is now a discount store inside.

The older gentleman, Jack Kirby was baptized on 13 December 2008

amid much vicious opposition from his pastor and family.

He has a lot of courage and says he is "happy" with what he has done.

The gentleman on the right is our bishop, Jamie Holcombe,

a policeman and a great person.

These ladies are fun friends: Gillie Grant and Linn.

Pam Fitzpatrick went to Canada for the holidays.

The above photo taken at Derek Parry's 70th Birthday Party

is of Margaret, Ann Dearden, Gil (say Jill)Davison,

and on the floor Melissa, and Louise Dearden with

their dad, Andrew Dearden, our Stake President who

is a very prominent physician in the U.K.

Sorry, but I like the following video of a spur-of-the moment-dance so much I want to see if I can post it on my Blog. It was taken at our mission Christmas party and the white guy is Elder Adams with Elder Brobbey joining in. Elder Adams is a convert from Florida and is in our ward here. He and Elder Bearnson are our Zone Leaders. Elder Brobbey is a life-long member from London. Later in the talent show, Elder Brobbey also did a mean Gladys Knight with lots of spur-of-the-moment missionaries joining in as "Pips". Loved it! But that video is too long for my Blog.

The last shall be first, especially on my Blog. The top of this post is the most recent of our happenings. All in all Christmas was nice - but ohhhh how we missed home.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-23T12:57:00.006-07:00

With wond'ring awe the wise men saw

The star in heaven springing,

And with delight, in peaceful night,

They heard the angels singing:

By light of star they traveled far

To seek the lowly manger,

A humble bed wherein was laid

The wondrous little Stranger.

And still is found, the world around,

The old and hallowed story,

And still is sung in ev'ry tongue

The angels' song of glory:

The heav'nly star its rays afar

On ev'ry land is throwing,

And shall not cease till holy peace

In all the earth is growing.

Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna to his name!

We wish you all the peace and beauty of a meaningful Christmas season. He is the meaning.

Our Merry Christmas tree made by Kim's Beehive class, I am sure with love. It makes us happy every day. We also have received many cards from home and from members here. That's nice.

Wales Countryside in Winter

2008-12-22T02:08:00.004-07:00

We recently had to go to Newport to inspect missionary flats and took some photos along the way. It was a misty-moisty day, as many of them are. The little white specks on the countryside are sheep. There are millions of sheep in Wales and we have had some delicious lamb dinners. Shepherds Pie is the best!

Mission Zone Christmas Party

2008-12-19T02:32:00.006-07:00

Our President and Sister Moffat made sure we were all well fed, had time for lots of fun, watched the talent of the missionaries, had a rousing competition with "Preach My Gospel" Jeopardy (which our zone won, of course), saw the movie, "Errand of Angels", sang carols, popped English crackers, celebrated Wayne and Elder Bearnson's birthday and were each given gifts from the mission as well as Christmas letters for all the young Elders and Sisters from family. We can't figure out how they did that because the envelopes were addressed by their families, but there were no stamps on them. All Sister Moffat would say was Santa Claus brought them. The party lasted 10 hours and it was great - every minute of it. I absolutely love these missionaries.

England Birmingham Mission

2008-12-16T05:02:00.002-07:00

This photo was taken when we arrived in Birmingham. We really like President Moffat and his wife. It is so good to see them when they come for Zone Conference, etc. We were surprised and pleased to see them at the convert baptism Saturday night as Birmingham is two and a half hours away from us. She bore a great testimony and he gave a wonderful, encouraging talk to Brother Kirby after his baptism. It was a beautiful, spiritual evening because of the efforts and testimonies of so many people.

Ahhh, We Have the Internet

2008-12-16T04:26:00.009-07:00

Photos: Nancy, James, Luc (pronounced Luke), Ben and his birthday cake, Sean, Luc, James, Alex - some of our Institute students. Ben is an investigator, Sean and Alex are converts, Luc and James (and David) are returned missionaries. Love them all. This is at Family Home Evening - we have about 30 who come to Institute. They are amazing, brilliant and have beautiful testimonies.

We are so excited to finally be connected with the world again. We have the Internet and email and now we don't feel so isolated. Now the only problem will be to discipline ourselves to stay off the Internet as much as we can. It is so good to hear from family and friends again -- and to be able to pay our bills and see our bank account.

I have added a few photos to this post so you can see a bit about where we are and what we are doing. As to what we have been doing and will be doing, Friday we inspected missionary flats, Saturday we went to a convert baptism, Sunday we spoke in Sacrament Meeting and went to dinner at Gill Grant's home (absolutely heavenly delicious) and then went to the First Presidency Christmas Devotional at the Church, yesterday we went shopping at Staples, went with the sister missionaries to teach the newly baptized convert about the priesthood, and last night we went to the YSA Family Home Evening in Cardiff. Today our car is in the garage being serviced and tomorrow we have a Mission Christmas Party that starts at 9:00 a.m. and goes most of the day and it is Wayne's birthday. Thursday we have CES training by David Beale, Friday we inspect flats and go to the Rhiwbina Ward Christmas Party. Saturday is President Perry's birthday party at the Church, Sunday is a Stake Carol Service in the evening. Busy, busy. On Christmas day we are going to the Parry's for a Christmas dinner and family party. On the 26th, Boxing Day, we have been invited to Swansea to celebrate with the Rasmussen family. That should be nice and I am looking forward to finding our way to Swansea and meeting Sister Rasmussen, one of the Seminary teachers. And so it goes.

In Cardiff Without Internet

2008-12-10T07:28:00.003-07:00

We are here, we are safe, we are busy. But we don't have Internet or email yet and it is making us feel very isolated. We finally walked through Whitchurch Village to the Cardiff Library and are using their computers. Driving is a total trauma. We spend most of our time lost, listening to our GPS tell us it is "recalculating" because we have taken a wrong turn. We can never figure out how to get off at the right place on the round-abouts.

The students are amazing and we already love them. We attend Family Home Evening with them every Monday at Student House by the University. We teach Institute to about 30 students every Tuesday. We will be inspecting missionary flats every Friday. We are speaking in sacrament meeting this coming Sunday. In addition, there are a lot of Christmas celebrations, dinner engagements, training sessions, YSA meetings and activities, a baptism this Saturday, dinner with a member this Sunday (our second dinner engagement), and we will celebrate Christmas with a nice dinner at Brother and Sister Parry's home and stay for their big family celebration. We truly enjoy the people.

I left the class rolls on the table when I left Institute last night and our S&I Coordinator called me "naughty" for doing so. He said, "You came all the way from America to lose the rolls! We could have had someone here do that." I don't think they are lost forever, but he certainly gave me a hard time. He is the greatest!

We love hearing from home. Shawna sent a card, Mom & Dad sent a card and a great gift, and Kim and her Young Women all made cards for us and a big paper Christmas tree with hand made decorations. We love it! It is hanging in our living room. Thanks. I will post photos when we I can use my own computer.

MTC - Missionaries from Wales

2008-11-25T16:48:00.003-07:00

We finally met the missionaries who are here from Wales. We met Sister Williams, Sister Brown, Elder James and Elder Morgan. They are so excited and it was so fun to meet them, especially the Sister missionaries as we had been looking for each other all week. They will soon be gone on their way and we on ours and we will be meeting some of their family members.

MTC - In Bountiful

2008-11-23T13:41:00.008-07:00

We asked our granddaughter if she wanted to be baptized and she said she did. Does that count as our first convert baptism? It was nice to be at this sacred event and Paige was so happy to become a member of the Church on her 8th birthday. It's hard to say good-bye again to those you love so much, but it was a delightful day. Cherie, Kari and all of the kids came with us back to the MTC which made us very happy. The whole day was good (except the score of the BYU-Utah game) and we loved seeing Julie and Tom, Melissa and Jeff, Lauren, Mom and Dad and all of Cherie's family again.

We finally met Sister Williams from Wales. She and Sister Brown have been looking for us all week. We will be able to meet the three other missionaries from Wales tomorrow. This is the first time they have had so many from Wales at the MTC at the same time so they are taking a picture together tomorrow for the Liahona. It will be fun if it gets published. Sister Williams was so full of life, so happy to meet us and so warm and expressive. That was extra nice.

MTC - Day Five

2008-11-21T19:17:00.006-07:00

Today was the best day for us as far as our teaching goes. We had a "new convert" to teach the "Gospel of Jesus Christ" or in other words, faith, repentance, baptism, the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end with a little Family History thrown in. Our "new convert" was wonderful and it was so much fun teaching her. The Spirit is so strong when we are teaching and testifying, even if it is in a role play.

The teachers here are amazing and now that they know us a little better things have become a bit more relaxed and we are having a fun time with them. They just have to get us back on track once in awhile. I can't remember when I have been surrounded by so many pure souls. When they tell us, as Brother Depperman did today, "If you work and believe in miracles they will happen," I can't help but believe him. These teachers are so young, yet so wise. He reminded us to, "Be a missionary every day all day - in fact, be a full-time missionary." They have given us a brighter and a broader view of what our responsibilities will be. I thought we would just be going out and working with Young Adults and the youth in the Church Education System. Now I feel that we should be doing much more, being "anxiously engaged". We have been reminded over and over again that when you meet someone who is interested in the Gospel, do not look for the missionaries - "You are the missionaries." I knew I was going on a mission, but I didn't think of myself as being a missionary. But they also told us, "Where much is given, much is expected. But where much is expected, much is given." I hope we can do this right.

MTC - Day Four

2008-11-20T19:14:00.010-07:00

What a wonderful thing it is to be here with so many dedicated missionaries. The senior couples are amazing and we are having some very touching experiences and a lot of fun exchanges with the senior couples and with the young missionaries. I love the interaction we can have with the young elders and sisters as we walk along the campus and when we eat in the cafeteria. They are so fun to talk to and we all enjoyed the bird flying around in the cafeteria for the past two days The elder we sat with this evening was from Canada, had lived in North Salt Lake and attended WX High School. He is on his way to Richmond, Virginia. He was really fun to talk to, very friendly. Wayne remembers his name as Elder Furnell. Kristy and Rustin will have to watch for him.

MTC

2008-11-19T07:40:00.003-07:00

We are here! Just like everyone says, it is an amazing experience. It has changed my perspective of what our purpose is as CES missionaries. I had put the emphasis on the CES part and had not completely realized that we are missionaries so very much like other missionaries. It has been a learning, growing and humbling experience.

The highlight has been the devotional last night. Elder Jeffrey R. and Sister Patricia Holland were the speakers. They never let the missionaries know who it will be until they arrive. It was a thrill to see them come in and the talks were outstanding. The singing of "Called to Serve" with all those missionaries was thrilling. Such power and conviction! I love seeing the missionaries and we are encouraged to interact with them. Today 586 new missionaries are coming in. They doubled up this week because they aren't having any missionaries come in next week because of Thanksgiving.

Down to the Wire

2008-11-11T10:30:00.003-07:00

It must be about time. We were invited to express our feelings to the Stake Presidency and the High Council this past Sunday. That was a little intimidating, but a very good experience. Our Stake President, Jamie Dester, is one of the greatest men I have ever met. He is so loving and kind and the light of the gospel just shines from him. He has a great smile and is generous in displaying it. How lucky to be in our ward and stake.

Our Bishop, Kent Larson, is fun and a very excellent man even if he does give me a hard time occasionally. Five months ago when I told him I had fears about submitting our mission papers and going into the unknown he called me a "big baby" and told me to get out there. This from my kind, sweet, spiritual bishop. I will miss our ward and stake but am grateful for the strength they have been to me and for all the people who have taught me so well and set such exceptional examples of righteousness and helpfulness for me. Now is the time to put into practice all they have given us. I hope we can represent them well, or at least not be an embarrassment to them.

I was invited to lunch yesterday at the Little America to say good-bye to some of my friends from work. It was most pleasant though sad to close the door on that part of my life. I have learned so much about service, going the extra mile, generosity and that "good enough never is" from them. I love their "can do" attitude and hope I take it with me.

We speak in church Sunday, Julie and Cherie are helping us so much in the winding down process and they have no idea what a burden they have lifted from our shoulders, we turn our home over to Emily and Jeremy Leger who have been a blessing to us -- in fact one of the Lord's tender mercies manifest in our lives, then we enter the MTC Monday morning and fly to Birmingham, England on Thanksgiving morning at 8:30. (We will take a little detour on Saturday the 22nd to come up here for Paige's baptism. I'm glad we don't have to miss that.) We will be on our way before we know it. We have communicated with our landlady so things are set. We arrive in Birmingham at the Mission Home at 10:30 the morning of the 28th. Be sure to write to us because we will be missing you.

Addresses

2008-11-04T10:50:00.006-07:00

Autumn, and indeed winter is in the air. The snow is falling on our autumn leaves outside my window and soon we will be leaving. We hope to hear from some of you whether it is by comments on our blog; by email: ccableusa@mac.com or wcable3875@msn.com; or in a real, live letter. From the 17th until Thanksgiving we will be in the MTC:

Elder and Sister Cable

Birmingham England CES Programs Mission

Provo Missionary Training Center

2005 N 900 E

Provo UT 84604

Our Mission address is:

England Birmingham Mission

187 Penns Lane Sutton Coldfield

West Midlands

England B76 1JU U.K..

No later than the 1st of December we should be able to be reached at:

7 Retford Court, The Philog

Whitchurch CF14 1EE

Cardiff, Wales, U.K.

I hope that isn't too much information and I do hope we will be able to keep in touch.

Frame of Reference

2008-10-16T19:43:00.004-06:00

It is somethings surprising to find that things are not as we think. We project on the unknown ideas and beliefs so familiar to us. I have learned that there is no Institute at the University of Cardiff like there is at the University of Utah, Utah State, etc., but we will hold our Institute classes in a chapel. I guess part of the time in the summer the classes were even held on the beach. ("They are a hardy people.")

I have had other occasions to find this frame of reference thing true recently. I have found that when I have an opinion of someone, I assume that people I really like have the same opinion of them - and it is not necessarily so.

I hope in the future I will remember this and not be so quick to form opinions or jump to conclusions. Pob-bendith. (I am told that means-- "All Blessings" in Welsh.)

General Conference

2008-10-08T21:24:00.008-06:00

General Conferences are my favorite times of the year. Of course it always rains, but it also cleanses, lifts and renews. H Burke Peterson, a dear friend of ours, has given us perfect advice before each General Conference. He tells us to do three things: 1) Before Conference consider your concerns, needs and questions, then pray that you will receive inspiration regarding them; 2) During Conference write down your impressions, whether or not it was something spoken; and 3) Take a nap - between sessions. I try to do this every April and October. This time I wrote down seven impressions and I would like to share a few of them. 1) Ask our family members to pray for us when we are on our mission then always remember that they are doing so; 2) Be more reverent during the prelude music before sacrament meeting and don't use it as a time to give messages to others; 3) We should not try so much to impart new information when we teach as to bring the Holy Ghost into the teaching; 4) Use our best efforts to get more young adults involved in the seminaries and institute programs in Cardiff and South Wales; 5) Believe in angels - and be one. It would be so interesting to have you share what your impressions were. I hope that I will not just enjoy General Conference, but will "go and do."

Adorable as Children - Fabulous as Adults

2008-10-06T13:27:00.005-06:00

Unexpected Tears

2008-10-02T17:38:00.005-06:00

I thought I was doing really well. I thought I would miss my grandchildren, my parents, my sister and my children, but not so much that it would be a huge deal. Then today as I was sorting through old files I came across the immunization records of my children. I looked at each of them and they reminded me of so many things. How adorable Kim was and what a cute, talented little girl she was. How afraid Chantel was whenever we took her to a doctor and what a beautiful, kind little girl she was. How brave Cherie was and how tiny she was and what a sweet natured baby and child she was. Then I came to Julie's. I remembered how she broke out with red spots all over her body after her smallpox vaccination (which they no longer gave by the time Kim was born) and how worried I was about this. I remembered how I told her it would be fun to go get a shot - and she believed me! She didn't even cry, she only looked surprised. It wasn't until the third booster that she figured out that it wasn't fun. All of these memories brought tears to my eyes, then there were even more tears. I realized that I really am going to miss my family more than I bravely tried to tell myself I would. After all, they are an adorable family, so who could blame me.