We just talked to the couple we are replacing in Cardiff and they are so excited about our mission. They said we would love the people and that we have a very cute little two bedroom flat with good neighbors. There is even an extra cot for you if you decide to visit. She left two "nice" bedspreads for us. The Church is paying the rent until we get there to hold it for us. It has been used by several missionary couples. It sounds better than we even hoped to imagine. She also said all their medical care was paid by the government, including prescriptions. Even for us Americans.
She told us that the Stake President is wonderful and that the students are very bright. They are intelligent and capable and enjoyable to work with. In fact, they have been teaching the classes to each other all summer as they have been without instructors since the Fishers came home. They must be intelligent because they know how to say the name of the Welsh town with the longest name in the world, 58 letters with only about 15 vowels. Can you say, "Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyndrobwllliantysiliogogogoch?" Translated it is, "The church of St. Mary's in the hollow of the white hazel near the rapid whirlpool and the church of St Tysilio's by the red cave." Interesting, the way they name things.
We have learned that we will be departing our fair city, after we have completed our training at the MTC, on THANKSGIVING morning. Onward and upward. We are excited about this, but will sorely miss our wonderful Thanksgivings at Steven and Kim's and the amazing times we have when we are all together. We hope you will enjoy the day for us.
Tiffany, my amazing niece, invited all of us who read her blog to play photo tag. To play the game right, you are supposed to go to your fourth photo folder and upload the fourth photo in that folder. As the first "Events" in my iPhoto are digital designs, that photo would have been the letter "d". Not very interesting. So I went to the last "Events" in my iPhoto and pulled up this photo of sun shining through our sprinklers. I thought it went along with our mission theme better. Somehow when I saw this, the sun making rays in the water, it reminded me of pure intelligence shining down from heaven. I hope to be worthy of that kind of inspiration or I will never be able to teach the Young Adults in Wales like I want to. By the way, Shawna tells me that a Costco opened in Cardiff in July. Wayne will be happy. He loooves Costco. Now you play the game too.
We have just learned that we will probably be teaching six institute classes at the University of Cardiff and supervising 25 seminary teachers as well as conducting their in-service training. We will be working with two stakes in southern Wales. It is all rather intimidating, but we are so excited! I can't believe we are so lucky (blessed) to get such an amazing mission assignment. I will have to learn to get up early, really early. And this just as I have mastered learning how to enjoy a leisurely morning.
