Training, Temple and Touring

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

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

From St. David's Day to Missionary Delights

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

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.