Institute Begins Anew - Book of Mormon!

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

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

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

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

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.