Transfers & Lost Sheep

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.

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. 

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. 

Week of February 15th through 21st

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

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. 

The End of January 2009

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.