England with the Blairs

We had such a fun week-end with the Blairs......and the weather......spectacular!  There are not enough adjectives to describe the sun, warmth and pure brilliance of it all!

 We spent one day castle looking.....and seeing all the corresponding sites -- like from the biggest to the smallest!

 And, by the way, we laid claim to this castle at Caernarfon in Wales.  Built by Edward I, my 20th great grandfather, he was a man of lavish taste...really enjoyed the good life......a bit selfish...very rich...unusually tall....married at 15....power hungry....and died on his way to battle.  What a guy!

 Chester, the walled Roman city where we paused for some fine dining......in a stair well.

 Back to Wycoller -- a little village noted for it's 5 ancient bridges..and Haworth, home of the Bronte Sisters.

While here, the family went street contacting with us.  They were each assigned a companion, as shown here -- and, by the way, they did dress like missionaries on that day.  They all came back with referrals and a new friend.

All in all, we had a great time. 

Another stroll through the countryside

 Now really!  How would you like to live in BROADBOTTOM!  I wonder if the person who named this place had someone in mind!!!

 But it was beautiful.....and historic.  Here we have some ruins....a familiar site in any English landscape.

 streams, bridges, trees....

 and row houses here and there.

 hats off to the farmers and their horses.

 Woods where the brownies live.....quiet paths, majestic trees and little me with....

 the king of the bridge......

 and US!

 if only we had dogs to walk....we would feel very British!  (thank goodness we don't!)

 when they say rolling green hills they mean it!

 and to add to the landscape, a few grazing cows and a field of dandelions!  Who said dandelions weren't pretty.  By the way, an elder told us his grandmother makes dandelion jam.  Has anyone every heard of this, much less tasted it!

 Bee keepers from outer space -- or so it looks like!

 Quiet country lanes

 wild country gardens

 complete with lilacs and the scents of home

 Just one of many country estates.

Secured by a holly hedge.....no one, not even the most desparate burgler would attempt to invade such a hedge!!!  OUCH!!!!  Better than barb wire!



Heat Wave

Today the temperature was 77 degrees and the news headlines are:

"Britain swelters as heat wave continues"

"UK basks in scorching heat!"

While others are moaning we are rejoicing.  We can actually go for a walk in short sleeves and no gloves, hat and coat! 

All we can say is "Bring it on!"

Shoes

Shoes, shoes everywhere and not a pair to wear!

A Missionary Miracle

Last Saturday  the elders were playing some basketball in the adjoining stake center.  This cute Elder Hegerhorst went up for a basket and came down on someone's foot.  The consequence was.......a foot that looked like it had been completely displaced from the leg.  Two of the other elders headed for the MTC in a dead run calling for help.  We jumped in the car and drove the few yards and found him lying on the floor in extreme pain.  Local security called for an ambulance and they arrived while Richard was giving him a blessing.

I have to say, the parpamedic could not have been better.  He immediately got him breathing some gas to ease the pain and then ever so carefully removed his shoe and put the leg in a wrap to stablize it.  Under his direction, the other elders lifted him onto the stretcher and put him in the ambulance where they administered heavy doses of morphine to sedate him.  When they arrived at the hospital the attending orthopedic doctor just happened to be a member of the church and besides being very skilled he was very kind.  Now the miracle is......the ankle was dislocated (understatement) but there were no fractures -- much to the amazement of all who saw it!

The sweet thing is that while the elder was lying on the floor he just kept asking, "Will I have to go home?  I don't want to go home!"  He was more worried about that than his leg.  And as word spread through the MTC, the missionaries gathered together to petition the Lord and pray for their friend.   It is in these moments that you see these young men as just that, and not the teenagers they were only minute ago. 

    

The postscript is that he left this morning for the mission field with a big grin on his face, a solid walking boot on his foot and a handsome pair of crutches under his arms and he is almost pain free.

Truely missionaries are watched over by a loving Heavenly Father!

We Often Go Walking.......

We sing this little primary song as we walk through the English countryside.  I thot today I would just take you with us on our latest walk -- about 6 miles up and down, in and out and so fun!

I know you think it's spring, but spring here requires a coat, gloves, scarf  and often a hat!



Every village has a church steeple!  This one chimes 13 times at 1 p.m. and we were there to hear it!

The English canals meander through the countryside and are always great for walking.  Check out the walking stick.....if we just had a dog by our side we could pull off being English!!!



The baby goslings signal Spring!  The proud mother and father hover nearby.  And we always carry bread to feed them.

The little train station in Smithybridge.  Isn't it cute!  Just like a picture book. 

More of the meandering canal

and wherever you go there are the green rolling hills!!!

I am not sure where we will walk when we get home!  But in the meantime, we love every site we see, every scent we smell and every hill we climb!

New Missionaries



Jet Lag takes over

 This new group is such a mix.....46 missionaries from 16 different countries.  We have just finished our first Sunday with them and they are jewels!!!

 A group that just drips with potential.....bright, excited, committed and eager.  The Jet Lag is beginning to wear off and they are getting into the program.












Pictured below is a handsome Maori Elder with a name that really put us over the edge.  We were greatly relieved to find that he goes by Elder Riki!  We can handle that!  I wonder how old he was before he was able to pronounce his name much less write it!

Elder Mare Whakamau Mahara Te Whetu Marama PairamaKararoaRiki from New Zealand. Funny thing....he was raised by another family named Haimona and has always gone by that name.  When he filled out his papers he looked at his birth certificate and surprise!!!!!  He found his real name and is now trying to go by Elder Riki! 

Out little 4'9" twins from Malaysia.  Are they cute or what!!!

Relief Society in the MTC -- 7 sisters, and 6 languages.    From L to R....The only American, Malaysia, Netherlands, France, twin sister from Malaysia, Germany and Portugal.  Relief Society is felt more that understood.  But it is amazing.  They sit with their little translation dictionaries, trying to make sense of our message.  But



This is the way we study the white handbook.....Nice try Elder!



A little tip from the kitchen -- use an apple cutter on your round ball of dough and it looks like this!