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!

Bath, Wells, Stonehenge

Bath is one of those dreamy (or should I say creamy) cities as the entire city is built of creamy warm-tone limestone called "Bath stone". It is most noted for it's hot springs that supposedly have healing powers.  In pre-Roman times it was known for its warm waters.  Romans developed it and had a huge church built that served as the religious capital of Britain.  Today you tour the Roman baths, but you don't feel the warmth of their healing powers.....you just pay money and look!

 Like many English towns, it has it's river that winds in and around and lends a graceful feeling to the landscape.

Street celebrations were happening on every corner -- RUGBY -- and Bath, the underdog, pulled a spectacular win!

Booze, costumes, singing, dancing, and LOUD noise!

Wells was a most charming city -- not as well know to the tourist but absolutely delightful and just made for wandering.  It is a well-preserved city filled with well preserved medieval buildings and a big, festive Market Square.

This sidewalk monument honors an Olympic gold medal Long Jump medalist and stretches the length  of her jump......hardly possible.

 And of course the centerpiece of the town is the Wells Cathedral, England's first completely Gothic cathedral, dating from about 1200.  It's facade is both wide and elaborate.  It has a different look from others we have seen -- so intricate and almost lacey!  

And for a bit of trivia.....because Wells has a Cathedral it can be called a city (as opposed to a town) altho it is the smallest cathedral city in England.

 Sure enough!  Stonehenge looks just like the travel posters.  The most interesting thing about them is their history.  There are many such stones throughout England but these are the only ones that have horizontal cross-pieces spanning the vertical monoliths.  The area is surrounded by ancient burial mounds, probably those of kings and chieftains.  Their age is something we cannot comprehend -- between 3000 and 1000 BC.

The large stone functions as a calendar.  So on June 21 -- Summer Solstice-- this stone lines up with the sun  and some mad scientist has figured out how to predict eclipses, when to plant, harvest, and party.  If you are in the vicinity on that day, be prepared to boogie!

But first you will need a hat.  All true Lords and Ladies don hats for special occasions! 

Looks like Richard has chosen his.....what do you think?

Signing off for a while.....give a BIG sigh!

Burpham, Arundel, Portsmouth

When I was a young girl of dating age, it seemed that a favorite pastime of young men was to gather together and share picture slides of their missions. If you were a good date you would sit hour after hour and ooh and aah and revel in their missionary experiences,when actually you were bored out of your mind.  . 

 I feel a bit like this when I post pix after pix and share a little travelog.  The difference is that I am not requiring you to be a good date or even an interested friend.  Just know I do this for our own personal journal and your interest is optional. 

So...you are free to sign off now and I will never know!

But for my sake......

These are pictures of the little town of Burpham, on the outskirts of Arundel.  Years ago I visited here because there are some Goble (ancestors) graves in this churchyard cemetery but this time I found the grave stones so worn that they were not identifiable.   The little church used to have a guest book that had the names of family members who have visited, but this time the church was locked.  Perhaps they have gone out of business!

The genuine thatched roof cottages are abundant in this tiny town.

 What a tree!  (That's the big one in  the back.)  Gnarled, squirrely twisted and deranged.  Makes the man in front look strong and straight.

 Nothing like Home Sweet Home.  Arundel Castle really is home to the 12th Duke of Norfolk and their 5 children -- ages 16-24.  They live in one wing of the castle and the rest is open to the public.  This is one of the longest inhabited country houses in England and is beautifully set next to the Arun River.  Most recently it was the backdrop for the movie THE YOUNG VICTORIA.

 How's this for a view from the terrace?

 The rolling hills are ablaze with yellow rave seed -- something they use to make cooking oil.

The HMS Warrior -- Lord Nelson's ship harboured at Portsmouth.  It never knew battle, thus it remains in mint condition!

So much for this rambling......probably one more to come!

Brighton, England

In 1843 my  great grandmother Mary Goble (Pay) was born in Brighton, England.  In her twelfth year her parents joined the Church and she was baptized.  In the spring of 1856 they left their home in Brighton and sailed to America.  Due to some unusual circumstances they became part of the ill fated hand cart companies that experienced extreme suffering.  By the time they reached the Salt Lake Valley, three of her siblings and her mother had died and Mary's feet were frozen.  Her story has been immortalized because she left a short written history of her life that has been shared  on many occasions and in many places.

Thanks to my aunts I had an address on Russell Square where Mary lived as a child.   So...... when we arrived in Brighton at 7:30 one evening, we found the little home on Russell Square where Mary had lived as a child....and lucky us.....it is a B&B!  And lucky again.....they had one room available.

So, we slept the night in Room 4 of Motel Schmotel, overlooking Russell Square.

The next morning we were awakened to the beautiful  chirping of birds.  And the thought came to me, "Did the birds sing in Russell Square and awaken Mary when she lived here!"

The current owners are a wonderful young couple who gave us a brief history of the building -- built in 1825 by a well know Brighton architect.  Built originally for wealthy merchants, it is today considered a historic landmark and  is protected against any change in the structure.

Room 4, where we stayed, was known as the music room for the entertainment of family and friends.  (probably didn't have many friends as the room was very small).

The current owners were very interested in the little bit of personal history I could provide and were most welcoming!

A walk on the pebble beach  was reminiscent of days gone by -- I can only imagine the rock fights that might have occured!

When I saw what they left and thought of what they faced -- I felt a sense of responsibility.

Mary's mother, who became a martyr for the truth, had said, "I want to go to Zion while my children are small, so they can be raised in the Gospel of Christ for I know this is the true church."

That lovely mother had 31 grandchildren and an endless posterity that now enjoys the fruits of the gospel because they walked away from Russell Square and Brighton Beach and faced the hardships of the plains, even giving their lives.......for us.

In November of 1909, Mary Goble wrote, "I have been to a reunion (of our handcart company).  It made me feel bad.  It brought it all up again.  Is it wise for our children to see what their parents passed through for the gospel?  Yes, I think it is."

Someday I will account to her for my life -- which is due in part to her sacrifice.  I hope she will be pleased.

White Cliffs of Dover

All my life I have wanted to see the White Cliffs of Dover.  It started with Kate Smith......those of you who are as old as I am will remember that large woman with the deep contralto voice singing "There'll be bluebirds over, the white cliffs of Dover........

It was a WWII song, that was sung long after the war was over. It actually was written by an American who did not see the White Cliffs until the late 1980's.   Vera Lynn was the British singer who made it famous.  She became the Forces' Sweetheart and was later  made a Dame in recognition of lifting wartime morale through her music. 

 And sure enuf.....the white cliffs look just like they do in the pictures!

 ~They are actually chalk formations that are found throughout that entire area.

 We toured the castle grounds, Richard played war......bang, bang, bang!

and we wandered thru the castle.  But the real treat was a walk through the war tunnels beneath the castle.  They were first built to protect the land from Napolean, but during the 2nd World War they were brought back into use and became a fortress and command center guarding the coast.  Dover was virtually bombed out during the war but the tunnels provided direction and refuse.  The French coast is only 23 miles away and from these tunnels the rescue of 318,000 British troops from the enemy was executed.  They were both erie and moving.  We bought a CD of old war songs and played it over and over again while we read much of the history of the people who survived that terrible war.  Living in bomb shelters, sending your children to safer places in the world  -- sometimes for years, fearing your own death, struggling to find food and shelter and never knowing a single moment of peace, is something that we have never had to do....

It's great to be an American!

Atlanta Airport

Our transit through Altlanta proved to be very interesting.  If any of you have been to the newly opened International Terminal E in Atlanta you may have enjoying browsing the "Recycle Runway".... a display of clothing created out of recycled items.   These are only a few of the really amazing creations made from "you know what!"                                   

 First:  The dress is made from recycled rubber and decorated with cut outs from coke cans.

 And this one is made from old cassette tapes.....

 Recognize the target bags......cute, eh!

And your basic black pump ...... decorated with cut out snow flakes!

So......the next time you think you have nothing to wear......grab a bag and wrap it around you!!!!

We're Back!

Yes, after a whirlwind trip home which included a wedding, an own endowment, a baptism, doctor, dentist, dermatologist, mammogram, hair dresser, shopping, family breakfasts and dinners, and everything else we could squeeze in, we returned.  It was a great trip, just long enough to mess up our time clocks but not long enuf to realize it.  We had a great time -- it was fun to see so many and be reminded that there is something to go home for.......because frankly, we love being here so much that we have wondered if home will be as grand -- but it will!

But......before we left we had a delightful visit from Katie and Rich and their inlaws.  It was fun to share a taste of England and Church History with them.....and of course, the daffoldils!

This is the wonderful little city of Chester -- an old Roman walled city filled with charm and on this day with people!   Standing on the wall overlooking the city is....so BRITISH!

And a final Sunday with the missionaries in Preston at the local square -- the Obelisk where the early missionaries first began in 1837 and Grandpa Hinckley began his preaching in 1933.

and......A touch of personal family history.  This is 10 Wickham Road in Nelson where their Grandpa Hinckley lived as a missionary in 1933!  The town itself is nothing but a mill town.  Looks much like the town he described when he lived there.  I am guessing it hasn't changed much!Life is filled with small treasures and these are some of them!

closure

The MTC closes tomorrow for 2 wks so this blog will remain status quo ..... until we are back .....happy spring!