A Chosen Generation

Last Friday we welcomed a new group -- all 22 of them. The arrival day is always so interesting and sometimes so painful. Many of them arrive so exhausted. We had a group of 11 from the states and that is a dreadful flight. They arrive at 10:15 in the morning and have to stagger through the day. Having done this myself, I so feel their pain.

As always, this group is very diverse. The first few meals they sit and look at each and exchange a few polite words but by Sunday they are conversing. It is interesting to watch. The Americans are generally much more outgoing, easy going, friendly and a bit laid back. The others are more reserved in the beginning, but soon loosen up and begin to interact.

We love the variety!!! Many of these elders and sisters are so accomplished and have had so many experiences that they bring to the group. They have traveled the world, learned languages, learned to be self sufficient and are so strong in the faith. Many of them have overcome tremendous challenges. Makes most of our lives feel quite plain and quite unchallenging.

Let me introduce you to a few.

We have one sister who was born in Hungary, moved to Russia as a child and has sinced lived in Italy and Mississippi. It was in Mississippi that she met the missionaries on the street and joined the church. She speaks 5-6 languages: Hungarian, Russian, Romanian, Italian, English and some Moldavian. She has a degree in Economics. Her mother has joined the church and she feels her father and brother will soon follow.

We have an elder from Poland who speaks English quite well. He was called to serve in Poland and was not happy about it, but is now beginning to get excited.

One elder from England, who is going to Oregon Portland, has graduated from Southampton University in Marine Biology and Oceanography, He spent the summer in Kenya as a snorkel guide.

A young elder from Switzerland just finished his military obligation of 430 days with a rank of sargeant. He has an American girlfriend who is waiting for him. (supposedly). He met her when she was in Switzerland as an Oper (nanny).

Two young man are fatherless -- one whose father committed suicide many years ago and another one whose father left the family for another man.

A beautiful young sister has come to us from Viet Nam. Her father is Hungarian, her mother is Swiss and she speaks German and Hungarian as well as English. She has lived in Switzerland, Hungary, England, America (BYU) and Viet Nam. She has 7 brothers, two of whom have been in this MTC in past years. She is as lovely a girl as you would ever meet.

One young man from Las Vegas has completed 3 internships with the Walt Disney Company.

And one adorable little sister who was born in Colombia, grew up in Peru, has lived in England for the past 5 years and has parents she has never met who live in America. She has a degree in pyschology and will continue with a masters after her mission.

They are plucked one of a city.........
They are strengthened by a loving Heavenly Father.
They are a chosen generation.....
They amaze us!

Honestly, you would think by now I would have the hang of this......but alas, you will see in the following blog that I goofed. When you come to the end of the white, keep scrolling down there is more to come. I know what happened. Ijust don't know how to fix it! Bear with me. Some day....

Another Adventure

Jeannetta Richards home in Walkerfold

Built in 1612

Our new friend in Barnoldswick

Front door of the old Baptist Church

Soon to be the front door of her home.

She has not seen the last of us.

Upstairs in the church.

yes, I would say there is still a bit of work to be done!

Back of the church. Possibilities!

Wickworth Road in Nelson, England

No. 10 is where GBH lived in 1933

You've heard of No. 10 Downing Street in London, England

Well this is No. 10 Wickham Road in Preston, England

Today we are between groups. A group left yesterday and another one comes tomorrow. So we had a day off (with sunshine, no less). We mapped out a plan to visit several church historic sites driving first of all to a town called Nelson. When GBH (Gordon B. Hinckley) served in England he first served in Preston and was then sent to Nelson. We had the address of the home in which he lived, so we plugged it into our GPS and was surprised to find it still exists. In his journal he describes Nelson as a mill town where the people were so poor and downtrodden. As we drove into the city today, I think it looked much like it did in 1933 when he was there. Miles of row houses lined the hillsides. The flat where he lived was up a steep cobblestone street in a row house that looked like the hundreds of others in the town. When we arrived the current resident was just unloading her groceries and we stopped and talked with her. She said she had heard that once this home had some religious people that lived in it, but she didn't know what that meant. (She knew by the time we finished with her!) She was gracious enuf to allow us to take a pix. She told us she has 3 children but she is also a "child minder". (Do you think that means she teaches children to mind?!?) It was here in Nelson that GBH met Robert Pickles who was then a young man about his age. Sometimes they would tract together. Years later when GBH returned to England he again met Robert Pickles and they renewed their friendship. It looked as if today the town is full of East Indians. Many shops catered to their taste.

From there we went to Barnoldswick in search of an old Baptist Church where Elders Kimball and Hyde preached to 600-700 people. These people were so excited that the next day the factories closed down so that workers could hear what the elders had to say. We had a pix of the place but no address, so we just began showing people on the street the pix and asking if they knew about this. We were standing outside a little beauty shop and the woman inside was watching us. When we couldn't get the help we needed, Richard opened the door of the shop, with pix in hand and showed it to her. She began to squeel and said, "You are standing in the place. The church is around the back"! She then took us around the back, into the church and explained that some years ago she bought all the property. The church, the flat that is attached to it, and the grounds, including and old cemetary. When we told her of the Mormon history that took place there she became so excited she could hardly talk. She grew up next door to this church and vowed that someday she would buy it. By some stroke of luck it became available and she managed to get her hands on it. She plans to convert the church into a home. We talked much of religion and our history and promised to return. Tonight Richard has sent her a Book of Mormon with a letter and a copy of the history. We will return again and visit her. Really it was one of those little miracles!!!

While in Barnoldswick we took a lunch break ---- bought a sandwich in a little deli and sat on a bench in the town square while we people watched. I often wonder where these people live, if they have families, if they are happy, what they do for a living.......and wish with all my heart they had what I have.

From there to Walkerfold where we assume some of Richards relatives got their start. We know that the Walkers came from the Preston area and Walkerfold was, in all probability, part of their lives. Church history tells us it was the home of Jennetta Richards who was baptized by Elder Kimball in the River Ribble. After the baptism, Elder Kimball composed a letter to his fellow missionary Willard Richards, who was serving in another part of England. He wrote, "I baptized your wife today.!" Indeed, it came to pass and Jennetta Richards never had to change her name. (how easy would that be!) She was one of the first in England to join the church and the very first to be confirmed a member of the Church. We found her home on the main road, again from a pix we had of it!"

The countryside connecting these villages was beautiful -- rolling green hills dotted with grazing sheep, beautiful stone built farm houses, stabled horses, and an occasional person. So picuresque!

Somehow England has managed to maintain the integrity of the small villages. Each one seems to have a personality all its own. The small shops, the town squares, the quaintess adds to the charm and beauty of each little place.

And there are always little surprises....

Today's surprise: a small plaque on the front of a building stating:

"In 1832 on this spot nothing happened"

How is that for cute!

Tonight we are enjoying a quiet night. No one is here except us and the Williams, so we scrambled some eggs and ate some toast together. Found out the stove in this apt. actually works! But trust me! I won't overdo it!

Celebrate

In case you are looking for another holiday to celebrate, I have two:

1. March 1: St. David's Day.
St. David is the patron saint of Wales and March 1 is their national holiday. They celebrate by eating lamb (leg of lamb with mint sauce) and gathering daffodils. Men wear them in their lapels, women wear them in their hair and everyone has a bouquet of them on their desk (at least I am told). So the night of Feb. 28 I will be gathering daffoldils (at the local supermarket) and enjoying the taste of spring they will bring!

2. March 8: Shrove Day (or pancake day). This custom has something to do with lent and the fasting that goes with it. The custom is that the day before you begin your fast, you get rid of all your perishables -- like milk and eggs. You add some flour and have what we call crepes!

Apparently we celebrate both holidays here. The cafeteria fixes leg of lamb on March 1 and crepes on March 8!

Anyone care to join us?

History in the making.....

Elder Tetik with pix of his baptism

Meet Elder Tetik. I have spoken of him before, but he deserves a place of his own. He came to us from Ismir Turkey -- the first missionary to come from that part of the world. His English is beginning to form and so we have been able to get a little information from him. We now know that he found the church on the internet and contacted the missionaries. A senior couple taught him (don't know how they communicated.) His family is Muslim and therefore could not participate in any way in his interest in the Mormons or they would be shunned. (Muslims are not even able to be taught here, because when they return home, it causes too many problems for them). But somehow and in someway, this young man's heart was touched. He has brought pix from home and from them we have determined that there are about 25 members in his branch. His branch president speaks some English and has been instrumental in helping him prepare for his mission. Any coorespondence we have with his parents goes thru his branch president. He came well equiped with very nice clothes, luggage, and other things that he will need. He communicates with us through a few sentences that he now can speak, lots of gestures and his translation dictionary. When the light goes on in his head, he beams. Today we went to the temple for the 2nd time. I wonder what he gets from it, he understands so little, but he tries so hard. We do not question for a moment that the language will come. It already has to some extent. He can bear his testimony in English and when he finishes he beams from ear to ear. There are moments when he is transposed before our eyes and we see him in future years, becoming a great leader among his people.

Pioneers in this church are still alive and well.

Miracles in this church are still alive and well.

A Real P Day!

Can't read the signs in Welch!

Wales countryside

Betsw`-y-coed

The king and queen returning from a long day

Cozy little place as castles come and go.

Long live the King!

Music hall where John Taylor sang -- now a bar.

A palace fit for a king.

Liverpool Docks

With apologies to the readers.......if this sounds like a travel log and feels like a personal journal......oh well .......that's because it is. The only things I have to write about is just what happens here. Remember, no one HAS to read this.......

Given that.....here goes.....

Today is Valentines Day and our PDay so we decided to venture out.........

First to Liverpool. Of course for us and many members of the church, this place has some rich history in that these ports were basically the emigration ports in the 1840's, 50's and on. We are not alone in having ancestors that stood on these shores and waved farewell to their native land. As we stood there today, we thought of their courage and faith and fear that must have engulfed them as they boarded those ships and headed for a new home in a new place for the sake of a new religion.

We then tried to find the Music Hall where John Taylor and others held church services for several years in the city of Liverpool. It was more than difficult to locate. Liverpool is a crazy city with streets running every which way - very few street names are posted and our Tom Tom (GPS) could not locate the place we were looking for. After about an hour and feeling quite discouraged, we found a man who gave us some complicated directions and we found it. We even found a parking place, and then began walking. We did not have an address, only a description. We walked the length of the street not recognizing anything. On the way back, President spotted it. He had seen a pix of it and recognized it.

One Sunday morning in 1841 a 16 year old boy was walking along on his way to church to sing in his church choir. He heard someone singing and followed the sound of this beautiful voice. He discovered that it was John Taylor and he stayed to hear the message. This led him to join the church and well, today, as I stood on that ground, I was thanking him for that moment in time. Were it not so, where would I be........

From there we drove into Wales and wandered through Conwy Castle built in 1239 by King Edward I. I had been there but Richard had not. This is such a wonderful area filled with beauty and history. We then took a short drive to a little town called Betsw-y-Coed. (another cute name). The drive was like going through a travel magazine....... Rolling green hills dotted with white fluffy sheep and hedgerow fences dividing the plots. Every time we turned a corner we gasped. The sun was shedding a brillant light on the green grass and we were stopping around every bend just to take it all in.

Just one of those days...........but we are glad to be back with our little flock.

Such a fun surprise!

One of the things that happens to missionaries is that they lose all their inhibitions and will do things they would never do at home, especially in front of their peers.

Such a thing happened yesterday!

During choir practice one of them asked if we could sing, "God Save the Queen". Of course!!!! We thot it a spendid idea. So the Brits in the group came forward, (all 2 of them) and sang with us. Then the Scots wanted their turn so again 2 of them came forward and we listened because we don't know their anthem.
Then the Swede volunteered to stand and sing his anthem (solo with no accompaniment). We listened and so it went. Next the Romanian, then the Phillipino, then the German, and finally our little elder from Turkey stood -- he asked everyone to stand (mostly by motioning to us). He asked the elders to put on their suit coats and button them and stand tall. And then, like an Olympic athlete standing on the gold medal podium, he belted out his national anthem. We were stunned and filled with emotion. We have heard so little from him, because he speaks so little English, that it was like seeing him in another life. When he finished, all clapped, patted him on the back and his companion embraced him. It was one of those electrifying and bonding moments. And then those of us who know it stood and sang the Star Spangled Banner. Remember there are only 10 of them, but yesterday there could have been 100. It was their moment to shine and gave them a little taste of home. Honestly, they are so amazing.It did not matter that some could barely carry a tune and changed pitch with every line. It was the fervor with which they sang.......... It all ended with a group hug and many expressions of love for each other. Of course, later in the evening one of them had a homesick meltdown. That makes just about 8 for 10 -- some mild, some crippling. But they all recover quickly and move on.

President also gave them a little course in tieing their ties and spit shinning their shoes. Last night, after they were finished for the day, they went to their rooms and began shinning their shoes. They kept coming back to his office for inspection. They would do anything in the world he asked of them........let's hope it sticks!

I wonder why just months ago when they were home, some of them were giving their parents grief and kicking the bricks at every turn, and now they behave like little lambs, eager to be taught and trained. They are so childlike in their faith and humility and so giant like in their eagerness and desire. Hang in there moms and dads. You would be amazed at what that boy (or girl) of yours can do!

Let's face it, missions do as much for the missionary as for the people they teach. Nothing new, but I am reminded each day of the marvelous effect this experience has on these young people.
This is a blessing that will change their lives (and ours). I continually insert the names and faces of our grandchildren who have served and will yet serve. I am excited for them.

Missions are hard.
Missions are fun.
Missions are full of surpises.
Missions are the BEST!