26 March 2017
 |
| Today is Mothering Day in England. They even gave me a flower at church! The weather is a bit windy, but the sun is shining! |
I’m chuckling even as I write to tell you about some of the funny phrases I’ve heard recently. First, I was having trouble with texting on my phone. Craig, the IT guy at work was helping me in our office. After a minute he said, “I’m just going to give your phone a jiggery poke and then I’ll bring it right back.” Ok . . . whatever that meant! But whatever it did mean, it’s now working!
Second, the sweet missionary couple that works from our offices and is also in our ward, Chris and Jeannie Wills, invited us to dinner tomorrow evening at their favorite restaurant. When describing where the restaurant is located, he said “It’s twixt Warwick and Solihull.” Ron knew what he meant. I had no clue.
Third, when emailing the women over social media for the upcoming British Pageant, we were setting up a time to have regular calls with each other and deciding how often to have them. I said, “Would you like to talk weekly or every other week?” She wrote back, “I’m good with either weekly for fortnightly.” I knew ‘a fortnight’ meant two weeks, but I had no idea ‘fortnightly’ would ever come up in a conversation I’d be having with someone.
And finally, a couple of weeks ago I was meeting with the women over Public Affairs for the Pageant. After our meeting we were just chatting, getting to know each other, she was telling me about being “gob-smacked” over something . . . it’s just so darn cute! I just love hearing the British language from all our new friends.
I’m learning to say “post a letter” instead of “mail a letter”, say “mobile phone” (with the long i sound) instead of cell phone, and “sorry” instead of “excuse me”. I’m still getting use to someone always saying to me “you alright?” I want to say, “Why, what’s wrong, don’t I look alright?” when really they are saying, “how are you?” I’m trying to answer them with “Brilliant!” Yes, I might be talking a little funny by the time I come home.
As I mentioned before, one of our responsibilities is the media for the upcoming British Pageant. Malcolm told me that he was sure with my past Festival of Trees responsibilities I had a lot of experience in journalistic writing, so he put me in charge of writing news articles for the pageant to be posted on the church media sites as well as social media. I told him he was sadly mistaken. I am not a writer. My friend and mentor, the director of the Foundation, was an English major and fabulous journalistic writer, so she wrote everything. I wrote very little. “Well then, you’ll just have to learn. Are you willing?” I have several friends with such talent in writing! Sharon, Rhonda, Lise... I must have been cleaning when they passed out that talent... I have always admired their gift, especially now. With all the patience and kindness a true English gentleman has, Malcolm has been mentoring me. He is a wonderful journalist himself, so it has been fun. I would write, email it to him, he would chop chop, edit edit, and send it back. I would re-write, he would say “thank you.” Then he would re-write my article. I would see it posted on Mormon Newsroom UK and recognize a couple of quotes that were mine. Not offended at all! So practice makes perfect, or so they say... last week I wrote an article, he changed a few words, and it will be posted this week. It is titled, “BRITISH PAGEANT HELPS FAMILY THROUGH DIFFICULT TIME”. This is another testament that the Lord qualifies us beyond our natural abilities when we are about His business. When it posts, I’ll share the link.
Wednesday was such a sad day, not for just England, but for the world. Thank you so much for all those that reached out to us, making sure we were safe. Our heart goes out to the Cochran family in West Bountiful as well as Sister Cochran’s parents who are temple missionaries in the London Temple. There were two other “big news” items that affected the Mormons that day also here in England. Malcolm is first contact for everything newsworthy in Great Britain, so our office was hopping. We got our first real taste of a high-pressure day in Public Affairs.
Thursday we met with the Elders and Sisters again for their District Meeting. It’s fun to take them lunch and share a spiritual thought. Elder DuPlessis will be going home on Tuesday, so today we had the Elders to our flat for dinner. I will miss his dry, deadpan sense of humor. Thursday, Ron said he had “two” missionary stories to tell them. Well, you all know what kind of trouble we get in when we say two of anything. . . Elder DuPlessis said, in the most deadpan, South African accented voice, “Elder Partridge, I think you had better just have one story from now on.” Too funny.
Second, the sweet missionary couple that works from our offices and is also in our ward, Chris and Jeannie Wills, invited us to dinner tomorrow evening at their favorite restaurant. When describing where the restaurant is located, he said “It’s twixt Warwick and Solihull.” Ron knew what he meant. I had no clue.
Third, when emailing the women over social media for the upcoming British Pageant, we were setting up a time to have regular calls with each other and deciding how often to have them. I said, “Would you like to talk weekly or every other week?” She wrote back, “I’m good with either weekly for fortnightly.” I knew ‘a fortnight’ meant two weeks, but I had no idea ‘fortnightly’ would ever come up in a conversation I’d be having with someone.
And finally, a couple of weeks ago I was meeting with the women over Public Affairs for the Pageant. After our meeting we were just chatting, getting to know each other, she was telling me about being “gob-smacked” over something . . . it’s just so darn cute! I just love hearing the British language from all our new friends.
I’m learning to say “post a letter” instead of “mail a letter”, say “mobile phone” (with the long i sound) instead of cell phone, and “sorry” instead of “excuse me”. I’m still getting use to someone always saying to me “you alright?” I want to say, “Why, what’s wrong, don’t I look alright?” when really they are saying, “how are you?” I’m trying to answer them with “Brilliant!” Yes, I might be talking a little funny by the time I come home.
As I mentioned before, one of our responsibilities is the media for the upcoming British Pageant. Malcolm told me that he was sure with my past Festival of Trees responsibilities I had a lot of experience in journalistic writing, so he put me in charge of writing news articles for the pageant to be posted on the church media sites as well as social media. I told him he was sadly mistaken. I am not a writer. My friend and mentor, the director of the Foundation, was an English major and fabulous journalistic writer, so she wrote everything. I wrote very little. “Well then, you’ll just have to learn. Are you willing?” I have several friends with such talent in writing! Sharon, Rhonda, Lise... I must have been cleaning when they passed out that talent... I have always admired their gift, especially now. With all the patience and kindness a true English gentleman has, Malcolm has been mentoring me. He is a wonderful journalist himself, so it has been fun. I would write, email it to him, he would chop chop, edit edit, and send it back. I would re-write, he would say “thank you.” Then he would re-write my article. I would see it posted on Mormon Newsroom UK and recognize a couple of quotes that were mine. Not offended at all! So practice makes perfect, or so they say... last week I wrote an article, he changed a few words, and it will be posted this week. It is titled, “BRITISH PAGEANT HELPS FAMILY THROUGH DIFFICULT TIME”. This is another testament that the Lord qualifies us beyond our natural abilities when we are about His business. When it posts, I’ll share the link.
Wednesday was such a sad day, not for just England, but for the world. Thank you so much for all those that reached out to us, making sure we were safe. Our heart goes out to the Cochran family in West Bountiful as well as Sister Cochran’s parents who are temple missionaries in the London Temple. There were two other “big news” items that affected the Mormons that day also here in England. Malcolm is first contact for everything newsworthy in Great Britain, so our office was hopping. We got our first real taste of a high-pressure day in Public Affairs.
 |
| We loved having Elder Kovach and Elder DuPlessis over for dinner! |
 |
| My Malteser cookies |
The weekend was spent up in the Chorley area again (where the Preston Temple is) for a meeting Friday night and all day Saturday with the Great Britain National Council. It is amazing how dedicated the members are here to sharing the good will of the Mormon church, spending the time to do this on top of their regular jobs, parenting and and often several other church callings. They sit on Interfaith Councils, hoping to be an influence for good and share our beliefs on religious freedom among other things. My eyes have been opened.
 |
| Where the first baptisms took place in England in 1837. Such beautiful country. I can't even tell you how beautiful. @Sawley, Lancashire |
Stan and Joyce Parrish, Public Affairs missionary couple in London, came up for the meeting as well. We picked them up at the train station and took a drive to Downham where Lord and Lady Clitheroe live. This is also the River Ribble Valley where the first baptisms took place in the Mormon Church in
1837. It was like stepping back in time. The Clitheroe’s own the whole valley. Those that live there “tenant” from them. There are no overhead wires. I thought I was right smack dab in a scene from Downton Abby. And the place we had lunch, Greendale, was amazing. I ate a week’s worth of calories in one sitting full of fresh homemade bread, spring soup, ham and cheese sandwich, and bread pudding, all of which were nothing like the food we are used to back home. I seriously didn’t eat the rest of the day. It was the best meal any of us had eaten in a long time. If you come see me, let’s go there!
We heard a wonderful heart-warming true story at our meeting Friday night. Back In 1979, the mission president of the Manchester Mission planned a field trip for his missionaries to Hawkshead Village, a beautiful old quaint town in the Lake District. The missionaries piled together on a bus for the day. The mission president had previously arranged with the vicar in town to hold a special meeting in the old church there The missionaries has an amazing experience. . . everything the Mission President had hoped for.
Fast forward now to 2016. One of the missionaries went back to England for vacation to visit his old mission area. He also visited Hawkshead Village again, remembering the “P-Day” trip all the missionaries took. He went back to the old church, where he met the vicar. He learned that the church they had met in some 37 years prior was in dire need of a new roof, which would cost £70,000. The vicar didn’t know how they were going to raise the money. The missionary went home and contacted as many of the missionaries that were in the mission in 1979 that he could find and told them the situation. Through the generosity of all the former missionaries, they were able to present the vicar with a check for $20,000.
This story warmed my heart. (If you read it in the Ensign, remember you heard it here first!) It was certainly such a kind and generous offering. But not something I am unfamiliar with. I am so blessed to have many people in my life who are equally as generous and set a good example to me and to many others. For example, the total earned for Festival of Trees last year was announced Friday evening, breaking records again at over $2.6 million. WOW! I am so honored have been part of such an amazing cause. And so many of you are part of that also. Whether it be Festival or something else, thank you for being such kind, generous people. You are my heroes this week!
Moroni 7:47 “But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.”
Ether 12:34 “This love which thou hast had for the children of men is charity; wherefore, except men shall have charity they cannot inherit the place which thou hast prepared in the mansions of thy Father.”
We miss our family, we miss our friends, we miss home, and Bajios, Café Rio, and Market Street Grill . . . but at the same time feel so blessed to be serving. Thank you for your love and prayers in our behalf. And thank you for your emails! It’s as fun as Christmas morning when we hear from home. We rejoice with your happy news, and are saddened when we hear of someone struggling. We love you and pray for you as well.
Have a wonderful week this week! We’ll be thinking about you!
 |
| Lunch with the Parrishes in Downham today, where Lord and Lady Clitheroe live. It feels like Downton Abby. |
We heard a wonderful heart-warming true story at our meeting Friday night. Back In 1979, the mission president of the Manchester Mission planned a field trip for his missionaries to Hawkshead Village, a beautiful old quaint town in the Lake District. The missionaries piled together on a bus for the day. The mission president had previously arranged with the vicar in town to hold a special meeting in the old church there The missionaries has an amazing experience. . . everything the Mission President had hoped for.
Fast forward now to 2016. One of the missionaries went back to England for vacation to visit his old mission area. He also visited Hawkshead Village again, remembering the “P-Day” trip all the missionaries took. He went back to the old church, where he met the vicar. He learned that the church they had met in some 37 years prior was in dire need of a new roof, which would cost £70,000. The vicar didn’t know how they were going to raise the money. The missionary went home and contacted as many of the missionaries that were in the mission in 1979 that he could find and told them the situation. Through the generosity of all the former missionaries, they were able to present the vicar with a check for $20,000.
This story warmed my heart. (If you read it in the Ensign, remember you heard it here first!) It was certainly such a kind and generous offering. But not something I am unfamiliar with. I am so blessed to have many people in my life who are equally as generous and set a good example to me and to many others. For example, the total earned for Festival of Trees last year was announced Friday evening, breaking records again at over $2.6 million. WOW! I am so honored have been part of such an amazing cause. And so many of you are part of that also. Whether it be Festival or something else, thank you for being such kind, generous people. You are my heroes this week!
Moroni 7:47 “But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.”
Ether 12:34 “This love which thou hast had for the children of men is charity; wherefore, except men shall have charity they cannot inherit the place which thou hast prepared in the mansions of thy Father.”
We miss our family, we miss our friends, we miss home, and Bajios, Café Rio, and Market Street Grill . . . but at the same time feel so blessed to be serving. Thank you for your love and prayers in our behalf. And thank you for your emails! It’s as fun as Christmas morning when we hear from home. We rejoice with your happy news, and are saddened when we hear of someone struggling. We love you and pray for you as well.
Have a wonderful week this week! We’ll be thinking about you!
No comments:
Post a Comment