Another week has gone by for you and for us. Nearly every day at least one of you comes up in our conversation, and it is usually about what we have learned from you. We have had so many wonderful and growing and learning experiences this week that I want to share with you. I’ll pick the highlights!
Our prayers this week are with the Squires family, as tomorrow marks a year of the passing of our beloved Bishop Dave. We feel blessed to have had him as a neighbor, Bishop, and friend. I know he would be so proud of how his family is carrying on. They are a pillar of strength to us all. We love you, Alison and family!
I didn’t mention in last week’s update about an email I received the Saturday previous. It was from Elder Martin Cook. He and his wife, Judith, are serving a mission on Temple Square in Salt Lake City. They are from Great Britain and one of those families that everyone knows and loves. We feel as if we know them, although they left for their mission just after we arrived here, so our paths did not cross.
Elder Cook emailed to tell me that whilst walking from his apartment to Temple Square last Saturday morning, he passed by the gravesite of Heber C. Kimball as he always does. He noticed a group there, so he walked over to see what their interest was in the gravesite. As the group was talking about Elder Kimball, the leader of the group asked if anyone had any stories they would like to share. Elder Cook decided to weigh in and share all that Heber C. Kimball had done for the British saints whilst he was a missionary here, and how because of him and others like him, many were converted and emigrated to the United States. It has been said that the British saints literally saved the church.
The group he was speaking to was a group of Young Single Adults, with their Bishop. When the Bishop introduced himself to Elder Cook as Bishop Rex Gines . . . (my brother) and the connection was soon made after Rex found out where Elder Cook was from. . . you know the rest. I thought it so kind of Elder Cook to take the time to email me. He knew of us, as we did him. We will go home shortly before their mission ends, and we have already made plans to meet.
Then, Monday morning, when we first arrived at the office, Elder Wills, the Church History missionary, brought an old Church News article he had found and thought we might be interested in because the two missionaries the article was about were from the Bountiful, Utah area. As it turns out, the missionaries were Hatch Howard’s dad and his brother. He had no idea we would know the family. For those of you who know the Howard’s, I’ve attached the article. It’s very cool! I immediately emailed Ann Howard Edgington with a copy. Of course, she knew the article and story well, as it is her children’s favorite story to tell when they are asked to talk about an ancestor. I mean . . . how many of our ancestors have had an encounter with three men who came out of nowhere? Hmmm . . . . .
So again, too many things happen for it to be coincidence. It’s very cool to think about. It’s great to think that the Lord is mindful of us in our every day lives.
Thursday was a GLORIOUS day because I mailed the last of the British Pageant VIP invites. It was a labor of love and a team effort to gather names, addresses, merge excel files into letters, and labels . . . I just kept praying that everything would be correct and if it wasn’t, “Heavenly Father, please don’t let me send out the wrong invite to the wrong person, or have a name misspelled, or anything else offensive” (like calling a Lord a Lady or something like that), and sure enough, I’d get this feeling to double check something, and there was a mistake, and I was able to correct it before it was mailed. Those are the times that it is easy to see “from whom all blessings flow”. I’m so grateful.
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| The Halifax Ward sewing hats for the men & boys to wear at Pageant. Sure wish I could have packed my sewing machine in my suitcase! Instead, I'll sew buttons on! |
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| Ron's Saturday ritual |
All the people that live there have radiation poisoning. Life expectancy of anyone there is 40-50 years. Many families have lost parents and are being raised by grandparents. They live in utter poverty. And most can’t afford the medicine for the poisoning and suffer so many side effects. The charity the UK supports brings girls here for one month when they turn 9 years old. Host families take two girls in together. It has been proven that by coming here for one month and breathing clean air and eating nutritious food extends their lives for two years. So for 20 years our ward has been providing this evening of fun and entertainment for the girls and their host families. Friday night there were 6 darling girls who didn’t speak a bit of English. You should have seen them eating their hamburgers! They were all lined up in matching clothes that they host families had purchased for them, eating like it was their last meal. We were asked to bring a small gift for them to take home with them. After seeing them, several of us saw that we could do so much more, so we will be purchasing clothes and items for them to take home. They come with the clothes they are wearing and nothing else. While here the charity gives them dental and optical care as needed.
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| Chernobyl girls - darling! |
Saturday we did our morning housework, walk (in the rain) etc, went to lunch, and was just about to get on the motorway to go to Costco when the sister missionaries called. Sister Wood had crashed on her bike and needed medical attention. Fortunately we weren’t far from where they were. We were able to hurry to their aid and get Sister Wood to the A&E (ER at the Hospital). Sure enough, her x-ray showed a fracture in her foot, so she is now sporting a lovely cast and is on crutches. Never once did she complain, and was so grateful for the help. The zone leaders have a bike rack on their car so they were able to rescue the bikes. But they won’t be needing bikes for a while. They have permission to ride the bus for the next few weeks. Right now we have a trio of sister missionaries, while Sister Adoo from London awaits her Visa to go to Atlanta, Georgia.
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| It's a joy to be with the young missionaries and Sister Wood was a trooper |
Tonight we are in Poole, which is on the south coast of England. We had an assignment here tatsonight to attend an event called “Our Story Goes On”, which is a travelling theatrical play that is presented to share the gospel in a very simple way, used as a missionary tool. What a difficult assignment! J It was so fun to attend, and a great story told. I tell you, these badges we wear . . . everyone treats us so nice. We were invited to a little reception before the play along with the Stake Leaders, Patriarch, and other interfaith leaders. We were given VIP seating right on the front row. And so many of the cast thanked US for coming, when we were trying to thank THEM for volunteering their time and talents in this way! The music was not just church songs, but songs that everyone knows like “Do You Love Me” from Fiddler on the Roof and “Bring Him Home” from Le Mes. There was at least one time in the story that everyone watching could relate to, whether it was the birth of a new child, the wandering of a wayward child, or the sickness and death of a loved one. It brought tears to almost every eye as the experiences of our own lives were portrayed on stage.
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| The view from our hotel room in Poole |
passed away last week, and they would like to dedicate tonight’s performance to her. The Stake Patriarch then gave the Opening Prayer. In his prayer he asked that the veil between the spirit world and earth be opened, and this woman be allowed to see the performance. I’m sure she did. I’m sure she was there in spirit.
At the reception before the play we met Tony and Evey. After the play they asked us if we were heading back tonight. We told him we were staying over. “What are you doing tomorrow?” they said. We told them we had a few recommendations for things to see, like a couple of castles, before heading home. “Let us show you around!” they said. “We would love to do that!” So we are meeting them tomorrow at 10am. But the amazing thing is . . . they are the parents of the young woman who passed away last week. And her funeral is this Thursday. Yet, they want to share some time with the missionary couple. We are more humbled than words can say.
In the play tonight, I was reminded of an old Scottish saying that I’ve always loved, and sums up so well how I feel tonight and how I feel about those I love (that’s you!)
“Thee lift me, and I lift thee, and we will ascend together . . .”
Thank you for your love and prayers that lift us each day. No matter how religion or God fits into our lives, we all share the recognition of a higher power that blesses us and strengthens us. Have a wonderful week, and know that our love and prayers will be with you.
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A note from our oldest daughter this week that meant so much to us!
Mom,
I just want you to know how much I love you and Dad and how much I love your letters. They literally bring tears to my eyes every single week. I love all of these amazing experiences you are having and I feel like the spirit is confirming to me over and over how needed you are there and how much Heavenly Father loves you. And I know that if he loves you and dad that much, he loves me and my family too.
I am so proud of you and dad for making the decision to leave us and go on a mission. While your family always loves and needs you, the Lord needs you more. I know this for sure.
Love you!
Amanda
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