Close . . . But NOT Pumpkin!

26 November 2017

I have the greatest family and friends! Monday–Thursday this week I continued to receive birthday cards and even a package in the mail. It was so fun to come to work in the mornings, look in the mail slot, and there would be a pretty colored envelope, and it had my name on it! When you are far far away and feel like you are missing out on so many things, it’s just so darn nice to be remembered. So thank you from the bottom of my heart! Truly!

Before sharing more about our week, may I give a shout out to all my Festival friends and tell you that my heart will be with you this week. All last week I was imagining every day what you would be doing in preparation for this week. May you feel the love of our Savior as you work so diligently to bless the lives of His children. I hope you have the BEST YEAR EVER!

Monday morning we arrived at the office and I looked at the calendar and said to Ron, “Is it true? Are we really scheduled be in town all week this week?” It was true, and it was so nice to work hard during the day, then go home and relax a little before beginning a new workday instead of driving somewhere to teach a class or stay overnight in a hotel. Don’t get me wrong! Not complaining, just a nice teeny-weeny little break.

As Thanksgiving Day was approaching, I was a little sad that we weren’t home to share it with our family, but I really thought I was ok. Then Thursday morning I woke up to a picture Alisha had sent of her Thanksgiving table set with my mom’s china that she had recently received. About a half hour later, as we were getting ready for the day, I bit Ron’s head off over who knows what, and then burst into tears. “I’m sorry, I think I’m just a little homesick today!” He hugged me and forgave me quickly. We did miss being with our family that day.

More than a week ago the Wills’ showed us a Thanksgiving special Ed’s Easy Diner in Birmingham was offering for Thanksgiving. A special burger made with a sausage patty, brie cheese, turkey breast, and cranberry, chips (aka French fries) and a soda that could be upgraded to a thick PUMPKIN (yuuup) shake, all for £10.99. “That’s it!” I said, “That’s where we are going to dinner on Thanksgiving. Nothing appealed to me except the price and the pumpkin, but it was enough. So the four of us made a plan. As it turned out, American missionaries get ½ day off for Thanksgiving, which we only found out on Tuesday, so we changed our plans to an English dinner (afternoon, because they call evening meal tea), and hopped the train to Birmingham. We were so hungry and sooooo excited!

Once I took the sausage patty off, the burger was delicious and hit the spot, and I imagined my chips as mashed potatoes. When the waiter came back to ask us if we were ready for our shakes, he said, “I’m sorry but we are out of pumpkin.” WHAT? NOOOOOOOOoooooo. I just smiled. I knew he was teasing me. It was only 2:30 in the afternoon! “You’re kidding me, right?” “No, I’m sorry.” Still smiling that missionary smile, because I did have my badge on, “I’ve come all the way from America for your pumpkin shake!” The poor waiter didn’t know what to say. “Let me check to see if there is anything we can do,” he said. He really just wanted to run away from me. But no, no pumpkin. “How about Gingerbread! It’s close.” NOT CLOSE! They share a spice or two, but that’s as close as it gets. So thus went our Thanksgiving dinner. A bust. (I did have a gingerbread shake, and it was ok.)

After dinner we did have fun wandering through Selfridge’s Department store (very posh) and the German outdoor Christmas market. All in all, it was a fun day. I just have to whine a little about the no pumpkin on Thanksgiving Day. And Ron was whining a little too because his Detroit Lions lost.

Saturday we were invited along with the American Elders to a nice young American couple’s flat for a proper Thanksgiving Dinner, and it was yummy. I made an apple and a pumpkin pie and also a fruit salad to add to the dinner. I thought it was so sweet for the young couple to invite the old people to dinner. We loved it. There was suppose to also be a baptism in the evening that day, but dear sweet elderly Julia, who is a little forgetful at times, lost her keys, blamed the Elders, and said she didn’t want to see them again nor would she get baptized until she found them. The Bishop found them . . . in his car. They had fallen out of her purse when he picked her up for Church. But still, no baptism. Sweet Julia. Poor Elders. They were so disappointed.

We had our Primary program finally today . . .and I say with all humility and gratitude that a miracle happened. We had one family with three children all out with the flu. One boy that had major speaking parts and was accompanying one song didn’t show up until last minute. One family with two children came but announced they couldn’t stay because they had a party to go to. But the children that were there . . .all 13 of them . . . sang their little hearts out and spoke clearly into the microphone whilst giving their speaking parts. The Spirit touched the hearts of everyone there, and the Stake Primary President said, “It was the best one yet.” Hallelujah, and thank you for prayers answered. I had a confirmation during the Sacrament that “all will be well,” and it was. Heavenly Father loves his little children. Whew! My shoulders feel lighter. Now on to the Christmas program songs!

We mourn this week at the passing of a dear friend and past Bishop, Jay Lowe, who was 90 years old, but in great health until a recent fall. He was a great scholar of the Gospel and taught us many things over the past 38 years we’ve known him. We love the Lowe family, and are once again relieved that we took the time for a visit before leaving. We also mourn with our dear friend, Nancy, whose mother passed away the same day as Jay. We love you and pray for you, Nancy and family. What a beautiful mom you have.

Tonight we are on our way to another YSA activity where we will introduce them all to the proper way to pass white elephants! I’ve also made soup for dinner, which soup isn’t dinner here, it’s just a starter (appetizer) and my soup is not pureed, which most soup is pureed here, so I may come back with a whole crockpot full . . . we shall see (plus my soup actually has flavor).

I hope you all have seen the “Light the World Campaign” that begins on Friday. If not, here’s the link.
https://www.mormon.org.uk/

If you search around, you can find the downloadable calendar that has ideas of how to “Light the World” in 25 days, not just the scriptures. We have decided as a family to connect this Christmas by participating in it together and sharing our experiences on our family Facebook page. We invite you to join us and share it as families as well.

Thank you for the blessing you are in our lives! As we approach the Christmas season, may we each “Light the World” by blessing the lives of others. If so, I know we will all have the best Christmas ever!

Cheers!
Ron and Marie

I love November!

5 November 2017

Happy November everyone! I do love the month of November! Some of my favourite people have birthdays this month. Happy Birthday this week to two of my besties, Shauna and Sharon. You all sweeten my life and I love you dearly! I also love November because it is a month of giving thanks, and I have so much to be thankful for.

Today is a significant day because we are officially halfway through our mission. Notice no exclamation point behind that statement . . .I’m not sure how I feel about it. We comment all the time about how sometimes it seems like we’ve been here forever (particularly when we’re talking about how much we miss the kids), and other times we can’t believe how fast it is going and we only have nine months to complete “all we were sent forth to do.” Today is a day of mixed emotions.

We have had a terrific week! Tuesday after work we volunteered for the Royal British Legion, which is a British charity providing financial, social and emotional support to members and veterans of the British Armed Forces. The poppy is the insignia, and it is traditional for everyone to wear one on their lapel from the beginning of November until November 12, which is Remembrance Day. We manned a table at a mall in Birmingham where anyone could give a donation and receive a poppy. We had a fun time, met lots of people, heard some heartwarming stories, and walked away after two hours so grateful for the opportunity. I’ve proudly worn my poppy pin every day since.

Thursday we attended District Meeting with the missionaries. They have just been given access to Facebook, so we were able to offer them some training on how to share the gospel using social media. It’s the same training we will give the entire mission next month. We had fun making a video and practicing with them. After the meeting we enjoyed their favourite, Alisha’s burritos. I can’t believe how much they eat! Our new missionary, Elder Anderson, is slowly adjusting, but still in a bit of culture shock, and I think a little homesick. We talked to him, asked about his family, his hobbies, and told him all the great things about serving in Solihull. I pray for the guidance of a higher power to say just the thing he needs to hear to help him get through the rough days.

Kensington Palace

Friday began our fun weekend with Sam and Alisha in London! We are so happy they could get away and come visit, and so thankful that Aunt Amanda could make arrangements for her own five children and go stay with Sam and Alisha’s kids so they could come. We had good, crisp, fall weather, with a little rain, but nothing that stopped us from having so much fun. We visited the Tower of London, Kensington Palace, Buckingham Palace, St. Paul’s Cathedral, rode the London Eye, and took a cruise down the River Thames. We ate the yummy Indian food, Fish n’ Chips, and even . . .drum roll . . . found pumpkin ice cream that was the BEST I’ve ever eaten! It was our first time since being here that we actually were tourists in London and not just working.

Top L to R: Tower of London, Thames River Cruise
Bottom L to R: Victoria Memorial, London Eye, Buckingham Palace

Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream @ Four Winters, Kensington

Today was Stake Conference (where several wards/congregations come together for a church service) at the Hyde Park Chapel. In the Hyde Park Stake we were told today there are 133 countries represented by the members. Our church has presence in 160 countries around the world, so when they say that London is the true melting pot of the world, I know it’s true. We loved seeing the diversity. In particular, there was an Asian young woman who had a very beautiful, strong voice singing in the choir, and as well as she sang in English, her Asian accent was heard loud and clear. I loved it. We were also fed well spiritually. I was reminded where to turn when we had a concern, what covenants we made at baptism, and how easy it can be to open share the gospel if we have the desire. After the meeting we went up to the rostrum to say hello to someone when an older women jumped into our path and with her hand out to shake ours, she introduced herself:

“Well hello, senior missionaries, I’m Sister (can’t remember her name). In 1983 two young men knocked on my door. They held up a book and told me they had a message to share with me about Jesus Christ. Well, I LOVE Jesus, so I told them they had better get in my house, and I’ve never looked back. Isn’t this Church wonderful!”

We could only agree with her!

We saw friends we haven’t seen since the Pageant, and met people we have had a conversation with over the phone but never met in person. It was a great experience, and we loved being in London for Church.

Tonight we got on the train to come back to Solihull, and just as the train was ready to leave Alisha realized she left her backpack on the chair in the station . . . with her computer and passport in it. . . so Ron took off and said “I’ll text you if I find it and then we will figure out how I’m getting home . . .” and he was off. We were all just praying that Ron could find it. Prayers answered! The bag was still where she left it. So he caught the next train just 30 minutes behind us. We were so relieved, so relaxed, that we missed our Solihull stop! So we had to go one more stop, turn around, come back. As it turned out, we pulled in at the same time as Ron. So it all worked out, and once again we were able to count our many blessings.

Thank you for all of your love, support and prayers. As we serve the Lord, and as we are away from so many we love, we have come to realize the power of prayer more than ever. We love and pray for you also. We hope you have a wonderful week. We are off tomorrow and Tuesday to show Sam and Alisha England in our neck of the woods!

Love to all,
Ron and Marie