I blinked... then it was Sunday again!

Dear family, friends . . .all those we love so much,

Happy Happy Birthday to Devonna (yesterday) and this week to Karen Robinson, Kiera Tuttle Releye (my daughter from another mother) and a Happy Anniversary to our daughter Alisha and husband Sam.

This week was so busy and went so fast, I really do feel like I blinked and it was Sunday again.

A week ago last Friday we were asked to find a suitable place near Birmingham to do some filming. The Church is remaking the film “Why Mormons Build Temples” and chose England as one of the places they would like to film. There were specifications, such as looking very English quintessential, timeless (so no snow or Christmas decorations), etc. Monday I spent the day searching the Internet to find such places. Because we had that huge snowstorm last Sunday that closed everything down for 2-3 days, it was difficult, and the filming was to take place last Friday. After a lot of research, we narrowed it down to four places, two museums and two hotels, and we spent all day Tuesday visiting those places. It was fun day, and always fun to meet new people.

Elder Wheeler from Kaysville

Wednesday was a catch-up and preparation day in the office. Thursday and Friday we spent at Birmingham Zone Conferences training the missionaries on social media. Ron opens with, “Now I’m sure you’re wondering why they have an old guy teaching YOU how to use social media.” That gets a laugh because that is exactly what they are thinking!” Then he tells them what I’ve told him many times, “You’re a millennial trapped in a senior body.” He really is. He says it’s just my way of saying he is immature.   It is very fun to teach them together. It was also fun to reunite with missionaries that have transferred away from our area, and especially great to see Elder Wheeler from home. We were able to report to his parents that he is happy and doing well and surviving the rain and cold. He feels like he is being blessed the same way I do.

Friday we had to hurry home from Zone Conference to meet the film crew at our office for additional filming of those that couldn’t travel to the chosen quintessential location. At 6pm we realized that we had a dinner also to attend that evening, so we divided and conquered, and I stayed with the film crew and Ron went to the dinner. I was finished sooner than expected, and Ron was going to be longer than expected, so I decided to call an Uber and go home. I had just walked in the door when my phone rang. It was the Sister missionaries. They had been in a car accident, rear ended, and were at the hospital. Could we please come pick them up? Ron hurried home to get me and we hustled back to the hospital. Thankfully other than a few aches and pains they were ok. It was a late night.

Saturday was super busy! First thing, we gave the flat a spit shine. That’s all the time there was. Then we got ready and went to Julia’s baptism. Remember Julia . . . forgetful, 84-year-old Julia? The stars finally aligned and she was baptized. It was very sweet.

One funny thing at the baptism . . .whilst waiting for Julia to get dressed after being baptized, we went into the chapel and sang Christmas hymns. After singing ‘Away in a Manger’ the woman sitting in front of me turned around and said, “You make us sing your version of Christmas songs. You don’t let us sing traditional English versions.” At first I was a little stunned, as I didn’t understand exactly what I had done wrong to warrant the scolding, but then I figured it out. Sometimes the tune is different (you know how there is a different tune to Away in a Manger in the Children’s Songbook than in the Hymnal) and sometimes the words are slightly different, which is the case for ‘Away in a Manger’. The Church songbooks are the same all over the world in English-speaking countries, and true, they are the American version, so she was right. And I guess because I am American, it was my fault that day. I had to chuckle once again at the American bash. We seem to take the blame for a lot of things America does differently. That’s ok, I’m a missionary, and my shoulders are broad (chuckle chuckle).

One of the cute families we home/visit teach had a new baby last Saturday, so we offered to take dinner to them yesterday. And because I was preparing food anyway, we decided to have the Elders over for dinner last night as well. So it was a couple of hours of preparing food, a couple of hours to deliver it (the family really lives outside our ward boundaries so it’s quite a trek to get to them), then a trip home to cook the meal for the missionaries. The best part of preparing recipes are the thoughts I have of the person who originally gave me the recipe, so a shout-out to Robyn for her Swiss Chicken, Mary Fae for her Broccoli salad, Mom Partridge for her Tropical Fruit salad, and my 8th grade Home Economics teacher for glazed carrots.

Another funny thing at the Baptism . . .at the church we have a pathetic-looking Christmas tree set up in the foyer that someone pulled out of storage, still decorated from last year, and stuck it in the entry. Sister Phillips in the ward (well loved, well respected, a lovely woman) pulled Ron to the side and said, “Do you think you could get your wife to work some magic on that awful Christmas tree?” I guess because of my Festival of Trees experience, I was thought to be a decorator. (I didn’t tell her I’m an organizer, not a decorator!) While we were waiting for Julia to arrive, we surveyed the tree and began a makeover. But it needed more time, and more ornaments, and something to make it stand up straight, so we left it with a promise to come back in the evening and finish it. After we finished dinner with the Elders, we grabbed the leftover ornaments from our tree at our flat, took the tree topper star right off our tree, and headed to the Church to make a true Charlie Brown tree look presentable for Church the next morning. Ron found something in the Primary closet to use as a shim and straightened the tree, we took the haphazardly-placed garland a ribbon completely off, fluffed the tree (thanks to Deb and Tif and Festival of Trees tree delivery, even Ron knew how to do that!), rearranged and added ornaments, and topped it with our star. No compliments on it today . . .truly only three people noticed I’m sure . . . but Sister Phillips and Ron and I were happy. One never knows what you might be asked to do as a missionary.

Getting ready for the Nativity in Primary!

It is traditional throughout England that on this Sunday the Nativity is acted out at some point during Church. Because Church was cancelled last week, we hadn’t practiced or assigned parts. It was as chaotic as anything I have ever seen. But we took the middle hour and sorted out people and costumes for the 12 Primary children. Every girl wanted to be Mary, and none of the boys wanted to be Joseph. When the line in the script said “We don’t know exactly how many Kings were there, but traditionally we say three . . . “ and then the three kings were to make their entrance, only two came up. The third ran up a few minutes later, as he had to make a toilet break at the exact time he was needed on stage. When it came time for the children to sing ‘Away in a Manger’, you can bet I had them sing the tune they were familiar with and changed the American wording to the English version. I hope to have redeemed the reputation of every American. And what Nativity doesn’t finish by playing a two-minute segment of The Polar Express? I’m not even going to try to explain that one . . .

We enjoyed a Munch and Mingle after Church together and wished everyone a Merry Christmas. I’m always amazed at how fast the tables are set up and the food is brought in from everyone’s cars, and then how fast the food is gone. Today it was finger foods, so sandwiches, crisps, and finger desserts. I made 36 chicken salad sandwiches on Costco rolls and they were a hit. Sometimes the Americans do get things right.

After Church we took a gift over to our other Home Teaching family, took neighbor gifts to those we know in our flat block (apartment building), and called it a day.

Someone asked us today how we were doing with being away from family this Christmas. I answered, “We’re ok! The kids and grandkids seem to be ok without us, so it’s all good.” Then Ron said, “Ask her next week. You might get a different answer.” At Zone Conference, President Leppard counseled us to focus on the Savior even more this year. Since we were in the mission field, and many of the things that can distract us from focusing on Christ during Christmas were not present, use this year to really focus on what really matters. So that is what we are doing, and it has been wonderful. The ‘Light the World” campaign has helped tremendously.

We love you, and our thoughts will be with you this week during your final preparations for Christmas. Thanks to those that have sent Christmas greetings already. Mail from home is the best.

Love to all,
Ron and Marie