A Full Week

Our beautiful weather in England last week was short lived . . . we arrived home today needing our coats, scarves, and I wish I had my gloves with me on the walk from the train station back to the carpark at the office.  Burrr . . . . 

Remember the first three months of our mission when I was writing three-page letters every week?  We were experiencing so many new things, all of which I wanted to share with you.  Now, the last three months of our mission, we are still having many wonderful experiences, some are repeats of annual events.  To be honest, instead of feeling the excitement of something new, I am feeling the sadness of “this may be the last time . . .”   I have shed a few tears over it, I’m not going to lie.

Paris Temple with Daryl Watson

We love traveling by train!  Anytime we can,  we choose train over plane.  We are on the Eurostar train just now, returning from our National Public Affairs annual training meeting, this year held in Paris.  

Our seminar was held in a hotel just minutes from Versailles and a five-minute walk from the Paris Temple.  The weather in Paris was lovely.  We began our seminar on Friday evening with a session at the temple.  It set the tone for the entire seminar.  I HEART the Paris Temple!   Saturday was filled with training classes from 7:30am - 6pm - a long day of sitting, yet so informative.  We learned so much.  The instruction was focused on using internet to share a message about our church.  Twenty one countries in Western Europe were represented by members of our Church.  Most of the countries have very few members, and the person over Public Affairs is working hard to bring The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints out of obscurity.  One country, Slavakia, has only five active members. That is hard to even imagine!   There were some new faces, but a lot were friends we had met at last year’s conference, friends like Raimondo from Italy, Sergio from Spain, Krisztina from Hungary, and Ingrid from Sweden.  We made new friends as well, like Hana from Czech Republic, Violeta from Poland, and Lars from Denmark. These types of gatherings opens our eyes to how blessed we are to live in the USA for so many reasons.  We sure hope some of them come to Utah someday and we have the opportunity to see them again!

Paris Temple with the Connollys

Saturday night we took the river cruise down the Seine River and saw the beauty of Paris all lit up in the night, including the breathtaking Eiffel Tower again.  WOW!  My wish for all of you is that you have an opportunity sometime in your life to do the same. It needs to be on your Bucket List.  

Sunday our Seminar went from 7:30am - noon, ending with Sacrament Meeting.  My favourite part of the Sunday session was the talk given by Rick Turley, Managing Director of Public Affairs. He talked about touring with President Nelson on his World Ministry Tour and the key messages he gave the world.  It was no surprise that one of the main messages was from the two greatest commandments; love God and love your neighbor (Matthew 22:37-29) and let your actions show the world that you embrace it. Something new to add too my list of things to ponder, and definitely things to improve upon.

The closing song was “God Be With You Til We Meet Again”.  Sigh. I was the chorister, but I did not choose the songs.  That one was difficult!  I was able to hold my emotions together thankfully.   Three cheers for staying strong until the song was over.

Favorite Public Affairs quote from the seminar:

    I believe that the Lord is anxious to put into our hands inventions of which we laymen have hardly had a glimpse.  With the Lord providing these miracles of communication … surely the divine injunction will come to pass:  ‘For, verily, the sound must go forth from this place into all the world, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth—the gospel must be preached unto every creature.’

Cruising on the Seine

Would it surprise you to know that this quote came from a talk given by Spencer W, Kimball in 1974?  It’s hard to deny modern revelation.

Well, thanks for reading my ramblings once again. Much of what I felt this week will stay in my heart. . . . No words to describe.

Happy Birthday this week to my friend Lise, my example of a true minister.  She had the concept down at least 35 years ago.  I know, I’ve been the recipient many times. Lise, “MAY the 4TH be with you!  And Happy Birthday, dear friend, Kathy Pack, Happy Birthday (and Cinco de Mayo) to you!

Cheers from England,

Ron and Marie

PS - GO JAZZ!