How the Time Has Flown!

We have been very very busy in the mission office.  Not a lot of pictures to show, however, Holly sent us a picture of a familiar spot.  It looks like a new program has been developed at Aspen Grove.  I knew there was something very big rubbing the trees at camp.  (Oh, I guess that was me hitting them with the backhoe!)

Holly wrote,
"It was really fun to get this email ad from the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry. The new IMAX movie's mountains (some of them) are unmistakable. So fun! Here's a link to the trailer if this interests you."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2FkZGIKAVI

The following pictures are at our Senior Missionary BBQ at President and Sister Gubler's home. It almost got rained out.

Our first transfer was one of the largest transfers of new missionaries coming and going for several years.  It really kept us jumping to get everyone where they needed to be.

Elder Palmer (from Canada) and Sister Parker

A terminal at Heathrow Airport

Always lots of instruction!

Off to Heathrow Airport Lodging late at night.  We usually house the missionaries here in temple accommodations, but there was not enough room in the inn this night.  There won't be enough room next transfer either!

A few moments of relaxation after transfers, and after all the missionaries are accounted for.  We didn't lose any! (Except for a couple of hours when one elder got on the wrong train...  He turned up in time to return home...)

The Manor House in the background 

The Old Wire Mill Restaurant - only a few blocks from the temple grounds

Elder Palmer and Elder Dey, our Office Elders.
We couldn't do this without them!

Small lake at the Wire Mill Pub and Grill

Quick trip to Hever Castle for exercise walk

There are long walk-ways with beautiful surroundings to enjoy.

Below is a view of a spot on our ride home from church this morning.  Arundel Castle is in the background.  We will return another day to tour.  The office elders had p-day there a few weeks ago and said it was magnificent!   

We have been in England for almost two months now, and things are going well.  It has been very busy, and sometimes a bit difficult getting started, but we have received much help and many blessings.  We especially love living on the London Temple grounds!  (Sometimes it is referred to as "campus.")  So, we love living on campus, and will continue to be schooled in the things we need to learn to be happy and to do all that our Father in Heaven wants us to do.

Two Weeks of Work, Moving Flats,Cleaning Out, and Miracles

These last two weeks have been very busy as Elder and Sister Record are now gone and we are on our own.  We moved into their small flat in the temple accommodations.  We also moved wards, and are now assigned to attend the Worthing Ward on the south coast of England, west of Brighton.  Last Sunday we finished out our assignments in East Grinstead Ward helping with primary music and teaching a primary class.  Worthing is about an hour's drive south through beautiful rolling country. They call it the retirement center of England as it has a bit warmer climate by the sea.
The members were very welcoming, and we are happy to serve there.

Last walk around the grounds of the Bridgestock estate.

Scenes from the Old West Park Farm...

New flat at the temple accommodations - studio apartment

Mom's desk on left and Dad's on the right.

Elder Parker's first pot-roast crockpot meal ever.  I have never cooked a meal like this before.  It was wonderful.  Mom thought it was wonderful, too, since she didn't have to cook it.  I did manage to burn the french bread that was to go with it though, I am just very thankful that it didn't set off the fire alarm.  (Though the smoke in the hall did bring the fire inspectors!)

First night walk around the London Temple

Our bedroom window.

Old Manor House - Temple Presidency lives here

We're working long hours, but happy to be serving!

Cleaning out the storage so Sister Parker can find books and pamphlets requested in the field:

Midway cleaning - the "before" was much worse!

After

Books of Mormon and pamphlets in many many different languages that are used to teach in our mission.

View from our bedroom window

Our chapel in Worthing, England

Our favorite fish and chip restaurant in East Grinstead, England

Small round-about near the fish and chips restaurant

Let me tell you a story of the miracle of this work and the little red keypad...

I know God is in control. I have been blessed to know that all of my life.  I have been a witness to His goodness and care for me as an individual and for our family.  Why do I have pictures of a little keypad and computer?   Let me tell you the story.  

This keypad gives a code that opens our mission bank account via computer.  Very important!  I was trained that if you miss inputting the code right, after the third time it closes. One time it took the former administrator a great deal of time and effort (weeks) to get it working again.  Last week I entered our password and "Fail 1" came up instead of the numbers I needed.  I thought, "this can't be good."

I cleared it and tried again, with the same "Fail 1" response. This was all I could get for over two hours, though I knew I was inputting the code correctly.  I tried calling the bank in America for assistance, but they wanted the name of the previous administrator and various authentications of who he was.  I couldn't prove that I was the new administrator, so could get no help concerning the keypad.  

Mom would say at this point that this is a "long story,"  so I will cut to the end.  I was very humbled, closed the door to my office, and said a heartfelt prayer.  I had so much to do! I let God know I was trying my best and needed His help. I needed access to this account now in order to run the finances of the mission.

When I had finished praying, I went again to the keypad.  "Fail 1" came up again, this time I entered the correct passcode even though it only showed "Fail 1". When I hit the last number button for the code it still showed "Fail 1", I hit the green enter key, it opened and gave me the access code I needed.  

I know that God is in the detail of our lives if we will but ask Him in humility.  This is His work, and we are but His servants. We love being the Lord's servants.

On Our Own. Our Trainers Are Leaving!

Our trainers, Elder and Sister Record, left today to return to Ogden, Utah.  Now we are on our own! However, in going about the Lord's missionary work we know we are not alone. We have already experienced the Lord's help many times during the past three weeks, plus have many others who are willing to answer all our questions. We feel things are clicking in and we are up to the task.

As we move forward, we truly appreciate Elder and Sister Record and the wonderful work they have done during their mission as office managers, and in helping us get started.

To get in our morning walk at the West Park Estate, we usually have to be up and out by 6:00 AM.

A view out our flat door.  Don't you love the car we drive?  We may not have it much longer, which is a bit of a concern.

There is a sign for almost everything.  This is in Lingfield, a little town close to the Temple.

Coughlans Bakery in Lingfield.  Mom was checking it out for catering for the missionaries.  I was checking it out for us.

"Sweets and savories" I remember buying from an English bakery when I was here 47 years ago.

The "savories" Mom and I are eating are filled with smashed meat and vegetables. The maple bar-looking dessert is much like a maple bar in the US only flakier, and not maple!  Too much icing for Mom, but not for Dad...

We really haven't been too far from the office just yet - mostly on errands to find things we need.  Dad is getting quite comfortable in his driving on the "wrong" side of the road, and Mom is starting to navigate better with all the round-about exits which are everywhere.  All the missionaries use a GPS so we don't get lost!

We are attending the East Grinstead Ward which is about five miles away. Sister Parker is playing piano for the Primary, and will be on the organ in Sacrament Meeting in a couple of weeks to substitute.  It seems that music people are always needed in the mission field. Elder Parker will be teaching a class of Valient boys soon.

We love the following quote we heard last week in our Sunday School Gospel Doctrine class. It was supposedly given in the 1700's to the great theologian, John Wesley, by his mother. (Bev will check on that when we have time, as Susanna Wesley was a great Christian mother.) It is an excellent piece of wisdom for each of us today. 

“Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, takes off your relish for spiritual things, whatever increases the authority of the body over the mind, that thing is sin to you, however innocent it may seem in itself.”  Susanna Wesley   

Hold fast to the Gospel, and things will be alright in the end.
Proverbs 3: 5-6 - "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."

This is a theme for our lives, especially the next few months as we find our way directing this mission office.  It is a good theme for all of us.  May God bless you and give direction to your lives as you acknowledge Him, our Creator and our Father.