Missionary Journal
England (October Weeks 3-4, November Weeks 1-4 2009)
October Weeks 3 and 4, November Week 1
On Tuesday the third week of October we went to District Meeting where we discussed the Faith Cycle.
You must have a desire to give a place in your heart to a principle of the gospel and you don’t cast it out. God then gives you a swelling or confirmation of the Spirit, which enlarges and enlightens your understanding, which leads to increased faith. Therefore, your faithfulness in this gospel principle brings you closer to Heavenly Father.
Alma 32:21, 27-28
21 And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.
27 But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words.
28 Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.
We have been taught by two Mission Presidents to expect miracles each and every day. Too often we don’t see the miracles because we aren’t looking for them. We’re not talking about great, big smack you in the face miracles, but the small everyday miracles that are taking place around you all the time. We have been asked to keep a Miracle Journal to record our miracles. I can testify to each and every one of you that miracles do happen. Then we come to realize that we are seeing the Faith Cycle in not only our lives, but the lives of the people we are in contact with.
We also shared the letter we had from the sister who wants to stop smoking and asked for suggestions from the Elders and Zone Leaders attending District Meeting. They told us of a “Stop Smoking Program” that had been used in Plymouth. We know the Senior Missionary Couple in Plymouth quite well since we met them at the MTC in Provo. We received shortly a PDF document that says if you sincerely commit and follow the plan for a week, you can stop smoking.
Since this was the last meeting before moves, I took this picture:
From left to right: Elders Marchione (Weymouth), Orme and Elmer (Zone Leaders), Allred (Weymouth), Mysyk (Yeovil and our District Leader), and Hanson (Yeovil).
We went out in the evening to visit and I came home dead tired.
Wednesday when I woke up I knew I was ill. I don’t believe I’ve ever had something hit me so very hard as this did. I have absolutely no idea if I came down with the Swine Flu, but for the next 3 weeks I did very little more than sit in my chair and sleep.
On Wednesday evening we received a call from the Elders saying that Elders Allred and Hanson were moving. On Thursday, we found out that we had a new Elder (Elder Trevisan). Now both our Weymouth Elders are from Italy.
Of course, with being together 24/7, about two weeks after I got ill, Walt came down with the same thing. Neither one of us had any inclination to anything, especially see people. I managed to get Walt to do my Gospel Doctrine lesson for me the first week and then another brother when Walt got sick.
We’ve had so many sisters calling to ask if they could shop for us or make us dinners. I told them all no. Fortunately, the borrowed freezer we were loaned has been a Godsend. We had shopped just prior to getting ill, and it was as full as it could get with frozen meat and vegetables. Here you can see it – in the living room (lounge) under the stairs and next to our indoor drying rack and bookshelf. The open box on the right of the freezer holds hand-out copies of the Book of Mormon.
We drug into church on Sunday. I taught Gospel Doctrine, and we made roast beef subs for Munch and Mingle. I had bought a roast (fortunately shrink wrapped) before I got sick and needed to cook it. It hadn’t quite hit the “sell by” date but it was getting close and it was a big roast. When ASDA or Morrisons have sales on their roasts, I can buy them cheaper than mince (hamburger). I roasted the meat on Saturday evening and Walt cut it into thin slices and bagged it. We bought four 3-foot long thin (3-4” in diameter) loaves of bread (one with seeds and three tiger chest). After church was over on Sunday, we quickly put the sandwiches together. I came home and went to bed, took a 3-hour nap, and then fed the Elders.
We finally both had a good week this week. We’re up and running on lessons and responsibilities. I taught both Gospel Doctrine and did Sharing Time in Primary. I can’t tell you how good it was to feel good. The Sunday School lesson I taught this week was on Family History and Temple Work.
Oh, I love to teach on the Doctrine and Covenants. It is my most favorite book of scripture.
As I was fleshing out my lesson, I was talking about getting to know your ancestors. I know that my great-great-grandfather Wardle (on my dad’s side of the family) came into the Salt Lake Valley as a scout with Brigham Young’s first company in 1847. I also knew from my mother that my great-great-grandfather Potter came in 1852. Mother had always told me that one of my ancestors was hanged as a horse-thief and the Indians raised a monument to him. I thought that was a little farfetched, but you never know. So, anyway I Googled both men and here is what I found. Just remember, you have to take the bad with the good.
From Day By Day with the Utah Pioneers, 1847:
Saturday, June 26
"...George Wardle was a survivor of the pioneer company of 1847. He lived in Vernal, Unitah county, and wrote an interesting letter to The Tribune full of pioneer reminiscensces. Mr. Wardle was born in Leek, Staffordshire, England, February 3, 1820. He joined the church in 1839, emigrated to Nauvoo in 1842 and passed through all the difficulties incedent to the time, arriving at Winter Quarters in 1846. He left there with the other pioneers and was with the party in all its travails and hardships. He was one of the advance company to enter the valley with Orson Pratt and was the first to go to work whipsawing for lumber. He and George A. Smith were among the first to plant potatoes in the valley.
“Mr. Wardle was a great musician, one of the earliest singers in Utah and was a member of the Nauvoo brass band. He, with James Smithers, conducted the singing for the ceremonies incident to the laying of the cornerstone of the Salt Lake temple in 1853, and was deeply interested in all branches of music. He also taught dancing at Marcy R. Thompson's log house and among his early pupils were George Q. Cannon, Joseph Fielding Smith and others. Until a few years ago there were many alive who used to dance at Mrs. Thompson's and nearly everyone remembered George Wardle. He died November 25, 1901 in Vernal, Utah” (Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah by Frank Esshom, Published in 1913 by Utah Pioneers Book Publishing Company).
Now, to the other side of the family.
UTAH’S TERROR
From Old Court Records Summit County Territory of Utah, 1860-1867
“Isaac Smith Potter struck terror in the hearts of hardened pioneers in Northern Utah, in the early sixties, far more than a gun toting outlaw could have done. They understood a killer, but over their families night and day was the threat of Potter’s raid, with a band of savage Indians. Their families were not safe. Heavy armed guard was maintained in Coalville, and continued until Isaac Potter and Charley Wilson were shot to death and John Walker wounded in their attempt to escape guards the night of August 1st, 1867.”
This is Issac Smith Potter (the only picture I've found).
There is another version of this story: “On 29 January 1863 Colonel Patrick Connor and 200 California Volunteers attacked a winter village of the Shoshoni Indians at the confluence of Beaver Creek and the Bear River in Southeastern Idaho. Approximately 250 Shoshoni were slain, including 90 women and children.
“Later that spring Connor planned an attack on the Utes in Spanish Fork Canyon. Isaac Potter alerted the Indians in time for them to move most of their camps. Despite this several Utes were killed but there is no doubt that the killing would have been much worse if Potter had not warned them.
“From this moment Isaac Potter was a marked man among the whites. Among the Indians, however, he gained a reputation of being one of the few whites, Mormon or gentile, in whom the Indians had confidence” (Ransom Robert Potter History, Lee H. Potter).
I’ve also read that since the town of Coalville, Utah would not allow Isaac Smith Potter to be buried in the city cemetery he was buried at the mouth of Grass Creek Canyon, which extends into the mountains near Potter's Point. It was said that his Indian friends watched over his grave. Recently, in a low water year, bones were found exposed in the reservoir bed near this point. Subsequently, they were accepted as Isaac's remains and they were re-entered in the Provo City Cemetery, Provo, Utah.
Things are starting to get organized in the branch. We have PEC and Branch Council scheduled and announced. Our Munch and Mingle on the second Sunday of every month is being well attended and supported. It is so much fun to be able to sit around for an hour or so and just chat – no program or meeting, just fellowshipping.
The weather has been cold, very windy, and rainy, but we periodically have a lovely afternoon or evening which makes it all worth it.
Two or three months ago, the Elders asked me to make them a DVD of the Mormon Moments (or is that Messages) that are on LDS.org and You-Tube. It was a little time consuming, but anything for our Elders. I downloaded 18 Mormon Moments from You-Tube and then converted the .flv files to .agi files that I could use with the Microsoft DVD Maker software that came with my laptop. The software is slow as it encodes the DVD the first time, but it works jwonderfully for copies. By the time I had finished I had added 17 more on another DVD. I made up 6 copies of both DVDs with for our Elders, the Yeovil Elders, and the Zone Leaders with a listing of titles and times for the front of the DVDs. As moves took place, Elder Allred went to Bristol, and we got a request from the Bringhursts (Senior Missionary Couple in Bristol) for copies. Boy, I love technology!!
Monday was “P” day and we did very little except laundry (which includes a trip to the laundromat to dry clothes).
Tuesday was District Meeting. We talked about Faith, Preparation, and Ordinances. From Preach My Gospel, page 63, we read: “Faith in Jesus Christ and repentance prepare us for the ordinances of baptism and confirmation. An ordinance is a sacred ceremony or rite that shows that we have entered into a covenant with God.
“God has always required His children to make covenants. A covenant is a binding and solemn agreement between God and man. God promises to bless us, and we promise to obey Him. God sets the terms of gospel covenants, which we either accept or reject. Keeping covenants brings blessings in this life and exaltation in the life to come.
“Covenants place us under a strong obligation to honor our commitments to God. To keep our covenants, we must give up activities or interests that prevent us from honoring those covenants. For example, we give up shopping and recreational pursuits on Sunday so we can keep the Sabbath day holy. We should desire to receive worthily the covenants that God offers us and then strive to keep them. Our covenants remind us to repent every day of our lives. By keeping the commandments and serving others we receive and retain a remission of our sins.
“Covenants are usually made by means of sacred ordinances, such as baptism. These ordinances are administered by priesthood authority. Through the ordinance of baptism, for example, we covenant to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ, always remember Him, and keep His commandments. As we keep our part of the covenant, God promises the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, a remission of our sins, and being born again.”
In other words, we can have a desire to do Heavenly Father’s work, but we need an ordinance in order to covenant with Heavenly Father.
One of the scriptures we read to use as an example was Mosiah 18, verses 8 and 10:
We went out in the evening to visit and I came home dead tired.
Wednesday when I woke up I knew I was ill. I don’t believe I’ve ever had something hit me so very hard as this did. I have absolutely no idea if I came down with the Swine Flu, but for the next 3 weeks I did very little more than sit in my chair and sleep.
On Wednesday evening we received a call from the Elders saying that Elders Allred and Hanson were moving. On Thursday, we found out that we had a new Elder (Elder Trevisan). Now both our Weymouth Elders are from Italy.
Of course, with being together 24/7, about two weeks after I got ill, Walt came down with the same thing. Neither one of us had any inclination to anything, especially see people. I managed to get Walt to do my Gospel Doctrine lesson for me the first week and then another brother when Walt got sick.
We’ve had so many sisters calling to ask if they could shop for us or make us dinners. I told them all no. Fortunately, the borrowed freezer we were loaned has been a Godsend. We had shopped just prior to getting ill, and it was as full as it could get with frozen meat and vegetables. Here you can see it – in the living room (lounge) under the stairs and next to our indoor drying rack and bookshelf. The open box on the right of the freezer holds hand-out copies of the Book of Mormon.We drug into church on Sunday. I taught Gospel Doctrine, and we made roast beef subs for Munch and Mingle. I had bought a roast (fortunately shrink wrapped) before I got sick and needed to cook it. It hadn’t quite hit the “sell by” date but it was getting close and it was a big roast. When ASDA or Morrisons have sales on their roasts, I can buy them cheaper than mince (hamburger). I roasted the meat on Saturday evening and Walt cut it into thin slices and bagged it. We bought four 3-foot long thin (3-4” in diameter) loaves of bread (one with seeds and three tiger chest). After church was over on Sunday, we quickly put the sandwiches together. I came home and went to bed, took a 3-hour nap, and then fed the Elders.
November Week 2
We finally both had a good week this week. We’re up and running on lessons and responsibilities. I taught both Gospel Doctrine and did Sharing Time in Primary. I can’t tell you how good it was to feel good. The Sunday School lesson I taught this week was on Family History and Temple Work.Oh, I love to teach on the Doctrine and Covenants. It is my most favorite book of scripture.
As I was fleshing out my lesson, I was talking about getting to know your ancestors. I know that my great-great-grandfather Wardle (on my dad’s side of the family) came into the Salt Lake Valley as a scout with Brigham Young’s first company in 1847. I also knew from my mother that my great-great-grandfather Potter came in 1852. Mother had always told me that one of my ancestors was hanged as a horse-thief and the Indians raised a monument to him. I thought that was a little farfetched, but you never know. So, anyway I Googled both men and here is what I found. Just remember, you have to take the bad with the good.
From Day By Day with the Utah Pioneers, 1847:
Saturday, June 26
"...George Wardle was a survivor of the pioneer company of 1847. He lived in Vernal, Unitah county, and wrote an interesting letter to The Tribune full of pioneer reminiscensces. Mr. Wardle was born in Leek, Staffordshire, England, February 3, 1820. He joined the church in 1839, emigrated to Nauvoo in 1842 and passed through all the difficulties incedent to the time, arriving at Winter Quarters in 1846. He left there with the other pioneers and was with the party in all its travails and hardships. He was one of the advance company to enter the valley with Orson Pratt and was the first to go to work whipsawing for lumber. He and George A. Smith were among the first to plant potatoes in the valley.
“Mr. Wardle was a great musician, one of the earliest singers in Utah and was a member of the Nauvoo brass band. He, with James Smithers, conducted the singing for the ceremonies incident to the laying of the cornerstone of the Salt Lake temple in 1853, and was deeply interested in all branches of music. He also taught dancing at Marcy R. Thompson's log house and among his early pupils were George Q. Cannon, Joseph Fielding Smith and others. Until a few years ago there were many alive who used to dance at Mrs. Thompson's and nearly everyone remembered George Wardle. He died November 25, 1901 in Vernal, Utah” (Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah by Frank Esshom, Published in 1913 by Utah Pioneers Book Publishing Company).
Now, to the other side of the family.
UTAH’S TERROR
From Old Court Records Summit County Territory of Utah, 1860-1867
“Isaac Smith Potter struck terror in the hearts of hardened pioneers in Northern Utah, in the early sixties, far more than a gun toting outlaw could have done. They understood a killer, but over their families night and day was the threat of Potter’s raid, with a band of savage Indians. Their families were not safe. Heavy armed guard was maintained in Coalville, and continued until Isaac Potter and Charley Wilson were shot to death and John Walker wounded in their attempt to escape guards the night of August 1st, 1867.”This is Issac Smith Potter (the only picture I've found).
There is another version of this story: “On 29 January 1863 Colonel Patrick Connor and 200 California Volunteers attacked a winter village of the Shoshoni Indians at the confluence of Beaver Creek and the Bear River in Southeastern Idaho. Approximately 250 Shoshoni were slain, including 90 women and children.
“Later that spring Connor planned an attack on the Utes in Spanish Fork Canyon. Isaac Potter alerted the Indians in time for them to move most of their camps. Despite this several Utes were killed but there is no doubt that the killing would have been much worse if Potter had not warned them.
“From this moment Isaac Potter was a marked man among the whites. Among the Indians, however, he gained a reputation of being one of the few whites, Mormon or gentile, in whom the Indians had confidence” (Ransom Robert Potter History, Lee H. Potter).
I’ve also read that since the town of Coalville, Utah would not allow Isaac Smith Potter to be buried in the city cemetery he was buried at the mouth of Grass Creek Canyon, which extends into the mountains near Potter's Point. It was said that his Indian friends watched over his grave. Recently, in a low water year, bones were found exposed in the reservoir bed near this point. Subsequently, they were accepted as Isaac's remains and they were re-entered in the Provo City Cemetery, Provo, Utah.
Things are starting to get organized in the branch. We have PEC and Branch Council scheduled and announced. Our Munch and Mingle on the second Sunday of every month is being well attended and supported. It is so much fun to be able to sit around for an hour or so and just chat – no program or meeting, just fellowshipping.
The weather has been cold, very windy, and rainy, but we periodically have a lovely afternoon or evening which makes it all worth it.
Two or three months ago, the Elders asked me to make them a DVD of the Mormon Moments (or is that Messages) that are on LDS.org and You-Tube. It was a little time consuming, but anything for our Elders. I downloaded 18 Mormon Moments from You-Tube and then converted the .flv files to .agi files that I could use with the Microsoft DVD Maker software that came with my laptop. The software is slow as it encodes the DVD the first time, but it works jwonderfully for copies. By the time I had finished I had added 17 more on another DVD. I made up 6 copies of both DVDs with for our Elders, the Yeovil Elders, and the Zone Leaders with a listing of titles and times for the front of the DVDs. As moves took place, Elder Allred went to Bristol, and we got a request from the Bringhursts (Senior Missionary Couple in Bristol) for copies. Boy, I love technology!!
November Week 4
Monday was “P” day and we did very little except laundry (which includes a trip to the laundromat to dry clothes).
Tuesday was District Meeting. We talked about Faith, Preparation, and Ordinances. From Preach My Gospel, page 63, we read: “Faith in Jesus Christ and repentance prepare us for the ordinances of baptism and confirmation. An ordinance is a sacred ceremony or rite that shows that we have entered into a covenant with God.
“God has always required His children to make covenants. A covenant is a binding and solemn agreement between God and man. God promises to bless us, and we promise to obey Him. God sets the terms of gospel covenants, which we either accept or reject. Keeping covenants brings blessings in this life and exaltation in the life to come.
“Covenants place us under a strong obligation to honor our commitments to God. To keep our covenants, we must give up activities or interests that prevent us from honoring those covenants. For example, we give up shopping and recreational pursuits on Sunday so we can keep the Sabbath day holy. We should desire to receive worthily the covenants that God offers us and then strive to keep them. Our covenants remind us to repent every day of our lives. By keeping the commandments and serving others we receive and retain a remission of our sins.
“Covenants are usually made by means of sacred ordinances, such as baptism. These ordinances are administered by priesthood authority. Through the ordinance of baptism, for example, we covenant to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ, always remember Him, and keep His commandments. As we keep our part of the covenant, God promises the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, a remission of our sins, and being born again.”
In other words, we can have a desire to do Heavenly Father’s work, but we need an ordinance in order to covenant with Heavenly Father.
One of the scriptures we read to use as an example was Mosiah 18, verses 8 and 10:
8 And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another's burdens, that they may be light;
We then discussed the Results Pyramid. Experiences lead to Beliefs. Beliefs are driven by Faith. Once that happens we are at the line where Action is taken (i.e., testing, etc. Once that is done we can see the Results. This means we as missionaries must provide daily spiritual experiences for our investigators. The attitudes that keep us or our investigators from getting above the Action Line are: (1) Cover Your Trail; (2) Wait and See; (3) Finger Pointing; (4) Ignore or Deny; (5) Confusion; (6) Just Tell Me What to Do; or (8) It’s not my job! The attitudes that get us above the line are: (1) See It; (2) Solve It; and (3) Do It!
10 Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?
We then discussed the Results Pyramid. Experiences lead to Beliefs. Beliefs are driven by Faith. Once that happens we are at the line where Action is taken (i.e., testing, etc. Once that is done we can see the Results. This means we as missionaries must provide daily spiritual experiences for our investigators. The attitudes that keep us or our investigators from getting above the Action Line are: (1) Cover Your Trail; (2) Wait and See; (3) Finger Pointing; (4) Ignore or Deny; (5) Confusion; (6) Just Tell Me What to Do; or (8) It’s not my job! The attitudes that get us above the line are: (1) See It; (2) Solve It; and (3) Do It!To visually show this, Elder Mysyk stacked two chairs together and asked Elder Trevisan to stand on the chair facing away from everybody and the other four Elders to stand behind him and be ready to catch him. The four Elders promised that they would be there to catch Elder Trevisan. Elder Mysyk then asked Elder Trevisan just fall backward. Elder Trevisan wasn’t ready to make that leap of faith. (Note: I wouldn’t have even climbed up on the chair.) After a while, he finally did fall backwards and the brethren caught him nicely. It was definitely a “Fall of Faith.” The question that was asked: “When was the last time you trusted your Heavenly Father that much?” I would expect that Elder Trevisan wouldn’t hesitate too much if he was asked to make the fall a second time because he knew what to expect. He’d had the experience which led to a belief that they would catch him. Then, that belief led to his action which led to the results (faith in the brethern).
On Friday we spoke with our financial advisor (who is managing our investments) and found out that we are coming close to being where we started with her just before the market took a dive off a cliff in 2008. Oh, well, I’ve always said, “The Market goes up, the Market goes down, but over the long run, the Market goes up. We’ll see where 2010 takes us.
Saturday we received an early morning call from President Chasteauneuf to let us know that Tony Webb (First Counselor in the Branch Presidency) had died. We have all missed his spirit these last few months and know that the Weymouth Branch will miss this wonderful man.
Saturday evening, we went with the Elders to visit a Brother Hopcroft who has moved into our branch and hasn’t been active for about 2 and ½ years. He started smoking and we were asked to present the Non-Smoking Program to him. His wife is in the Ukraine and he is very lonely. We invited him to dinner (along with the Elders) on Sunday evening.
Sunday was church and the Gospel Doctrine lesson was “Every Member a Missionary.” I was actually amazed to see all the countries missionaries had been to in the first 20 years the church was in existence.
I looked up the statistics shown in the Statistical Report given at each April Conference for 2004-2008. I was really surprised to see the church is only growing at 2.5% or less over the last 4 years. This is just one more reason for members to more strongly support and participate in missionary work.
Sunday evening we had the Elders and Brother Hopcroft over for dinner. I made chimichangas, Spanish rice, salad with a cream salsa dressing, and a brownie trifle for dessert.
Monday evening our Elders invited us over for a “real Italian” dinner. Elder Trevisan made Lasagna, polenta, and frico (a cheese and mashed potato dish that is a local to his area; Elder Marchione, even though they don’t live very far apart in Italy, had never had it before they were companions).
Elder Trevisan is the one in the apron and Elder Marchione is over by the window.
Elder Marchione made tiramisu for dessert. I normally don’t like tiramisu because of the coffee flavor, but Elder Marhione’s tiramisu had Caro instead of coffee and the flavor was very, very subtle. From Wikipedia: “Caro Instant Beverage, more commonly referred to as simply Caro, is brand of caffeine-free beverages. Some consider it a coffee substitute. It is manufactured by Nestlé and is widely available in the UK and New Zealand. Caro is made up of soluble solids of roasted barley, malted barley, chicory, and rye.”
We had a lovely dinner and couldn’t enjoy these young men more if they were our own sons.
Tuesday was District Meeting again and Elder Mysyk did another chair exercise with our Elders. First he had Elder Trevisan pick Elder Marchione up and put him on a chair. This was quite a bit easier for Elder Trevisan than the Fall of Faith last week. He actually picked Elder Marchione up around the knees and put him on the chair. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my camera out for this exercise.
I did get it out for the second portion of the exercise. Elder Mysyk had not expected Elder Trevisan to be able to pick Elder Marchione up. He really wanted to do it just a little bit differently. Here is Elder Trevisan standing on two chairs trying to lift Elder Marchione up on to the chair. It didn’t work at all well.
So, Elder Mysyk had Elder Marchione put one foot up on the chair and then Elder Trevisan was able to pull Elder Marchione up on the chair next to him.
Sunday evening we had the Elders and Brother Hopcroft over for dinner. I made chimichangas, Spanish rice, salad with a cream salsa dressing, and a brownie trifle for dessert.
November Week 4
Monday should have been “P” day but we had two additional families needing the Non-Smoking Program presentation. Now we have 5 people on the program and are hoping it will be successful.
Monday evening our Elders invited us over for a “real Italian” dinner. Elder Trevisan made Lasagna, polenta, and frico (a cheese and mashed potato dish that is a local to his area; Elder Marchione, even though they don’t live very far apart in Italy, had never had it before they were companions).
Elder Trevisan is the one in the apron and Elder Marchione is over by the window.
We had a lovely dinner and couldn’t enjoy these young men more if they were our own sons.
Tuesday was District Meeting again and Elder Mysyk did another chair exercise with our Elders. First he had Elder Trevisan pick Elder Marchione up and put him on a chair. This was quite a bit easier for Elder Trevisan than the Fall of Faith last week. He actually picked Elder Marchione up around the knees and put him on the chair. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my camera out for this exercise.
I did get it out for the second portion of the exercise. Elder Mysyk had not expected Elder Trevisan to be able to pick Elder Marchione up. He really wanted to do it just a little bit differently. Here is Elder Trevisan standing on two chairs trying to lift Elder Marchione up on to the chair. It didn’t work at all well.So, Elder Mysyk had Elder Marchione put one foot up on the chair and then Elder Trevisan was able to pull Elder Marchione up on the chair next to him.
At the end of District Meeting, we did “Moves Projections.” Moves Projections consists of each of us taking a guess at where all of us will be on Thursday (Moves Day). There’s actually a lot of good fun in this, especially for us because we know we are staying here in Weymouth. What I thought was cute was that Elder Trevisan guessed that the Reimers would be “Translated.” Unfortunately, not even close! But we do love these young men – they are so dedicated to the work.
After District Meeting was over we came back to the flat and changed into jeans so that we (both of us and Elders Trevisan and Mysyk) could go to help Sister Fiona Payne move into her new beautiful bigger house. And I didn’t get any pictures of this since my camera was in my scripture case back at the flat. Since I’ve been sick, my brain seems to be on autopilot and not working so well at remembering to bring my camera.
Well, it’s Wednesday evening. I ordered a Crock Pot (yes, the brand) for Elder Reimers for our anniversary (it’s what he wanted). It was delivered today. Before we left for the church for Seminary and Young Men/Young Women, we filled it with vegetables and a pot roast so that we could have a hot meal when we got home. It works wonderfully. Just like using the cooking bag at home.
A few minutes after 9:00 pm we called the Elders to see what was happening on moves tomorrow. Hallelujah, both our Elders will be here in Weymouth another six weeks. Looking back, our guesses were the most right – we projected everybody would be staying. We did lose Elder Pettersson (from Sweden). This was a surprise since he’s only been in Yeovil for the last moves period. Both Elders Mysyk and Marchione are going into their third moves period and Elder Trevisan his second. Oh well, we know President Shamo puts us where we are needed.
President Chasteauneuf requested that Walt and I represent the Branch on Thursday evening at the VIP Civic Opening of the “Weathering the Storm” exhibition at the Poole Chapel. The senior couple missionaries (called specifically to do public relations) were putting on a touring exhibition commissioned by Area President, Elder Kenneth Johnson. The exhibition was professionally designed and constructed and contained exhibits showing topics relating to personal and family preparedness, as well as civil emergencies. Friday and Saturday the exhibition was opened to the general public and there were manned displays by Poole Stake members covering the following topics: (1) Family Values; (2) Emergency Supplies; (3) 72-Hour Survival Packs; (4) Gardening, Storing and Preserving; (5) Provident Living; (6) Food Storage, Packing and Preparation; (7) Employment; and (8) Debt Counseling. The displays were beautiful and about eight feet high and 12 or more feet wide. Here are a few examples in no particular order. I’ve also put in some pictures of table exhibits that were set up for Provident Living and Food Storage.
Preparing for Natural Disasters (www.providentliving.org)
Well, it’s Wednesday evening. I ordered a Crock Pot (yes, the brand) for Elder Reimers for our anniversary (it’s what he wanted). It was delivered today. Before we left for the church for Seminary and Young Men/Young Women, we filled it with vegetables and a pot roast so that we could have a hot meal when we got home. It works wonderfully. Just like using the cooking bag at home.
A few minutes after 9:00 pm we called the Elders to see what was happening on moves tomorrow. Hallelujah, both our Elders will be here in Weymouth another six weeks. Looking back, our guesses were the most right – we projected everybody would be staying. We did lose Elder Pettersson (from Sweden). This was a surprise since he’s only been in Yeovil for the last moves period. Both Elders Mysyk and Marchione are going into their third moves period and Elder Trevisan his second. Oh well, we know President Shamo puts us where we are needed.
President Chasteauneuf requested that Walt and I represent the Branch on Thursday evening at the VIP Civic Opening of the “Weathering the Storm” exhibition at the Poole Chapel. The senior couple missionaries (called specifically to do public relations) were putting on a touring exhibition commissioned by Area President, Elder Kenneth Johnson. The exhibition was professionally designed and constructed and contained exhibits showing topics relating to personal and family preparedness, as well as civil emergencies. Friday and Saturday the exhibition was opened to the general public and there were manned displays by Poole Stake members covering the following topics: (1) Family Values; (2) Emergency Supplies; (3) 72-Hour Survival Packs; (4) Gardening, Storing and Preserving; (5) Provident Living; (6) Food Storage, Packing and Preparation; (7) Employment; and (8) Debt Counseling. The displays were beautiful and about eight feet high and 12 or more feet wide. Here are a few examples in no particular order. I’ve also put in some pictures of table exhibits that were set up for Provident Living and Food Storage.
Preparing for Natural Disasters (www.providentliving.org)
Education is the Key to Employment Opportunities
Family Preparedness and Provident Living
The Home Storage Table with canned goods and grains. Below is he Provident Living Table with cook books, gardening book, canning books, etc.
This is a picture of our “ribbon cutting” ceremony that opened the exhibition. The gentleman cutting the ribbon is the Poole Councilman in charge of Emergency Preparation. Right before this picture was taken, we had opening exercises with a prayer and with Presidents Martin (Stake President) and Fairbanks (1st Counsellor) speaking. Then we heard from the Councilman. He was a very good speaker and I learned a lot about Poole. Unfortunately, we don’t live in Poole, we live in Weymouth.
This last picture is of Sister Fairbanks, who made the best wheat chili I’ve had in a long-long time. It was chewy and spicy and really good!!Friday we left for London at 8:00 am to attend President and Sister Shamo’s “Thanksgiving in England” dinner. I was asked to make a hot vegetable dish. I wracked my brain and the internet for something that didn’t have to be cooked at the Shamo’s nor refrigerated if I made it at home before we left with three-hour drive to London. I finally came up with a recipe for Cranberry Cabbage (made with red cabbage, apples, red wine vinegar, whole-berry cranberry sauce, cinnamon, and apple juice) that would be cooked in the crockpot. I love cooked red cabbage and this was a hit.
I think that is about all for now. I wish everybody a wonderful Christmas. Love, Jackie
