Missionary Journal
England (January Wk3 2009)
Saturday, 17 January 2009
Today was a low-key day and quite rainy. I spent a good part of it preparing for my YSA (Young Single Adult) Gospel Doctrine class. We talked with Delight and Justin via the internet for an hour or so. It’s nice to hear their voices. If anyone else wants to get in on the conversation, we talk every Saturday at 9:00 am California time (Delight has the information).
This evening Walt took me out for our first pub meal since we’ve been here. We went to the Swan which is right at the start of the High Street. It is a happening place, especially on Saturday night as you can see from these pictures.
In speaking with the Elders, they referred to the Swan as the “posh” pub in Weymouth. All I know is that it was my first mouthful of rare steak since we left the States and it was WONDERFUL!!
On Saturday while speaking with Delight and Justin, Walt mentioned (grumbled) that he was bored. (Just remember that.) I couldn’t understand his issue since I’ve been fairly busy preparing to teach one lesson or another and sitting up appointments with less active members. I told him that as Sunday School President he should be ready to give any Sunday School class and probably should review the Gospel Doctrine lesson. Shortly before that comment the Stake Executive Secretary called and wanted to set up an appointment with Walt to speak with the 1st Councilor in the Stake Presidency on Sunday before the start of meetings.
Walt told me today that he had broken his watchband (only one side of the expansion band was holding at one link). It was a new band that I bought him last Christmas to replace the tacky old one he had worn for so very long. I got on line and ordered him a new watch. A Casio Wave Ceptor that does about everything.
Sunday, 18 January 2009
We picked up the Elders for church at 9:05 so we could be at the chapel at 9:15 for Walt’s meeting with the 1st Councilor in the Stake Presidency. While he was doing that I was setting up the Library for my Gospel Doctrine lesson. Fortunately for me, the Library is quite a bit larger than Alma’s. We actually had room in there for six students and me. I also found out before church started that Weymouth Branch has a projector. Oh, how nice, a projector. Obviously, Walt wouldn’t let me bring mine since we each had three suitcases (two to check and one to carry on). They bought it with the remaining 2008 funds. It has arrived and I will be able to use it for my lessons (yes, I’m teaching both Gospel Doctrine and the 4th Sunday lesson next week). Oh, boy, just like home with the exception that I don’t have a color printer (I’m working on that).
Just before the start of meetings, Walt told me that in addition to being Sunday School President and a missionary, he had been called to be the Branch Clerk (Branch Clark as they call it). Our Mission President had told Walt he might be called to the Branch Presidency, but when we arrived they had two very able counselors functioning. However, just like in any branch, you have multiple callings, so the 1st Counselor in the Branch Presidency was the clerk. Hopefully, that means Walt won’t be quite so bored (LOL/TIC).
My lesson went well, but everyone was too quiet. I can’t believe I scared them??? Oh, well, hopefully, they will be more talkative next week.
This evening we had a dinner appointment with a sister who owns and runs one of the hotels along the Esplanade (the road that goes along the beach). Her hotel will take single party reservations, but mostly they book charter/coach (bus) parties. Dinner was great with Roast Beef, Yorkshire pudding, roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes, french fried parsnips, buttered brussel sprouts, and mashed swede (something like parsnip) that was all prepared by the sister’s oldest son (20 years old). He is the chef for the hotel during the season (March through December). Dessert was chocolate cake with clotted cream. And I wonder why I’m not losing any more weight than I am even with the increase in physical activity from walking.
Monday, 19 January 2009
“P” day again. We washed clothes and I managed to prepare the fair portion of both lessons for Sunday. We had a few things that I wanted to buy on the High Street and we left the flat and went to the launderette to dry clothes. Then we went to the High Street. We stopped at Debenham’s (like Macy’s) and bought a single summer-weight duvet. Walt is so warm that he throws the double winter-weight duvet over me and, believe it or not, I’m warm enough that I’ve been kicking it off. So, we bought this light–weight one (along with a duvet cover) to put on my side of the bed and take the double duvet off when we go to bed.
On the way back to the car, I took the following pictures:
I thought the “Birds” picture was great. I only caught a fairly small portion of the birds that were circling overhead.
Walt told me today that he had broken his watchband (only one side of the expansion band was holding at one link). It was a new band that I bought him last Christmas to replace the tacky old one he had worn for so very long. I got on line and ordered him a new watch. A Casio Wave Ceptor that does about everything.
Sunday, 18 January 2009
We picked up the Elders for church at 9:05 so we could be at the chapel at 9:15 for Walt’s meeting with the 1st Councilor in the Stake Presidency. While he was doing that I was setting up the Library for my Gospel Doctrine lesson. Fortunately for me, the Library is quite a bit larger than Alma’s. We actually had room in there for six students and me. I also found out before church started that Weymouth Branch has a projector. Oh, how nice, a projector. Obviously, Walt wouldn’t let me bring mine since we each had three suitcases (two to check and one to carry on). They bought it with the remaining 2008 funds. It has arrived and I will be able to use it for my lessons (yes, I’m teaching both Gospel Doctrine and the 4th Sunday lesson next week). Oh, boy, just like home with the exception that I don’t have a color printer (I’m working on that).
Just before the start of meetings, Walt told me that in addition to being Sunday School President and a missionary, he had been called to be the Branch Clerk (Branch Clark as they call it). Our Mission President had told Walt he might be called to the Branch Presidency, but when we arrived they had two very able counselors functioning. However, just like in any branch, you have multiple callings, so the 1st Counselor in the Branch Presidency was the clerk. Hopefully, that means Walt won’t be quite so bored (LOL/TIC).
My lesson went well, but everyone was too quiet. I can’t believe I scared them??? Oh, well, hopefully, they will be more talkative next week.
This evening we had a dinner appointment with a sister who owns and runs one of the hotels along the Esplanade (the road that goes along the beach). Her hotel will take single party reservations, but mostly they book charter/coach (bus) parties. Dinner was great with Roast Beef, Yorkshire pudding, roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes, french fried parsnips, buttered brussel sprouts, and mashed swede (something like parsnip) that was all prepared by the sister’s oldest son (20 years old). He is the chef for the hotel during the season (March through December). Dessert was chocolate cake with clotted cream. And I wonder why I’m not losing any more weight than I am even with the increase in physical activity from walking.
Monday, 19 January 2009
“P” day again. We washed clothes and I managed to prepare the fair portion of both lessons for Sunday. We had a few things that I wanted to buy on the High Street and we left the flat and went to the launderette to dry clothes. Then we went to the High Street. We stopped at Debenham’s (like Macy’s) and bought a single summer-weight duvet. Walt is so warm that he throws the double winter-weight duvet over me and, believe it or not, I’m warm enough that I’ve been kicking it off. So, we bought this light–weight one (along with a duvet cover) to put on my side of the bed and take the double duvet off when we go to bed.
On the way back to the car, I took the following pictures:
I thought the “Birds” picture was great. I only caught a fairly small portion of the birds that were circling overhead.
The next picture is the 50th Anniversary statue of King George III. If you look closely, you will see the ever-present seagull on the crown (left side of picture about even with George’s waist). I was wondering why we had a great big statue of George III, so I looked it up and found the following (I didn’t write this; it’s exactly the way I found it on the internet):
“Now a vibrant resort at the mouth of the River Wey, modern Weymouth developed out of the two rival towns of Melcombe Regis and Weymouth. With its rich heritage and picturesque surroundings luring th
ousands of tourists and sightseers each and every summer. If you are planning a trip to the area or are one of many passengers taking the ferry to either Cherbourg or the Channel Island's you'll find there's plenty to see and do in this ancient port town, which has become a vibrant tourist attraction since the later days of the 18th Century. For this we can thank King George III, when he created a national craze as the first reigning monarch to bathe in the then, new-fangled bathing machine. Fans of the macarbe may be interested to note that Weymouth is reputed to be the geographic orgin of the Black Death in Britain!”
I guess he put Weymouth on the map. I also found a painting of King George III on his coronation day. By the way, he was considered to be Crazy King George at the end of his life.
Tuesday, 20 January 2009
This morning was District Meeting (every Tues.jpg)
day morning at 10:30 in Yeovil [about 30 miles one way]). I can’t believe how well these young elders can conduct a good meeting. Elder Ellsworth is the District Leader. He has only been on his mission for about 6 months, but I can tell he is going to be a good leader and valiant member when he completes his mission and goes home. He talked about how we should teach meaningful lessons and what we needed to do. That is Preach My Gospel Walt has open. What a wonderful resource!
“Now a vibrant resort at the mouth of the River Wey, modern Weymouth developed out of the two rival towns of Melcombe Regis and Weymouth. With its rich heritage and picturesque surroundings luring th
ousands of tourists and sightseers each and every summer. If you are planning a trip to the area or are one of many passengers taking the ferry to either Cherbourg or the Channel Island's you'll find there's plenty to see and do in this ancient port town, which has become a vibrant tourist attraction since the later days of the 18th Century. For this we can thank King George III, when he created a national craze as the first reigning monarch to bathe in the then, new-fangled bathing machine. Fans of the macarbe may be interested to note that Weymouth is reputed to be the geographic orgin of the Black Death in Britain!”I guess he put Weymouth on the map. I also found a painting of King George III on his coronation day. By the way, he was considered to be Crazy King George at the end of his life.
Tuesday, 20 January 2009
This morning was District Meeting (every Tues
.jpg)
day morning at 10:30 in Yeovil [about 30 miles one way]). I can’t believe how well these young elders can conduct a good meeting. Elder Ellsworth is the District Leader. He has only been on his mission for about 6 months, but I can tell he is going to be a good leader and valiant member when he completes his mission and goes home. He talked about how we should teach meaningful lessons and what we needed to do. That is Preach My Gospel Walt has open. What a wonderful resource! 
Elder Ellsworth made this puzzle and we put it together on the blackboard at Yeovil chapel (see Preach My Gospel, pages 175-176). As you can see, we need to: (1) focus on the investigator or less active; (2) be worthy to teach and represent Jesus Christ; (3) develop knowledge and skills; (4) bear testimony; (5) build a relationship of trust (BRT); (6) rely on the Spirit; (7) pray for them; (8) “spin the plates of teaching” (i.e., “Their understanding will also be influenced by how well you focus your attention on them, by how well you explain the gospel, use the scriptures, share your testimony, ask questions, and invite them to make and keep commitments.”); and (9) and most important, love them with the love of Jesus Christ. After we went over these attributes, each companionship (Weymouth, Yeovil, and Walt and I) took turns practice teaching one member of another team and emphasizing the attributes on the heart based on scenarios outlined by Elder Ellsworth. It was great: as usual, Walt doing the majority of the teaching and me coming up with scriptures to emphasize and then testifying to the principle.
After the meeting, we drove the Elders to their next appointment in Portland (3 or 4 miles away) and then went to Alf’s Fish and Chips for lunch. It’s about two blocks from the chapel and our Elders eat there fairly frequently.
There’s Walt talking to Alf.
Since we were church members, he gave us a 10% discount. I guess he gets a fair amount of business from the members and missionaries. Food was good (fries were crunchy and my calamari was great). The portions were huge (I should have taken a picture of Walt’s, but didn’t think). We brought home enough to have dinner, but I was too full and just had a couple of crackers and cheese instead.
Since we were church members, he gave us a 10% discount. I guess he gets a fair amount of business from the members and missionaries. Food was good (fries were crunchy and my calamari was great). The portions were huge (I should have taken a picture of Walt’s, but didn’t think). We brought home enough to have dinner, but I was too full and just had a couple of crackers and cheese instead.
Alf told us he was going to the London on Wednesday for a luncheon since Alf’s won the distinction of being “Regional Winner Fish & Chip Shop for 2007 and 2008”), as you can see from the sign.
We came home and found a notice that the Postman had tried to deliver Walt’s watch and we needed to go to the Post Office to pick it up. Of course, the Post Office is on the High Street. So, we picked it up since his watchband broke completely this morning and he doesn’t have another watch.
Wednesday, 22 January 2009
Today, we had no appointments so I continued working on my lessons for Sunday. Interestingly enough, Walt received a call this morning from President Chasteauneuf saying that his wife (who is the Gospel Doctrine teacher) will not be in church Sunday and Walt (as Sunday School President) would need to teach for her. Therefore, we both worked on Sunday School lessons a good portion of today.
The 4th Sunday Teachings for Our Time this month is “The Ministry of Angels” by Jeffery R. Holland. I was particularly touched by his “theme” statement: “God never leaves us alone, never leaves us unaided in the challenges that we face.” We have been guided and aided ever since we arrived at the MTC. It is very comforting to feel that everything will be OK if you just keep doing the best you can.
Elder Holland: “My beloved brothers and sisters, I testify of angels, both the heavenly and the mortal kind. In doing so I am testifying that God never leaves us alone, never leaves us unaided in the challenges that we face. ‘[N]or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man [or woman or child] upon the face thereof to be saved.’ On occasions, global or personal, we may feel we are distanced from God, shut out from heaven, lost, alone in dark and dreary places. Often enough that distress can be of our own making, but even then the Father of us all is watching and assisting. And always there are those angels who come and go all around us, seen and unseen, known and unknown, mortal and immortal.”
I’m using the picture of our group of senior missionaries to ask the question: “Have angels ceased to appear unto the children of men?” I still marvel at the commitment, talents and knowledge, and testimonies of the folks in the group; people who care so much about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and are so excited to be going out to be of use to Heavenly Father’s children on every continent. It is humbling to be a part of this group; to be able to devote my time and energies to the people of the Weymouth Branch and the London South Mission.
I especially like the scripture in D&C 84:88 - And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up. I constantly feel we are accompanied by angels as we go about visiting people.
Thursday, 22 January 2009
Today we had an appointment with Sister Iris Campbell out in Bridport. She is a lovely English lady who lives in a retirement community. She was dressed in a pleated skirt with a very nice knit jacket and a string of pearls (just exactly what you would expect of a 21st century English lady). She has gone back to attending services at the Church of England and is very happy there. We will probably never get her back to church, but had a very nice meeting anyway.
I especially like the scripture in D&C 84:88 - And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up. I constantly feel we are accompanied by angels as we go about visiting people.
Thursday, 22 January 2009
Today we had an appointment with Sister Iris Campbell out in Bridport. She is a lovely English lady who lives in a retirement community. She was dressed in a pleated skirt with a very nice knit jacket and a string of pearls (just exactly what you would expect of a 21st century English lady). She has gone back to attending services at the Church of England and is very happy there. We will probably never get her back to church, but had a very nice meeting anyway.
Friday, 23 January 2009
This afternoon we had an appointment with a sister who is elderly and living with her daughter out on Portland Island. She has onset dementia and has good days and bad days. Her daughter told us when we got there it was one of her really good days and she was anticipating our visit. We visited with the daughter for a little while and then went up to see her mother. She has been with her daughter since late November and misses her own home. She also misses being able to go to church and is terribly lonely since her daughter has to go out to work daily. She is in an upstairs room and can’t get down the stairs, but does have a very nice view out the window of pastures and horses and the sea.
I made her a promise that we will try to see her every week and that we would get visiting and home teachers out to visit. I have already asked the Relief Society if they couldn’t get a few of the stay-at-home sisters to rotate calling her so that she has at least one call a day. I will also try to call periodically in addition to our visits. We gave her some of the missionary lesson tracts that are so beautiful and left her with the same scripture I did our Sister last week (D&C 68 verse 6: “Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come.”). I found it for her in her scriptures and marked it so she could find it again. Walt gave her a blessing. She thanked us for visiting and told us she had been praying that the Lord would send someone from “her” church to see her. Our Branch President has been visiting almost weekly but she probably doesn’t remember from time to time. I’ll just keep her in my prayers. This is a sweet lady who is ready to return home and is trying her best to “endure to the end.”
After our appointment we stopped at Brother Web’s to pick up the projector. We just could not get it to work. I guess I will spend part of tomorrow redoing my lessons to not use PowerPoint. Darn, it looked good and I liked being able to use pictures.
This afternoon we had an appointment with a sister who is elderly and living with her daughter out on Portland Island. She has onset dementia and has good days and bad days. Her daughter told us when we got there it was one of her really good days and she was anticipating our visit. We visited with the daughter for a little while and then went up to see her mother. She has been with her daughter since late November and misses her own home. She also misses being able to go to church and is terribly lonely since her daughter has to go out to work daily. She is in an upstairs room and can’t get down the stairs, but does have a very nice view out the window of pastures and horses and the sea.
I made her a promise that we will try to see her every week and that we would get visiting and home teachers out to visit. I have already asked the Relief Society if they couldn’t get a few of the stay-at-home sisters to rotate calling her so that she has at least one call a day. I will also try to call periodically in addition to our visits. We gave her some of the missionary lesson tracts that are so beautiful and left her with the same scripture I did our Sister last week (D&C 68 verse 6: “Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come.”). I found it for her in her scriptures and marked it so she could find it again. Walt gave her a blessing. She thanked us for visiting and told us she had been praying that the Lord would send someone from “her” church to see her. Our Branch President has been visiting almost weekly but she probably doesn’t remember from time to time. I’ll just keep her in my prayers. This is a sweet lady who is ready to return home and is trying her best to “endure to the end.”
After our appointment we stopped at Brother Web’s to pick up the projector. We just could not get it to work. I guess I will spend part of tomorrow redoing my lessons to not use PowerPoint. Darn, it looked good and I liked being able to use pictures.
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