Missionary Journal

England (September Weeks 1 and 2 2009)

September Week 1
31 August 2009 (Monday)
Today was our “P” day, but not the Elders’ since this week is transfer week (during transfer week they have their “P” day on Thursday when they move). It was also the very last day to see the jousting at Lulworth Castle. It rained last evening and was very drizzly this morning, but about 11:00 am or so the sun came out. When that happened we got moving and let our flat about 12:30 or 1:00 pm and headed for Lulworth which is about 17 miles away. There has been so much hype that I really expected pomp and circumstance. It was OK, but the joust we saw at Pendennis Castle in Cornwall a few years ago really put this to shame.
However, let’s see some pictures:

As we got to the castle we parked the car and headed to the gatehouse to buy tickets. The cost is £10 for adults and for seniors (which we certainly are) it is £9 (somewhere around $15). Here is Walt with our little bag of water bottles. Of course, I'm just a few steps behind him taking the picture.

I think Lulworth castle is one of the loveliest castles I’ve seen from the outside. I am so enamored of turrets; maybe that’s why.

As you can see from this picture it definitely has turrets (5 stories worth on all 4 corners).

Unfortunately, there is diddly nothing inside. On 29 August 1929 a fire raged for 3 days that destroyed the roof and most of the inside of the castle that could burn. When the roof collapsed it took out all the floors (yes, 5 stories of floors). Therefore, the whole inside of the castle is gutted.

We did watch the jousting and medieval arts demonstrations.

Here is the Black Knight and the Master of Ceremony (MC), the jester. They had a helmet, a collar piece, and gloves, but not full armor and definitely not a “charger” for a mount.

Here is the Green Knight (the hero or the knight representing Lulworth anyway). This is a show of skill where they hit a small shield that has been placed on an upright with their lance.

Here is the Red Knight. The MC nicknamed him, Sir Domino’s; for the pizza company and the colors. And, yes, they have Dominos Pizza in the United Kingdom

Here is the Yellow Knight galloping past Walt who was taking the pictures at this time because he is so much taller than I am and could take pictures over people’s heads.

They also have a little medieval village and I took this picture of Elf (or Elder) Reimers who squeezed himself into this tree stump because I asked him to. I can’t believe he did it and was really surprised when he got out without hurting himself. I didn’t realize it was so short and small when I asked.

Just to give you a flavor of the difference I have a couple of pictures we took when we visited at Pendennis Castle (which is in Cornwall) and had a King Henry’s Joust there today. Pendennis Castle is nowhere as beautiful on the outside as Lulworth, but is mostly intact.

I want you to look at the difference in the horse and the knight: full armor for the knight and the horse is definitely a charger.

They also had falconry and archery and lots of other things. Can you tell, I wish we had gone there again this year? Oh, well—we’re on a mission and have to sacrifice.

As we were leaving, I went into the gift shop and bought – you guessed it – a guidebook and two ice creams. We sat out in the courtyard and ate them and watched the people. While we were there a couple came out with 3 little boys. One was 2 and 1/2 and his daddy had bought him a helmet, a sword, and a battle ax. There was a fountain in the courtyard and first he went over there and batted at the water with his sword. Then he started pulling down his shorts to water the fountain. His poor daddy was petrified and ran over and pulled his shorts back up, apologized, and took him to the toilet. Walt and I were in stitches. We were remembering a time when Charles was about that age and watered the petunias in a large brick planter at a real estate company with lots of people about.

As we were leaving I caught a picture of this same little boy and his father teaching him how to use a bow and suction cup arrow he had bought for one of the boys. I thought it was the cutest picture. Of course, being missionaries, we told the dad we had pictures of him and his son and offered to e-mail them to him.

It was still sunny out, about 65˚F, and lovely. We had a nice day with a 30-minute ride home which would have been much longer if we had gone to Cornwall.

I have to remember this is England. By 8:00 pm it was raining.

Tuesday was the last District meeting before transfers (Elders moving from place to place) on Thursday. I made a batch of lemon bars and we took some pictures. What a somber looking group: (left to right) Walt, Elder Hansen, Elder Allred, Elder Arrington, and Elder Kuhse (our District Leader). We will really miss Elder Kuhse (we know he is going to be transferred). He has been in Yeovil for as long as we’ve been in England (he came just after we arrived). The elders usually don’t stay in one place so long.

At the District Meeting the week of transfers, we make predictions as to where people might be going. The names to forecast are down the side and the forecasters across the top. As you can see, we will probably stay in Weymouth.

Tuesday evening was Relief Society Enrichment and we were doing Food Storage. I downloaded two pretty good you-tube presentations for Enrichment and we prepared a 3-month food storage plan with daily menus.

As It Was in the Days of Noah

3-Month Food Storage Supply

Many of the sisters had prepared food using food storage items. It is so interesting when you try to use American recipes in the United Kingdom. I got a call: “Sister Reimers what is shortening?” They certainly don’t have Crisco here. They do have lard at the stores, however. And at Christmas you can buy goose fat. I have absolutely no idea what they use it for, but it seemed to be a big seller last Christmas.

Wednesday was a stormy, windy day. It’s windy enough that we had our kitchen window open slightly and the wind blew it full open. The trees are whipping and we can hear thunder but don’t see any lightening.

The first thing this morning we received a call from the Elders telling us that Elder Arrington and Elder Khuse were being transferred. They were both going to Train and would be located near London. We also got news that Elder Ellsworth was a new Zone Leader. Elder Ellsworth was the first missionary we met in Weymouth and he is very dear to us. He was a wonderful District Leader and will make a great Zone Leader. I firmly expect he will be an Assistant to the President before he leaves the mission field. For any of you who don’t remember Elder Ellsworth, here is a picture.

We had a recent convert and our Elders for lunch. I made a casserole and salad, we had the new member lesson, and while they were doing that I made chocolate chunk cookies so they could have warm cookies and milk before they left. We so enjoy the Elders (all of them); they are like sons and we love them.

Last month we lost the first two weeks to my illness and then the 4th week Walt wasn’t feeling quite up to par. We knew we wouldn’t make our goal of seeing everybody, so concentrated on contacting the less-actives. There were some far enough away that we knew we wouldn’t get out there, so I decided to write to them and send a Home Teaching summary and the Visiting Teaching lesson. One sister (Joyce Nash) is far enough out that we stop by and see her when we visit Bridport (which is 21 miles out of Weymouth – big branch boundaries). We stopped by her home twice in August and didn’t find her home, so we haven’t seen her in two months. I never write her because we almost always visit, but did send a message right at month-end. I received a very lovely letter from her today:

Dear Elder and Sister Reimers

Thank you so much for remembering me and sending me the Home Teaching Lesson which came at the right time!! I read and inwardly digested every single word; it truly uplifted my spirits at a time I needed it most.

I was sorry to hear that you have been so unwell and hope that you’re fully recovered by the time you receive my letter.

I myself have become housebound due to serious health problems, so I would really welcome a visit from you both, if possible.

Of course, we will get out there as quickly as possible.

This weekend is Stake Conference. We are looking forward to it since it will be the first one we’ve attended as the earlier one this year was televised from London with President Uchtdorf, Elder Anderson, and Elder Oaks. That was when we were able to attend a special missionary meeting with the General Authorities in London.

Wednesday we had the Elders and Sister Esther Shikongo over for lunch and a continuation of our New Member lessons.

Thursday, Esther came over to get some software loaded on her laptop computer. We found out she didn’t need the software, but Walt spent a while showing her how to use the software she already had.

Friday we went out to Bridport and stopped to see Sister Nash in Portesham. We were there for almost two hours talking about agency and Adam and Eve. It was a good visit.

While we were in Bridport, we stopped to see Sister Iris Campbell and then to see Sister Georgina Jones. As we were walking to her flat there were flowers planted all around the walks. I couldn’t miss taking a picture of a very different rose I came across. It was yellow and orange striped. It really looks more like a carnation than a rose, but it had real rose leaves.

Then we went over to Joan and David Ayles (still in Bridport). I just love the view from their home). What a “Green and Pleasant Land!”

We attended all sessions of the Poole Stake Conference (it’s too far for Walt to come home for me and to get back) between the Saturday sessions. I took my computer and they had televisions set up in the Primary, Seminary, and Relief Society rooms. Since there was no one in the Seminary room, I set up my computer and listened to the Priesthood Session with one ear.

President Shamo spoke at all sessions, and Sister Shamo spoke at the 7:00 Saturday and Sunday sessions. They were great. At the Sunday session, we were asked the question: Why didn’t the five wise virgins share their oil? Then we were told a story about a couple that came to the bishop and told him they needed more spirituality in their lives. He asked if they had family prayer and scripture reading. The father said, “No, we didn’t have time in our schedule for prayer or scripture reading.” Then the bishop asked if they held Family Home Evening. The father said, “No, my wife and I bowl on Monday evenings.” At last the bishop asked, “What is it you want?” They replied, “More spirituality in our lives.” The bishop finally came to the conclusion that what this couple wanted was for him to give them 10 years of family prayer and scripture reading and 10 years of Family Home Evening so they would have some spiritual experiences to give them oil for their lamps. Unfortunately it doesn’t work like that - we cannot give others what we have paid through our lives to achieve.

Alma 37:6-7
6 Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.
7 And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.

What this means to me is that we fill our testimonies day-by-day, hour-by-hour, drop-by-drop with small things that build our testimonies until we can stand sure that:
(1) We have a Heavenly Father and Elder Brother, even Jesus Christ, who love us.
(2) Joseph was the man sent here to be the Lord’s prophet to bring to us the gospel light that had been hidden for so long.
(3) The Book of Mormon is the record of an ancient people that was written for our day and is the keystone of our religion
(4) The Doctrine and Covenants is latter-day revelation from Heavenly Father to his prophet and is the capstone of our religion. I love the Doctrine and Covenants – my favorite scriptures come from Sections 122 and 76.

D&C 76:22-24
22 And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!
23 For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father—
24 That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God.

As we know these things we can firm against all the trials and tribulations that eddy around us. I know that He lives! I know that He loves all of his children. We are so unbelievably fortunate to have that knowledge and know that love.

September Week 2
Monday came and went, a rather miserable drizzly day. I wrote my Visiting Teaching letters to sisters we rarely get to see; still hoping we can get to them in person if at all possible.

Tuesday was District Meeting. We now have two new missionaries. From left to right we have Elder Allred (this is his 3rd transfer at Weymouth), Elder Marchione (he’s from Italy, if you can’t tell, and is very cosmopolitan), Elder Hansen (he was a “greenie” last transfer; this is his 2nd transfer), and last, but not least, Elder Mysyk (who is our new District Leader). He gave a very good lesson and gave out a little bookmark that had been copied and copied and copied until it doesn’t look great, but says a lot. I did my usual and redid the bookmark.

We talked about the covenants we have made as missionaries and the Priesthood authority of the Elders. Then we read 3 Nephi 27:27 - And know ye that ye shall be judges of this people, according to the judgment which I shall give unto you, which shall be just. Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am. As you read the words on the bookmark, you will see that these missionaries have been called and set apart to be personal representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ. What a responsibility and a humbling experience – to know that your Heavenly Father trusts you so much as to put another Child of God’s destiny in your hands.

In case you can’t read the bookmark, here is the text:

My Missionary CommissionI am called of God. My authority is above that of the kings of the earth. By revelation I have been selected as a personal representative of the Lord, Jesus Christ. He is my master and He has chosen me to represent Him. To stand in His place. To say and do what He himself would say and do if He were here personally ministering to the very people to whom He has sent me. My voice is His voice, and my acts are His acts. My words are His words and my doctrine is His doctrine. My commission is to do what He wants done. To say what He wants said. To be a living modern witness in word and deed of the divinity of His great and marvelous latter-day work.HOW GREAT IS MY CALLING!

For the last 15 minutes before we left the Elders practiced knocking. They did one the right way and one the wrong way. I only put this video in for the fun of it. It was hysterical. I downloaded the video, but at this moment have no idea where it is. Hopefully, it is somewhere you can look at it. Well, I found it and it seems to work. Just press the arrow and it plays (at least on my computer).

When we got back to the flat this afternoon we made calls and set up appointments with those folks we can’t just drop in on and expect to see. We have several people that we have to set up an appointment. They are happy to see us but want to have early warning.

Wednesday we visited close to a dozen folks. The weather has been OK, fog or drizzle in the mornings and clearing in the afternoon. However, it does seem to be autumn already – I’m so acclimatized to our Indian Summer in September and October, that it amazes me to see the tree outside our flat already losing its leaves. Our tomato plants have died (too much cold weather). We’ve found that folks who are successful with tomatoes keep them under protection (green houses or so).

Thursday, we went out to Dorchester especially to keep an appointment with Brother and Sister Gayford. On the way, we visited those folks in Dorchester we hadn’t connected with last week. We especially love to visit with Sister Georgina Jones. She is always happy to see us. She had been gardening and you can see some of her flowers around her.

I took a picture of this lovely rose walking up to her flat.

On Friday we did a lot of calling on folks and I spoke with Sister Fiona Scott-Johnston for quite a while. She lived in Turkey and told me that she has always wanted to go to St. Catherines in Antioch, Turkey which holds an original copy of the Coptic Gospel of Thomas called Didymus. I, of course, Googled it and found “The Gospel of Thomas Collection” by the Gnostic Society Library. (I made her a copy of the explanation, one translation, and an Interlinear Coptic/English translation just in case she doesn’t get to Turkey again.)

Before we get to the Gospel of Thomas, let me give you a few facts. The Thomas of whom we speak is commonly known as “Doubting Thomas.” In John 20:24-29 we read:

24 ¶ But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.
26 ¶ And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.
27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.
28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

This Gospel of Thomas gives 114 statements of Jesus Christ with an introduction translated like this: “These are the secret sayings which the living Jesus spoke and which Didymos Judas Thomas wrote down.”

I was most taken with Statement No. 114 which reads:
“(114) Simon Peter said to him, "Let Mary leave us, for women are not worthy of life."
Jesus said, "I myself shall lead her in order to make her male, so that she too may become a living spirit resembling you males. For every woman who will make herself male will enter the kingdom of heaven."

I knew Paul was a misogynist, but until I read this I guess I never thought of Peter as one also. Now that I’ve looked there seems to be quite a following of scholars who refer to both Peter and Paul as “women haters.” Oh, well. I guess if you go looking you may not always find something you like.

As far as I can tell, Mary Magdalene was beloved of Jesus and obviously had a few troubles with “The First Apostle” Simon Peter. In looking on the internet I found this picture of a stained glass window (where I know not). I also read portions of the Gospel of Mary Magdalene, which definitely said she was beloved of Jesus.

Also, when you look at Jesus’ interactions with various women as recorded in the gospels, they are very interesting when you think about the standing of women in ancient Palestine. At that time, Jewish women had no legal standing, could not own property in their own name, could not bear witness in court, and could not speak in their own defense. They could, however, be divorced on a whim by a man. They had little part in Jewish spirituality at the time, and certainly did not hold spiritual authority or have the right to be taught directly by a holy man. Jesus teaches the Samaritan woman at the well, and she goes into her town and brings others to Him, bearing witness of Him. He praises a poor widow who gives all that she has to her last mite. He delivers a woman from a death sentence for adultery, and he heals a woman considered unclean from a twelve-year illness. He even raises a young girl, the daughter of Jairus, from the dead. Again and again he appears relating directly with women. When male disciples attempt to keep children away from him, as though they were an inconvenience, he insists on seeing them and blessing them, in accordance with the wishes of the mothers who brought their children to him. And last, but no least, look at Mary and Martha. Jesus gently chided Martha that Mary had “chosen the better part” when she sat and listened to His teachings rather than helping to prepare the meal. In other words, He had a radically different view of the women than others in the time and place in which He lived.

While I was wondering around the internet, I also found the entire piece titled “Peace Prayer of St. Francis". I’d only read snippets of it. It is beautiful and truly expresses why we are here in the “green and pleasant land” of England on this mission.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; when there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood, as to understand, to be loved as to love; for it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying [to ourselves] that we are born to eternal life.

I seem to be waxing lyrical this evening, but I can’t express the wonder it is to have very few crises in your life and know you are making a positive difference. We love our mission so very much that we are contemplating going home for the holidays (plus a month or two) next year and then back out again. At least we won’t shrivel up and die in our recliners of old age. We’ll die doing as much as we can to alleviate hopelessness in others. I love the work and my companion. I am so lucky that I don’t get a new companion every transfer.

Saturday – Sun is shining and we are just getting ready to leave to see folks and then cap off the day with tea at Brother Stephen White’s to learn to make custard. I can’t wait.

I also bought tickets to the 2009 Victorian Military Tattoo at Nothe Fort next week.

There are five showings: Saturday and Sunday morning and afternoon and a sunset ceremony on Saturday evening. Each showing will begin with a splendid Royal Procession through the town of Weymouth, with mounted Hussars, Rolls Royce and the Royal party escorting Queen Victoria to the fort. Next, Nothe Fort opens to the public with the raising of the flag and gun firing, then:

· Guard mounting ceremony
· Main parade, Queen Victoria arrives
· The Diehards drill practice
· The Changing of the Guard Ceremony
· Infantry Drill demonstration
· Noon day gun firing
· Rapid fire Artillery demonstration

They promise that all of the soldiers on parade will be living within the Nothe Gardens as they would have done in Victorian times, offering a great insight into Victorian military camping and cooking. The camp will be free to explore, traditional tents, stoves and camp equipment will be on display.

I should get plenty of good pictures as we watch all these activities.

Whoops, just had our tea for today moved to tomorrow. Brother Stephen had to go to work. He manages a care facility for autistic young adults.

Sunday was lovely. The Stake Presidency spoke at sacrament meeting and the auxiliary presidencies were in attendance mostly. They took over Primary and I attended there since I am doing sharing time next week and wanted to make sure I didn’t present the same thing they were doing. No problem, I’m doing Biblical Prophets and they did Book of Mormon Prophets. Here they are singing “The Army of Helaman.” Every time they sang the word “WE” they either stood up or sat down.

After church we had another Munch and Mingle (we are now doing this every month on the 2nd Sunday). Walt always makes a big pot of soup. We had sandwiches (two very different types, juice, and cookies and other types of biscuits) and sat around chatting with the Stake visitors until about 2:30 or 3:00 pm. After that we came back to the flat and had lunch (neither of us got any soup; they scraped out the pot). Then we went to Sister Glenda Mckay’s to home teach.

We left Glenda’s home and started out for Charminster to the home of Stephen and Charlotte White (and our custard lesson). We had a superb dinner of roast pork (including cracklings), roasted potatoes, cabbage, and carrots and peas. Then, after dinner we went out to the kitchen where Stephen proceeded to roll up his trouser legs. When I looked at him funny, he asked: “Didn’t I tell you the first step in making custard?” Really what had happened was that they were new trousers and were slightly too long. Since making custard means standing over a hot stove for a while, he wanted to make sure he didn’t trip on his trousers. We were in stitches. Here is the recipe for custard as I put it down (please understand that this is one of those recipes handed down for years and is mostly by feel).

Custard (served hot or cold)

Roll up trousers
4 small or 2 large egg yolks (free range preferrably as the yolks are a lovely gold)
1/4 pint of sugar (1/2 cup) [In England they use “Caster” sugar which is much finer than granulated. Stephen suggested that at home I put granulated sugar in the food processor and “whir” it for a bit. Since we won’t have “Caster” sugar when we get home, I’ll try it. We have found “Caster” sugar to be wonderful for cooking.]
1/8 pint of corn flour (corn starch)

Mix the sugar and corn flour together and whisk into the egg yolks until thick and smooth.

Take 1 vanilla bean pod, cut in half cross-wise and then length-wise, and scrape the seeds into the mixture.

Start cooking at the lowest temperature.

Add 1 cup of milk; stirring with a wisk.
Add 1/2 pint (1 cup) of double cream; continue stirring with wisk.

At this point, Stephen tasted the mixture to make sure he had enough

Cook, continuously stirring until the mixture thickens – do not let boil.

Stephen and Charlotte served it hot over an apple and strawberry pie. It was really GOOD! It would be really good over any kind of crumble or crisp. Stephen sent the remainder of the custard home with us. We were happy to take it. Walt agreed it was the best he had tasted.

My week is over and I can’t think of anything else to tell you. So, love to all. Jackie