Missionary Journal
England (February Wk4 2009)
Saturday, 21 February 2009
Today was interesting. We had no appointments, but received a call from President Chasteauneuf fairly early this morning that the computers at the branch building weren’t working. Walt and I went over and, sure enough, the wireless modem wasn’t working at all. He messed around with things for an hour or two, and then we gave up and headed to the High Street to pick up some card stock (for my Relief Society lesson) and anything else we needed at the 99 Pence Store. I also picked up 3 small canisters for corn meal, flour, etc., at 99 pence each. Walt keeps telling me we are only going to be here for another 1.5 or so years and to stop buying things. I told him, “Tough!” “Just pay for it.”
We came back to the flat and made up a big pot of stew (with Irish Stewing Beef, believe it or not), which was wonderful. That was dinner and now Walt is headed back to the chapel to see if he can make the computer work with our British Telecom hub. If he can, then at least they can get donations and whatever to British Church Headquarters tomorrow. I won’t need the internet too much for the next little while. (LOL; I’ve only tried to access the internet three o
r four times without thinking since he left.)We chatted with Delight and Charles this evening in our normal weekly Google Talk chat. It works really well with just a short second or two delay. It is much cheaper than phone (it’s free). Anyway, she sent me one of the latest pictures of her two kitties:
That is Darling on the left (she is much lighter in color than Monster who is on the right). Obviously, they don’t have any issues being around each other. That’s the top of a 6-ft cat tree in our family room (right by the fireplace).
For those of you who haven’t been in on Delight’s kitties from the beginning when she got Monster, these are Pixie Bobs. Pixie Bobs are a recognized and shown breed which was a cross between an American domestic and a bobcat. They can have tails anywhere between none and normal; however, most Pixie Bobs have short tails. Monster’s seems to be a little longer than Darling’s (especially taking into account his kink). And Monster has little lynx tufts on his ears (I’m not sure about Darling). Delight only got Darling a week ago today.
Sunday, 22 February 2009
Today was church. Since Walt is clerk we were there at 8:30 am and didn’t leave until going on 3:00 pm. Both my lessons went well, and I was told we have a loaner projector that I can use for my next lesson. I’ve decided that except for something special, I won’t use it for Sunday School, but for Relief Society – absolutely Yes!
I used the rocks I got at the beach for illustrating repentance and it worked really well. Sometime in the next week or so I need to return the rocks. Unfortunately my camera was in the car and I didn’t get a picture of my students groaning while holding onto those rocks. They were good sports and got a kick out of the object lesson.
Monday, 23 February 2009
Today is “P” day and other than working on my upcoming lessons, Walt and I went for a fairly long walk around the neighborhood (almost down to the sea). I have wanted to show you the fencing that is prevalent here in Weymouth. I call it crenellated (after church and castle towers). I don’t think you would want to try to crawl over it. The rocks look sharp.
As we were walking down the sidewalk to the feeder road, I decided I had to get a picture of the Smart Car that belongs to a neighbor. I think it is cute. I’m not sure I’d want to drive it or drive in it – I’d be really afraid of an accident. That is our flat just up the road behind the red car.
We continued across the street (toward the sea) from the house and there is a lot with about 20 or 30 acres worth of small garden plots called Allotments. One of our neighbors pays £11 a year for 2.5 plots, which seems to include the water. That sounds like a good deal to me. 
Most of the plants growing now are winter vegetables such as brussel sprouts, leeks, cabbage, and swede. However, a large number of the allotments are being prepared for spring planting.
Just around the corner is a close (cul-de-sac) and I found a house up for sale that I wouldn’t mind having. It’s pretty good size with a room over the garage..jpg)
As we were walking, I took some pictures of early spring flowers. My daffodils at our flat look like they are trying, but it will be a while before we get any flowers.
Just down the street a ways we found a plethora of brick buildings; each with 4 flats and the front yards looking like no one cares.
Then, right in the middle of the blocks and blocks of flats, we found this perfectly lovely flat with beautiful flowers. Like most homes, this one doesn’t have much of any front yard (grass), but a nice brick patio area with flowers even on the front of the building by the door (which is a very nice stained glass door).
Tuesday, 24 February 2009
This morning was District Meeting in Weymouth at our chapel. We discussed our feelings and what we learned from Zone Conference. Then we practiced for our Zone Meeting on the 5th of March. We were asked to deliver a gospel principle, complete with scripture, then get the investigator to commit to either (1) another visit, (2) reading the Book of Mormon, (3)attending church, or (4) baptism (one to each companionship). Then everybody critiqued. Good fun and practice.
After the meeting was over, we tootled out to the Value Store to buy a pair of clippers to cut back the fuchsias in front of the flat. As we were leaving we passed some of the most miserable looking buildings and decided to find out what they were. The white stuff on the top of the building looks like aluminum to me. I imagine the bedrooms on the top floor are unbelievably hot. This is Council housing (Projects).
This morning was District Meeting in Weymouth at our chapel. We discussed our feelings and what we learned from Zone Conference. Then we practiced for our Zone Meeting on the 5th of March. We were asked to deliver a gospel principle, complete with scripture, then get the investigator to commit to either (1) another visit, (2) reading the Book of Mormon, (3)attending church, or (4) baptism (one to each companionship). Then everybody critiqued. Good fun and practice.
After the meeting was over, we tootled out to the Value Store to buy a pair of clippers to cut back the fuchsias in front of the flat. As we were leaving we passed some of the most miserable looking buildings and decided to find out what they were. The white stuff on the top of the building looks like aluminum to me. I imagine the bedrooms on the top floor are unbelievably hot. This is Council housing (Projects).
Wednesday, 25 February 2009Today I babysat for a young couple (members of the Weymouth Branch) who are moving from their 4th story walk-up flat right on the High Street. Boy is that a climb. They are in Number 3, but that doesn’t count the ground floor where there isn’t an apartment but a shop. I can’t even start to think about doing it with two children (one 8 months and the other 2 years). This is Ryan (he’s a cuddle bug).
This is Colin (he is a whirling dervish and very rarely stays in one place for very long). This picture was taken after he and Walt were ruffling each other’s hair. I wasn’t quick enough to catch that picture. While I was watching the children, their parents and Walt were sorting and packing getting ready to move on Friday and Saturday. Walt and I left about 4:00 pm and went back to our flat and made dinner, took it back over and had dinner with the family. Then Walt and the husband went over to the chapel to clean the baptismal font. We right now have 3 convert and 1 child of record baptisms set for March. There hasn’t been a baptism in the branch since 2007. We are so tickled. (Correction from Saturday, it looks like only 2 convert and 1 child of record baptisms; the Elders told us at dinner they dropped the sister they were teaching and who had committed to baptism. Oh well, 3 this month is good.)
Thursday, 26 February 2009
This morning we had appointments for two blessings so we gathered the Elders up and drove over to our first appointment (9:30 am). Unfortunately, there was a note on the door. This sister (whom I dearly love) came down with what I had (in fact I think she gave it to me) and isn’t getting over it. She had lung cancer but has been in remission. Today she was scheduled to have a CT scan to make sure she hasn’t had a reoccurrence of her cancer and was scared. She was supposed to leave at 10:00 am to get to a 1:00 pm appointment, but had an early call to tell her to come this morning instead of this afternoon. I spoke with her this evening and she said things didn’t go well for her today and she has to go back tomorrow. She had to leave very early this morning and didn’t want to get us out of bed, hence the note. Fortunately, she lives close and it wasn’t a big issue. We dropped the Elders off at their flat to go over baptism plans for next week and came back to our flat. At 10:15 we left and picked up the Elders to go to the next appointment. She was there (I had confirmed that this morning). The Elders gave her a sweet blessing and we talked about her family issues (I’ve spoken of her before in my journal). As we were leaving, she asked if it would be OK to come to church on Sunday in her slacks since she doesn’t have a proper skirt to wear. I told her to wear the best she had and not to worry; I went into the Washington DC Temple in jeans and they were glad to have me. We’d be just as glad to have her in church. Things are really starting to move.
This afternoon (12:30) I went back to babysit again for Ryan and Colin while their parents went out to sign some papers for their new flat (on Portland Island which means they will stay in the branch). The branch is providing grunt labor starting at 5:00 pm Friday and again on Saturday at 8:00 am to get them moved. Friday night dinner is being brought in and so is Saturday’s. All organized.
Fortunately with everything that is happening, I just managed to get my Sunday School lesson preparation completed tonight. I love teaching Gospel Doctrine since it helps me keep my commitment for individual scripture study. I think the D&C is my favorite book of scripture. I have a quote in my scriptures from President Ezra Taft Benson about the D&C:
Thursday, 26 February 2009
This morning we had appointments for two blessings so we gathered the Elders up and drove over to our first appointment (9:30 am). Unfortunately, there was a note on the door. This sister (whom I dearly love) came down with what I had (in fact I think she gave it to me) and isn’t getting over it. She had lung cancer but has been in remission. Today she was scheduled to have a CT scan to make sure she hasn’t had a reoccurrence of her cancer and was scared. She was supposed to leave at 10:00 am to get to a 1:00 pm appointment, but had an early call to tell her to come this morning instead of this afternoon. I spoke with her this evening and she said things didn’t go well for her today and she has to go back tomorrow. She had to leave very early this morning and didn’t want to get us out of bed, hence the note. Fortunately, she lives close and it wasn’t a big issue. We dropped the Elders off at their flat to go over baptism plans for next week and came back to our flat. At 10:15 we left and picked up the Elders to go to the next appointment. She was there (I had confirmed that this morning). The Elders gave her a sweet blessing and we talked about her family issues (I’ve spoken of her before in my journal). As we were leaving, she asked if it would be OK to come to church on Sunday in her slacks since she doesn’t have a proper skirt to wear. I told her to wear the best she had and not to worry; I went into the Washington DC Temple in jeans and they were glad to have me. We’d be just as glad to have her in church. Things are really starting to move.
This afternoon (12:30) I went back to babysit again for Ryan and Colin while their parents went out to sign some papers for their new flat (on Portland Island which means they will stay in the branch). The branch is providing grunt labor starting at 5:00 pm Friday and again on Saturday at 8:00 am to get them moved. Friday night dinner is being brought in and so is Saturday’s. All organized.
Fortunately with everything that is happening, I just managed to get my Sunday School lesson preparation completed tonight. I love teaching Gospel Doctrine since it helps me keep my commitment for individual scripture study. I think the D&C is my favorite book of scripture. I have a quote in my scriptures from President Ezra Taft Benson about the D&C:
“The Doctrine and Covenants brings men to Christ’s kingdom, even the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, ‘the only true and living church on the fact of the whole earth’. … The Book of Mormon is the ‘keystone’ of our religion, and the Doctrine and Covenants is the capstone, with the continuing latter-day revelation. The Lord has placed His stamp of approval on both the keystone and the capstone.
"… The Doctrine and Covenants is a glorious book of scripture given directly to our generation. It contains the will of the Lord for us in these last days that precede the Second Coming of Christ. It contains many truths and doctrines not fully revealed in other scripture. Like the Book of Mormon, it will strengthen those who carefully and prayerfully study from its pages.”
Friday, 27 February 2009
Today we went to the High Street to get to some yarn and crochet hooks so I could take part in a humanitarian project the Poole Stake is doing tomorrow (Saturday). In order to get to the High Street we need to cross (walking) over the Weymouth Harbor Bridge. It is a draw bridge that has to open to allow sail boats to get to the harbor basin to tie up. Of course, knowing me, I had my trusty camera with me so I got a couple of pictures with the bridge up since we weren’t going anywhere. As you can see, that boat would have never gotten under the bridge. The bridge goes up on the even hour if there is a boat that is waiting.
After purchasing the yarn (bright dark turquoise) and hooks, I felt I needed a bag to put it all in. The yarn shop had this cute zipper bag with a tapestry cat on both sides, so I bought it.
After getting the yarn, etc., we walked back to Boots (pharmacy) to get some special shampoo for Walt, and I smelled steak cooking. It seems the White Hart Pub had a deal on for a 6 oz rump steak and fries for £2.99. We dropped our purchases off at the car and came back to the pub for an early dinner. The steak was great and the chips were the best I’ve had in England (really crispy and not greasy). A very nice dinner. The bar is in the front, but it looks like a restaurant in the back that accepts families (including children). This is the back of the pub; the front has a patio with tables and lots of drinking.
Saturday, 28 February 2009
Today was an extremely nice day. Walt took me to Sister Whitthread’s house, and she drove me to Poole (about an hour away). The Humanitarian Project the Poole Stake is caught up in is a fairly new Nursery School in the Namatala slum in Uganda. The name of the nursery is Child of Hope. The people running the school are Moses and Bix Okotel. Bix is the daughter of a Poole resident who married a Ugandan, Moses, two or three years ago.
Quoting from the handout:
“January 2008 saw the start of the Child of Hope nursery school based in the slum area of Namatala in Mbale. In this slum there are hundreds of kids who are not able to attend school due to poverty—many have lost both their parents. Child of Hope nursery school is absolutely free and for 5 days a week provides around 65 children with:
· Soap and water to bathe
· A snack and a drink
· A safe place to play and meet friends
· Qualified teachers to get them ready for primary school
· A child counselor/pastor to talk to
· Medical care when they’re feeling sick
· Clothing when they are naked
· And lots and lots of hugs and fun!”
They even have a “Child Soldier Rehabilitation Programme.” Can you imagine helping children who have learned to kill to integrate back into society? Right now they are helping 10 former child soldiers with 7 more requesting assistance. This is the pure love of Christ.
Bix was in town visiting her mother and they both came today. Bix was in tears and told us just how bad things were in this slum and how happy these children will be to get the shorts, dresses, and blankets (they use coal sacks for blankets in their mud homes) that were being made.
The Relief Society sisters had everything well organized with a corner for crochet and knitting, places for sewing machines, etc. Every time a dress or shorts were completed, a bell was rung and it was hung up on the lines you see strung up in the cultural hall. By the time we were finished at 2:00 pm, there were four lines completely crowded with colorful clothes.
Saturday, 28 February 2009
Today was an extremely nice day. Walt took me to Sister Whitthread’s house, and she drove me to Poole (about an hour away). The Humanitarian Project the Poole Stake is caught up in is a fairly new Nursery School in the Namatala slum in Uganda. The name of the nursery is Child of Hope. The people running the school are Moses and Bix Okotel. Bix is the daughter of a Poole resident who married a Ugandan, Moses, two or three years ago.
Quoting from the handout:
“January 2008 saw the start of the Child of Hope nursery school based in the slum area of Namatala in Mbale. In this slum there are hundreds of kids who are not able to attend school due to poverty—many have lost both their parents. Child of Hope nursery school is absolutely free and for 5 days a week provides around 65 children with:
· Soap and water to bathe
· A snack and a drink
· A safe place to play and meet friends
· Qualified teachers to get them ready for primary school
· A child counselor/pastor to talk to
· Medical care when they’re feeling sick
· Clothing when they are naked
· And lots and lots of hugs and fun!”
They even have a “Child Soldier Rehabilitation Programme.” Can you imagine helping children who have learned to kill to integrate back into society? Right now they are helping 10 former child soldiers with 7 more requesting assistance. This is the pure love of Christ.
Bix was in town visiting her mother and they both came today. Bix was in tears and told us just how bad things were in this slum and how happy these children will be to get the shorts, dresses, and blankets (they use coal sacks for blankets in their mud homes) that were being made.
The Relief Society sisters had everything well organized with a corner for crochet and knitting, places for sewing machines, etc. Every time a dress or shorts were completed, a bell was rung and it was hung up on the lines you see strung up in the cultural hall. By the time we were finished at 2:00 pm, there were four lines completely crowded with colorful clothes.
Here is one part of our knitting circle. The lady on the left is Sister Webb (Enrichment Counselor in the Weymouth RS); next to her is Sister White (Education Counselor in the Weymouth RS). In the green is Sister Martin, the wife of the Stake President.
These sisters are making educational games for the children. They were cutting out matching parts (like gingerbread men with different shapes or numbers on them), coloring them, laminating them on 11X32” card stock (folded in half to make a book), and then sticking on Velcro so that matching hearts, stars, etc., could be stuck to the proper gingerbread man. There was also a pocket on the back cover holding the bits and pieces that could be matched. What a cute idea!At 2:00 pm we had a luncheon of different home-made soups (potato and leek, cream of chicken mushroom, pumpkin and curry, and something else with cream cheese that I can’t remember) and bread and butter. For dessert they had two chocolate fountains with strawberries, grapes, and marshmallows to dip.
Then at 3:00 pm for 45 minutes we had a devotional and saw a new church movie titled “Only a Stonecutter.” If you haven’t seen this, I would highly suggest it. It was very moving.
With that over, it was back to Weymouth by 4:45 pm with the missionaries over for dinner at 5:00 pm.
This will be it for now. Love Jackie
