More happenings

Busy week, Saturday Sept 28th the Sisters that work in the Bristol 1^st ward had a baptism. We took Hannah. All of the missionaries in our District brought investigators. It was really a wonderful occasion. The convert is a single mom. So many people came out to support her. There was really a happy feeling there and those who attended felt it!

The companionship who set up the baptism had to be to the church early because the cold water facet is broken so they had to fill the font and let it sit a while to cool down. Their ward mission leader brought some bags of ice to put in the water so it would not be too hot. Just one of those fun things that makes missionary work interesting. : )

On the way home Hannah was asking questions that made us think that someone has probably been telling her some anti-Mormon ideas. Then Sunday she did not come to church. It is interesting to experience firsthand the ups and downs of being a missionary.

Our ward had a tragic death this past week, a young single mom in the ward just suddenly passed away with no warning. Sitting in church Sunday I felt sad. Sad because of the death and because our friend did not come to church.  I was grateful for the sweet spirit during the rest of the meetings.

The Bishop announced that the building renovation that was planned has been postponed until further notice by the Church in order to pour the funds into the rapidly growing missionary program.  That is interesting… This wonderful hastening is very expensive. I am sure we all need to donate when we can to the missionary fund to help.

Our usual YSA meetings were fine. We had a nice FHE. I have already posted on FB that refreshments were beans on toast. They all loved it! : ) I will learn I am sure! However the next Institute day Catherin a YSA made this lovely cake!

Beans and toast

Cathrine and her cake

Monday P-day we decided to take an excursion. There are so many historical places nearby, we can see many in our own Mission boundaries. Bill had read on line of the ruins of a Castle only about a half hour away, near Bath. It was very cloudy but not raining so we decided why not! Getting used to all this rain is quite an experience for an Arizonian!

As always driving around through the country is a treat. Sometimes we have to pinch ourselves to believe we are really here. Partly what makes everything so British are the names of places and streets. We had to turn on a street called Pennyquick, made us smile.

The Castle was breathtaking. The oldest part was built in 1380 as the first Hungerford renovated a manor house. As years passed it was added on to, finally the expansion enclosed the nearby church inside its walls. There had actually been a mote and you could see the gully where it used to be. There at one time had been a draw bridge and everything. As the centuries passed the Hungerford family fell in and out of favor with royalty and lost then regained the castle. Also some lost their heads literally because of the rifts.

 Finally the family was completely decommissioned and the castle was left to decay, I think in the 17^th century. In the 1800 it was discovered that some paintings on the walls of the Church had been plastered over. Because of the plaster they were preserved. The covering was carefully removed and a beautiful picture of St George and the Dragon can be enjoyed today. It is maybe 10 feet tall.

600 years old

Part of the fun of the day were the cloudy conditions, and the green surrounding land and hills. There were even some thatched roofs nearby. It all made for a wonderful medieval and Elizabethan atmosphere!

countryside around
Farleigh Hungerford Castle

On the way home we went to a very quaint town called Bradford-on-Avon to find some lunch and found a delightful tea room! Oh my goodness, I felt I was in an old English novel!  We strolled around town for a little while after lunch.

Bradford-onAvon

The Bridge Tea Room

In need Lizzy to know (3 year old granddaughter) that it really was a 'Tea Party"

In the morning before we started our adventure the Elders had called to ask if we could still have FHE. We said we would be back but half way through our day they called to say Hannah could not make it. I was very sad because I could feel her drifting and losing interest. When we were just finishing our dinner the Elders called again and said that FHE was back on, Hannah wanted to come.

She had many doubts that she expressed because of some conversations with a friend at school warning her to not be so hasty about joining the church. I am not sure that those doubts were calmed but we all encouraged her to read the Book of Mormon and pray. Elder Preece told her now she needed work to find out for herself the truthfulness of what the missionaries have been teaching her. She left happier and I know she feels the sprit when she is here, I know she feels our love and God’s love. We will just have to see what happens. She is still coming to events and talking to the Elders.

Tuesday we had to lay low and rest since this cold was not leaving Elder Preece any too quickly. Because Wednesday was Transfers again we had to drive out to Weston-Super-Mare to pick up the two sisters there and bring them back to the flat of the Downend Sisters here in Bristol since one was being transferred. One or the sisters is from Utah and this is her first transfer, the other from Finland. The whole experience was quite an adventure since the main round-about just 4 min from destination was completely closed.  With much murmuring we finally got around the mess and were only a few minutes late to pick them up. We had the same problem returning but the Sisters knew how to navigate us around it.

Wednesday we needed to drive to Stains, the ward building where all missionaries who will be transferred and new missionaries from the MTC meet for instructions and then head out their for new areas. We had an empty car because we were just picking up an Elder to bring him back with us to replace our former District Leader Elder Collard. The trip was long but was fine. Elder Preece was drooping a little but hanging in there. When we got there we got to talk to Elder Kirk from Blanding UT. Our daughter Emily is in his home ward. It was fun to talk to him. He is serving in the Channel Islands on the Island of Jersey. We got picture taken with us and sent it to Emily so that she could send it to his mom. His Mom was very grateful! I remember.

Also when we were helping to serve lunch a new missionary named Elder Preece came through the line. All three of us were thrilled because it is rare to meet another Preece, especially at home. He is from Salem UT fresh out of the MTC. Of course we must be related somehow. It would be fun if he ever ended up in our District!

Elder Kirk from Blanding UT

We picked up Elder Yu who is from mainland China, and brought him back with us. We had to pair him up with his companion Elder Hagedorn who was spending the day in a threesome and they were all at the Mall. They were having lunch with Hannah!

One of Hannah’s concerns the other night was that the church was outlawed in China. We explained that proselyting was outlawed but not the church. Meeting with Elder Yu was tangible evidence of our reassurance. (I do not believe in coincidence)

After the exhausting two days in the car Bill needed to go home and rest so we excused ourselves from YSA dinner. Driving gets tedious around here, narrow narrow streets, cars parked on the sides and sometimes it is easy to get into the wrong lane so that you miss your turn! Last week we got a traffic ticket for driving in a bus lane, photo cop! What can I say….

Thursday we had appointments with the Health Care Clinic to complete our registration and hopefully get Bill some medical attention. Well our experience was very much a Doc Martin experience! Our weight was measured in Kilo grams so made me feel good because it was a small number, however height is in Centimeters so that was a big number. We thought we would see a Doctor or Nurse but just saw a clinical lady. She could not help with the medical problems Bill was having, nor any other medical questions or concerns.

The whole day was a very ‘British’ day. It rained all day, the Surgery (Dr. Office) was a new experience and when we went to the grocery store we had to search to find the things we needed. It is kind of fun! By the time we finish out mission we will be so Anglicized that we will have to adjust back to American ways.

Bill had to make an appointment to go back later to see a Doctor. He does have Bronchitis and did get put on Medication! We still went to Institute to teach our class; there he was able to get a priesthood blessing! Friday we took it easy so the antibiotics can kick in! It is hard not to feel guilty when you are out of commission. It will be good to be back in full swing!

Before Institute Thursday we had a Stake YSA Council meeting which was a SKYPE conference call with the Elders from our Mission’s Digital District. The purpose was to inform these young leaders of the nature of the missionary work happening on line. It is amazing because it reaches all over the world. Several baptisms have already taken place. I wish you could have seen those 4 enthusiastic young people using their smart phones to ‘friend’ these Elders so that they could be sent information that will train them in how to reach out to their friends and allow all of the YSA to do the same thing. It was electrifying! There is no doubt that the time has come to use these amazing technological advances to assist in the Hastening process!

Saturday we picked Hannah up and drove to the Stake Center to attend a tape delayed broadcast of last week’s General Relief Society meeting. Elder Preece was still not feeling well but was a trooper and dropped us off. A lovely breakfast was served and then we watched the program. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming to Hannah. She even came dressed in a dress for the first time! I was able to introduce her to a young married sister from Downend ward who is about her age. They had lot in common. Sister Sewell is from Germany though she is of Filipino heritage. She attended University and after she got her Masters came to visit her brother here where she met her husband. She was empathetic to Hannah’s situation and they struck up a great friendship. We sat together and Ida (pronounced Eeda) and Hannah exchanged information and may meet for lunch sometime this week. The broadcast itself was so sweet and appropriate and Hannah was so touched and pleased. I know it meant more to me because I was so aware of how the message was being received by Hannah. She left happy. We will see what happens next. It is inspiring to watch the Lords hand and to be patient enough to turn it over to Him.

Since both of us were not feeling too well Sunday we stayed home to watch both sessions of Conference instead of going to the Stake Center. Morning session was on at 5:00 PM here and afternoon at 9:00 PM; loved the whole thing! It was a beautiful Sunny day in Bristol! We were glad we could watch the Priesthood session on line! OK, one of my favorite Conference things to do is grill Elder Preece when he gets home from General Priesthood Meeting on Sat evening about all that was said. I also love reading those messages later. Well this year I loved watching it! The sweetest thing was the Young Men’s Choir. I loved those valiant young(little) boys! Anyone who did not get to hear this meeting I would highly recommend you going to lds.org and watch it.

I feel so refreshed by the words of the Lord as delivered by His servants! Counsel was given! Our lives will be better by obeying that counsel. President Ezra Taft Benson said: “When obedience ceases to be an irritant and becomes our quest, in that moment God will endow us with power.”