The UK is a happy place for grass!

Clifton gorge and Suspension Bridge

The gorge looking towards the port

Sunday last week: Busy morning, lazy afternoon staying out of the storm.

 As each week comes and goes we feel more and more as we belong. There really is the same feeling towards our ward here as there is at home. We met a new YSA sister who is a brand new convert of 3 months, we are excited to have her. In our little Gospel Essentials class were several investigators who really are sincerely investigating the truthfulness of this gospel. Georgia, the University student who has met at our house a few times, told the Elders that she was not coming but showed up anyway! So happy to see how she is so drawn to the message of the gospel.

Monday: After the storm, lots and lots of rain.

The storm warnings were quite unsettling. The wind and rain were very noisy during the night so when morning came I could not wait to go out to see if there was any damage. Nowhere around our neighborhood or on the Downs or over the Clifton gorge could I see any damage. As I was walking though I met a lady from Canada who was out for exactly the same reason. She said she was not sure that the Brits really understood ‘bad weather’. Right after we passed each other the sky opened up and dumped buckets and buckets. I was soaked. According to the news there were a lot of trees down, railroads closed and even a couple of deaths from caved in houses and auto accidents. Nature did make itself heard and gave the nation a pretty strong demonstration of its power.

soggy morning

Tuesday: visiting day in town and in Bath.

We did flat inspections for the sisters in Downend and Bath. In between we visited a ward member and after were able to call on the daughter of the bishop of the Bath Ward who is a Young Single Adult. What a cutie. (Fun thing about Bishop Kitsell, he served his mission in Escondido at the same time we were living in Vista. Bishop Nelson and Judy do you remember a missionary from England? It would have been in 1982.)

Wednesday: District meeting, trip to Taunton, lots of traffic on the way to YSA dinner, great discussion with Hanna after.

That pretty well sums it up! We need to drive out to Taunton every week for a while so we can assist someone with a weekly SKYPE call. Taunton is about 46 miles away, an hour in the car. It is a lovely ride though because we go through the countryside! We have really been enjoyed visiting with Sister Cowley from Mesa AZ and Sister McKay (she says McKai) from Scotland. Beautiful daughters of Heavenly Father. I learn a lot from them. When I asked Sister Cowley what it was like being a trainer and she said, “I have learned so much, mostly I have learned that IT isn't about me…” I love that, if all of us can serve with the understanding that this is God’s work not ours, how much more effective we would all be!

We got back in time for a little breather before we headed off to YSA dinner. Good thing too because we hit the worst traffic threading our way through Bristol City Center that it took an hour to get there. We took a different route because we were warned that there was a big Rugby match going on that would slow down our normal drive. The match was between the US and Cook Islands. US won!

Frustrated though we were in arriving late, the evening ended in a very sweet discussion with the Elders, ourselves and Hanna. She is seriously praying about baptism. She wants to make a decision this weekend. We discussed the questions and concerns. She seemed satisfied with the answers and said herself that most of what God asks of us is for our good. Elder Preece told her to go home and tell God how she feels, that she wants to be baptized, and ask Him if that is the right thing to do. Thanks to all of you who have been praying for her too.

Thursday: Clean house, study lesson attend YSA Institute and Halloween party, talk to grand kids on SKYPE.

 Halloween! Not such a big deal here though we did hear some kids around the neighborhood at dusk. We live behind a locked front door so no one came here.

 Institute was great. We are becoming more and more attached to our class. The lesson was from 2 Nephi so lots of Isaiah. We ended up with a great discussion and commitment to read through it even when we do not understand it all.

Activity after classes: Halloween games. They hid ‘sweets’ in all kinds of gooey stuff that each participants had to thrust their hands into to fish them out. They bobbed for apples and ate doughnuts off a string. They also showed the movie “Hocus Pocus”. All had a good time.

We got home in time to catch some of the grand kids on SKYPE as they were getting ready to trick or treat!  Grandma was trying hard not to be homesick! This is the first Halloween of my little Nelson grand kids life celebrating without us… I will live, loved all the pictures sent the next day!

Friday: …..takes the cake! Literally!

The ward Karaoke /Cake auction was in the evening. I decided that I ought to do my part and bring a cake for the auction. The event a fund raiser to raise money for the Youth. Well easier said than done… Spent most of the day accomplishing this feat. We went to the market to buy a disposable pan and get cream cheese for the frosting, came home and began mixing etc. I have made this cake before here so I was pretty optimistic. While it was cooling I sent a message my daughters for a cream cheese frosting recipe that did not require butter since I used the last bit in the cake itself. After a little trouble with adding too much liquid and needing to pour and pour frosting sugar in the bowl, it turned out pretty good if I say so myself. I decided to turn the cake out to frost the whole thing since I now have enough frosting for several cakes and when I did it was apparent that the whole center of the cake was still runny, I could have stirred it with a spoon… Decided that our contribution to the ward would be bidding on and purchasing cakes instead!

Hanna came to the auction as did another Chinese investigator with our Elders. The activity was so very well attended and there were lots of cakes and goodies to bid on. We bought a cake and tried to buy several others, but were out bid. Hanna really got into it and bought two cheese cakes herself. It was a very fun night!

Bishopric's karaoke

our prize, sponge strawberry jam cake

                  “Now we know that we must also Witness faith in           Jesus’word,

                   Be baptized to show obedience, as was Jesus Christ, our Lord. “

Saturday was Baptism day, two baptisms. One in the Wells Road Ward at 11 AM in our ward the Bristol 2^nd Ward at 4 PM. A very good day for our district!

The first Baptism was of a sister who the missionaries have been working with since we first got here. Good day! She was very ready and looking forward to the ordinance. There is always a sweet spirit at a baptism that is unique to the occasion. This was no different. It was a sweet moment and a moving experience for us as we watched Elder Mansfield perform the ordinance. He had a stroke some time ago and does not really have the use of one of his arms and one side of his body but was still able to stand in that font and hold on to Yvonne and raise his arm to the square to  perfectly immerse her in the water and bring her back up clean. Gave me a catch in my throat and tear in my eye. The Elders and Sisters in our District are so important to us, feels like they are our own! Sweet moments, powerful blessings!

Baptism # 2 was also a very sweet experience. The convert has been attending for a very long time, in fact he is engaged to be married to our Bishop’s mother-in-law. It was a big family affair with brothers sisters sons daughters and grandchildren participating. Again, you cannot beat the wonderful feeling that exists at a baptism. Hanna came and afterwards she texted the Elders that she is ready to be baptized. As she was listening to the talks she felt a strong warm feeling that this is the right thing to do!!!

Sunday, Happy happy busy day!

The sun was shining, a beautiful autumn morning. I wish I could adequately describe it, on the way to church it was as though we had driven into a calendar of fall pictures, each page lovelier than the last!

 Fast Sunday today had two purposes, one requested by the Stake President to fast for many in our Stake who are ill and need support and blessings. The Mission are all fasting for at least 34 or more baptisms per month between now and the end of the year. Good purposes good motivation to humbly petition the Lord. All meetings were nice, Fast and testimony, Gospel Essentials and Relief Society. In the latter meeting a sweet lesson was taught by the RS President who just lost her twin sister. It was very powerful.

The missionaries were thrilled because a lady just walked into the church from off the street. She was looking for a church to go to. SMILE…

To break our fast we had the Elders and Hanna over for dinner. We had gammon (ham), and jacket potatoes (baked potatoes) with soured cream, courgettes (zucchini), homemade apple sauce and with roles and honey. Fast Sunday is the best day to feed company because everyone is so hungry it all tastes good!

After dinner Elder Hagadorn had arranged for a SKYPE meeting with a Chinese girl he had taught and baptized when he was in Oxford. She is now in Glasgow Scotland attending a university there. Her circumstance are very similar to Hanna. They had a 45 minute conversation in our living room! Elder Yu translated for us. How awesome is modern technology!

Talking to Maggie on SKYPE

Now here is the best news of the week!! WE THEN PLANNED HANNA’S BAPTISM!!! It will be next Saturday! She asked Elder Hagadorn to baptize her and Elder Preece to confirm her a member of the church on Sunday. I will be speaking about the gift of the Holy Ghost. Jakey, this is the same gift you will be receiving soon! It makes me happy to think about it. Since I will not be able to be there for your confirmation I will be thinking about you when Grandpa is performing that ordinance for Hanna!!

When we asked Hanna how she felt since she has decided to be baptized she said “I just can’t stop smiling!” please can you all keep her in your prayers this week? Sometimes the week before a big step like this can be challenging because the adversary will attempt put obstacles in the way.

Love you all! Feel your faith and prayers in our behalf!! This Church is so true!!