We ARE Family

On our last post, there were some pictures showing a place in Edgware. This was the first area where Niel served almost 49 years ago on his mission. I must say it was an unusual experience for us, as I’m sure it was for him on his first mission. Growing up in Idaho (me) and Utah (both of us) we were very, or let me say extremely, sheltered from the different cultures and races of the world. We seldom saw or had the opportunity to associate with people who were not of our own race, color or religion. Except, growing up in Preston, Idaho, I did get to see a lot of Native American Indians. They would come to Preston and the surrounding area in the summer and early fall as migrant workers to pick through the large fields of string beans and harvest potatoes and sugar beets. We got used to them being around, frequenting the local beer halls etc. but only saw them in the fields and downtown. I don’t remember any of them coming to church either. Anyway, I digress. So, when Niel, as a young missionary, was assigned to live in a flat in this particular part of London, he was able to get acquainted with a culture and people heretofore completely unknown to him, the tribe of Judah. He lived there, but the proselyting was minimal at best. He said that there was a Mezuzah on the frame of EVERY front door or gate. They didn’t want a thing to do with the Mormon missionaries. He had no success, but learned a lot about these people. He learned that their religious and ethnic background was extremely important to them, and that they were totally happy to isolate themselves from other religions.  

When we drove through this particular neighborhood, a different feeling came over me. I really felt like I was in another time. The people living in Edgware are still mostly all Jewish. In fact, I was finally able to pin down where it was. I felt like I was in a small Jewish community and Tevye (Fiddler on the Roof) was going to come down the street with his milk wagon as he did a century ago. Mothers and their children were out on the street or visiting each other at door steps. Most all the women wore black scarves, tied in the same way, to cover their hair. They also wore dark skirts and black shoes. ALL the men and young boys, even little ones, had on their Jewish caps (Kippah) and had long ringlet curls down the sides of their heads. It was almost eerie. Niel got his courage up to talk to one of the ladies who happened to be standing at the doorway of a flat he thought might have been his old missionary lodging. 

She was somewhat friendly and talked with him for a short while, as the rest of us wondered around the neighborhood. Finally, she asked why he was looking for a certain flat. When he told her that he had been a Mormon missionary almost 49 years ago, she physically took a step back into her house. A kind of barrier came down and she gathered up her children and took them inside. She did let Niel take one picture, but preferred not to let it be her children. 

I’m sure that we could go to many other places in the world today and have pretty much the same experience. However, I felt that it was a good learning experience for us. These people, even though they are somewhat different from us, are still our brothers and sisters. God loves them as he does all of His children. I learned it is important to show respect to others no matter how different their beliefs and cultures are. They deserve to embrace what is theirs as much as we embrace the knowledge we have of the Restored Gospel. I only wish there was a way to bridge the gap. All I can say is: "The Lord will provide a way."

Hey—let’s move on to the Isle of Wight!  We met the Turner’s (Ian and Maggie) down on the seaside town of Southampton. We had made plans to stay on their beautiful boat and do a little riding in the English Channel the next day, which was our Monday prep day. When we got there, we found out that they were planning to take us over to a wonderful place called the Isle of Wight. 

“The Isle of Wight, known to the ancient Romans as Vectis, is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 3 to 5 mi (5 to 8 km) off the coast of Hampshire, separated from mainland United Kingdom by a strait called the Solent. The island has several resorts which have been holiday destinations since Victorian times.

The history of the Isle of Wight includes a brief period of time as an independent kingdom in the 15th century. Until 1995, like Jersey and Guernsey, the island had a Governor.

Home to the poets Swinburne and Tennyson and to Queen Victoria, who built her much-loved summer residence and final home Osborne House at East Cowes, the island has a maritime and industrial tradition including boat building, sail making, the manufacture of flying boats, the world's first hovercraft, and the testing and development of Britain's space rockets. The Isle hosts annual festivals including the Isle of Wight International Jazz Festival, Bestival and the recently revived Isle of Wight Festival, which, in 1970, was the largest rock music event ever held.[1] The island has well-conserved wildlife and some of the richest cliffs and quarries for dinosaur fossils in Europe.”

The weather was fab, we ate some of the best food we have ever eaten on our mission, loved the town Cowes, and loved the company we kept.  Really, the Turner’s were so good to us, as they always are. We made good memories with them.

I feel like I’ve talked my leg off. Hope I’m not too boring. We are super busy with the work in the temple most of the time. But it’s nice to have a little diversion one day each week. 

Our love to everyone. 

Niel (Grumpa) and Carolee (Granny)

P-Day in Southhampton and Isle of Wight

Carolee and Maggie at the Isle of Wight Marina

Isle of Wight P-Day

Ian and his pride and joy cruiser

Ian and Maggie

"How do you get to Isle of Wight?"

Mean tug boat

Rainbow over English Channel

Hotel and restaurant where some Titanic passengers stayed prior to boarding the ill fated ocean liner

P-day in beautiful Southhampton

One Year Anniversary!

They made it! One whole year of temple missionary service! As their children and grandchildren, we are so grateful for their service, examples, testimonies, love, and support. Only six short months to go!

Temple Missionary Blessings from Lessons Learned

So many of the couples and single sisters with whom we serve, here in the London Temple, have been on several missions prior to this one. In fact, we are in the minority of couples who have only served one mission. That is something that is not lost on us. We have been questioning whether it would be in our future to serve another mission. Most of those who have served multiple missions simply say “we got home, tried to find something do to, and decided we might as well return to the mission field”. The Lord has blessed us and showered down His help and guidance continually as we have served in England and there may be another mission on the horizon for us. But we’re taking them one at a time for now. There are so many things that we need to repay and show our love to Him from whom our blessings flow. However, if we are called to serve again, then the Lord will find a way to make it happen. If we decide to put in papers again, it will probably be closer to home, you can bet. (I put that in for my children’s sake.) 

What, you may ask, are the blessings of coming to serve in the London Temple? The first thing I am compelled to list is: I have been fearful of living in a small apartment (flat) and being a 24/7 companion to Niel. We have, for most of our married life, been running around in different universes. He has had his responsibilities and I have had mine and our paths didn’t cross all that often. True, the Lord did prepare us a few years prior to this mission by calling Niel to be a patriarch and me as his scribe. That, in its self, has made this transition to “mission-life” much easier. I’ll admit that is was a bit sketchy for the first six months of our mission, but, after I humbled myself (my first mission-blessing), accepted a few things, watched other couples work together and we learned to compromise on a lot of other things, it has been rewarding for both of us. I like to believe that I’ve been going through a “heavenly test”. Being and living with someone who hasn’t felt that well now for over a year, with a bad knee 24/7, grumpy at times and doesn’t hear as well as he used to, has taken me to new heights. Sometimes I feel like I’m going to crack, but in reality, I’m a better person for it. Of course you are only hearing my explanation of living together as a couple missionary. Overall, we do great. Niel seems to be enjoying the ride.

The next blessing is in the refinement of serving as a T.O.W. (that means temple ordinance worker). We both have a better understanding of what the temple is all about, what our part is in the work, and what a blessing it is to be in His house for 7-9 hours almost daily. It’s hard not to be changed and made better by that experience alone. There are challenges at times in working in such close proximity with our fellow workers. We all have different personalities. We have all left our families, some of which are not always doing as well as we would hope. Leadership styles may be different from one group to the next. But yes, we are better for it.  Success here usually comes back to the principles of obedience and hard work.

Just a side-light. Saturday morning, I went over to the temple early to see if they would need help, as I had seen three big coaches (buses) pull up to the parking area. I knew that the Baptistry was already full and busy and I could probably be put to good use somewhere. I was guessing the women’s locker room would be a good place. As I was getting my temple clothes out of my locker to put on, standing there in my slip, the fire alarm went off just over my head. I had just enough time to throw them on, grab my purse, in case I needed my recommend to get back in, and rocket out of the emergency exit. I knew it wasn’t a fire-drill. We all assembled at the appropriate place in the car park. Whilst standing there, I wondered if Niel, who was still getting ready, was aware of what was going on in and outside of the temple. YUP!  

patrons and workers in white

It was kind of a false alarm. At first the fire brigade thought there was something spreading throughout the new air conditioning, but it turned out to be a smart-aleck kid who thought it would be funny to spray room deodorizer into the smoke alarm. However, we were all safe and better for the experience, until we got back into the temple and couldn’t use the original time schedule, which is our “rod” to keep us on track and in order. Let me say, it was an unusual day, but the Lord’s influence and good work by coordinators got us through it.

Other blessings? We are able to spend time reading the scriptures and Niel and I are even studying our way through Jesus the Christ and are really enjoying it. I have learned how to cut my own hair and give Niel a pretty good clipping too. We have also, learned how to go shopping for groceries TOGETHER. It involved a fair amount of bickering at first, because Niel is NOT a shopper of any kind. But now, for the most part, I shop and Niel sits down on a bench by the check stand to keep his leg from swelling while I scour the shelves for tomorrow’s meal. (Sometimes he helps, too.) It is part of his “calling” to keep track of EVERY pence and pound we spend (for tax purposes). It makes him happy and it makes me happy for him to know just how expensive it is to buy food over here, which is much more expensive than in the States.

Of course the biggest blessing of being a missionary and serving in the Lord’s House is that we are doing His work and helping bring souls back to our Father in Heaven. We are surrounded by Senior Couple Missionaries with various callings including Temple Ordinance Workers; MLS (Member Locating); YSA (Young Single Adult); CES/Institute Instruction; Mission Office (Housing, Autos, Meeting Planning, Welcoming Missionaries and making their arrangement to return home); and Leadership mentoring in Branches (Branch Presidencies). There are more as circumstances require. All of them are vital in the work. It’s called the Army of The Lord and we are very well equipped. Another blessing is that nearly every day, we hear prayers for the missionaries of the Church. (That would be us)

Needless to say, I will be adding other blessings because they are constantly coming and they are many. 

We love keeping in touch with everyone on Facebook and Face Time. I have to apologize for “liking and sharing” things under Niel’s Facebook page that are related to cooking, or other items he has no interest in. I’m trying my best to do them under my own Facebook.

Love and best wishes for the summer season. Schools out and things are happening fast. 

Have a good week to all.

Love,  

Granny (Carolee) and Grumpa (Niel)

TRIP TO IGHTHAM MOTE AND EMMETT GARDENS

Well—this is what is has come to. 

Niel stays at the flat (in bed) and I go on a really neat van excursion with some of the ladies. Only two of the husbands accompanied us, one because he was the designated driver of the van and the other came—well—just because, I guess. It was a beautiful spring day, not too hot and not too cool. The birds were singing like crazy. Did we ever tell you how beautiful the bird’s singing is here? They start before the sun even begins to make an appearance and can be found still singing and chirping away into dark of night. Some people say it’s because the temple is so well lit and they think it is still day time. Maybe. 

The place we visited is a very old Medieval Manor and has some interesting history. Sister Curley explained to us that it was one of many places in which Katherine of Aragon, Henry VIII’s first wife, had left her special mark during her short reign as the King’s wife. She chose the Pomegranate as her personal symbol. When the king put her aside and she was replaced by Anne Boleyn, all of her personal symbols were removed or destroyed. However, there were maybe three that were missed. The picture of the small stained glass panel is one missed by whoever removed them. It is located at this manor which is called Ightham Mote. 

This is a class A #1 English dog house. Built for the American owner (Robinson's) Great Dane. Robinson restored the building etc.

The mote goes all the way around

Ightham Mote, pronounced "Item Mote." The "Ight" is pronounced like "light" and anytime you see "ham" it is pronounced "hem" or "hm"

Let me switch gears and report an experience that happened to Niel in the temple last week. He was sitting at the front desk, where the recommends are checked and in walked a young man who was wearing a lanyard around his neck, identifying himself, and wanted to leave a missionary message of The Jehovah Witnesses. Whoa! This young man then began a conversation with Niel about the things our churches may have in common.  He also talked about the 144,000 elect people who his church believes will be the only ones to make it to live with God etc.  They talked for a short while and apparently he felt like he had accomplished what he came to the temple to do. But as he prepared to leave he asked if he could put some names on the temple prayer roll. (?)  Niel gave him a slip of paper and he scribbled down some names and left.  Niel couldn’t read any of the names, but put the names in the prayer-roll box anyway.  You never know!  

Then later in the week, he received a call that was transferred from the recorder’s office as he was again sitting at the front desk. Now, just who would be calling him at the temple, at 8 am on a Saturday morning? It was Mary Jane Palfreyman. They were just passing through the nearby airport and wanted to say ‘hi’. You never know!

We are looking forward to sending pictures of the beautiful gardens and paths here on the temple grounds. The pictures are nice, but they are nothing like seeing it in person.  

Rhododendron's blooming

Elder and Sister Strong (Oh how their family misses them!)

Niel with Byron Lovell, SHS buddies...Class of 1964

Elder and Sister Byron and Cynthia Lovell, missionaries together in 1965-1966

Beautiful sister missionaries!

Elder and Sister Strong, wonderful Temple  Missionaries

Hi's and Bye's as of recently:

Abraham, a visitor from Nigeria

Hi to Brother and Sister Cummings from Cedar City, UT. 

They will be serving in the Visitor's Centre

Hi to Brother and Sister Rushforth

Bye to Kenton and Marilyn Anderson from Rexburg, ID

Bye to Brother Alan and Sister Rosland Carter from Croydon, England

Brother Carter gave Niel a fly kit as a "going away gift"

Bye to Roger and Moira Head from Poole, England

Bye to Sister Joyce Morgan from Alpine, UT

 Hi to Elder and sister Brown from Yuma AZ

Hi to Elder and sister Parkinson from Rexburg ID

All our love to all of you.

Niel (Grumpa) and Carolee (Granny)

WALTZING INTO LONDON TO SEE MATILDA

Boy, am I going to miss all the STUFF that goes on in London. There is not only the beauty of the countryside and the London Temple grounds, but the theatres, museums, galleries and over-all history of the place. It is such a blessing to be spiritually fed by serving in the temple during the week and then seeing and experiencing all that this country has to offer on the weekend. 

After we finished our shift at the temple last Saturday (May 3^rd), we quickly hopped on the train for a 40 minutes ride to Victoria Station in downtown London. There, we met with the Turners (Ian, Maggie, Jacob, Emily and Ross) to see a musical called, Matilda. I’m embarrassed to admit this, but, I’ve never read the book (shocking) or seen the movie, so we didn’t know what a treat we were store to see. We took a London taxi to the Cambridge Theatre and you could have walked there by stepping from one car or taxi bonnet to the next, it was so crowded. 

The sidewalks were literally covered with vacationers going from one site to the next. Has the tourist season already started? We found the Turners, who, by the way, had a couple visiting them from Las Vegas. It turns out that this fellow (try as I might, I can’t remember their names, sorry) baptized Ian when he was serving on his mission in England in the mid 1970’s. We thought that it was wonderful for them to reunite here in England and it was great to actually meet them, too.

Maggie and Carolee

The actors where "Stonking" And talented!

Love the way the Brits describe their theater

The musical was a special treat. However, part way through it, I turned to Maggie and expressed that it wished I could understand all of what they were saying. She expressed the exact same thing to me! What can I say? You just can’t put a cast of young kids, screaming the words and singing the lyrics at the top of their lungs and combine that with old people, who can’t hear or understand them. Niel understood nothing. But, we got the jest of what was going on from the adult cast members. We walked into the production with a little trepidation and walked out with smiles on our faces. Personally, I loved it. The music and stage and special effects were brilliant! Love the Turners for inviting us to go with them.

The next day, which was Sunday, and after just a few hours of sleep, attended church and prepared ourselves for a Temple Missionary Fireside. The Pinegars from the Visitor’s Centre had asked us temple missionaries to provide a musical fireside of our own. The young missionaries have been doing it on a regular basis. They are all very talented spiritually, as well as musically. Many of them have written their own music to share the gospel message and their own testimonies. So, we didn’t think we could even begin to compare with their firesides. We did quite well, though. You’ll all be surprised to know that we actually got Niel to sing in the choir. He wasn’t and still isn’t feeling too well (got a bad cold), but he helped us out and we needed his help. You’ll also be surprised to know that I wasn’t at the piano, doing the accompanying, but singing tenor with the choir. Guess I’ve been put out to pasture again to refresh other talents. 

London Temple Choir rehearsal

London Temple Choir Trio

Temple attendance has been slow this week. We had record crowds during Easter week. Apparently, it is a tradition for families to come to the temple on Good Friday. The families picnic and mingle on the grounds if the weather is good and they fill the temple sessions all the day long.  We were not there to help, as we were with Julie and Will in Cornwall. I guess they needed and missed us.

Parker Larsen turns 13!

We want to wish our grandson Parker Larsen and Kim Eberhard (Carolee's brother) happy birthdays. We are still trying to find a good time to get in touch with them. 

Our grandson, Luke was also baptized last Saturday. He is sure a handsome boy. 

(Like all of our grandsons) Way to go Luke! 

Lezlee, Brad and Luke Strong

Love to everyone. Stay strong!!

Niel (Grumpa) and Carolee (Gram)