HORRAY FOR HUMP DAY!

Yup, it’s official. We’re on the downhill side of our mission. We’ve been here for exactly 9 months and now, we’re counting down. How fast the time has gone. Of course, it helps when you are super busy. 

We have spent the last week with Elder and Sister Condie, running around southern England. We met them at the Gatwick Airport on Monday morning.

 I was shocked at how much luggage they had, but then, I remembered that we brought just as much when we came. They said they had to leave many things behind too. It kind of gave me a moment of panic to realize that we, too, will be heading back with all that luggage. It’s not something I look forward to because, we nearly did ourselves in, moving our bags around airports and such. Niel thinks that he probably damaged his knee in the process and that is why it’s still not where it should be in its recovery. (Enough of that.)

Our first day was spent getting them settled in the Accommodation Centre. The next day, we visited London. 

We didn’t get to see all of it, mind you, but we saw enough. The highlight, however, was our first ever visit to the Hyde Park Visitor’s Centre.

It’s a fairly modern looking building (60’s design) right in the middle of what I would call Museum Row. When we visited the V & A Museum (that’s Victoria and Albert Museum) with Jill and Steve, we were within walking distance of the LDS Visitor’s Centre. I wished that we had known that sooner, but, you live and learn. The couple who greeted us were just beginning their mission at the Centre. Elder and Sister Ohman were their names. 

They were fantastic and brilliant! We got the best tour ever. They had previously served a mission to the Jerusalem Centre and knew one of the London South Missionaries that we knew, Sister Quimseh, an LDS Palestinian, who now lives outside of Bethlehem. Elder Ohman also treated us to a performance on the beautiful pipe organ in the chapel, where three wards meet each Sunday. He’s GOOD! We then found out that his office at BYU was right next to David Sargent’s and they are good friends. It’s always a small world. 

Wednesday and Thursday saw us traveling to the country of Wales. On the way, we visited the Gadfield Elm Chapel. 

Painting of the Gadfield Elm Chapel

It is the oldest (restored) chapel in the church. It belonged to a group of pastors who called themselves the United Brethren. Wilford Woodruff and the missionaries who served with him converted and baptized all but one of them in the pond at the Benbow Farm, close by. Which is the next place we saw. 

The pond at Benbow Farm

Then, we travelled on to Merthyr Tydfil in Wales. Marylou’s grandmother Evans came from there. We also saw the house where President McKay’s mother was born. The Saints are quite strong in that part of the UK. 

On our way back, we stopped in Bath. Rulon and Marylou took the Roman Bath tour and we shopped. (It was wonderful. I found a Christmas shop and bought a Fairy for my Christmas tree.) We hurried on to see Stonehenge, but it had closed for the day, so we only got to drive by and look. 

By this time, we oldies were just about done in. So we rested up for Saturday, when a quick trip to Dover Castle and the White Cliffs was in order.  Loved it.

At Dover Castle

It was with sad hearts and great amounts of tear shedding that we said goodbye to the Condie’s early Monday morning. That is the hardest part of seeing friends and family from home. At some point, we have to send them off to home and we stay here. We are honestly trying to climb out of the funk it causes, and get ourselves ready to work in the temple again.

This brings us round, again, to the “shocking news” that we have reached the half-way mark of our mission. Every day we say, “Well, we will never repeat this day again.” However---we are so happy that we did this mission. We have grown in many ways. Our hearts are full. It has been a blessing from God to be able to serve these Saints, here in England, France, Germany, Russia, etc., Korea, Hong Kong, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Africa (many countries), Scotland, Wales and Ireland. We have worked with them all.

Niel is taking the driving portion of the exams to get his UK driver’s license on Monday, the 17^th of March. We are being optimistic, but, at the same time, realistic. He has a slight, and I mean 44 % chance of passing, but most (56%) don’t. It’ll happen one day, though. We’ll let you know just how it turns out.

Love and best wishes to all!

Niel (Grumpa) and Carolee (Granny)

p.s.

Alan Carter, our missionary fly fishing guide took us fishing and this was the result. A bit cool and windy but the company was good. Alan is a super teacher and one of those fisherman who goes early and stays late.