We arrived a little after 1 p.m. in Birmingham after the short hour connecting flight from Paris. Elder and Sister Coppin were extremely well organized and prepared a quick four-day training course that covers most of our assignment... now we just have to remember everything we "learned" in that short timeframe. Malcolm Adcock, the Area Public Affairs Director for the UK, greeted us as did the small staff in the Solihull office.
People are wonderfully supportive and the name badges elicit loads of questions and opportunities to comment about what we are doing in Great Britain.
Surprises include: nice weather (first three days only), absolutely beautiful city, amazing shopping, drivers on the wrong side of the street, steering wheel on the wrong side of the car, good food, lovely 'flat', huge refrigerator, wonderful dryer, Costco (it's like walking into the USA), schools on holiday and there still is a Fish Shop in every little shopping area.
Not-so-surprising: extremely high prices, VAT taxes on virtually everything (making the already expensive, prohibitive), lots of traffic, beautiful green spaces, rain (hence the beautiful green spaces) and tonnes (English spelling) of very nice people.

The Coppins (Pat and Ann) are a delightful, organised (English spelling) and positive way to begin any mission. From the daily learning agendas to the cheery spirits, they epitomize the "best" in senior couples dedicated to hastening the work!

Beautiful Countryside... billowing clouds, lush green and magnificent yellow rapeseed fields!

Car with steering wheel and "driver" on the wrong side in front of our flat building 80 Eversleigh Court, Shirley B90 1BU

We met the sister missionaries while visiting with President Craig Rasmussen of the Birmingham England Mission.... Below is Sister Rasmussen and Sister Jones reuniting after not seeing our Eagle, Idaho friends for more than a dozen years.

President and Sister Rasmussen have 250 young missionaries and more than 10 couples. During dinner they were constantly taking phone calls from their missionaries and President said he only have 5 personal interviews to do on his "P" day. Remarkable dedication and commitment!

Sister Jones perusing the outdoor flower shop at the Touchwood Shopping Centre.

 Solihull is simply the most "posh" city I have seen in the UK.... where are the row houses that I remember populating the cityscape?

We live on the right of the second floor (Story 1 is always the 'ground' floor in the UK)

Joyce (Sister Jones) is on her way out the door and off to the office... calls to answer, spreadsheets to do, plans to be made. She simply has 's'miles to go before she sleeps...

Here's the flat in Shirley... Our thanks to the Fugals who have made this so nice!

OK, I know I'm not the biggest fellow in the world. But I'm not the smallest either... That's right folks, a 22 inch wide shower! The shower-head is aimed at my mouth... the world's largest sonicare waterpik only 6 inches from my face. Joyce obviously uses the "other" shower. Be aware that I'm not complaining, as forty years ago I took 'baths' once a week at a public bath!

The master bedroom has 9 pillows on the bed which makes Sister Jones feel more at home.

The living and dining rooms are bright and very homey.

Take a look... An American Refrigerator and dryer in the midlands of England! Bless Guy and Paula Fugal's hearts and pocketbooks... where they found them, let alone how they got them in the flat is truly a modern-day miracle!

As nice as the surroundings are, it's really all about people. Here are some of our new friends in Solihull office who have been "lovely" to us. Malcolm Adcock is the English gentleman on the right and a true delight for us to support. These people are truly 'saints' as they work long hours and live for the church and their families. The UK saved the Church with thousands of converts from the late 1830s to the 1860s. Most of us trace our ancestry through the British Isles and these remnants of the seed of Ephraim are as stalwart as the emigrating saints of a hundred and fifty years ago. Our little ward (Sheldon) has 75 active members and covers the most diverse parts of Birmingham, but those who attend are as strong as any Utah ward. The Sunday School lesson was "brilliant" as they say and the Bishop is optimistic as he declares "we're growing" with 4 baptisms this year among the 2 sets of missionaries. When we have time, we will share the story of Tim, the 52 year old Down's Syndrome "boy" in the primary. We'll take his picture and fill you in on how tender everyone is with him.

We are planning to be in London next week, Germany the week after, a Multi-stake Public Affairs training to deliver the following with a YSA spokesperson training (video each as we question them) in Manchester the weekend after that... Love to all!