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The Maughans - Friends from Home Visit

As our missionary experiences take us throughout the UK, we were thrilled to share nearby sites of this beautiful land with our wonderful friends from Boise (and now Sunbrook in St. George) who visited us in late May and early June. First stop, Stratford-upon-Avon on a brisk but sunny day.

Outside Shakespeare's childhood home on High Street.

Yes, there truly was a William Shakespeare and he is buried in Trinity Church along the River Avon.

A must for every Churchill fan is Blenheim Palace, the boyhood home of Sir Winston. Even though he was just a house-guest as a cousin to the Duke of Marlborough, Churchill said that the two greatest decisions he made in his life took place here... "the decisions to be born and to be married." Obviously he didn't have much to do with the first, but he dearly loved his wife, Clementine, who accepted his marriage proposal at Blenheim.

Marsha and Joyce outside the palace.

Marsha and DelRay pause in front of the gardens of Blenheim.

The muses at the Sheldonian in Oxford smile and frown at the guided Oxford tourists. We joined a tour to see some of the colleges in the city.

With Tower Bridge in the background, we added a river cruise on the Thames following our tour of the infamous Tower of London.

DelRay - a scholar, athlete, physician, horseman and Idaho boy loves museums in his quest for additional knowledge. While Marsha - art aficionado enjoys design, color and texture. On a rainy day, we were off to the Victoria and Albert Museum.

A second stop took us to the British Museum. Obviously, you can see that museums make DelRay and Dan happy as they observe the Sumerian Cuneiform writings of Mesopotamia among other historic art forms including the famous Rosetta Stone.

Marsha and Joyce are happy for the little things in life like a nice hotel with good beds.

Oops, forgot to say that shopping for fabrics and yarn in London makes Marsha very happy. 

Liberty House is a great department store in London just off Oxford Street in Soho. The girls shopped for fabric as the guys went to see the BBC headquarters after a quick stop on Carnaby Street.

Elder Holland Arrives in the UK

Following the funeral for Elder L. Tom Perry, Elder Holland took an all-night flight to Iceland and on to Edinburgh, Scotland. Barely able to put one foot in front of the other when he landed, Elder Holland came immediately from a short stop at the hotel to Priesthood Leadership and missionary meetings at the Edinburgh Stake Centre. As we greeted him at the gate to the chapel, he remembered us and gently took Dan's head in his large hands and looked him directly in the eyes. Some 28 years ago, Elder Holland was companion to Elder Packer when Dan was called to the stake presidency in Bountiful. Elder Holland's words were "I'm so grateful to see you are serving a mission. I cannot wait to tell President Parker when I get home." He hugged Joyce and told her how proud he was for her to serve as a missionary. Of the thousands and thousands of people he meets, it is incredible to see his memory and ability to warm people's hearts! We felt like we had been embraced by the Lord. Traveling with him for the next week was a spiritual and testimony building highlight for these missionaries. With all Elder Holland does to "hasten the work," we know he is sustained by the Lord.

Elder Holland greeting the Joneses outside the Edinburgh Stake Centre on the first day of his visit.

Edinburgh Castle as seen from Princess Street.

The production crew behind the scenes produced a broadcast sent to the 44 stakes in the United Kingdom and all of the Nordic countries. It's just amazing to see the expertise and technical capabilities of our age. We are privileged to witness the strides the Church is making technologically  to further the work.

As part of his Scotland visit, Elder Holland enjoyed a visit from some of The Singing Children's Choir of Kenya who gathered in the Mission Home.

Elder Holland, Elder Kearon, Elder Teixeira and President Rasmussen pause outside the Solihull chapel prior to the Birmingham Missionary Meeting.

Elder Holland greeting President Rasmussen with those large hands, great smile, and piercing eyes.

Arthur and Paul Brooks have become our friends over the past few months. Arthur (the senior of the two) was a counselor to the stake president in Essex, then followed as the stake president. When he was released as the president, he was called (again) as the counselor to the new stake president. Amazing man! His son Paul served with Brittany in the Toulouse France mission. As a former bishop, Paul now serves as the Executive Secretary to the Area Seventy. Both of these men are personable and committed to the gospel.

With smiles and complete reverence, these great Birmingham missionaries patiently waited more than 1 1/2 hours for the arrival of Elder Holland. After he shook hands with each missionary, Elder Holland commented that they wouldn't need to discuss obedience in his remarks. It was evident to all that they were prepared to hear from an apostle of the Lord. He spoke for over an hour on the  atonement. It was perhaps one of the most instructional and inspirational addresses concerning the Savior's sacrifice we have ever heard.

Observe Oxford's magnificent historic dignity as seen in the gardens of Christ Church College.

Elder Jones, Malcolm Adcock and Lyman Kirkland (Church PA media specialist in Salt Lake City) counsel together inside Christ Church College (part of the University of Oxford system).

Elder Holland visited Oxford where his son, UVU President Matthew Holland, participated in an Abraham Lincoln Scholars lecture with two other eminent scholars. It was fascinating to hear their combined perspectives on Lincoln's leadership, childhood, motivation and religiosity. Each scholar observed our revered President from different perspectives which reflects modern society's attempt to contextualize a person in terms of how they were previously viewed versus how they are perceived today.

The Hyde Park Chapel provides an ark-like venue where missionaries from two missions gathered to hear Elder Holland .

Elder Holland addressed a group in the Churchill Room in the Houses of Parliament. Churchill's bust in the background seems appropriate considering Elder Holland's articulate remarks. Winston would have been proud of someone with such a motivational command of the English language.

The Piano Guys Devotional

Joyce has known Michelle and Jon for a number of years as their children went to junior high school in Bountiful. When she heard The Piano Guys were touring Europe, she contacted Jon to see if they would consider presenting a devotional. What seems like ages ago, the day finally arrived and 600 people jammed into the Hyde Park Chapel to enjoy an evening of testimony and music including "How Great Thou Art" and "Bring Him Home."
With more than 2,000 requests for free tickets, it was impossible to satisfy the demand by the stakes in the London area that clambered for seats at the Sunday night event. See mormonnewsroom.org.uk for the article that Joyce wrote about the evening.

"Mind the Gap" proved to be the theme for the evening as Steven Sharp Nelson set the tone by reminding the audience how we need to pay particular attention to narrowing any spiritual gap we may have between us and the Saviour.

Michelle and Jon Schmidt greet YSAs after the devotional.

Steven and Julie Nelson loved talking to the YSAs about their experiences and their music. President Alan Phillips (to the right) is another outstanding, young stake president who has an extraordinary leadership presence.


Life Returns to Normal

After days on the road and thousands of miles in the car, planes or trains, we have returned to the normal ten-hour days as compared to the frenetic pace of the past 6 weeks. The welcome peanut butter and jam (a delicious French raspberry conserve called 'Bonne Maman') sandwiches are now back on our daily menu. Whatever the assignment or wherever the responsibility, we are numbering our blessings. What a privilege is ours to serve at this time with remarkable people in this beautiful land.