So busy, so many great people!

We continue to have long days from 8:00 a.m. in the morning to 6:00 or 7:00 p.m. each night, then off to visit home teaching families, mutual or errands needed for the next day. We cannot tell whether we are adding more projects each day or lacking in competence as our "To Do" list is ever expanding.

The week of the 12th of May brought preparation for the Multi-Stake Directors training in Solihull where these wonderful, faithful leaders were trained to become spokespersons for the church in their areas. Role-playing an interview with a video crew, each of these six directors answered questions about the church as we gave tips on how to stay on the three key messages of the church: We are followers of the Lord, Jesus Christ, We support strong families and We are our brother's keepers as we bring value to communities.

It's amazing to have a front-row seat on all the initiatives of the church and the commitment of its members. These marvelous individuals drove up to three hours to participate in a 7 hour training on a Saturday... perhaps the most beautiful day of the year here in England! All have been leaders in the church in Britain as Stake Presidents, Bishops, Stake Relief Society Presidents, etc.

One interesting side-note is of Craig Marshall, the Northeast Director, who is the home teacher for a family I taught and baptized in Teesside. He was going to visit Sister Brownbridge on Thursday, so I called my companion of  44 years ago, now Dr. Richard Jolley, to add his message to mine for Craig to give to the Brownbridge family. After catching up, he mirrored my feelings when he said, "Tell them that there hasn't been a week in the last 40 + years where I haven't thought about and prayed for them." Isn't it incredible that each one of us who have served a mission feel a bond with the country and the people with whom we had the blessing of serving so many years ago.

Sunday brought a tender sacrament meeting where the Stake President spoke to the hearts of three investigators we have grown to love. President Daniel Griffiths, a former missionary under Terry and Melody Clegg, was inspired as these sweet sisters could not help feeling the Holy Ghost bearing witness to the restored truths.

Because it was a beautiful day, we travelled to the Gadfield Elm Chapel and the Benbow farm where Wilford Woodruff converted nearly all of the United Brethren congregation in 1840. Gadfield Elm was the first chapel in the church and through a miraculous story has been restored and given to the church. President Hinckley dedicated it in 2004 and the church also maintains the Benbow Pond where many of the United Brethren were baptized.

Gadfield Elm is in a beautiful and remote setting where the United Brethren gave this little chapel to the church once they heard the gospel preached by the Quorum of the Twelve in England. Brigham Young preached here as did Heber C. Kimball and Wilford Woodruff. In 1841 there were more than 1000 converts in Herefordshire and the Twelve held a conference in this chapel that can seat only about 100.

Purchased as a derelict building in an auction, the Lord preserved this landmark through a series of miracles! 

 Dan at the plaque and bench at Benbow Farm where John Benbow and nearly 600 United Brethren were baptized in 1840.

 Joyce crossing the fence at Benbow Pond.

We were given birthday cake by a sister from Wales (Kate, Gavin and little Isaac) whose family was celebrating her birthday. What a delightful day!

More extremely long days, but a few interesting events occurred this week as we participated in transfers... 100 energized, enthusiastic missionaries hugging, back-slapping and cheering for one another at the same location.

Reserved for great missionaries!

How many of these bags can get in this Vauxhall Meriva?

Remember two missionaries are needed in the backseat also!

We are off to Preston, Chorley, Downham and Manchester in the next three days!

11 May 2014

We just finished a Public Affairs Seminar here in Frankfurt, Germany where National Directors of Public Affairs for 20 countries were represented. What remarkable people with amazing conversion stories that could keep the Ensign/Liahona/Friend filled with inspirational articles for months!
So much to mention... especially the Sacrament Meeting held in a hall not far from the Area Presidency's office and the stake centre. With prayers given in their native tongues along with just 4 short testimonies. One could feel the spirit all around you as if angels were attending this small forty person gathering. Hymns were sung by the congregation and the Sacrament passed by the senior missionaries from Germany almost as if  inviting each individual to personally renew her / his covenants with the Savior.
The first testimony is of a former Hungarian basketball player who testified that the Holy Ghost told her to go home while living and working in London. She arrives in Hungary and is immediately contacted by friends who want her to meet some missionaries. Four years later, she is testifying of the gospel as the National Director of Public Affairs for her native land.
The next testimony was borne in 'English for the first time' as this petite young woman from Cape Verde bore witness of the restoration and its blessings to her and her family.

Sister Victoria Domo from Cape Verde

The third testimony was from Brother Magnuski of Poland who eloquently gave "thanks" for freedom. Freedom to worship the Savior in a country where not long ago the government didn't want to hear or recognize the existence of a Divine Creator is something we have always taken for granted in the United States. He told of his patriarchal blessing promising that one day he would serve in a temple in his native land if he lived worthily. Imagine the thrill when he heard those words coming from a patriarch of God!

 (NDPAs from Poland, Romania and Hungary)

The last testimony was from Sister Cook of the United Kingdom where she spoke about hearing the cries of a lamb outside her home one night. She and here son rescued a lamb separated by a hedge-row from its mother and she related it to how the Savior saves each of us from our separation from the Father.
This will forever be a sacred memory as we later shook hands, hugged and bid each a farewell as they departed for their native lands.

Martin and Judith Cook - UK Public Affairs Directors

Frankfurt is beautifully charming with interesting building, wonderful people and delicious food. We went to a restaurant called Weber's Restaurant in Feldbergblik to eat authentic German cuisine with Gabi Sirtl (Director for Public Affairs for Europe). We fell in love with the environment, server and especially the #87 (Braised Pork with Spaetzle) on the menu followed by Apple Strudel with custard/whipped cream and strawberries. So good that we went back for Mother's Day and added the Wienerschnitzel plus the strudel dessert!

Weber's Restaurant at Feldbergblik in Frankfurt 

I forgot to mention that it's asparagus time in Germany and everything has this tasty white asparagus in it or beside it... including this wonderful salmon asparagus cream soup. The little waitress (above) recognized us from our previous visit with Gabi and had the chef specially prepare the spaetzle for Joyce. At the conclusion of the meal, she gave Joyce a kiss on each cheek, wished her a happy Mother's Day and presented a rose to her. A truly charming and wonderful day....

Sister Jones, Sister van Wermeskerken (Netherlands), Malcolm Adcock (our Director in the UK) at the Frankfurt conference

Here's a bit form Frankfurt... beautiful city with spectacular food!

 Here we are with Sister Feil outside the cathedral in Frankfurt.

 Sister Feil and Joyce in the town centre of Frankfurt

Elders Feil & Jones in the other section of the town centre where there is a museum behind them

We are training the multi-stake directors this weekend in Solihull to be media spokespersons for the church in their various areas. We are completely amazed at the dedication and faithfulness of the wonderful saints who are on the front-line for the church. We will video each as they role-play an interview with a former news person. Then they will critique themselves and try (again on video) to deliver the key messages of the church. We'll deliver this training again next weekend to the YSA spokespeople in Manchester and Scotland in June. It's 12:52 a.m. and the day starts in 51/2 hours... so we should say goodbye until next week. We love you all...

3 May 2014

Sister Jones and I had a very busy week both with the Public Affairs assignment and with our local missionaries. Sunday was wonderful and Joyce became the 'substitute' Primary and Sacrament Meeting Pianist as those called "failed to show" as they say here in the UK.
A wonderful couple, the Martins, had us to a lovely Sunday dinner of a tri-fowl roast with all the English potatoes and vegetables topped with gravy. Brother Adrian Martin worked in banking and for the Church and Sister Agnes Martin served a mission at the same time in Southwest England as a former roommate of mine at the Y. So we connected on several fronts and learned their conversion / marriage stories. They met as singles in the London Temple.... a marriage made very close to heaven!

On Tuesday, we took one pair of missionaries to dinner at the Sheldon Toby Carvery. We then went with them to a Polish family that's investigating the gospel and had our first "real" missionary experience which is an amazing opportunity to feel the Holy Ghost in action.
Oh, since the night was still young, we then went to the Ward Fundraiser for the Mutual EFY summer experience. Sixteen people came for pancakes (really, crepes) besides those YM/YW leaders and kids making the desserts. What a humbling experience to know of our home ward's support and faithfulness and then see how difficult it is for these great saints. We sure many didn't come because of the hope or expectation for donation and/or the two buses they would have to take to get to the ward. As it was a late start (8:00 p.m.), we took the other set of Elders home or they would have missed the required 9:00 p.m. deadline due to the bus schedules.

Thursday we spent in London after a grueling 3 hour drive made difficult due to the "tube" strike in London... another tube strike is scheduled for 3 days next week.  We met with the Hyde Park Visitor's Centre directors, Elder and Sister Cardall (of KSL editorial fame), who are wonderful. Dr. James Faulconer and his wife, the director of the BYU London Centre, were so gracious and appreciative of all the work Sister Jones has done for the re-opening event in June.

Here's Sister Faulconer in the totally remodeled student dining area in the London Centre and below is the reception room. We found out that the residence next to the centre (where the faculty have their   flats (apartments) was the residence of Lord Shackleton (of Antarctica fame) while staying with his relations. By-the-way, the current value/cost of this residence in this area of London is a mere $5000 per square foot! President Worthen and many dignitaries will gather in June to rededicate the facility (provided it's ready by then???).

Some may know these Elders we met while Elder Teixeira was teaching the District Leaders for the London Mission. Elder Teixeira and his lovely wife were so gracious when we met them at the Public Affairs hosting room that we had just barely "refitted" (taking out dead plants, supplying refreshments, etc) a few moments before.

Elder Maynard (left) is Bishop and Sister Reed Maynard's grandson from Grandma and Grandpa Wrigley's ward in Bountiful. We've known the Maynards for most of our lives. On the right is Elder Torbit from Katy, Texas whose Stake President is John (McKell) Allen's father. The church makes the world a very small place!

Sister Jones and Hollie McKee a BYU graduate who works part-time for the Public Affairs department in the UK. Hollie is a very talented young lady who is also the Relief Society President in the Brittania YSA ward (it's a huge ward) in central London. 

Cute Sister just in front of the Victoria and Albert Museum in a typical London rain!

Friday brought a fairly good day (although a bit cooler) where we ran to the open air market at lunch to try to give us short break in a very busy day. The night before ended very late as the Elders from Stourbridge were teaching an Albanian immigrant in Sheldon and time got away from them. So the Sheldon Elders called just as we got home from London to see if we could 'bail-out' these missionaries because they missed their two buses / train. Our journey took us twenty minutes to the church and another 20 miles thru Birmingham to Stourbridge and then back again. The little missionary from Albania (Elder Dyer) was so pleased to have learned English in just 7 months that he  shared every bit of his family/personal history/life's aspirations in the 45 minute ride. We cannot even remember the name of the Elder from Billings, Montana as we didn't hear a word from him throughout the entire ride. Maybe he doesn't speak English.... just Albanian (just kidding)! It was fun and now we know that the gift of tongues incorporates more than just speaking... it's a gift of endless speaking! Don't you just love the confidence that comes on a mission as this Elder believes that he has such a "command" of the English language, he will now teach English in Albania. We love these missionaries!

This weekend is a bank holiday (meaning the continent had their bank holiday on Thursday and the British deserve one too), so we are off on Monday. Perhaps we'll see the Cotswolds.... more to come in a few days.

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!

And we're off!

 Grandpa and London (with her darling UK socks)

Grandma and the last hugs from our Madeleine... she'll miss the cuddles!

Treats for the waiting...

'Union Jack' London

Smiles before the soon to come tears at parting... and then we're off!

Pre-training and MTC Week

We attended our first training by the Public Affairs Department of the Church from February 19th-21st at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in Salt Lake City. We learned much and were inspired by all the Church is doing with our friends in interfaith committees, media relations, and government entities.

We loved our week at the Provo MTC, where we joined 180 other senior missionaries in the largest group of "mature" missionaries ever. Our days were spent in training as we learned to more effectively implement the principles in Preach My Gospel. Our trainers were wonderful returned missionaries who taught with fervor and faith. By being divided into districts, we became well acquainted with amazingly faithful, optimistic couples going to serve despite many personal trials and hardships.

Elder Lystup and Holland were inspirational returned missionaries guiding us with patience and experience! It's almost impossible to comprehend how the Lord raises up such a marvelous generation to move His work forward.

Sister Holland is a Senior at BYU majoring in accounting headed for a job at Apple. She returned from New Mexico Spanish speaking just a couple of years ago.

 Our answers (dated by experience and tempered by the pressures of age) make the trainers laugh!!

Pictured in front of the most famous and photographed map in the world... Elder and Sister Jones

The "beauties" of the season...

Family Home Evening and Setting Apart

This week was quite busy as we hosted a benefit banquet for the Academy for Creating Enterprise, an organization we've been privileged to be involved with for the past couple of years. The event took place in the beautiful Empire Room at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, and our dear friends Clayton and Christine Christensen graciously flew in to town so Clayton could be our keynote speaker. It was a wonderful evening!    

We enjoyed an uplifting Conference weekend which also included a sleepover with Jackson and Madeleine, a visit to the Natural History Museum, and a wonderful performance of Les Mis starring our friend Casey Elliott. On Sunday evening we were privileged to have Brittany, Corey, and family, President Barfuss, and Bishop Gimperline to our home for a Family Home Evening and setting apart. 

Dan shared stories about his first mission to England. The kids were tickled to see pictures of a very young Grandpa, hold his British driving record, and play with his coin collection.  

President Barfuss set us apart as full-time missionaries and gave us beautiful blessings that we know will sustain us over the course of this mission. It was again confirmed to us that this is what the Lord would have us be doing at this time in our lives. We're now official--and we're ready!