More Catching Up

 

One of our callings is to work with the YSA's (Young Single Adults).  This was a service project we had a few weeks ago for a member of our bishopric who was terminally ill.  He passed away last 10 days ago and we had his funeral last Friday. His wife didn't want anyone to wear black--she wanted to celebrate his life.  He had suffered long enough.  We spent a few hours cleaning up his "garden" (yard) for his wife and son.  Our bishop is the one in the front with his hands on his knees.  Our missionaries from our ward are the ones in the middle back--Elder Torres has a blue shirt on and has black hair and Elder Palmer is to his right with light hair.  Elder Palmer is right behind the Bishop.  We do quite a few things with these Elders.

This is a view from the back coming up to the house.  It's a nice sized garden

'

This is the view from the patio looking down the garden. 

We had a baptism a week ago Saturday for a little 8 year old girl--Odu Bolaji.  Byron was asked to confirm her and he did an excellent job. 

Her parents are from Nigeria.  Her mother gave her a "baptismal party" instead of a birthday party.  She served dinner to a hundred people.  Grace runs her own day care center and invited all her children and their parents, plus Odu's friends and their families.  The ward was supportive as well.  We had Great food--she hired a Nigerian caterer.  It was delicious.  She invited all the little children to come up and sing "Families Can Be Together Forever."  She had words printed out for the older ones.  It was a Great Day!

We are enjoying our mission!!!  We still don't have a car, but because of our "advanced age," we have free bus passes.  We can go anywhere in England on the bus; however, we're not supposed to leave our mission boundaries except for the temple and inside the M25--the London Ring Route.  For the "Elderly" missionaries, we're supposed to be able to walk 3 miles--we've Exceeded that!  But there's always a Rainbow--it's helping the waistline--right now at least.

We're Happy in our flat and very Excited to be working with the YSA's.  We're going to be Institute teachers starting next week--scary!  We have around 10 that we think will support us and we Hope we can make it a wonderful experience for them!  We're teaching the Book of Mormon and we're studying like crazy!!!  I've also been trying out recipes on the Elders to see if I can make Young Adult Food over here.  We've had a few successes.  Well I have to go to bed--I'm breaking "Mission Rules" right now.  (They're mainly for the young missionaries--but I need to get some shut eye.)
Have a Happy Everyone!!!
Bye for now.

CATCH UP

Just thought you might like to see how we do our shopping over here.  We have a little cart that's called a "trolley."  It makes it much easier to get to and from the store when you have heavy items or too much to carry between the two of you; however, we forgot that we have TWO flights of stairs that we have to drag it up.

I'm having trouble posting pictures so will post some more later.

Bye for now.

  

 

 

 

The DOGS

We had an appointment to visit a couple in a neighboring town.  We had to take the train and then a Long Walk.  We weren't exactly sure how far it would be and asked a man on the street who immediately suggested that we needed a taxi.  Well since someone is being a "penny pincher, " we Walked!  Anyway we finally got to the person's house and he had Two Massive Dogs and said, " I hope you don't mind dogs.  They're very friendly!  I can put them out if you like."
Byron (Dad) said, "No that's not problem, we'll be fine."

Well we walked in to this smallish living room and the dogs were jumping up and down and wanted to jump all over us.  One was half golden retriever the other half was some kind of bull dog--a Big one.  The other dog was half border collie & half Rottweiler.  We were trying to visit with this couple, but the dogs wouldn't leave us alone.  I had on my Favorite skirt, which is a skirt of many colors and is also a very light weight soft fabric, & a short sleeved top.  They were putting their heads in our laps and licking me up and down my arms--those who Know me, know that I rarely even Touch dogs.  I could hardly stand to be by myself--I SMELLED like DOG!!!

Now if that wasn't bad enough,  I happened to look down at Byron (Dad) and he had on Dark slacks, butt they had what looked like Thick powder all over them, and then I realized that is was Hair--Dog Hair!!!  We were trying So Hard to be cordial and have a nice visit, but I was trying to disappear into the couch at the same time holding my breath.  They were constantly calling the dogs and I was trying to protect my skirt--it was Some visit!!!  They were Great people and we liked them a lot.  Next time we go there, I'm wearing Levis!!!

I thought I would post a picture of our flat from the outside.  We are on the second floor.  We look
out over the Thames--I know I've said that before, but you'll see the retaining wall in the background.
It's pretty cool!!  Definitely will be when it gets colder!!!

 

 

 

Now you see that we're actually behind the one that Brian had thought we lived in.

 

 

 

 

This is looking down the street from our flat.  I was across the street taking most of the shots.  We walk down the street to where that girl is and then cross over to her side to go to the town center and to church.

 

 

This is the way we walk to go to the grocery store.  We even bought a little "trolley" to go shopping with.  The biggest problem with that is that we have to carry it up Two flights of Stairs!!!  It isn't bad though.  We don't mind.

 

 

A week ago Saturday we were walking home from the grocery store and saw a big fire.  We decided to go and check it out, since we were on foot.  We almost got there. It was a tire fire.  When we first saw it, the whole sky was covered with smoke.  We walked a Long way but  couldn't quite make it.  We ended up an and got the history of Gravesend.  It was actually very enlightening.

 

 

This is what it looked like as we were walking.  It was actually worse when we came home from the store.  That little church you can see in the smoke is the resting place of Pocahontas.  There's a statue to her in the park by the church.

 

 

This is a view of our walk on the way back home.  We had to hurry because we had a dinner party with the missionaries and the Jacobsons that night.  I made "Café Rio" for them and they Loved it.  It was really fun having them over!!!

Bye for Now. 

A Couple of Weeks Ago

Byron & I went back a week later by ourselves and did more than this--we knew what we were doing the second time.  There is STILL a LOT of WORK left!!!  Saturday we're going to have a YSA activity and work on this garden and one other one.  It's quite an Adventure!

We had a great day at church today.  A lady came into Relief Society and sat with another sister.  At the end of the class I was talking to her and found out that she had just walked into the church because she was looking for a church and she had seen ours several times.  She said she was praying to find a church and she was directed to ours today.  We had a Great lesson in Sunday School.  We have an outstanding teacher.  She participated.  I introduced her to the missionaries before Sacrament Meeting (our Sacrament is last) and they took over.  I think she really enjoyed being there today.  She said she would come back next week with her husband and son.  She is from Nigeria and very classy.  She just moved to Gravesend from London.  I was having trouble with her name and she just said to call her MJ. (She hasn't come back--we're all disappointed.)  By the way I am playing the piano in RS & Sacramento Meeting--at least I have been the last two weeks. (Our first two weeks.) Still am.

Today Tuesday August 20, 2013 (I think) we went to COSTCO.  Hazel Jacobsen in our ward was kind enough to take us as we don't have a car.  She brought her son David, who is 14 and a very nice boy.  It was interesting going to COSTCO in England.  I was Hoping to get a few things that we can't get in the stores.  I was lucky and bought 10 lbs. of chocolate chips.  You can't buy them in the stores over here.  I was Hoping for some C&H brown sugar, but alas, it wasn't there.  The brown sugar over here isn't the same as home.  It's much dryer.  I think they just pour molasses over it.  They still had some great things and we were grateful to Hazel for taking us.  We went to Subway after.
Afterwards we went and visited a member of our ward whose husband is very ill.  She is a school teacher and it was good to visit with her.  She and Hazel are good friends.

I am still trying to play catch up from not having internet.  I will write more later--I have a story about the DOGS!!!

By for now.

Catching Up From the Past Couple of Weeks

It has been one week today since we arrove in England.  We are really enjoying our time here.  We have a lovely flat that overlooks the Thames.

 

  Two days ago we saw a cruise ship coming up the river and then it got close to the side and a little tug boat came up along side of it and they hooked a large cable from the ship to the boat and the little tug boat pulled on the big ship and turned it around so it could sail back out to sea.  It was very interesting to watch.  One group disembarked and then later on that afternoon, it sailed back out to sea with a new group.  We have seen two cruise ships so far.  All day and all night there are ships & boats sailing up and down the Thames.

August is a vacation month, so we haven't had much to do.  Our bishop has been in Utah and won't be back until Tues.  Church has been run the High Priest's Group Leader and Elder's Quorum President.  We have a very friendly ward, but it's very small.  We have a beautiful chapel. 

There are 35 new missionaries coming into our mission this Wed.  We had a District Meeting last Tues. and out of ten missionaries (not counting us) there were nine countries represented--Brazil (Rio) He looks like he belongs to the Tirrells, South Africa, Malaysia, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, England, & the US (Salt Lake & Las Vegas) & then us of course.  It was very interesting to see all these missionaries speaking English with different accents.  They were awesome missionaries.  We really enjoyed being with them.  Two were Sister Missionaries--England & Las Vegas.

We work under the direction of the bishop and since he is out of town, it's been frustrating for us.  Hopefully we will be able to meet with him this week and get a sense of what he wants us to do.  We have been to a recently re-activated sister's home for dinner with her four boys.  That was interesting.  She cooked a good meal.  She's had a 30 year vacation from church and about a year ago decided to come back.  She has two boys that are 24 and 21 from her first marriage & three from the second--14, 13, & 10.  The 13 yr old is interested.
She taught RS last week and did a fine job.  I played the piano.  In fact I played it in Sacrament as well.  Their only pianist has a broken hand.

Well since we haven't had any direction we have been familiarizing ourselves with the town.  It's a cute town.  We don't have a car, so we've been walking everywhere.  We didn't have a fridge until Thursday--what a blessing they are.  Our little fridge is smaller than our dishwasher at home--about the same height, but narrower.  Butt--it has a freezer the same size on the bottom.  Well there's not as much room in the freezer because of the motor, but it's so nice.  Tonight I cooked "Cafe' Rio" for the Elders.  One is from Salt Lake & the other Brazil.  They loved it!!!  Our Brazillian Elder ate two burritos and then had a large plate of rice & beans.  I couldn't make the dressing as there aren't any tomatillos here and no Hidden Valley Ranch, but everything else tasted very good.

We have been shopping everyday getting things for the flat and food of course.  It's looking cozy, but very different from an English flat.  We don't have much stuff, but it's very comfortable.  I'll send pictures as soon as we get wi-fi.  This has been hard to not have internet service.  We get it Friday.  Nothing happens fast here. 

Bye for now.

Our New Home--Our Flat

I thought everyone would be interested to see where we live.  Actually it isn't bad--much better than we expected.  We Love our little home!!!  This is our little kitchen--actually it's pretty comfortable!  I'll show you some other views, like our fridge, and sink.

 

 

This isn't bad for two people.  We have fed the missionaries twice and it worked fine.  We have four plates, four cups, six glasses, four knives, forks, spoons, etc.  We have to do the dishes so we can eat the next meal.  I think that is the way to go. 

 

Our washing machine is to the left of our sink.  We're grateful to have a washer!!!

Our fridge we're getting used to--it's smaller than our dishwasher at home.  It does have a freezer underneath and it's tiny as well.  We are Grateful to have them though as we went the first 5 days without anything!!  It's been Lovely to have a fridge!

 

We do have a very Cute Flat and we're really enjoying it.  We're right on the banks of the Thames and we see ships passing day and night--great big ones and all sizes.  The tall ships are supposed to be sailing here sometime this year.  We saw a lot of sail boats on Saturday or Sunday--can't remember.

 

 

Byron is studiously working at our dinning room/office table.  The window by him is the one that overlooks the Thames.  I'll show some pictures of that later.

 

 

This is a view of our living room taken from our kitchen.  It's cute and cozy! 

 

 

This is our bedroom and if you're curious, YES it's a Double Bed!!!  It's not bad.  We're going to get a memory foam topper for it.  We tried today, but they were out.  We have our own "little" 3/4 bathroom in what I thought was a closet to the left of the picture.  That is almost unheard of over here, so we feel very blessed!

 

 

It does the job, that's all I can say.  We're Thankful for it!

 

This is our Dryer!!!

We can change things around and put an air mattress in here and we can have company.  We're an hour from Central London on the train.  We at the present don't have a car, so we're bussing it, walking, and riding the train.

 

 

 

This is our closet.  That's our vacuum on top.

 

 

 

This is My bathroom!!!  LOVE it!!!  There are no towel racks and every Nail or Screw we put into the walls here, we'll get charged 100 pounds ($170) so we're making do.

 

 

And This is our Nightime View from our balcony.  Often times there are Big Ships traveling up or down the Thames.  It's Beautiful and we LOVE It!!!

By for Now!

 

 

We're Finally Online!!!

The first picture is us with our daughter-in-law's aunt at the MTC in Provo.  I don't remember their names, but we met the day before we left.  She asked us if we knew Jeff Lovell & we said he's our son.

We had a good time in the MTC and found out that we had the Largest group Ever--we had 129 people.  Most were married.  We were Shocked--we thought there would be a LOT More seniors.  We found out that the #1 reason couples weren't going on missions was Pets!  They couldn't leave their pets.  #2 was they didn't want to leave their grandchildren, and #3 was finances.  The church really caters to couples--they can go for 6 mo., 12 mo., 18 mo., or 23 mo.  There weren't very many couples who were going for 23 mo.  Most were 18 mo., and then 12 mo.  Couples don't have to change companions and they also don't very often change areas.  You can work as CES, MLS,(Missionary Support Leaders), Humanitarian, Temple, and more.  While we were there a new group of over 900 young missionaries came.  The MTC was bursting at the seams, but was extremely well organized.  We had to stay at the Marriott in Provo.......

We were only in the MTC for 3 1/2 days--not very long.  We flew out to London on August 9, 2013.  We flew all night and arrove here at 5:30 am London time.  The mission president and his wife met us at the airport and drove us to the Hyde Park Chapel.  We were there only about an hour+.  The president talked to us and then asked his wife if she was in agreement with what they had talked about.  She said "Yes."  Then he turned to us and told us that he wanted to send us to Gravesend.  It's in Kent almost at the mouth of the Thames River.  It was interesting because that was where Byron had suggested that he felt would be a great area for us to serve because it was the closest area to the London Temple.  Anyway we were very Excited!!!

We got here on Saturday afternoon--didn't have a fridge until the following Thursday.  We went to church on Sunday morning and walked in--nobody knew we were coming.  They had heard that we would be there on Tuesday.  There weren't very many people there--it's August & almost everyone goes on holiday, plus it's a very small ward.  The chapel is lovely and the people were so friendly.  The first thing they asked me was, "Do you play the piano?"  I have played every week since for RS & Sacrament Meeting.  We finally met our bishop this past Thurs.  He was on "holiday" the first two Sundays that we were here.  He's a good man!  We're not sure what he wants us to do yet, but we're sure we'll find out soon.

This was us at the MTC.  I do have more than one dress.  Just happened to be wearing it that day.
I'll write more later and upload some pictures of our flat.  Bye for now.