Things We're Gonna Miss

Mission time just does not pass at all like normal time. The first six months of a mission seem to last twice as long as normal time. The middle of a mission lurches forward then halts depending on your experiences and responsibilities. The last six months fly by in triple time. At first, you measure mission time in months, then in weeks, then eventually in days, because it disappears faster and faster as time goes on. But nothing could have prepared us for the blip of time that has been the last 10 weeks. I can't remember any time in my life when days have come and gone so quickly.  We've wanted to savor every minute, but time is not cooperating!

Don and I have been living the "This is the last time we'll get to _ _ _ _ _ _  before we go home" challenge for several weeks now, but it still seems surreal that we will be leaving England in a week. It is really, really difficult to think about leaving the people and places we have grown to love so much. It was hard to say good-bye as we left home to come on our mission, but this time we know we won't be returning. Our boxes have been packed and shipped. We've already said good-bye to many good friends we won't see again before we leave. This is harder than we imagined!

Though we may be leaving England, it feels like a big chunk of our hearts will be staying here. There are so many, many  people and places and activities that we will miss. Here's the shortlist of things we'll miss that Don and I have compiled over the last little while. It is by no means comprehensive. Just heartfelt.

Christmas programs and all the firesides & activities at the London Temple
     Visitors' Centre
Dear, dear friends - both on and off the temple grounds
All the fabulous sister missionaries we have served with and love so much
Sweet friendships with senior missionaries - in the VC, in the temple, and in
     the mission
West Park Manor, their "MTC" and everyone there
So many people we have met at the VC who have touched our lives
The spirit of conversion at the Christus - the powerful narrative
The Peacock Pub
Roundabouts
Knowledgeable, well-trained, courteous drivers
Dry British humor
The Lodge - where we live - with it's massive view of the majestic
      London Temple
The trains and the Tube
The temple staff and both Presidencies
Visiting different wards each Sunday and meeting with "the Saints"
The spirit and beauty of the London Temple grounds
Rhododendrons
Having a temple about 100 steps from our front door
Ducks, foxes, and swans
British accents - all of them
The Mission Office - the source of all wisdom!
The wonderful missionaries - past and present - of the England London
     South Mission
The beauty of the English countryside - especially hedges and gardens
     and pastures of sheep
British gardens, castles, and cathedrals
Tree tunnels
Narrow roads (I never thought I'd miss them, but I will!)
Coaches (buses) on the temple grounds on Saturday
Rainbows over the temple
The excitement of London - the Thames, Parliament, Westminster Abbey,
     Big Ben, etc.
London theatre - concerts, plays and musicals
Food - Authentic Fish and Chips, Cornish pasties, Yorkshire pudding,
     Sticky Toffee pudding, and Lemon Curd, just to name a few
Majestic village churches from the 14th and 15th centuries
British culture and history

So much to love. So hard to leave.

Just before Christmas, we received a sweet gift. In the midst of all of our angst about leaving England, Kristen emailed us a copy of our 7-year-old grandson's Christmas Wish List. It reminded us that we really are going to be excited to see our family again soon! It has changed our perspective about going home. Thanks, Ammon!

AMMON'S CHRISTMAS WISH LIST (TRANSLATED)

Translation:

                                              Ammon's Christmas List

                                              1. Kung Zoo

                                              2. Kung Zoo little thing 

                                              3. Remote Control Helicopter

                                              4. A few Hero Factories

                                              5. 2 Bay Blades

                                              6. 1 or 2 Lego sets or 3 or 4

                                              7. A bunch of candy

                                              8. A Tomigatchi with a store 

                                              9. A stuffed animal

                                             10. GRANDMA AND GRANDPA!

O.K. - so we're #10, but we made his list!  Santa's going to be a little late, Ammon, but we're coming!                 ~Pat/Grandma~

We Wish You A Merry Christmas!

MERRY CHRISTMAS 

to all our dear friends and family!

Christmas is a magical time of year - no matter where you celebrate. We've had some sweet experiences in England this year.

We spent our PDay last Monday visiting Hever Castle with our sister missionaries, senior missionaries, and the Mission Office elders -- one last time. It is one of our favorite places to hang out. The gardens and lake are divine in the spring and summer, the Cornish ice cream is the best, and the fresh flowers and Christmas decorations in December are stunning. (Originally built in the 13th century, Hever was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn until she was beheaded and Henry VIII took possession of it. Later it was owned and beautifully renovated by the well-to-do Astor family of New York.)

L to R:  Elder Sparks and Elder Wehrman
Sisters Maddocks, Phermsin, Walmsley, Stewart, Namutamba and Ylisaari

L to R:  Elder & Sister Anderson, Elder & Sister Smart,
me and Don

There is a beautiful merry-go-round outside the castle at Christmastime.

We've had visits from people we love during December.

A Saturday temple visit from the Farnsworths

Me, Sister Marilyn Anderson and Sister Berati with dear friend Eva Fulop.

And we returned again this year to the Christmas Market we love in the heart of London near the London Eye.

I think I have a thing for merry-go-rounds....

The best place to be, though, around Christmastime in England, is the London Temple Visitors' Centre.
It's a treat to be there any time of year, but at Christmas, it's a special privilege. We have had some wonderful Christmas programs again this year, and the Christmas spirit can definitely be found on the grounds of the London Temple.

Our own Sister Walmsley, along with our other wonderful sister missionaries, have done a lot to add to the Christmas spirit at the Visitors' Centre. A few months ago, Sister Walmsley organized a ward choir in the local ward (East Grinstead). This past weekend, on Friday night and Saturday afternoon, they performed hour-long programs at the Visitors' Centre. Don and I were lucky enough to participate. We love singing in ward choirs - especially at Christmastime!  There is nothing like Christmas music to touch your heart with love and gratitude for our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Sister Walmsley designed the program for the choir concert

L to R:  Elder Sparks, Sister Walmsley, Sister Stewart, NIcki Wilkes, and Elder Wehrman
wowed us when they sang "Hark To The Bells"

Sister Rashida Charles narrated the program with charm.

The East Grinstead Ward Choir sang.

Our piano virtuoso, Sister Ylisaari, accompanied the program.

Sister Walmsley and Elder Wehrman performed a guitar and flute duet.

Miah Neale and her grandfather, David Bridgstock, sang one of my
very favorites:  "In The Bleak Mid-Winter."

Sister Walmsley sang "The Christmas Song."
Move over, Nat King Cole!

Ah, the sweet sounds of Christmas!

On Christmas Eve, we were able to check off one item that's been on Don's Christmas Wish List for a very long time. Ever since he attended one in Basel, Switzerland in the early 1960's while he was on his mission, he has wanted to take me to a Christmas midnight mass. I've never had the energy to take off and go with him after organizing big family get-togethers on Christmas Eve and preparing for Christmas Day. 

This year was different. We are alone for the first Christmas in our 46 years together. We decided to attend Christmas midnight mass at the Gloucester Cathedral. At about 11 p.m. Christmas Eve, as we traveled the narrow, dark and deserted roads leading into Gloucester, I was beginning to think it was not such a grand idea -- but I was wrong. It was amazing!

The Gloucester Cathedral is a part of the Church of England. The first section was built just before 1100 A.D.  It is also the cathedral used in filming three of the Harry Potter movies. What a grand old building it is!

Gloucester Cathedral on Christmas Eve

The first visitors begin to arrive.

It was inspiring to see a couple of thousand worshipers come together to honor the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. We enjoyed the music, the scripture readings, and the sermon. The Cathedral choir was angelic. There's something about listening to a choir when the acoustics are impeccable and you are in awe of the intricate architecture all around you. My very favorite part of the service however, was when we joined voices and sang Christmas carols as a congregation. Inspiring!

Inside the Cathedral before the service began.

Magnificent architecture. How did they do that nearly 1000 years ago???

Now as we celebrate Christmas Day once again, we wish everyone we know and love a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS. May your sweetest wishes come true. Don and I are so grateful for you in our lives. May the commemoration of the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ be at the center of your celebration this year!                       ~Pat~

Love Knows No Borders

Sally DeFord has become one of my favorite religious music composers of late. I've been lucky enough to sing several of her arrangements in one choir or another over the past several years. Her words and music inspire me!

Last weekend, "Enchanting," a wonderful little A Capella choir from Peterborough (and points beyond) came to perform three programs at our Visitors' Centre. Brogan Casbon is the director. Brogan and her husband, Tony, have become dear friends during the past two years. The performances were outstanding, start to finish. We loved having "Enchanting" fill our Visitors' Centre with the sweet sounds of Christmas.

"Enchanting" performed at the Visitors' Centre last weekend.
L to R:  Talulah, Brogan, Jess, Adan, Mel, Sharon and Jane

One of the group's musical numbers has been floating through my head all week -- the one by Sally DeFord. Part of the song goes like this:

     From lands of the sunrise
     From isles of the sea
     Though oceans divide us
     And miles lie between
     Come gather in spirit
     With shepherds of old
     'round Bethlehem's cradle
     Our Heavenly King to behold.
     For love knows no borders
     And love knows no bounds,
     Rejoice ye together
     For Jesus our Savior is born.

     His love knows no borders
     Nor color nor creed
     No rich and no poor,
     Neither bondsmen nor free
     And we who receive him
     Must love without end
     And carry his tidings
     Of peace and good will
     To all men.
     For love knows no borders
     And love knows no bounds,
     Rejoice ye together
     For Jesus our Savior is born.

What a message. At this time of year, the hearts of good Christians everywhere turn to Jesus Christ and his example, his life and his love. It's a tough ol' world out there, and it's hard to have love for everyone. Even in the best of situations, we struggle to get along with each other at times, but if we are really working at becoming like our Savior, we must be working at loving others.

To quote President Dieter F. Uchtdorf (April 2012), "Forgiving ourselves and others is not easy. In fact, for most of us it requires a major change in our attitude and way of thinking - even a change of heart. But there is good news. This "mighty change" of heart is exactly what the gospel of Jesus Christ is designed to bring into our lives. How is it done? Through the love of God.... The more we allow the love of God to govern our minds and emotions - the more we allow our love for our Heavenly Father to swell within our hearts - the easier it is to love others with the pure love of Christ."

When I think back on the past two years, one of the things that stands out most is what we have learned about love. We've learned it from getting to know the people who've come into the Visitors' Centre from all walks of life. We've learned it from our wonderful sister missionaries and senior couples. We've learned it from the temple workers, the full-time temple employees, and the Mission Office missionaries. And we've learned it from people we have met in the wards and stakes in Southern England. As we've connected with people and learned their stories, their joys, and their sorrows, we have gained so much from their examples and experiences, and we have truly learned to love them.

Two people who have taught us a lot about love are Grant and Emma Neale. We are fortunate that they live just down the road from the London Temple. They have been so amazing in the love they have shown all of us missionaries at the London Temple Visitors' Centre. They and their extended family actually have four missionaries living with them right now, as well as a young man in their ward who just received his mission call this week. We call their home the "West Park MTC." In addition, Emma is the one who created and decorated our V.C. Christmas tree both last year and this year, and she has generously taken me on several shopping trips to some great destinations when I needed to take a break from one stress or another. Such fun! And then there's her husband, Grant. We call him "Saint Grant" around here. When Don and I first arrived in England, he was already helping out by taking charge of the Visitors' Centre once a week during our training meetings. He helped us get our feet on the ground and gave us so many good insights into how things work here. He was one of the forces behind our successful quest for those "Brown Signs" that give directions to motorists trying to find the temple. As a former police officer, he has taken nearly every one of our Visitors' Centre missionaries out for countless driving practices and taught us all how to pass the driving test (not something that comes easily around here). He hasn't allowed any of us to pay him for his time yet, either. He has also helped identify fireside speakers and performers at the Visitors' Centre, and in addition to all of that, he has the funniest sense of dry British humor. He always makes us laugh! Now, that's love in action.

Emma and Grant

There are so many good people in Southern England -- and in the world! I am reminded of my very favorite Mormon Message on YouTube is called "The Civility Experiment." You can find it at   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CiCYPisD5w.
It's a true story that was filmed on the streets of New York. When we take the time to listen and truly get to know people, it is easy to find something to love in nearly everyone we meet.

"Love is the only force that can erase the differences between people...." (Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley)

Don and I have a little framed message that used to hang in our home in Draper. We brought it with us to England and it will accompany us home when we leave. It reads:

The best use of time is love. 

The best time to love is now.

~Pat~

Another Christmas Season Has Arrived!

Is it just me, or are the years really passing faster and faster? It seems that the world is revolving faster than it used to - though scientists say it's only milliseconds a year.  Nevertheless, the Christmas season is already upon us once again!

When I saw the temple engineers putting up the Christmas decorations on the temple grounds a few days ago, I had to stop and remind myself that summer is indeed over and so is fall. We have had beautiful weather this year. No complaints! In southern England, there are still a few brilliantly colored trees whose leaves haven't fallen yet, and the grass stays green all year long, but the weather has definitely turned colder. They say we will have snow next week -- and that's quite unusual this early in the winter. Lucky for us, we had our annual Christmas Lighting Ceremony last night - and the weather cooperated. We're so grateful!

With many thanks to the temple engineers and gardeners, Grant & Emma Neale, Don, David Bridgstock, and the Visitors' Centre sisters, the London Temple Visitors' Centre welcomed in the Christmas season last night!

The engineers began assembling our nativity creche on Wednesday

Thursday Joseph and Mary returned.

A short homecoming journey.

There may not have been room in the inn, but there is
room at the London Temple Visitors' Centre....

The best engineers and gardeners ever!

Sister Ylisaari and Emma Neale begin their magic on our tree.

Sister Ylissari with Sister Walmsley .

Amy was here to help with the garlands.

Amy, Emma, Sister McLaws and Sister Namutamba
working in our theatre.

With the decorating finished, we focused on the outdoor programme (or program) for Sunday night.

David Bridgstock was so kind to set up
his personal sound system for us.

A reception was held for our VIP's: our good friend Kenneth Harwood of the local
Tandridge District Council, our new temple presidency and their wives,
our mission president and his wife, our senior missionaries,
and Elder Chris Charles of the Seventy and his wife.

Don with Kenneth Harwood, a wonderful friend of the Church
here in Southern England.

A crowd of more than 400 people gathered to wait for the lighting.

The program included remarks from a few dignitaries and some beautiful
Christmas music from the Hyde Park Britannia Ward Young Single Adult Choir.

Don conducted the programme.

The countdown. 10-9-8-7-6...

Let there be lights!

The sweet view from the Visitors' Centre at night.

Lights greeting the cars that enter the temple gates.

Many people stayed around for a jam-packed Christmas Carol sing-along
in our Visitors' Centre theatre following the lighting ceremony.  Our sister
missionaries circulated with 8 huge trays of brownies, shortbread, and
Christmas candy. People were glad to come in and get warm!

It was a beautiful evening and a great way to begin the Christmas season! Now we are looking forward to all the programmes coming up at the Visitors' Centre during the next several weeks.

Please excuse this hastily prepared .jpg of our December Advent Calendar for the
London Temple Visitors' Centre. For further information, visit LDS.ORG.

http://www.lds.org/locations/london-temple-visitors-center?lang=eng

Let the Christmas Spirit begin!                                 ~Pat~

Here It Is: The Real Truth About Senior Missions

With the announcement in the Church News a few weeks ago that Elder Mike and Sister Rebecca Pinegar will serve as the new directors of the London Temple Visitors' Centre beginning January 2014, we are realizing that the sweet opportunity and magnificent blessing of serving as missionaries in the England London South Mission will soon be coming to a close. Though we are truly trying to remain focused to the end, we are beginning to reflect on the last two years and what an amazing experience it has been. It has been a time of joy, growth (sometimes fun, sometimes painful), love, hard work, more hard work, and many, many miracles and blessings. What a grand privilege!

Recently, one of our good friends, a senior missionary serving here on the temple grounds with her husband, commented that she wasn't prepared for how hard some of the adjustments would be when she came on a mission. She said she had really only heard about the joys and blessings when others she knows had come home and reported about their missions. She had never thought about the difficulties she might encounter. I'm  quite sure that's a very common experience, and she's not alone. Many, if not most, young elders and sisters, as well as seniors, come into the mission field with lofty expectations based on the reports they've heard before they came. But in defense of all those past missionaries (seniors and otherwise) who may have been a bit Pollyanna-ish in their reports, missions are a lot like giving birth. Once you are gazing at that beautiful new baby in your arms, all the morning sickness, fatigue and pain of childbirth becomes a distant - and gladly borne - memory. All you remember is your sense of accomplishment and great joy at being allowed such a privilege. Serving a mission is a similar experience.

Because Don and I are still currently serving, our memories of the hard times haven't been dispersed by the euphoria of success quite yet! So we thought this would be a great time to offer our official/unofficial list of truths about senior missions. I can't say that we are experts about senior missions. We have friends here on the temple grounds who are serving their third and even fourth missions. However, after being away from home for nearly 2 1/2 years now, Don and I have learned a few things we'd like to share. I also took the liberty of questioning several of our fellow senior missionaries about their experiences and have included some of their thought in the following list, too.

(Most of the) Senior missionaries in the England London South Mission
October 2013

Senior Missionaries:  Couples who leave their families for 
a little while so that others can be with theirs forever.

THE LEARNING CURVE
(or) What We Wish We'd Known Before We Came

1. No matter how much you love your spouse, there will be times when being together 24/7 for a couple of years is just too much!  After jobs, children, grandchildren, church callings and other responsibilities have sent you in different directions for most of your married life, it is an adjustment to spend all your time together in much closer quarters than you are probably used to. Almost always, however, this leads to greater unity and a stronger, closer marriage than you ever thought possible. You will learn new ways to work together. This has certainly been true for us.
2. No matter how old you are, or how much you think you've learned, you will have to learn new things.
3. Just because you are called to serve in an English speaking country, do not assume you will know what is going on around you - especially if you serve outside your country of birth. There is always a learning curve. New places, new customs, new living conditions, new foods, new products, new words and accents, new traditions, and new ways of doing things will all take some getting used to. No matter where you serve, it is not going to seem like home for awhile. You are going to have to adjust and be flexible!
4. You are going to get sick of the two suitcases full of clothes that you brought!
5. Senior bodies sometimes have a hard time adapting to new climates and surroundings and you will most likely deal with some health issues (usually annoying, but not life threatening) that you didn't expect.
6. There are no vacations on missions. Let go of any "Cruise" mentality you have - but that doesn't mean you won't have fun. You will have opportunities for some sight-seeing and free time.
7. If you serve with all your heart, might, mind and strength, you will be tired -- often! And you will be busy - really busy.
8. Serving a mission is a sacrifice. Sacrifices can be hard. You will have people who are depending on you to carry out what you have committed to do, even when you don't feel like it. It's all about service.
9. You'll have to have the faith and courage to try things you've never done before.
10. No matter what you thought it would be like, you will be surprised.
11. There will be times when you miss your family - but this challenge is going to be easier than you think. Even though you won't be physically present for family gatherings and milestones, you can almost always Skype, and Skype can be just as good as being there!  Really!!!  And when you see how the Lord watches out for your family in your absence, it's going to seem more like a blessing than a sacrifice.

THE BLESSINGS AND MIRACLES
(or) Why You're Going To Cry When You Go Home

1. You are going to learn and grow, and so is your family.
2. You will receive divine help and strength as you turn to the Lord and ask for His help. You will also feel the strength of other peoples' prayers for you.
3. You will be an inspiration to your children and grandchildren. You will have opportunities to build their faith through sharing your missionary experiences with them.
4. Your knowledge and understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ will increase.
5. Your faith in God and trust in His plan for you will increase. 
6. Endless tender mercies will help you achieve success in your assignments.
7. Working with a variety of people and personalities will provide you with a great opportunity to expand your comfort zone and your confidence. You will meet and make some fabulous new friends - and establish eternal friendships. 
8. You will feel great peace and joy at times.You will recognize God's presence in your work.
9. You will find out that your family can manage their own lives!
10. The world will get smaller as you make friends from many nations. You will have compassion for the circumstances of others.
11. Spiritual gifts will strengthen you - such as a greater ability to discern needs, to memorize, to speak in public, to love, or to endure.
12. You will have the time you want to study the scriptures and focus on spiritual things.
13. You will marvel at the effect that the gospel of Jesus Christ has on the lives of those who find it and embrace it.
14. You will learn the worth of a soul.
15. You will learn to love the people you serve and work with - deeply. You will wrap your heart around the people and places where you serve.
16. You will feel God's loving arms around you as you serve Him.

Elder & Sister Anderson with the two of us and Elder & Sister Horsley.

Meet Elder (Tom) and Sister (Joan) Anderson from Smithfield, Utah. They arrived in London just this week. Their journey as senior missionaries is just beginning! They will serve here at the London Temple Visitors' Centre for eighteen months. They have sacrificed much to come and serve the people of England. They will work hard, they will even struggle, they will find joy, and they will be blessed. Of this I am certain. What an privilege and opportunity awaits them!                                ~Pat~

Lord of All, To Thee We Raise...

... This Our Hymn of Grateful Praise.

For the beauty of the earth,

for the glory of the skies,

for the love which from our birth

over and around us lies;

Lord of all, to thee we raise

this our hymn of grateful praise.

For the beauty of each hour

of the day and of the night,

hill and vale, and tree and flower,

sun and moon, and starts of light;

Lord of all, to thee we raise

this our hymn of grateful praise.

For the joy of ear and eye,

for the heart and mind's delight,

for the mystic harmony,

linking sense to sound and sight;

Lord of all, to thee we raise

this our hymn of grateful praise.

For the joy of human love,

brother, sister, parent, child,

friends on earth and friends above,

for all gentle thoughts and mild;

Lord of all, to thee we raise

this our hymn of grateful praise.

For each perfect gift of thine

to our race so freely given,

Graces human and divine,

flowers of earth and buds of heaven.

Lord of all, to thee we raise

this our hymn of grateful praise.

For thyself, best Gift Divine,

to the world so freely given

for that great, great love of thine,

peace on earth, and joy in heaven:

Lord of all, to thee we raise

this our hymn of grateful praise.

In 1864, Folliott S. Pierpoint (age 29) wrote this beautiful hymn that has become one of the most beloved anthems of gratitude in the Christian world. Folliott was mesmerized by the beauty of the countryside that surrounded him. I can understand that. He was born in Bath, England and spent much of his life in Somerset and in Cambridge. The beauty of the English countryside can indeed be mesmerizing. I am sure that I will now forever see visions of England's beauty when I sing this hymn.

I love the simple, God-given blessings described by Pierpoint. His hymn doesn't refer to the houses we live in, the jobs we do, or the things we own, but it reminds us of the blessings available to all of God's children:  the earth and everything in it, the people around us, and most especially, the gift of our Savior, Jesus Christ. We all have so much to be grateful for in, even in the hard times.

When Don and I speak in Sacrament meetings around Southern England, he often addresses the subject of gratitude. He relates that there are thousands of reasons for us not to be happy, or not to be grateful, but it is very simplistic to blame our unhappiness on the things that we lack. It's easy to focus on the things that we lack when we compare ourselves to others or when we believe all the advertisements we are bombarded with.

Elder Steve Snow said, "Pursuit of career goals, wealth, and material rewards can cloud our perspective and often leads to a lack of appreciation for the bounteous blessings of our present circumstances. It is precarious to dwell on why we have not been given more. It is, however, beneficial and humbling to dwell on why we have been given so much."

Our sister missionaries decorated the tables this year.

This year, we have celebrated an entire week of Thanksgiving. Can anyone have too much gratitude (or turkey and pumpkin pie)??  On Sunday night, we were invited to join all the temple workers who are living on the temple grounds for a sumptuous Thanksgiving dinner. The Littlefields, Murdocks, and Strongs organized the feast and prepared the turkey and stuffing. Everyone else who attended signed up to bring a potluck dish.There was soooo much food!

Monday afternoon the missionaries from the ELSM Mission Office joined all of us from the London Temple Visitors' Centre for another delicious feast. Elder and Sister Horsley, our only senior couple serving in the Visitors' Centre at the moment, asked if they could prepare the whole meal themselves. Are you kidding me???  They didn't even want any last minute help in the kitchen -- and they made it all look effortless. I could take a lesson from them....  They've obviously done this before. Elder Horsley (Rick) was a cook for the National Guard in Utah.  Amy (our own Amy who is visiting us right now) volunteered to make all the pies. What a treat!

L to R:  Sisters Walmsley, Ylisaari, Namutamba, Phermsin, Maddocks,
McLaws, and Amy (Carpenter) Slade. We enjoyed pumpkin, pecan,
chocolate pecan, mincemeat, and apple pies - a first for some of our sisters.

Turkey and all the trimmings.

  

Anticipation!

L to R:  Sisters Maddocks, Phermsin, Namutamba,
McLaws, Walmsley, Cates, Qumsiyeh, and Ylisaari.

Don, Amy, Sister Ottley (Elder Ottley behind), Elders Sparks and Wehrman,
President & Sister MIllar, and Sister Adams in the background.

Sister Horsley - still smiling, and enjoying
the fruits of her labors.

Friday night, I will get my turn to cook a turkey. Elder Tom and Sister Joan Anderson arrive Friday to begin their mission as the second senior couple in the Visitors' Centre. Since they fly out of Salt Lake City on the morning of Thanksgiving, we thought it would be fitting for us to show our gratitude to them by serving them the Thanksgiving dinner that they will miss at home. (And we won't mind having some leftover turkey.) So that makes three Thanksgiving dinners this week. Now that's something to be grateful for!

Parting thought for the week:  

IMAGINE IF YOU WOKE UP IN THE MORNING WITH ONLY THE 

THINGS YOU THANKED THE LORD FOR THE NIGHT BEFORE.

Let's all give thanks.  

                                         

 ~Pat~