Preparation Day

For our preparation day this week, we took the tube and train to visit Hampton Court. Hugh and Suzy said that it is a must see and many others have mentioned it as well. It is really quite a place, lots of history and drama happened there. There are so many chimneys! The gardens are lovely, even in October. We hope to go back again to see the maze and take some more time in the buildings and gardens.

Connections

Meeting J.Paul and Alessandra at "The Martian"

 We love connecting with J. Paul and Alessandra. Here in London, when you buy movie tickets you choose specific seats. Alessandra managed to get the best seats in the house for a movie at Picturehouse Central on Shaftsbury Road. We were able to meet Alessandra for lunch at the Google office one day and J. Paul for lunch at Kipferl, an Austrian cafe, in Angel another day. He brought his RCA colleague, Veronica, into the VC. She saw us walking in Hyde Park a few weeks ago and thought we looked like J. Paul’s parents:)

It is a bit tricky to get everything done in the morning and be ready to open the Visitors’ Centre promptly at 9 a.m. when we are on the morning shift. Pat often goes for a walk and we try to study scriptures, make a lunch, and get things in order before walking to the Centre to put out out the signs and open the doors. Monday morning,we made it on time and got everything ready. Since no visitors had come in yet, we were sitting quietly, reading scriptures. Sister Neeley looked down at Elder Neeley’s trousers and noticed they were a little wrinkled. He said it was because it had rained and they had gotten wet. As she looked to see if there were more wrinkles, she realized that the trousers were blue and the suit coat was black. Oops! Abdullah, our security guard, assured us that sometimes that is the fashion now days. Elder Neeley decided to quickly walk back home and put on matching suit coat and trousers:)

Cardboard Temple made by the children for a Primary activity

Sister Wai and Sister Neeley in unplanned matching cardigans

It seems that almost every day we make connections at the Visitors’ Centre. Connections with people we know or people who know people we know.  Many visitors have fond memories of worshiping, visiting, being baptized, serving missions, or even meeting their eternal companion here. We love hearing the conversion stories of those who have joined the church, it may be years ago or just recently. It is a joy to hear their experiences.

Linda with Dallin Hansen and his wife. President Anatsui, our security guard is on the right

Sister Hansen's father was President Aldridge of the England London Mission based at the Hyde Park Chapel and where Dallin served his mission. 

The Larsons from Cache Valley

Larry and Arlene Larson from Cache Valley, Utah popped into the VC today. The Larsons served their 2nd mission here in the England London mission office. Their first mission was in France and they will be leaving in a few months to serve in Montreal, Canada. The Larsons worked with my parents in the Logan Temple. The service of these dedicated people is always an inspiration to us.

The Singers from Dubai

 Linda asked these visitors from Dubai if they knew the Singers. It turned out they were the Singers!

Linda and the Gunthers

Prep-day evening finished with a Bach organ recital at the St. Georges Church at Hanover Square where we met the Gunthers, fellow members from NYC, who amazingly raised 8 children in a 2 bedroom apartment. The Gunthers know our good friends, Dave and Janet Stowell. It truly is a small world! 

Listening to General Conference on my Ipad while on shift at the VC

Sheila and Robert Anker with Greg and Kathy Wolfington

 Forty-Six years ago Elder Greg Wolfington tracted the home of Robert Anker. The whole Anker family joined the church. Brother Anker is now an engineer at the London Temple. While they have been in contact over the years they have never meet. The Wolfingtons planned a surprise visit to England and had a joyful reunion!

Elder Wolfington's Missionary card which he left with Robert Anker who kept it all of these years.

Linda and I with Steve and Marie Harward

We met Steve Harward and his wife, Marie Lewis Harward at the Visitors' Centre. Steve used to babysit me and my brothers and sisters.

A Visit to Old Street - EC1Y 1AU

On a recent preparation day, 15 Sept, we visited an area of London that has significance for early missionary work. It was on Tabernacle Square near Old Street that Heber C. Kimball, Wilford Woodruff, and George A. Smith preached to a crowd of 400 people and where the first convert in London, Henry Connor, was baptized 31 August 1840 in nearby Peerless Pool.

By February 1841 there were 46 converts in London and the London Conference (Mission) was organized with young Lorenzo Snow as President. From this small beginning in London, Preston and other areas of Great Britain by 1850 there were 34,000 members of the Church compared to 12,000 in America.

Bunhill Fields Burial Ground - favored by nonconformists, the cemetery contains the graves of many notable people including John Bunyan, author of The Pilgrim's Progress; Daniel Defoe, author of Robinson Crusoe; William Blake, artist, poet, and mystic; Susanna Wesley, known as the "Mother of Methodism" through her education of sons John and Charles.

Statue of reformer, John Wesley, in front of the Wesley Chapel, on Old Street. The Bunhill Fields Burial Ground is across the street.

Inside the Wesley Chapel

Walkway around the side of the chapel

John Wesley's grave is behind the Wesley Chapel

Inscription on the Wesley grave marker

Dilapidated building next to the Wesley Chapel which was recently purchased by the LDS Church to be the site of a future meeting house

Didn't know you could play the piano in Portuguese!

Sister Ashby (Visitors' Centre Senior Missionary) rehearsed the special musical number for the baptism in the Portuguese Ward with the young elders and sisters. She asked me to play piano for the baptism since she wasn't available and I was on shift.

As the bishop welcomed everyone and announced the program, all in Portuguese, I realized that I didn't know what the opening song would be. The words of the songs were printed on the program, but no page numbers, and it was all in Portuguese.

Everyone became very quiet as the sister conducting the music stood ready to begin and I quietly asked the bishop what song this was.

Quando Eu for Batizado

Is it "When I am Baptized?" I asked. When he said yes, I then looked in the back of the Children's Songbook for the page number. It seemed like a very long pause, but all were patient and waited and then joined in singing this beautiful Primary Song.

Another visitor from China

At the end of our shift tonight, another visitor came in from Beijing, China. He was in London for a university conference. He said he had never heard of this church. He was so interested, asked many questions, took pictures of the chapel and paintings and left with a Book of Mormon in Traditional Chinese and one in English.

Mission Conference

On Monday we attended the England London Mission conference with Brother and Sister Clayton Christensen. It was special to watch the wonderful Elders and Sisters from all over the mission enthusiastically come together and be taught by these great real-life missionaries who have had so much experience sharing the Gospel around the world.

Just before we broke for lunch President Stevens had everyone turn and face the back of the Chapel so I could take a picture from the cry-room upstairs. After the conference we all walked to the steps in front of the Royal Albert Hall for an additional All-Mission picture.

 It was interesting that two members of the YSA ward were married Saturday before Brother and Sister Christensen came. Meg was taught the gospel by the Christensens and baptized by Brother Christensen while she was attending Harvard Business School.

Meg waits for her ride to the London Temple

Temple marriages in the UK are first performed civilly as was this one in the Hyde Park Chapel and are later sealed in the Temple for time and for all eternity.

Leaving for the Temple in a decorated Mini

 

Time Flies

Wow, two weeks have gone quickly by! Last Sunday, Linda played violin with two other violin players and a cellist accompanying Paul Cardall at a musical fireside. Monday, we met Alessandra's lovely parents in Amersham! They are delightful! We look forward to many more visits with them.

Some of our excursions included seeing Hamley's Toy Store and M&M World, tours of Buckingham Palace, Mews, and Queen's Gallery.

St. Mary's Church in Old Amersham

J.Paul, Suzy, Pat, Alessandra, Linda, Hugh at Millar's home in Amersham

Door in Old Amersham. Watch your head!

Commit No Nuisance

Inside St. Mary's Church

Old Amersham

Life sized Queen out of Legos at Hamleys toy store

Gold Coronation Carriage in the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace

Saturday we stopped to see J. Paul in the queue for Yo Yo Ma's concert at Royal Albert. He played all the Bach Unaccompanied Cello suites! two hours and 45 minutes. It was epic. The crowd went wild and called him back again and again for bows.

Our shifts at the Visitors' Centre are different each day. We love to answer questions and invite people to learn more. There are tender mercies often. The other day we were searching for a Book of Mormon in Persian. Couldn't find it anywhere. Kept searching and just as the man left the building, there it was in the sister's hand. She ran out the door and was able to give it to him.

Elder Williams was speaking with the bus driver who brought the new 25 new missionaries down from the Missionary Training Center in Preston, England. The bus driver was so impressed with these polite, genuine, kind young people. He just couldn't believe how they behaved. He was very complementary of such a fine group. Had never had such an experience like that before.

New Missionaries and their trainers with Pres. and Sister Stevens

Our new VC Sister trainers gave great training about standards of excellence.

We love getting messages, instagram pictures, facebook posts, skype calls, and facetime from our precious family! Sunday we were able to just stare at Timothy and watch him drink a bottle and burp:) Now it is Tuesday, and yesterday, we saw Timothy and all his siblings and Dan and Wendy! Cedar and Parker and Hazel got to hang out together in Moab for Labor Day weekend!
Monday, Mission Conference, Awesome! Wow!