Happy Days

Patrick, Sister Neeley, Wei Wei

Happy Thanksgiving! We have many blessings to be thankful for, especially our wonderful family and friends and the gospel of Jesus Christ!

Today Sister Neeley played organ and violin for the baptism of Ma Wei Wei. He and his friend came into the Visitors’ Centre on General Conference weekend. It was quiet in the foyer since most of the people were watching the broadcast of General Conference in English in the chapel and in Chinese downstairs.

Wei Wei had just come to London to begin his PhD work in Immunology and Virology at Imperial College across the street. He came in and asked about this church. Sister Neeley met him and showed him the paintings of the Savior and his apostles, Joseph Smith’s vision of Heavenly Father and Jesus, Peter, James and John restoring the priesthood to Joseph and Oliver Cowdery, and the Savior’s visit to the people of the Book of Mormon after his resurrection. Wei Wei said he had never heard of this church and just really liked everything he heard. Sister Neeley told him about General Conference and took him downstairs to find the Chinese speakers and meet the missionaries. There he met Sister Lung, from Hong Kong, and Sister Dabrowska from Poland who invited him to hear more. Seven weeks later, he bore his testimony at his baptism and thanked everyone for their kindness and help in starting him on this gospel journey.

Wei Wei was baptized by Patrick Barnhill, (baptized November 8) who helped to teach with the missionaries, and has been ordained a priest. It is thrilling to witness the miracle of conversion changing lives one by one! Wei Wei and Patrick both have great knowledge and faith to follow the Saviour and keep the commandments.

The 16 elders and sister missionaries from the area gave the “musical item” with Sister Griffeths at the piano and Sister Neeley playing violin, “I Know that my Saviour Loves Me.”

Maria's friend brings us a hug from Las Vegas

This is a joyful time. Linda first got teary when a friend of Maria’s came to give us a hug from Maria:) That was a tender moment. Today we had some more tender mercies. As Linda walked from Relief Society to Sunday School, she was able to meet Moj, a lovely woman who had come in to the VC yesterday thinking the meetings were on Saturday. Elder Neeley visited with her for some time and invited her to visit the Sunday meeting and talk with the elders. Then later on, another tender mercy where the Lord was watching over Hugo, a young hearing impaired boy who wandered off out of his first visit to Primary and on to Exhibition Road. The sister missionaries, Sister Ashby and Sister Neeley were all able to assist in bringing him safely back.

Dishing up turkey sandwitches on Thanksgiving at the VC

Thanksgiving lunch with the VC staff

Sister Lung decorating the VC Christmas tree

Sister Wai helps with the tree

Sister Moody adds some bobbles

Sister Hannig adds a little Christmas cheer

Sister Apiyo gets decorated

Sister Dabrowska matches the Nativity tablecloth

Aleksander is one of our favorite VC visitors

Saturday night we had a multicultural night at the Hyde Park Chapel to celebrate the diversity of the London Stake where there are more than 110 nationalities represented in the membership. Members from around the world brought displays, food, music, and dance for a wonderful stake activity.