Temple Week #29 & Christmas, 23 - 28 December 2014

This week was a feeling of the joy of Christmas and the anticipation of time off.  The temple was only open on Tuesday and Saturday.  We were off for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day.  Our days were filled with shopping, baking, and activities and get - togethers

On Tuesday and Saturday, we were baptistry coordinators and there were two families each day who came in to do baptisms.  Both sessions went very well and it was nice to have them there.  They were both from America.  I love my country.

On Christmas Eve I spent the morning making frosted pumpkin cookies and pigs in the blanket.  The frosting for the cookies didn't turn out, although it tasted delicious, so I covered them with store-bought cream cheese frosting.  That was a cop-out but seemed to fit the bill and they were eaten.  The pigs in a blanket are different than what they call them here.  Their's are small sausages wrapped with bacon.  I think I prefer mine of a hotdog wrapped with bread dough and baked.

We joined in with a potluck luncheon at 1:30 p.m.;, then listening to the King's College Choir at Cambridge at 3 p.m., live on the radio, and then family home evening at 6 p.m.  It was a packed day with good company, food, and thoughts.

Upper left corner and clockwise:  Parkinsons, Sister Curley, Mulhollands, Walters, Brother Crocker, Brother Curley, Brother & Sister Basten, Sister Freeman, Sister Hale, Sister George, Sister Clark, Brother Davis, and the food laden tables.

Upper left corner and clockwise:  Sister Marsh, Sister Crocker,  More food and the Ortons, and us.

At the end of family home evening, we played the "white elephant" gift exchange game.  Sister Marsh was the leader and she had each one of us select a gift but not unwrap it.  She then began telling a Christmas story and every time she said right, we passed the gift to the right.  When she said left, we passed the gift to the left.  The gifts went round and round until the story ended.  I wound up with a saw and a hersey bar and Dad got a set of dominos.

Christmas day dawned with the best gift ever for me - sunshine!  And, it lasted all day long.  For breakfast, I made Julie's creme brûlée french toast.  It turned out delicious and we enjoyed the festive feel of the food and the holiday.

We joined the Vowels family for the middle of the day.  We picked up Sister Natalie Green, a recent convert from the ward to bring with us.  She suffers from severe back pain and is in a wheel chair.  She was delighted to have been invited and came and seemed to have enjoyed the outing.  Leah was busy cooking in the kitchen when we arrived and I stepped in to help.  She put me right to work preparing food and washing dishes.  We talked and visited and enjoyed the time together.

The meal was traditionally English with turkey, stuffing, gravy, Yorkshire pudding, roasted potatoes, mash (mashed potatoes) with carrots and other veggies, shredded brussell sprouts, honey parsnips, and cranberry.  Sparkling red and white grape juice was the drink.  It was enjoyed by all.  When we were finished, the table was cleared and the dessert came out, not just one dessert, but three.  There was Christmas pudding, trifle, and lime/raspberry cheese cake.  What a selection and most of us had a small bit of each one.  The baby really liked the cheese cake and grandma could not feed it to him quick enough.  Leah did an excellent job with preparing all the food.

Top left corner and clockwise:  Dad, Steve, Natalie, Leah, Tony & Denise, (Steve's parents and missionaries at the temple with us) and Tim, Tony's brother.  Anthony.  Tony with the Santa hat complete with beard he got as a gift.  Penny and her brother.  Joseph, Lizzy, Adam, and Stevie.

Gifts were handed out and we were given socks and a 2015 calendar.  We had brought cookies, chocolate, and oranges for the family.  It was a fun time watching the children open gifts and be excited about what they had been given.

We loaded up, took Natalie home, and headed to our home, arriving around 3:15 p.m.  We got in the house and took a break before beginning the FaceTime calls to all of the children.  For the next five hours we were on and off the iPad sharing the joy of the day with them.  We missed speaking to Mariah due to her having gone back to Scottsdale for work today, and Jack on his mission.  We called Jared but he was unable to answer.  He and Kim called the next day and we enjoyed conversation and meeting her father, Bob. 

December 26, is known as Boxing Day here in England and is a national holiday.  It began centuries ago when the wealthy let their help go home on this day and "box" up food to take to their families.  It has become a shopping day like Black Friday in America.  Dad went to the mall in Crawley to see what it would be like.  He said there were lots of people but most of them were not very happy and just focused on getting what they had come to buy.

I chose to be home for the day and found myself having a great time in cleaning, sorting, filing, and putting Christmas decorations away.  I took time out to read a book, watch a movie, and do some blogging.  I was happy to stay in and not have to bundle up to go outside.  Besides, the sun had gone away.

Sunday found us in the nursery.  There were only four children in there, so with the leader and us, it was a piece of cake.  Theo wanted his mummy.  I picked him up in an effort to console him.  I sat down with a puzzle and entertained him for a time with it.  Then I started singing primary songs to him and he fell asleep.  I held him the rest of the time.  Cole liked playing with Dad and showing him various toys. etc.  

Temple Week #28, 16 - 21 December 2014

The week started with an early phone call this morning to Jeremiah for his eleventh birthday.  He was going to bed last night and he gave us a run down of his day, gifts, and the good time he had.  He likes to talk and share details and we like that.

We are baptistry coordinators this week and are on the morning schedule.  We did not have many sessions so we worked in other areas of the temple.  Missionaries from the London South Mission came in two groups for sessions, one on Tuesday and then one on Thursday.  I was assigned to assist with handing out clothing.  They had filled out slips ahead as to what they needed with sizes and then the packets had been put together.  Myself and two other sisters organized them alphabetically and gave them to the missionaries as they came through clothing.  I also assisted both groups at the end of the sessions.  That was a neat experience.  Dad was the officiator on one and follower on the other.

It was another week of no sun.  I did capture this sunrise, or should I say, attempted sunrise.  You can see the sun wants to shine but the clouds just keep getting in the way.  I found this picture of the temple on my phone.  It was taken a couple of months ago, or at least long ago enough that the leaves are still on the trees.

On Thursday, Sister Davis found me to ask if I was willing to be a proxy for a small baptism session. I agreed and then went to set up the baptistry area.  There were two men with family cards and needed a sister for the female.  There was only one name.  I met with them to collect the cards, verify them, and then get the name of the brother that would be proxy for the males in order to prepare the cards for the recorder at the font.  He said his name was Kerr.  I wrote that down then changed into baptismal clothing and went to the font.  I was baptized for Esther Hurron, the ancestor of the brother that did the baptizing.  I was confirmed at the font's edge as there was only one card.  The men took care of the male cards and I changed back into whites.  It was a neat experience.

On Friday, we had an interview with President Irwin where he commented on how nice the little baptistry session went on Thursday.  We expressed our feelings as well and then he said:  "Did you know one of the brothers was a former Area Authority?"  Of course we did not and he said it was Elder Kerr.  He had been released in April 2013 from the European Area and President Irwin had worked with him when he was a mission president.  That was a surprise to us, but good to know.  I need to pay more attention.

The temple workers have been hit with accidents and illnesses this week.  Brother Rogers is in the hospital with acute cellulitis; Sister George has a nasty eye infection that has taken two rounds of medication; Sister Garrett missed a curb, had her hands full, and fell flat on her face.  She has a sprained ankle, and a badly skinned and bruised nose and chin; and Sister McClellan fell off a chair while standing on it to put up Christmas decorations.  Her neighbor above her heard the noise and went down to see what was going on.  She called security to let her in since there was no response to her knock on the door.  They found her unconscious on the floor and was taken to the hospital where she was diagnosed with a sprained thumb on one hand, a broken wrist on the other, and three cracked ribs.  There is one bit of good news:  Sister Freeman has returned from America, having been gone since the first of September for surgery.  She has recovered and ready to get back to work.

Sister Garrett put a shopping trip together to go to Brighton.  Sister Banks was the driver and when we headed out at 3 p.m. on Thursday, it was just Sandi and I that joined her.  Sister Banks is English but lives in France.  She is quite the driver and reminded Sandi and I of driving back home; she knew where she was going and the best way to get there.  There was plenty of conversation throughout the evening in getting to know one another more.  We parked in a car park across from the beach and walked into "The Lanes" shopping area.  The area is street after street lined with little shops of all kinds.  We found clothing shops, gift shops, butcher shops, music shops, fabric shops, bakeries, eateries, confectioneries, and small shops that were mini department stores.  The windows displays of the bakeries were filled with decorated Christmas cakes and signs that read:  "Order your cake now!"  People were everywhere and Christmas decorations were strung from the buildings, set out on the sidewalks, adorned the window displays, and made up the attire of some of the store clerks.

Me, Janice, & Sandi.  (Waitress took the photo and was a little too quick to move.)  Check out the sign above the changing room at a store.  We happened upon this jail that has been around for a very long time, it seems.  Well, it is not a jail at present - it is a pub.  Go figure.

I always thought fudge was chocolate.  Here, I have learned that fudge is a base and then what flavoring you put in it is different.  We stopped at a fudge shop that must have had a dozen different flavors of fudge.  I bought salted caramel fudge.  Ooooooo, it was delicious and has become my favorite!

When we walked out onto a street that ran perpendicular to the ocean, the wind hit us forcefully and cold.  My new coat felt wonderful and the hood provided relief from the rain.  We walked up the street to the mall, went inside, and checked out a couple of stores and then decided we would head back down to the best fish and chips place, according to Janice Banks.  Sandi and I both commented that we had stopped eating fish and chips because we were burned out with them.  She said we would change our minds.

After a cold, windy, wet walk, we arrived at Harry Ramsden's fish and chips, across from the pier.  It was nice to get inside, put our bags down, take off the coats, and sit down.  We were tired but happy for the adventure.  Janice directed us in what to order and when the food came, it was delicious!  It was the best I have eaten, that is for sure.  The big difference is they serve fillet's with no skin on the fish, and that nasty fish smell was not smothering the place.  The chips were really nice as well.  We enjoyed the meal and the rest from all the walking we had done.  We took our time in eating and then packed  up and headed to the car park.  We arrived safely home at 9 p.m., happy and tired.

While we were gone, Dad took the husbands and Brother Cooper to T.G.I. Friday's for dinner.  They  enjoyed steaks and hamburgers and conversation.  Brother Banks was especially impressed with Dad's driving ability and praised him for it.  They liked their "Boys Night Out" just as much as we enjoyed our "Girls Night Out."

Saturday evening we joined a group of missionaries at Toby Carvery for a Christmas dinner, complete with crackers and Christmas pudding.  It was a fun time visiting and enjoying the good food.

We attended the annual Crawley Stake Christmas Concert, Sunday evening.  It is quite a large event and included special guests such as the mayor, a council member, a member of parliament, two police officers, and two 70's - Elder Herbertson and Elder Charles.  Elder Charles lives in the stake and Elder Herbertson is Scottish through and through.  Wow, what an accent he has.  He spoke at the conclusion and suggested we make someone else's day brighter this Christmas week.  The music was outstanding with a collection of fine musicians.  I accompanied Sister Rogers and Sister Mulholland as they sang Long, Long Ago.

The Manor Road Gospel Choir is a black group with all women and one man.  The man was exceptional at the piano as he played without music.  He sang and was heard among the women's voices.  They sang A cappella as well.

Don Goodridge is a piano teacher who travels throughout Europe giving lessons.  Matthew Muddell is one of his students.  My group sat on the front row right behind the piano and had a bird's eye view of the pianists.  It was amazing to see their fingers fly up and down the keyboard and hear the music ring out.  

Monday morning we made a trip to Costco and then in the afternoon, attended our first English pantomime, Aladdin, with the Davis' and the single sisters.   

The lead male role was played by a woman dressed as a woman and the dame of the story was played by a male dressed as a female.  So, Aladdin was a girl and Twanky the laundress was a man.  Needless to say, Twanky stole the show.  We were impressed with how lines were so well spoken, dances well executed, and general acting went on without a hitch.  The Genie was blue and popped on and off stage with a puff of smoke to hide the movement.  The actors interacted with the audience and found delight in us repeating back phrases and answering questions.  They taught us the Loundenboomer Bird song.

From Home:

The Thorson family enjoying their trip to the snow!  Eliza seems to not be sure about being cold.

Nymans And A Devotional: Monday, 15 December 2014

It was a beautiful sunshiny morning and we were off on a van trip to Nymans at Handcross, Haywards Heath, West Sussex.  It is known for the beauty of its English Gardens sitting on 600 acres and the commanding view over the High Weald of Sussex.  The Ludwig Messel family purchased the property in the late 19th century and it still remains in the family.

We rode with Brother and Sister Curley with her driving.  We were having such a lively conversation that she missed the exit off the motorway and we wound up coming to the house from the south.  We had a nice drive and a great day at the house.

Beautiful walks, hedges (even when dormant), and trees of all varieties.

Arches, shaped trees, and iron benches for resting.

There were several views of the home.  A giant plant of sorts that reminded me of summer squash.  We caught a heard of reindeer!

More archways, pathways, and hedges.

Other views of the home.

The grounds were beautiful with the morning sun sparkling off the dampness of the day's rain the day before.  A giant Cedar of Lebanon, garden path, and one lone tree still gleaming with vibrant autumn color.

The view out over the high weald was breath taking as we hardly ever get to see this far in the distance.

The highlight of the excursion was the grand piano.  Dad asked if I could play it and they found the person to pose the question to.  She said I could and took me round back to get to it.  She brought out the bench and set up a light.  I played "Silent Night," and all those in the room joined in in singing all three verses.  It was a lovely experience and the singers said how nice it was as well.  One had a conversation with me and we ended with me giving her a pass along card.  She said she was familiar where the temple was and was delighted that we had come to Nymans.

The mystery of doors.  The one on the left leads to the cellar and it is a wonder as to what all would be found there if we were allowed to explore!  Notice the charred wood to the left of the door.  There had been a fire at one time that did destroy a good portion of the house and it was never rebuilt.

We were home by 1 p.m. and we were busy with laundry, ironing and running errands to  accommodations.  We then met with the missionaries for the Temp President's Dinner and Devotional at 3 p.m.  The dinner was delicious with American dishes of ham, funeral potatoes, mixed veggies, salad, rolls, and English desserts of lemon pie, chocolate yule log roll, mini mince pies, and other delectable yummies.  After dinner we went to President Johnson's home here on the grounds for the devotional.  He lives in the Manor House with a good portion of it being his residence.  Sitting in the front room was a grand piano.  Chairs had been brought in for all of us to sit.  We began with playing a game.  We were each given a paper with phrases from various Christmas carols.  We were to name the carol.  After that the presidency and their wives told the story of the history of Christmas in England and then shared the true story of December 25, 1914, the first Christmas during World War I, via a cd with Walter Cronkite as the narrator.

At the conclusion of the devotional Sister Johnson had asked if I would accompany the group while singing Christmas carols.  I did play and the joyous singing was amazing as the heartfelt love of Christmas filled the room.  The stage had been set and the spirit came and touched our hearts with love for family, for country, for God, and for our fellow man.

What was important about this event was that the presidency prepared and served the meal, and then presented the devotional.  As leaders, they served us, and we were rewarded beyond measure. We went home having been richly blessed for being here on missions and being a part of this wonderful missionary family.

The First Christmas During World War I, as told by Walter Cronkite.

The 1900’s, the final century of the recent millennium, brought unprecedented possibilities and promise.

The children of these hundred years would see more improvement in the human condition than ever before in the world’s history.

Advances in medicine, science, and industry would all but eradicate disease, extend human life, open a dialogue among the peoples of the earth, and lift them into the vast reaches of space.

But these hardly seemed like possibilities as the Christmas of 1914 drew near.

The nations of Europe were at war. Anxious to expand and defend their borders, they summoned their best and brightest to the battlefront. Young men answered by the millions.

A nineteen-year-old German boy left his job in London to enlist in the German army. English boys working and studying in Hamburg and Paris returned to London, put on their uniforms, and went back to fire upon former friends.

Secretary of War, Lord Kirchener, expanded the British army overnight by allowing schoolmates to enlist together.

The tragedy of these battalions was no more evident than at Somme, France. Hundreds of villages on both sides lost almost all their young men in a single battle. The little paybook that every British soldier carried included a last will and testament. Thousands of these booklets were collected from the bodies of young boys, many reading simply, “I leave everything to my mother.”

With hardly a backward glance, the promise of youth was poured into the blind and futile aggression known as the Great War, World War 1.

The new century brought a new kind of warfare. Field commanders quickly realized that digging in was the only way to survive the sweep of machine-gun fire.

The German army had marched across Belgium before being stopped at Flanders Field. Some sixty yards away, British, French and Belgian troops languished in trenches infested with rats and lice; pelted with freezing rain and shrapnel. As temperatures dropped, disease took hold. Snipers picked off any who raised their heads above the earthen wall. The war was but four months old, each side losing thousands a day, both to bullets and that silent, common enemy: influenza.

Between the opposing trenches was an area about the width of a football field: No Man’s Land. Littered with barbed wire and frozen corpses, it was a sobering reminder of what the future might bring. Soldiers who survived later recalled their dead brothers being gathered up and stacked like cords of wood. By war’s end, over ten million would be lost.

Not surprisingly, given the circumstances, most of the soldiers were religious; and many were Christian. On Sundays, communion was passed in trenches on both sides, often to the sound of church bells ringing in nearby villages. The occasional hymn was sung, and youthful voices were heard across enemy lines.

By December, the war slowed and hopes for a quick resolution faded away. As the soldiers contemplated their desperate situation, nights grew long and hearts yearned for peace.

December twenty-third. A group of German soldiers quietly moved to the ruins of a bombed-out monastery. There, they held their Christmas service.

Later on that night, a few Christmas trees, Tannenbaums as they were called, began to appear along the German fortifications, their tiny candles flickering in the night.

Across the way, British soldiers took an interest in those lights as they sang together the carols of their youth. Word spread, and heads peeked cautiously over sandbags at the now thousands of Tannenbaums glowing like Christmas stars.

Two British officers ventured over to the German line and, against orders, arranged a Christmas truce. But the negotiation was a mere formality by then. Up and down the trenches men from both sides already had begun crossing the line to join the celebration.

Lieutenant Sir Edward Hulse “assaulted” the enemy with music. In a letter to his mother he wrote, “We are going to give the enemy every conceivable song…from carols to Tipperary.”

The Germans responded with a Christmas concert of their own. It was not long before the cold air rang with everything from “Good King Wenceslas” to “Auld Lang Syne.”

For the next two days, those tidings continued to spring from the hearts of common men who shared the common bond of Christmas.

Further down the line, a German violinist stood atop his parapet, framed against the skeletons of bare trees and shattered fortifications. Delicately perched in this desolate landscape, his cold fingers conveyed the poignant beauty of Handel’s Largo.

Whatever the spirit of Christmas had been before that hour, it was now, above all, the spirit of hope, of peace.

A British war correspondent reported that later the soldiers heard a clear voice singing the beloved French carol, “O Holy Night.” The singer: Victor Granier of the Paris Opera. The night watch must have lifted their eyes toward the heavens as they heard his plaintive call.

Christmas Day dawned over the muddy fields, and both sides cautiously picked their way through the barbed wire. Side by side they buried their dead.

A German officer known only as Thomas gave Lieutenant Hulse a Christmas gift, a Victoria cross and letter which had belonged to an English captain. Lieutenant Hulse responded by giving the German officer his silk scarf. One German retrieved a photograph of himself in uniform and asked his former enemies to post it to his sister in Liverpool.

Men who had shot at each other only days before gathered in a sacred service for their fallen brothers. Prayers were offered, and the twenty-third Psalm was read:

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

          He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

          Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

          Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

          Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Nineteen-year-old Arthur Pelham-Burn, who hoped to study for the ministry after the war ended, remembered: “The Germans formed up on one side, the English on the other, the officers standing in front, every head bared. Yes, I think it is a sight one will never see again.”

As the Christmas of 1914 drew to a close, soldiers who had sung together, played together, and prayed together, returned to their trenches. They must have felt reluctant to let the common ground between them become No Man’s Land again. But as the darkness fell around them, a lone voice floated across the few yards of earth on which they had stood together. In the true spirit of Christmas, one voice, then another, joined in. Soon, the whole world seemed to be singing. And, for a brief moment, the sound of peace was a carol every soul knew by heart.

Silent night! Holy night!

          All is calm, all is bright

          Round you virgin mother and child.

          Holy infant, so tender and mild,

          Sleep in heavenly peace;

          Sleep in heavenly peace.

          Silent night! Holy night!

          Shepherds quake at the sight!

          Glories stream from heaven afar;

          Heav’nly hosts sing Alleluia!

          Christ, the Savior, is born!

          Christ, the Savior is born!

          Silent night! Holy night!

          Son of God, love’s pure light

          Radiant beams from thy holy face,

          With the dawn of redeeming grace,

          Jesus, Lord, at thy birth;

          Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.

And that’s the way it was, one silent night almost a hundred years ago; and that’s the way it can be as each of us embrace the message of that silent, holy night.

As Americans, we recognized that even though we were in the war as well, it was not our homes that were being bombed and our families that were forced to flee from all they had ever known to strange lands elsewhere.

This Christmas demonstrated that we are all God's children and we have a common pull of the spirit to show forth love and kindness to one another.

Temple Week #27, 9 - 14 December 2014

We were on the afternoon schedule this week and found plenty to do in the mornings.  Bob sold the red car to Brother Orton and they went to East Grinstead to pay the road tax.  Before they went though, Bob dropped me off at the County Mall in Crawley to do shopping.  I was there all morning and had a great time buying Christmas gifts and finding myself a coat and some long sleeved tops.  The coat came in handy quite often during the week against the cold, the wind, and the rain.

We were short staffed in the temple and the patron attendance was low as well.  We did have a funny experience at one point.  Sister Orton, Sister Garrett, and myself, three Americans, assisted a patron.  When we were finished she said:  "I am from California and am here for a week.  I came to the temple and was so hoping I would get to hear a British sister use her accent!  Instead, there were three just like me!"  We all smiled at the situation.

The Orton's came for lunch one day and then I baked date bars to take to the temple to share with the staff during lunch.  They seemed to be a hit as I did not bring any home with me.

We opened our door one morning and found a candy bar and this note that read:

We've Been Elfed!

                                                                                                       

Enjoy this little Christmas gift.
Pin this note on your door and then do the    
same for two others and see how far the
Christmas spirit spreads.
                                                                                                                           Merry Christmas!

                                                                                                               
We fixed up a couple of candy bars, printed the note,                          
and delivered them to two others.  It is fun to see
all the doors that have the sign on them.                              

We spent some evenings watching Christmas movies and blogging.  I had some music rehearsals as well.

The highlight of the week was baby Collins' blessing on Sunday.  We were able to FaceTime the family at Juliann's on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. for the event.  It was wonderful to see those who where there and say hello to them.  We are thankful for our beautiful family and the love they share with one another.

The cutest little family!  Trevor, Juliann, Collins, Adellae, & Brynlyn.

The guest of honor.  Juliann outdid herself with making his little blessing outfit.

Where's the beef?  Back:  Dallin, Tyler, Brother Price, Bob, Josh Powell, Aaron, Doug Parry, and Terry.
Front:  Thor, Trevor & Collins, Jared, and Dean.

We woke up to a nice layer of frost on all the temple grounds and cars.  We got ready for church and Dad went out early to start the car, scrape the frost, and clear the windows for driving.  I came out later and we were ready to go.  Only problem; Dad had set the emergency brake last night and the line was frozen.  He worked and worked in trying to get it thawed but to no avail.  By this time all the other rides to church had left, so we were home for the day.  It was noon when Dad went out and tried the brakes and they had thawed out.  Lesson learned for this cold weather!

We watched the First Presidency Christmas Devotional, read, and I worked on getting Christmas cards ready to mail, to deliver, and to email.  We walked around the grounds and got this nice winter picture:

I edited the Christmas story I wrote several years ago and used at our annual Christmas party and included it in the holiday wishes we gave to the temple workers here and others we mailed cards to.  Here it is:

Samuel and the Star

            Once upon a time, long ago in the land of Israel, near the city of Bethlehem, lived a young boy named Samuel.  Samuel lived with his mother and father and his brothers and sisters.  He delighted in throwing rocks and racing with his brothers and friends over the hills and through the village.  He also shared in the responsibility of taking care of his father’s sheep.  The sheep provided wool and food for the family, which made it important to guard them well.

            Samuel and his father would go off for days at a time to tend the flock and to stand watchful at night against predators.  It wasn’t always easy for Samuel to leave home with his father.  He would rather stay home and play and enjoy the good food his mother would prepare.  But Samuel did look forward to hearing the stories and prophecies from the Holy Scriptures that his father and the other shepherds would tell around the fire each night.

One particular evening, when Samuel and his father sat near the fire with the embers glowing soft and golden and the night sky clear and dotted with stars, Samuel’s father began:

“God has sent many prophets to the earth to direct his children, but one that prophesied often of a Savior coming to the earth was the Prophet Isaiah.  He called the children of Israel to repentance and often reminded them to watch for the Savior.  God has promised from the creation of the world that He would send a Savior, the Son of God, who would come to earth to redeem us from our sins.”

Through the flickering flames of the fire, Samuel listened intently to the words of his father about a “Savior” coming and when that would happen.  He had heard the story many times before and each time it stirred a longing in his heart for the blessed event to come.

His father continued:  “The Savior will come as a baby born of a pure and virtuous mother and a new star will appear in the heavens to mark his birth.”

Each time Samuel heard this story, he wondered about the star; would he see it?  He liked to gaze heavenward and search for a new star, a bright star, a star marking the place of the Savior’s birth.   If he did see it would he remember the story and the prophecy?  Would he then go and see this babe and know he was the Savior prophesied by Isaiah?  Samuel thought often on these things and pondered their meaning.

Time passed and Samuel continued to grow.  Each year he went with his father to tend the flock, improving his skills at protecting them, and watched in the night sky for a new star to appear.  He grew to love his sheep and to love the days and nights he spent on the hillside with his father.  Every year his father repeated the prophecy of the promised Savior.

Then, one night, just as Samuel’s father was beginning the story, there was a stir in the flock.  Other shepherds were standing up and looking around for danger but did not see any.  The dark sky seemed to grow lighter and as Samuel gazed upward his eyes beheld a new star!  He blinked as he recalled the story.  Every word of the story and Isaiah’s prophecy raced through his mind.   This was the star; the baby had been born.  He noticed his father and the other shepherds also looking up in wonder.  The light increased and from the heavens an angel descended before them.  The shepherds were frightened because they had never seen an angel before and were not quite sure what to do.

The angel then spoke and quieted their fears:  “. . . Fear not:  for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. . .  . . . .Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manager.” (Luke 2:10-12)

More angels appeared and sang praises of glory unto God.  The shepherds began to be at ease as they recognized like Samuel did, the new star and what it meant.  Their hearts were filled with joy for the angelic message and the fulfillment of the prophecy.  Several shepherds, including Samuel and his father, gathered together and headed to Bethlehem, following the star to the stable where the baby lay.

Upon reaching the stable, the shepherds entered reverently as they saw the baby resting peacefully upon a bed of hay.  Samuel stepped closer to gaze upon the baby.  A tender smile crept across his lips as he felt joy within his heart knowing he had seen the Savior.  The many times he had heard the story of Isaiah’s prophecy was wrapped up into this special moment of knowing Heavenly Father is real, He loves us, and He sent His Son to us; for us.

            May we be as Samuel and the shepherds and follow the star to the Savior and worship Him, the King of Kings!

Happy Anniversary! #47, 8 December 2014

Today we celebrated 47 years of marriage.  It has been quite the ride filled with opportunity, growth, family, friends, challenge, and love.  It is quite a remarkable thought looking back over the years and all that has transpired in our lives.  We are happy to still be here and enjoy our precious family and dear friends.

We enjoyed this day of celebration by taking the train to London.  We bundled up to stave off the cold breezy air.   We caught the train at Lingfield and the Anderson's were heading into the city as well.  We enjoyed pleasant conversation with them and we both exited at Victoria Station, wishing each a good day.  We walked out with the flow of people at the end of Westminster Bridge and saw the London Eye across the Thames.  The sun was shining but the wind seemed to bring with it a face freezing bite.  Our warm clothes felt really nice.  As we walked on up the steps onto the sidewalk, we gazed up at the majesty of Big Ben.  Sunbeams sparkled off the tips and points that grace his tower.  We captured the time of our arrival on his face.

We made our way across the bridge and over to the Eye.  The sidewalk was full of people and we heard several different languages as they conversed with one another.  There was a feel of excitement among us as we were united in being tourists, seeing the sights of the great city of London.



Our first adventure was riding the London Eye.  It is a Ferris wheel standing 443 ft. high, with a
diameter of 394 ft.  It has 32 sealed capsules and provides a

fantastic panorama view of the city.  It is a 40 minute ride,
allowing plenty of time to take photos and recognize sites.

We then went on a river cruise of the Thames.  The tour guide
was amazing!  He added plenty of personality, opinion, and
spunk to the dialogue in describing all the sites we were seeing.

We ventured back across Westminster Bridge and headed
for the Underground.  We found our way through the maze of
tunnels, signs, and people to the correct platform to catch the
subway to St. Paul's Cathedral.  By this time my train pass was not always scanning properly and I had to seek assistance from an
agent.  That wasn't always easy to do with the throngs of
people everywhere.  I learned quickly to always walk through
the entry/exit gate where the agent was standing.  He
immediately would clear the ticket.

Finishing St. Paul's Cathedral was a feat in itself, having climbed up and down 528 steps.  We thought we were ready for more
fun, but then decided maybe heading home would be the thing to do.  It was a wonderful day!

Bottom right photo is Dad with Adellae's Traveling Lizard.

Dad & I and the Traveling Lizard.  Houses of Parliament & Westminster Bridge.  Side Note:  Westminster is a city inside the city of London.  A view from the top of the Eye, looking down at a boat.  Another view of the city with Charing Cross station in the bottom left corner.

A 360º map of the view from the top of the Eye.  It helped us locate places, etc.

A view each direction on the Thames.  It looks like you can play a game of battleship.

The river cruse on the Thames took up passed famous buildings and notable spots on the river.

The RAF Memorial was unveiled in 1923 in recognition of the men and women of the RAF who died in World War I.  After World War II, the inscription was changed to include those died in World War II.  Whitehall Court, one contiguous building.

Cleopatra's Needle is an original Egyptian obelisk, made in 1460 B.C.  It commemorates the British victory over Napoleon.  A view up the river.  Waterloo Bridge goes to Charing Cross Station.

The famous Tower Bridge.  The bottom level where automobiles drive, comes apart in the middle to raise up for tall ships to enter.  Bottom photo is a camouflage ship used during the war.

The Tower of London is a historic castle and Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress.  It was first built in 1066 and over the centuries it has been added to, mainly the White Tower in the middle, also known as the keep.  The tower was at one time a prison and it was known for some people "loosing" their heads while there.  Anne Boleyn met such a fate for treason against King Henry VIII.  The phrase, "Entry To The Traitors Gate," is at the top of the river wall.  This is where those who went to meet an untimely fate entered, never to return.  Other buildings along the river and the bottom right is of the original Globe theater, the performing stage for William Shakespeare, built in 1599.

Blackfriars Railway Bridge was taken down in 1985, due to it no longer being able to support the modern trains.  The series of columns were left standing.  King's Reach is a monument installed in 1868.  The memorial beneath was erected to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of King George V.  Buildings along the river.

St. Paul's Cathedral viewed from the Eye, the river cruise, and then when we walked up to it.  Dad is standing on the famous steps of the cathedral where "Feed The Birds," from Mary Poppins was sung.  The two views across the Thames is from the top of St. Paul's.  We climbed the last steps just at sunset and a beautiful panorama was before us as the cold biting wind blew across our faces.

Inside St. Paul's, we took the tour up the stairs.  We went up 237 steps to the Whispering Gallery, a height of 30 meters, and felt the journey to the top would not be so bad since the stairs were wide with a medium rise to them.  The whispering Gallery is at the base of the dome and there is a walkway all away around and you can look down into the center of the cathedral.  Dad went directly across from me round the gallery, and speaking into the wall, said:  "Raise your hand if you're sure."  And there it was, his voice sounding in my ear!  It was amazing.

The nave, where we first walked into the cathedral.  We were not allowed to take photos inside, so we found some online to include.  The inside is beautiful and is different from the other cathedrals we have been in, in that it has color and is not so stark and bare.

After a rest, we continued up another 119 steps, putting us 53 meters from the cathedral floor. These steps were narrow and had a higher rise.  There were resting places every so often and they came in handy to let others pass, either going up, or coming down.  We came out on the Stone Gallery where we went outside.  Burrr!  The wind caught us right in the face and had a pretty good force to it.  The space was limited so we and the other tourists shuffled back and forth as we made our way around the circumference, seeing different views of the city.

Looking up to the top of the dome from the floor.  The gold ring just above the arches is the whispering gallery.

It was another 152 steps on up to the Golden Gallery.  These stairs were circular metal stairs, and again there were places here and there where you could "turn out" for others to pass.  They stood in wide open spaces in the dome and at times it was a little creepy to be walking in the air as it seemed.  Here was the spectacular view!  It was well worth the climb, the huffing and puffing, and even the cold cold wind!

Our neighbors, Nigel & Denise Rogers, knew we were going to London for our anniversary.  The night before they brought over this card and two pieces of cake.  It was a wonderful surprise and a nice way to start the celebrating.

Temple Week #26, 2 - 7 December 2014

The month of December has begun and we were off to a whole week of no sunshine.  We were on the morning shift which meant walking over to the temple in cold temperatures.  I began to realize my "cold weather" clothing from warm Yuma, was no match for the English winter temperatures.  Thirty to forty degree highs each day require more than a sweater!  The day we went shopping I got too cold and felt like I was going to die!  I made it a point to really bundle up after that but knew I needed warmer clothing if I planned to survive the winter.

I had a regular line at the temple which put me all over the place, functioning in many areas, helping, and assisting.  Brother and Sister Davis are the new shift coordinators and they are learning the ropes and working hard to keep us in line.  Saturday found me in the baptistry with large groups of youth coming in.  Sister Smith and I were in charge of handing out clothing, keeping up with the laundry, and running cards up to the office for recording.  One young woman stood 6'5" tall!  She towered over everyone else, including her dad who was there.  I had a conversation with her and yes, she does play basketball and hopes to play for USU.  Go Darren!

One day I was in clothing/till with Sister Bustamante.  She is in training so she ran the till with my supervision.  (Me supervising her over British money; that is a stretch!)  It is almost like Brynlyn babysitting Collins!  We had a great time and enjoyed conversation with learning more about each other.  We had about twelve patrons to service and Sister Bustamante froze only once.  Sister Hyde, from the office who trains us on the till, came in and Sister Bustamante couldn't think of what to do!  She was pretty funny and we had a good chuckle after Sister Hyde left.

We learned definitions of mercy and grace during one of the preparation meetings from Brother Littlefield.
Mercy:  Mercy is not getting what you deserve.
Grace:  Grace is getting what you don't deserve.
Our Savior is the master of both and His love for us is endless.

I got out the sparse Christmas decorations we have and put them up.  I made the advent calendar and we had made a trip to Haskins to find a nativity set to put in some of the pockets.  It took some looking as there do not seem to be many of them sold here.  They go all out with Christmas decorations, even some stores set up just for the holidays, but anything Christ related is few and far between.  YouTube has a host of Christmas movies so we have been watching them throughout the week.  They help bring in the spirit of giving and putting others ahead of ourselves.

I was over to the accommodations centre a couple of evenings for music rehearsal.  In the process I came upon some of the temple workers playing games.  Brother Searle had a Christmas notebook with him loaded with carols and asked that I play some of them.  Others gathered around and sang.  It was so nice to hear the music and enjoy such a relaxed time of singing and enjoying the spirit of friendship.

We helped Sister Hale with her Internet and family history and now it seems to be working out quite well for her.  We also helped the Garrett's move into the lodge.  They are in Masih's flat and appreciated the help.  I know how hard it is to break away to eat when you are so involved, so I made a plate of food and took to them.  We then rode to church with them so Bob could help direct Steve as to where to go.  He has a tom-tom but still learning how the roads work here.

We had FHE on Wednesday.  The Garrett's were in charge and gave a great lesson and had popcorn and a citrus drink she had made for refreshments.  We were in charge of the game and with Julie and Nelson's help we came up with "Two Truths and a Lie,"  Now, this was a bit of a stretch for the Brits, but for the most part they jumped right in and we all had a great time discovering things about each other.  There were 20 of us in total so it took some time but all had fun.  Dad's lie was he was chess champ in high school and my lie was I shook hands with President Ronald Reagan.

This weekend was stake conference and we went to the Saturday night session as well as Sunday.  Elder Patrick Kearon, counselor in the European Area Presidency was the presiding authority.  President Frost, the stake president, spoke on being as Ammon in sharing the gospel.  It does not have to be a hard thing, just a natural thing to do.  He asked for all the members that had been baptized in 2014 to stand and then come up to the front.  There were about 15, and he said this was about a third of the total.  A young couple who have a daughter named Amelia stood up.  We have gotten to know Ameila while volunteering in the nursery.  I did not know they are recent converts because they embrace the gospel so well.  He then invited a young couple, Mark and Andy, to the stand and wanted to ask them questions about their conversion.

Andy had been sent to Los Angeles with her work and had been placed in a family's home to stay the four days she was there.  The family happened to be LDS and she noticed right off they were different.  She felt peace in their family and knew that was something she wanted.  She was impressed with how they handled situations without getting mad, pointing fingers, or accusing.  They discussed and managed details with kindness and patience.  Conversations led to the church and they explained some of it to her.

Mark noticed in their phone conversations when she was gone that something was different.  Then when he picked her up at the airport he felt the difference.  The family contacted their missionaries to send the missionaries over here to their home and when they began the lessons Mark and Andy knew this was what they wanted.

President Johnson told the story of when their son had his first Christmas.  He was 15 months old and Sister Johnson had carefully selected a few gifts for him and had wrapped them with care in anticipation of his joy on Christmas morning.  Christmas morning arrived and the parents joyfully handed the little boy a gift to unwrap.  He seemed fascinated with the paper while parents were waiting for him to pull at it to discover the greater gift inside.  He was intrigued with the brightly colored paper and continued to hold the gift, feeling the paper with his hands, and looking at the colors and designs.  President Johnson, eager for his son to unwrap the gift, pulled some of the paper up so it would be easier to open but the child continued to enjoy the bright paper.  To make a long story short, President Johnson ended up opening the gift and showing the boy the toy only to watch him have no interest in it but to grab the bright paper and continue to play with it!  His message was that some times we are caught up in the social part of the church, its classes, programs, and activities, and do not take time to examine the gift inside - the gospel.  When we examine the gift inside and live the gospel each day, that is when our testimony grows, we feel the love of the Savior,  we use the atonement, and find purpose in doing good.

Elder Kearon talked about the simpleness of the gospel in sharing it.  Its doctrine is simple and is in music.  He had us all sing, "I Lived In Heaven."

I lived in Heaven a long time ago it is true.

Lived there and loved there with people I know, so did you.

Then Heavenly Father presented a beautiful plan,

All about earth and eternal salvation for man.

And, he is right, the gospel is simple and this song does say it all.

We ended Sunday with a fireside presented by Brother and Sister Rogers, missionaries here.  They live in England and their daughter and son-in-law participated in the program.  The parents told their conversion stories, the son-in-law, who is very gifted, played the piano for all the music as well as sang in two items they presented as a quartet with voices blending in harmony.  It was absolutely amazing the talent that was shared in testimony and spirit.

The Vyne, 1 December 2014

The mini bus trip today was to The Vyne, in Basingstoke, Hampshire.  Those we joined with were the Garrett's, Sister Whitehouse, Sister Curley, Sister Ibbotson, Sister McClellan, Sister Marsh, and Brother Key was the driver.  We arrived at our destination in just under two hours and were ready to get out and walk.  The day was overcast, dull, and damp and 7ºC.  Umbrellas were not needed as we freely walked the gardens, paths, and woods.

The Vyne was built in the mid 1500's for Lord Sandys, King Henry VIII's Lord Chamberlain.  It is a tudor style red brick building.  In the mid 18th century, The Vyne belonged to John Chute and remained in his family until the mid 20th century.  At one time a family of eleven children lived in the house.  As we toured the house, we learned about the children growing up here and saw some of their original toys.

The house was decorated for Christmas and it was exciting to see the trees.  There seemed to be one in each room.  It was interesting how they had wound fabric ribbon around and through the one on the bottom left.  It brought to mind the many Christmas trees we had that looked just like that one - only we didn't do anything to hide the space between the branches!

The furnishings, toys, and table setting were interesting.  Then to top it off, while in the saloon, the guide was explaining the furnishings and how the family would have used them and pointed out the 1846 Broadwood grand piano and how the family would enjoy playing and singing.  He then asked if anyone played the piano.  I said I did and he then said:  "You are welcome to have a seat and play it."  I could not believe what I heard as all the other houses we have toured that had pianos, had them closed up and no mention of them other than to "do not touch."

I sat down, music was provided and I played.  It had a very good action and was easy to play.  I could not believe I was playing it as it felt like I was in a Jane Austen novel.  (I did not sing.)  Note the harp to the right of the piano.

Stained glass windows in the chapel and a freshly scented Christmas potpourri.  

The inscribed Roman ring was made in the 4th century and has an engraving linked to a curse.

The hall with the bells to call the servants.

The summer house, a wooden reindeer and pinecones on a Cedar of Lebanon.

Wooden sculptures of a monarch butterfly and a snail.  A view of the lake.

Autumn in all its brilliant colors.  Bottom Left is the Lime Tree Avenue leading up to the house.  Middle picture is a 600-year-old Guinea Oak.  At one time a ship builder wanted to buy the tree but the Chute family always said "No,"  It is propped up due to some of the roots being cut when the road was put in behind it.

The traveling lizard with Grandpa & Grandma.  Views of the house.

The first door is the one we entered to tour the house.  The next one is the front door of the house and the one in the milddle is to the cafe.  Note the tree and then the path we walked.

The swans were beautiful and very friendly.  When we stopped to take their picture they came right up to us.  I think they were looking for a handout, but we had none.  The four babies, signets, were beautiful and graceful.

I did not think at first that a winter walk would hold any beauty.  I was mistaken as the the trees, shrubs, and fallen leaves provided a profusion of color and delight.  We could not get enough of the feeling of nature!

The inscription on the bench says it all!