Temple Week #57 & Wales, 30 June - 6 July 2015

The temple was up and down with attendance, but we managed to stay busy.  We had new patrons from Africa, a mother and a daughter.  They spent two days in the temple to get familiar with what they were learning before they had to go back home.  There was at least one American on vacation each day.  It is always nice to see them and visit as to where what state they are from.

The weather was the killer.  On Wednesday it was 95º F, and we have no cooling in the flat, just a small portable fan.  At least the temple is air conditioned so it was great to be there for half the day.  In the flat, we kept the shades drawn to block the hot sun and used the fan continually.  I think it was the first time since coming here we slept without covers on.  The little fan finally gave up the ghost Thursday evening.  Dad called over to accommodations and exchanged it for a larger one.  It circulates more air and should last a good while.

A new missionary couple from Utah, arrived on Tuesday and President Irwin asked that we take them shopping.  We did and had a delightful time with them.  They wanted to get sim cards for phones and Internet access.  That was our first stop and then on to Sainsbury's for groceries.  When we finished up they wanted to take us to dinner, so we went to the pizza place in Lingfield.  As we were parking in the car park we saw the Garrett's and Rayton's.  They too were going to the pizza place so we joined in and had a great time eating and visiting with each other.

Dad made it to Family Home Evening and I stayed home not feeling well.  We had other errands during the week and Dad got the car serviced in lieu of our trip this weekend and to get it road certified.  That comes up once a year and our time is the end of this month.  We also arranged for Sister Christensen, a sister missionary here, to teach our class on Sunday while we are away.

When our shift was over on Saturday, we headed to Wales.  Rex and Nora Jensen, periodic workers at the temple invited us for the weekend.  We turned on the sat nav and followed the M25 to the M4 right into Wales.  We stopped for dinner along the way and arrived around 7 p.m.  We enjoyed visiting and snacks and were off to bed.  We were in the room on the 3rd floor and had roof windows that looked out on the beautiful scenery in all directions with a hint of the sea.

 It's a whole other language here.  Note the sign below.

Thank goodness they have English and Welsh both.

We enjoyed going to church with them Sunday morning.  We met their friends, Nora's mother, and members we have seen at the temple and who remembered us.   We were taken with the young man (in his twenties) who played the organ for sacrament meeting.   We were sitting on the front row right in front of the organ with its back to us.  We could only see his thick, curly black hair above the music rack. We watched as he played Onward Christen Soldiers, with gusto and not seeming to read the music even though he had the hymn book open.  His head was continually bobbing up and down and looking from side to side.  At one point he pulled the hymn book down and placed it on the bench to his left and another time he laid the music rack down, all the time playing and not missing a note or a beat. He was amazing to watch and held our attention through all the hymns.

After the meeting I had occasion to thank the chorister for the music.  The hymns were joyful to sing and the congregation sang with feeling and the whole chapel was filled with lyrics. We conversed back and forth and then the organist came back around.  I commented on his ability and she said:  "He's my baby."  That opened the door for conversation and he joined right in.  In the end I played the organ whilst all the time he was changing the stops and the volume.  He said he as been playing for about ten years and does play by ear.  He uses the hymn book to check what key he needs to play in.

We enjoyed a stop at Caswell Beach and Carreg Cennen Castle.  There was plenty of rain and high winds throughout our visit but they did not stop us from seeing sights in Wales.  The highlight of our visit was attending a Gymanfa Ganu (music assembly) in the Capel Y Tabernacle Treforys (Tabernacle Chapel Morriston).  The Jensen's were so gracious in showing us around and allowing us to experience their wonderful country.  It may be hard to imagine, but Wales is greener than England.

From the car park out to the beach.  Dad is sitting to the left.

Posing with the traveling lizard. 

 Beautiful sand and hills.

 There were plenty of beach lovers swimming, surfing, and boogie boarding.

The tide was out so we walked out in the rain to stand in the water.  Nora and I are rolling up our pant legs.  We did get turned around.

 A beautiful building inside. It was well worth our time to attend.  The Welsh have a great love of music and singing seems to come natural to them.

 The program began with the audience and the five choirs (a youth choir is not listed on the program) singing a song together followed by an item by a choir.  The procedure was repeated until the last choir sang.    All of the groups were outstanding with their songs and talents and the building had amazing acoustics that caused the sound to resonate and fill the room.  The Morriston RFC Male Voice Choir was last on the program and the hit of the evening.

The music was in Welsh.  Nora said to just 'la, la, la,' along to the tune.  We did and it was fantastic.  Boy, the people really belted out the words and were on pitch.  It was a wonderful experience to sing along with so many others who really enjoy singing.

Driving through the hill country of Wales, we spotted Carreg Cennen Castle.  It sits atop a high hill, a fortress not easily attacked.  The castle has been around since the early 1200's, with various stages of repair going on throughout its history.  It sits atop a limestone precipice.  The south wall is a shear drop to the valley below.  We hiked up to it in the rain and wind.  We did not know how hard the wind could blow until we got to the castle.  It was fierce and required care in walking up and down stairs and across passage ways.  The castle sits on property that is a working farm.

 These two pictures are from the road as we approached the farm.

 At the base of the hill and Dad taking the lead in getting started on the climb.

 He started first and came huffing and puffing, last.  It was a panoramic view in every direction from the castle down to the valleys below.

On the walk up we came across sheep and goats.

Looking down at the farm where we walked up from.  The car is parked behind the clump of trees to the left of the buildings.

This view is straight down from the south wall.

 Arrowloop.

 Daisies growing right out of the rock.

 Windows

 Dad posing looking into the King's quarters.  Note the holes where beams were at one time as a floor.

In the inner ward you see a window straight ahead.  To the left of the window, south east corner of the inner ward, is a short opening, appearing black.  It is the entrance to a set of steep steps leading down past a postern gate into the bowels of the castle, and beyond into a damp limestone cave.

 After the steps is a vaulted passage.

 At the bottom of the steps looking back up to the doorway.  Note, the hair says it all about how windy it was.  Notice Dad's hood billowing out and his shirt tail flying up.  Burrr!

 This is the view after the stairs and before the passage way below.

Vaulted passage

More steep steps going down into the earth.  We had torches with us and could see the entrance to the cave ahead.  Dad ventured in a short distance but decided not to go any further.

Good friends who showed us a good time at Carreg Cennen Castle, Rex & Nora Jensen.

Out one of the holes in the vaulted passage.

 Our time had come to an end as we said goodbye to Rex & Nora.  Nora's sister, Jean had come during the afternoon and joined in the picture.  They were fabulous hosts with a comfy bed, delicious food, and plenty of sights to see and things to do.

Crossing the Bristol Channel back into England.