President Johnson called us into his office on Friday and gave us our letter of release, completion certificates, and signed card from the ordinance workers. We enjoyed our conversation with him and Sister Johnson. They will always be in our thoughts and memories for their devoted faith and love of the gospel.
I baked a large batch of cookies and took in for both shifts and all the workers at the temple to express our gratitude for them. We have made so many good acquaintances and friends.
I started getting serious about sorting through what we have and prepare to come home. Bob wasn't too excited about the process but did get on board with some projects. We gave items to other missionaries and began thinking about what we will take home and what else we will leave. Wow, it is amazing all that we have collected! I planned meals around what we have, which made our shopping list minimal. Baking the cookies and then a pan of brownies is the last baking I will do. That cleared out several food stuffs.
We wished happy birthdays to Jeff and Hayden.
Last week in the midst of Dan & Cheryl being here, Nelson called. They were at the San Diego Temple for Spring Break and had met a senior missionary couple on the grounds. They are good friends with a senior couple serving in the Visitors' Centre here. We saw each other and said hello, glad to meet each other, and they wanted us to say Hi to the Hansen's. Bob and I walked over to the Visitors' Centre and showed the Hansen's the photo Nelson had sent of them with the Tanner's. The Hansen's were happy to see their friends and we talked and discussed Nelson and them meeting.
Nelson & family. Elder & Sister Tanner with Julie & Nelson.
The next day I got an email from Sister Hansen saying she and Sister Tanner had emailed back and forth about the meeting and Sister Tanner realized her dad had baptized my dad! She is Rita Campbell, daughter of Harmon Campbell the missionary that arranged for my dad to live with his parents in Corrine, Utah, for dad to finish his senior year of high school.
This was too amazing. When I was growing up our family was close with the Campbell's, in fact we called Rita's grandparents Grandpa and Grandma as well! We, the children of both families all played together on numerous occasions as we visited back and forth. Grandpa and Grandma Campbell would come and winter with us in Yuma on occasion. I was blown away with the discovery.
Yes, Rita and I have connected via email! We will get to meet when we go home and that will be wonderful.
Sunday found us in London with Shawn and Tanner. They were there for the weekend for an Arsenal soccer game on Saturday. It was good to see them and spend the day together. Tanner is busy with mission papers and has been accepted to BYU.
We met up at their hotel, the Cumberland and took the Big Bus Tour to see the city. It was a nice sun shiny day for the outing.
Cumberland Hotel
Shawn & Tanner and Marbel Arch
We enjoyed the commentary on the bus and hopped on and off at various points of interest.
Horse Guard Barracks
The Monument.
St Paul's Cathedral
High Rent District
Local Architecture
Lambeth Palace has been the official London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury for nearly800 years.
The Red Lion Pub. Watering hole used by MP's (Member of Parliament).
Entrance to Regent's Park.
Across the Thames, seeing the Queen's Walk and where we had lunch and the Shard.
Traflagar Square and Lord Horatio Nelson Monument and National Gallery in the back.
We were back to the hotel at 5 p.m. and watched the first session of General Conference. It was time for us to head for home so off we went. We caught a bus to Victoria Station and then on the train for home in time to watch the last session.
We were excited to hear the three new temples announced: Quito, Ecuador; Harare, Zimbabwe; Belem, Brazil; and a second temple in Lima, Peru. With the recent dedication of the Provo City Temple, there are currently 150 temples in operation. Who would have ever imagined!
We made one last trip to London with a visit to Grant and Margaret Curely. They are former missionaries from the temple and are now serving a mission at the National Archives. They wanted to get together before we headed home.
We traveled by rail to Victoria Station and then to Kew Gardens by underground. Margaret was waiting for us as we got off the train. We were happy to see each other with big hugs. We had been on several sight seeing trips with them the first year we were here and seemed to hit it off.
We walked about 3 minutes to their flat where Grant was waiting for us. It was a beautiful day with sunshine and not so cold temperatures. We walked up to their two bedroom flat, took a break, and were going to head out on an excursion when Grant announced he lost his wallet. He had been to the bank for cash and now he could not find his wallet.
We did not go anywhere as time was used in him retracing his steps and trying desperately to find it. Many of us have been in that position and it is not a fun one to be in. After much searching, etc., he began the process of canceling the credit cards that were in it. This took quite some time as he was on hold on most every call he made and of course, he had to locate the phone numbers to call.
In the end, we stayed in and just visited. Bob was not feeling well with his cold so he slept. Margaret put together cold meets, veggies, etc for lunch. Bob offered the blessing on the food and also asked that Grant would be able to locate his wallet. We were enjoying the meal and visiting when the phone rang. It was the bank saying someone had turned in his wallet! You cannot believe the relief we all felt, especially Grant. He and Bob walked to the bank and collected it. We were all so very grateful for honest people.
Grant's attitude greatly improved and he was back to his old self. We had a great time with one another. Margaret served juice and crumpets for snack and then we caught the underground to South Kensington to have dinner. It took a little searching as others were out to eat and some places were full with long waits. It was time for us to return home, so we walked to the station just in time for them to catch a train going one way to their home and us catching a train going the other way to Victoria Station at the same time. We gave quick good bye hugs and off we went. It really had been a great day with them.
It's feeling real now, isn't it? You'll be home soon. It dawned on me while reading this expert, that this is your journal of your mission. Awesome! Can't wait to see you!
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