Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Spring Has Arrived

Advertising Mormon.org London Buses
Albert Hall London
Advertising London Charing Cross Train Station


Advertising London Charing Cross Train Station
London Trafalgar Square
London National Art Gallery
St Augustine Abbey Canterbury
Daffodils City Wall Canterbury
Elders Yenchik and Tan
Trifle Pettman Family Dinner


Our Neighbors at Abbott Hotel
Pettman Family Dinner Ramsgate













 The British change their clocks on March 31 to start British Summer (not day light savings).  Spring has arrived.  Daffodils seem to grow wild here.  They are everywhere.  Have not seen any tulips. 

We watched Saturday's  morning General Conference session by satellite in the chapel at 5 pm.  Then went home and watched the afternoon session in our apartment 9 pm to 11 pm.  On Sunday I went to the chapel and watched the Priesthood session at 10 am, then came back and watched the Sunday morning session at 5 pm in the chapel and then back to the apartment to watch the afternoon session on the internet starting at 9 pm.  We had several less actives and investigators at conference.  We really enjoyed it.

We had to go into London on Monday April 8 so we were able to see the advertising in the Charing Cross Train Station and buses.  The  Church is doing advertising throughout London for the month of April to answer questions about the Book of Mormon Musical which opened in London on March 22.  The Church has taken out advertising in the playbills for the Musical stating now that you have seen the Musical read the Book.  We are excited about explaining the Book of Mormon and are working with the members to distribute copies.  We took the bus from the Mission Home to Trafalgar square and went pass the Ritz Hotel where Margaret Thatcher died.  We had lunch in the St Martins Church crypt which was really nice and spent time seeing the National Art Gallery.  There are 3 museums around the mission home, Natural History, Science and Victoria and Albert.  All of the museums in London are free.  Albert Hall is two blocks away.  It is really classy around the Mission Home.  Lots of Embassies and Hyde Park is only a block away.   We will be going to the London the end of April for a meeting with our area seventy.

On Sunday April 14 we had dinner with the Pettman family in Ramsgate.  Their daughters Naomi and Olivia are in our YSA and they are delightful.  The YSA are a lot of fun to be around.  As you can see the English love desserts.  They don't use the word desserts rather pudding.  Caught us off guard when they mentioned pudding we thought "pudding" but they meant dessert.  I am driving on the left hand side of the road and eating the British way with my fork in my left hand and knife in my right.  Seems very natural.  We love the people.  The members are very nice to us.  The missionaries are awesome.  We have a district meeting every week.  After one district meeting we went into the City center and sang hymns about Easter.  After we sang we paired off and talked to people about the Church and Book of Mormon.  It was a great experience.  The missionaries are not afraid to talk to strangers and are very enthusiastic.  Love our meetings.  We are excited about our new apartment which we plan to move into after May 14.  We are working on the paper work with the Church and the Landlord.

Brother Thapa member from Nepal
Manager of Chom Chom Restaurant
 Tomorrow is transfer day and Elder Yenchik will be transferred.  We will really miss him.  He has been a great District Leader.  I will miss our Saturday Morning runs.  He goes home the end of May.  Transfers are every six weeks.  You hate to see them go.