It Really Rains on the Plain in Spain!

There it is! The real rain on the plain in Spain!!!
The bullet train to Madrid topped 180 mph!

It was supposed to be a sunny trip...but we kept dodging the clouds as they followed us from Barcelona to Madrid and back again. But it caught up with us just before we left....and England WAS sunny! This was a cool day. High was 15 degrees centigrade...about 60. We walked all around Madrid this day.

Grey in Barcelona. It made a fun sort of travel day; we escaped the rain pretty much all day.
Our first day in Spain and this was what we found...It was so colorful I HAD to get a picture of KFC en Espanol! It tasted just the same as at home! But what we really wanted was some good Mexican food which we finally found in Madrid. That WAS good too!
Here is the Madrid Temple...under grey skies. But the temple rooms were breathtaking inside. We met some wonderful workers there and had a great day. The temple was chosen to be in this spot; the mayor and some government VIPs fought against it. The crime rate in the area was high and the spot was entirely out of the city. But Pres. Hinckley prevailed. Since the temple was built the metro system built trains there and you can go from downtown to the temple in about 15 minutes within a couple of blocks! The crime rate subsided and apartments were built all around!
A beautiful crystal glass palace or arborteum built within a lovely large park in Madrid. The rain finally caught up with us that night. It was great going to Church in Barcelona, even with the meeting being in Spanish and not knowing very many words it was great feeling the spirit and watching the cute children...well everybody! There were several visitors also!

More Scottish Links

LINKS at St. Andrew's...it's right on the beach. Hence all the sea gulls including the one that "got" me! NOTE: If you're traveling take baby wipes with you...you never know when you might need them. Or someone else will. I'm grateful that someone nearby saw my plight. It was in my hair and all down my black coat! We actually were in Scotland for training but were able to take time off while we are in an area and usually hook it onto a weekend.
Later on we went to Sterling Castle. John's relatives purportedly lived there...Mary Queen of Scots. I haven't checked the family history. I may never get that far back...the children will have to check on it. But it was really touching being there...what a time warp!
Had to get some flowers. These are tiny but were everywhere!
Entering Sterling Castle. It was a grand day as you can see.
Before we left Scotland we drove to Edinburgh and toured Holyrood Castle. Still a working Castle where the Queen of England goes periodically. Last time we were here so were they and the castle was closed. John's relative was imprisoned here and later her husband killed her best (male) friend while they were dining. We saw the room and a lock of her hair. This was the abbey ruins. All castles had abbey's for worship right next door.
Castle hunting ROCKS!

Our Highland Fling!

The winds blew and the spring weather was cold up in the hills. We went waaaayyyyy north up to Inverness...but there was still northly land beyond. This is March. I am really behind in my blog; but nonetheless this was like it was. Thank goodness we had a car to drive. It was warmer.

Loch Ness...but no Nessie! It's kind of fun how your mind plays tricks on you and you think you might see something!

This was one of the most fun times of our mission...just before shearing season and lambing.

These were frisky sheep. The played and played for the camera. Would go from one side of the field then follow a leader and run to another side; then back again. We laughed like children. It took the chill off. This was near Tayside...where Peter Rabbit was created!

Loved all the flowers. I couldn't fit them all in a blog!!! Even John got into taking pictures of flowers. A true companion!!!

This was an OLD abbey in St. Andrews. We went there since it was so close to where we were and wouldn't you know it...the museum was closed. St. Andrew's is the oldest golf course! And where the British Open is often played. I got dive-bombed by a sea gull! No wonder the Scots wear hats!!!

Our Mission President

President and Sister Foulger

While we have been here in England we were lovingly "adopted" by the mission president from the hall across from our offices in London. Officially, our line of authority is Area President Robert C. Oaks in Frankfurt. But, unofficially, President Foulger of the London England Mission welcomed us along with his missionaries for PPIs, dinners with the senior missionaries and regular stops by the office to say "Hello". What a kind, gentle and inspiring leader! During zone conferences every six weeks there would be few dry eyes as he spoke. He knows, loves and lives the scriptures. Sister Foulger is great also! Serving for three years away from home in D.C. area, they have touched the lives of many hearts. On July 2nd they return home! When we first arrived we felt like lost lambs, or more like "deer in the headlights". Attending regular dinners at the mission president's home was like Thanksgiving dinner is for all of you at home! It was like going home!!! They would have these dinners every time a senior missionary couple or single sister would leave!!!

Royal Albert Hall...built by Queen Victoria

This past weekend it was their turn and for their celebration and farewell they treated 20 of us to the musical The King and I playing at the Royal Albert Hall! Double WOW! We were 4th row from the front! Spectacular. And then, on top of it all...President Foulger was called away on last minute missionary business and wasn't able to attend. Sister Foulger played hostess in his absence.

John and I had done training that weekend up in York; so our weekend went like this. We drove to York 206 miles northeast of Solihull on Friday. Held training from 9:30am to 1:30pm. Then John drove for five hours to London, arriving just in time for dinner. After a wonderful meal and testimonies, we walked up to the Royal Albert for the show. Immediately afterwards, John drove two hours north again home to Solihull...560 miles total in two days.

I KNOW! I KNOW!

I am so late getting an update...and I am still not ready. I am just taking a QUICK break from all that there is to be done to write you all. We miss you and think of you all the time. But time is something that is not available to us in great quantities right now.

We have traveled a little on weekends. We just returned from Ireland...a training session with 12 wonderful brothers from 2 stakes (areas in Dublin and Belfast). We went to church in Belfast in the same ward that just lost a military soldier in Afghanistan. He was 28 and on his 4th tour. He had also served his mission in Madagascar (but had to return home at the year mark due to a bout with malaria, of all things!) The same family had just lost their mother a few years earlier.

Thank goodness for the Church's knowledge of our Saviour's Plan of Salvation and knowledge that we will live again!

The weather was beautiful; as opposed to last March when we went to Dublin under gray and windy skies.

We have, of course, watched as much as we could of BRITAINS GOT TALENT!!!
WOW do they ever have talent. It is a good show and very interesting. I think there could have been 4 winners...Sheehen (the 12 year old), Hollie (10 years old), Shean Smith (17 years) and the other dance group called FLAWLESS were all very talented and professional.

The week before we were in Venice and Croatia for 4 days. This includes the weekends and a bank holiday. We just squeeze in a little here and there. Flights are very inexpensive!!!
So are most hotels in the off season with the financial crunch.

This weekend we will be part of the filming at Hyde Park Chapel for President Uchtdorf and Neal Anderson, our newest Apostle. There will be 5 meetings to film and take part in. For those who wonder, President Uchtdorf is First Counselor to our Prophet and President Thomas S. Monson.

This is a real highlight for us!

I will post some pictures shortly...

Shropshire, England

We were told by John's sister...the genealogist...when we first came to England that there were family members born or living "somewhere" and could we find more out about them. After spending our first 10 months in London, I wasn't too successful. Following more research and digging around we found that they had owned land not too far north of us in Shropshire and I was anxious to see the area, because any virgin land either plowed or full of trees now was also that way 200 years ago!
So we drove up there; about 1 1/2hours from us. This first bridge is in Atcham where their 5th generation grandmother's birth was registered. I couldn't get a date off the bridge but it or another one may well have been right there! She was born just around a bend in the road in 1839. Eleven miles away is the first iron bridge built in 1799. I've been told people came for miles
to see it and I beleive some of them were John's relatives!

You can see our beautiful spring day...still cool enough for a light jacket or long sleeves anyway. The families then were farmers; as you can see the people round about still are. There are no shops, pubs or post offices between the next string of villages. Lots of sheep, cows and fresh air.

Here our car is situated by one of the village signs. At least we could tell where we were. John has always wondered WHO trims all these hedges throughout England's countryside? All are in a perfect straight line going on for miles.

We HAD to get this picture!

An old house and barn covered in vines. The one who owned the land called Pentrebach Estate was an 8th generation widowed grandmother who willed it to her children and grandchildren. I was snapping pictures of any old house I could find.

I believe this to be St. Mary's. It is on the road into and out of the town of Knockin. Here there actually was an inn and a post office (I am standing in the parking lot). All the photos and our drive was made from one winding road beginning at the brick bridge to here through areas called Alberbury, Melverly, Pentre, Edgerly and Knockin.

It's been easier getting the pictures taken than finding the records for people but boy do we have a bunch. Now we just have to find proof that they are all related...Plimley,Evans, Mansell, Stevens, Price, and several others. It's a huge puzzle.
John found this grave which I had walked right past. I thought the size was too large for farmers to afford at the time. But it has Thomas Mansell, wife Elizabeth and son Thomas. The men lived to be 70 years and the wife is 66. AMAZING to be half a world away and find family.

General Conference - Spring 09

Photo of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Twice a year our Church holds a General Conference that is televised, sent over the airwaves and can be seen on computer. It lasts several meetings over three days of the first weekends each April and October. It is a highlight for members (and many others) of the Church world-wide. We now have close to 13,500,000 members...most of whom watch either from home or at church.

The Mormon Tabernacle choir always sings on Sunday mornings....Heavenly!

Talks given by leaders of the Church are timely and cover topics as families, Temple attendance,
watching going into debt, keeping close to the spirit of the Holy Ghost, holding to the iron rod...all good advice.

This spring was wonderful. People fill the Conference Center in Salt Lake City to overfill. It holds
20,000 give or take. Comments from many people talked about the peace and answers they received leaving them with a feeling of comfort.

Conference talks can be watched on http://www.lds.org/ or http://www.byutv.org/ any time of the year. Come join in if you are interested during the year or in October.