The next day we got a call from President Gubler asking us to drive 2 sisters to their home. It was a long day of driving, but we were happy to help. It turned out well and they even got to see Stonehenge on the way.
We had district meeting in Plymouth the next day, then a flat inspection, and returned again to Plymouth that same evening for Institute and YSA activity. The young people have been taking turns coming up with the activity, and have been very creative. This night it was a 12 foot banana split served in a foil lined rain gutter.
We were invited to the one year birthday party for the granddaughter of the ward mission leader. She was born with abnormalities, and they didn't know that she would make it this far, but all is looking positive for her and they are most grateful. They had decorations everywhere and food of all kinds and people in every nook and cranny, which happens quickly as most homes are quite compact.
Next day was YSA choir practice, and we came home to a pleasant FaceTime with Heather and Afton (daughter and granddaughter). We are so grateful for the technology that allows us to see them, and recognize how amazing that would be to our ancestors when they left loved ones behind.
We had a great meeting with President Fullwood, the stake counselor over YSA, updating him on the YSA status and made several recommendations for them to consider. He is such and amazing man. He is deaf, but lip reads so well you wouldn't know it. We are certainly glad for that since we don't sign. Even if we had learned from the Kings, the signs are not the same in the UK. He is most supportive of the YSA.
Anna, our neighbor, stopped by with a cottage pie. She has had several experiences feeling the presence of her deceased mother, and wanted to talk about that but didn't really connect that with a belief in God until we pointed that out to her. Cottage pie here is made with beef mince, like what we would call shepherd's pie, but shepherd's pie is made with lamb, which only makes sense.
Edward's going away party was last Thursday, even though his leaving date was pushed back a couple of weeks due to visa problems. We will enjoy him longer now, as we will likely not see him again after a 2 year mission, although one never knows. Our stake president just returned from the US and Canada having run into people he knew from here, or who know people that he knows all along the way. He and his wife and daughter got to go to general conference and said they were so overwhelmed by the Spirit upon entering the conference center that they were all in tears. President and Sister Gubler were here for zone training, and we were impressed with examples they gave from their own lives and from the scriptures to illustrate their points. Sister Gubler talked about how scared she was to drive a two ton truck as a 14 year old in Idaho to deliver wheat, but did it because she loved her father, comparing that with what the missionaries are asked to do and why. President Gubler talked about the importance of knowing who we are in order to fulfill our missions here on earth. He used the example of Moses being called 'my son' in Moses 1 repeatedly, and that giving him the power to resist Satan, along with other scriptural examples. We sang 'I Lived in Heaven', noting the truths taught there.
In the afternoon President Martin went with us to look at repairs that needed to be made in one of the flats before turning it back to the landlord. We want to leave them in as good shape as possible, and he volunteered to use ward members to accomplish that. We are grateful for the help, as we don't have the tools nor even knowledge of where to go for materials.
Elder Leimer from Germany was our visiting authority at stake conference, and we didn't quite know what to think when he said he had heard of us. It was a wonderful conference, and we were very uplifted by the messages and love evidenced there. Two of our YSA were asked to share testimony, one who has been a member 6 months, and then Edward who has been a member 3 years and is leaving on a mission. The YSA choir sang two songs for prelude, and an arrangement of 'Come Ye Disconsolate'. We saw two YSA at stake conference who have not attended during the time we have been here, and it was great to meet them. We discovered that Elder Leimer had visited one of them Saturday night. He is an amazing man, and we felt good just being in his company, not to mention the powerful message he have of Heavenly Father being anxious to speak with each of us.
Elder Warnick teaches Institute tomorrow about prayer and revelation, and we are taking Halloween themed food."
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