16 December 2016

"It seems that December is a time for food and association.  Early this month we drove to the mission home near London for a dinner with all the senior missionaries.  We had opportunity to meet some of the new couples and say goodbye to some who are leaving.  Given the 4 hour drive, we don't get to the mission home often, and it was good to make acquaintances and renew associations.

Bishop Vousden, in Newton Abbot, asked the ward to fast for a baptism to occur in the ward by January 4th.  The ward has not had a convert baptism for about a year, and he wanted to unite the faith of the ward members toward that goal.  We were happy to join our fasting and prayers with theirs.

We sang with the choir in a Christmas cantata.  While we admit that choir is not our favorite thing, there was a wonderful spirit present, and at least 5 people who were not members stayed to enjoy some food and socializing afterward.

We left early the next morning to drive to the London Temple for our YSA temple trip.  14 of our YSA were able to go.  It was wonderful to be able to participate with them doing endowments, baptisms, and confirmations.  After pizza we had a fireside with Elder Holman, who as a BYU professor of family life.  He spoke on developing positive relationships with others.  It was his second presentation for us, so he was able to follow up on some of the things he said last time.  We thought it was particularly well done, and some of the young people asked for copies of a book chapter he wrote on the subject, which he freely shared.

The next morning we drove to Basingstoke for church with the YSA, had sandwiches with them there afterward, then returned to the temple accomodation center where we attended a gospel choir performance at the visitor's center.  They interspersed their music with testimonies of the restored gospel.

The next day we helped the office couples with preparation for the missionary temple trip and dinner that would take place the next day.  Missionaries came from the western zones and seemed thrilled to see each other.  Another choir performed from the Crawley Ward a Christmas cantata written by one of the choir members.  She said it came to her at 2am.

While there we were able to go the temple with one of our YSA who has his mission call to Australia.  We considered it a privilege to be there with him.  He has become a special friend, and the other YSA will sorely miss him while he is gone.  We drove home late and tired, but well rewarded for our effort.  

We spent the next day getting ready for our YSA Christmas party.  Elder Warnick ended up teaching, because Brother Lewis was ill.  It was on the scattering and gathering of Israel, and how God invites all to come to Him regardless of their background or circumstance."