29 November 2016

"Remembrance Day is celebrated the nearest Sunday to November 11, and we were asked to represent the church along with 5 others in marching in a procession to the Newton Abbot war memorial from a historic clock tower.  Two of the young adults in our group then took their turn after being announced to lay a wreath of poppies by the base.  All the wreaths are the same, just from different organizations, and they are still there.  People start wearing poppies in the weeks leading up to the 11th.  It was a great cultural experience for us.

Remembrance Day wreaths at war memorial

Elder Warnick taught Institute on repentance and forgiveness.  We continue to marvel at the Savior's mercy and willingness to forgive as we sincerely repent.  Afterward the Exeter Ward did an activity which involved putting on a scarf, hat, and gloves before trying to get a piece of chocolate with a for and knife, while someone else rolled a die to get a 6 which stopped that person's turn.  They had a great time.

One of the ward members asked us to help her and her husband paint their in-laws downstairs as a surprise.  We were grateful the color chosen was very near the old one, as we would hate to have been part of an unwelcome surprise.  They thanked us later, so it must have been agreeable.  While there we learned from the husband about the process of thatching a roof.  He had become quite a master at it, but changed professions for a more regular income.  If old thatch had to be removed they would often find things tucked away in it, like poppets (rag dolls), used tools, coins forgotten about, even stuffed cats to ward off evil spirits.  A wire mesh is put over the thatch to keep animals from making their homes in it.  The roofs can last 50 years, but are quite expensive now.  It is fun to see the animals made of water soaked reeds formed over the wire mesh sitting on top.  We definitely see many picturesque old buildings.

After painting we went to roadshows in Plymouth themed "you won't find that in Shakespeare".  More than one did caricatures of Donald Trump.  (We could have done without that part!)  They seemed to enjoy it all and were quite clever.

We returned home late and about the time we were going to bed Cory sent pictures of Finn.  (Newest grandchild)  We are so grateful for his safe arrival.  The Lord is gracious and merciful.

We spoke on Paignton Ward again, and while there we met a new YSA and two investigators of that age group.  It is one of our favorite wards, and it is growing.

We took smoke alarms and CO detectors to a senior missionary from Bristol, who met us halfway in Taunton.  While traveling it was raining, as it had been almost nonstop for two days, with very strong winds.  We noticed a lot of the fields were flooded, and learned from Elder Rampton that we were experiencing the effects of Hurricane Angus.  We didn't even know there was a hurricane nearby.  We are glad the storms were not worse.  We understand that two years ago the train tracks washed away into the ocean in a community nearby, cutting off Devon from the north.

Thanksgiving we spent cooking and preparing along with the stake president's family for the young missionaries who were having a zone conference.  There was enough food for them to take back to their flats.  That night was Institute, and the activity was "what I am thankful for reverse charades".  Everyone was involved, and guessed even the hard ones, like someone had written "perspective".

We didn't get Thanksgiving neighbor cookies out until Friday, but didn't think they would really care when American Thanksgiving took place.  Our neighbor Lucy who has Down Syndrome was convinced they were for her birthday, which was yesterday.

While out shopping we just happened to walk into the parade with Father Christmas coming to turn on the Christmas lights.  The procession began with a town crier.  Apparently most communities do something similar.  They do enjoy celebrating the Christmas season.

Town Crier and wife ushering in Father Christmas

Elder Warnick with a suit of armor dressed as Father Christmas

Sunday we held our first YSA committee meeting after new leaders have been called.  We have great hopes for the next year.

The Harveys drove us to the Powderham Castle estate restaurant on Monday for lunch.  We had been wanting to buy them a meal ever since they provided us fish and chips our first night in Newton Abbot, and also stocked our fridge.  There is a current earl residing there, and it is a functioning estate, like the old system of paying rent to the gentry.  Monday evening we had a couple over for dinner.  We had hamburgers, and strudel for dessert.  How that for a mix of cultures?  The wife had been discouraged at losing her job, and we had a good discussion together.  We showed them a video clip from Elder Holland's Oct. 1999 conference talk showing him as a young man dealing with a car that wouldn't run, and having 2600 miles to go to get to the destination of his young family.  They were touched, and said they were encouraged.

The weather continues to get cooler.  The sun sets just after 4:00pm.  We think we are in for a colder winter this year than when we arrived.  This is nothing like Utah, Indiana, and Washington winters, more like Northern California, with lots of rain."