January 4, 2018

A NEW YEAR IN LEEDS       January 4, 2018       

This coming Monday (January 8)  is the day the students return to school and also come home to the Institute.  We are gearing up for a new term of classes and activities.  Elder Tim and I will be teaching a class on Wednesday nights entitled “Christ And The Everlasting Gospel”.   The Institute will also be beginning a Guest Chef Night on Wednesdays before our class.  The students will sign up to be the guest chef, guest sous chef, etc.  They will plan, cook and serve the dinner.  The Institute Director and his Assistant will purchase the food so we’re off the hook there. 

Meanwhile, as you see from the picture, we have been traveling about the lovely area of Sheffield and environs inspecting the “flats” of the young missionaries.  We visited six flats within the city on one day and six located in the towns of Barnsley, Mansfield, Worksop and Chesterfield in day two.  We saw every manner of living arrangements from new high rises to aging two story apartments.  It was great fun visiting each of the companions and finding out how they are doing.  Elder Tim did a lot of home fixup with his handy Leatherman and I gave some instructions on scrubbing pink mildew out of sinks and bathtubs.  Then we chatted with the wonderful Sister companions and Elder companions about their experiences and how they were doing.  It was such fun.  Then we took some great pictures of each companionship and sent them home to their parents who wrote us back with enthusiasm missing their children, but so glad to see them learning and growing and keeping their flats cleaner than they kept their rooms at home.   The first day, I put together some chocolate treats for them along with a little message from a church leader, President Uchtdorf:  “Do you yearn to feel within your heart the peace that passeth  understanding?  Then turn your soul toward the light.  Begin your own wonderful journey home.  As you do so, your life will be better, happier and more purposeful.”  They, like us, miss their families and their lives back at home, but know, as do we, that giving your time, service and love to others here in the mission learning to follow in the Savior’s path will bring blessings that will last a lifetime and beyond.  One of my dear friends recently reminded me of a statement by Elder Holland: “Miracles occur in our lives if we look for them.  Angels attend us if we ask.”  Its a great blessing working with these sweet young missionaries.  So after I gave them the chocolate treats, they showed us - nearly every single companionship - a table or corner that looked something like this:

They even tried to give chocolate away to us.  Their families and the Ward members had been so generous, but that was a lot of chocolate.  The next day we gave them gifts of oranges and they were universally thrilled.

Today was a Zone Conference an hour away in Huddersfield and another great day hanging with the young missionaries.  They get instruction from Pres. Turvey and Sister Turvey but they also get instruction from their peers - called Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders who plan wonderful discussions, demonstrations and role playing. It was a full day, but we are constantly impressed at these missionaries’ love, dedication and competence  We met with our Zone leaders as they planned their presentation here at the Institute so they put us into their presentation.  They like our stories of the olden days apparently. 

That’s all from us for this week.  We hope all is well at everyones’ homes and know we think of you with affection and love and pray for every one back home.  We hear of some crazy weather back there and hope all is well.  We had some wind storms here this week, and some cold rain.  People are always apologizing to us for the terrible weather, but really - they have less rain than Oregon here so we’re used to it.
 Cheers!     Sister Dana and Elder Tim