June 8, 2019

The weather the past couple of weeks has been rainy and cool. We've been told over and over that if we don't like the weather in England, wait ten minutes and it will change. Some mornings we've left for a lovely walk with the sun shining and returned home in the rain. The past few days it's been heavy rain with moments of sunshine.

We continue to enjoy our time with the YSA. It's so much fun that at times we say, "Is this really a mission?" Many of the students have finished their finals. Most have rejoiced with good marks allowing them to graduate the year. Others found the final very difficult and will need to repeat. I've learned some interesting things about the universities in England. During the year no assignments or tests are given. Everything rests on the final exam at the end of the course. I've asked why they don't have assignments or mid terms and they all have said, "It's the only way we've known." So, you can understand the stress they all feel during finals. Everything depends on one final score. Students have come to the institute at 10 a.m. to study and stay until 10:00 p.m. At times Elder Carrier has felt bad telling them the institute was closed at 10:00 pm. Sometimes they give themselves a break to play table tennis or talk. I think that is why so many gather at the institute to fellowship, play, and feel the spirit. We have rejoiced with many as they've earned passing grades and cried with those that didn't. Now that finals are over many will go home or start jobs. That means we'll be saying good-bye to lots. We've already noticed less attending class and other activities here.

Not all YSA that come to the institute are students. Some have careers and are working. Here are some pictures of what we do with them.

Family home evening & Movie night (The European Soccer Championship between Liverpool & Tautham). Our numbers were small for home evening, both dinners, and movie night. The family history class I taught only had one person show. Brother McMorn told me not to worry. The numbers get huge in the fall. It's easy teaching one person.

Gathering for breakfast with two YSA that seem to like us. Kate is next to me. Elder Carrier and Jordan are across the table taking the picture. Kate graduated in media and broadcasting. She works at a smaller Leeds university called, Beckett. Jordan is a returned missionary who served in Germany. He is a student studying Aeronautical Engineering. They're loads of fun.

Saturday we differed our p-day by going to the beach with the YSA. It was their end of year celebration. This was an activity provided by the stake and planned by the YSA. It was a blast. The weather was cool to them and very cold to me! The coast had predicted rain for the day but we were lucky (blessed) to only have rain the last hour before leaving. We enjoyed playing beach games, eating yummy fish and chips, and having loads of snacks which included chips, donuts, cookies, fruit, and drinks. This was all provided by the stake. It was nice for us to just enjoy and not have to worry about making or planning anything. I loved watching the YSA play together and include everyone. This is something they're all good at. They feel the institute is their home away from home.

Gathering on a bus to head to the beach. It was clear and cool for most of the day trip. We left at 4:00 when the rain came.

big waves 

sand creations

Fish and chips are delicious! The students said the beach is the only place to eat fish and chips.Together we played lots of outdoor beach games. The one I liked the best was called, 'Around Four.' It's similar to baseball but different. The bat is small---about 16 inches long and perimeter was about 2 1/2 inches round. They bat with one hand and run around 4 bases and one home plate. I liked playing it. I told them I would hit, but someone had to run for me. Elsa volunteered. She was fast. We also played volleyball, Frisbee, soccer, American football, limbo, and sand Pictionary. There was never a dull moment. Some even ventured in the cold water with wet suits. However, I never took off my hoodie sweatshirt, raincoat, earmuffs, and mittens.

A few of our YSA posing for a picture



Volleyball


Walking along the warf


details about the beach area

Town of Bridlington-The beach is right across the street


bus ride home

Our District gathered for lunch at a buffet nearby called, Red Hots. It was expensive and I don't think we'll go there again. The elders liked all the food choices and filled their plates many times.



Elder Carrier got his first haircut and he got lots of positive comments from all the students.



On rainy days we didn't walk so we did lots of preparation in our office and exercised on the health rider we found in the apartment.



The Farsi Elders needed a new apartment so we spent some time looking and finally finding one that met all the qualifications. They were happy. Another night we spent with them, President and Sister Turvey,  and a recent Iranian convert. It was a Fireside at the institute.

L-R Sister Carrier, Elder Carrier, Elesia (YSA), Sister Turvey, Lillian (a member for 3 years), Elder Cottle, President Turvey, Elder Ethington. Unfortunately, none of their friends (investigators) showed up. It was a terrible rainy night. The Elders stood outside in the pouring rain hoping to get some to show.  President Turvey spoke for a bit and told the elders not to be discouraged. He gave them some comforting and encouraging words as did Sister Turvey. The Elders bore their testimony in Farci as did Lillian. Afterwards, we ate the refreshments together. Lillian sat with Elder Carrier and I for sometime after the fireside telling us her conversion story. It's quite interesting and I've posted it below for those interested in reading it.

I'll end with some more scenery pictures as we ventured around town during our walks.

Countryside en-route to beach                  Hyde Park not far from campus


Victoria Mall in downtown leads. This is a charcoal drawing inside one of the hallways. So interesting how it looks 3-D.

I'm posting Lillian's testimony. Elder Carrier and I tried to remember what she had told us but we may have messed up a bit. It was quite a story showing how Christ guided her to the gospel. It's long so you may not want to read it.
Much love and hugs to all of you!

Lillian Marwick’s Conversion Story (as we remember her story)

Lillian Marwick was born in Iran to a very strict Muslim family. She was taught, and felt it was important, to continuously wear the traditional Muslim clothes and veil that were customary of her country. Lillian was put into an arranged marriage where her husband was 21 years older. It was an awful marriage and she was not happy in that situation. Plus, her husband could not have any children. 

One day she left her home and went with friends for an outing. Together they were having a good time and during the outing pictures were taken. Unaware to Lillian, one of the friends posted a photo of her with her friends on Facebook. They were clothed in western attire and unveiled. Her parents and in-laws saw the pictures on and were quite upset. Lillian asked forgiveness and told her parents how unhappy she was in the marriage. After much coaxing from Lillian, her parents consented to let her go to England to continue her education and leave her husband.  They thought this was better than her living in an unhappy marriage.

At one point during Lillian’s travels to England she was followed by a stranger. He attacked her. She was alone and didn’t know where to turn. However, she eventually met a man who was sensitive to her situation. He was kind and told her she must go to the police to seek asylum. She had no money or home prior to meeting the man who took her to the police station. She completed asylum papers and was given a court date to appear before the judge. She told us a miracle occurred during her appearance before the judge because she was granted a five-year period to live in England with no restrictions and she could receive all the government assistance like medical, schooling, healthcare etc. She said this did not normally happen. For some reason the judge felt her pain and knew she had been abused. This was a miracle.

She lived with this man and became pregnant and delivered a baby girl two months premature. She and the baby were in the hospital for several weeks with the baby on a ventilator. Eventually, she was told that the baby had to be taken off the ventilator and she needed to decide when this could be done. Of course, she was distraught and felt terrible anguish at losing a child. In her desperation, she called the Muslim Church hoping to get a leader to give her daughter a blessing. They wouldn’t come unless she consented to pay for their gas. This answer didn’t settle well with her.

The next morning at 2:00 a.m. she walked a long distance through the hospital to find a Christian Chapel. She felt like a higher power was with her during this process and knew it must be the Christ. When she arrived at the chapel the doors were locked. She pounded on the door crying to get inside. No one was there. A security guard told her she must go back to her room because she was bleeding and swollen. He took her into a room because she was hysterical. Then, the security guard was called to an emergency elsewhere in the hospital. Lillian then went back to the chapel and knocked some more. An old man came out of the chapel and told her she could enter for a few minutes.  Once inside the chapel she had an overwhelming love of Christ and knew He was with her. After being in the chapel for a short time, she was sent back to her room.

A sister from the Catholic Church came to her room the next day. Lillian had made the decision to take the ventilator away from her daughter. She asked the sister to yell “Jesus” as the baby was dying so that Jesus would take the child into His arms in Heaven.  The sister did as Lillian asked. Lillian held the baby in her arms until she was cold. Then, she bathed the baby and placed her in a box to be buried.

Eventually, Lillian became more involved with the man who sent her to the police station. She became pregnant again. The two continued to live together and two or three years later she became pregnant with a third baby. This time it was a son. It was after she became pregnant with her son that Lillian found out her live-in boyfriend had a criminal record.  

Others told Lillian she must leave the father of her children because he had a criminal record. She was told she and her children were not safe living with a man who had a criminal record even though his past record didn’t involve child abuse. She was also told that her Visa standing could be jeopardized if she stayed with him.  So, she made the decision to leave him.

Before her son was born Lillian decided to go buy some secondhand clothes and a bed for her new baby. The person who helped her at the store was a member of the Church, a senior missionary with a family.  The two had a connection and the member at the Church felt impressed to invite Lillian to her home to meet her family and children.  This dear sister eventually became her coach when Lillian delivered her son. 

Lillian said it was very hard for her to make the decision to join the Church because she worried about her parents and what they would think.  It took Lillian 5 years before she consented to be baptized. She’s been a member for 2 years and she still hasn’t told her parents about joining the Church.  Now, Lillian is getting her doctorate degree in Microbiology. She also has a part-time job interpreting the Persian language, Farsi. She holds a calling in her ward and helps the Farsi missionaries in Leeds with their missionary work. She came to a fireside at the institute with the missionaries and President and Sister Turvey. That’s where we met. I was very touched by her story and felt she has a great work in this area helping the missionaries find and fellowship the Muslim community here.  I told her to keep studying her scriptures and attending Church. Her two children were with her. Both are very adorable middle eastern children. Miracles do continue.