July 22 - August 4

Below are the highlights of our last couple of weeks in the mission.

The Miracle of the Computer.
The elders have been borrowing our computer for zone conferences and other big missionary events to use for their presentations. Unfortunately, our computer broke after one of their uses. The screen turned black and I could not log-in. Traci and Stathis thought something was wrong with the Windows operating system or the hard-drive had crashed. They called it the "black screen of death." I was really depressed because the next evening I needed my PowerPoint to teach the institute parables class. I had worked a long time getting it all ready to present. Unfortunately, I failed to save the presentation to the cloud. I prayed that night that we would be able to get the computer fixed before my institute lesson. The next morning I decided to try google on my phone to find an answer....google to the rescue and an answer to prayer. Google had a suggestion which I tried and it brought open the screen with a warning to clear all malware and virus before using......so next, Stathis to the rescue. He was able to get on the computer remotely and make the computer perfect once again!  A huge tender mercy for me to be able to retrieve the PowerPoint and for us to have a workable computer once again. The elders will not be using our computer again. 

Elder and Sister Hafen's Fireside for the Leeds Stake

Peter and John Running to the Empty Tomb

by Eugene Burnard

Hanging in the Musee diOrsay, Paris

We went to a fireside given by Bruce and Marie Hafen. They began showing this picture. It is a painting that Eugene Burnard did depicting the apostles running towards the tomb. See John 20:3-9. I love the look on the apostles faces as they ran toward the tomb. They were perplexed because the resurrection had never happened before. Brother Hafen made the point that it's ok to feel perplexed and confused as long as we are still running towards Christ and seeking answers. The emotion is so poignant of their love for Christ as they run and look for answers. See Luke 24:1-12.

Elder Hafen also shared a statement from Oliver Wendell Holmes. He was an American jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1902-1932, and as Acting Chief Justice of the United States in January-February 1930. Here's what he said.

     I would not give a fig for the simplicity on this side of complexity.

         But I would give my life for the simplicity on the other side of complexity. 

It took me a minute to process this statement but his point is valid. Sometimes perplexities we face inside or outside of the Church bring complexity. Elder Hafen started by saying as members of the Church find questions within the Church, a gap begins to form from the simple faith to confusion or complexity. However, we should not stop at complexity. Instead we should continue to learn and study. Elder Hafen pointed out the availability of the Encyclopedia of Mormonism found on-line, the new volume of the Saints, and Mormon Essays. He also made the point that all groups have bias, whether in the Church or out. He pointed out the importance of keeping the simplicity of the gospel in our hearts as we study the complexity (simplicity on the other side of complexity). There is a YouTube video of his presentation called, Faith is Not Blind. It's a devotional given at the University of Hawaii. His whole presentation was excellent. Both Pete and I loved it.

CASTLES, AND MORE CASTLES (1st Saturday p-day Adventure)

We had fun exploring castles with our senior sisters from the office, Sister Barrus & Sister Wassmer.  Here's some of what we saw. Raby Castle is a living castle (people still live in the castle). We went on a wagon ride that took us all over the grounds of the castle. The acreage was over 200. We saw deer, ponds with ducks and swans, long horn cows, and lots of gorgeous grounds. The castle was cool too.

Raby Castle northern Yorkshire 

Raby Castle

Raby Castle 

Raby Castle

Raby Castle

Raby Castle flowers

Raby Castle Perfect Tree

Tea Time after tour of Raby Castle (Sister Barrus nearest window, Sister Wassmer across from Pete)

This was a cute little Tea time restaurant with delicious food. 

Pete's Meal Lamb Hotpot

More Castles & an Abbey (a p-day adventure with the senior sisters)

Barnard Castle, Eggleston Abbey, and Richmond Castle were beautiful ruins of times long past. The grounds are still maintained and it was fun to imagine the life of the people who once lived in the castles. 

Barnard Castle (a very wet day to tour)

Barnard Castle

Barnard Castle

Barnard Castle

Views from Barnard Castle

Bowes Castle (shelter from the rain)

Bowes Castle

Bowes Parrish (across the street from Bowes Castle. There were some very old headstones)

This inscription was on a headstone leaning against the outside wall of Bowes Parish.

The inside of Bowes Parish was small. This beautiful stained glass hung in the front. 

Richmond Town Center

Richmond Castle Ruins Behind Town Center

Richmond Castle Views from the Tower

Richmond Castle

Richmond Castle Views

Richmond Castle Views

View from Richmond Castle

Richmond Castle Views

Richmond Castle Views of Town Below

NORTHERN YORKSHIRE INTO THE LAKE DISTRICT (our 2nd p-day adventure)

The senior sisters persuaded Elder Carrier to venture out on another site-seeing tour of northern Yorkshire. They don't like driving here and they feel safe with Elder Carrier at the wheel. He has mastered driving in England quite well. We went to the Lake District after having gained permission from the mission president to leave the mission. It's something we've wanted to do and Saturday was a beautiful day to explore. 

Stott Park Bobbin Mill

Our first stop was at the Stott Park Bobbin Mill. It's located in a lovely wooded setting near Lake Windermere. It's a fully-working mill and the only survivor of the Lakeland mills which turned bobbins for the Lancashire textile industry. It opened in 1835 until 1971. They made products from cotton reels to toggles for the Second World War duffel coats. It was powered first by water,then by a magnificent steam engine. Pete was intrigued by all the engineering abilities of this bobbin mill. 

Pete and I holding our bobbins outside the mill

many varieties of bobbins

Bobbin Machinery

Wooded Area outside Bobbin Factory

Windermere Lake

a very long beautiful lake inside the lake district

It was a 2 hour drive from Leeds to the beautiful lake district. Every turn brought picturesque scenery to view. We loved touring through the area. Maybe when we have time to visit again we'll make it a two day trip and spend the night in one of the lovely B&B's along the route. 

a lovely camp site near the lake

Every turn along the windy road brought another magnificent view of the lake

Lake District Fields

Hill Top, the Lake District farmhouse that Beatrix loved. 

Hill Top was a country home for Beatrix Potter. She received inspiration in this home for her stories and pictures. The town and home are one of those quaint, cute, little towns that bleed pure charm. Hill Top's half-acre cottage garden is just like her stories. There's a small vegetable garden opposite the house, and the rhubarb patch where Jemina Puddle-Duck famously tried to hide her eggs. The home is full of Beatrix Potter's belongings. She was born in London but spent most of her life in the north country. She bought the Hill Top home from her royalties from the book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit. 

The town of Hill Top

Across the street from Beatrix Potter Home

Close-up View of homes in Hill Top

Restaurant views down the road from Beatrix Potter's home

Restaurant near Beatrix Potter Home (Pete caught me with my mouth full! Ha ha)

Pete's Meal-Sausage ad Potatoes 

Another View from our eating table

Entrance gate into Beatrix Potter's Gardens

Pathway through Garden to Beatrix Potter's home

Front Door to the Home

Back View of the Home

Farm Area beside the Home

Field on the Side of the Home

We made a stop at the Furness Abbey which was in the Lake District. Pete wanted to see another Abbey because it was included in our England Heritage Pass. Furness Abbey is the biggest ruin in Yorkshire. 

We feel so blessed to be living in an area so close to some of God's greatest beauty in all of England. There is so much beauty all over the world. We enjoy every day here in the England Leeds Mission.