November 10 - 24

The Living Christ, The Testimony of The Apostles

Christmas is fast approaching in England. Beautiful decorations are everywhere and it's all very beautiful!

Aside from all the glitter and shine of Christmas that surrounds us, we  have been challenged to memorize the Living Christ. I've got it all memorized and Elder Carrier is very close. It's been a great experience for us and we've felt the spirit in memorizing this great document about our Savior, Jesus Christ. It's a sacred document about His life & Atonement. One of my favorite lines in the Living Christ Testimony comes from a scripture in the Doctrine & Covenants 110:3-4. It reads:

"I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father."

I'm grateful to have memorized this document. It's strengthened my testimony as I've repeated over and over each line that teaches of our Savior! I love and adore Him. What He has done for me has even more meaning in my life now. The last words in the testimony of the apostles reads,

"God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son."

I am eternally grateful for the knowledge and understanding I have of a loving Savior. I do indeed thank God for the 'matchless gift of His divine Son.'

More Good-bye's

Elder Engman & Elder Ethington are leaving our district.
Elder Engman has been our zone leader. He is going home to Ghana. His mom and dad are serving as mission presidents in Nigeria. He is a great missionary and we will miss him.
Elder Ethington was transferred to Sheffield. We'll see him again. He was a new missionary and we've watched him grow and learn to speak Farci. He is a fine Elder. We will miss him too.

Elder Engman

Nov 17 - 40th Year Anniversary for US

I'm so grateful for the good man I married. Forty years has passed quickly and we've been blessed in many, many, ways and have survived some trials together too. During those few hard times we became closer. As we look back now we only remember the blessings! 

Below are the ways we celebrated our 40 years together!

The Musical, The King and I. 

There is a wonderful theater in downtown Leeds. Pete was able to buy tickets on the third row of the theater for the show. It was perfect and we sat and enjoyed every minute of the performance. The singing, the orchestra, the scenery---all of it was incredible!

Perfect seats right in the center 3rd row

Dinner with the Office Sisters
They treated us to a very lovely dinner at one of the finer Greek restaurants.

Manchester Piccadilly Square
After the temple on Saturday, November 17th we took a slight detour to downtown Manchester to see the Institute of Religion there and to see downtown Manchester. 

Temple Trip for our Anniversary
After getting permission to leave the mission we spent 4 hours in the Preston temple doing a great service there. 

Anniversary Dinner with some of our favorite YSA
They invited us to a nice restaurant in downtown Leeds. We always have so much fun with these kids. Love, love, them all!
Middle, Jason Mitchell & Meg Clayton (a new blooming romance), Right Ellie Holden & Adam Westwood (been a couple for a while)

Christmas is Leeds

We have enjoyed all the wonderful decorations near us. Below is a picture of the German Christmas Village in Millennia Square in Leeds. It's a short 10 minute walk from the institute. 

In the evening it's usually crowded

Nutcrackers for sale!

A beautiful carousel is right in the middle of the Christmas Village

Pete loves the German brats. They're 20 inches long and quite tasty.

The mission sisters were with us enjoying all the little shops. Fun!! After strolling the German Christmas Village we went to see the movie, "The Aeronauts." 

Donna Nook Grey Seal Colony

Once a year many seals leave the North Sea to have their pups and mate. President & Sister Green told us about this wonderful wildlife phenomena. Thousands had left the sea and were planted on the land. The new born pups made a sound that sounded like they were saying, "momma." We saw baby's nursing and the mom's patting their arms/fins on the pups....very sweet to see. A still born pup was near it's mom and the ranger told us they had tried to remove the carcus but the mom was very agressive and each attempt ended in failure. It was a cold, wet day but we ventured out to see it all before they seals scooted back into the sea. 

The pup on the right was born the morning we were there. They get big quickly. 

Mom & Her Newborn

We dressed warm!

Walk Through the Campus

As we've walked each morning when it isn't raining, we've repeated the Living Christ together. We seem to walk further and notice the cold less when we're walking and memorizing. 

Below is the picture of our favorite part of the Leeds University. In the rear is the Great Hall, a beautiful old, old building on the Campus grounds. The place of gathering is in the front. The students all call it 'the bacon' because the modern art piece looks like bacon to them. 

We're tired of the rain!!! But, we never tire of serving a mission and working with the single adults in the England, Leeds Mission. It's one way we can serve and show love to our Heavenly Father and His beloved Son. We truly are blessed!

"God be thanked for the matchless gift of His Divine Son!"

Friday, Nov 8 Leeds Convention

Leeds YSA Convention November 8, 2019

Overview

Every other year the young adults from Leeds host a convention for all the single adults in England. We were lucky enough to be part of this great event. Leeds has a  tradition of hosting some great YSA conventions. President Kitsell, the 1st counselor in the stake presidency, reminded us at each meeting how important it was for the tradition to continue on as a good one. Ours did not disappoint! Crowds arrived anxious to participate. The first person at the door was from London. He had taken a long bus ride and arrived two hours early.  The registered kids who paid and attended all of the events were 155 young adults. Some only came for the dance. There was a total of 215 at the dance. 

Preparation

The preparation for this huge event began soon after we arrived at the institute 6 months ago. Crunch time began about a month before the event. The conference included three days of activities. Members of the stake opened their homes for the young adults to stay. Friday night dinner, Saturday lunch, and Saturday dinner were all catered. The breakfasts and Sunday lunches were done by the stake food committee, three older ladies.  We were in charge of the carnival which was held Friday night. The dance DJ was from our ward, a young married adult. He was really good. The senior missionaries from the office helped manage the prize booths. We asked the married young adults to manage the carnival booths. They made it really fun. I felt like I was at Lagoon once again as a teenager while watching the carnival blossom. 

The preparation for the carnival was very involved. Pete did a ton of work making all the booths. It was a huge undertaking. Together we both shopped and bought prizes and treats for the carnival. Our secretary Marian made all the signs and stuffed bags with candy treats. We started setting up Thursday morning and stayed all day. Then, we worked all day Friday finishing the set-up and stayed until it was all cleaned up, midnight! Saturday we came in the afternoon to help with the workshops and the service projects in the afternoon. I helped with the quilt tying. We also helped with preparation and clean-up for all the meals. Saturday night was the dance and we didn't get home until 1:00 a.m. (not missionary hours!) Then it was the sabbath. 

Sunday Sacrament & Devotional

Sunday was a wonderful sacrament meeting with an area authority, Elder Carl Hirst, speaking. Megan, one of our sweet young adults, bore her testimony The stake relief society president spoke and President Kitsell conducted and bore his testimony. 

After sacrament meeting, we tuned into the BBC broadcast of the Remembrance Memorial Day Service. This tradition started 100 years ago on November 11 at 11:00 a.m. when the peace treaty was signed to end WWI. 

When Big Ben struck 11:00 am, the nation paused in silence for two minutes to remember those who had died during war time. We all participated in the two minutes of silence. Then, there was a 21 gun salute. Our group then left the broadcast to begin a testimony meeting ending at noon. We left the chapel to eat lunch in the gym. After lunch, the kids were rushed out of the building so that we could clean up from lunch and have the building ready for the next meeting at 2:00 pm. It was an emotional and wonderful way to end the Leeds 2019 YSA Convention. The English are a proud people who honor traditions. 

I couldn't help but think of my father who was cared for by the English after he was wounded during WWII. He waited in England to heal for a bit before being shipped to the VA Bushnell hospital in Brigham City, Utah. 

Pete and I were both very touched by the sacrament meeting, memorial day service, and the touching testimonies of the great young adults.  and........we're so grateful it's over!!!!

Here's the picture diary of the event:

Ponecraft has a huge Haribo factory that's where we bought some of the treats

Outside Haribo Factory

Ticket booth before the crowds arrived

Prize & Treat Cemter

Elder Boyce & Sister Wassmer  having fun

After set-up and before the crowds

Tic Tac Toe 

Other booths

Basketball shoot was the favored booth 

More booths

Two of our young adults taking a rest. Ellie (left) is the YSA president

Mini Golf before the cardboard was decorated

Ladder Score

Everyone having fun

Paella for dinner (such a sweet family preparing the meal)

Sister Wassmer making cotton candy

The pictures don't show the crowds that attended.  We were too busy during that time to take pictures.

Military Display outside the Church

Salsa Dancing, a workshop

Quilt Making Service Project 

Lunch

Writing Letters to give to the  Nursing Homes

Choir group preparing to sing at the shopping center near-by. Another group also sold paper poppy's for the memorial day

Hog Roast for Saturday Evening Dinner

Saturday Evening Dinner

The Dance was fantastic! Elder Carrier and I jumped in the dance to do a swing dance during one of the songs. The kids all separated back and let us dance. They cheered and said, "Way to go Elder and Sister C." We love you!  It was so fun. 

Just after the Sunday Meeting

Just before the Sunday Meeting

Sometimes things are very hard when we're going through them. The reward is after it's all done and remembering and feeling  a sense of satisfaction that comes from working hard towards something that touches the lives of many. We love being missionaries in the England, Leeds Mission and especially love working with the young single adults.