Feb 17 - 1 Mar

Institute Devotional

Go and Do, Elder David A Bednar

Every Thursday we have a faculty devotional. The faculty includes Brother McMorn, institute director, Marian, the administrative assistant & Elder Carrier and myself. It's a great way to remind us of our role as leaders, teachers, & friends at the institute. Last week our focus was a discussion that Elder Bednar gave to all the seminary and institute leaders. It was question and answer forum. If you want to look it up it was called, An Evening With a General Authority-David A Bednar.  Some of the points that were made by Elder Bednar at the forum were these:

1. Teaching is not telling

2. Personal revelation should be with us all the time because we are covenant keepers

3. Listen for the still small voice. It's always there. 

4. Revelation is usually not how to I but rather when to do  (example; Nephi would go and do. Sometimes things turned out differently than he wanted like when he broke his bow, but he kept going and doing)

5. Go and Do by keeping our covenants 

6. Go and Do by loving those we teach

Today's Sabbath Worship

Today we attended the Dudley Hill Ward and participated in the YSA Sunday School. Zach Stephens, one of our constant attenders at institute, lead the discussion. He was nervous about teaching because he hadn't done it for a while, but he did a great job. The elders had a friend attend and he is also a single adult. We were able to tell him about institute and he said he would attend. I love studying the Book of Mormon through the Come Follow Me format. There is always such a good spirit in he classes we attend throughout the stake. 

Favorite Scripture this week is found in 2 Nephi 28:30-32. Christ always has his arms lengthened out to us and he is merciful unto us. I love the word merciful because it is inviting. His arms stretched out to us is warm and inviting. I think it's important to remember that we separate from Christ not the other way around. 

Zone Conference

It was our turn to head the food for the missionaries at zone conference. Pete and I fed nearly 60 people and we shopped, prepared, and enjoyed it all. It's difficult to feed that many people at a Church here in England because there isn't enough room in the tiny stoves to reheat anything and the refrigerators are like a tiny motorhome fridge. So, we decided to do it all in crockpots. Pete bought ice and used the institute's huge ice chest cooler to transport & preserve the food. We cooked it all the night before and reheated that morning.We served barbecue pulled pork, macaroni and cheese, green salad, and cookies from Costco. Everyone seemed to enjoy. Infact, they all came back for seconds piling their plates to overflowing with mac & cheese. They were all very grateful. 

Zone Conference Feb 25, 2020

Snow White Pantomine

Pantomine is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment. It was devloped in England and is performed throughout the United Kimgdon and Ireland. Usually a pantomine is performed in a theatre in which the audience is expected to sing along with certain parts and shout out phrases to the performers. It's quite interactive. We attended one a while ago. It was held in a community center with local talent performing. It reminded me of a 'road show' which we performed and watched in our younger days. 

Snow White & Prince Charming (female)



Left, Court Jester (Everytime he entered the stage, he said, "I'm Memmie." The audience yelled back, "Hello Memmie"
Center, The Wicked Queen's Bumbling Idiot. Right, The Cross Dressed Kitchen Cook (He came out in various outfits & wigs

 
Finale with some of the Cast (many children performed)


The Seven Dwarfs were all Children (They were great Performers)



Glad We Went (probably won't go again)

Missionaries Reporting Home

We were invited to attend the Morely Ward one Sunday to hear two returning missionaries speak in Sacrament Meeting. Kunda Musonda, served in the Baltimore Maryland Mission. Ben Glynn, served in the Australia, Sydney Mission. They each spoke and did such a good job. They are two of our newest YSA and they both are attending the institute. After the sacrament meeting, the ward provided a 'munch and mingle' for both. It was a huge event with lots of food.--more like a ward dinner. 

The Chapel Quickly Changes to a Cultural Hall 

Chairs are put away and tables brought out for the dinner. 

Main Course

Lots of People to Welcome the Missionaries Home

Ben's Mother made the Cake to Honor Both Boys 

Broken Fridge

The nice big fridge in our basement kitchen broke just after Pete cleaned and defrosted it beautifully. We're glad it happened after zone conference. Otherwise, we wouldn't have had room to store all the food that we cooked for that luncheon. The repairman came and said they would hall away the broken fridge and give us another fridge and freezer that was in storage from the mission home remodel. It's a smaller fridge and we rarely use a freezer. Oh well, hopefully, next year after we've left, the whole kitchen will be remodeled. 

White Fridge, Silver Freezer, & gray storage container. 

Little Women

The single adults told us about  Little Women, a musical being performed at the Leeds University. We invited the sisters from the office to attend the performance with us. It was excellent even with low budget scenery and costumes. We were so glad we had the opportunity to see and hear these young people perform so well. 

Go and Do

Go and Do. I can do that. Elder Bednar helped me realize that as we move forward doing good things and are making good choices, the spirit will be with us and we will be led by the spirit.  Blessing await those who follow Christ. This I know. We love this mission!