NEWS of the WEEK

Compared to Transfers week, this past week has been comparatively quiet. We have worked long hours but have been able to keep up and catch up to all the paperwork, letters, financials & flats. Don has been busy looking for flats for missionaries assigned to the Brittania Ward that also meets in the Hyde Park Chapel. He goes with the president to check the flats personally. President Patch has been interviewing this week: couples assigned to areas outside of Central London + companionships assigned to the Hyde Park area. Because we are now able to do all of the office work, this frees up the office elders to spend several hours proselyting. They have also been busy doing what I call a "clean and sort" -- cleaning the storage area in the basement which 'houses' Books of Mormon in all languages, mission supplies, pass-along cards, office supplies, dvds, etc.; they've also done some tidying up around the office itself, and they have organized cupboard contents and cleaned up the filing cabinets--these are great workers! The AP's have been gone 3 out of the 5 days on 'workovers', where they split up, each taking a new companion from the zone and spending time training and teaching the new comp in his own area. The APs really take their responsibilities seriously--it is sacred to them: it shows in how they speak, and stand, and how they use their time and how they treat those in their charge. They are also thoughtful of others, and this time it was with us that they bestowed a treat: I found a case of A&W root beer on my desk! They knew we couldn't buy it here, and that we like it, and so while they were traveling close to the air force PX they stopped and picked up this gift for us! What a nice surprise--it felt just like Christmas! Elder Monk said it was a thank you for all our hard work!

On Saturday we did the usual: laundry, cleaning the flat, grocery shopping, and then, perhaps surprising even ourselves a bit, set out to see the Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. We took the Tube both ways. We wore ourselves out with walking and climbing flights of stairs, but it was worth it. What a fascinating place with history beginning with the Romans as early as 200 A.D. There were two areas inside the Tower's 18 acres where the early ruins have been excavated.

First we walked over and back across the Tower Bridge, enjoying being outside in the warm weather and admiring the views of the River Thames traffic and the Thames Festival on Potter's Green. The Tower Bridge is a functioning drawbridge that offers quite a view of the Tower of London -- which is not just one single stone tower but a complex of buildings that has a variety of architectural styles within its walls added during its centuries-long development. Its uses and purposes have varied from royal housing to fortress to museum & tourist attraction to current home of the Crown Jewels [at least some of them]. It is most famous for its "invited guests": Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, and the teenaged "eight-day queen, Lady Jane Grey, who were each be-headed there on the "Green" in front of the Queens' House, now the home of the Governor of the Tower. Contrary to popular myth and legend, and more than a few movies, royalty and the privileged enjoyed the comforts and riches of comfortable apartments. The three queens were no exception. Anne Boleyn's case, she came to the Tower through St. Thomas' Gate for her coronation, and returned 3 years later to stay in the same elegant apartment before being beheaded by a 'specially requested' executioner who used a sword instead of an ax which was supposed to, befitting her station in life, make her death 'easier.' The three queens were buried in the fortress's chapel. Other "invited guests" like William Penn, and Sir Walter Raleigh also 'enjoyed' comfortable housing, and Sir Walter Raleigh stayed there three times for such extended periods that he had his own vegetable garden!

We enjoyed our time there, and think we may return to see the parts of the fortress we didn't have time to see. We even saw a bride, groom, & wedding party after their marriage in the aforementioned chapel, complete with yeomen warders & bagpipist. This coming week promises to be equally varied and full of tasks we do enjoy doing, as well as a few challenges in working with the ever-changing [or being updated] iMOS. Sister Hawley will also create her first mission newsletter, Truth Will Prevail. She'll include the president's message, birthdays and baptism, spiritual thoughts and scriptures, photos & short bio on the new missionaries, and 'parting words' from those missionaries who have completed their missions and returned home. Each day is so busy that the hours fly by. What a wonderful and choice blessing this mission is proving to be! It looks like we will fill up our Saturdays as well: next Saturday we are taking a tour with 2 other couples to see parts of Buckingham Palace, the royal art collection & 19 rooms including the state dining room, and the Royal Mews, which is a functioning stable and garage for horses, royal carriages and motorized vehicles in use today by the current royal family. The following Saturday we will take a day-long bus ride south to Surrey to attend sessions at the London Temple, a dream-come-true for Sister Hawley, and a longed-for experience for both E/S H. We have missed attending the temple each week and look forward especially to attending a temple again and partaking of the Spirit there.