NEWS of the PAST WEEK

London's "rainy seasons" are not limited to winter months:  the weather report for the upcoming week brings us rain every day, and one day with "London fog."  We'll wait and see.  Clear days sometimes bring rain showers; reports of rain don't turn out to be true, and there are equal numbers of different types of weather to match the varieties of weather reports.  

The same is true for Elder and Sister Hawley's days in the ELM office:  some days that are supposed to be quiet bring multiple surprises; some planned-for busy days are quiet and slow.  Slow is a good word for us here:  we are given the time and opportunity to get ahead in our work, or extra time to complete an ongoing project, or even the pleasure of cleaning up "messes", organizing files, or "hunting for things to do" that usually reveals to us something very worthwhile.

Today is Fast Sunday, and we again are fasting for a senior couple who can afford to live in London and who are qualified to serve as office couple missionaries for the England London Mission.  In addition, we are fasting for a replacement couple for our friends, Elder David and Sister Denece Little, who are serving as Center For Young Adults missionaries and who will be released the end of October.  And thirdly, we are fasting and praying for a sister missionary, Sister Kristin Christensen, from Utah, a talented singer, who is having ear surgery to improve her hearing.  It is a special privilege to fast and pray for others.

We have written before about the variety of people who come to visit and/or attend the Hyde Park Ward.  Today we had Brother Spence Kinard and his wife visit London while on holiday here.

Tomorrow the mission president will finish his choices for MOVES, and Sister Hawley will be given the changes before noon to make online in iMOS.  Then Elder Hawley will make changes re finances based on the transfers in the new schedule.  Tuesday the president with conduct departing interviews with those missionaries going home.  On Wednesday about noon we will greet and orient the 8 new missionaries arriving in London from the Preston MTC.  And on Thursday 2 missionaries both from England] will be greeted and picked up by their families, while the other three newly released missionaries [all elders this time] will board their flights home to Marseille, France, New Zealand, and Scotland.

One of the challenges given to new and young elders and sisters by President Patch in the England London Mission is a 12-week study of the Atonement.  The challenge issued / offered by the mission president comes in three parts:

1.  Read and carefully study the material and scriptures on pages 51 and 52 of Preach My Gospel under the topic "The Atonement."  Discuss your thoughts, impressions and feelings daily with your companion in "Companion Study."

2.  In addition, prayerfully read, study and ponder each of the scriptural passages set forth in the red box [of PMG] titled "Helping Others Learn about Jesus Christ" on pages 47 and 48.  This will require that you read at least 3 pages of scripture each day.  Write your thoughts, insights and revelation received in your study journal.  Discuss your thoughts, impressions and feelings daily with your companion during Companion Study.

3.  Finally, on one page, write for yourself, in your own words, with a copy to the President, your personal understanding and new insights of the Atonement.  Please complete your study and submit your own page understanding to the President on the last day of the current "MOVES" period.

In large part because of seeing this challenge given to the younger missionaries, when it came time to find a Father's Day gift for Elder Hawley, Sister Hawley chose a book by an unknown-to-her author [Callister] on the Atonement. [See previous blog entries.] Studying the Atonement has broadened our minds, expanded our spirits, touched our hearts, and brought us closer to the Lord, to our Heavenly Father, and to each other.  

Here is a picture of one of our favorite sister missionaries, Sister Umurshadyan, from the State of Georgia in the Ukraine.  We got to know her well during her assignments in the Hyde Park/Britannia Ward assignments.  During a special part of each zone conference, missionaries due soon to depart/be released are given a few minutes to share some "departing words."  I was impressed by Sister U's spirit and with what she said, and some of it I've quoted below:

"As I have worked to the best of my ability I came to understand what was the best way to do it is stated in Mosiah 18:12.  Alma wanted to do the work with the holiness of heart and [with] the Spirit.  I grew to love feeling the Spirit, and to learn to listen to my Heavenly Father.  I did have times when I just wanted to go to our flat and take a nap, but I learned that if I focus on my leisure hour instead of my working hours I may be prevented from seeing much greater opportunities around me.  I learned that missionary work shouldn't be a job for me, but [should be] service [instead].

"Here is a story about attitude:  A traveler passed a stone qurry and saw three men working.  He asked each man what he was doing.  Each man's answer revealed a different attitude towards [doing] the same job.  The first man said, 'I'm cutting the stone.'  The second man replied, 'I am earning three gold pieces per day.'  The third man smiled and said, 'I'm helping to build a house of God.'

"Sometimes I did feel 'down.'  But I learned that if I am helpless, He is not; if I am lost, He is not.  If I didn't know what to do next, He knew.

"I would like to read a sentence from Elder Robertson's favorite chapter in Preach My Gospel on page 22:  'Ask yourself:  How should I change as a result of what I have learned?  Set Goals!'

"I learned to love The Book of Mormon as I read it over and over again, which I hadn't done before.  I learned that The Book of Mormon is not on trial . . . WE are.  

"And the list goes on forever . . . [of things I have learned on my mission....].  I am grateful to my Heavenly Father for this opportunity.  Here is a quote from President David O. McKay:  'Let us realize that the Privilege to Work is a Gift; that the Power to Work is a Blessing; [and] that Love of Work is Success.' "

Here is a photo of Sister Joan Groves, a senior sister missionary assigned to serve in the LDS Employment office.  She shared with Sister Hawley the story of how she went about applying to serve a mission.

"As I prepared for a mission, I desired to come to England.  I pondered and prayed as to whether I should indicate a preference.  After reading the story of the brother of Jared in the Book of Ether, I made my decision.  The brother of Jared, after building vessels to cross the sea, prayed to the Lord [so] that they might have light in the barges as they crossed the great waters.  And the Lord said, 'What do ye desire?'  The brother of Jared 'did molton out of rock 16 small stones' and asked the Lord to touch them and bring forth light.  I felt after reading this story, the Lord would listen to my desires.  I turned in my mission papers in the second week of November and received my call two weeks later.  Little did I know that the England London missionaries had been praying for three months for a single sister to fill the position in the Employment Centre and also to be a companion to Sister Linda Field [see below], the senior sister missionary called to be the Hyde Park Music Director.  [Sister Hawley can support these events, as she was involved in emails back and forth with the Senior Missionary Department in Salt Lake.]  Unless it was the will of the Lord, there would have been no place for me in England.  Of 650 missionaries in England, only six are single senior sister missionaries.  I am grateful for my call and feel I am here to do the Lord's work."

In Sister Groves' farewell talk in Sacrament Meeting from her home ward in Utah, she said:  "I am happy to share this podium with Ryan Anderson.  I have often said, 'I feel like an old car.'  It takes more upkeep to keep me going.'  If I were to write an ad, it would sound something like this:  


"For Ryan--Sleek new sports model with turbo engine...500 horsepower, loaded with extras, 6-speed automatic transmission, low miles, fuel efficient, delivers high performance, fully equipped with power-operated features, stylish body work, shock absorbers that automatically adjust to road conditions, good in snow, most technologically advanced vehicle on the planet, comes with lifetime warranty.


"For Me--Completely restored full-size auto with a few dents and scratches, has had recent paint job, comes with spare parts, inefficient parts have been removed, high mileage, whitewalls stained with varicose veins, 5-speed manual shift, headlights out of focus, needs additives to run smoothly, not dependable on slick roads, good for work, clean title, has passed inspection, no warranty.


"The one thing we have in common is our value, because I could be considered an antique and thus be just as valuable as a new model.  For the Lord does not look on the outward appearance, but into the heart.  He loves everyone.  With that in mind, I am willing to serve the Lord with all my might, mind, and strength."


What a wonderful attitude Sister Groves has.  And what she says is true.  The Lord is not concerned with outward looks, amount of money, position, perfection or prestege.  He loves all of His children, and will extend to all His mercy, love, light, peace, with special blessings to those who try to be obedient and faithful.  Some of us can serve out of the U.S.; others are called and able to serve in one of our 50 states.  Still others can serve from their homes in their home states.  There are calls and needs from all around the world for worthy and willing senior missionaries.  Elder and Sister Hawley are so grateful to the Lord for their opportunity and the multiplicity of blessings from service as senior missionaries.  The more we serve, the more the quality of our service improves.  And the more we serve, the more grateful we are.  We can never give back enough to equal the Lord's blessings, but we will spend our lives trying.  Our love and gratitude for our Savior grows commenserate with our efforts.  How blessed indeed we are.

One last P.S. story.  Several months ago a sister in our Hyde Park Ward came to Sister Hawley with a request:  She had just celebrated her 80th birthday in her homeland of Germany, and had been able to unite her whole family [non-members] for this wonderful celebration.  Upon her return she asked Sister Hawley to forward a referral to the missionaries in her German home town for them to call upon one of her nephews.  Sister Hawley didn't hear 'the rest of the story' until today, when this sister bore her testimony: in  sacrament meeting:  her nephew asked her for a copy of The Book of Mormon, the missionaries are teaching him, and baptism / membership in the Church is in his future.  The Lord is loving and merciful to us all.  We just have to do our part, and wait upon Him, and put ourselves, or our requests and/or concerns in His hands.  It is wonderful to watch Him work!