NEWS of the PAST WEEK

 Victoria Train Station

Westminister Train Station--Note the New Enclosed Tracks

We have been foot-loose and fancy-free to come and go as we please this week without responsibilities at the mission office.  If there is a problem the young missionaries call us on our mobile phones and we can problem-solve that way.  On  Monday, 22 November, Elder Hawley had a cold so we stayed home and cleaned the flat and started the clean-sort-pack-up process for returning to Utah. Tuesday we rode the train about 50 miles southeast of London to the town of Hever near Edenbridge and then took a taxi for 4 miles to Hever Castle . . . and, much to our dismay found that the place was only open Wednesdays through Sundays.  We had the taxi driver return us to Edenbridge Town where we had a lunch of parsnip soup and homemade bread in a pub there; we also spent a few minutes in an antique store which had some very nice but pricey old antiques.  It was interesting.  We returned to our London flat by about 6:00 p.m.

Aerial View, Hever Castle and Grounds, Moat and Lake, Maze and Gardens

Elder Hawley outside Gatehouse Entrance to Hever Castle

On Wednesday, 23 November, we decided to return to Hever instead of going to the London Temple as planned since Elder Hawley would have given everyone in the Temple a good dose of cold germs.  We arrived at Edenbridge, again took the taxi to Hever and spent the next three hours going through the castle and grounds.  It was very cold outside, but the sky was blue and clear and we had a good time.  The castle has a moat and drawbridge and was completely refurbished in the early 20th century by the weathy American, William Waldorf Astor, who modernized some portions and restored others, and he included in his renovations the addition of a Tudor-styled village added next to the castle, complete with its own very large lake.  This was used for servant and guest accommodation.   The castle was originally a medievil defensive castle built in 1270 and grew larger in size in the 15th century through the building efforts of a family named Hever.  The castle has passed through several families, but the most famous was the Bullen family of Anne Boleyn.  This was her childhood home.  Anne Bullen changed the spelling and the pronouciation of her last name after living for several years in France.  When she married Henry VIII the castle became his, and he visited there occasionally.  Henry was displeased when Anne gave birth to another daughter [the future Elizabeth I], so charged were falsely made against her and Anne Boleyn was beheaded.  [Henry VIII's first daughter by his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, was Mary I, or Bloody Mary.]  Henry VIII next married Jane Seymour, who died after giving birth to the future Edward VI, Henry's only legitimate son.  He married the German Anne of Cleaves for political reasons, found her to be not pretty enough, but she was aminable to an easy divorce and Henry gave Hever Castle to Anne of Cleaves as part of the divorce settlement.    Hever Castle was owned by other families and over time fell into ruins, but was restored by William Astor.  It is richly decorated with such fine inlaid wood and fineries all about, but has very narrow circular stairways  paved in stone to get people from the first to the second floors, and then somewhat wider wooden stairs used to access the new-addition third floor.  We're not entirely sure how the larger pieces of furniture were brought into the castle!   It has 24 guest rooms and a large drawing room and library, and a comfortable study and "dog room" on the third floor. There is large lake with very fine gardens.  A very large and fine estate!  A beautiful place in a lovely setting.

Hever Castle

Sister Hawley beneath the Porcullis

As with many manor houses, large estates, and castles, the property also includes its own church and attached graveyard.  Hever has St. Peters Church.

Choir Seats, Altar, Stained Glass Window of the Good Shepherd

As members of the Church we pray regularly, using quite often the prayerful request that we might have His spirit to be with us, and His protection throughout the day.  In Hever on Wednesday we had our prayers answered most impressively.  Sister Hawley went into the castle gift shop after our tour and purchased a small item, and left her wallet on the checkout countertop unknowingly.  When we had taken the taxi ride back to the train station Elder Hawley needed one more pound to pay the driver for our ride.  He didn't have any change, so he asked Sister Hawley for the pound.  Now, Sister Hawley carries pound coins just for the times when we might take a taxi ride.  When she went to find her wallet she discovered it was missing.  The very kind taxi driver turned right around and drove us back to the castle, which was closed by that time, and he got the gatekeeper to open the gates and let us in.  The taxi driver also got permission to drive us down the hill [a long walk] back to the gift shop, where after identifying its contents Sister Hawley's wallet was returned to her.  This was one of those seemingly small incidents where our faith was strengthened and enhanced.  We don't realize strongly enough how much we are watched over and helped.  We met three kind people that day, going the extra mile.  How many helped us from their positions on the "other side of the veil?"

Edenbridge Town Station, where Sister Hawley's wallet was discovered missing.  

Had she lost it, all monies, credit cards and ID would have been lost as well.

What a great blessing to get her wallet found and returned to her!

We returned by taxi to Edenbridge after after eating a pizza [our first in England] and homemade tomato bisque soup at the King Henry VIII Pub just outside of the castle gate- house.  [See photographs below.]  We rode the train to Hurst Green and changed trains for Lingfield, where we dropped off some books we were donating to the library in the Lingfield train station,  and then we caught the train to London via Waterloo Station, and and from there caught the District Line (tube) back to Earls Court,  where we left the station and caught the #328 bus to our flat, and got home about 6:45 PM.  It was cold this week, close to freezing, and we were tired and ready to be in a warmer place.

Hurst Green Station

Henry VIII Pub, Hever

Sister Hawley in the Henry VIII Pub

Pizza, Tomato Soup and Bread, and, as with every meal anywhere in England, 

always served with the puzzling addition of "rocket lettuse" or "leaves"

On Thursday, we went to Victoria Train Station and caught the train to Winchester, south and west of London about a one-hour train ride.   We toured the Winchester Cathedral [as in the Beatles' song of the same name], and the Christmas village they had set up on the cathedral grounds.  This cathedral was begun by the Saxons in 700 AD; it was remodeled by the Normans after 1000 AD.  Wincester Cathedral was built in the shape of a cross.

Aerial View, Wincester Cathedral

The Great Screen [possibly carved out of an ivory-type material], and Altar beyond the Quire

Gothic Arches of the Nave

Columns, Arches, Stained Glass Windows, Marble Crypt

Marble Monument to Virtues, South Transcript

Norman Archways show different and earlier architectural styles, South Transcript

Quire, looking West through Nave

The Nave to the Quire 

The 12th Century Tournal marble font depicting scenes from the life of St. Nicholas, patron saint of children; St. Nicolas was a pawnbroker originally, 

and now has become "Santa Claus"

Marble Crypt

West Window--Destroyed by Parliamentary troups during the English Civil War, and rebuilt in 1660 using saved shattered glass pieces found around the Cathedral

Exterior, Wincester Cathedral across the Close

Then a major addition of the main towers was under taken in the 1300's.  It is a large and wonderfully decorated and carved church, but with little of Christ and religion, just mostly tradition and monuments to the rich.  Incidently, the author Jane Austin is buried here . . . remember "Pride and Prejudice", "Emma", "Sense and Sensibility", to name a few of the books so well written by her.  We got home about 7:30  p.m. from another train, tube and bus ride.

Brass Plaque on Wall above Jane Austin's burial place in the Cathedral

Friday we had the Asstistants to the President bring the mission car to our flat and we loaded it with a desk, 2 chairs, 2 throw rugs, and assorted items we are donating to the mission for use by other missionaries.  They also got two pumkin pies from Sister Hawley.   Later we drove with them to the Costco store about one hour away at the request of the president so that we could stock up on mission supplies of paper and paper goods for the office.  Brother Hawley's Costco card has come to good use for the mission.  We certainly like the association with the missionaries. They are so pleasant to be around.  [It is one of the special things we will miss when we go home.]  Sister Hawley told the APs to "go shopping," and she treated them to the cost of the personal grocery items they chose to pick up.  We met Elder and Sister Harbrecht for dinner at an Argentinian steak house and visited.  They wanted to give us a send-off and were very generous in treating us to dinner when meals are $25 a plate for a 12- oz steak.  But it tasted very good and the company was congenial!

The APs and the Office Elders had some fun last week wearing Hogwarts' Houses Ties to celebrate the premier of the new Harry Potter movie.  Here's one photograph of the four elders:

 Elders Potts, Curgenven, Hatch and Katseanes

While we were at Costco, treating the APs to lunch, a couple came and sat down next to us, and the wife started up a conversation with Sister Hawley in which she inquired as to why we were living in England.  When Sister Hawley told her we were missionaries for the Mormon Church she replied, "I just knew you were missionaries.  You have a special look about you."

Then she related a story about when she and her husband had taken a cruise and she was helped by a Mormon senior sister missionary to work the computers on board the ship.  She commented on how she remembered this woman's kindness to her and equated it with the L.D.S. Church.  One never knows; one just always needs to represent the Church [and Jesus Christ] in the best way we know how.

Saturday was a rest day.  We did got to Portabello Road to the flea market to get a sugar shaker for Sister Harbrecht and another silver royal-carriage charm for Sister Little's charm bracelet--the original fell off her bracelet while the Little's were on the airplane home.  The Little's returned in October to Wellsville, Utah.  So those two little favors have been done.  We are used to doing everything for everyone as that is what the office missionaries seem to be asked to do a lot of. We are often the "go-for's".  Still, we enjoy being of service.  Things are winding down as we clean out our flat this week and move to a hotel for the final few days.  We skyped with Rob and Rachel's and John and Debbie's families Saturday until nearly 10:00 p.m.  London time--mid-after noon for them.

Rachel and Rob and their children have made a paper chain, not counting the days before Christmas, but instead counting down the days -- only 9 to go now -- until Nana and Grandpa come home from London!  Our hearts were really touched deeply when we were told this!

Love to all,  Elder and Sister Hawley