Week of Aug 9-16

Another busy week trying to grasp the ways of this mission office. The elders are great and patient with us. We now know how to process new missionaries, and we have 22 more coming is two weeks. We turned in the monthly mileage report to the area office in Solihull, England. We are learning much more about finding and getting flats ready for missionaries, closing out old flats, paying the various charges and council taxes and keeping current with 58 different flats through out the mission. I think that we are settling in and things do not frighten us as much as at first, but there is much to learn and comprehend. Sister Hawley and Elder Hall are preparing for transfers in two weeks. For the second time in a row, transfers include over 20 going home and almost 20 arriving. I guess if we want to gain experience, this can be categorized under "trials by fire!" Two of the elders needed something this week -- one a referral that was lost and another a binder with all his important papers. Sister Hawley knew where both were, and both said delightedly, "Moms always know where everything can be found!"

This week was Zone Conference week. Every six weeks President Patch holds three days of Zone Conferences at three different ward buildings throughout the mission. The Zones correspond to the Stakes organized in the mission. The Watford Zone corresponds to the Watford Stake, the Hyde Park Zone to the Hyper Park Stake, the Ipswich Zone to the Ispwich Stake and so forth for about 8 or 9 stakes. The proselyting areas are set up by Wards. And a great deal of emphasis is placed on the working with the ward mission leaders and getting the members involved in the teaching and fellowshipping. The Church uses a Key Indicator system to tract progress with investigators. It is a good measure of missionary activity and diligence also. Last week 10 were baptized into the church. The month of July produced 19 baptisms. So the work is moving forward.

It was good to be with the Elders and Sisters and listen to the instruction and discussion of the work that we are to be doing, and how to improve. The President spent some considerable time about the baptism of Christ, why is was that He needed to be baptized, and the final conclusion is powerful and known to us all. Everyone on earth (and in the spirit world) must be baptized by authorized agents of the Lord in order to have full participation in the atonement. John 3:5. We are the agents who have the knowledge and the delegated authority for this people and we need to listen to the spirit to be led to those whom the Lord has prepared to hear His message.

I don't think is rained this week! Maybe a few drops, but the weather has been dry and in the 70's with some humidity in the 60 and 70 percent range. We are learning the bus routes and times better. I have been wearing a pedometer and we walk about 2.5 to 3 miles a day in our routine. I know I am tired when we get home about 6:30 or 7:00 PM. We are finding new foods, but one can get most of the things we find in the States, just under strange names and about twice as expensive and such dinky sizes. I don't think they have large packages of anything. The fruits and vegetables are good and plentiful. I bought "Cornwall Pasties," which are meat pies that can be eaten like a sandwich. Interesting!

You might be interested to know that each missionary pair has a cell phone assigned. I also noted that the mission bill for cell phones runs over 3,000 pounds per month, that's over $5500 per month. This is a great way to contact missionaries and for them to do missionary work. Technology is working here. We have our phone and just pick-up a charger for it to use at home, since before we could only charge it at the office. Portia got to call one set of elders Friday in Basildon to tell them that we'd received the referral of a family ! and that the father had a set baptism date, and that he wanted to find the missionaries and to take his family to church [tomorrow] AND that he wants the missionaries to teach his wife! Sounds golden to us!

We were told by most of the missionary couples that everyone falls down. The sidewalks are mostly of cement pavers, so there are a lot of seams and many uneven areas, as well as cobble stones and the like. Portia had her fall this week as we were going out for lunch and she turned her ankle on one of these very uneven areas and down she went. Fortunately, she was unhurt by the fall. Her clothes were not even soiled, she has no bruises or scrapes, but she does have a sprained ankle and is limping about and was in a good deal of pain. She is a good lady and is fareing quite well. We hope this heals real soon. We know that the Lord is looking out for us and it could have been so much worse. We iced it and got a cab to take us home. We do not need to fall anymore as we have now done it and can forego any more such events.

Elder Weibell, a missionary from Germany working in the mission office, had his birthday this week and we knew of a German Bakery on Old Brompton Road and brought him German Pretzels and Apple Strudel for his birthday. Missionaries are always hungery and eager to eat.

A new couple entered the mission on Tuesday. Brother and Sister Miles. It turns out she worked at the Utah Department of Health in the HR Department and I knew her quite well there. They are assigned as proselyting missionaries in Wembley just north west of London. They get a car and a phone, and need to find a place to live just as we did.

The people of London are very diverse. Many nationalities and languages. There are so many varieties of English being spoken; we need to listen very carefully to understand. Most people are polite and outwardly friendly. We are doing well and are still way out of our comfort zones. The gospel is true and wonderful.

Love, Elder Hawley

NEWS OF THE PAST WEEK

It’s been quite a full week at the ELM. The president was only there on Monday. He spent the other four days traveling throughout the mission. We doubt they ever get a full p-day themselves. The weather has continued to be warm and dry, with rain commencing Thursday night after a particularly humid afternoon. The rain continued well into the night; as a result, Friday was quite a pleasant and comfortable day, weather-wise. We are grateful for air conditioning in the main office; those in the Employment, Outreach and FHC offices come upstairs for a “breath of cool air.”

We continue with our training, and a few more things are falling into place and making sense to us. I don’t think we realized how many tasks there are for the office staff to do. We were promised that the Lord would help us to learn all that we are asked to do. Each day presents both challenges and blessings. We feel the age difference between us and the office elders, and yet we know we bring life experience, wisdom in business dealings, more attention to detail, and some maturity. We can match their hard work and willingness to learn. It is exciting to see them come back into the office after having a chance to teach the gospel to investigators. They are on a “spiritual high,” quite literally.

Much of Don’s training is concentrated into two areas, cars [mileage, maintenance, the occasional accident, and so forth]; and flats. There is a lot to learn, and much experience to gain. As President Hinckley used to remind us, it is a great responsibility to manage tithing and fast offering funds; we are as careful as we can be with the Church’s money, the Lord’s money. And we had no idea how generous the Church is to all the missionaries world-wide.

My duties include: keeping a current calendar, attending proselyting & administration meetings with the MP, APs, Elder Hawley, and office elders, keeping track of “moves” within the mission, checking/tracking transfers, arrivals and departures, maintaining records of missionaries as well as baptisms and referrals, updating the organizational roster, correspondence with parents, missionaries, stake presidents and bishops, preparing schedules for the president’s interviews with his missionaries in various locations throughout the mission, ordering supplies of all kinds, and making sure the president’s car is loaded with the supplies he takes with him to various mission locations. And this is just for “starters!” It’s all good, and our goal is to become so comfortable with all these tasks so as to do them accurately, quickly, and without difficulty.

Some things about England feel very comfortable and familiar. So much of our heritage comes from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. Other things are just fun! For example, if something is to be thrown away, we just “bin it!” So, a waste paper basket or garbage can is a “BIN.” We walk to the grocery store and bring our groceries home in a “trolley.” It’s not “right now” or as soon as you can, but “straightaway.” And don’t ask where the bathroom is! You’ll be shown a room with a sink and/or possibly the tub and shower. Ask for “the toilet”, possibly the lavatory, or the “W.C.” [which stands for the old-fashioned “water closet.”] Best yet: “Where’s the Loo?”

NEWS FLASH...NEWS FLASH...NEWS FLASH!!!

Mason Hawley, 8 lbs 4 oz, and 19", made his arrival at 4:22 a.m. MST. Mother Rachel and baby are doing fine. Dad Rob is catching some Zzzz's. Nana & Grandpa Hawley are THRILLED to welcome their 14th grandchild and 6th grandson. They send their hugs and all their love across the waters and the miles to the Rob & Rachel Hawley Family!

NEWS of the PAST WEEK

On Sunday, July 26th we attended our first church services in the Hyde Park Ward. We were welcomed warmly. The ratio of ward members and visitors is about 50-50. After church we were invited to lunch by Sharon Hintze, head of the Church's Family History Centres. The FHC is located in the basement of the Hyde Park Chapel. For the evening meal we were invited to dinner with two other missionary couples, the Little's [who are Outreach missionaries], and the Watt's [who are FHC missionaries]. Both meals were very nice and it feels good to get to know so many friendly people. The weather continues to be a combination of sun, clouds, and rain, so wherever we go I take a sweater or jacket and our umbrellas.

On Monday we began training with the two office elders, Elder Weibell, from Germany, and Elder Hall, from southern California. Both are so quick and are great multi-taskers. Our challenge comes when we are trying to translate their system into how we were trained at the MTC. Their method is 1/2 with iMOS [Internet Mission Office Systems] and 1/2 "whatever works at the time!" and these two elders are agile at doing both quickly and on time. Elder Hawley and I are feeling that multi-tasking must be a gift to the young! What needs to be accomplished at the office is not difficult; it's just learning the whys and whens and wherefores of what is needed and how to get the info required to do the job. Once we learn these things, we will be fine.

We finalized details on our London flat this week, and it took most of the week to do what is required here, but it is all done now and we moved out of Citidine's Apart-hotel and into our "Huntsmore House" flat Friday afternoon. Our son said that this address was apropos for us as missionaries, and we agree. The Little's discovered that there was a flat available in their building. They emailed us about it before we left home, and we liked what we saw and it fit our budget and our travel requirements, but we didn't want to commit w/o seeing the flat for ourselves. When we arrived we learned that there was already an offer on the flat, so we thought we'd missed our chance. However, a few days later the estate agent called us to tell us that the offer had fallen through and that the flat was again available. We went to see it and immediately made an offer. Hands of the Lord in our lives? We think so! We are now unpacked and have made a couple of trips to the very-handy, around-the-corner large grocery store named Tesco's. We are unpacked, but are still trying to get settled. We are learning to think in centigrade [for the oven], to light burners with matches, to use a toilet with a wall lever, and the shower with knobs for the tub water and a dial inserted in the tile for the stretchable shower head. We're also learning a new foot and bus route to/from the office, and are trying not to get lost! Every day continues to be an adventure, but a fun and quite interesting one! I love all the old architecture. There is still a lot of evidence of damage to streets and buildings from WW II.

The favorite English word amongst the elders is "BRILLIANT!" And evidently, according to a fellow at church today, the word "AWESOME" is totally American! Whatever! We think it's both Brilliant & Awesome here! We find ourselves laughing at something, or at ourselves, and it's all good! What a blessing to come here together, and do this all hand in hand with each other and with the Lord. We also appreciate the support and backing of family and friends.

During the week at the office we have two meetings: AP/Mission President meetings on Monday mornings, and administrative meetings "as needed" [or at least once a month on the last Friday]. The APs attend and set the agenda for the Monday meeting, with the Mission President, the president's wife, the office elders. On Fridays it's just the six of us w/o the APs. We will attend the Hyde Park Zone Conference as it is held in our building, but we will most likely not attend zone conferences in other districts or zones. There is much to learn! We have official titles now: Don is the Financial Secretary and I am the Administrative Assistant. Don will have meetings with the MP regarding financial matters. I will assist Sister Patch with meals and snacks for the missionaries when they come for training and transfers. The next transfers occur in 4 weeks. Right now we are juggling desks and computers. In a few weeks, once we are trained, the office elders will spend part of their days proselyting, which they are longing to do. Please pray for us to be well trained in a timely way so that they will be able to go out and teach!

The APs told of an interesting experience they had this week: they had reached a slow point, so they looked for ways to challenge themselves and to try something new. They went to the closest hospital, explained who they were & what their purpose was, and requested to be put on the list as religious advisors to any patient or patron at the hospital who might be in need of someone to receive spiritual comfort or guidance from. The first person they spoke to didn't quite know what to do with them, so he took them to see someone else, and this second person asked, "Are you Mormons?" They acknowledged that they were, and he went in search of the "reverend" on staff there. The religious leader soon joined them and he was in his official clothing for his position. He too asked them, "Are you Mormons?" They again introduced themselves and explained their purpose. He said that he didn't know much about the Church but that he would like to know more, and could he come and visit with them! So an appointment was made for this coming Wednesday, when the Reverend will come to the Hyde Park Chapel to "hear more." The Lord works in "mysterious ways" -- so true! We just need to do our part and watch the Master at work!

NEWS of the PAST WEEK

We arrived in London after a 3-hour American Airlines flight to Chicago, a 2-hour layover, and then an 8–hour flight on British Airways to London’s Heathrow Airport. Everything went well and we did get a few hours’ sleep, even sitting in airline chairs. Customs was a breeze—no one asked to check our luggage. After collecting all our suitcases and putting everything on two carts, we wheeled them into the customs area and followed the arrows into a large room where customs personal should have been, but no one was there, so we followed the lines out the door to the waiting Mission President and his wife and two elders. I like that type of customs’ check! We loaded into two vehicles and headed for our hotel. Strange that everyone is driving on the wrong side of the road and we have yet to see an accident: Small tight roads filled with medium to small cars, all with horns ready for use, many roundabouts, and red and green traffic lights differently placed and large red, double-decker buses packed into the two narrow traffic lanes amidst the many black taxi cabs. London is a busy place. Some say over 10 million people in the summer months. With many, many nationalities and languages and different dressing styles but mostly western European attire. Not too different from the States. We went to our hotel, the Best Western Cromwell, located on Cromwell Road & specifically chosen for its near proximity to the Hyde Park Chapel [and ELM office], squired by the two nice missionaries, and found they had no record of our reservations, and we could not locate the reservation number. We’d made our reservations 3 weeks previous to our departure. So we spent most of the rest of the day working out of the mission office finding accommodations sufficient until we could locate an apartment (flat). We got a lot of help from Sister Naugle, who is American, living in London with her husband, who is employed by Shell. We were blessed to find accommodations in an apartment-hotel that lets rooms by the week. It’s named Citidines Apart’hotel. Luckily they had room as it is summer holiday time in England, with the schools just letting out for the summer at the first of July, and London is bulging with tourists. [Helping Hands] It is a small room with a kitchenette and we are doing all right for now, tight and cozy, about 300 square feet, but with bathroom, shower-over-tub, small (barely working) refrigerator, microwave, and a small table-top dishwasher (common in Europe), as yet unused. The kitchenette cupboards and drawers have enough dishes, glasses, bowls & silverware for 4 people, with the common-everywhere corkscrew [also unused]. We walk about 4-5 London blocks [there’s another word for “blocks”, as block means something else here], and we carry our groceries back to the room. All pedestrians must look both ways and be very careful in trying to safely cross the streets. We are learning to look the “wrong” way first! The mission office is on the 3rd floor (considered the 2nd floor in England) and very nice: cluttered on the desk/countertops but roomy, with four work stations + computers, supply/copy machine room, and all attached to the Mission President’s private office. There are large windows on the east side letting in lots of light, for which we are grateful. It also has AC. When we arrived Tuesday afternoon, new senior companions were being trained for the 20 new missionaries who were to arrive on Wednesday, July 22nd. So we did not interview with the president and learn our assignment directly. Everyone is treating us very well and like we know what we are doing, and of course we do not, but play right along and try to learn fast. Elder Weibel (young Elder from Germany, speaks excellent English, pronounced Vibel), who is currently financial secretary, let us have his cell phone for use in finding a flat and keeping in touch. Every missionary pair and missionary couple have a cell phone. This allows the President and staff access to everyone and it is a great help in administering the work. We will be given two cell phones, one for each of us. Elder Hall, with whom we have been corresponding via email, is the office elder who will be doing most of the training to bring us up-to-speed. We start our training Monday morning. We have about 5 1⁄2 weeks’ time in which to learn all that he and Elder Weibel know, because at that future point is the next transfers’ date. The elders currently are trying to bring everything up-to-the-present, so we can start with a clean slate. Sister Hawley will be bringing them cookies or some other treat, for sure. After five days, we have paid bus passes, sore feet and legs from all the walking, but have made an offer on a flat some ten blocks from the mission office. [Sister Hawley loved seeing all of the different flats for let.] Brother and Sister Watts, whom we have not met, & who are serving a family history mission, live nearby, and Brother & Sister Little live in the same building. The Little’s are the ones who told us first about the availability of this flat via email before we left; Brother Little went into the flat & took photos & sent them to us. We didn’t want to commit online without seeing the flat first in person, so when we arrived there was already another offer in the estate agent’s hands. However, the people who offered didn’t pass the credit check, so the agent called us back and told us it was again available. We immediately set an appointment to view the flat and made an offer within the hour. We are waiting for our offer to be approved. [More Helping Hands!] David & Denece Little are from Cache Valley and are serving a CES Outreach Mission to the LDS young adults in the area. They also work in the Hyde Park Chapel building. They are nice and we will live on the fifth floor (with a lift—an elevator in the U.S.) and they are on the first or ground floor in the same large apartment complex called Huntsmore House. As expected, things are a bit pricey as this approximately 800 square foot apartment+ monthly expenses will run about $3200 per month [with utilities, internet/cable/telephone & council tax], but the Lord will provide, if we are faithful and do our part. We will have about a 10-minute bus ride and four or five-block walk to get to the office. The bus route home has the buses stopping right in front of our building. The Little’s like this schedule especially well. Their hours during the week start at 3:30 p.m. and last until 10:30 p.m., so they arrive home at about 11:00 p.m. We plan to try a couple of bus rides to gain a bit of experience with the routes and the stops. We met with President Patch on Thursday mid-morning and he shared with us his vision of the work and what he sees us doing in the office. However, we are, seemingly, given carte blanche to set our hours and come and go as needed. Our job will be to get trained so the missionaries can get back out into the field, and, thereafter, we will run the office and get the work done as we see fit. If we need a nap, we are to take it, so says the President! Saturday is our P-Day. President is not worried if we choose not to come to the office until 10 a.m.; the missionaries are studying and preparing until 10 a.m. anyway. Then we will work until about 5 p.m. Once we receive keys to the office, and are fully trained, we want to come in earlier and see if we can tidy things up a bit, and have the office well organized. For now we are assigned the Hyde Park Ward, a family ward that meets at 9 a.m. We’ll attend there for the first time on Sunday, July 26th. There are two other wards in the building as well as the ward/stake offices. Also in the building is the Family History Center, the LDS Employment Center, and the Center for Young Adults [CES Outreach program]. There is a porter in this building who commutes from southern England. The President and his wife both have tried to look out for us and want to make sure we are okay and not being swamped in the newness of everything, jet-lag, and this transition. The mission couples meet at each other’s flats every other Monday night for FHE, and do some outings together. In August we will have a picnic in the park before seeing an outdoor production of “Hello, Dolly!” [This week after leaving the office we took sandwiches – Elder Hawley is happy ‘cause there is a SUBWAY close by! – and we ate them in the green-space east of the Natural History Museum, a beautifully designed and constructed building that looks to have been a large residence with possibility of a mote around the property. On another p-day we plan to go through this and other nearby museums, all free to the public. We were lucky to arrive just as a couple was vacating a bench in the shade. Then two women came up to us and introduced themselves as members of the Church from the London South area. On the same day we had a woman from Scotland also introduce herself to us on the street—she works in the FHC. Wonderful! So open and friendly!] [Photo] We searched for flats using three or four different agents. We have walked and walked, fit into tiny little cars, and have climbed up and down many, many stairs. After seeing about ten or twelve properties and making offers on three, we finally settled on the property on Pembroke Road. We should know by Tuesday if we clear the references and financial check. It is good the Church will be the guarantor, so all should work out similarly to the Little’s who “passed muster” just three weeks ago (they are recent additions to the mission also). We have met the Scott’s & the Innskeep’s, who both work in the FHC. Sharon Hintze [Hinsee] supervises this and other FH centers around the world. Carol Ann Naugle manages the Employment staff/office. Each helps “their” own missionaries find flats, and both have generously offered advice well-earned from experience; Sister Hintze has lived here for about 25 years & she travels a lot for her job; and sister Naugle has lived here 4 1⁄2 years, since her husband’s work transfer. Her husband is the bishop of the Hyde Park Ward that we will attend. Other missionaries, most recently returned home, have also helped us along the way! [Many HH’s!] It’s made our move and transition much easier. The humidity is about 75%. The temperatures are in the low 70’s each day and it does rain: little rains, some cloudbursts, followed by sun and more clouds and rain again for ten to twenty minutes, but it is acceptable if you have an umbrella--umbrellas are an essential piece of equipment any time you are out. Umbrellas are in store windows and can be purchased everywhere. The nights get into the high 50’s and 60’s, which is very pleasant, and comfortable for sleeping. There is much evidence of French influence here in London. Signs and directions are printed in English and in French. French restaurants are popular, as are Italian, Thai, and Indian restaurants. The breads are varied and delicious, also the fruits & vegetables, especially when purchased at small corner markets or bakeries on the streets. We have easily found places to get our clothes cleaned, our hair cut, and our money changed – for example: $250 nets you 140+ #s; the poor economy affects everyone everywhere. Purchases we make cost 1 1⁄2-2 times as much as in U.S. dollars. Each dollar is worth about .60 pounds. We are slowly getting used to the difference in money; credit cards make purchases easier in this regard. We plan to finish the flat-letting process, sign the contract and move into the flat on Friday, July 31st, which is less than a week away. Once we get our flat, we are told we will receive a utility bill, which is important because it shows proof of residency & will enable us to get a bank account here, plus get us registered for council tax, the free [because we’re over 60] bus/tube passes, and the National Health Care services [all free]. Elder Hall will train Sister Hawley on referrals, general mission correspondence, transfers, new missionaries, travel arrangements, newsletter, general record keeping & filing, etc. Elder Hawley will train on housing, vehicles & supplies with Elder Hall, and later on finance with Elder Weibel. Transfers occur every 6 weeks, so we anticipate having a training time with the two elders for another 5+ weeks as we need it, and then they will probably be reassigned. Elders Hall & Weibel will help us move. We have 3 boxes shipped to the office, plus our luggage and personal bags and computers. They are young and strong and energetic and helpful, kind, polite, smart—great missionaries and we are so happy and [relieved!] to have their help!!! [HHs X 2+] Flat buildings here, if large enough with enough tenants, have “porters” who provide security and services, such as collecting the mail [packages, too], receiving messages, being there to receive cleaning, providing spare keys, etc.. Mail is delivered right to the tenants’ door and pushed through the slots in each door. Inside most flats is a security phone with a video screen for checking visitors that hangs on the wall in the entry/hallway of each flat. Huntsmore House has an interior garden space that is a very pleasant. Our flat has a long balcony outside the bedroom/kitchen/reception [living room] on the west side of the flat. We have asked the landlord/owner if another couch could be added to the furniture so that we can seat more people, and this evidently is not a problem, so we’ll have more seating. We want to move in soonest so we can feel more settled here and so we can live with a few of our own things around us and make our own new schedule and routine. We have been lead by the Lord many times and know what we are doing is important to the Lord’s work. We see multitudes of people and wonder about their welfare, especially their spiritual welfare. Most are friendly and kind, but look strangely at our nametags and wonder what we are doing. We would feel out of place without those wonderful nametags—we draw strength from them as they are a symbol that we have been called by the Lord into His service full time. We are feeling out of our comfort zone, but we are happy nevertheless! We both got naps Saturday, which helped; we have been so excited about this ADVENTURE that we haven’t realized that we were more tired than usual. We are most grateful for all the ways we see [and those we don’t yet] the Hands of the Lord in this calling and in helping us prepare, travel, and begin. More DPH Mission News next week! Love, E/S Hawley, from the ELM.

Two Weeks at the Provo Missionary Training Center

We thoroughly enjoyed our two weeks at the Provo MTC. The first week was dedicated to teaching us from/by PREACH MY GOSPEL. We [me, especially] feel more informed and qualified as to what to teach and how to teach, should we be given opportunities to do so. [We know that we will be assigned to attend a ward or branch other than the one that meets at the Hyde Park Chapel, where the office is. Hopefully we can be helpful in supporting a new branch get started.] It was a bit "intensive, all done within the 4 days after our checkin Monday. Very uplifting, of course. This past Monday we started our office training. First we got a review of Microsoft Office, esp. WORD and Excel. They used the 2007 version, and we both liked it, so we purchased "home" or "student" copies for both Mac and PC. Then we had 3 days of training on MOS / iMOS. This was fun, although by the end of Thursday we were wondering if our brains could hold any more! iMOS stands for Internet Mission Office System. We can login to it from home. Don and I received separate training -- he got finances, housing, and vehicles. I got transfers, baptisms, referrals, the newsletters, and general correspondance. Don will have to have access to a car, plus he'll be going to district and possible zone meetings. I am the mission secretary, so will "hold down the fort" during the hours that the mission office needs to be open. We are also "support" for the missionaries, and perhaps a good source for COOKIES!

Transfer days might be opportune days to bring treats for the missionaries. I guess I may also be called on to teach them to cook AND how to clean/keep house! [After some shared "horror stories" re wrecked apartments, I'm glad I taught our kids how to clean and cook!]

Don put together a list of all the names and home towns of our MTC group couples, and added their email addresses and their mission destinations. I took photos of each couple & then added them to Don's list. We were able to email these "picture pages" to each, making it quite easy for everyone to get a copy of the set of four pages. Then we can keep in touch with each other. Our group split last Friday when some left for their mission destinations. Others went for additional training specific to their calls, and about 6 couples went with us for office training. We had some patient, personable and well-versed-in-computers young teachers. We enjoyed them and appreciated their patience with us. At first we were given an overview of Microsoft Office 2007. We'd been using Office 2003, and like the new 2007 so much we went and bought "home" or "student" copies for both Mac and PC. Then we received an overview/review of EXCEL and WORD. It was easy for Don and I, plus it helps to have done some work on PAF beforehand, and just to be comfortable with the computer. Two couples had their calls changed so they won't use the office training, at least right away, but they took it anyway.

For the rest of the week we studied MOS / iMOS -- Internet Mission Office System. We had some joint training and then separate training sessions in different rooms for whichever responsibilities we are assigned [see above]. It was fun, and the week went by fast. We enjoyed our group very much, and each added an element that made the training fun and interesting. We had couples going to various missions in the U.S., to Guatamala and Scotland and the Phillipines and Germany and Ghana and South Africa, as well as us to England. One couple were on their fourth mission! We have such respect for each of these wonderful people! And our single sister is going to work at Church Headquarters in the . . . Missionary Department! One couple is going to Nauvoo Visitors' Center and another to Temple Square. What amazing experiences we all will have! How grateful we are that the Lord has such faith in us!

On Friday our son Rob, his wife Rachel, and their three children [Tanner, McKenna, Emma] took us to Mimi's for a farewell breakfast. It was lots of fun, and I love those "hugs and loves for Nana!" Rachel is so close to having their new baby -- we will miss the big event, and so we'll be eagerly awaiting a telephone call soonest! Jason called yesterday and we had a good, long, fun talk. He said he remembers the treats we sent him when he was on his mission to Paris, and he plans on sending us a goodie box in return. Debbie is coming tomorrow morning to take us to the airport. Sadly, we cannot get her four children [Cam, Linz, Jake, Maddie] in the car with us and ALL our luggage! [We have 8 bags between us: 2 carryons each + 4 larger suitcases that we will check! It's not easy to leave home!] I wanted to see them again and have them come with us to the airport! We will SKYPE them and Jeff & Evelyn and Julianne & Seth tonight.

Tomorrow we fly from Salt Lake to Chicago on American Airlines. We have a 2-hour layover and then transfer to British Airways for a "red-eye" overnight flight to Heathrow, arriving Tuesday morning about 9 a.m. President Patch and probably his two AP's will meet us [and other incoming missionaries?]. Evidently there is a LOT of traffic and it could take hours for us to reach downtown London and our Best Western Cromwell Hotel. We are looking forward to talking with President Patch, to see how we can begin getting acquainted at the office with what needs to be done, and his preferences, and also plan time to find us a flat and do whatever else we need to -- register for council tax [residents' fees pay for the "free" health care system this way], open a bank account, sign up for free bus and tube passes, and purchase whatever furnishing aren't covered in this nebulous "fully furnished" tag that comes with so many flat adertizements.

Our goal is to find a flat that is equa-distant between the office and the grocery store. Whether we can find one we can afford in downtown London is another issue! We'd like to be able to walk to and from the office and get some exercise that way -- good for us in may ways, especially since we will spend a lot of days sitting at the computer. We also want to familiarize ourselves with the bus system, which in London is quite good. We are told there are all the things we'd want to be close to -- barbers and beauty salons, "chemists" [pharmacies], corner grocery stores, dry cleaners, book stores, restaurants, malls, theaters, wonderful museums [free!] and spectacular parks [St. James, Hyde Park], etc.. Buckingham Palace is only about 1/2 mile away from the office. It is open to the public only August and September each year, so we will try to see it on our P-Day. Already we are being welcomed into the couples' group, with an outing to see "Hello, Dolly" after a picnic in the park. Another 2 couples have invited us to dinner after our arrival and one of them has even found us a flat to check out in their building. We already feel welcomed and at home!

Week of July 6-12, 2009

"Therefore if ye have desires to serve the Lord ye are called to the work." [D&C 4:3]

Monday at the MTC was quiet. We drove through the unloading area up to the front door. We were the only car. A man came out and kindly gave us a parking pass and told us where to park. We felt like we were the only ones arriving, but that was not true as 38 couples and one senior sister are being trained this week, as well as 4000 young missionaries. At the beginning we attended an orientation [with very warm senior volunteers & enthusiastic young teachers!] anthen were directed on to "my purpose as a missionary": to bring souls to Christ through baptism and reception of the Holy Ghost. They waste little time getting us involved. We were assigned to be in District 3, and Don was asked to be the District Leader. We were encouraged to read PREACH MY GOSPEL [we had reading assignments each night] and to use it at any/all times, as it is inspired scripture. We were told to continue to read our scriptures and to learn about the people, culture and language[s] of our missions. Oh, yes! And "to remember to have a good time!" Our P-Day is Saturday for our 2 weeks at the MTC, and will probably also be Saturday in London. We were given all of the needed materials, schedules and pamphlets in a black binder with our names and missions on the cover. We have name tags, so we are official missionaries. We were met by Sister Rowe, one of Portia's friends at the temple who's also an MTC volunteer with her husband. The Rowe's were mission presidents in Leed's, England. Sister Rowe shared a sweet spiritual experience with us, a personal miracle, really. The Buchanan's were our "go-to" supervisors -- if we had any questions or problems they knew the right answers. Portia knows Sister Buchanan from the temple, and one of their sons [Eric] was on Seminary Council with our son Rob. We say over and over, "it's a small world in the Church," no matter where you are/live in the world. Another sister Portia recognized was Sister Read, the senior single sister missionary [widow] going to serve in the Missionary department at Church Headquarters in SLC. She also worked at the Mt. Timpanogas Temple.

Preach My Gospel is an amazing book! It certainly is inspired! So much truth concentrated into one book. It is fast becoming one of our best reference books and guidelines. Thank goodnes Don encouraged both of us to do some "preparatory studying!" We received encouragement in using PMG: Don't be concerned about doing all of the assignments [at the end of each chapter]. Gain a basic understanding of the basic gospel principles. PMG is designed to help us teach others. We can teach in the ways we are most comfortable, and at the speed and according to the circumstances and preferences of those we teach. Listen for how the Spirit will guide, suggest and lead us.

One of the early teachers was a Dr. Bruce Woolley, who spoke via a DVD recording. One thing he said stood out to us: "Our bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghost." [1 Cor 6:19.] Another thing he said was quite uplifting: "Who are the Righteous People? They are the people who simply try to do what is right each day."

Tuesday: We taught the first lesson on the need for prophets, the role of the Savior and His ministry, the Great Apostasy, the Restoration, and the Book of Mormon. [Acts 17:29; Moroni 10:3-5; John 3:16, James 1:5] Sister Hawley is a great missionary, but she is learning that for herself; she felt a little scared as did all of us missionary-trainees. One thing Portia found helpful were the times we went looking for scriptures that added support to our lesson plans. PMG gave her the "how-tos", the outlines and the ways to put teaching plans together. It was a fun challenge to find ways to introduce and insert gospel principles and commandments and definitions of terms that we LDS members use often but that investigators or less-actives or new members don't know. We taught a sister volunteer who role played the part of a friend of the Church. The MTC teachers keep asking or reminding us to not be shy, but to be bold [OYM: Open Your Mouth] and reach out to people to tell them of the restoration of the truth in our time. Elder Abrea of the First Quorum of the Seventy (Emeritus) and his wife spoke at a fireside in the evening. Some of the young missionaries [a huge group!] sang in the choir. After the fireside we rushed home to read the materials for Wednesday. The Spirit of the Lord is present in a very real way at the MTC. Every one is upbeat and positive. The teachers are great, and so are the senior couples. There are some real stories to tell about thier trials and yet they serve and do not let obstacles get in the way of missionary service. Many are leaving on their second or third [or more] missions.

Wednesday: We prepared and taught the second lession on the Plan of Salvation. D&C 14:7 -- "And, if you keep commandments and endure to the end, ye shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all gifts of God." This was perhaps the hardest day. We were tested, and tried to do our best, but things move so very fast and new situations come at one with little preparation time. We just jumped in and tried to do our best. The Plan of Salvation is so wonderful. We taught this older gentleman,, another volunteer posing as an investigator. He was kind to us and did not give us too many questions, and stayed "in character." We were happy it was a shorter day than Tuesday, ending about 5 PM. Portia said she was grateful for her husband's missionary and teaching experience, as it was a great help to her in seeing how to teach lessons.

We got ourselves meal tickets, and we are driving ourselves to the MTC each morning, having decided to sleep in our own bed at home during our MTC training. We are amazed at how fast they get all of the 3,000 to 4,000 missionaries fed at every meal. They have quite an efficient system. The food is good, just too many carbohydrates for us. So we are only doing lunch there for the rest of the week. BYU ice cream is available on Wednesdays!!! Young missionaries arrive and leave on Wednesdays and it is so organized here that hardly a ripple is felt as these changes take place.

Thursday: In the morning we received training by B/S Burns on strengthening new and less active Church members. They began their mission in Nigeria, then received an unexpected transfer to . . . Minnesota and Wisconsin! Quite the culture shock! They had much success in developing the methods they taught us, and they shared several personal experiences with much enthusiasm. We prepared and taught lessons for less-active or part-member families. In return, we took the role of a part-member family and were taught. Then we switched couples and reversed the roles where we did the teaching and they role-played. This is good to get us out of our comfort zones and it also builds some confidence that it is not too hard or too impossible to do. Fear and anxiety are always something most of use deal with in our lives. Confidence in the Lord and faith are essential to progression. We also received training on working with local Church leadership, and suggestions in working with many types and personalities and cultures. This training carried over into part of Friday, when we were taught by two senior sister missionaries who served the full 18 months in a "bush" town in Australia.

Friday: We prepared and taught Lesson 3, the Atonement of Jesus Christ and His role as Redeemer and Savior. We are so blessed by the Love of our Savior. This is the message all who are on the planet need to hear, that they may understand how He overcame "death and sin" and made it possible for us to gain eternal life through obedience, repentance, baptism by immersion [with the Gift of the Holy Ghost], and faithfulness. We taught this lesson to Brother and Sister Rollins, whom we have known for over thirty years. They wanted to do a lot of talking on a variety of gospel topics, and we had a hard time covering the teaching material we'd prepared. It was fun, but a little frustrating. [Usually the advice is that we should not be assigned volunteers who know us, but it was too late to make a change; we also saw Fred & Harriet Gummow, who waved at us through the classroom door window, & who are volunteers on Tuesdays, and on Friday we also saw Pres/Sister Tueller, former Church members in Portia's Walnut Creek Stake [Concord Ward], and one of Don's UCSF Dental School professors.]

Some other scriptures we found helpful and inspirational are: 1 Ne 10:17 [faith]; D&C 76:116 + 2 Ne 26:24 [love]; D&C 20:77-79 [obedience]; Mosiah 18:3 [desire that salvation should be preached to all]; D&C 64:34 [being willing]; D&C 138 [doctrine of salvation for the dead]; Ether 12:27 [strength thru humility]. One-liners: BE PREPARED TO BE A CHAMPION. // PREPARE TO BE INSPIRED OF GOD. // OPEN YOUR HEARTS TO BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT OF GOD. // YOUR WORK IS IN THIS WORK. // WITHOUT COMMITMENT THERE IS NO PROGRESSION. // FAMILIES CAN BE TOGETHER FOREVER. // Nelson Mandela: "YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD." // Maya Angelou: "I CAN BE CHANGED BY WHAT HAPPENS TO ME, BUT I REFUSE TO BE REDUCED BY IT." // WE ARE ON JESUS CHRIST'S ERRAND. //

On Friday about 4:15 p.m. we had a closing meeting and parted. Most of the couples are off to their "fields of labor." There are some, like us, who will spent another four days next week receiving training in an area for individual specialties. Ours is to prepare for mission office service. We will be taught computer basics, Word, Excel, the church [i]MOS system, about managing a fleet of vehicles, managing and finding apartments, and of course the financial part of keeping the mission running. Most of the record keeping is done electronically. We look forward to the challenge. Portia told our group that it was my 64th birthday and invited any who could to come by the house to help us celebrate. We ordered pizza and had four couples + Sister Read come. It was just the right amount of people -- we could visit with each one comfortably. We had a great time. Nice to find people who love the Lord and are willing to sacrifice and serve. They are just good people, willing and kind. We shared with each other how and why we decided to serve missions at this time in our lives. We ran into a young couple only 48 years old, who had a dream that they were going to lose their employment and go on a mission. Two months later he was laid off from a long-time job as an accountant and they are now on their way to Montevideo, Uraguay to serve as the Mission Office Couple in that mission. They should met Keith and Teri Wilson, who are Temple Missionaries there. And they are learning Spanish!! And we worry about our few problems!!! When they come home they will need to find employment and begin again. What dedication! But the Lord is kind and loving . . . enough to give use challenges that we might grow and learn to chose the good and right.

We are putting together a list with photographs for all the couples in our MTC group: each will get a list of couples' names, their home locations, email addresses, and a photo of the couples to help us put names with faces and remember [with all the rest that we want/need to remember this week!]. We plan to email this info to each couple.

We have sold both cars, but not the house at 176 East. I have a cold so we did not attend church today in hopes to get well enough to go to training on Monday. We have our challenges, and realized that the other couples have theirs, too. As we go forward we want to express our gratitude to the Lord and Heavenly Father for sustaining and supporting us in our preparations. We also are excited to discover, as we serve, the reasons for this call and its location -- we know that many blessings await us. Portia is great, awesome and wonderful, trying to do things to help me get better. She's now much more confident in teaching and trying new things. Good for her!!! We feel we are getting successful at team-teaching, and the how-tos of short, medium and long teaching opportunities. We know we will be busy in the office, and that we will also be assigned to a branch or ward outside the Hyde Park Chapel/London city area, which will broaden and expand our experiences there. We are still looking online for a flat that is close enough to the office and to the grocery store for convenience, and yet still within our budget, and not too small, and fully furnished, and with a council tax that is not too high! Thank goodness for all the wonderful people who are sharing their experience with us!

The Gospel is true!! How great is our God!! Our blessings are many! We are so grateful to be able to give back a small portion for all that we have and have been given. We love you, and pray for you, and ask for many "blessings upon your heads."

Elder & Sister Hawley