Special Friends

Today Adam Greenhalgh received the Melchizedek Priesthood and is on his way to prepare to serve a mission in a year. He is a strong, spiritual young man who will make a great missionary. He is here with his great parents, Graham and Angela who have become like family to us. Hope we can go through the temple when he goes through for the first time.

Young Women's Progressive Dinner

I brought the infamous chocolate chip cookies (of which I am becoming known for in southern Wales) as one of the desserts for the Young Women's progressive dinner on Wednesday night. They sang to me "Families Can Be Together" and gave me a treat with a lovely note. The song reminded them of my tears that I shed at the temple when we sang this song. These wonderful Young Women and their leaders have become my family away from home and I love them very much. They are the best!!!!!!!!!

Beautiful Hedge Flowers

All of the hedges are green now and they have a variety of flowers blooming at their base. It is breathtaking.

The Beautiful Countryside in the Spring

Everywhere you look now is a "picture postcard" view. It is just breathtaking!! All of the hedges are green now with a variety of flowers growing at their base. The yellow flowers are buttercups and the fields are covered with them in areas.

Special Associations

We completed several flat inspections this week and spent time with some of our favorite elders. In the upper left hand side are Elders Magpantay (from Germany but is Phillipino), Elder Wood (Zone Leader from Park City, Utah), Elder Heller (Zone Leader from Germany), and Elder Wang (from China ). We took the elders out to eat and Elder Wood ordered a special dessert because he goes home on this next transfer. He is the most dedicated, strong, amazing missionary and we will miss him tremendously!!!!! We gave the sisters a ride home from District Meeting and we went out to eat together to celebrate our 6 month mark and Sister Nemec's 6 month mark. Sister Nemec arrive in Birmingham the same day we did and we started our missions together. She has been in our district the entire 6 months and we are very impressed with the strength of her testimony. She is the only member in her family. She is from Croatia. Her companion is Sister Styles from Australia, who we are getting to know and love also. We will remember these associations forever!!

The beautiful London Temple

On May 22nd we had the privilege of going with the youth from our stake to do baptisms for the dead at the London Temple. It is an experience that we will never forget. As we greeted saints inside the temple, that we know and love here in Wales, we knew this would be what heaven would be like, as we find people there in heaven who have touched our lives for good here on earth. The peace and tranquillity found inside those sacred walls is what this world needs!!! We also met Brother Strader in the temple. He is from Mesa and he and his wife have just completed their mission here and are headed home next week. Elder Crandall served with Brother Strader in a bishopric in Safford and we worked with them in the Mesa Temple.

The London Temple Reflecting Pool

Here we are in front of the London Temple's reflecting pool. In the upper right is President Williams, who graciously took us around the grounds. President Williams went out of his way to make this a memorable experience for us. We will be eternally grateful for this experience. In the lower right are the Pomfrets and they are dear, dear friends who have been so very good to us.

The Beautiful London Temple Grounds

The London Temple grounds are breathtaking. As we walked the grounds, I felt an immense peace. The grounds are very large and we saw many families having a picnic together. If I lived close by, I would walk here often. Two of our young women are on the bench, Jennifer Harding and Lienna Pomfret. I don't know the young man but I believe he is from our stake. He seemed quite interested in our beautiful young women and rightfully so because they are exceptional!!

The Mansion House

Here is the Mansion House on the temple grounds. Our branch president, President Williams went to the MTC here when it was used for this purpose. It has also been used to house the temple president. It is beautiful.

In Front of the London Temple

As Elder Crandall and I stood in front of the London Temple, we felt we had come home. How we both love the temple and the peaceful feelings of love and happiness felt there. Thank you President Williams for making this possible for us!!!!!!!!!!! You are our HERO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Some adult leaders and "fans"

As we traveled to the London Temple we were accompanied by hundreds of fans going to Wembley Stadium in London where the football (soccer) championship games were being played. This can be compared to the NBA playoffs in the US only with English Football. Here are also pictures of Elder Crandall, Fred Peters (our wonderful neighbor), President Williams ( our amazing branch president who drove the entire way) and Sally (our Stake Camp Director). What a fun, fun day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On the way to the London Temple

Our Branch President rented a mini van and drove the youth to the London Temple. We were privileged to go to the temple with them and assist with the youth baptisms. We had so much fun. I had made several dozen cookies and they were all devoured!!!

Saying Goodbye is Hard to do

At Zone Conference this week we said goodbye to two more missionaries, Sister Kostagliola from Italy and Elder Newbury from Springville, Utah. We love them both and will miss their great contribution in building the church here in Wales.

Finding the Lost Sheep

We went to visit the Willet's farm and had a lovely visit with Joanne, her two beautiful daughters and her husband Simeon. They raise sheep and cattle and let us feed the lambs who had lost their mothers. This experience brought back such wonderful memories of my growing up years in Montana and how I did this very thing as a young girl. It also reminded me of how we must love and nourish those who are returning to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Primary Children at Play after Church on Sunday

Today is Sunday and we have completed church and the primary children went to play by the creek that runs right by the Bronwydd Hall hall we meet in. It is the hottest day so far this year ( in the 70's) and everyone had spring fever!!!! Aren't these children absolutely precious. How I love Primary and the eternal principles taught to the children there.

Sonia Picton, a dear friend

As we worked in the Milford Haven area we visited with a dear sister, Sonia Picton who has welcomed us with open arms. She is most fascinating to visit with and we so enjoyed the Sunday we shared with her in church.

Dear Sisters in Newcastle Emlyn

Sister Nemec and Sister Styles took us to the Newcastle Emlyn castle and area around it right after District Meeting this week. This area in the pictures is in the town where we have our district meetings and we have never taken time to enjoy the beauty here before. I really needed the spiritual uplift this spot gave me this day. There is certainly something about being in God's beautiful creations that brings peace to the soul.

The beautiful river near the Newcastle Emlyn Castle

I walked down to the river below the Newcastle Emlyn Castle with the sisters and enjoyed the peace and beauty of the spot. Don't you wonder about the people and their lives that carved those hearts of love so many years ago? Hope they are still in love!!! It was too steep for Elder Crandall to come down and be with us.

Carmarthen Castle

This is the gatehouse of the castle in Carmarthen. Not much remains of this castle but it dates back to 1100. Carmarthen was once the center of South West Wales in the 12th and 13th centuries and this castle had a series of attacks from England before Wales became subject to England. What you see here is right in one of the main shopping streets in Carmarthen, therefore we have not seen it before because we don't shop much.

Castle in Newcastle Emlyn

After district meeting this week, the sister missionaries and Elder Crandall and I went to see the ruins of the Newcastle Emlyn castle. The sisters in the pictures with us are Sister Styles from Australia and Sister Nemec from Croatia. We love these sisters and enjoyed a little free time with them.

Coastal Route to Llanelli

Here are pictures on the coastal route to Llanelli, our new area. Llanelli is made up of many little villages. When we broke the ward list down into villages, we found that we have members of the church that we will go and see in 25 different villages.

Llanelli Chapel

Here is a picture of the chapel in the ward we will be working in next in Llanelli. Yes they actually have a chapel!!! The first two locations we worked in meet in "Cold" rented centers. Do you think the way the sun is shining on us is a good sign? Hope so. We have met with their Bishopric and ward council this past week and at a social last night with them and love the people already!!!

An afternoon in Tenby with some favorite elders

Here we are with Elder Williams from Utah and Elder Mathews from Mesa, Az. in Tenby, picking them up at the bus station so we can go to Mandy and Brandon's home for FHE and a BBQ and spiritual message. The bus station is right by this beautiful shot of the ocean. The water was so blue that day and the wind was bitter cold with the sun being very bright as you can see from us squinting. We have been working closely with these two elders in the Milford Haven area and we have become a great team in activating the members there. We love them like they are family. They have made all of the difference in this branch
and we appreciate their devotion to their work and to the Lord!!!