New, Old and Beautiful!!

District

Something happened to the writing when we posted this so here we go again. These are a few pictures we have taken as we have traveled around. We came across the tree as we drove through a farming area. The Castle walls are on the top of the hill in Abergavenny. The story is that it was built by the Welch to protect themselfs as the English tried to take over. The cars are the ones provided for us by the Mission. Sure they are, Ha Ha!!! The group picture is our district with President Ogden just before transfers. We lost four of our Elders. Sorry about the two pictures which are the same. My expertise showing. The group in green is the district after the football (Soccer) game at Mission Football Day.

Just in case you think that all we do is sight see let me tell you about a few of the people we are visiting.

Ann Cheshire: An older single woman. She has been a member for a long time. She was very active for many years but somehow has drifted away. We have visited her several times and she loves to have us come. We really believe we can do some good with her. She loves to serve us tea (non-caffiene) and crumpets when come.

Mathew Gregory: Only member of his family. He joined almost 2 years ago and was doing real well. Then he ran into something he has trouble accepting and stopped attending. We have visited with him and he wants to discuss the things with us. A very sharp guy.

Hope Early: A single mother with two children. The Elders were teaching her but decided they needed to back off so we took over. We have visited several times and she has had all of the first discussion. She has no background in religion so we will have to go slow. She did say the prayer on the food when she had us over for dinner. Very simple but nice prayer. It was very hard for her, but we were proud of her for doing it.

We have visited several others as well and have hopes to make head way with some of them.

Input from Sister Henry: I am making Christmas stockings for all the elders that we do flat inspections for. We usually take them a treat when we inspect their flats. I had a hard time finding Christmas fabric--especially anything very cute or novelty to it. Finally found some at a little shop that has teddy bears and snowmen on it. I am having fun making them. The mission home gave me a sewing machine to use when we got here (a nice one that works well) and it has been put to good use several times mending the elders pants, etc.

We had an interview with the Stake President Sunday and he is calling us to work with the Young Single Adults in the Stake. They have just opened a YSA Center in Cheltenham, which is about an hour from Hereford. We will go there one day a week and help them in any way we can. Just mentoring, advising, doing some cooking, and some music stuff, and teaching an occasional Institute class. We are excited and looking forward to this calling. Should be fun.

Sister Henry is of course playing the piano. She accompanied the women at Ward Conference Sunday. She will play for the Primary Program this Sunday and fills in for the ward Organist frequently. I have gone with the Elders to several appointments so we are staying busy.

Well that is enough for today. Tune in latter for the next exciting edition from Across the Pond.

Elder and Sister Henry

This was a combination of a good week and a wasted week. Thursday was District Meeting and we went to Worcester (pronounced Wor-ster). A good meeting and then Sister Henry fed them slopy Joes and Potato Salad. They loved it. I think they all ate 3 Joes and some ate 4. We returned home and I kept my foot up the rest of the day except that the Elders called and asked if I could go with them to teach a young single mother. That was a very choice experience. She is very ready if she will recognize it. The thing that got her interested was a comment about eternal life with our families. We did not teach a real organized lesson but kind of hopped around. But she has admitted that she felt something as we talked she just does not know how to recognize it.

Friday morning I decided I had better go to the Dr.. She immediately said I had an infection under the skin and gave me a prescription for an antibiotic. My leg immediately began to improve. Great.

Saturday we went to Cheltenham to look at a flat to move the Elders into. It did not work out so we will have to go back and look at others. I hope it does not take long. We took the Elders out to eat before we came back. We went to a Chinese Buffet and it was quite good. However I guess Sister Henry will have to give up Chinese. She has suffered with her Colon ever since. That evening we were invited to Hope's House(the Single Mother) for dinner. Another good visit. She committed to come to church on Sunday. So we picked her and her two children up and took them to church. Then Sunday evening we had her family and another single mother from the ward come over that evening and we had a discussion about her questions and showed her the film the restoration. She did very well but was pretty overwhelmed by all that was thrown at her that day. As long as she doesn't get scared and the Elders give her some organized discussions I think she will come.

Monday we had to do 4 flat inspections. We started at 8 AM in Worcester and then 9:30 in Evesham. They are in the North part of our Zone. We then went to the Southern part to Yates at 11:30 and finished up in Cinderford (Forest of Dean) at 1 PM. Since we were that far south we decided to go on to Lydney. This was an area I worked when I was out. With no address or or anything We did not see anything I recognized. We then went on to Cardiff to Costco, picked up a few things and then ate Dinner at TGI Friday. Almost felt like we were back home. We then drove home arriving at 8:30 PM. Full day. We saw a large Castle in Coleford. We did not get close on this trip but will go there soon.

So now it is Tuesday Morning with another full day planned. Cheerio Lads and Lasses. May God Bless

We have had a good week. We had a good FHE with a non-member, a less active and a recent convert and an active member. It was very good and they all enjoyed it and want to continue. We plan to have FHE at least once a week and try to get some of the less actives involved.

We had a Senior Couple's get-together Monday in Birmingham. We toured the Jaguar Factory. It was very interesting, but they wouldn't agree to give any free samples. We then went to dinner and then to the Mission Home where Pres. Ogden spoke to us about our responsibilities as senior missionaries. When he was called as a Mission Pres. he was told the three most important reponsibilities were first, his family; second, the missionaries; and third the inactives. Our responsibility is the same. He stressed that we need to really nurture and take care of the young elders so that they can go home and be good men in the church and good husbands and fathers. we have grown to love these elders. Some of them are struggling and homesick and we try to help them through it. They work hard. It is so hard for them to be out their trudging through the pouring rain.

We have 10 missionary flats that we inspect every six weeks and we usually take them some homemade treats. They are so hungry for American food. So I am taking sloppy joes and potato salad for their lunch to District Mtg. tomorrow. It is fun to see them devour the food.

We have five inactives that we are visiting regularly and have hopes of getting them out to church. Some we feel really good about. We had a lady tell us the other day that they used to come all the time, but someone said something that offended her and she will absolutely not go back. If only they could understand that they are only hurting themselves and denying themselves the blessings of the gospel. We will go back in a little while and try to talk to them again. We are loving the work and the people and will just keep trying to reach them.

Elder Henry has been sick for a couple of days with a fever and chills. He has a fever in his leg--it is bright red and hot. He has to keep it elevated most of the time to get the swelling down. So we have been hanging out in our tiny flat. It makes for a long day. He is quite a bit better this morning. The Bishop and the elders came and gave him a blessing, so I am sure he will mend quickly. We love the Lord and the work and wish the Lord's blessings upon all of you, our family and friends. Thanks for all of your love and support. Ya'll take care.

Love, Elder and Sister Henry

It has been a busy week. Monday we went to Cardiff, Wales for mission football. Twice a year the mission gets together in two groups and plays football (soccer). 3 zones in Cardiff and 4 in the other area. It was a good day. We met many neat Elders and Sisters. We also had time to talk to Pres and Sister Ogden. Wednesday we went to Gloucester to zone training by Pres. Ogden. They are training all the missionaries everywhere the new way of presenting the lessons. We had it in the MTC but none of the Elders or Sisters have had it yet. We spent 5 hours in training and then hurried back because Sister Henry was going visiting Teachidng with a member of the ward. Thursday night we went Home Teaching with the High Priest Group leader. He is a very intreresting man. Long time member and very strong. He drives fast and we had a 30 minute trip on very narrow roads in the rain. But we made it and had a great visit. We arrived about 8:30 and they had dinner waiting for us. did not expect that but eat up we did. We did not get home untill 10 PM. Friday we delivered fliers about conference to people we have met with. Today Sister Henry will go to the RS session from last week at 3:00. At 5 we will attend the Saturday morning session and it will be live. Sunday we will go to the Stake Center (1 hr Drive) for Saturday night Priesthood Meeting. Back to Hereford just in time for a 1:00 rebroadcast of Saturday afternoon session and then 5:00 live broadcast of Sunday Morning session. So we get all but one of the sessions. I guess we could listen to it on the internet at 9:00 PM. we'll see.

Monday we head for Glouster to do a flat inspection then to Cheltenham for another. Cheltenham were just notified that they will have to move and we have been asked to find them another flat. So we will just get them started preparing the flat to move out of it. Then we head for Birmingham for a couples get together. We are going to tour a Jaguar factory. Then we will eat together and then go to the mission home for a presentation by Pres. Ogden. Either before the get together or after we will go to Costco. We will pick up several things we can't get anywhere else. Skippy Peanut butter for sure. Hopefully we can get some marshallos and Pumpkin mix. Anyway it will be a full day. Cheers and all that.

I forgot to mention that as we came back from Cardiff on Monday we passed right by the course where they were playing the Ryder Cup. We could see the tents all over the course and lots of people. Cheers again