AT LONG LAST

Well believe it or not we are finally updating our Blog.  I could make lots of excuses and some of them would be true.  But what's the use.  Let me instead try to cover the important things which have occur ed in the last 3 months. 

The work continues.  July and August were very busy.  We were visiting two to four people every day and were teaching two Adult classes/  In the Day time class we were studying the Doctrine and Covenants.  There were six of us in that class.  It started first and was moving along real well.  About the middle of August we started an evening class.  This one has twelve in it.  We are studying Church History in this one.  The first time we met the group decided what they wanted to study and when to meet.  Everyone agreed on Church History. 

On 30 August, 2011 we took Pauline James to the London Temple.  She has been a member since 1961.  She has been inactive a lot of that time especially over the last 20 years.  She remembers back to when Hereford was first organized as a Branch.  We have been meeting with her almost from the start and helped her get ready to get her Patriarical Blessing and then taught her the Temple Prep lessons.  Going to the Temple was a great experience for her.  Her husband had never joined the church.  She had had him baptised and while there I did his Initiatory Work and then his Endowment.  The next morning I stood in for him while they were sealed.  What a amazing experience. Beryl Eden also went with us for her first return trip.

This is the whole gang on the front steps of the London Temple. 

On 12 and 13 of August we had a missionary couples trip to Wales.  There were five couples who went.  We started with a visit to Seymonds Yat.  This is a point on the mountain along the Wye River.  You can see a long way in two directions and beautiful mountains in the other two. 

On top of Symonds Yat.  One couple had not joined us yet. 

We also visited Caerphilly Castle which is the second largest in England.  It covers 30 acres inside its wall and was originally surrounded by lakes making it very hard to attack.  It is no longer in great repair but some areas of the old buildings are still in fairly good shape.  The day we were there Someone was setting up the Great Hall for a Wedding.

After the Castle we went on to Cardiff to stay the night.  Holiday Inn Express.  Very nice but rather priceey .  The next morning we went to St Fagans Museum and Castle.  We had been to the Museum before but this was a much better visit.  We went in April with Spencer and family but they did not have any guides out or anything special.  This time they were in the midst of a special Event and had people all over the place telling how things were done in the 1600's. 

A couple of the guides who were there to help the visitors

One of several Churches which were on site.  This one was filled with wall paintings of Christ.

This is the reenactment of the Battle of St Fagan's during the Civil War.  This was between the Parliments backers and the Royalists.  The Royalists won this battle and the war but it was not easy.  

Things were going busily but smoothly until the 11th of September.  We were on our way to Aberystwyth (aberiswith).  We were scheduled to do Flat inspections the next day.  We had 7 to do and  200 miles to drive.  So we went over Sunday night and then were going to start the next morning.  It was a 2 hour drive through some beautiful mountains.  All went well untill we were less than 5 miles out and we both went to sleep.  We ended up hitting a wall head on.  The car was totaled but more important Sister Henry was banged up pretty bad.  The doors on Sister Henry's side of the car were banged up so bad they had to cut them off to get her out.  She was having a hard time breathing.  I was able to get out of the car on my own.  I looked around briefly and then sat back down in the car.  I gave Sister Henry a blessing of peace and assurance that she would be allright.  We were both taken to the hospital in ambulances (seperate).  I was checked out and released.  I only had a banged up left hand and left foot.  I also had a contusion on my right thigh from the seat belt. 

They found that Sister Henry's stomach and spleen was shoved up through her Thorax (SP)They were crowding her heart and lungs.  They also knew that she had some cracked ribs.   The surgeon was not comfortable with doing the surgery himself so he called the big hospitol in Cardiff and eventually talked them into taking her.  She really should have gone to the hospital in Swansea but with the Lord's help she was able to go to Cardiff.  They transported her there on Monday afternoon and she went into surgery Tuesday morning.  She was in surgery for 10 hours.  The Surgeons in Cardiff had found that two of the Aorta walls were torn and so they first put a stint in it.  They also found when they were performing surgery that two of her ribs were displaced.  They had a lot to do but once again with the help of the Lord we were where there were Surgeons who were qualified to do the job.  Everything went well but recovery was not quick.  She was in the hospital for another 16 days.  

I called Stephen from the Hospital in Aberystwyth.  They would only allow me one call.  He did not answer so I left a message trying not to panic them.  Scott was able to get back to me at about 3 AM Monday Morning.  they decided that someone should come over.  Steve and Shawna came arriving on Thursday.  Brother Wayne Gardner went to London and picked them up and brought them to Cardiff.  Steve stayed untill Monday and Shawna untill the following Saturday.  They were a really big help.  Mom was really thrilled that they came and they were a big support to me.  I had been running on fumes up untill then.  They gave me a chance to relax a little.  We stayed in the Airport Holiday Inn Express while they were there.  It was a bit of a drive each day but a nice place to stay.  Sister Shirley Johnson took Shawna back to the Airport.  Another blessing.  Once they were gone I stayed with the Elders in their flat.  That saved me a lot of money. 

Although it was a slow healing process Sister Henry really did much better than the Dr.s expected.  Early in the week before she came home we were told she would be there another 7 to 10 days and then for a week in the Hereford Hospital.  By Wednesday night they had decided that she was ready to come home to our flat.  So on Thursday I was able to bring her home.

The recovery here at home has been slow.  At first she was not able to do much of anything except get up and go to the bathroom.  She can get around pretty well now if she moves slow.  It does not take long to get tired.  But she did go to all sessions of church last Sunday.  Wednesday we drove to Birmingham.  She did pretty well but all of the turning and bumps made her sore and it is taking a few days to recover. 

     

  After the accident we were given a car that was about wore out.  It rode rough and was very jerky driving.  We expected to use it untill we went home.  But Tuesday we got a call from Elder Skiles (Mission Treasurer) asking if we wanted to come over and pick up our new car.  We were totally supprised. But it is sure nice.  Smooth ride and jerk free acceleration.

Well that is good for now.  We will stay untill our normal time and hope we can accomplish a little more before then.

Ta Ta.