Busy But Happy

We would have to classify this week the most stressful so far.  Elder Willmore and I have been putting in long hours at the office trying to accomplish all that needs to be done and learned.  Everyday brings new challenges and something new to learn.  We are certainly being blessed to comprehend and retain the programs and procedures - there are a lot of them.  We are amazed at what it takes to run a mission and watch in awe as we see the many hours President and Sister Leppard spend taking care of the missionaries and their responsibilities.  They are a wonderful example of commitment and dedication to their Heavenly Father.

We had one of our Senior Couples serving from the Salt Lake area find out the husband has leukemia and only has a few months to live.  He thought he had pneumonia but when he went into the hospital, the tests came back that he has leukemia in the late stages.  He is too ill to fly home.  Our hearts and prayers go out to Elder and Sister Creer and their family. Life can change in an instant - we met them at our Senior Conference two weeks ago, and also when they came in the office last week and you would never know something was wrong.

We had our first Zone Conference at the Mission Office so we had the opportunity to meet more of the missionaries and put faces to the names we are learning.  I also called Sister Jones from Rigby, Idaho, who is a friend of our granddaughter, Kaeli. We will be able to meet her this next week when she is coming to the office for a meeting.  We received a special card from two of the Sister missionaries welcoming us into the mission - so sweet of them.  The missionaries are wonderful.

We have been catching up a little on what we missed of conference due to the time difference and have loved the talks and music.  It really felt different to be on a different schedule than the live broadcast times.  It was great to see Sister Seminario on the screen and to see the outside pictures of the Conference Center.  We both looked at each other and said, "There's our home".

Elder Willmore at Baddesley Clinton Moated Manor

By our Pday Saturday, we were ready to go for a drive and get some fresh air.  We went to an old moated manor home about thirty minutes south in Warwickshire called Baddesley Clinton. We spent a few minutes reading up on the history before we went - for a time the home was used to hide persecuted Catholic priests.  The home was built in the 13th century and has a beautiful garden around the home.  It was a lovely sunny day and it was so wonderful to walk around the gardens and watch families enjoying their days together.  We loved watching children playing and laughing.  I was touched by a young mother explaining to her child in her English accent that "in the spring the flowers will be yellow and pink and they will be so beautiful".  A young girl walking through the vegetable garden asked, "Where are the strawberries" (also in her darling English accent).  It was revitalizing to see children and families enjoying time together.  The National Trust of England has acquired 300 homes and 41 castles throughout England, Wales and Ireland and many of them are within our mission boundaries.  They have restored the homes and gardens and made beautiful, peaceful places for people to visit and enjoy.  We certainly were revived by the gorgeous scenery and time spent in nature.  I especially love the pastures with the sheep.  They remind me of Grandpa and Grandma Sorenson and the sheep we used to play around and feed with a bottle in their pasture.   I remember one that we fed milk with a bottle was named Pompi.  The pastures in England are a gorgeous green color with hedges around them for fences.  It is breathtaking to see and I even was emotional as we entered - it felt like we stepped back in time.

Sister Willmore in the flower garden

Vegetable and flower garden with scarecrows

Sheep in the pasture

As of today, we are now Primary Teachers in the Tamworth ward.  We travel about 25 minutes to go to our ward which we have been assigned by the Mission President.  It is a very small ward and their numbers have dropped by half in the last few years.  We teach three boys ages 7 and 8 and we were touched by the love they had for The Burt's (the couple we replaced in the mission office) who have taught them for the past year.  They prayed in both prayers that the Burt's would be happy in America with their family.
The boys each have some challenges and they have learned respect and reverence from the Burt's - it was touching to watch them.

What I have learned this week:
Life is fragile - the only way to get through life is to have faith.  Both to accept things we cannot change and have faith that Heavenly Father is in charge. I loved President Uchtdorf's talk in the General Women's Meeting - Fourth Floor, Last Door on faith.  One I will read and reread.