Our Surroundings

Our Flat at 87 Elm Road, Sutton Coldfield

Elder Willmore at work

Sister Willmore at her desk

This week we wanted to show you some of our surroundings, both at the office (where we spend most of our time) and at our new flat.  On Monday evening, after working late at the office, we went to our hotel and packed up our suitcases in our car that we were also given that day.  We now have our own car and our own flat to call "home".  It is wonderful to not be living out of a suitcase after a month of doing so between the MTC and our first ten days in England.  When we arrived at our flat from the hotel - Elder Griffin and Elder Decker were at our door to help us carry our suitcases up to our flat.  We were so thankful to Elder Cohen and Elder Turner for notifying them to ask for their help.  The missionaries are amazing and we are enjoying getting to know more of them each day.  We spent the rest of the week organizing and getting settled in and we now feel at home.  It is so wonderful to come home after a day at the office and have a place to relax and feel comfortable.  We even put up pictures of our family, so that completed our furnishings at our flat!

Elder Willmore relaxing in our living room

Our kitchen

New Hall Castle (Now a hotel)

Each morning or evening (whichever works best) we go for a walk out our side garden (English word for yard).  I am sure on our walks we have seen Malificent's crow, Lord Grantham's dog from Downtown Abbey, and Cinderella's castle (or at least it sure looked like them).  They say a picture is worth a thousand words so here you are:

Moat around castle

Old cottage along trail

Our walking trail

Our first new arrival - 27 September 2016 - Elder Claboux




WE GOT MAIL!  We received our first letter this week with wonderful pictures from our Grandchildren.  We also appreciate all the wonderful pictures and emails that we are receiving from our friends and family.  We love you all!
We loved conference yesterday evening and today.  We have a delay because of our time difference so on Saturday afternoon we watch General Women's Conference from last week and Saturday at 5:00pm our time we watch Saturday morning session live at the church.  Today, Sunday, at 10:00am is the Priesthood Session for Conley from last night, 1:00pm our time we will watch Saturday afternoon session and at 5:00pm our time we will watch Sunday morning.  The other sessions we will watch online - we are still waiting for internet at our flat.

What We learned this week:
I loved the talks at conference but I was especially impressed with the song by the choir "Take Time to be Holy".  I loved the words and need to take more time to by holy.  I have a tendency to be more of a Martha and get distracted - a great reminder for me.  Elder Willmore liked Pres. Uchtdorf's talk and related with him on learning the computer systems.  Actually Elder Willmore is doing amazing with learning all he has to learn and do.  He stays very busy and is getting help from Heavenly Father to learn what he needs to learn.  He gets an A+.  A testimony that whom the Lord call, he qualifies.

We also learned that the young Elders are wonderful but not invincible.  We had two bicycle accidents this week.  One Elder was looking at his iPad while riding his bike and crashed.  He broke out a lot of his front teeth and has to have major work done.  Another Elder decided to take his bike over a jump and crashed and cracked his helmet, hurt his back and has a concussion.  Oh Elders, be wise.   What more can we say.