A full and fulfilling week

This week my lesson in Relief Society was on Being Valiant in the Testimony of Jesus – a talk given by Elder Quinton L. Cook in October 2016 General Conference.  As I have pondered on this subject this week, I express gratitude for my testimony of my Savior, Jesus Christ, and my Heavenly Father.  Even though I am still working on relying on Them to get through the stumbling blocks in life, I know that without them I could not accomplish the goal of this earth life, which is to return to live with my Heavenly Father.  My greatest desire is for my children and grand children to remain valiant to their testimonies of Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father.  They will lead and guide us through whatever comes in life.  They will give us peace and comfort.  

Ledbury church built in the 13th and 14th century
St Michael's and All Angels church

As I see all the many old churchs that are empty and cold in England - I feel so blessed to have a knowledge of my Savior and cherish the warm, comforting feeling I have come to know as the Holy Ghost testifying to me that He lives and knows me and loves me. How blessed I feel!

Charolette, Marshall, Charolette's mom, Chase, Zak, McKye

Chase, Zak, Sister Willmore, Marshall

On Wednesday, we had our first Faith in God Activity with our primary children – we had all five of them there and had such a great time with them.  We played a game as we read “The Family – A proclation to the World, We made family chains for decorations at a dinner we will have for the children’s families in March, and we had an ice cream bar.  I didn’t think through the fact that the church’s do not have freezers in their fridges, but we were able to keep the ice cream cold and they enjoyed their sundaes.

Zak, Marshall, Chase, McKye

Elder Willmore and 
Elder Veater -
The handymen

Thursday night we loaded our car and Elder and Sister Veater’s car and headed out Friday morning to set up a new flat in Merthyr Tydfil in Southern Wales.  We put together furniture, filled the cupboards with dishes and the flat with all the things missionaries need to survive.  It is a cute, little, comfortable flat

We usually don't set up flats, but they needed extra car space to hall the "things".  We were glad for the adventure!

Elder Willmore putting together furniture

Sister Veater hard at work

Sister Veater - Another flat she successfully set up.
Way to Go Sister Veater!!!

Friday night - our stay at a lodge near Merthyr Tydfil in the Brecon Beacons National Park

Sister Willmore outside
Nant ddu Lodge

Lywyn Onn Reservior in the Brecon Beacons National Park

Full double rainbow over the town of Abergavenny on the boarder of
Wales and England

Saturday afternoon we headed back to Birmingham - we traveled home a little different way.  We stopped in the town of Avergavenny and walked around the village and remains of an old castle.  

Abergavenny Castle -
 Castell Y Fenni (In Welch)

Then we went down through Herefordshire, the county where many of my ancestors were born and lived.  It was a beautiful afternoon drive and I always enjoy the lovely English countryside.  I can't describe the feeling I get whenever I drive through the places where my ancestors lived.  I have a longing to keep going back.  

Entering Herefordshire County

River that separates Wales & England

Elder Willmore on cobblestone Church Street in Ledbury

Market Hall on stilts in Ledbury

All in a days work

Our Prep-day this week -  Dog sitting Amber –

President  and Sister Leppard had an all day meeting with the other England Mission Presidents. Our assignment was to take care of Amber.  Our morning walk - it was a foggy – cold day in England!

 

 

 

Another calling – Today I was called to be the 4^th Sunday Relief Society Teacher

We are now primary teachers, nursery leaders (2^nd hour of primary), Faith in God Activity Leaders (like achievement days and scouts) and RS Teacher – they sure need help fulfilling callings in the wards.  Just more blessings for us.

This Wednesday is our first Faith in God activity.

This calling can be wonderful and also heartbreaking when we have missionaries return home early.

 All in a days work - (or a 6 week cycle work)

Just in case you were wondering what we do all day five days a week:

Elder Willmore

Puts reimbursements on the missionaries MSF cards (15-30 a day)

Pay bills

Pay rent for over 100 flats

Pay utilities for over 100 flats

Pay council tax for over 100 flats

Collect meter readings from over 100 flats

Go through credit card receipts, reconcile them with bank statement and allocate  

Go through bank statement and make a journal entry on all debits and credits

Do financial reports

Go to bank for petty cash and keep it accounted for and journaled

Spreadsheets for Security Deposits

Spreadsheets for utilities

Check on missionaries MSF cards (cards they get for their monthly funds)

Check in and out all missionaries with finances

Cancel lost cards – when missionaries lose their wallets

Whatever else comes up

 Sister Willmore:

Keep President informed of schedules of incoming and outgoing missionaries and numbers

Keep track of all incoming and outgoing missionaries

Answer emails that come into office about missionaries or the mission

Keep visa information up to date with current address and telephone numbers of all missionaries

(every 6 weeks there are changes)

Write letters to missionaries with their new callings

Send letters to parents with some of the new callings

Update rosters and spreadsheets with new information about missionaries

Notify Council Tax to get discounts on taxes for all the flats

Renew council tax

Set up new flats with utilities, taxes and folders

Close out old flats with utilities, taxes and reimbursements or final payments

Arrange with mission travel for missionaries travel

Make schedules of incoming and outgoing missionaries

Contact parents about return travel plans for their missionaries

Make hotel reservations for missionaries travel

Keep track of incoming and outgoing passports and visa

Write letters for president

Help plan events

Send out information to parents and Stake Presidents with returning missionaries

Help plan different events and luncheons

Make folders and notify newly called missionaries, send them information

Annual history for the mission

 Help with mail

Work with the mission office elders

Keep in contact with the Senior Couples throughout the mission

Anything else President and Sister Leppard need us to do.

We love it!

 It will look good on a resume if we need to look for a job when we get back home!

HAHA

Elder and Sister Nunn

Arrival of Elder and Sister Nunn on January 18th - the are serving a one year mission while living in their home in the UK.

Prynhawnda (Good Afternoon) from Cymru (Wales)

Happy Birthday to
Jamie -
January 18th
We Love you

Arrivals - 

Five New Missionaries 
Tuesday -January 10, 2017
From the MTC in Preston 

Always so exciting to greet our new missionaries from around the world.




Also arriving - 
Our first Snow of the Season
Thursday - January 13, 2017
From the sky above

It was gone by noon!



The week after departures, arrivals and transfers is always crazy busy - a lot of computer work to do to keep track of who went where.  Done!
We also had the heart breaking experience of having a missionary return home.  

Tredegar House - 17th Century House
 in Newport
(or in Welch - Ty Tredegar, Casnewydd)

 “Croeso i Cymru” Welcome to Wales

Elder Willmore enjoying the
docks in Cardiff -
not many boats to watch today

We had not been on a Pday adventure for quite a while, so we decided to drive a couple of hours south down to Wales to see the docks in Cardiff on the Altantic Ocean.  Even though we received snow the day before, we had the sun peaking through the clouds on our beautiful drive through wet green pastures with hedges which glistened in the sunlight.  
Simply gorgeous!

All the missionaries tell us Wales is BEAUTIFUL. They are right!
Eric also served in Cardiff which is Wales Capital City.  He loved serving in Cardiff.

You definitely feel like a tourist because all the signs are in Welsh and English.  Welsh is the oldest living language in Europe.  It is a Celtic language.  The bay is usually very crowded and busy, but it is the off season right now.

Sister Willmore enjoying a lovely walk along the docks in Cardiff

Cardiff Docks in Wales

Noswaith dda
(Good Evening)

4 months

Picture in my flat that reminds me of the lovely English Countryside

Four months have flown by - we entered the MTC four months ago this past Thursday.  We thank Heavenly Father each and every day for the brilliant opportunity to serve in the England Birmingham Mission.  





TRANSFERS this past week - 







They arrive by bus, coach,
bike, train and car - 












But they come.....



















so wonderful to see the missionaries give hugs, share laughter and tears




...And they go - DEPARTURES
Goodbye to Elder Lo and Elder Corso

President Leppard, Elder Lo from Hong Kong,
Elder Corso from Italy and Sister Leppard

On Tuesday, after all the missionaries go back into the field with their new companions, we get the lovely opportunity to have a testimony meeting with the departing missionaries (which is amazing) and then share in a departure dinner at the mission home.



One of the special moments in the mission office calling.
Our new arrivals are coming this next week.

OUR CHURCH CALLINGS IN THE TAMWORTH WARD:
This week we started teaching a new group of primary children - we are also called to be Faith in God Leaders (like our Achievement Days and Scouts).  We only have 1 girl so they all meet together.

IN THE OFFICE:
This week we have been working hard to get all the meter readings from over 100 missionary flats.  We are changing utility companies and need the missionaries to get their electric and gas readings each month.  The trial was finding all the meters, but they did it!  Amazing young Elder and Sisters.  As always, we absolutely love our visits with them in the office and cherish all the sweet notes they leave.  They touch our hearts.

Happy New Year 2017

 Happy New Year  &
Happy Birthday to 
Elder Willmore!
Also President Leppard's Birthday




Bought my new calendar 

yesterday-"Mums" ready for the New Year 2017


Catching up for the last two weeks:
Week before Christmas - Busy week at the office as usual.

• Friday - Dec. 23rd Closed the office at 3:30 for a Senior Christmas Social at Lichfield Cathedral - "The Cathedral Illuminated - The Angels are Coming".  We meet before and had dinner.  Fun and Festive night to share in the Christmas atmosphere.  We all meet at President and Sister Leppard's for hot chocolate and biscuits after to warm up - it was pouring rain, but cleared up for the illumination. 

Lichfield Cathedral Illumination

Lichefiled Cathedral Illumination

Cathedral Illumination

Christmas Social in the Mission Home

Willmores, Blumells, Spors, Walks, Leppards, Jones, Richards
at the Mission Home

Inside Lichfield Cathedral

Sister Willmore and Sister Jones eating at the Walkabout

• Saturday - Dec. 24th We sent out all the Christmas packages to the missionaries with the Zone Leaders - We ended up not having to shop for the missionaries who did not get packages - Wonderful people brought gifts to the office to brighten our missionaries Christmas.  Such a blessing!
• Took Elder Cohen and Elder Ashwell out for a Christmas Eve dinner - they were both sick but keep on going.  It seems the office has had a lot of sickness going around - We are taking lots of vitamin C and it is working so far.
• Sunday - Dec. 25th - Christmas Day - Picked up Elder Ey and Williams and went to our sacrament meeting at 10:00.  After our meeting we had Christmas Dinner with Elder and Sister Veater and Elder and Sister Blumell at our flat.  We had a quite Christmas and opened our precious letters from our family - the best gifts ever!  We will always cherish these special letters from children and grandchildren.

Best Christmas Gifts Ever

Poem with letters

Later in the evening we had a visit from Elder Griffin and Clayton.  We love these Elders. 

Christmas late afternoon (Christmas morning for them) we face timed with our Children and Grandchildren - what a wonderful way to spend Christmas.  We sure missed spending Christmas with them, we will have to live on the memories for a few Christmas.  We even talked to Jamie and Jeff who are spending Christmas in Jamaica.

Thank you to everyone for the wonderful letters and emails - we miss and love you all.

Week at the office - busier week than last week  (12-14 hr days)

• December 26th - Boxing Day - The office was closed but we spent the day preparing for a Elder Johnson and his wife visiting the mission for a mission tour.  We shopped for a luncheon on Tuesday - Taco Bar and then went to the office to clean so it was in tip top shape for our visitors.

December 26 was the day centuries ago when lords of the manor and aristocrats typically distributed “Christmas boxes” often filled with small gifts, money and leftovers from Christmas dinner to their household servants and employees, who were required to work on December 25, in recognition of good service throughout the year. These boxes were, in essence, holiday bonuses. Another popular theory is that the Boxing Day moniker arose from the alms boxes that were placed in churches during the Advent season for the collection of monetary donations from parishioners. Clergy members distributed the contents of the boxes to the poor on December 26, which is also the feast of St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr and a figure known for acts of charity. (Ireland celebrates December 26 as St. Stephen’s Day.)

New Holiday for us!

• December 27th - We went to a member of ward's home for dinner.  They are very humble and kind people.  They made us such a lovely dinner and we enjoyed our visit in their home.  Sometimes we take for granted all the blessings and conveniences we have in life.  We are blessed with such a nice home in America - our home is not large but we have come to realize that other parts of the world get by with much less than we have.  

• December 27th-29th -(MissionTour with Elder & Sister Johnson)   A week full of meetings.  We were also getting ready for all the end of month deadlines for finances and getting ready for transfers and new arrivals next week.  We had to get utility meter readings from all the missionaries because we are changing utility companies and will need them to get their readings from their flats each month.  Busy Busy Busy - but wonderful.

• December 30-31 - Celebrated Conley birthday by going out to lunch and celebrated the New Year quietly at our flat - listened to fireworks going off at midnight.  Felt wonderful after a very busy week.  

• January 1, 2017 - Happy New Year to All - May it be wonderful!