Oo-de-lally, Oo-de-lally, Golly, what a day

Ridin' through the country - Derby and Nottin'ham

Derby is one of the area’s that Eric served in.  It is always fun to see the places that he served- We have now been to see Newport, Tamworth, Gloucester and Derby and of course the mission office, places that Eric served on his mission July 2005-2007.  

Saturday on our pday we stopped by a flat to check out Sister DeCapite and Koivisto’s electricity meter in Derby and then went through Nottingham on our way to Leicester to check out a meter at one of the elder’s flats.  Since it was dinner time – we took them out to dinner and had a great time getting to know Elder Mordue from Farmington, Utah and Elder Odgaard from Denmark.

Robin Hood and Little John

Eld’r ‘n’ Sist’r Willmore

Ridin’ through the country
Laughin' back and forth
At what the other'ne has to say

Reminiscin', This-'n'-thattin'
Havin' such a good time
Oo-de-lally, Oo-de-lally
Golly, what a day

Disney produced "Robin Hood" in 1973 from the tales in England.  The year Elder & Sister Willmore were married.

Nottingham Castle

Stopped by Nottingham Castle - Home of Maid Marian in the 1100s.  

Robin Hood

Tales of Robin Hood spread throughout medieval Britain in the 1200's.  

Village at base of castle

The village was built along the base of the stone hill.  

Elder Willmore and the Lion

1194 King Richard, the lionheart, returns and reclaims his castle back from his brother Prince John

Overlooking Nottingham from the Castle

At the office:

This week we had Mission Leadership Council, Mid Trainers Meeting and a Self Reliance Meeting for the missionaries returning home in July.  We feed them while they were here – that is what makes them happy.  Also preparing for next week's transfers and departures.  We had an adventure to go see Hinckley on Thursday morning - we took a fridge to one of the flats that the Veaters are setting up for the missionaries.  It felt wonderful to have a morning away from the office and see new country.

The highlight of our weeks are the emails, pictures and face timing with our children and grandchildren, and dear friends.  We love to hear what you are doing and appreciate all you do to keep us informed of the events in your lives.  We pray for you each day by name - you are always in our thoughts.  We love you all.
Happy Valentines Day

Some of the grandchildren having a sleepover at Grandma's house WITHOUT GRANDMA.  Love them!

Colby in suit in 2017

Conley in suit in 1969

Colby found grandpa's nehru collar suit - and wears it 48 years later.

Our Adventure to New Town Row

Our Adventure to New Town Row in Birmingham

This week begins our adventure to find out where Conley's ancestors lived.  George and Elizabeth Willmore were born and raised in Birmingham - in fact there parents and grandparents were also from the Birmingham area.  We found this building as we were driving and compared it to a building from the late 1800's.  This is what New Town Street looked like back then.



George and Elizabeth had ten children and his history describes their life in Birmingham quite detailed.  (A great Family Home Evening for our Grandchildren!)  Look under George Willmore and click on memories for his history.
He was a tailor in England and they sailed for America 17 October 1877 aboard the Steamship Idaho.



This area that we visited is about 4 miles from where they said their children attended St Ann's church/school so we think they lived farther south than this area.  It is going to be like a puzzle to figure out exactly where they lived, but it will be an adventure for our pday.


The office
January 31st - A new arrival - Sister Ianni.

Pres Leppard, Sister Ianni, Sister Leppard

This week the office was full of missionaries because we had Mission Leadership Traning for all the Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders and also a Self Reliance Meeting for those missionaries who will be departing in July.  This meeting helps them think about what they would like to do when they return home.  Of course, we had to feed these wonderful young missionaries so there was quite a bit of shopping and preparing a meal for them.  Nothing too fancy, but they don't care as long as they get food.  Lots of hugs and handshakes from our missionaries - our favorite part.

We also had a new young man visit to see if he would like to serve in the mission as an office elder. We will be loosing Elder Cohen the end of March and we need a new companion for Elder Ashwell.

This week has also been busy getting meter readings from all the missionaries for their electricity and gas.  They are becoming more familiar with how to do it so it will be easier and easier as each month comes.

Brother and Sister Fell

Taking time out for a visit with Brother and Sister Fell - an amazing couple who know how to serve their Heavenly Father - They served in the History Library for 18 months in Salt Lake City and were the first Senior Couple to serve from outside the United States.  They then went back to England and served for another 12 years doing a History of England and it's church membership.  After they were released from that, they have served 3 years as flat inspectors.  They not only inspect the flats of the missionaries but they do repairs and love the missionaries.  They are so wonderful to talk to about their life experiences - I told about them earlier in my blog.  Love them!

Other News:

This week Elder Willmore and I both had a quick bout of the flu.  Another blessing that it came and went fast and we did not have to miss any time at the office.

Our walks are pretty muddy these days - we have had a lot of rain and everything is saturated. Saturday there were so many people out with their families and of course - their dogs.  Everyone has a dog in England.

Quote I heard and loved:
"Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape."  (Elder Bednar)  

Where's Harris??? 

Lauren wondered where Harris has been - we have failed to send pictures of him lately.  Sharing a piece of Costco apple pie with Sister Willmore - delicious!!!

Yes I need a haircut - my question is
Where's Shanel???

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)