Storming the Castle

We figured out that if we travel a couple hundred miles to inspect mission apartments that are about 45 minutes away from each other, we just might be able to also plan a sight-seeing visit sometimes during the day.  Today, we visited the two flats that are farthest away from Oxford.  As it turned out, we visited them later in the day and had the morning free.

As you can see from the pictures, it was a beautiful Jane Eyre type of day, cool (in the 40's), dramatic dark sky, light breeze, intermittent light showers.  This all made it seem like a perfect day to visit a castle built in the 1100s.  Farnham Castle is truly ancient, and has quite a history to go along with the many years of its existence.


As we wandered through the grounds (the inside was closed because there was a wedding there tonight and they were preparing for it - wouldn't that be a fun place for a wedding and reception?), I couldn't help but wonder if the knights who defended this place ever felt warm and dry.

We visited the sisters first, then traveled to the elders' place.  Both sets of missionaries had beautifully clean apartments.  They were well-ordered and just seemed like happy places.  We spent some time with them going over safety regulations, and gave them chocolate cookies.  It is especially nice, because both elders were new to their flat, and the last time we were in that little apartment, it was decidedly not tidy nor well-ordered.  The newer elders have been doing a lot of work there.

Aren't they cute!  We forgot to snap a picture of the elders, but they are pretty cute too.


The elders and the sisters are working with families, teaching the gospel.  The work is moving forward!

After getting home and eating dinner, our Oxford elders dropped by to pick up a suit.  I sewed a button on....you'd think I had made the suit from scratch!  He was so grateful and cute.  They were both happy because they have found a new "friend" who is interested in the gospel.  It is a woman who works for a new taco shop here.  Tonight, they delivered a Book of Mormon to her, and she accepted it along with the challenge to read 50 pages a week.  In return she gave him a very large stuffed burrito.  He needed two hands to hold it.

Their apartment is 5 minutes away, and they were hurrying home to divide and eat!

There are a lot of pictures here, but it was so beautiful.  If you look really really closely, you can find SK in several.















That is actually me, with my hood on.  It was raining.

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