And Just Like That - It Was Sunday Again!

Whew!

Here I am again on a Sunday evening wondering what happened to the week, and wondering what the best course of action is with the new week starting tomorrow.  It is shaping up to be a busy one.

To begin with, someone will be coming to our flat in the morning (or any time throughout the day) to "inspect" it.  It will be interesting to see what they look at, what they may be concerned with, if they are nice, how long they take and what their recommendations will be.  I hope they don't recommend that we be summarily thrown out!

I've become quite attached to this place, and now that we will soon have some fine art gracing the walls, I am fond of the idea of staying for another 13 months.

Church was fantastic....all meetings.  With such a small pool of speakers in this community, how does it happen that every week is just so faith-filled and faith-promoting?  As is our habit, we attended both Sacrament meetings and the 1st Ward's Sunday School class.  We have two teachers, each profoundly different in teaching style, both with Ph.D.s and one is a professor, and the other one would be if she wanted to be.

The non-professor taught today and focused on Nephi's Lament in 2 Nephi 4.  We could have spent a couple of hours easily, but she taught about Hebrew poetry - as in Psalms - and showed how 2 Nephi 4 is a prime example of a psalm.  She was throwing around terms like couplets, poetic forms, chiasma, juxtaposition, enallage, etc.  It was fascinating.  I loved it.  And I think Reverend Teal liked it too.  He was in both Sacrament meeting and Sunday School today.  I don't know what he thinks about everything, but he can't fail to feel how much we love him.

In our flat we had a light lunch and left for London.  Traffic wasn't bad and we made it in less than 2 hours.  We got there as Deb and Mary Martha were bustling around getting four children and four adults ready to attend the baptism, and speak, and serve dinner to perhaps 30 people.

It was quite remarkable.  The twins were adorable, the talks by Mary, Deb, Andrew and Dave were all absolutely inspiring, the musical number --- was OK, and the little boys were so so so cute.  And if you noticed on the program, the three boys, ages 8 and 5 recited "The Living Christ."  They recited from memory, no blips, no stumbles.  The three little guys stood at the pulpit, on tiptoes and said it from beginning to end.

The Living Christ

The Testimony of the Apostles

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

As we commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ two millennia ago, we offer our testimony of the reality of His matchless life and the infinite virtue of His great atoning sacrifice. None other has had so profound an influence upon all who have lived and will yet live upon the earth.

He was the Great Jehovah of the Old Testament, the Messiah of the New. Under the direction of His Father, He was the creator of the earth. “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3). Though sinless, He was baptized to fulfill all righteousness. He “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38), yet was despised for it. His gospel was a message of peace and goodwill. He entreated all to follow His example. He walked the roads of Palestine, healing the sick, causing the blind to see, and raising the dead. He taught the truths of eternity, the reality of our premortal existence, the purpose of our life on earth, and the potential for the sons and daughters of God in the life to come.

He instituted the sacrament as a reminder of His great atoning sacrifice. He was arrested and condemned on spurious charges, convicted to satisfy a mob, and sentenced to die on Calvary’s cross. He gave His life to atone for the sins of all mankind. His was a great vicarious gift in behalf of all who would ever live upon the earth.

We solemnly testify that His life, which is central to all human history, neither began in Bethlehem nor concluded on Calvary. He was the Firstborn of the Father, the Only Begotten Son in the flesh, the Redeemer of the world.

He rose from the grave to “become the firstfruits of them that slept” (1 Cor. 15:20). As Risen Lord, He visited among those He had loved in life. He also ministered among His “other sheep” (John 10:16) in ancient America. In the modern world, He and His Father appeared to the boy Joseph Smith, ushering in the long-promised “dispensation of the fulness of times” (Eph. 1:10).

Of the Living Christ, the Prophet Joseph wrote: “His eyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head was white like the pure snow; his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun; and his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the voice of Jehovah, saying:

“I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father” (D&C 110:3–4).

Of Him the Prophet also declared: “And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!

“For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father—

“That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God” (D&C 76:22–24).

We declare in words of solemnity that His priesthood and His Church have been restored upon the earth—“built upon the foundation of … apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone” (Eph. 2:20).

We testify that He will someday return to earth. “And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together” (Isa. 40:5). He will rule as King of Kings and reign as Lord of Lords, and every knee shall bend and every tongue shall speak in worship before Him. Each of us will stand to be judged of Him according to our works and the desires of our hearts.

We bear testimony, as His duly ordained Apostles—that Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal Son of God. He is the great King Immanuel, who stands today on the right hand of His Father. He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son.

Andrew baptized them and confirmed them.  Dave closed the meeting by saying a few things.  He spoke of their names and why they were awesome names (he deferred about the middle name of David).  I loved what he said to Clyde about Dave's and my father.  It was beautiful.  I kept seeing Dad in Dave as he spoke.  He spoke to Charles about the name of Charles but really hit the middle name of Hyrum as a powerful example. 
"He was a devoted brother," he told Charles.

Afterward a great many people went to Dave and Deb's apartment to have dinner....quiche and a green salad, and then a wedge of dense chocolate cake/pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  I love the way Deb does things!!!!!  It was an amazing meal that still took a fair amount of effort, but she purchased the chocolate cake and quiche at a local bakery.

So now I am on a new mission...besides the mission to serve the YSAs of Oxford and the mission to find the best fish and chips here in Oxford.  I am on a mission to find the best quiche. I don't know if SK will go along as a willing accomplice on that one, but I am going to try to convince him what a worthwhile mission this will be.

In the meantime, I need to write up a shopping list for tomorrow, figure out a schedule (one of the very cute YSAs will come early to help), and make out a list of flat inspections that must be done this week so that we can make appointments. 

It will be a blink of an eye before I am sitting here again...next Sunday night.  Mmmmm, can't figure out how that happens!