Home Again

 SK mentioned this morning that he is beginning to feel at home.  I think I have felt that way since we arrived.  But every day brings more and more familiar experiences that bridge the gap between March and September, and we are both feeling so comfortable with being here.  

There isn't any of that slightly uncomfortable feeling of not quite belonging and not quite knowing what is expected or how to behave.  We are familiar with the apartment, the driving, the telephone calls, and people.  And it's comfortable.

And last night when we went to the store, I bought a houseplant!  I love having a living plant sitting happily in the light.  It makes me feel at home.  This is Lily.

We watched the non-sacrament part of sacrament meeting on a zoom conference call, and later in the morning participated in a Sunday School discussion on a zoom conference call.  Mark Wrathall, a professor of philosophy at Oxford is the teacher, and does a tremendous job.  

We discussed 3 Nephi 6 - 11.  Mark had an interesting insight.  In these chapters Mormon  tells of  the iniquity which increases dramatically.  Mark at this point began a discussion about the word iniquity.  He (of course) used the Oxford Dictionary which defines it as: the fact of being very unfair or wrong; something that is very unfair or wrong.  Websters Dictionary of 1828 defines it as Injustice; unrighteousness.  In 3 Nephi 6:14, Mormon pretty much states that the cause of the iniquity was the great inequality in all the land.

He shared that when people began thinking they were better than others, because of wealth, chances for learning, etc, the inequality crept in, and ultimately spawned great iniquity. I'm not doing this justice, but it was great.

This afternoon, Veer, our cute little YSA Rep came by for dinner, and then stayed and visited for a couple of hours.  She is the only member in her family, and has recently moved to Oxford from London.  She attends college here.  She was baptized a little over a year ago, after meeting the missionaries in the town square.  She had never even heard of the church.

Her family are Sikhs, and she adores them.  They didn't come to her baptism, and they are not interested in hearing about her new church, but she has a strong and a very sweet testimony.  We pray for her frequently, and pray that she will remain strong.  The gospel gives her great joy.

She has been waiting to watch "My Fair Lady," until she could watch it with us, so we have tentively set up a date, and sometime in the future we'll watch "The Sound of Music," and "Ben Hur."

Doesn't that sound wonderful?  

Yes, we are back....and so very grateful.