Expect A Miracle

 Seven weeks today in England.  Time is slowly ticking by.  SK said, "Well, that means we have had an 8-month mission, even if we were to have to leave now.  But right now we are living on the current mission motto:  "Expect a Miracle."  We fully expect a miracle, whether that means being granted an extension or having our application lost in the system for another 11 months!!!!

Our walk this morning was nothing to write home about, about a mile and a half.  But by the end of the day, we had logged in closer to 3 miles.  It was a very pleasant day though - with temperatures in the low 60's.  Right now as I write, it is 57, and will go down to 55 at the lowest.  Every day this week looks similar....lows in the 40s and highs in the 50s with an average of 11 points difference from day to night.  How I love this weather!!!!  (100% chance of rain tomorrow - hoorah!)




Melissa sent me a very high-quality recording of Bethany playing Brahms.  I was able to cast it onto the television.  It was so lovely to sit down and watch her play not only the piano, but an amazing piece on the organ!



This evening, we had four young women over....Berklee is one I met in Provo before we came in 2019, and I've loved her from day one.  She is from Utah, and her roommate Hannah is from England.  Hannah is a beautiful and petite redhead and so easy to be around.  Emma is from Utah and Elise from Boston, and the four of them are downright fun.

I served ..... surprise.....BBQ Chicken Pizza!  Yes, I am trying it out on everyone who comes here, and it proved once again tonight to be a hit.  Who doesn't love this?  Well....one of the girls is a vegetarian and so I made her a veggie pizza with marinara....it all worked out.  We had pizookies for dessert, and then watched an old Doris Day movie.  Those four young women are FANS of old movies!  You can't mention a movie that they don't know about and in some cases have seen.  

They all crowded onto the sofa and settled in for the movie.  We ended up being quite late, but they didn't seem to mind.

Two left at different times before the movie was over because they had obligations....they are after all - students.  I followed each one to the door, and they thanked me for the evening.  Each one said as she left, "It makes me feel like I am home with my mother."

That is music to my ears.  One of them said that I fix food that her mother would fix.  There you go.  That is simply an answer to prayer.  I don't know the physical "how" our prayers are answered, but I know that when the YSAs feel a sense of home here, feel familiar with this place, feel that they are with someone who cares about them, then we are getting a good start at doing what we were sent here to do.

If we can help them keep the faith, stay firmly rooted in the gospel, and stay connected with the ward family and the YSAs, we can return to Gilbert contented with our mission ---next October! 

Comments

melissa said…
You make everyone feel at home!! And I’m glad you got to see Bethany play.
October 22, 2020 at 10:32 PM
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