Good Travel, Conversations, News and Surprises

 We left home yesterday at 8 a.m. and returned at a little after 8 p.m.  We were on the road for most of that time.  SK made the comment last night that we could have driven to Lia's home in that time from Arizona  (not as many miles but easily the number of hours). It was a scintillating day of conversation with the young missionaries.  

The day started out with misty mists and fog.

We zig-zagged across the mission munching on tangerines, carrot sticks and cookies.  SK and I in the front seat, with our one charge at a time in the back seat, we learned about the lives of three young elders and their missions.  

Our first young elder is a Brit, and I loved him immediately.  He told us early in our conversation that he is autistic, mildly so.  He grew up in a farming area around horses, and proudly showed us the three his family owns.  They were beautiful horses.  He said - very matter of factly - that he has been bullied to a greater or lesser extent most of his life because "I am different, and a lot of people don't know how to respond to my difference."  My heart sank as I realized what he has dealt with for most of his young life.  

But he is out here serving and giving his very best.  I pray that all of his companions will be kind and understanding with him.  Missions aren't easy for even the most outgoing and brilliant people, but he faces some real challenges.  I know that a lot of prayer and thought go into the assignments. He has great plans for the future.  He expressed that he is who he is because of his challenges, and that in some ways it has been a blessing.  How I admire him.

We left him at his new assignment and picked up another elder from Brazil.  We met him shortly after he got here in England last year as we were inspecting apartments.  He hardly spoke, he was still struggling to conquer the English language.  We spent an enjoyable three hours with him.  His family is from Portugal and were living in Brazil when he was born.  He grew up in Brazil but will return home to his family who moved to England while he has been here.  His English is excellent!

Dropping him off in Ipswich - a coastal town on the east side of England, we picked up another young Brazilian, a cheerful young man who has also developed a good command of language of England.  We visited with him as we plunged into the city of London, driving through some of the seedier neighborhoods.  It was dark by then, and I looked at the old apartment buildings (two or three stories at the most) gliding by, groups of men huddled in small circles smoking, shoulders raised against the cold.  

As we passed by a large dark and deserted park, the young elder exclaimed "I remember this park!"  He had served in that area before and recalled that the park was an area where drugs were exchanged.  They were told by a denizen of the park that they shouldn't go there, because they looked like policemen and it wouldn't be safe.

I said a silent prayer for our missionaries there.  In a few minutes, we were parked in front of their flat, and two clean-cut and handsome young men in white shirts and ties, wearing name badges came out to help him get his luggage inside.  We have seen them before at mission meetings (in fact one served in Oxford just before we got here).  They chatted with us for a minute or two and then we left.  I was happy he was going to be with three other happy young men - who seemed to be surviving nicely.

There was no easy way out of this crowded suburb of London, so we slogged through 45 minutes of stop and go, before we finally got on the "motorway."  We arrived home too late to tune into our young adult Family Home Evening.  We so hated to miss that! 

But it was a good day.

Somewhere in the middle of the day, we received this wonderful news:

The end of the day came with a package at the door!  With a burst of sympathy for me - or SK - or both, Melissa sent this delightful surprise.  It is plugged in and charging right now.  This should be a treat.  I will tune in to a few Youtube videos about how to cut hair....maybe with the new apron, the videos and the shiny new hair clippers/scissors, SK can avoid the stocking cap!