Joan, Highpoint of a Grand Day

 Another warm and glorious day in Oxford!  We reached 70 degrees again, but beginning tomorrow it will be no more Mr. Nice guy for now. Although the temperature will get up to 59 for April 1, it will plummet to 36 in the nighttime, and then by midweek next week it will be in the 40's in the daytime, dropping down to possibility of snow two nights.  Isn't that crazy?  You would think we were in Utah!

One of the sweet experiences of this day was visiting Joan, our sweet little 95-year-old member.  She is justifiably proud of the fact that she is the same age as "our beloved queen."  I took her a little Easter treat.  She was standing on a stair, which gave her about 5 inches more in height, as she greeted me enthusiastically.  "Bless you my Darling!" she exclaimed.

"Lord love you." she said.  We stood and talked for awhile.  At one point, she forgot I was there...it was nothing like dementia.  She started thinking of her husband who passed away over forty years ago, and she began addressing him as though he were present.  She told him she has never forgotten him, even though he told her before she died that she would remarry.  "Never!" she replied, and then winking at me, "And I never did."

Getting back to her husband, she told him how grateful she was for life, for her temple sealing to him, for their three beautiful children, for her Savior and for her church and church family.  I don't know....she is so small, so sweet, and so full of faith.  I stood there towering over her, but felt like a spiritual pygmy.


We watched a couple of hours of zone conference in the morning, then got busy with several other things until 2:30, when we tuned in again.  We introduced The Lamb of God, and yes....watched it AGAIN.  Once again - this is the third time - Dave did not come on at the last to say something.  I've been wondering if he just didn't like it.

Later in the day, he called to say our introduction was perfect, and then he asked if we would introduce it on Friday evening.  He mentioned that a good many of those who will watch are not LDS, and not Christian, so we must tweak it a little bit.  Then he added, "Jan, I have watched it three times, and I cry more each time, I see more each time."  I assured him that both SK and I feel the same.  SK cried more today than any other time we have watched it!  No wonder he didn't come on at the end!

So tomorrow we will introduce it to our very own beloved little zone and two others.  I am looking forward to that.  I am certain we will get more feedback as time goes by.  Dave mentioned that a few young missionaries have asked if they can invite their families to join in the call on Friday evening, from wherever they are in the world, but it is only for the people they are teaching or who have recently been baptized.  I think he has to report to the people who are letting him stream it, and I have no idea what the financial arrangement is.  

I want to share it with everyone.  I suggested that he call The Reverend Teal and invite him, and he said he will.

We ended with Institute this evening.  One of our cute young adults taught and did a superb job.

One more note:  SK went on an errand, and of course passed by the castle and the moat (it actually is not a moat but a fast-running tributary of the Thames) and stopped to pay his respects to Bill the Heron, but there was another man there observing who seemed to know a lot about Bill.  The disappointing news is that Bill is actually Eduardo.  I can't imagine who gave him that name!  

After a discussion about Eduardo, we decided that we don't care who gave him that name....to us, he will always be Bill.




A cute Easter treat from the Sisters.

We love the massive trees that are everywhere.  As yet, they are without leaves, but once the green canopy covers their branches, they will be breath-taking.  There were blossoms everywhere - enough to take your breath away....unfortunately, I didn't get my camera out in time to catch a photo of trees covered in bright pink blossoms, bushes white with flowers and homes with a profusion of colorful flowers where you would expect a bit of a front yard.  

Comments

melissa said…
I love hearing how much everyone is loving the Lamb of God!!!
March 31, 2021 at 9:14 PM
Erin said…
I agree with Melissa. It's fun to hear about it!

And who could name him Eduardo when he is clearly Bill!
March 31, 2021 at 10:32 PM
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