Work and Play

 The big event of the day was District Council, with our two sets of Oxford missionaries, and our young zone leaders from Reading - an hour's drive away.  We met in the church parking lot.  It was a glorious day!  The sun shone brilliantly - playing over every surface.  I think it may have gotten up to 60 degrees, which is just right for a layer over a couple of layers.  Besides District Council, It was Elder Reynoldson's nineteenth birthday.





The missionaries lugged four tables out of the church and the appropriate number of chairs.  We sat in a square, while we met.  During every district council, two of the missionaries have what we affectionately call here "The Gap."  It is so named in honor of the what the announcement says at the train station as you board a train:  "Mind the gap." - meaning don't step into the foot or so gap between the train and the platform.

The gap in missionary vernacular, is a practice of a lesson that the missionary will be giving to an investigator.  It is a very useful and positive thing.  The two Oxford elders gave it, and their pretend student was none other than Elder Hinkson - our zone leader who will be finishing his mission and returning home next Tuesday.

Their lesson was quite humorous but serious too, as they taught him about the principle of "celestial marriage."  Elder Hinkson took it well, and we all had a good laugh.  We ordered pizza, and sat in that glorious weather munching pizza, and then some amazing cinnamon rolls that Elder Hinkson had made.  Afterward, everyone except me went to play tennis before working the rest of the day.  And - you guessed it, there were eight, with Elder Madsen.

He came home exhausted but he had actually won a game and was elated.  

I was here at the computer.  I am significantly calmer as I am getting more comfortable with these programs.  I think it will still be a while before I can say that I know what I am doing, but I think I know enough at this point to teach on Tuesday evening.  

I am going to add a few comments of some of the students who are enrolled in my class.  Their first assignment was to write a brief paragraph introducing themselves and explaining why they signed up for this course.  

I will put them on this blog and then go to bed.  We're traveling down to the southern coast tomorrow to Portsmith, where we will tour through five apartments an agent has lined up for us.  We will be looking for a flat suitable enough for one of the many new senior couples who will be arriving within the next month.  That will take the better part of the day, so I want to get into bed as soon as possible.

Here are the comments:


Hello Everyone! My name is_____ and I am from Zimbabwe. I am a young single adult aged 20 and I have just recently returned from serving my fulltime mission in Mozambique  Maputo Mission  and Zimbabwe Harare Mission (March 2019 -March 2021). Yes! I served in two missions. The best introduction of myself that I can give is simply that I am a child of God, and a disciple of Jesus Christ  and that gives me the zeal to learn more about him and hopefully,  to become exactly like him in the process. I am happy to be learning with you all!


My name is ---------. I am from Minsk, Belarus. I am married and have 2 kids ( Arthur and Sara). I served on a mission in Ukraine in 2014-2016. I love reading, painting and spending time with my family. I am looking forward to getting to know Jesus Christ better through this institute experience.


.I will be a member for 26 years on 1 October this year. I was born in Maribor, Slovenia, I believe knowing Jesus Christ is the most important knowledge and although I have read the Bible from cover to cover a few times and our triple combination of scriptures many times, I feel this is what I need to learn most, to know Jesus Christ better and to be in tune with our Heavenly Father's wishes for me. I felt I needed to return to Slovenia and strengthen the Church here. We are still very much in lock down but I was able to receive the Sacrament in the Maribor chapel last Sunday.


My name is --------I am  from  Sierra Leone, I love smiling because it makes me happy and am also preparing to go on a mission and I love the gospel of Jesus Christ and I want to more about him true this  Institute course 



My name is ------. I am from Agona Swedru, Ghana. I am single and planning to serve mission. I love read and share the scripture, spending with friends and families. I am looking to get closer to my Heavenly father and study about him.


I am a 30 something mummy to two girls . My husband is from Malwai where I lived with him for some years now we are living in the UK . I currently run my own business making handmade children's teepee . After living in Malwai I realised I have a great passion to help people . I have always been hoping to find a way to study and I came across pathways and decided the time was right . I am so excited to be learning my about the Jesus Christ and this institute programme will be so beneficial to developing my testimony . 


Comments

melissa said…
What a lovely day!
May 1, 2021 at 11:50 PM
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