Some of Our New Friends

President and Sister Shamo live in South London where they preside over about 180 missionaries.  Walt and I actually attended Dixie Jr. College in St. George, Utah in the late 60's with President Shamo.  We've become well acquainted with both of them over the past 6 months.  This photo is from one of the garden areas at Hampton Court.  At this location the "hand picked" scriptorians and theologians met 400 years ago to work on a new translation of the Bible which today we know as the King James Version.

Walt and I spend  some of our preparation days with Jim and Janet Williams from the Missionary Training Center (MTC).  We have the opportunity to visit nearby places of interest.  They are great to travel with.  We also interact with them every 3 weeks when we process in new missionaries.Their missionary assignment is to support and serve with President and Sister Walker full time at the MTC.  They have previously served as Mission President and wife over the Denmark Mission.  Jim is a former head of rheumatology at the U. of U. in Salt Lake City.  Walt appreciates having another physician to talk over health concerns of the missionaries.

Our "home away from home" and new surroundings

This is our wonderful abode in Chorley, England.  We live in a little neighborhood that is quiet yet close to the places we frequent.  We often walk to the Temple, the MTC or our Church building---an 8 minute walk.

We are also close to the bus route so we enjoy riding the bus downtown for shopping and to peruse the books at the library.  Because of our advanced age we were able to obtain a free bus pass.  We could actually take the bus "up and down" and "over and across" the nation if we had the desire, need and/or time.

On a short drive we discovered this windmill in an open field.  It seems that we are often surprised to see "little wonders" so close to a residential area.

There are numerous parks throughout the northwest of England.  Not far from this spot is a large park, golf course and buildings that house a little restaurant, craft area and a golf shop.  

Several  months ago we were invited by the Mission President of the Birmingham Mission to join a new group of missionaries for a tour of the Benbow Farm which has great significance in  early Church history in England.  So Walt and I headed off the evening before the tour to stay at a spot nearby so we'd be on time for the morning tour.  I looked up the info on Benbow Farm on a Church website and then hit google maps for driving directions.  Since we were still unfamiliar with the geography of this particular area we were grateful to have the specific directions.  

The next morning we inquired of several people if they had ever been to this spot.  No one seemed to be familiar with it.  While we were following the directions we stopped a mail deliverer and asked her for help.

"Oh, I've been trying to get in their for a long time.  No one unlocks the gate so I can deliver the mail."  Well, that's certainly strange since all the Church historic sites we know of welcome visitors with open arms.  We called President Ogden and apologized for bothering him but we needed assistance if we were going to meet up with the group on time.  After explaining our dilemma (and hearing him share it with his wife and others) we heard a burst of laughter come from the other end of the connection.  "I don't know exactly where you are but it's no where close to our location."  We were able to give him our postal code (zip code in USA) and he determined we were about 2+ hours off course. 

Well, we drove into a little town and inquired if there was anything of interest to see nearby.  "Yes, there is Princess Diana's family home nearby."  The Spencer Estate was amazing.  We enjoyed the grounds and the home so very much that we've visited twice.  This was the country estate for a long line of Spencers.

Diana is buried here on a little patch of land on a small lake to the right of this photo.  Diana's brother, Charles Spencer, inherited this estate called Althorp.  He restored and refurbished it and has it open to the public for 3 months of the year.

Whenever Walt and I tour we are questioned because of the badges we wear that show Elder Hales or Sister Hales.  It's a great opportunity to share our purpose for being in England.  We are grateful for our Savior and the Gospel that He gave us.  We're happy to share it with all we meet.

Animals, Animals Everywhere!

 We love our "Bovine Buddies".  They are almost as common a sight as the "shaggy sheep" we see gracing the hillsides and open fields throughout England, Scotland and Ireland.  Of course, once the sheep are sheared they look fairly scrawny until their hairy coat starts growing back.

Oh, the people we've meet along our way!

We met this young man one morning after staying the night in the lovely village of Melrose in an area called "The Borders" just south of Scotland, in England.  He was on his way to perform and consented to a quick picture.  The town was celebrating a historic anniversary with live music, dancing, a parade, the crowning of a princess, etc.  Melrose is one of the many villages we'd love to return to before leaving England.

We've enjoyed getting to know a wonderful couple from our ward, Mavis and Clifford Dawson.  They have lively tales to share about their younger years, fighting in WWII, working at one of the many cotton mills and life in a small community.  Their accents alone keep us enthralled!  On this Sunday we met some visitors at Church and invited them to join us for dinner.  It turns out we sort of "knew" Ann and Dixie Leavitt from an association with my former English roommate from BYU, Liz Bulmer.  The Leavitts were serving as the Mission President and Wife in the Leeds, England mission not long after Liz joined the Church.  They became close friends and later when Liz came to America for a roommate reunion Walt and I with Liz stayed in the Leavitts home in Cedar City, Utah.  The extra individual sitting on the left near Ann is Peter Fagg,  Peter has recently been asked to be the Church Historian for England.  He is a brilliant young man who along with his family own a couple of bookstores that specialize in Church materials.  He also sponsors tours of England, often with emphasis on Church history.

After attending a "New Mission Presidents" seminar in Frankfurt, Germany, Walt and I were able to travel about 45 minutes by car to reunite with Gerda Alles.  Gerda lived with my family in LaCanada, California for 9 months when I was a child.  She was a great help to my Mom.  I adored Gerda and was so grateful she was able to stay with us.   What a treat to have a reunion after 50+ years! Here she is in the back garden with her husband and 1 daughter.  Her sons were out of the country otherwise we would have met them.  We enjoyed a good visit and one of her homemade kuchens and tea.

A Beautiful Place to Serve

This is the rose arch on the Preston Temple grounds.  It's especially beautiful from April to August.  We live just blocks from these grounds and so walk here often.  There is also a Distribution Center, Family History Center, patron and workers Accommodation Center, Stake Center, The Missionary Training Center and ,of course, the Temple.

This is one of the many colorful flower beds on the Temple grounds.  The 16 acres consist of formal gardens, a grass field, a football field (think soccer) and a work in progress.  This complex has the most diverse number of plants in the county.  There's a pond at the MTC that hosts gold fish, lilies, frogs, ducks and occasionally heron. A fox or 2 live in the nearby field, as well as rabbits and mice.

California Visit to Sam and Adrienne

Maureen and I have finished our time at the missionary training center in Provo, Utah. It was a wonderful two weeks. We were trained using Preach My Gospel to teach others about Christ and his message and mission. The most enjoyable part was spending time with the young missionaries and seeing their enthusiam and excitement. Some of the other senior couples are going to Africa, the Marshall Islands, Germany, Hong Kong, and the Phillipnes to name a few.

We are presently in Colfax, Caalifornia having a wonderful visit with Sam and Wes and their families. Activites have included hikes to waterfalls, attending little league baseball games, and attending Church. Sam and Adrienne's youngest Lydia received a wonderful Father's blessing from her Dad. Others in the blessing circle included both her grandfathers, her Uncle Cameron

and other family friends We have been entertained by Sammy, Emma and Eliza on the piano.

It has been great to finally see Wes, Tammy, Camille, Madeleine, and Cameron after 16 months. They went through the earthquake in Japan and have shared how Wes especially was involved in helping with the relief effort. This my first note ever on our blog. Be patient I will improve!

Love, Elder Hales