Tomorrow May Rain, So, I'll Follow the Sun...

We are still manning the YSA building many hours of the day but this will change a bit with summer coming and students leaving.  We hope to get out and pursue YSA that we haven't met or those who go to their own home wards in the Greater Manchester Area.  We will be visiting in their homes or taking them to lunch. We also are assisting the YSA in planning for the Institute Ball, once a month Friday activities outdoors, World Cup Match Activities, Barbecue for Seminary Grads and other fun and meaningful events.  We will still be teaching our English Class and also a class designed especially for new members.

We had a great Stake Conference on April 26th and 27th. At Priesthood Leadership, President Liptrott, President of the Manchester Stake,  gave a wonderful talk on Covenants. He made 5 points:
1. It is more important to keep our covenants with God than it is to justify breaking them
2. It is not easy, simple or convenient to keep our covenants
3. We will be tried again and again to break our covenants
4. We hasten the work of salvation by keeping our covenants
5. Families are blessed for generations when people keep their covenants

   We watched an inspiring video from Elder Holland where he talked about Peter and when he truly became a disciple and how it should affect us and our discipleship.  It was from a devotional he gave at the Provo MTC a few years ago.  Very inspiring.
   President Gregson gave a talk on unrighteous dominion. He said unrighteous dominion is not just anger or bullying.  It is laziness, selfishness and vanity and manifests itself as frustration or impatience.
   Elder Charles, an area seventy, talked about getting outside of our comfort zone.  He said that everyone needs to decide what is outside their personal comfort zone. To accomplish the Lord's work we need to "get out of the boat".  Some of us need to be more bold, some to pay tithing, some to go to the temple etc

More YSA Baptisms

Nigel was baptized by Elder Chong.  He is from Malaysia and is a very smart young man. 

Nigel with Ally and Elder Chong

Mel was baptized by Elder Cox. She and her martial arts teacher were baptized the same day.

 Tan is from Vietnam and had met missionaries several times before he decided he needed to make a change and listen to the Elders.  He also noticed a young man in his housing complex that seemed to live a good life. Mauro, who recently received the priesthood, and is a recent convert that set a good example that was noticed.  Mauro was able to baptize his good friend. They will remember this day for the rest of their lives. 

Tan and his best mate Mauro

Tan with his Sister and Mother.  His Mother, who is not a member, said a few words at the baptism. Tan goes to college and works at the family nail salon. 

The YSA Missionaries with Tan.

We enjoy going to Zone Meeting.  We presented at both the Manchester and the Ashton Zones on our new Summer Plan.  The building will be open in the evenings and we will spend our days going to visit YSA's that we haven't met or those who don't come to institute. The missionaries are sending us contact information of every YSA that they know throughout Manchester and we can go out and meet them.  

Elder Chong and Elder Calera

We love Elder Omat. He is here from Ethiopia and lost his foot to a rattle snake bite as a child. He is a fabulous missionary who walks everywhere, refuses a car and lives on the 3rd floor of a building with no lift. He has spent the last two years working tirelessly without complaint. 

Ashton Zone Meeting

Elder Bruder was an exchange student in Salt Lake in our daughter, Macy's ward. He joined the church and is now serving a mission here. He was just transferred to the Isle of Man.

Elder Pew with Elders Diperi, Debenham and Walker. Elders Debenham and Walker are AP's and all are BYU fans.  Elder Walker runs on the BYU track team.  They were having a BYU Moment !

Elder Cox left to go home today.  Elder Pew presented him with his new Hugo Boss tie which he just purchased for himself. He knew how great it would look with Elder Cox's new suit. Elder Cox was excited to wear it and he looked quite sharp. 

Elder Cox the night before he left for home, which is Logan Utah. 

Elder Bytheway and Elder Cox will be roommates at the U of U when they are both home in the fall. 

Transfer Meeting brings all 260 Missionaries together in the EMM. They are bussed in from everywhere and President and Sister Preston lead the new missionaries in while all the veteran missionaries line the hall singing Called to Serve. New Missionaries are introduced, missionaries leaving speak and President Preston speaks. It is a great tradition. 

We celebrated Sister Jordan's 21st Birthday on Tuesday Night by having dinner. 

Sister Jordan with her Fruit Pizza.  She was transferred to North Wales yesterday. We will miss her. 

Institute Class, Increase in Learning, Culminated with a 

Live Session with Elder and Sister Bednar

We had the privilege of talking via Teleconference with Elder David A and Sister Bednar at our class on May 7, 2014.  They agreed to meet and have a question and answer with our YSA who have attended our class utilizing his book "Increase in Learning" as the course material.  It was an amazing experience.  They were prepared with many great questions and enjoyed the discussion.  One YSA asked the difference between intelligence and wisdom.  One asked Sister Bednar why she married Elder Bednar.  One asked about faith and fear and how to not be fearful when faith can sometimes be difficult.  One asked what it felt like to be called as an apostle.  Elder Bednar spoke to the YSA's about the importance of the "one".  He said whenever he attends a conference of any kind, he is looking for one person to teach.  We should too.  Another question was about learning to love those that are difficult to love.  Elder Bednar said we need to focus on what people can become, not on who they might be now.   Even from 7,000 miles away, you could feel the Bednar's spirit and, as a result, the Spirit of the Holy Ghost was in the room.   The YSA's will never forget this night.  

Another view of the class.  Jacob Teal, Joe Walsh, Rhianne Hoyle and Ishmael are on the front row.  Phoebe Howe, Katie McGee, Rachel Teal, Hannah Mee, Illank and Garth are on the next row.  Behind them are Stephanie Imade, Helen Smith, Pierre Modua, Lukas Huemos and Luke Kerr, the Institute Director.  

Carter Maclean taking copious notes.

My English Class is going strong with great students. We have a good time. 

Sister Pew's english class on Saturday afternoon's.

Elder Pew's notes for his classes....always well prepared 

We took our Portuguese-speaking YSA's out to dinner at the Noodle Bar.  

It's hard to see their faces but on the right are Joanna Borges, Tatiana Malawe, Mauro Reffell and Ishmael.  On the Left is Dave. (Many of the YSA's probably have last names but no one knows them...too hard to say and spell)

I have a little friend, Stanimera from Bulgaria, who helps me a lot.  She tells me that in England, "We are Old Fashioned"! 

Elder Daniel Cox, from Logan, one of the mission AP's came to our flat for his 21st Birthday Dinner. 

The young elders planned a field trip to the Manchester United Stadium and included us in their adventure.  Elder Johnson, from Las Vegas and Elder Cox in front of Old Trafford, the Man U stadium.  It holds 76,000 people. 

Sister and Elder Pew in front of Old Trafford. 

The 3 guys on the stature are George Best, Sir Bobby Charlton and Dennis Law.

Man U home kits at the Mega Store...Soccer (Football) Central !!

Footballs in the Old Trafford super store.   Loads of them.

Inside Old Trafford.  

More inside Old Trafford.  The "pitch" is elevated and falls off about 2 1/2 feet all around for improved drainage.  Beautiful grass.  

Elder Johnson, dreaming. 

This shows the fall off of the pitch around the field.  The incline is artificial turf while the playing field is grass.  

The Trophy Room for Manchester United

Elder and Sister Pew sitting in the visiting team player's box.  This is where the sub's sit in quite comfy seats. This is the only time you will ever, ever see us in the red seats.

This plaque is inside the stadium in honor of the air crash of the team in 1958.  It devastated the team but brought Manchester together.  Manchester really honors those guys. 

The YSA playing Parlez-Vous Francaise....for FHE...The Cup Game...Thank You, Ryan Bell!

We took a long drive on Bank Holiday, Monday the 5th of May to Blackpool and to check out  some British golf courses.  Elder Pew has had many shopping days and looked at Cath Kidston Bags and English China. This day had a golf theme with other sites included.   

Lytham St. Anne's golf course from outside the fence across the rail track. Actually not that impressive of course.  

A beautiful walking path along the Lythem St. Annes golf course. 

This is a view of the Blackpool pleasure beach roller coaster, from afar.  The golf course in foreground is the St Annes public course.  

The unusual clubhouse of Royal Birkdale.  Looks like a white boat, sort of.  Also looks a bit like the old Long Beach airport.   However, inside are some amazing huge photo's of Open champions in action.  Tom Watson, Seve, Jack Nicklaus, Johnny Miller and others.   It is quite historic. 

A view of Royal Birkdale from parking lot.

This is first tee box at Royal Birkdale.   This course looks like a lot of fun to play, other than when wind is howling.  Lots of sand dunes, gorse, but you can really see the fairways.  It is a public course, just expensive.   I've got to get over here with clubs in hand this summer.

Close-up of Pleasure Beach in Blackpool.  The Roller Coaster looks massive and is called the Pepsi Maxx!

The Beach or the Sea (way out there) at Lythem St. Anne's near Blackpool. 

We see these very nicely trimmed hedges all along the roads of England.  We wonder, but don't know, who trims them, but they are always in beautiful condition. 

Hespeth Park in Southport. 

more Hespeth Park in middle of Southport.

Downtown Southport, a beautiful seaside town.  Royal Birkdale is just south of Southport.  

Southport Town Hall

Other Adventures

Shopping Trip to Cheshire Oaks

Rhianne Hoyle and Sister Pew eating lunch at TGI Friday where they refill the drinks.

This was a cute store on my shopping day to Cheshire Oaks with Rhianne

Rhianne Hoyle in Chester, during shopping day with Sister Pew.  Elder Pew was golfing that day.

We were able to go out to dinner with President and Sister Liptrott.  We had a wonderful time. They pointed out this landmark...This establishment in the middle of Manchester.  Obviously, not the real thing but an terrible imitation.

We Love the Book of Mormon Too!!

We have seen some interesting signs around Manchester - who cares whether it's
 done thoughtfully, just throw it in the rubbish bin.

Sounds like a serious profession

or, watch so that you don't bump your head on this low stair case.

Adding a little Spring Color to our little balcony.

Unfortunately we are starting to love the white bread and we are buttering it too and putting loads of jam on it.   Note from Elder Pew, we do toast it before buttering it!

We always have a stack of chairs outside out flat door for the Young Missionaries if they need a spot to teach. We have come home to our flat the last few nights and found our chairs set up in our hallway.  But a very bad odor and litter from papers and some kind of "stuff" all over the floor ...we finally realized people have been having a little marijuana party outside our flat.  We are glad the church's chairs are being put to good use !

New Words: 

A Bloke-a guy

A sign which read "Cockle Picking is Dangerous" - I guess picking up sea shells is dangerous because the tide might roll in.

Epic- Fantastic, Awesome

Whilst- While

xxxxx-  You cannot send a text without this salutation! 

Popping Round to see you-  Coming to see you

Hen Party- A Bachelorette Party (English Girls, even YSA, always have a Hen Party before they get married)