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"Thoughts"   The World is a Cultural Yarn Shop.  It's our opportunity to weave the ultimate tapestry.   London Missionary Experience 23 November 2008 Off to Lea Valley Ward.  Today the TFL Underground from Earl's Court to Walthamstow via Picadilly to Victoria was a breeze.  We were early for church and were greeted warmly as usual.  Even in Lea Valley there is interest in BYU vs Utah and there was some discussion.... imagine a three point game in the 4th quarter that ended as it did.  Priesthood is first and there is always a 'Missionary Moment' from the full-time missionaries assigned to the ward.  Elder Anderson, from Calgary, stood and related how amazing it is and true that "the Lord works in mysterious ways, his wonders to perform."  I think I noted that the fire alarm went off two weeks ago during Sacrament meeting.  Well -- as Paul Harvey used to say -- here's the rest of the story.  There were some firemen who responded to the alarm.  One of them, after finding that all was Ok and it was a false alarm, asked Elder Anderson if this was a Catholic Church.  Of course he told him it was the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, sometimes known as the Mormons.  He went on to explain a little about the church, and....they are now teaching him! Upon arriving, one of the members told me she had received a call from the YM President saying that he, being on-call for his work, had to go to Cambridge and was running late to get back and asked if I would go ahead with a lesson.  We had discussed this possibility last week, so I was prepared.  We had five YM and the lesson discussion went, I think, really well.  They are really neat young men.  My lesson was on the bad effects of worldly influence on language and thought.  I asked them what the 'lady voice' on the tube says....... "Mind the Gap".  I told them in the US it would be "Watch Your Step."  We talked about all the ways we can "Mind the Gap" spiritually in our lives. Tonight was 'Bell' practice.  There are six of us playing Christmas songs for a couple (I think) of Christmas programs.  There are four sisters and two elders; we've been practicing for about a month.  At first it was.....well, pretty poor, but we're gradually getting better.  I'm kind of used to playing intermittent notes in a band, so it's not anything really new for me, but the other elder is not a musician and he's having trouble counting.  Hopefully we'll get there for the performance.  When we all play the right notes at the right time it sounds really great. 22 November 2008 Well, today was a water-shed day.  We 'ran the show' so to speak.  Mom and I were in charge of the Family History Center for 8 hours and almost filled a page with Patrons... approximately 37.  No one to help us, no one to ask questions of -- we had to answer the questions and help the Patrons as best we could.  I only ran into one problem that I felt my knowledge was less than 1/4 of a tank.  A very sweet black girl, who comes often had some questions about searching Jamacian records that I stumbled a bit with the answers.  I made a guess and then called one of the other missionaries and helped her find what she wanted.  Turned out that I was on the right track.  I told her to come back in two months and I'd know a lot more. Mom did a great job.  Introduced new people to the centre, helped them load and view films, answered questions, showed patrons how to search, took care of the money and acted every bit the part of a FHC consultant. A newlywed couple came in late in the day -- the wife, a native of France, had been a missionary in the England London Mission two years before and her husband was a returned missionary from Switzerland.  They are now living in Cardiff, Wales.... my great, grandpappy's home town.  They were fun to talk with.  They are soon to go back to Switzerland where they will be living in Lusanne.  Mom told them she was struggling a bit, and the wife told mom that she cried for three weeks straight when she first got to London.  She said that her Mission President had said to the missionaries that they were not serving the Lord, but that He had sent them there to build them, teach them and strengthen them. Yesterday, I met a man on the bus named Mike.  He is a volunteer at the Chelsea Hospital.  He was taking a rather nice 4-slice toaster to give to the hospital.  He was very interested in Family History -- gave him a pass-out card with info about the FHC and he said he would drop buy.  We shared some thoughts about family and agreed that the world would be a better place if families were stronger. It is a delight to listen to the Patrons, who in their excitement, have found a long, lost ancestor and can hardly wait to tell their family and friends. Today, I found James... my 2nd Great Grandfather, who was born in West Down, Devonshire, England in 1801.  I actually saw and have a copy of the written record of his birth (or baptism... not sure which, I ran out of time and need to look at the film again next week).  I have also been tracking down others and hope to have more information this coming week as well for others. Well time to sign off for today.  The weather has turned cold..... expect it to get down to 27 and have snow in the morning.  London cold is really cold