Elder Watts' Web Page

"Thoughts"   The World is a Cultural Yarn Shop.  It's our opportunity to weave the ultimate tapestry.     Previous Posts: November 22-23 November 24 December 2-3 December 6 December 13 December 28 (lost for good)  :( London Missionary Experience 18 January 2009 The following is perhaps a bit disjointed with my some ramblings since I last wrote two weeks ago:  Well, we've been back at work in the FHC for the last two weeks.  Like most work it seems pretty uneventful until you begin to add up all the little things that happen to make it.... well eventful.  I think there's seldom a day when one or more of our patrons isn't delightfully excited having found a record of one of their ancestors.  A few of our regulars ( I want you to know that I love and respect these people): Janet, who is there for someone else.  She talks funny (very English) and makes mom laugh and loves doing it.  She gives mom all kinds of advice on what to shop for (food) and what to cook.  When mom can't understand her she just nods and agrees. Mary, a friend of Janet, who also talks funny is also doing work for someone else.  She wears a ball cap, is about five-feet tall and stays until we have to tell her to leave. Ken, who talks to himself and works so hard on his own family, wears camo pants and 'does not' wear deodorant.  We are all dodging who is going to speak to him about personal hygiene, but all agree it must be done. 'The Fonz', who is an avid genealogist and is in the centre often.  Truly right off the set of Happy Days. Iona, who has been responsibile for all of the building Christmas decorating.  She is a professional decorator and has had a huge job decorating and un-decorating the Hyde Park building.  She speaks fluent Scottish and likes to talk to mom and I.  She spent Christmas with her sister in Timber Lakes (yup in Utah), so she has been very excited to talk with us about it.  Only problem is, we don't speak fluent Scottish and so we miss about half of what she says. Pat, a professional genealogist (or was) and the same age as the Queen (83), is there researching one person with an interesting life for possibly writing a book.  She struggles a bit with the computer and will ask questions.  When an answer is given, she will say 'oh no, that won't work.'  So I've gotten accustomed to asking her if she wants help or not.  It's usually yes and then we go on to solve her problem. I'm still trying to be a missionary even though we are not allowed to 'proselyte' as it were in the FHC.  I continue to put out Books of Mormon in a wall rack near the door along with Proclamation on the Family and Testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith brochures.  The racks are in a hall near the door to allow those who wish to take them can do so anonomously.   Since I put up the rack in October, 19 Books of Mormon have been taken.  The books have all been tagged with contact information and a copy of my testimony has been included therein.  I usually try to strike up a conversation with people on the bus, i.e. : This week I spoke with a young girl who was playing with her Nintendo.  We explored the merits of Nintendo versus Sony PSP.  She said that the PSP was mostly for boys.  No interest in Family History. I met a young man who had recently graduated from the Imperial College London, which is right across the road from the FHC.  He is an Electrical Engineer now working for a company in the natural gas equipment business.  We were just getting going when I came to my stop and had to get off. We had missionaries over for dinner last Tuesday and they brought an investigator.  Mom's dinner was ... no other way to describe it....magnificent!  If that doesn't convert her, nothing will.  I brought out a film that Ron and Ruby sent to us for Christmas entitled "Only a Stonecutter."  Perhaps you have seen it -- the story of John Moyle, who worked on the Salt Lake Temple for years.  It is really good and we had a nice discussion. Yesterday, P-day, we went to Portobello Road Market, which is a bewildering array of booths and shops with everything imaginable - vegetables, clothes, hats, CD's, luggage, purses, antiques, jewelry, food - pastries (good), waffles (good) - all kinds of other stuff (some food was just plain indescribable).  Mom bought a large scarf for a table cloth and then wore it today as a scarf.  I was tempted to buy a bugle with a braided lanyard in an antique shop, but decided I didn't want it bad enuf to part with £55.  I wish I had taken my camera.... need to never go walking without it.  What an interesting array of people -- people with black and red hair, blondes with black streaks, piercings, old English, young English, amazing hats, socks and outfits.  As we left to come home -- there were three rather stout women coming towards us with obvious significant layers of clothing culminating in heavy coats and scarves as to look like a sidewalk-wide armada for which we had no alternative but to duck in a driveway to allow passage.  A bit further along we passed another woman -- I believe she was a she -- with multiple piercings throughout her face, her hair pointed 'up' on top and again layers of clothing, drab and grey, and heavy black boots.  I hope to have a chance to catch some of this kalidescope of people on my camera. Today, we had to be flexible since our usual tranportation to church was not operating.  Fortunately, we have learned a little bit about how to get around, and made it to church.... but 10 minutes late.  Our meetings were good, and the Gospel Doctrine teacher did another fine job.  I taught the YM and had a good discussion about the Priesthood. After church we had been invited to dinner at the HP Group Leader / RS Presidents house along with the elders assigned to Lea Valley and the ward mission leader, Elder Wilbert Kahwa from Tanzania.  He taught me how to say 'good morning' in Swahili, but it was lots of words, and I've forgotten already.  The meal was great and we enjoyed the company. We also went to another outdoor shopping market, called North End Road Market, last week.  We bought some vegies, etc. and went in a discount grocery store.  While mom was shopping, I found a chair near the front of the store to sit and wait.  As I waited, a young black girl checked out with...maybe month's supply of groceries -- at least 10 bags full, some quite heavy.  I wondered how she was going to manage it and wondered how far she had to go.  She made a couple of attempts to pick up as many as she could, but soon realized there was no way she was going to carry all of the bags.  About then a young woman wearing a head scarf asked if she could help even though she had a cart full of groceries of her own.  I jumped up to help as well and found out she only had to carry them across the street (very busy with traffic) to her car.  I asked the woman with the scarf if she would watch my 'trolley' while I helped carry groceries.  She smiled a grateful smile and quickly said yes.  I carried lots of grocery sacks and felt good for having helped.  Funny, I wondered if that was one little thing for which I was called to come here. This mission is a sort of Pioneer Trek for mom and I, and here's our progress (red dot) mileage-wise in comparison to the real trek.  I think if we can make it to Salt Lake City (figuratively speaking), we'll make it to the real destination.                Lastly, did you happen to read the "Gospel Classics" Consecrate Thy Performance, by Elder Neal Maxwell in the December Ensign?  If you didn't get a chance to read it, I would recommend it to you. We love you...... Mom and Dad                     This Web Page Created with PageBreeze Free Website Builder