DECEMBER 14-18 2021

We’ve arrived in Manchester, England - with LOTS of luggage and felt ‘upside down’ from the long flight and time change.  We were met by President and Sister Johnson who took us to the mission office where we loved visiting with them, meeting the office couples, took Covid tests and were given our assignment of where and what we would be doing during our mission service.  We are going to be serving in Wales, on the Isle of Anglesey!   We then went to a hotel for two days to quarantine until the results of our Covid test was in. We were able to walk outside a bit as we tried to adjust to the time difference.  After receiving a ‘negative’ test, some senior couples drove us to our flat, which is about 2 hours from the mission office, and the furthest away!  We all ate lunch together in a pub around the corner.  A group of Welsh singers were there sitting around tables playing their guitars and singing Welsh Christmas carols.  They came to our table and sang ‘Amazing Grace’!  After putting our luggage in our flat, we got right back into our car and drove 1 ½ hours to a Costco to get some needed items to be warm and comfortable in our new place.  Mike did so well driving on the opposite side of the road, maneuvering the rounds-abouts, and ‘squeezing’ down narrow lanes.  We were so pleased with ourselves!  We completely filled our car with our purchases and began the drive home in the pitch dark.  About eight miles from the bridge that would take us onto the island, the thruway was closed in both directions until 6am the next morning.  We thought we may have to sleep in our car all night and were glad we had bought some new pillows and blankets!  After several attempts to find another route, we finally found someone with a very very thick Welsh accent who tried to direct us - I think Japanese might have been easier to understand.  Ok - I’m totally intimidated.  We finally found a route which took us up into Snowdonia mountains and back down to the island.  The ride was full of very narrow windy roads and no street lights whatsoever.  (A few days later we drove the same road to the bishop’s house and couldn’t believe we had attempted it in the dark and weren’t hurt.  I know the Lord was watching out for us).  What should have taken a little over an hour had expanded to almost four hours and we arrived at our new little flat just before midnight!  Quite an eventful first day!

The next day we drove to the Gaerwan Chapel to meet the new bishop and his wife, Brian and Melanie Quilter. Mike was set apart as the first counselor in a brand new bishopric by a brand new stake president.  It was sooo cold in the church building that I never took off my heavy winter coat, gloves or scarf! (May be taking blankets to church!) We then went to lunch with the Quilters at a local pub!  They are really delightful and we formed an instant friendship with them. Bishop is American and Melanie is Welsh.  They have 5 children. The next day after finally unpacking and trying to figure out lots of different things in our flat, we went to the church for a ward Christmas party - the first activity this ward has had together in two years because of Covid.  There has not been any missionaries in this ward for years and they are so excited and welcoming.  I am captivated by their accents! It is much thicker and a bit trickier to understand than a British accent, but charming nonetheless!

Our first Sunday in our mission and I am, once again, sitting by myself as Mike is seated on the stand!  I am not complaining.  I recognize the bounteous blessings our family has received because of his selfless service.  I sat with the bishop’s family and will learn of new ones to sit by and fellowship. 

(Pictures below include arrival, Manchester, and our new island, church with Quilter family, Gill family and Mel and I)