Imran

Mike

Today was a beautiful day in more ways than just the weather. A father hand his three sons and one little girl stopped in at the center. They said that they lived in East Grinstead originally from Bangladesh. They had been driving past the Temple for years and wanted to find out what it was all about. The kids were out of school today so they came by. The fourteen year-old son had been studying about the church and had loads of questions. He knew about Joseph Smith, Gold Plates, Brigham young, Book of Mormon etc. and wanted to understand. I spent an hour with them teaching and answering questions. I showed them the Restoration movie which answered many of their questions. They took three copies of the Book of Mormon and video. The 14 year-old boy Imran, was excited to get the Book of Mormon and pray about it. He wanted to understand the Holy Ghost in Maroni's promise. I explained that to him, and told him how he would feel when he felt it as he read and prayed. I walked the grounds with them and talked about the temple and many other things. They wanted the address of the East Grinstead ward and said they would visit. I hope to see them Sunday.

Slovakia – Investigators

April 8, 2014

Today a family walked into the London Temple Visitor Centre.  There was the Mom (Mya) her two children Elle (6) and Adam (4), her Mom Margaret, and Mother-In law , Veronica.   Mya informed me that she would need to translate for her Moms as they only spoke Slovakian. They also understood Polish.  There was another tour going on with the Sister Missionaries and some Elders so they asked if they could go into the room where the Prophets bare their testimonies.  They looked at all the pictures and Mya seemed to be telling them about the pictures so I left them alone for a few minutes.  I returned to see if they needed help or wanted to listen to one of the testimonies of the First Presidency or the Quorum of twelve.  Mya was concerned that they would talk faster than she could translate.  They wanted to know about Elder Bednar.  The area in Slovakia that they come from has many families with the surname of Bednar.   She looked him up on Wikipedia but couldn’t find any information about his family roots.  I asked them if they would like to see the Restoration video in Polish.  They did so we took them into the arrival center, as the theatre was already in use.  I showed them the video and they listened very attentatively .  When it concluded I bore my testimony of Joseph Smith and that they too could know which Church was true, just as he did.  I also bore testimony of the Book of Mormon and the Restored Gospel.  I asked if they had any questions, and Elle, the six year old, said I have a question.  Who were those two people that that was in the light talking to Joseph?  She had a light in her eyes like I have never seen. She had a spirit of purity and desire to know.  It told her it was Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  I then explained a little more about the Restoration.  She listened with such intent like she couldn’t get enough information.  I then asked if they had a copy of the Book of Mormon.  Elle said “I would like one”. So I told her I would get her one.  I also asked if the two older ladies would like a copy in Polish.  They were very excited and said yes.  I told them it was free and then they were really excited.  I had Elder Cummings go get them from the Mission Office while we visited the Christus.  I explained the Christus very simply and briefly then played the narration in Polish for them. After bearing my testimony again about the love the Savior has for me and for them I noticed that there was a recently returned missionary we knew standing in the Centre. He said he recognized some of the Polish as he had served in Romania and Moldova, and the language was similar He was able to talk to the two older sisters in some of their language.  I took the younger children over to color a Temple at the Temple Kiosk.  It was then while visiting with the mother and helping with the children that the mother shared that she and the ladies with her were Roman Catholic.  She had been reading about Joseph Smith on the internet and they were on vacation and came by to see what they could learn.  I thought she was a member and was bringing her family to share the gospel with them, but she and they were actually there to learn about the Church she had been reading about.  I then asked if she knew where she came from before she was born?, Why she is here on this earth, and where she will go after this life?  She said I really don’t know where I was before this life.  I grabbed a Plan of Salvation pamphlet and briefly explained it to her.  Then I asked if she would like to be with her family forever?  She asked how she could do that.  So we talked a little about the Temple.  She asked if family was important to us in this church.  I told her it was very important. I gave her a copy of the Proclamation on the Family and the Testimony of the Apostles.  She also asked about Genealogy so I shared a leaflet on that as well.  I probably overwhelmed her with stuff and was sorry that I hadn’t asked earlier what faith she was. .  I tried to get her to give me an e-mail address but she declined.  She took the guest card as did all of them in the family. She said she would use it after she investigated and read more. I asked the Elder, after they left , how the Mom’s felt.  He said that they loved the feeling they got there and loved what they had learned.  It was very peaceful there, they said.  I learned a great deal today about things I can improve on.  I hope and pray that Heavenly Father will fill in the gaps I created today and will guide them to the Missionaries when they return home to Slovakia.  I would like to know if Elder Bednar has roots in Slovakia, because that was what really sparked their interest today.  Boy do I have a great deal to learn to be an effective Missionary.  I loved the Spirit that was there when I bore testimony of what I know.  I love this Gospel, and serving at the London Temple Visitor Centre. 

Investigators galore!

We spent the morning getting my hair cut then off to East Grinstead to get a few groceries to help with dinner between conference this weekend.  I returned a couple of blouses and bought me a new outfit as well.  We made it to the Visitors Center at 3:00.  Got the word of what the night would bring and started our shift.  The first couple of hours were pretty quiet.  I took advantage of that to catch up on getting to know one of the kiosks.  Then the fun began. A mom and her young son came in. The Mom and Dad were trading off going to a session in the Temple. They were from Seattle Washington but stationed in Germany.  They will soon be stationed in Mountain Home in Idaho.  We took a cute picture of their son. He walked into the Center and say the Cristus and ran over and just kept saying "that's Jesus" .A grandmother and her granddaughter came in with a Baptism group, the granddaughter was a non-member so I was able to help her. Her name was Lauren and she is very young looking.  I thought maybe she was 11-12.  But she was 15.  She had been attending YW with her friends but had not been taking the lessons with the Missionaries yet.  I gave her a Book of Mormon and a guest card. She has a special look in her eyes and I know it won't be long until she accepts the Gospel. The sisters had dinner appointments and as soon as two of them returned there were two sets of Elders with three investigators.  We divided them into 3 groups as they requested. Sister Berati took one group, Sister Stewart took another, and Elder Cummings took another to watch a Movie.  I was there to greet and keep up with all the other guests. More of the big group came in that was there to do Baptism's. We had the place filled.  Three lessons being given.  Two of the investigators that came with the Elders have baptism dates and they were awesome. You could see a light in their eyes.  The other investigator wanted to argue, he listened and will eventually come around but is having a hard time with modern revelation. I hope we gave him some things to think about.  There were 5 other small children that were in the reception room that we also helped to keep entertained. Thank goodness for the Grandma and Granddaughter that took over because that is not part of what we are to do and we were too busy anyway.  The other two sisters  made it back to the Centre after a dinner appointment in time to have another investigator appointment.  We were so involved and busy that we didn't even take time for dinner.  But we didn't get hungry until we got home.  I guess we were filled with spiritual food and didn't need physical food for a while.  I

Mike

I have been proud of Lynda and her abilities as a missionary. She was out with the young sister missionaries yesterday and saw a lady across the way and just waved to her and the lady waved back; now she is coming to the Visitors Center and will be taught by the missionaries. She has had contact with the church before and is really interested.
Last night she helped teach the second young man from the left who has a few disagreements with church doctrine, but will come around. She learned how frustrating agency can be when teaching the gospel.
 The missionary work is really moving here. The number of baptisms just in the first quarter is already eclipsing the total for all of last year.

I just found out that Lyle Shamo, the former Shelley Seminary Teacher was the Mission President here a few years ago. He was loved by the people here. Small world: two Presidents from Little old Shelley, ID
Lyle went fishing with Blaine Case and I a couple of times on the Blackfoot River. He was a long-time friend and fishing buddy of Bp. Case.

 

The Bridgstock Estate House

 

 

David Bridgstock took me on a tour of the house. When they purchased the house, it was in bad shape. Much of the roof was caved in or leaking. The restoration they did was arduous. They did most of the work themselves. Just the paint stripping itself was unbelievable. It's beautiful now and  three or four families live in it, each with their own wing. Sometimes the young elder missionaries have a room here. The Bridgstocks have a mini MTC here, where young men from around the area come and live with them to prepare to go on a mission.  

A LONG BUT GOOD DAY

Mike

 







Yesterday was an eventful day at the Visitors Center. It wasn't supposed our morning to be on duty, but we had a training mtg. We planned on going to the temple after the meeting then starting our shift at three. Following the meeting, a man from Nigeria came in with his wife and some family members who were going to the Temple. He told me he wasn't a member and was just waiting. I asked "what's holding you back from being a member" He said, "I don't know," Things moved quickly then. I took him and showed him the Joseph Smith movie, then afterword's talked to him about eternal families, and him being the priesthood leader of his family. I showed him the display of rooms in the temple and ended with the sealing room picture and asked him to visualize himself and his family kneeling around that alter all dressed in white being sealed by priesthood authority as a family for eternity. He said that would be wonderful. I asked him to have the missionaries over to teach him and said ," as you learn more about the gospel and come to understand it better, will you be baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He  said " That's a definite possibility." I said,' When you come back to the temple with your family, I would like to be there with you. He said that would be wonderful. I got his name and address to follow up. He lives in London and is a retired mechanical engineer. We ended up doing both shifts at the center, but it was worth it.

Lynda

April 1, 2014 - Happy April Fools Day

 

We just thought we had most of the day to do what we wanted.  The Lord had other things in mind.  We had our training meeting at 10:00 a.m. Then we were planning to go to the Temple.  Sister Berati and Sister Stewart asked if I could go with them to teach a Hungarian lady English and a lesson, at 1:00.  We weren't on shift until 3:00 and thought we would get in the Temple session. A Nigerian gentleman came into the Centre and Mike started to visit with him.  He was a non-member and so Elder took him into the Joseph Movie.  He was waiting for his Wife that was in the Temple.  They had come down from London and he needed something to do while he waited.  That meant that I had some time on my hands as well. So I went with the Sisters.  The Hungarian Lady was not home when we got there so the Sisters knew another less active sister they have been working with that lived near by and decided to check up on her.  She is quite a heavy smoker and has a 13 year old daughter that they had been teaching.  So off we went to Dawn's house.  As we pulled up to the house there down the street was a lady in a pink blouse that kept looking at us.  So I waved and she waved back.  I got the feeling that we should go talk to her. So I asked the Sister's if we could go say hello to her.  They at first weren't sure because they had knocked on their door before and her husband was quite agnostic.  But we went over anyway.  Her name is Pauline McMurtry and is from Ireland.  She has lived in England now for a year.  Anyway Sis Stewart finally after some chit chat told her that this was their full time job as Missionaries for the Church to tell people about their church.  She said that she was Catholic and asked if we were talking about the Mormons.  She then told us that as a girl she would go to her friends homes for Family Home Evening every week.  She loved it and had even been approached about baptism at one time.  She went on and on about how much she loved the Mormons and her friends that took her with them to lots of things.  She also told us how disappointed she is in the Catholic Church with the Priests and the young boys and  how they swept all the bad things they were doing under the rug.  She said she was looking for another Church to go to. She had even thought about the Episcopal Church down the way.  But was not quite sure.  It didn't feel right.  I asked if her friends had given her a copy of the Book of Mormon. She said no. I then asked if she would like a copy and she said she would.  I was praying that the Sisters had one in their car. Which they did.  So she walked us to the car to get it and was excited to get something new to read.  We invited her to the Easter program on the 20th with Savannah Stevenson - Mary in the new church movie, and Glenda in Wicked, and she sounded like she might come.  Then I invited her to come to the Visitors Center.  She said that she would in a couple of weeks.  I wish the sisters had shown me how to get the contact number for her but I left it up to them this time.  We will see if she does come to the Centre.  I hope and pray that she will.  We then went to visit Dawn and found that her daughter Ashley - the non-member was home as she had missed her bus to school today.  Anyway we were able to sit on the lawn and teach her the Plan of Salvation lesson.  She is a very sweet girl and accepted the challenge to be baptized in May. the week after the 10th.  The sisters will return and teach her now the rest of the lessons.  That was very cool.  Sister Berati has such a calm but sweet way of teaching.  She has limited English but her spirit is giant and she has a way of teaching that you really feel the spirit very strongly and know her testimony is strong and pure.  Then the Hungarian lady, Adrianna called back and felt bad she had missed us.  So we went over there.  She was taking her English test today. I'm not sure what that is about I'll ask tomorrow.  She was a very nice lady and spoke very little English.  She used her computer at times and Sis. Stewart would type in a response and it would translate into Hungarian for her.  Most of the time we made her speak English, which is the best thing for her to do to practice.  She has a really cute little boy - William that is almost one.  He has problems with skin rashes and allergies.  She is frustrated with the doctors and health system here because she can't communicate very well.  We taught her the Plan of Salvation lesson as well. She accepted the challenge to read Alma 40: 11-end.  This teaches about the need for Baptism?  It was a great lesson again and the Sisters will go in the next few days and teach her again as well.  I really am seeing that if you open your mouth and share with your neighbors and friends it is not as hard as I was trying to make it.  Just be yourself and The Lord will do the rest to inspire you to know what to say.  Just put yourself in the position.  

P Day at East Grinstead

This is where much of the shopping is done; East Grinstead is only about 15 min away. It's where we attend Church. Today was our P day and it was not so busy. We spent the day getting more things we needed. Fish and Chips are really all they say they are here. Sunday, Lynda played the piano for the primary, then we taught a five year-old class. People here are so friendly, and they really go out of their way to make us feel at home in their country.

Our MTC Experience

March 10-16, 2014- Lynda This week has been exciting, rewarding and spiritual. We started on Monday, along with 108 Senior Missionaries going all over the world, with an orientation and being put into Districts. We had 3 couples and two sOingle sisters in our District. Our instructor in the morning was Bro. Keddington, and afternoon with Elder Defigereado. Bro. Keddington served in England and was very excited to help us get to know about England. Elder D. was amazing as well. In our district we had; Elder and Sister Shelley, from Murrrieta, California who are going to Chicago, Illinois to be Member & Leadership Support Missionaries (MLS), Elder and Sister Harwood from Tetonia, ID. are going to Nauvoo, (along with 15 other couples) Elder Harwood was our District Leader, Sister Moraga is from all over most reciently St. George, UT. She will be doing Auxilliary Support in Washington DC, it is a new type of Mission and not much training available. Sister Ellison, also from all over, most recently from Hawaii, is a Nurse and will be helping in 4 Missions in the Philippines, Then us Elder and Sister Cummings, serving in the England London South Temple Visitors Center from Ammon, Idaho. We found that in our large group, there were lots of couples that were "Live at home missionaries" that are called to serve as full time missionaries in their own Stakes. They will work with the young Elders and Sisters and help them teach, fellowship, and find new investigators. Most of them are from the Salt Lake Valley, but this type of Mission is something that is expanding. There was even a couple going to the Ukraine. (Hopefully)... We were trained on how to love the people we teach, and bring them a message, according to their individual needs.This was done using lots of role playing. On Tues, Wed, we were set up with some volunteers from the community acting as if they were non-members or in-actives. We had to get to know them first, then teach a lesson. It was a little nerve wracking but rewarding. They were very patient with us. Even though we made some mistakes, you could still feel the Spirit of our Heavenly Father testifying to them of the truth of our message. On Thurs. we had to take the role of an in-active, we knew, and we were taught by another set of Missionaries from another District. We then reversed the roles. It was very enlightening to be on both sides. You gain a whole new perspective. The people we taught were portraying a son and daughter-in law from Pocatello. The couple they portrayed were having marital problems as well as some drug abuse. It was tearing the family apart. It was heart wrenching to hear their story. We listen to the Spirit and were able to give them some comfort and ideas that they could use. They were so grateful and thanked us for the new ideas that they will try with their family. Everyone has challenges in their lives. I am so grateful that we have a close knit family who love and support each other. Tues night our devotional speaker was Elder Don R Clarke of the Seventy. Such a great meeting about patterns of Faith, and love. Friday was an easier day, full of many last minute instructions, as many would be leaving that day to head out for their Mission assignments. Saturday was our P-Day. We slept in and went to breakfast at the Village Inn. I needed to pick up a few things so we did some shopping then went to the movie "The Son of God" It is a wonderful Movie. Very well done !! We ate an early dinner at PF Changs and then come home and did laundry. (also had to have some Ice Cream from the BYU Creamry :) ) Today started early with breakfast at 6:45 then Sacrament Meeting, The Sounds of Sunday broadcast, and two other meetings. (Relief Society speaker was Sister Stevens, 1st counselor in the General Primary Presidency.) Lunch and now Dad is taking a nap. Dinner is at 4:30 followed by a departure devotional, another devotional, and then movies if we want to stay and watch them. All the days are full and very busy. It was really cool today as we came to lunch. There was a Deacons quorum visiting the MTC. They came to Sacrament Meeting and to have lunch with the Missionaries. There were also some families that their grandchildren were visiting and having dinner with their grandparents also. I wish you guys lived closer so you could have experienced that too. Next week on Monday morning, we meet at Temple Square in SLC for Visitor Center Training. Then back to the MTC for more VC training on Tues and Wed. til noon. (hopefully see you Steve, Mindy and whomever), RE-pack our bags, do laundry and catch a flight on Thursday for London. I have gone on way too long but we have really had a wonderful week. We have loved getting text messages from you, keeping up with what is happening in school, at home, with "Bo", Jen's dog, "March Madness", and the progress of the painting in the bedrooms.Thanks for all the help and support while we are away. We know our "Stuff" is in good hands. We hope you have a wonderful week. Kylee good luck this week at State Finals, and Bryson with your March Madness. The rest of you grandkids, keep being the greatest example you can be. We love you all very much. Grandpa Mike and Grandma Lynda - aka Elder & Sister Cummings