Boxing Day

IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT IT HAS BEEN TWO WEEKS SINCE WE WROTE IN THE BLOG. This is Boxing Day, which is a big holiday in England. The significance of the name is a little in question.  Val says it is the day after Christmas when the nobles boxed up the left over food and gifts from the feast of Christmas and delivered them to the poor.  In more modern times some say it is the day when people box up the unwanted gifts and return them to the stores for a refund.  Who knows? They both seem plausible. It is a slow day for proselyting.
     Last week was very busy.  We brought one third of the mission in to the temple for a session,  fed then a nice big ham dinner, had a short program, destributed their packages from home and then sent them back to their areas. To cover the whole mission we did this three days in a row, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. It was a lot of work but so much joy to have all the missionaries together, and watch them interact. It wA VERY SPIRITUAL TO HAVE 70 MISSIONARIES IN ONE SESSION IN THE TEMPLE. That was the high light for most of them, many of them spending their first Christmas away from family.

     On Sunday we went to sacrament meeting in Kingston Ward and then drove half way to Bristol to meet the Zone leaders with belated packages. Monday we drove to Poole, where we met the Zone leaders from Plymouth and Poole with presents. We then drove over to Southampton to deliver gifts to the Portsmouth Zone. That was about a 250 mile trip.  On Sunday night they had a fireside at the Visitor's Center at the London Temple.  The speaker was Savannah Stevenson.  She is  a British Actress that played the part of Mary in the Bible videos that many of you have seen on lds.org.  If you haven't seen them, just log on to lds.org and click on the Bible video site.  There are many short videos on the life of Christ and many of the stories told in the New Testament.  These were filmed on a permanent "Jerusalem Set" that the church built down in Goshen.  It is Southwest of Provo.  It was very special at Christmas time to hear her feelings of what it was like to portray the mother of the Savior. I'll include a picture of us with her.
     We did not have a white Christmas, but we did have a very soggy one.  It has rained so much.  The ground is so saturated that water just stands on the lawns and out in the fields.  Many  rivers are flooded and it is supposedly one of the wettest years on record. Christmas day was very quiet for us. Talked to most of the family by phone, Skype, or FaceTime . It was so good to hear your voices. Val especially loved the pictures of her Cats.   We are bracing ourselves for a big year in 2013.  We hope we will be equal to the tasks placed before us.  Thank you for all the support you give us.  President and Sister Milllar.

Susannah Stevenson

Flooding in Cobham near Old Mill  Dec 2012

Narrow road in Cornwall Dec 2012

Mid December time flies

Dear family and friends,
     IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT IT WAS TWO WEELS AGO THAT I wrote our blog.  Here is a brief update: Last Saturday we drove to Southampton for a missionary fireside.  It was fairly well attended  with a good spirit of missionary work. On Sunday we attended Sacrament meeting in the Kingston ward then drove 4 and a half hours to St Austell which is in Cornwall. There we had a special Sacrament meeting at a town hall in North Hills adjacent to a town called Launceston.  We had about 30 people present with a few in actives, 2 nonmembers and 2 new members that just moved into the area. We didn't have a piano, so we sang several Christmas hymns accapello.  We had enough people singing parts that it sounded great and the spirit was very strong.  They will have a new branch there some day.  As we get more missionaries will put another set of missionaries on that end of the ward. We stayed overnight at a bed and breakfast then drove home Monday.
     The four missionaries going home came into the mission office on Sunday and the office couple took them into London for a walking tour of central London.  We joined them in the afternoon and spent the evening with them.  Tuesday they go to the temple.  We usually go with them but I went into London with one of our Elders that had a Doctor's appointment because of headaches.  In the afternoon, I interviewed them all and then we ate dinner and finished with a testimony meeting.  These are so special to hear them summarise their experiences as a missionary. Wednesday morning the departing missionaries had to be at the airport at 3:30 AM. It was a short night for the office Elders that drove them.  Wednesday we had one sister arrive from SLC at 6:30 AM and the other 4 missionaries  arrived at 9:20 AM from Manchester.  We fed them, interviewed them, oriented them and sent them out to their areas.  We had two Elders one from Fiji, and one from Romania.  The three sisters were from Armenia, England and Finland. STill maintaining our international flavour .
    We had thursday to get ready for Zone Leaders Council.  We hold it at the Mission home.  We feed them a light breakfast, have meetings all morning, feed them lunch then finish off about mid afternoon . Our purpose was to establish goals for baptisms for the year 2013. The year 2012 has had the lowest number of baptisms in 9 years.  We will have about 250 for the year.  The goal they set by prayerfully meeting with their local wards and branches was 731. It is quite generous but reachable.  We have our work cut out for us.
     On a high note: we are having a very good month for December for baptisms.  After an all time low of 11 baptisms for  October we then had 12 for November.  The first two weeks of December we had 14 with another 10-12 should have been performed yesterday.  The final report will come in tonight at accounting calls by the assistants to the President. We also have about 15 more dates for the last two weeks. Last night we attended a baptism for a family of 4 in our home ward of Kingston.  Today we spoke in church and are now trying to wind down from the week.
     Some have asked for our address :  10 Beechwood Drive, Cobham, Surrey, KT11 2DX  UK.
     The Mission Office address is: England London South Mission, The London Temple, West Park Road, Newchapel, Surrey. RH7 6NB, UK.
     Merry Christmas to everyone.  We will miss you but we have lots of company.  We are bringing all the missionaries to the Temple, Feeding them and sending them home  after a short program.

short cold days

The days are getting noticeably shorter.  It's beginning to get dark now at 4 pm.  The sun comes up in the southeast, rises up to what looks like 9:30 or 10;00. THEN GOES EAST TO WEST setting in the southwest.  Today was our coldest day so far.  It was -2 degrees C. With the dampness, it seems that we never quite get warm.  The cold starts on the inside.  The heating systems here are hot water radiators, but they cycle on and off throughout the day and go off at bedtime.  `it gets cold by morning  and takes a little time to warm back up in the morning. You can see why the English wear sweaters.  I have one on now. (Proper English Gentleman)
     We attended the Crawley Stake conference yesterday and today.  Sister Millar and I had the opportunity to speak three times each. There was a visiting area 70,  Elder Craig Wright, presiding . It was a very good conference.
     This past Tuesday we received Elder Patrick Kearon of our area presidency who came to tour the mission. We went to Poole that night and then held a Zone Conference with the 4 western zones on Wednesday.  We have had so much flooding that it took some on the missionaries  up to 12 hours of travel to get there.   The next day, Thursday,  we met with the 5 eastern zones in Crawley.  These went from 10;00 AM to about 4:30 PM.  It was intense and a little nerve racking to have the first mission inspection.  They did not fire me yet. We did receive some useful suggestions.  Like I always say: I'm in the process of BECOMING. We always have a few problems to deal with: flu, sickness, depression, a dying mother of one of the Elders, family problems at home, the death of an Uncle , etc.

 London Temple at night  winter

 lighting the Nativity scene APs Elders Albrechtsen & Crystal, ZL Peltier and Sutcliff,Crawley

Visitors center on left        Nativity Scene

 Nativity

 Squirrel inside bird feeder

     We are going over to the Temple tonight for the lighting ceremony for the Nativity scene on the temple grounds. I'll try to take a picture and attach it when we come home. It is hard to believe that in three weeks the days will start to lengthen  out again.  We haven't had any snow yet but we have had rain almost every day this week.  There have been flooding problems in the Western part of the mission. Down in Cornwall and Exeter area.

Happy Thanksgiving

We hope you all had a wonderful  Thanksgiving.  We were fortunate enough to talk to some of you.  Thanks for the calls. We were invited to the home of one of our Stake Presidents. His name is Ronald Judd. He is a American who has lived in England the past 12 years.  He has been the President of the Staines Stake for the past 5 years.  It was very nice and very traditional.  We had a great time. hope all of you were well fed also.
    We receive one missionary this week.  He is from Hungary.  The only one in our mission and only one of 7 from his native land.  He will be a great leader in the church in the future.  We also receive our revised missionary complement .  This means the number of missionaries that the church would send to us to fill our mission.  We went from 124 elders and 20 sisters up to 188 elders and 58 sisters.  The senior couples visiting center sisters and couples did not change. This will mean over the next several months we could increase the size of our mission by 102 missionaries.  That is 51 companionships . `it also means 51 new apartment and a bit more administrative work.  We are excited to see how the work is hastening with the lowering of the age requirement  for both Elders and Sisters.  Pray for us, we will need it.
     We are heading into a busy time with a mission tour from and area 70 this next week, transfers and then the Christmas Season.  We will try to keep the blog current.  We Love you and think about you as often as we can. Seven Stake conferences done, only two more to go.   13,800 miles.

Nov 17,2012

I added a lot to the last blog but I seemed to have lost it and couldn't add a nice photo of the colours in our back yard. Last monday we went to a play called "Deamboats and Petticoats".  I was a clever musical full of rock and roll music fro the 60s.  it was fun.  Tuesday we drove down to Portsmouth and caught the ferry over to the Isle of Wight to visit the set of Sister missionaries.  One of them needed some counsel and a blessing. That evening we went to a video conference with the area presidency from Hong Kong to talk about the returning of new chinese converts back to communist China. We teach a lot of students form China that join the church, but many of them return to China and are becoming the means by which the church is growing in China. Thursday be went to Yeovil to interview a prospective convert with some special problems, then on to Poole for a missionary correlation meeting with the Stake Presidency and the Zone Leaders.  Friday we received a call from one of the Elders who needed a visit and a blessing. He was 225 miles away.  We got in the car after packing a lunch and drove down and back.  Our mileage is now at 13,200 miles since we arrived.Good thing we like to drive and like each others company.  We do spend a bit of time in the car. We have many marvellous experiences some very tender.  We continue to love what we are doing, and feel we are where we supposed to be.  Tomorrow we have another Stake Conference that we will get the privilege to speak at.   Thanks for the newsy emails.  We love the pictures and to hear of what you are doing ,even if we don't have a lot of time to answer each one.  Keep writing!! Love to ALL.    

  I'll try to attach a photo of our back yard.  The colours have been lovely.

Fall is here

   

The trees have all changed colours, and most of the leaves are coming down.  The days are very much shorter and the weather much cooler.  That means fall is here.  We are still travelling a bit.  We ent to `poole last weekend for a play called Redemption.  It was written by a local member. it told of a couple very much in love. He was killed in the first world war in France.   They had two children.  Her children joined the church and after she died as an old women in the first of the play, they found out much more about their grandfather by journals and letters in the attic.  They were sealed in the temple as the redemption of their love.  It was very well done and was put on near Armistice day, or poppy days as they call it here.  Lots of non members came and it was well received.
     We are planning for a visit from the Area Presidency for a mission tour in two weeks.  Lots of plans.  `new missionaries coming. Only five but they are from five different nations: Armenia, Hungary, Fiji, Romania. and the USA.  The diversity continues.

Spain Seminar

 London Eye

 Big Ben and LONDON phone booth

 MADRID,SPAIN TEMPLE ABOVE                           LONDON TEMPLE BELOW

We attended the London Temple on Saturday with our departing missionaries. The Maidstone Stake Conference was on Sunday followed by exit interviews withe the four Elders and four Sisters going home. On Monday we sent them off and welcomed 6 more new ones from 6 different countries: France, Germany, Hong kong,Philippines, South Africa and England.  Tuesday morning we flew out to Madrid Spain to meet with the 30 mission presidents from the Europe Area.  We had a marvellous time, including a session in the Madrid, Spain temple.  We found out all the things we aren't doing perfectly and repented to improve.  We have a very lenient boss or most of us might get fired.
     It truly is a marvellous experience to be involved in a work where you feel the promptings of the Spirit in almost everything we do. The young missionaries have small miracles in everything they do.  The AP s had a flat tyre and while getting it repaired, being led to a second shop they went to, a man came up to them and asked to be taught more about the church.  They truly felt they were suppose to be where they were and the flat was only a minor inconvenience.
      We will include some pictures we have taken this past week to show where we have been.  We are busy, happy, and sleeping well.  We love you all. `hard to believe that halloween has come and gone. There are fireworks the past two nights celebrating Guy Faulk's day.  `he tried to blow up Parliament House on November 5 sometime in the 1600s. It's sort of like the 4th of July in the US.

Hello from the UK

Dear friends and family,  What a crazy week we have had, Since going to the Portsmouth Stake Conference last weekend, we have travelled to Bournemouth and back, a 1 1/2 hour trip each way to interview missionaries, To Bristol and back, a 2 1/2 hour trip each way for interviews and last weekend a 3 1/2 hour trip each way to Plymouth for 2 days, to interview missionaries and talk at their 2 day Stake Conference, Yesterday we drove to Reading another 1 1/2 hour drive each way for their zone interviews and in-between 50 mile round trips to the mission office, our millage is now at 11,000 miles. We are bracing ourselves for this weekend, as we are having 4 Sisters and 4 Elders going home, which means a Temple Session early Saturday morning, then they go into London to see the sights, we usually go with them but this weekend is the Maidstone Stake Conference so we won't be able to go this time as we have speaking assignments, but we have begged off the evening Session because we will be having family home evening with the departing missionaries and we always have dinner with them,   Sunday we have to speak at the Maidstone Stake Conference, then President Millar has to do exit interviews with the departing missionaries, after which we will have another meal, which the office Sisters cook, have a Testimony meeting with the missionaries, then an ice cream social.                              
     Well that will take care of the departing missionaries, but then Monday they will leave for home and we will get the new missionaries coming from the Chorley MTC by bus, they should arrive at about 12 noon, We feed them a good lunch then President Millar will have to interview them and assign them to their new trainers, so the Temple Grounds and Visitors Center will be humming with the choice youth of the Church,  We then get the privilege of having our pictures taken with each one in front of the Christus. While the President is doing the interviews I will be helping the office sisters make sack lunches for the new missionaries and their trainers to take with them to their new areas.
  It's making me tired thinking about it, but it really is exciting and we are loving it, Early Tuesday morning we are leaving to go to Madrid Spain for 4 days 3 nights for the European Mission Presidents Conference, We will tell you all about it when we get back.   The trees are all changing and it is beautiful, but the leaves are falling faster than we would like, but we are loving it here,
      God bless, We love you all and miss you, You are always in our prayers, We hope everyone had a wonderful birthday this month.  President and Sister Millar

Sorry

It just dawned on us that it has been two whole weeks since we reported in.  We are alive and well, just a little bit busy.  After enjoying the broadcast of general conference we launched into a bit of a spell.  We had a new couple arrive, then we had a Sister form the Scottish-Ireland mission come to stay for a week so she could attend the temple.  She is from Georgia (former USSR).  She is cute and bubbly and speaks with a Scottish accent mingled with Russian. The next day we sent another senior couple home.  We don't interact very much with the senior couples while they are here.  They work under the direction of the Stake presidents, so we try to fuss over them a little when they arrive and leave.
    It is also time to interview missionaries again. We travel to the various Zones, it does take a bit of time and mileage.  We are now up to 10,200 miles since arriving.  Last weekend we travelled to Portsmouth for Stake Conference. We stayed overnight and interviewed the missionaries, Also had to speak in conference.  This is Sister Millar's favourite thing.. She is getting much better and more comfortable.
     I had a missionary come forward with a belated confession of pre-mission transgression which took up many long distance phone calls and some additional travel.
     This week we travelled down to Poole to interview that Zone on Tuesday.On  Wednesday we sent some missionaries home. Today we travelled to Bristol for a Zone training just getting home in time for a doctors appointment. Oh, on Wednesday we also  had a meeting on the E-mission project we have going.  We presented out work to the area 70 who also is over the public relations for the UK. Some of you receive the weekly email that originates from our mission office. Lots of exciting things going on.
     Tomorrow I will meet with the Assistant to the President to finalise transfers that are coming up on the 29th.  We have 4 Elders and 4 Sisters going home.  Only one sister and 5 elders are coming.  If you do the math it doesn't come out even, which means some creative companionships.
     We will try to do better to keep you up to date.  We love the principle of repentance  and forgiveness .We are happily going crazy and enjoying every minute of it.    Until next time  We send our love and a Happy Birthday to all the October gang.  The Gospel is true and we know it.


,

three months

Sorry, little late again.  Last Wednesday we had Zone Leaders council here at the Mission home.  The house seems a bit full with 20 Elders ( 9 companionships of zone leaders and 2 Assistant to the president).  We feed them a light breakfast: sweet rolls, fruit, yogurt and juice.  Then at lunch time we had pulled pork sandwiches, baked beans, and salad.  Sister Millar had the biggest pot of baked beans I've ever seen, and four pork loin roasts.  There were not many scraps left.  It is like having 20 appetites like Philip, Andrew, and Paul all at once. We love it.  The topic of the conference was on leadership skills and follow-up. I'm putting more responsibilities on the zone leaders and on the District leaders.  It seems dangerous but they need to learn how to be leaders for the rest of their lives.  Some of them are going home to countries where they will be the next generation of Bishops and Stake Presidents.
     We are starting the next round of interviews.  This mean Sister Millar and I travel to a zone and interview 16-18 missionaries that day.  Since the Zones are quite large, we often go to three different chapels.  We have a car, the missionaries are on public transport.  We try to get them back to work as soon as possible.  It is like a school day.  We pack a lunch and eat in the car on the road from one stop to the next.  It does make us smile and it is wonderful to interact with these  beautiful young souls.

 Hever Castle, childhood home of Anne Boleyn

Italian Gardens at Hever Castle, built by the John Jacob Astor  family in1902

One of the two moats around Hever Castle, buildings in the back were for those rebuilding the Castle and grounds.

  Zone leaders council Sept 26, 2012

    Last Saturday was a warm fall day.  Felt like we should have been going to a football game. Sister Millar said "let go to Hever Castle" , the home of Anne Boleyn. I said lets wait until Monday. Then I remembered , you can't trust London weather, so we went.  It was a gorgeous cool day, with the leaves starting to change.  Will attach some photos we took.  We do find a little diversion time, it is not all nose to the grindstone.  We are healthy, happy and well fed. Excitedly awaiting General Conference this weekend.        `love to all   ``President and Sister Millar

Mission Map

I though it might be interesting to see a map of our mission area.  It will help to know where we are talking about as we go to the various locations.
    Yesterday we drove in the rain down to Hastings, the lowest most Eastern area in the mission.  We have four sisters down there, two are awaiting to be transferred over to the Isle of Wight tomorrow as soon as their flat is available. They are from Switzerland, Malaysia, Denmark, and England. The diversity  never ceases to amaze me. Hastings is a very historic place, where the `normans invaded England in 1066.  William the Conqueror.
     Each of the zones represent the nine Stakes in our mission.  The wards or branches are the labels.  The mission home is near the Kingston ward.  The Temple and Mission office is near the East Grinstead Ward. they are about 25 miles apart.

Second transfers

Last night as we were driving home in the car, I said to Sister Millar, I don't think we wrote the blog last week.  We are so bad, please forgive us.  The week of Moves as we call it starts with a trip into London .with the departing missionaries.  We bring them back to the office at the London temple, feed them then have a family home evening.  The next morning we take them to the temple for a session. I then interview them and try to give them some counsel for after mission life, feed them again and then have a testimony meeting.  Wednesday they leave for home. I have a  Presidency meeting with my counselors to review the files on the arriving missionaries (12 new ones).  They arrive at noon, feed them, interview them to make sure the assignments are correct and appropriate.  We then introduce them to their new Companions and Trainers and send them to work.  Some of them have a 200 mile journey back to their areas.
     Yesterday, Sister Millar and I drove to Paignton, a town on the south west  coast to interview an Elder having some problems then up to Bristol for a missionary correlation meeting with the Zone leaders and the Stake Presidency.  We finished at 8 PM and then drove home.  In total 438 miles and a long day.
     We received missionaries from Thailand, Uganda, France, Panama, America, Wales, Scotland and England..  It keeps the variety going in the mission.
     Last Saturday and Sunday we attended Stake conference in Poole ( about a 100 miles South) Drove back to the Temple Visitors center to speak at a fireside that same evening..  It has been nonstop as you can see.  We are taking a little break time today (Friday).. We are catching the train into London in a half hour.  I have an eye appointment at the Moorfields eye  Hospital.  Oh, Yes we went with some of the senior couples into London lasttThursday to see a musical, called Matilda.  It was not as great as it was billed.  We did have a good time. We continue to be busy but we are extremely happy and love to be with the missionaries.

  We love you all and miss seeing and talking with you.  President and Sister Millar  aka Doc and Val

Busy week and sadness

     This past week was busy.  We held three individual Zone conferences ,(Maidstone, Portsmouth and Poole), sent one couple home (the Hamblins from St George), sent one Elder home one week early so he can start Uni) held two Stake correlation meetings, attended a 4 hour Area Coordinating Council, and the sad part; had to let an Elder go home at his own insistence after only 30 days in the field.  He was a very bright and talented missionary but his family were nonmembers and he felt like his mother was in too much pain for him to stay.  I worked with him in multiple ways with many long distance phone calls but in the end his mind was made up.. I felt like I had a patient die on the table.  At least it felt as bad.  It always makes you wonder if you did all you could and so it is easy to blame yourself for what seems like a failure. But life goes on and we have another 150 missionaries to look after.

     I hope you like some of the random photos that I attached.  As much as anything to learn how to use this blog better.  We love you and appreciate and feel all of your prayers in our behalf, keep them coming.   

Random photos

This photo was in Guernsey at the hotel we stayed at.

 The day we were set apart by Elder Russell M Nelson and Elder David F Evans

 The fox, one of three that frequent our back yard.

Winchester Cathedral built in the  600s , that is  right after Moroni buried the Gold Plates in America.

 This is our own sacred grove in the back yard.

 This  is the four new mission presidents in England 2012

 Some of our back yard critters.

Two months flown by

Dear friends and family, how time flies, We have been here two months already and yet in some ways it seems a lot longer, We are doing well, constantly busy from morning to evening yet very happy, We have now put 5600 miles on the car and are enjoying the travelling, We have been having Zone Conferences in each of the 9 Zones over the past couple of weeks, finishing up with Maidstone tomorrow, and then a long trip to Plymouth Zone on Thursday morning then Poole Zone in the afternoon, and a Stake correlation council meeting in the Poole Stake house that evening with the Stake President and ward leaders, after that, the long drive home. Poole and Plymouth are on the south coast bordering the English Channel, It's going to be a very long day.
    The weather has been a little cooler and overcast the last few days, but today it's been beautiful again, although the trees are beginning to turn just a little, The forecast is for an indian summer----- we shall see,   We don't have air-conditioning in our home, so we sleep with all the windows open, but most nights it's so hot and muggy it's hard to sleep.
We love you all, and you are always in our prayers, sorry we don't keep up with all the birthdays, but we do think of you and wish you all a very happy birthday, I get my pet fix with a garden (yard) full of squirrels, crows, wood pigeons, sometimes small red deer, and my foxes, we have 2 or 3 every night waiting for scraps near the back door. Must close now, Sorry we are a little late sending this out this week, We love you all, and are so grateful for your support, We pray for you constantly and are grateful for your prayers for us, Till next week, WE LOVE YOU ALL                                

Two months

Onward, Ever Onward

This last week is almost a blur.  We did travel to Cornwall and Bristol for zone conferences.  We stayed in a unique bed and breakfast in St Austell, Cornwall.  It was called the Water Wheel.  It was an old mill, with three foot thick stone walls. It was quite pleasant. Two more zone conferences on Thursday  and Friday.  We went into London on the train and undergroud to go to the Moorefields Eye Hospital.  That was an interesting experience. Quite different getting around by trains and the subway.  Reminded me of when we were here with Andy and Suzy.  Andy had a green frog (stuffed) that he would slide down the long escalators in the undergound stations.
     On our way to Cornwall we stop in Winchester to see the cathedral.  It was built in the 600s about when Moroni was finishing up the Book of Mormon.  Gives new meaning to Old.  Will try to send some pictures>
    It seems the phone is always there. Calls to Germany, USA, Portugal, Spain, just to sort out problems with missionaries, parents, and the work.  It is always interesting and a bit challenging. Sunday we attended Church at the Clapham Commons ward.  The stake president was there,both he and the Bishop are Black and a large portion of the congregation are British but of African or Jamaican decent. They are beautiful and loving people.  We stayed for a "munch and mingle" after church with some interesting and spicy foods. It is almost hard to believe we are really doing this.  We love it.  This work is the Lords work and we can see his hand in it every day. We love all of you.   President and Sister Millar

We are happy thank you

The week seems to glide past so rapidly, I wonder where the time goes.  We had our Zone leaders council this past Wednesday. We had 22 Elders here at the mission home for breakfast, training and lunch.  Sister Millar was busy in the kitchen. We finally made it to the Doctors office to get some prescriptions filled.  It turned out that customs or someone took most of Val's medicines out of our luggage, but we are on top of it now.  Next, I need to get an eye appointment in London.. We are getting quite good at this travel business.  Today we attended church in Farnborough ( about 35 miles away), packed our lunch of two sandwiches and warm water, ate them on the road since we had do run down to Salsbury. (another 60 miles) to pick up a missionary that needed to come back to the office.  Oh , our driving miles is now over 4200 miles.  Tomorrow we are headed down to St Austell  in  Cornwall, (250 miles) for a zone conference in the morning
Tuesday then drive three hour to Bristol for another zone conference in the afternoon, then on home to bed, after dark.
     Slowly we are getting the hang of it. Thats when we will find out what we have been missing.  Oh well, ignorance is bliss.  Honestly we are healthy, little gimpy in the legs due to senior mileage, but seem to make it up most mornings with a smile.  It has been very hot, (only in the 80s) but very humid.  With no air conditioning it is a little muggy at bedtime. The days are quickly getting shorter with dark coming earlier.
     We love you all.  Jodi could you check to see if JoAnn is getting the blog, and would she make sure Bryce, Ruth, and Sybil know how to find us.   Happy Birthday to everyone with birthdays the past two months. Good night and God Bless..

Transfers complete

Well all seemed to go OK.  It is quite amazing to see the quality of the missionaries entering the field this time.  It is quite a miracle to see how the personalities fit and where they were assigned,  The Lord's hand is truely manifest in the work.  There are always challenges:  I've been weighed down with some belated confessions and struggle with what will be best for the missionary and still protect the sanctity and reputaion of the Lord and his servants. I don't always get things right the first time.  Thank goodness for repentance even for mission presidents.
  There is always more things to do than the time available, so we are always choosing what is the best and most important,  the rest sort of takes care of itself.           Hopefully early to be bed with better sleep and less worries about a few!!
    Thanks again for your emails, We do love to hear from you.  How are things ar DRMC, Paul? Tell the OR family hello for us.  We Love you all and pray for you..  DAD and VAl (President and Sister Millar)

First transfer

Dear Family and friends,
     The first transfer for a mission president is a milestone.  The first set of Elders (9) and Sisters (1) going home on Tues and 10 new Elders coming in on Wednesday.  This necessitates many changes in leadership and finding ten new trainers for the new Elders.  Also I called a new assistant to the president, and Elder Alberchtson from Providence ,Utah. (Cache Valley). It has been taxing.  I have felt l had to have interviewed all the missionaries prior to asking the Lord's help in where they should serve.  These decisions affect many lives and some of them are crucial to put missionaries where they are meant to be so they can find those prepared for them.  It is all finished at present. But the final assignments for new trainers won't be made until I have personally interviewed the new Elders on Wednesday.  I'm a peace with what is happening..
     Next week will w busy with the transfers, then Fri and Sat we fly to Frankfurt ,Germany for an area conference for the 15 new mission presidents in the Europe Area and to meet our new Area Presidency:  Pres Tiexiera, Keron, and Richards.  Then home next Saturday night.  I just hope all is well while we are gone. We went to the Welling ward today, about 45 miles away.  Very nice meeting, about  one third black with beautiful English accents, ten percent spanish speakers and about 150-200 in attendance.  It is amazing to feel the spirit in the church where ever we are.   Must run to a fireside,, by for now.   Pres Millar and Sister Millar
   

Channel Islands

Dear Family,  Another very busy week.  `i've been trying to interview all the Elders and Sisters prior to the next transfer, which is next week, Aug 8th.  We have 10 Elders going home and another new 10 arriving. This will make 27 companionships with new elders or sisters invalid in the twelve week training routine.  To put that in perspective , we have about 148 missionaries. Take out three for the office, 18 for ~one leaders and 2 for Assistants to the president.  That leaves about 60 companionships, so we have nearly one out two companionships are training new arrivals..  ````This makes a young mission.  They are fantastic young people.  We interviewed four zones this week.  One of them included the channel island so we traveled to `poole on Thursday, interview the missionaries on the mainland, stayed overnight then sailed on The Condor Ferry to  Jersey, gave a fireside that night (both Sister Millar and I spoke)  Val is doing very well.  Saturday we sailed from ```Jersey to Geurnsey.  Checked into the hotel, found a family for the elders to teach,  then went on three teaching appointments with the elders.. We then took them to dinner at nice restaurant  at about nine o'clock.  `in the midst of all this,  one Elder who has had severe depression and some self harm issues needed to be sent home emergently, and a Sister's father had a heart attack with cardiac arrest.  Cpr was done quickly but currently he is in an induced coma with mild hypothermia.  `it will be another day before we know the outcome.  Since being here `i've called Germany more than a dozen times, Russia, India, Denmark, as well as the USA.  Thank goodness for good cell phones and email.
     We have now driven over 3000 miles.  The distances are amazing, lot of it in traffic or on British motorways and round  abouts.  Today `i've been taking a break reading the weekly letters `(148) plus reports for all the zone leader, district leaders and trainers.   Both Sister `Millar and I  look at each other and smile realising that we are happy and surprised that we can really keep up the pace. And enjoy it.
     B.J.  thank you for your email , it is great to here from home.  All missionaries love mail``````````!
 Cherio for now.

still upright and moving

Dear family and friends,   We continue to be very busy.  We are trying to interview al 148 missionaries in the mission in two weeks.  This is so I can know them all before our first transfers on Aug 8th.. Four weeks ago we had 17 new missionaries arrive, in two more weeks we get another 10. Nearly half of all our companionships have new people who are still being trained.  Lots of new blood , that's good because they haven't learned too many bad habits yet and we can train them right.We have now put over 2500 miles on our car since arriving,  almost all of it on the correct side of the road.
     Things are really gearing up for the Olympics which start this weekend.  Several of the venues are in our mission.  WE will be trying to get as many people as possible to commit to an email contact.  They can be then taught by chat all over the world.  We are teaching people from all over the world and in some cases even in countries where missionaries can't go.  It is really exciting ,the possibilities!
     This weekend we can't move around much in Surrey because of road closures for two days , so we are planning on visiting the channel islands of Jersey and Geurnsey.  We will get back to the mission home late Sunday night.
     Last Saturday and Sunday we went down to the Cornwall area near Lands End.  We attended church there.  Valerie ( Sister Millar)  has talked several times now and is getting much more comfortable.  We are very busy and running around a lot but we have a happy peaceful feeling as we topple into bed each night.  I for one will be glad when I can sleep beyond 4:30 or 5:00 AM.  I have yet to set an alarm clock or over sleep.The Sun comes up at 4AM and goes down about 10PM.
     The Gospel is true and we see miracles every day in the lives of our missionaries.

Forever faithful  president and Sister Millar                  ps will attach a photo of St Micheal's  island near Helston towards Lands End.

pictures

                                                  Stonehenge  July 14,2012  8:30 PM

                                           
                                                  Our Home 10 Beechwood Drive  Cobham

Staying alive

Tues JULY 17,2012
           Another week has gone by.  We've now driven 1700 miles.  `last week we had the two zone conferences then on Saturday we drove down to the Bristol zone to do personal interviews.  This took all day plus it is about 150 miles each way.  `on the way home our friendly "Tom-Tom", ( satellite navigation system) took us on some beautiful roads through the Salsibury `plains.  `yes, we drove right past Stonehenge.  It was beautiful.  I had hoped to include a picture, but `i'm still trying to figure out this new computer, it is a little different. The amount of things to process and take care of never seems to slacken but it feels rewarding and we have a peaceful reassurance that we can do this.  We love you hope to get better at documenting our journey.  `i've got still 100 letters to read.  `love to all!

Dear family,  Sorry for the long delay.  Computer problems,  thank goodness for some techy assisants who are helping me get connected.  The first 8 days have been some what busy.  Sister Millar and I both caught colds, probably on the long flight with enclosed spaces. Slowly feeling better,,Hoping to sleep better.
     Since arrival I've driven over 800 miles English style in the worst traffic I have ever seen.  We've been out teaching with the missionaries, attended baptisms and have conducted our first multi-zone conference.  Did I mention that we were 2 1/2 hours late because I put petrol in the diesel and had to have the tank pumped dry.    To give you a flavor for the mission, we have missionaries from 40 different countries.  The first baptismal interview I did was for a man from Nepal, who was Hindu,speaks 7 languages,has a  PhD in some type of engineering.  The baptism we attended was for a young student at Oxford from Uganda. He was baptized by a recent convert from China and one of the missionaries that taught him is a recent Muslim convert from Germany. Talk about going into all the world.  All the world has come to us here in London South.
     We have two more multi-zone conferences next week, then I need to get all 138 missionaries plus 18 Senior couples interviewed the following week.  This will be in preparation for new arrivals (15) with 11 going home on August 8th.. On Aug 10th-11th we fly to Frankfurt,Germany for an area conference with the 15 new mission Presidents in our area.  Each monday I receive 138 email letter from my missionaries that need to be read by Wed.  Not much spare time but we are loving it.  The people are great and loving.  We love you all.

Reflections

It seems very hectic, packing up some of our things to be put away for three years, cleaning the house, closing accounts and packing to live out of a suitecase for a week to 10 days.  We are flooded by a cascade of different emotions, but  over-shadowing it all is the calm reassurance that we are about the Lord's business and He will sustain us.

      I'm going to try to attach a picture just to see if it can be done by me.
     The answer is yes I can.  This is what I looked like when I used to be a Heart surgeon.

Good bye to the OR

YESTERDAY I HELPED DR WOODBURY WITH A CABGX5.  IT WENT VERY WELL, BUT WHEN IT CAME TIME FOR THE PROXIMAL ANASTIMOSIS I REALIZED THIS MAY BE THE LAST SUTURING AND TIEING THAT I WILL BE DOING FOR A LONG TIME AND MAYBE NEVER  AGAIN IN MY LIFETIME.  Sorry about the caps.

As I looked up to shake the surgeons had, my glasses seemed a little misty. It was then that I realized that I had tears in my eyes. What a woderful way to support my family for the past 35 years.  It truely has been rewarding to see the difference that heart surgery has made in some of my patients lives, and more especially in the two communities of Medford, Oregon and St George,Utah. It has been my priviledge to help start up new programs in both of these locations
   Now it is time to move on to a new phase in Valerie's and my lives.  We are anxios to enter the MTC for mission presidents next Saturday (one week).  Then we will begin the real transformation as we learn what our duties are and begin to fulfill them.  We have a witness that this is His work and we are helper in the vineyard.  We cannot fail if we are faithfull.   We will miss family and friends,especially grandchildren.

Farewell

Sunday ,June 10th,2012 we spoke in sacrament meeting.  Sis Millar told her conversion story as a young women in Chorley, England. She was quite nervous but did very well.  Pres Millar talked about the purpose of missionary work and what it means "To Come unto Christ".  Ther was a large turnout with many friends and coworkers from the hospital. The spirit was presnet and we felt good .  We have many emotions running around us including: excitement, anxiety, humility,anticipation and amazingly a calmness.  We know this a call from our Father in Heaven and that we serve not alone but with the help of the Lord Of the Vinyard.
     We are ready to get on with the next phase of our transormation.

Welcome!!

This blog is dedicated to family and friends who love Roger and Valerie.  We are so excited to watch them as they preside over the London South Mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as Mission President and Matron.  Roger and Valerie will be set apart on Saturday, June 23 and enter the MTC the following week.  After a week of training, President and Sister Millar will head out to London and begin their tenure which will conclude in June of 2015.