What a whirlwind, it's almost unreal to think we have less than one year left, by this time next year we will be home, although we will try and spend a little time with my brother and his family in Chorley before we head back. I hope we will be able to return in time for our Grandson George's Homecoming when he gets home from Bolivia.
Another time for transfers this next week, It's hard to believe 6 weeks has gone by, This is a very hard and emotional week for us, Elders and Sisters leaving to go home, They become as dear and as loved as our own Grandchildren, to hear them bear there Testimonies the night before they leave is wonderful and heart wrenching, To see how much they have grown and matured, and knowing that there are many we might never have the opportunity to see again, Needless to say--- (those who know me well)--- that I'm a basket case and can hardly speak for crying.
We managed to keep up with all the Zone trainings, Stake Correlation Meetings and Stake Conferences, as well as all the other routines and not so routine things we had to do.
We had a new garage door put on the Mission Home garage, as we weren't able to use it as it was too small and the car wouldn't fit in it, It had 3 small doors and the car wouldn't fit though any of them. Anyway the church facility people finally got around to doing it. (It was supposed to have been done the week after we got here). They have left one of the small doors and made two of them into one long one, now the car will JUST fit inside.
A few weeks ago, we actually had one day when nothing was too pressing, so Roger said, "I've got an idea, lets take a "P" Day and go to Windsor Castle" After recovering from the shock we set off, It's not very far from here as the crow flies, in fact it's right on the flight path to Heathrow Airport, (Heathrow is by the Motorway on the East side of the M25 and Windsor is directly opposite by the Motorway on the West of the M25). Anyway we drove to the Staines Chapel, which has a railway station across the road, parked the car there, and caught the train to Windsor and Eton on Thames, a short 3 stops. (You can never find parking anywhere.) We had a very pleasant day, The sun was shining and it felt quite hot.
We got there in time to see the changing of the guard,(Hope the video works) and spent a few hours walking around St Georges chapel and the other parts of the castle, This Castle dates back to William the Conquerer, 1066 and is the oldest castle that is still used as a residence for the Royal Family, The Queen spends her Weekends there.
In the last 2 weeks, July 2nd we have had to go to Hastings, to meet with missionaries, and district meetings, The next day to Poole for Stake Correlation, Friday to Oxford to meet with some missionaries, Saturday we met a new Senior couple at Gatwick and took them to the Office, then that afternoon we drove the 2hrs back to Poole for a special celebration of 50 yrs since the chapel was built. They had a wonderful program, very special food, they actually roasted a pig, and then they showed a video of the chapel being built, and quite a few of the members were there who had been part of that. Then we had a great fireworks show, as it was 11pm by the time it finished we stayed over in Bournemouth and went to the Bournemouth Chapel for Sunday meetings before driving back.
It brought back some fond memories for me as I helped with the Manchester Stake House, which was dedicated 50 yrs ago, I used to go there when I was off duty as a head nurse, and plaster up holes in the walls and help put up ceiling tiles, I even sanded the wood for behind the pulpit, before they shellacked it, and the 9th July was exactly 50 yrs ago since I emigrated to SLC. The next Monday we drove to Portsmouth for their Stake Correlation Meeting, then Tuesday to Maidstone for their Correlation Meeting, Thursday to the Office in Newchapel on the Temple Grounds, got a haircut and we had an exit interview with a Senior couple who had finished their mission, then on Friday to Guildford to meet with some missionaries,
On our trip to Hastings on July 2nd, as we were leaving the town we saw the signs for Battle, a small town adjacent to Hastings which was the original site of the Battle of Hastings, which was fought in 1066, and changed forever the fate and culture of England to what it is today. So we decided to stop and see and walk around the site.
St Georges Chapel from inside the grounds, Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle as we were walking up from the train station
Inside the Castle grounds
Changing of the guard at Windsor Castle (Sorry the Movie wouldn't work)
The entrance gate and Castle at Battle the site if the Battle of Hastings 1066
These are the fields were thousands of soldiers died in 1066 The Castle and ruins are behind us.
Our garage before.
Our garage after. What a difference when the sun shines.
We had better close it's getting late, Our love to everyone, you are always in our prayers and we thank you for your prayers for us, we can certainly feel the comforting presence of the Holy Ghost, God bless to all, especially our family, We love you and hope all is well, A very Happy Birthday to all Birthday people since we wrote last, Keep safe. Love always Doc and Val. aka President and Sister Millar.
