Was able to enjoy a restful night – a perfect case
of ‘sleeping soundly when the wind blows,’ meaning that by the time I went to
bed last night I was completely prepared for today’s talk. (How good does THAT
feel?!)
Have NO idea how long my talk IS – all I know is
it’s ready! And that’s the important part, right? And besides, there are only
two of us! (Written at 8:45 this morning.)
The theme I’d been given was ‘New Beginnings,’ the
same one at least one speaker each week in January had addressed. Brother Kagi
had asked how I was with that, and I had said it was such a broad topic I was
sure I could find somewhere to go with it. (He had also added, ‘ . . . and tell
a little about yourself.’) As I considered the topic, almost immediately the
idea of the sacrament, followed by its continuation – the sacrament – came to
my mind as the ultimate case of ‘new beginnings,’ and applicable to every
single person on earth!
Gathering and putting together exactly the most
pertinent information always seems so overwhelming to me in composing a talk –
one reason I don’t like to do it altogether. (One of those perfectionism things,
I suppose.) I’m really glad for my sake that I got started good and early in
the weeks in my preparations. I will say that I felt the spirit of the Lord
guiding me all along the way, to help me say what he would want said. What a
blessing and testimony of God’s hand in our lives that was to me! (I requested
that we sing Father in Heaven, We Do
Believe, with all five verses, for the sacrament hymn. I thought it really
brought home the points I was trying to make – and besides it is one of my
favorite sacrament hymns.)
(Written at 8:45 this evening.) Have no idea how
long my talk WAS – guess I was enjoying myself WAY too much, because all I know
is, the next thing I knew, a member of the presidency was tugging on my ‘coat
tails’ to let me know it was time to cut it short. (How embarrassing is THAT?!
Can’t allow myself to think about it - else I’d curl up and die! Guess that’s
what you get when you don’t TIME your talk!)
. . . BUT, other than that, it went really well, and I felt good about
it. A sister who I admire very much told me she really enjoyed it and could
happily have gone right on listening – that almost made up for feeling a bit
foolish. I didn’t have a clue in the world that was going to happen. lt SO took
me by surprise, especially because I don’t even LIKE talking in church! (But
then, I am in England, and here I am a totally different person.)
Sister Sonia Kellie was confirmed as a new member
of the branch. She is a fifty-something sister who was baptized yesterday – and
has the loveliest shade of florescent blue hair I believe I have ever seen.
The
meeting schedule was me blabbing first, with Malcolm second. The rest/intermediate
hymn was cut to a single verse following my over-exuberance, and then Brother
Kagi announced the presence of the London South Mission President and his wife.*
Taking full advantage of their unanticipated visit, he invited them both to say
a few words, adding that he was sure our second, and final, speaker, Brother
McKay, (Malcolm), wouldn’t mind extending his opportunity to talk for two weeks’
time (fast and testimony meeting this coming week.) As soon as he’d said that, I
really felt bad – and if I’d been in Malcolm’s shoes I would have been quite
unhappy. Making preparations and then talking in church is definitely something
you may be happy to do, but you’re equally happy to have over with when you’re done.
I thought, ‘oh, man, Malcolm’s going to kill me!’ At first I blamed the whole
thing on my bad planning – later I could see that the Mission President and his
wife showing up unexpectedly was also a contributing factor. (Sister Millar was
talking about God’s ability to heal us and used a phrase I really like – that in
order for Him to be able to help us we must first ‘tip our toe in Jordan,’
referring to one of many miracles Jesus performed and the faith of the recipient it took.)
From
my favorite Gospel Doctrine teacher, Brother Paul Dadds (uncle to Tom): quote posted
on the blackboard, going along with our lesson on the First Vision: Is there
not something deep in your heart that longs to draw nearer to God, to be more
like him in your daily walk, to feel his presence? (Ezra Taft Benson)
*[President and Sister Mill.ar’ are from St.
Garge, Utah. He is a retired heart surgeon affiliated with LDS Hospital in Salt
Lake, raised in Idaho, while his wife is originally from England. His first
remark was, ‘you can see why we’ve been given this calling – because of my
wife!’ She had been a highly-qualified nurse in the same field, also in Salt
Lake, where they met – a second marriage for both. I had the pleasure of
telling them that my parents had served in their very domain several missions
back. (Speaking of which, today marks the wedding anniversary of the dearest
Mom and Dad in all the world – two more years to make it seventy!) In regards
to the Millars I learned of an interesting link in Relief Society when it was
announced that Tom Dadds (one of the young men who had been at the house
playing cards with us the other evening) had been called to serve a preparatory
6-week mission AND was to leave in three days’ time – meaning they could surely
use our help in procuring the things he would need. Can you imagine – he and
his parents had to do all the shopping that is required in that brief period of
time, with limited resources (by way of available stores in this small berg, as
well as financially), with not even ANY time for mail order?! The good thing is
that at the point he is called to a full-time mission, sometime in the near
future, he will already have everything he needs. The connection, as his mother
related to me, was that HE was the reason the mission president and his wife
suddenly appeared in the Weymouth Branch on this particular Sabbath morning –
to interview Tom.]
After
church, did a little sorting and then took up Malcolm on his offer to join him
for a walk. (It was Malcolm who had given me and the Ayles a ride to and from
church in the first place. Guess he had to forgive me!) The sun was shining,
though it was just a touch brisk. One thing I learned is that the other side of
the harbour is actually a different town, altogether – even though at this point
they have combined under a similar sovereignty (kind of like all those
different boroughs surrounding Birmingham being combined into one). Known as
Melcombe Regis, it was one of the first ports of entry of the Black Death into
England in the summer of 1348. It was also on it and Weymouth’s beaches
that Allied troops prepared for D-Day landings during World War lI. As part of
our ramblings, Malcolm mentioned that he much preferred non-confrontational occasions
such as the walk we were on, for a chance to get to know someone of the
opposite sex better. (That sounds especially telling, so let me just add that
that statement is taken out of context and goes with an entire long
conversation. Nonetheless, sure hope he isn’t thinking in my direction because interest in his is certainly not reciprocated.)
All in all, it was a full Sunday.
Photos_
Views along our scenic harbour walk today:
4- battlements built during the Napoleonic Wars
5- harbour betwixt Melcombe Regis and Weymouth
6- Georgian architecture
