Upslope

Dear Somone, 

Happy Tuesday! The bandwidth at the center has been a bit temperamental the past few days. We have a rule here that you cannot use video skype. Imagine telling 35 girls that they can’t skype their boy friends in the wee small hours of the morning. As I’m sure you could deduce rules just don’t apply to those who are “in love.” As a result when people do it causes the wireless to crash.  Sadly it has delayed me from writing to you. I send my love to my family at this difficult time. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

On a lighter note I have been anxious to tell you about my Sunday adventures. 2 weeks ago I was given my Church assignment. The Stake President pulled me aside to warn me of the difficulties I would have getting to church. He asked my small group if we would be willing to still serve. Right now in London they are doing serious construction on the Transportation system gearing up for the Olympics. On the weekends they close down a majority of the tube. After which he handed me a little slip of paper with directions. 

Take tube to Victoria, then Train Victoria to Streatham Common. Then tram to Mitcham, one stop, then walk up slope, building looks like a large old house.

  

How funny is that! Let alone vague. Who would have thought it would take threes modes of transportation to get to church? Not to mention I would say that most things in England look like an old large building. I found the directions quite comical; I couldn’t help but chuckle after reading them.  Needless to say it took us two hours to get to church last week. To top it all off we walked in to the meeting late, very late. Unlike at home you can’t walk in to the meeting inconspicuously. There was not a back door to slip in through. We had the opportunity to waltz past the entire congregation and perch ourselves on the front row.  As we sat down the Bishop stood up and invited the lovely BYU girls to bare their testimonies. I haven’t ever really been in a situation like that before. I was caught off guard. Yet as I walked up to the podium I was overwhelmed with a recognizable sensation of peace. I have never felt so at home, in such an unfamiliar circumstance.

The Mitcham ward is predominately from Ghana at least 80%.  75% are of the members are converts. My ward has about 55-70 people who attend church regularly. We weren’t surprised to find that we are a minority.  It was a moving sacrament meeting to hear of the trials these members have been facing. 2 women were investigators in Relief Society. They love music but they aren’t familiar with the hymns. So I think we are going to start up a ward choir. They were thrilled about the prospects. I was immediately called to serve in the Primary. I am the new sunbeam teacher. Sunbeams seem to be my area of expertise at this time in my life. There are 4 teachers in Primary, 2 Women from the Ward, and 2 BYU gals. We are preparing the children for the Primary Program. We have about 12 children. I am excited to see what I can learn through my new assignment. We were welcomed in to the ward immediately.  In fact a family is having us over for dinner sometime next week. 

The commute to Church is not by any means convenient. Yet I can’t complain. It was extremely humbling to walk into that church. To feel the immediate sense of acceptance and love from the ward family was brilliant.  It’s a good change of pace to get out of the city. The flats are smaller, and less compact. The little town easily could have been Harry Potters stomping grounds. I am happy to report that this past Sunday we cut down the traveling time in half. Our tube route was not canceled so we weren’t pestered by the tremendously sluggish bus system. We were even fifteen minuets early. (A feat that R Fin should be proud of)  One of the missionaries in my ward plays basketball for the U! What a small world. Anywho, It’s time for class. I love you!

Cheers,

Miss Fin