Easter Week

This past week Elder Whitehead spent time preparing for and taking the driving test.  He didn't pass it so he gets another chance next week sometime, we hope.  You have to have an appointment to take the test.   Tuesday was extra busy.  I did Faith in God while Elder Whitehead taught Book of Mormon.  Then we taught a temple prep class right after that.  It was a lot to prepare for.  I was pleased that Faith in God went well.  We had a short lesson about Easter and then we did an Easter egg hunt. We attended zone conference in Liverpool and did a training for it on Thursday.  Friday, we spent a pleasant afternoon at Tatton Park, one of the stately halls and gardens near us.  It think it was one of the prettiest homes we have been in.  We went with another senior couple.  The place was very busy because it was a bank holiday.  We had a nice relaxing day.   Saturday, we helped with the Ward Easter Party.  It was a very good party and everyone enjoyed themselves.  Sunday, we had wonderful speakers in Sacrament Meeting.  I substituted in sharing time and I felt like it went really well.  We were invited to eat with a young family for Easter.  They fed us a big Italian meal and gave each of us Easter candy to take home.  They hosted all six missionaries in our ward for dinner.  It was very kind of them.  We had some good visits with people this week as well.

Tatton Park

Tatton Hall

Easter Bunnies are big in England

We are enjoying the golden fields again.  The rape seed is in
bloom.  My photo on the motorway doesn't do it justice.

Springtime in England

We spent the last week, making visits,  going to zone conference, doing flat inspections, feeding the sisters and attending the new member fireside.  The firesides are always good.  It is great to hear how people find the church and gain a testimony of it.  We had two sisters from Iran speak last night and a young man from China.   We were grateful to visit a few more people this week.   It warmed our hearts to see a couple come to church we had visited earlier in the week.

My New Cardigan

The Rhodadendrums are just beginning to bloom

The forget-me-nots are gorgeous!

Elder Whitehead admiring a tree.

We were trying to get a picture of the flowers and got the sky in the water
at the same time.

The Canal going through Walton Gardens.

Walton Gardens

Our Super Sized Easter Eggs.  Where are our
grandchildren when we need them?

Friday, we were just coming home from some visits, when the Elders called us.  They couldn't get in touch with a young man that had planned to attend a tea appointment with them at  a single sister's home.  They needed us and we were available and just a few blocks from them when they called.  Normally we would have eaten earlier, but we were out a little later than usual.  We were grateful we could assist them and it was nice not to have to cook.  There are times when we can tell that the Lord blesses missionaries when they have done the best they could. We were glad we could help.  Sunday, we were invited to another tea appointment and we enjoyed that meal as well.  One of our ward members knitted me a cardigan and gave it to me last Sunday.  I was amazed that it fit perfectly.  It is very cozy and it was so kind of her to do it.  Today Elder Whitehead took another driver's lesson.  Wednesday is his test.  He also spent some time resting because it takes time to get over this illness we have had.  The trees are greening up now.  The tree in our front yard is in bloom.  The birds are singing so sweetly.  We love the springtime.  We took a little time to walk through Walton Gardens this afternoon.  It was lovely.  A kind sister in our ward gave us easter eggs tonight.  England has the biggest Easter Eggs we have ever seen.   We promise not to eat them all ourselves.

We got this picture of our last district when we had lunch in Ikea.  A panorama shot is interesting.

We Keep A'going

I am almost better  and now it's Dad's turn to be sick, but we keep a'going.  We did our first flat inspection on Thursday.  All the senior couples have been asked to inspect flats.  We have 15 flats in our zone.  We will do it once every three months.   We have taken extra rest breaks in the last few weeks.  Last week we attended the funeral for a woman we had been visiting in a care center.  May  had just turned 98.  She had been a member of the church all of her life.  She married later in life and never had children.  We will always remember her as a lovely person.  She always dressed like she was going to church.  Her snow white hair always looked nice and she was cheerful, despite the fact that she was the last of her generation to leave mortality.  It was a pleasure to visit her.  She suffered a stroke in December and after that she lost most of her ability to speak.  She was a great example of enduring to the end.  I am glad to think of her being reunited with her husband and family members.  Friday night we went bowling with the YSA in Liverpool.  Dad and I did quite well, considering how long it has been since we have been bowling.  We enjoyed the company of these young people.  Saturday was the Chinese activity for chinese converts.  We were supposed to bring food.  Dad woke up sick on Saturday.  I was able to get a ride with Hannah, one of the YSA and her father.  He was kind enough to drop us of and come back to get us.  It was a good activity at the new Manchester Institute building.  Sunday was Mother's day in the UK.  Dad managed to get me some flowers in spite of the fact that he was sick.  It was very kind of him.  We had the elders over for dinner, and a lady in her eighties, that has fed us on more than one occasion.  I'm glad we could return her kindness to us.  It was a nice dinner.  Monday night, we attended family home evening for the YSA in Liver pool.  Earlier in the day we had lunch with our district at Ikea.  One of our sisters was finishing her mission so we had a little farewell lunch together.  One of these days, we are both going to be well, and then we can accomplish more.  We look forward to that.

Our district -The sister in white is going home tomorrow.

Elder Whitehead can still bowl a pretty good game.

YSA girls and me

It was a fun night at the bowling alley.

Everywhere we go there are daffodils.  I liked these in this old church yard.

These are stunning flowers.  They seem like a cross between roses and peonies.