Happy Halloween

October 29, 2014
We had our family Halloween Party tonight.  We had soup and rolls and macaroni and cheese and fruit.
We played the Skittles game.  Dan and Grant tied for first place.  We played the mummy game and did the pumpkin walk.  We finished with indoor trick-or-treating.  I think everyone had a good time.

Welcome Home

October 28
We returned home from England on October 15, 2014.  Our children had all worked hard to have our house clean and ready for us.  They decorated the yard as a welcome for us.  We are very grateful for all their efforts.  We spoke in Sacrament Meeting on the 19th and we had a meal afterward with our family.  It has been great to see so many family and friends again and enjoy the comforts of home.

Homeward Bound

October 12, 2014
In three days we will return to Utah and our mission will seem like a dream.  The last days have been filled with goodbyes.  We had a nice farewell party with the YSA a few weeks ago.  Friday night we had an appointment with the Bishop.  He visited with us and expressed his gratitude, and then he took us down the hall where a big surprise party had been planned us.  We were amazed at how many people were there.  People gave us cards and gifts and we had food and everyone expressed their love and gratitude for the things we did while we were there.  We were overcome with emotion and overwhelmed at the kindness shown us.  There was such a spirit of love and unity as people came together to make this happen.  We will always remember it as one of the highlights of our lives.
Tomorrow will be filled with packing and cleaning and Tuesday we will attend the temple in Preston for the last time.  We are sad to leave behind so many friends that we have made and excited to come home to our family.  We have come to love many people and enjoyed many things about this green and pleasant land, but there is no place like home.   I happened on to a poem that seems especially fitting and expresses our feelings as we return.

This is an exerpt from the poem by John Van Dyke,  "America for Me"

Tis fine to see the Old World, and travel up and down
Among the famous palaces and cities of renown,
To admire the crumbly castles and the statues of the kings,--
But now I think I've had enough of antiquated things.

So it's home again, and home again, America for me!
My heart is turning home again, and there I long to be,
In the land of youth and freedom beyond the ocean bars,
Where the air is full of sunlight and the flag is full of stars.

Oh, it's home again, and home again, America for me!
I want a ship that's westward bound to plough the rolling sea,
To the blessed land of Room Enough beyond the ocean bars,
Where the air is filled with sunlight and the flag is full of stars.

It has been a great privilege to serve in the England Manchester Mission.

Our ward farewell party

Our YSA farewell party

We Worked with this couple in YSA

Farewell Party

More Farewells

This sign had just been put up on a home we visited.  We
Couldn't resist having our picture taken in front of it.

The Lovliest Place Yet

September 28, 2014
This last Monday we visited the lovliest place we have been to yet on our mission.  Norther Wales is such a pretty place.  We visited a place called Penrhyn Castle.  It wasn't a true castle.  It was built in the early 1800's and it was more of a manor house.  It was one of the most impressive homes we have seen.  The best part was the setting.  It was on a beautiful property on a rise looking out on the ocean.  Off to the side we could see the green hills of Wales.  It was the most perfect autumn day we could ask for.  We enjoyed the company of friends while we toured it.  If the Celestial kingdom is as lovely as the gardens of England, I would be happy.
We had a good week.  We made many good visits.  Several people came to church today that we have worked with.  We are so grateful to see them coming.  We are feeling torn between leaving the people we have worked with behind and seeing our family.  We are really very excited to see our family.