This long disconnect with the outside world has been a difficult adjustment. Just think what it must have been like for family members in the old days when it took months for letters to reach people. Luckily, we should have Internet and a phone by the end of this week (if all goes well, which seems to not just when you are really, really excited for something to happen---ha, ha).
All is well and we are getting used to the cold. The sun is out today and it is a beautiful day! We have squirrels (the animal kind)and birds to watch where we live.
Yesterday we attended both ward blocks. Elder Blain went to a meeting at 7:30. Sacrament started at 10 a.m. for the Stoke Ward and the other meetings were over by 1:00 p.m. Newcastle Ward's Sacrament started at 2:00 p.m. and ended at 5:00 p.m. THEN, we waited around the building until the Family History fireside was held from 7-8:00 p.m. We got home around 8:30, totally worn out. All that business of meeting and greeting people takes a lot out of a person. It drains the energy out of us. Trying to remember names, understand some of the people with heavy accents. They are all lovely folks and we are delighted to serve them. We ARE glad we have the testimony part over at both meetings. It is hard, for me especially, to get up in front of people with no warning and have to speak. I survived. The first ward took us by surprise, so we got a bit better prepared for the second. We should have anticipated it, but we were so busy trying to keep up with everything we were sorta sitting there is a daze.
More later . . .
Monday, March 1, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
Our Address & Mailing Tips
Our address is:
Elder and Sister Blain
Flat 2 The Mount St Georges
Second Avenue
Porthill
Newcastle, Staffordshire ST5 8RB
United Kingdom
The Newcastle part can also be written Newcastle, Staffs ST5 8RB
You don't have to put "flat" either, since some of the mail comes with just the 2.
We can receive large envelopes and packages at our flat now. It costs, in American dollars, around $1.50 to mail a simple letter from here. The cost for a letter jumped from 90 pence to 97 pence this week. Postage is just way to high to try sending items. If anyone does decide to blow their week's paycheck, be sure to send items via regular mail because of the huge tax on something coming in through FedEx. A package can cost another $200 just to pick it up!
I don't think we'll be sending Christmas cards except through e-mail this year. We wanted to be sure you knew this in time, since December is eight months away. Letters seem to be taking around five to six days to arrive. Packages can be two weeks or more.
Elder and Sister Blain
Flat 2 The Mount St Georges
Second Avenue
Porthill
Newcastle, Staffordshire ST5 8RB
United Kingdom
The Newcastle part can also be written Newcastle, Staffs ST5 8RB
You don't have to put "flat" either, since some of the mail comes with just the 2.
We can receive large envelopes and packages at our flat now. It costs, in American dollars, around $1.50 to mail a simple letter from here. The cost for a letter jumped from 90 pence to 97 pence this week. Postage is just way to high to try sending items. If anyone does decide to blow their week's paycheck, be sure to send items via regular mail because of the huge tax on something coming in through FedEx. A package can cost another $200 just to pick it up!
I don't think we'll be sending Christmas cards except through e-mail this year. We wanted to be sure you knew this in time, since December is eight months away. Letters seem to be taking around five to six days to arrive. Packages can be two weeks or more.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Elder and Sister Blain Are Now Full-Time Missionaries
WE ARE OFFICIAL!
We were sitting in the stake president's office this morning at 9:00 a.m., and as we shared our testimonies, Cailin said, "We're glad they're leaving." Of course, that brought laughter. Then, we got into a discussion about the blessings of a mission not only for the missionaries and those they teach, but also for their entire family. We do have full faith that Heavenly Father will take care of everything. We just need to do His work. It will be easier because our family supports us 100%. ♥ them enormously.
We were then set apart to do the Lord's work in England and received individual blessings for the things we need to be successful on our mission. We felt especially touched that Cailin, her husband, and Bridger (an unusual teen early riser) shared this spiritual moment in our lives (they are the only family living close to us up here in outer Siberia, otherwise known as Ogden Valley). Dakota, a typical sleepy-headed teen could not quite drag himself out of bed to come over.
Now, before anyone judges Dakota, know that this great young man has always supported us in everything and we know he loves us, and he knows we love him and wouldn't hold a small sleep-in against him. Not having him there this morning did help to bring to mind what a happy time it is when all the family can be together and what a great joy it will be to have them with us eternally.
We had one of those happy family gatherings yesterday. We were delighted with the little ones running around and the big ones catching us up on things (yes, Dakota was there). There were a few missing due to illness and such, but there were five out-of-state families unable to be there. We felt their support and love across the miles and know we will see each other not far into the future. This is the message of precious hope we missionaries share as we go forth to find those seeking truth and knowledge of Christ's Church in these last days.
As soon as church meetings were over today, we went to the Scadden home for an early celebration of Bridger’s 16th birthday. We broke our fast with a Sponge Bob cake (not recommended) and scurried home.
There’s no more time for reflection here either. We have to pack for the MTC!
We were sitting in the stake president's office this morning at 9:00 a.m., and as we shared our testimonies, Cailin said, "We're glad they're leaving." Of course, that brought laughter. Then, we got into a discussion about the blessings of a mission not only for the missionaries and those they teach, but also for their entire family. We do have full faith that Heavenly Father will take care of everything. We just need to do His work. It will be easier because our family supports us 100%. ♥ them enormously.
We were then set apart to do the Lord's work in England and received individual blessings for the things we need to be successful on our mission. We felt especially touched that Cailin, her husband, and Bridger (an unusual teen early riser) shared this spiritual moment in our lives (they are the only family living close to us up here in outer Siberia, otherwise known as Ogden Valley). Dakota, a typical sleepy-headed teen could not quite drag himself out of bed to come over.
Now, before anyone judges Dakota, know that this great young man has always supported us in everything and we know he loves us, and he knows we love him and wouldn't hold a small sleep-in against him. Not having him there this morning did help to bring to mind what a happy time it is when all the family can be together and what a great joy it will be to have them with us eternally.
We had one of those happy family gatherings yesterday. We were delighted with the little ones running around and the big ones catching us up on things (yes, Dakota was there). There were a few missing due to illness and such, but there were five out-of-state families unable to be there. We felt their support and love across the miles and know we will see each other not far into the future. This is the message of precious hope we missionaries share as we go forth to find those seeking truth and knowledge of Christ's Church in these last days.
As soon as church meetings were over today, we went to the Scadden home for an early celebration of Bridger’s 16th birthday. We broke our fast with a Sponge Bob cake (not recommended) and scurried home.
There’s no more time for reflection here either. We have to pack for the MTC!
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