LDS YouTube-Hope Ya Know, We Had a Hard Time and Preston Temple Grounds Photos

 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness in Christ, and a love of God and of all men.  Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father:  Ye shall have eternal life.  2 Nephi 31:20

We have been teaching an eight-year-old, darling little girl from another country whose name we cannot mention because the safety of the family must be protected presently.  They had to flee their country because they became Christians and people wanted to kill them.  When we see what this little family has given up for their faith in Jesus Christ, we are humbled.  They are pioneers in their own right, having to endure persecution and fear for their lives, moving from one place to another until they can find a safe place where they can worship in peace.

God has plucked these people out of circumstances we can only imagine and placed them amongst us to strengthen us.  They will be a blessing to their ward, their community, and for every single life they touch with their example when they are able to use their talents and gifts of intelligence and training to help others grow in the gospel and to feel the love of the Savior.  They already are a huge blessing for us and the few in this area who have met them.

Below are more photos of the temple grounds.  It is ever changing and we are enjoying every bit of it for these last few months we are here on our mission.

Tulips are gone, so new flowers are planted

Missionary Training Centre

MTC Pond

These are all over the place-thousands of them!

YSA members walking to the chapel on activity night while I was walking around taking the photos

The sky was gorgeous this night

It was dark when we left

Not as dark earlier

Greenery has filled in everywhere, as you can see.  This is a view across the parking lot from the. chapel where we serve the young single adults (YSA) in Chorley

This is my "artist" rendering just for fun.

 Watch this!

YouTube - Hope Ya Know, We Had a Hard Time

The Toad in the Window Well & What He Was Missing

 Behold, ye are little children and ye cannot bear all things now; ye must grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth.  Doctrine and Covenants 50:40

Sister Bullock, our mission president's wife, always gives great talks using stories and allegories.  She told us about the family being outside a few years back and hearing rustling in the leaves in their window well, but not seeing anything in there, they didn't look further.  Occasionally, they'd hear it again, but did not investigate, thinking it was just some critter that liked it in there.

After about three seasons of this, they decided to dig out the leaves and find what was still in the window well hidden under the leaves.  They removed the grate that covered the window well, and as they carefully cleared the leaves, they discovered a good sized toad.

Wondering how a toad that size could have possibly fallen through the tiny grids of the grate, they realized that he was once a very small toad and had probably fallen in there and couldn't get out.  He liked his warm little spot where he could get the food and water he needed without venturing any further than his safe pile of leaves within the small space of the window well.  He didn't have to put out any effort and he didn't even know he was confined.  In his ignorance, he thought that was all there was to the world--simply lazily existing.  He had no idea what else was in the world to enjoy and no way of truly growing from broader experience.  He could not have a fullness of joy in that environment and would never know what that was if he remained trapped.

Sister Bullock asked us to contemplate upon our lives and see if we have climbed out of our comfort zones and allowed our spirits to grow.  Do we stay in our own little window wells of safety and contribute little good to the world?  When their toad was let go into the world, he happily hopped off to new adventures.  Think how different the toad's life is outside of the window well.  I'd like to think he is seeing some of the things he missed those first few years of his life.  His world has to be much brighter and more colorful than it was in that dark, brown-leafed window well.

Below are things I'm seeing outside our apartment.  Perhaps these are the things the toad can now enjoy.

Visit to Trafford Centre & a Referral!

And there they preached the gospel.  Acts 14:7

On the way back from another zone conference, where we helped with a Preach My Gospel chase, we were rushing back for a meeting in Blackburn when we received a call that cancelled the meeting.  We had been driving past the Trafford Centre for fifteen months and had never seen it, so we thought we'd better stop rather than risk never seeing it while we are in England.  This is a place we wanted to take our family, but were unable to when they lost a day of their time with us due to their plane schedule being changed. 

Since they didn't get to go, here are pictures we took that shows it does live up to its reputation as being a beautiful shopping and entertainment centre.  It reminds me of the places we've seen in Las Vegas that are so lavish with lots of marble and gorgeous things to see.  I'm sorry the pictures do not do justice to the place, but it'll give you a taste of it anyway.

Speaking of taste,while here, we met a young woman from Thailand who wants to hear about Jesus Christ and Christianity.  She is a Buddist.  We were able to share some of the gospel message with her, give her some pass along cards, and get her name and phone number so the missionaries in that area can teach her.  We then ate at the Thai restaurant and it was really yummy!

Upon entering, this is what we saw on the second floor

This conveyor belt took sushi items past and a person can just grab them.  Obviously, I haven't been around much since I'd never seen such a think!

I hope that isn't the Titanic in the mural above!

This fountain was fascinating as you can tell I tried to catch the different cycles it ran

It doesn't take much to entertain me

It shot water up above the second floor of the mall . . .

. . . almost all the way to the dome ceiling above the second floor!  You can see it if you look closely.  I could have watched it for hours.

Different areas of the centre represent famous areas of the world

It looks like old Louie is being touched by the spirit of missionary work . . .

I love fountains and Elder Blain

Another mural on the ceiling

This room is made like a cruise ship and it is gigantic!

The Great Hall entry

This car was owned by the woman who helped fund the building of the centre

Cool stuff abounds as we walked around the centre (we only saw part of it after three hours!)

This is outside in the parking lot

A little part of the larger dome is peeking up here--quite a spectacular sight from the motorway at night.