Chapter 2 - The Church in London

Chapter 2 — The Church in London 

For anyone interested in the Lord’s work and what His Church is doing in these latter days, the England London Mission is without question the coolest and most important place on Earth.

A bold claim.  And yes, it involves opinion and may sound bombastic.  Yet it’s really quite true.  And when any of you — our dearly Beloveds — come to visit, you’re likely to find yourself agreeing. 

By much reckoning, London is today the world’s greatest crossroads of humanity.  Free travel with the nations of the Common Market and a single European Union.  The flood of refugees from war and economic disasters in the Middle East and Africa, the international economy and other developments of recent decades have turned London into a remarkably diverse and un-English place.  Only about 45% of Londoners are considered “white British” — and that includes all the Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Irish that are here.  Muslims are now 12% of London’s population.  There are lots of blacks from Africa and the Caribbean.  There are Asians in all their varieties — especially, these days, mainland Chinese.  And sizeable groups from India and Pakistan, Latin America, Eastern and Western Europe, Canada, and the U.S.  Long-time Londoners are reeling from the changes.

Three hundred languages are spoken by the residents of London.  The most of any city in the world.  There are tourists from every corner of the Globe.   If Doll and I thought we would stand out as foreigners here —Yanks amongst the English — we were wrong.

Nay.  With English our own native speech, and a chunk of our ancestry derived from this land, Doll and I feel quite at home here.  Sort of like the grandkids returning to Polk’s End.

The ethnic and cultural diversity is reflected in the Church here as well.  Our ward — the Britannia Ward (cool name) — has about 200, mostly active, young single adults (YSAs).  As of last count, we have members from 48 different countries.  And our London Hyde Park Stake is even more diverse.  According to our Stake President (a reliable guy), the LDS Church is now represented in about 160 nations worldwide — and the members of our Stake speak 132 separate languages.  We have both Brazilian and Spanish-speaking wards in London that are stronger than many other U.K. wards.

Here in London you feel very linked to the whole world.  If you were even slightly racist.  If you didn’t like just about everybody from everywhere.  Then it might suck to live here.  But we like it.  Love it.  When I was asked to speak in Sacrament Meeting a few weeks ago.  I tried to explain how Doll and I feel.  Allow me to quote myself:

We heard Bishop Kirkham say last week that he loves many things about serving in this Ward.  But most of all he loves the diversity.  I agree.  In this this Ward we have Sons and Daughters of God from literally all over earth — 48 different countries.  What an incredible thing that is.  To find that we truly do have tremendous brothers and sisters from everywhere.

When Sister Allred and I were called and preparing to come on our mission, we learned this ward and stake would involve a lot of racial, cultural and other backgrounds.  That sounded good to us.  We’ve spent most of our lives moving from place to place around the globe — and we love getting to know different lands and people.  But we had no idea how great it would be.

To find that I have a beloved younger sister, Yuxin, from a place in northeastern China not far from North Korea.  And another dear sister, Varsha, whose family and remarkable conversion story come from India.  To find I have this fine brother Artie from Armenia, not to be confused with Arteh who’s lived all his life in the UK — but his parents come from Ghana.  And a great brother Anguelin from Bulgaria.  And Jaffar whose Dad is Iraqi, and his mother is Italian — but who claims himself to be Welsh.  

And powerful Priesthood leaders like President Ricciardi — the member of the Stake Presidency to whom I report to in my calling.  I find that he is from that beautiful Cinque Terre we have so loved in Italy.  And the other counselor in the Stake Presidency, that spiritual giant President Odoi — who was born in Ghana but raised mostly in Scotland.  And our Stake Patriarch, Brother Ogunbote from Nigeria.  That’s just the beginning of this amazing church family we’re are coming to love here in London.

And even when some of our family turn out to be guys like Joseph McKay from Scotland.  Or Miriam from Trinidad, or Lorna from Ireland — the two who may be the wackiest of us all.  It’s just great.  We’ll try to describe it for our family back home in the States.  And words won’t do it.  I don’t want to get gushy.  But seriously.  I sometimes want to cry just thinking about it.

And a great thing about this mission is feeling needed — and wanted.  Our YSAs include some from strong LDS families — young folks missing their parents and the feel of righteous homes.  More are recent converts, eager for some glimpse of how this whole Gospel and Family thing is supposed to work.  In one way or another most of our YSAs are hungering for the parental-type strength and support we’re here to offer.

Our primary duty is to love and strengthen these young people.  And it’s a joy to do so, when they are so warm and appreciative.

One of our main assignments is to teach an Institute class at our flat every Tuesday evening.  Doll is the main teacher.  (I teach Mission Prep at the Church on Thursdays.)  Doll gives tremendous lessons — feeding them well spiritually.  And, Doll being Doll, she can’t resist going completely overboard in feeding them physically as well.  Turning light snacks and refreshments every week into a major feast.  These YSAs really love Doll and the food she offers — both kinds.

I’ll let Doll share her perspective after a couple months here in London:

Here is a glimpse of some of the Tuesday Night Institute gang.  [Front couch: Ben Byrom (from England, served mission in Germany), Sai Stephenson (born in Trinidad, raised in UK).  From left around the room: Tenille Howard (born and raised in Australia, served mission in USA), Maddy Gannon (from USA, served mission in USA), Jonathan Henson (England), Elliott Heath (from England, served mission in Canada), Levente Czutor (from Hungary, served mission in England), Jameson Daines (from all over USA, served mission in Ogden UT), Krischelle Joseph (raised in USA and Mexico), Carly Hibbert (raised in Illinois, Mom is Taiwanese, served mission in Taiwan), Jaffar Lafta (Dad from Iraq, Mom from Italy, raised in Wales), Helen Chen (mainland China), Pedro Caicedo (Colombia), Nicky Mamouni (Australia), Miriam Seale (Trinidad), Chandler O’Brien (from Salt Lake City), Barbara Nanyonga (parents from Uganda, raised in UK), Sanjay Nath (parents from India, raised in UK).

I agree with my wife Doll.  I love these young people.  You know that happy feel you get when someone in your family is coming home after a long time away?  I get that same warmth when I think about our next meeting with this YSA family of ours.