Chapter 6 - Spring Eighteen

Spring arrived. In its hit and miss London way. The biggest snows of winter landed in March. In April, temps hit the 80s -- breaking records. To keep cool, our Mission President ordered us to strip naked and join sunbathers in the parks. (Okay. Not quite.) Then we were suddenly back to chilly winter.

In May we reached the eight-month point of our mission. But that excitement. That sense that the Lord’s Gospel is sweeping the earth, and that we are privileged to watch Last Days from the best seats in the house. That has only gotten stronger.

April was likely the most eventful General Conference of my sixty years on earth. We sustained our new Prophet, Russell M. Nelson, in Solemn Assembly. And sustained also the first non-white apostles of this dispensation — a Chinese-American and a Brazilian. There were major changes to Priesthood organization. And abolishing home and visit teaching. Followed a week or so later by announcements that we are cutting ties with all Scouting Programs. (As for Scouting, Doll speculates the Church was just waiting for President Monson to die.)

Less than two weeks after that Conference, President Nelson, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland and their wives began what was called their “Global Ministry Tour.” First stop? Our very own London Hyde Park Chapel.

I’ve tried to describe how this mission, more than ever before, is showing us that the world truly is one big Family of God. With connections converging right here in London. President Nelson only bolstered this view. Upon arriving, he told the Deseret News that began the global tour right here, largely because of its diversity. He said this is “a melting pot, and ours is a global ministry, so at least we can get a sample. Most of the nations of the world are here in London.”

(If you're interested, here’s link to the Deseret News article covering his visit. https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900015703/first-stop-london-president-nelson-addresses-missionaries-members-as-global-tour-begins.html)

A picture of honored guests together with our mission:

The Nelsons and the Hollands met with members of the Church, and kindly shook the hands of all us missionaries. The sweet sister acting as doorstop, in the photo below, is of course our much beloved Doll. (I myself was at that moment beyond those doors. With duties as an Usher. Herding the missionary cats this way.)

On the afternoon of their visit, President Nelson, Elder Holland and their spouses spoke in a special session to just us missionaries (broadcast live to other missions of the U.K). Later, they had a session for the members generally (also broadcast across Britain).

I thought the Prophet and Elder Holland might want to have a long and private session with just me. You know. Hear my life story. Get my advice on how to run the Church. Discuss making me a General Authority. Etc. But that event never quite happened. And oddly, they seemed to get along fine with only my prayers in their behalf.

If any of us expected the Prophet or Elder Holland to drop doctrinal or other bombshells during their visit, we were disappointed. All we got from them were sound Gospel truthd. And a powerful feeling of the Spirit.

Though I will add this. You’ve read the accounts from Church History. How, after his martyrdom, Saints in Nauvoo saw the mantle of Joseph Smith fall upon Brigham Young. Witnesses reported that, as Brigham spoke, they heard the voice of Joseph -- even saw his image in the face of Brigham. I didn’t witness anything quite so dramatic with our own new Prophet. But I did have the profound sense of seeing — through spiritual eyes — the mantle of prophet coming to rest upon President Nelson. During the April General Conference and his London visit that followed, I could see plain as the desert sun Russell M. Nelson rising to become the Lord's true Prophet.

Here is our Mission President, Mark W. Stevens, with his wife Jean (former First Counselor in the Primary General Presidency). They are both tremendous disciples of God. Particularly in their example of Christlike Love. Doll and I feel hugely blessed by their example and influence.

Speaking of diversity, and of Elder Soares’ recent call as Apostle. Those watching developments of the Last Days should take note of Brazil. A generation ago the Gospel was barely sprouting there. But today there are 256 stakes, 34 missions, and 8 temples in Brazil! The country has its ills, and the work faces many challenges. But the Church in Brazil has now grown to the point of exporting its strength. We have here in our London Stake an entire Portuguese speaking ward, full of faithful members. Some of our Brazilian YSAs attend that family ward. Others come to mine and Doll's YSA Ward. Franklin Righes — our Elders Quorum President — is one of the Brazilians we love most. Here is Franklin with a neat Brazlian he is dating.

Here are some of the young Brazilian-Portuguese elders and sisters in our mission.

I mentioned the dodgy Spring weather. (“Dodgy” is another word much-loved by the Brits.) In February we had daffodils and real signs of Spring.

Fortunately we weren’t fooled. As then came the March snows, as seen from our front window.

Followed by April's brief summer.

Our “April Summer” view of the sunken garden at Kensington Palace:

Tulips before Buckingham Palace.

And here, in the Italian Garden, we find Sister Allred making new friends.

Throughout the Spring, we were about our normal missionary activities. On Easter Sunday, in the absence of family, Doll made her famous cinnamon rolls and brunch for the YSAs who came to our Flat to watch General Conference.

And the saying went forth. “Where two or three YSAs are gathered, there will be Sister Allred with her loving bounty of food.”

We continued to hold, every Thursday, our dinner and Institute nights. Here a glimpse of Samuel Odoi, Second Counselor in our Stake Presidency, teaching one of our classes.

I have mentioned before, how this mission gives a vision of how the Gospel’s would cure the World’s ills. During this Spring season, a news headline was the tensions between the U.S. and Iran -- as Donald Trump scuttled the nuclear deal made by Obama. At the same time, there was a different Iran-America story in our YSA Ward. After frustrating years of waiting, Ramin, a convert to the Church from Iran, finally got his British work visa (equivalent to our green card). That occurred the same week that Jameson, an American, had a birthday. Here is a picture of the two friends celebrating those events together.

When we’re not busy with Church duties, I like to be out and about. Seeing all I can of fascinating London. The other day, on my way to Church, I saw Prince Charles pop out of a small motorcade. I took these photos of the blessed moment.

I love Charles and Camilla more than you can possibly imagine. (Remember how Martin Short's Ed Grimley was obsessed with Pat Sajak? I am equally crazy about Prince Charles.)

And one day, walking past Kensington Palace, Doll and I caught a glimpse of Princess Anne (sister of Prince Charles) taking off in the Royal Helicopter.

Doll and I attended Eugene O’Neill’s “Long Day’s Journey Into Night.” Brilliantly acted by Jeremy Irons and Lesley Manville. But not great fun to watch.

More enjoyable was this folk duo from America and Britain, known as Son of Town Hall.

Here Doll and I have joined a Jack the Ripper tour in London’s East End:

A favorite bike rides takes me to Abbey Road Studios, the famed Beatle crosswalk and, viewed from next door, the home of Sir Paul McCartney (7 Cavendish Ave).

Here is a sign posted near the site where Thomas More, Thomas Cromwell, and other notables were executed.

We met this sign whilst wandering about Canterbury.

In Hyde Park, I came upon about 20 photographers taking shots of this model. Maybe she’s famous. I don’t know.

This fellow had a novel approach to the tuba.

Here is the London Mall. Dressed in flags the week in which Prince Charles was named head of the Commonwealth, upon the retirement from that post of his mother, the Queen.

Around London Spring Training means cricket, not baseball.

In April, we had a visit of several days from our dear Bart and Georgia Hillyer. Here they are at the Sky Garden. And then Bart — outside Number 10 Downing Street — amid protests against the U.S., British, and French for bombing of Syria over its use of chemical weapons.