Chapter 5 - Mommy Dearest. And Out of Africa.

The twin gods of Cruelty and Perverse Irony were having their way with me.  On 16 January, Year of Our Lord 2018, this land celebrated with great joy and revelry the Sixtieth Anniversary of my own glorious birth.  Only to discover the very next day -- to our horror -- that my hideous mother had once again raised one of her hydra heads upon these very Shores of Albion.  Here is a sighting:

I shall endeavor keep you informed of further sightings and the havoc caused by Mommy Dearest (or "Mum" as she is known to the British).

This London truly is a happening place.  A few doors down from our Hyde Park Chapel is England’s famed Victoria and Albert Museum.  The “V&A” as it’s called around here.  And the other night Doll, Mum and I were leaving the chapel, on our way home from a meeting.  As we approached the V&A, there was a group of about 20 people, gathered around a news reporter before cameras and floodlights, along with a motorcade of limos, vans and police motorcycles.  Obviously waiting for somebody.  I suggested we hang out a bit to see who it might be.

Then, in a few minutes, out he comes with his little flock of bodyguards.  The President of France.  Emmanuel Macron.  (Yes.  The President — not the Prime Minister — of France.)  

Macron sees our little crowd shouting “Bonsoir!” and whatnot.  Then he trots over and starts shaking our hands.  Kinda fun.  I got to shake the President’s hand.  And afterward took this picture

Moving to Gospel things.  In the Book of Mormon — Jacob, Chapter 5 — we have the account of the Olive Tree.  You know it.  The scattering and grafting.  The Overview.  The Big Picture of how the Lord’s Gospel will move throughout this Earth.  From Beginning to End.

It seems pretty clear that beneath that macro view — the Big Picture in Jacob 5 — the Lord also uses other scatterings and graftings.  Movements of His children, at numerous levels, back and forth from various places, to accomplish His work.

Take Africa.  You know the story of Gospel beginnings there.  Described so well in this fine book:

The Revelation came in 1978 — basically one generation ago — that every worthy male could receive the Priesthood.  Two senior couples, the Mabeys and the Cannons, were called as first missionaries to Black Africa.  Others followed.  To Ghana and Nigeria.  And then beyond.  Strength from a well-established Church centers in the West.  Nursing Fathers, as the scriptures call it.  Nurturing and bringing light to a people of remarkable faith and preparedness.  The Gospel flowing from a well-rooted tree unto scattered branches.

We prayed those fantastic conversion stories in “Brother to Brother” would be no flash in the pan.  That the Gospel would truly take hold in Africa.  And indeed it has!  The growth there in just one generation — both in numbers and spiritual strength — is its own marvelous work and wonder.  According to en.m.wikipedia.org, there are presently 22 stakes in Ghana!  And 45 stakes in Nigeria!  Each country has its own operating temple.  (Not to mention the dozens of other stakes, and several other temples built or announced, across the rest of Africa.)   

And whereas, the flow of spiritual strength went just one way a generation ago -- missionaries from the white established places flowing toward black Africa.  Now it often flows the other way.  Take England.

There are wonderful white-Anglo members here.  But, spiritually speaking, the place might be pretty stagnant.  Were it not for the vibrancy and righteous energy coming from other places, particularly Africa.

During this London mission, I have become friends and had many discussions with a Security Guard at our Hyde Park Visitors Centre.  Roderick Anatsui is his name.  A convert to the Church from Ghana, he served until recently as the President of the Wandsworth Stake (just to the south of us here in London).  Our family would be pleased at how much Brother Roderick -- President Anatsui -- appreciates GTA’s “Brother to Brother.”  He has read the book and is personally acquainted with many of the people and accounts cited therein.  He finds Dad's book a great little history of the Gospel’s coming to his country.  I hope this clip gives you a feel for President Anatsui and other noble souls around him.

A few other examples of how the U.K. is drawing Gospel strength from Africa.  Here is Brother Ogunbote, our Stake Patriarch:

Here is Ope Majekodunmi, the High Councilor assigned to our Ward:

Here is a nice video the Church did featuring a very good guy we know -- Chris Cook.  Chris was a Bishop here in London, but now he’s in the Stake Presidency of the Wandsworth Stake, just across the Thames River from us.

                   

In short.  In one generation, not only has the Church made huge strides on the Continent of Africa.  But those from Africa are becoming a major force for good in this part of the world.  Scattering, gathering and grafting ... the Lord moving according to His own plans and ways.

Not to mention the value of having good Sistuhs, when the Stake wants a happenin party:

Here's a clip: 

That might have seemed random.  But I think it gives glimpses into a few things.  One, what Doll and the kitchen look like on Thursday Institute night.  Two, an eyewitness report from our Utah State friend, Jared, on Gospel happenings in Ghana.  And third, just a bit of this constant crossroads feel here in London.  This sense of a world Church Family always before us and on the move.

Back to Mum.  As mentioned, she reared her terrible head on 17 January 2018.  We found her at Heathrow Airport, and dragged her via the Underground to our South Kensington flat.  As for how she’s doing, I’d say very well.  She keeps insisting that she is only here to serve. And has for some reason fixated on potatoes. She tells everyone she meets that she is not here to see any of the sights nor enjoy anything — but only to “peel potatoes.” That’s her saying, “I’m here to peel potatoes.” Even though there is almost never a potato needing peeled.

You know her. She has this great yearning for painful sacrifice. On a rare occasion when we actually did serve potatoes to our YSAs, they were baked potatoes. And thus needed no peeling. Even so Mum managed to damage her thumb. As she insisted on removing the eyes of the potatoes (not really necessary) — with only her thumbnail (quite unnecessary, as we had any number of knives, peelers, and other devices to do the job).

Doll likes to shop for groceries at Sainbury’s, a grocery store about four blocks from our flat. She hauls her groceries home in a little cart — what the Brits call a “trolley.”  Here is a picture of Doll with her trolley:

The other morning, Doll headed out for Sainsbury’s shortly before Mum arose. When Mum awoke and realized Doll had gone off already, she was mortified.  She went running after Doll.  And caught her on the way home, and kept trying help drag the trolley.  Even though it was rolling smoothly and was clearly a one-person job.

But Mum has indeed done quite a bit of good service here. She has prepared meals, taught an Institute class, and — perhaps most importantly — been loving and supportive to all.  Here she is with some of our beloved Chinese (and a few others).  Gathered at our flat to plan a Chinese New Year event -- and wishing me a Happy Birthday.

Here are Mum and Doll at a Ward Family History event where the two of them won -- not surprisingly -- two gold medals:

True Mum was, bless her, very dedicated to serving the Young Single Adults here, whenever possible.  But there were gaps and rests from our labors.  Where she managed to get out and do quite a bit.  Here she is in Nunhead Cemetery, a woodsy sprawl of about 50 acres, where some of our ancestry was buried:

Here as a picture of Mummy in our London Mission Office.  We have a photo collection of past Presidents of this Mission.  And they include my Great-Grandfather (Mom's Grandfather) George F. Richards, and his father, Franklin D. Richards.

Here are some of the other activities Mum was involved with.  We enjoyed Evensong in Westminster Abbey:

England can be dreary in Winter.  London fights the gloom in a variety of ways.  One is the London Lumiere, or Festival of Lights, where drab colors and places become things of brightness.  Here's some of what Mummy and I enjoyed one January night.

We took Mommy Dearest to much of the basic London stuff.  The Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace:

Sights along the Thames:

Around Fleet Street:

Trafalgar Square and the Horse Guard Parade:

We visited Hyde Park and Kensington Garden:

And Museums like the Victoria and Albert, the Museum of Natural History, and the National Gallery of Art:

I think we’ve had quite a lot of happiness just being together with Mum. She had spiritual, cultural and family experiences. And — dare I say it — perhaps even a bit of fun. She can speak for herself, but I think she’ll look back on this London trip as a pretty great event in her life.