Canterbury Cathedral

We took a trip on our P-day today to Canterbury Cathedral.  This is the very center of the Anglican Church, the State Church of England.  The Queen is the highest level in this church.  What she says goes.  Consequently, the royals must always be members of the Anglican Church and cannot be a Catholic or Mormon for instance.  It is a huge building. It was started in the year 597AD.  Most of the main structure is original and the stained glass and carved granite are unbelievable. You can not believe how many old folks are buried in the walls, the floors and in the crypt. 

A Busy Saturday

Lots of people came to the Temple on Saturday.  Buses (Coaches) brought Wards from long distances.  The latest sealing was held at 8:00pm.  The couple traveled from Portugal with their Ward.

The FIRST Week

September 24, 2017

     I would like to report we have officially lived through our first week here in the London Temple. This may not sound miraculous to you, our family, but I feel so blessed that I am still not in there wandering around looking for an exit from our work yesterday. It is a miracle.

     This beautiful London Temple is very big! Don't ask me yet any details on size, the year built, etc. Just take my word on it that it feels oh so big to this gal who has been totally at home in our dear, darling temple in Snowflake, AZ. I can hardly think of that beautiful little sacred spot on the hill in Snowflake without tearing up.

     On our first day this week, we were given the grand tour. I will always remember walking into that beautiful celestial room and catching my breath. Such a room! Little did I know how much time I would spend in it this week. And that is because in all my frantic efforts to report to my assigned station, I rip open a door and boom!- that beautiful room appears before my eyes. I have been late to preparation meeting all week after dressing in the women's area. I just wish they could move that meeting to the celestial room because that is where I seem to end up.

    This temple has two main staircases (I Think....). One goes to preparation meeting; one to the celestial room. On my travels, I have opened closet doors and almost got a black eye when I try to rush into them. I have been in the laundry, tiptoed through the kitchen and then out the cafeteria door, spent time in the children's nursery; walked past the front desk and tried to act very busy on my way to an important spot. Well, do you get the picture? I believe my most embarrassing moment came when I pranced into the men's toilet. Thanks to a kind sister who yelled at me, the door did not shut completely. Oh my.....

     And the men's toilet reminds me of another subject. Notice I called it a toilet, not a bathroom. That's because these people use toilet rooms. Or loos. (sp?) Sister George is an English sister who is serving here. She announced to me this week that if she hears the word "cute" from one more American's mouth she will proceed to......(she didn't finish the sentence). So, my girls, do you see what I am up against?? I think most things in the world are so very cute. Not any more.... for 18 months I have to up my game. She prefers "lovely" or "quite lovely". I'm on it. So for the first while in my blog posts I shall proceed to teach you all proper English words I have acquired. The lesson this week is as follows:

jolly good - Way to go!
pop socks - knee highs that sisters rent in the temple
jacket potatoes - baked potatoes served daily in the temple cafeteria
tick - a checkmark
rota - a schedule that I faithfully try to follow

May the Lord attend you this week,
Sister Seaman - aka Grandma and Mom

Taking Offense

     Over the years I have preached about not getting offended or being critical of church leaders or anyone else for that matter.  Believe it or not I had two occasions this week to become offended. 
     As you know from Sister Seaman's report above, the London Temple is a large temple and has many hall ways and stairs and doors in odd places which can cause a new person some interesting dilemmas. So yesterday (Saturday), was a very busy day.  Lots of stuff happening all through the temple.  I had just finished one assignment and was trying to find my way to the next assignment.  I became lost and found myself in a strange room with a few people in it, just standing around.  A small baldheaded Englishman (temple worker) stopped me and ask what I was doing.  I said I was lost.  He proceeded to tell me, in front of everyone, that I was not to come into that room when the door was shut (most of the doors are shut) and that I should leave immediately, which I did.  With my tail between my legs.  Ouch! 
     The second incident happened a few minutes later.  I had completed my assignment and had returned to the place I was assigned to.  There was not a soul in the room.  I went in and sat down on a bench to wait for somebody to show up and tell me what to do.  After a few seconds, a small baldheaded Welshman, and in an English language I had a hard time understanding, told me that I was not suppose to be in the room and to remove myself immediately. Which I did.  Only to see two other men enter and sit down on the bench, talking to the man that had expelled me.
     At this point, I am ready to go home.  I don't.  But as you may guess, I am still smarting over it.  In the 24 hours that have passed since, I have cooled off.  I have decided that it may be that I am considered a "know-it-all" American and should put in my place. I think they consider us uncouth and "bulls-in-the-china-closet."  I am now determined to show them differently. 
     I will eventually learn my way around the temple and I will eventually begin to read people's minds (ha ha).  Eb Lewis, my father-in-law, used to tell us not to be critical of church leaders, especially around the dinner table, as it would give your children the excuse they needed to become inactive.  He said that it was the first step to apostasy. I believe him.  I will not be critical of the men that offended me.  (We choose to be offended anyway.)  I will take correction and try to be as humble as I can. 
     I have not told you these incidents to show how good I am, for I am not, but only to show that anything, anywhere, can get us if we are not careful.  Back to work tomorrow and it will be a great day in England.

Sincerely,
Elder Seaman

On our walks we see.....The London Temple in the distance and the President's Manorhouse. There are also small flats for single sisters serving in the temple.

WHERE TO BEGIN???

September 18, 2017

     An Official New Blog Start! And that means......Where to Begin? How to Begin? We have been gone from our Beloved Show Low, AZ for two weeks now. Two L-O-N-G Weeks. As any readers know from our first mission, this Blog is for US and our Family. It is not flashy, grand, or even Kind of Cute. We made a deal on our last mission that WE NOT BELABOR OUR THOUGHTS. Think it once - Type it in - Push Publish.
     Our first week of this mission was spent in training in the Salt Lake Temple. Yep, The Salt Lake Temple. I believe that week will always be a highlight in our lives. Brother and Sister Aldridge were the trainers of approximately 15 couples and a single sister. Let me tell you about her. Sister Villatich (sp?) was heading out on her first mission to serve in the Uraguay Temple for 18 months. She was only 86 years old. Man, I want to be just like her.
     On our final day in SLC, we were able to take a tour of that grand, beautiful temple building. We ended up in the Assembly Room on the fourth floor (not everybody gets to go there) with a concluding testimony meeting. It will be forever etched in my mind.
     Our week was sweetened as we visited with Friends from our former mission; my elder's Aunt Dawn Ann and his brother Richard and Carla; and my brother Ted, Candace, and some of their kids.
     Which brings me to the airplane ride.......Wow, they pack that thing like sardines in a can. Lots of sardines in a really small can. A tiny, tiny can. Ten hours later we drug off the plane to a new world.
President and Sister Peel met us at the airport and drove us to our flat on the temple grounds. At least I believe it is Driving. It is absolutely on the wrong side of the road. And the roads are more like the size of Bike Paths in the U.S. President Peel seemed to take it all in stride. I just really struggled when a little car would buzz past us with the person whom I assumed should be driving was texting or just sitting there looking out the window. Where in the world was the driver? It was truly a mystery and a wonder to behold to a little 'ol' girl from little Show Low, AZ.
     Our week begins tomorrow on the A Shift in the London Temple. I am anxiously looking forward to that time. It doesn't take long to arrange and rearrange my two and a half suitcases of all that I own, do several loads of wash, and take rambling walks around the beautiful temple grounds. Our little flat is as tidy as it will ever be. Our few pieces of furniture have been shuffled around. Our first order has gone into Amazon. What's next? I believe we came to serve in the temple. When that door opens in the morning, I bet my elder and I will be first in line. England, here we come.

My Love to All my DARLINGS,
Sister Seaman


London England

     England, so far, reminds me of our dear Missouri.  It is so green and wet. It is flatter than a board and gives me claustrophobia due to the exorbinate amount of trees and brush along the very narrow road ways.  We are about 20 minutes from London. When we were flying in I noticed that the trees along the road were actually a narrow band hiding open fields of grass which, of course, are all cut and even looking.  It is beautiful.
     The houses and buildings are all old looking and have a quaint tudor style to them.  The temple is  very rectangular and boxey looking.  It is an older temple and is showing signs of age at closer inspection.  The grounds are beautiful and lush with ponds and walk-ways.  So far, Kim likes to walk them about every four hours, as she is bored.  We tried walking out on the sidewalks next to the roads, what little sidewalk there is.  I was very uncomfortable as the traffic seemed to be right on us because the roads are barely wide enough for two cars to pass each other.  She wants me to buy a car that has the steering wheel on the wrong side so we can drive when and where we want, otherwise we are at the mercy of the other folks that have cars or wait for a van ride on Thursdays and wait for the single sisters to  shop.  I have only experienced panic a couple of times as I happened to look up and see a line of cars coming at us in the wrong lane.  I hope I can overcome my fears.
     Training is the Salt Lake Temple was amazing.  Mostly because it is so historic, but also because of what we were impressed with.  Two very naïve kids from the rural part of Arizona are easily impressed. 
     Gas is about a 1.16 a liter in pounds which equates to about $5.00 a gallon most of which is taxes. Food is expensive also but is not taxed at all.  The locks turn the wrong way, electrical switches are upside down, there is a switch on every outlet, as you have to shut off the switch to plug the 240 volt fixture in and then turn it back on. 
     Things are interesting but I am sure we will be use to them before you know it.  Work starts tomorrow.  I hope we can make heads and tails of it.

Love you all,
Elder Seaman

Hello England!!

On To London

On to London

September 12, 2017