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