Week 54 -- Take a Deep Breath

We vaguely remember wanting more to do.  As we look at the next few weeks, we will have to remind ourselves to take a deep breath once in a while.  Our schedule is full and we will share it all with you as it transpires.

Monday we spent the morning at home, making powerpoints and doing genealogy.  The afternoon we hopped the underground and met 3 other senior missionary couples from the London Mission.  The couples work in the London Family History Centre.  We visited the Guildhall Library and went to China Town and had dinner. We then walked to Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus. The last stop was at Hagan Daz ice cream.  Most got an ice cream cone, but the Smarts were so stuffed from dinner that we just watched and walked.  Can you believe we didn't indulge?  Are we being good or what?

St. Paul's Cathedral

 

Square at Guild Hall Library

                                                 

                                                        China Town

The next few days were full of helping and preparing.  Elder Smart has used any free minutes he can find between answering the London Family History Centre email requests from patrons, helping patrons and friends do their genealogy, mentoring the family history centre missionaries, home teaching and working on the Sunday Temple Preparation class lesson and other Sunday School needs, doing the power points for our presentations scheduled for the next two weeks.  Annie has been very busy helping to make outlines for some of the power point presentations, filling in for missionaries at the London Family History Centre and helping friends and patrons with their genealogy.

Wednesday was Annie's birthday.  We went to work at the family history centre and were surprised with a carrot cake (Annie's favorite).  One of the sister missionaries made a luscious birthday cake which we all enjoyed.  We had plans for a dinner out that evening.  We had second thoughts when the underground drivers went on strike.  This made travel anywhere, difficult. The roads were overloaded with cars and going into London was impossible.  We decided to order Pizza Hut delivery. After pizza Paul quietly endured watching 2 "chick flicks," Annie's choice.   Annie loved the movies along with her 2 new pair of shoes.

Opening birthday greetings on the computer

Saturday morning Annie decided to try driving.  *%*&#  Not only has it been a year since she has driven anything, but she has never driven on the left hand side of the road.  The roads are so narrow that she had a hard time keeping off the curb as she tried to stay left of the center line (not possible without hitting the curb or a side mirror on a parked car).  Paul's fear was clearly emphasized when he almost bit through his bottom lip not to mention checking his "drawers".  ha! ha!

Frost family

One of the high lights of the week was helping the Frost family kids search their family.  Cate and Tyler are 13 year old twins that have a strong desire to do their family history.  They want to learn how.  We helped them get started when we had dinner at their home last Sunday.  They visited us at the London Family History Centre on Saturday.  They were quick to pick things up and left with a lot of new information, names and dates of their ancestral family.  They were so on a high from it all, that they shared it with their Sunday School class and friends today at Church.  We learned some fun things about their family line as well.  Both Brother and Sister Frost have family ties to Tooele.  Paul remembers Elliot and Agnes Black the grandparents of Sister Frost.  He also went to school with her uncle, Edward Black.

Cate & Tyler Frost - budding genealogists

Happy Birthday this week to Raquel.
Happy Valentines Day to everyone!!!!    

We know this is Christ's Church.  We know he loves each of you.  We know that love, forgiveness and service is what brings joy to our lives.  We miss you all so very much, but are so happy to be serving this mission. 

All our love,

Grandpa and Grandma, Mom and Dad, Paul and Annie, Elder and Sister Smart.