It is hard to accept that the end of our mission is less than 2 months away.  We truly love, and we hate to say goodbye to, the dear friends we have made here.

Two more wonderful young adults were baptized since our last update, one English, one Chinese.  This seems to be an ideal place to preach the gospel to the Chinese.  Though the Church is not permitted to do missionary work in China proper, many bright young Chinese are accepting the gospel of Jesus Christ while studying abroad.

Busy, busy:  Last month we began teaching the Book of Mormon Institute class for young single adults, which is fun but takes a fair amount of preparation time.  We also accepted the assignment to furnish a new missionary flat in Hedge End, about 10 days before the missionaries' arrival, as well as to partially furnish the Zone Leaders’ flat in Fareham.  It took several trips to Ikea and a number of other stores.  Since the Church changed the age requirement for missionaries, the mission’s population has risen dramatically.  Our zone has increased from 12 to 28 young missionaries during that time, adding 4 with this month’s transfers.  By the way, while our young adults learn gospel on Tuesday nights, they learn other things on Thursday nights.  Recent lessons have included how to skin a pheasant (road kill) and how to pick a lock.

Great talk:  We haven’t done any sight-seeing since the last update, but we did attend an inspiring fireside talk in Reading at which well-known Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christensen spoke.  He described 3 things he loves about the Church, as follows (from Paul's imperfect notes):

1.  Mormons actually care about religion.  It is not a cafeteria church, in which people pick and choose their standards and beliefs.  A Marxist scholar, of all people, who came to Harvard to study capitalism and democracy, told Bro. C of his surprise at discovering that a democracy, unlike a dictatorship, really needs a strong religious underpinning.  A democracy requires people who will obey unenforceable laws because they believe they are accountable to God.  Imposing democracy on a country without a strong religious foundation produces chaos. 

2.  Mormonism values questions.  Christianity decided early on that it had all the answers (i.e., the Bible is the final word of God and there is no more revelation) and thus no need to ask questions.  The dark ages followed.  In 1820 a boy asked a question and revelation came.  He asked another in 1823 and an angel came.  God has all the answers but can't give them unless we ask, or we wouldn't understand anyway.  Mormonism is different from other Christian faiths because it keeps getting answers and thus keeps moving as they remain stagnant while arguing among themselves who has the best interpretation of the Biblical answers.

3.  Mormonism doesn't conflict with science.  Everything we learn that is true is gospel.  Original Christians believed God is in the universe, i.e., has power because He obeys the laws.  Greeks believed God is above the universe, e.g., doesn't have to obey laws of physics.  Hence Christianity's adoption of Greek philosophy led to trouble with science.  This is the only church in which more education strengthens faith; i.e., there is a positive correlation between higher education levels and church activity.

Culture and language:  Although we haven’t seen it, we learned that there is a large roundabout surrounded by 5 smaller roundabouts in Swindon, about 70 miles north of us.  It must be a thing of beauty.  We have learned that when some English add an “r” to the end of a word, such as when pronouncing Obama like “Obomber,” that is called the “west-country burr.” 

Swindon Roundabouts

 A mission is such a rewarding experience.  A missionary who served here told Connie recently, “You changed my mission.”  While we haven’t turned the world upside-down, we’ve done a few good things.  It feels wonderful.  We love the missionaries and the English people.

Our District, September 2013    2 Chinese, 1 Italian, 1 English, 1 Croatian