Branch Picnic at Saumarez Park

The weather cooperated so we had a lovely day in Saumarez Park. It's pronounced something like "Sam-ray" and it's the largest public park in Guernsey.

There was a pot of Portuguese stew with mostly recognizable ingredients. I was glad I brought a ham sandwich!

Aren't you a little big for that, Elder?

Our only Young Woman helps with the games.

The "Gruesome Twosome"

The Wise Man Built His House Upon a Rock.....

...The rains came down and the floods came up

Our Primary Colors

"yellow is for service from morn until night"

We played some other games including one where we threw a ball to people in the circle. The receiver had to say the name of the one who threw the ball. The first time around my mind went blank and Bill had to whisper "Shirley!"

German Occupation Museum

Life in Guernsey 1940-1945

The Channel Islands were the only British territory to be occupied by the Germans during World War Two.

When the invasion was imminent the men of fighting age and the school children were evacuated to the mainland. The island of Guernsey was demilitarized but the Germans didn't know there would be no resistance.

click to enlarge

The Germans bombed the island including these lorries carrying tomatoes thinking that they were munitions.

Soon they landed at the airport and marched into town.

The towns people watch the troops march. Things were cordial--for a while.

The coastline was heavily mined, fishermen had to have permission to leave in their boats and nighttime curfews were put in place. All crystal sets (radios) had to be turned in. People were encouraged to rat on their neighbors.

To boost morale, people would write a "V" on walls; the penalties if caught were harsh.

I wish I had my own Enigma machine

Streets were renamed in German

Rationing and Making Do

Toward the end of the occupation this much milk would have been a luxury

A dollhouse made from wooden cigar boxes

A truck made from scrapmetal

Waiting for commodities

During the last year of the occupation food became very scarce. The Red Cross sent a ship with boxes of food for the islanders and saved their lives.

Resistance

I couldn't get the typewriter and the sign in the photo, but you know what a typewriter looks like, unless you're under 30.

The hardship of the occupation years are shown in this diorama of a farmhouse kitchen. Meals were made from very meager rations. The farmers wife cautiously keeps watch while her husband listens to the BBC on his illegal crystal set. The family pets have been brought inside to prevent them from being stolen and eaten by the hungry occupying forces.

This gal had spunk!

Liberation

The Channel Islands were liberated from the occupying German forces on 9 May 1945 by the British. The unconditional surrender had been signed just hours before this photo was taken.

Week of August 12, 2012

The missionaries carried the day at church. Bill and I were the Sacrament Meeting speakers, one of the elders taught Sunday School, the other one taught Priesthood meeting and I taught Relief Society. And probably some prayers too.

Milling around after church

Monday started out bad but things improved as the week went on. When we were in town on a misty Monday Bill stumbled on a low curb and fell completely down, scraping his face on the cobblestones. His face was bleeding a little so we walked to the nearest pharmacy and got him cleaned up. All that’s left now is an ugly bruise but it’s fading fast.

The Little Chapel

During the week we visited one of Guernsey’s tourist attractions, the Little Chapel.  

Click here for more info 

“A work of art and a labour of love, the Little Chapel is possibly the smallest chapel in the world. It was built by Brother Déodat who started work in March 1914.”

Inside and out every surface is covered with bits of broken crockery.

click to enlarge

All over the island are cows that have been decorated by various schools or organizations to be auctioned later for charity. The one here at the Little Chapel is so appropriate with it's mosaic of tiles.

We visited a lovely Portuguese widow with the elders; it’s our third time teaching her. She is always so happy to have us visit her home. She really outdid herself this time by giving the elders and us a bag of groceries each. She just kept bringing out things from her refrigerator! Being able to teach her gospel truths and seeing the happiness on her face as she learns is priceless. This is what it’s all about!

Sunday rolled around again. Bill was sustained in Sacrament Meeting and later was set apart as 2nd counselor in the  Guernsey Branch presidency. On Saturday, President Furbank of the Poole stake arranged to come to our place to visit with us and interview Bill. He texted that his plane was 4 hours late, so we figured that he wouldn’t be coming at the appointed hour to our place. We were relaxing in the livingroom and at 4 pm the doorbell rang! I was dressed and had my nametag on since we were expecting the elders for dinner at 6 pm. Bill had to leave and put on a white shirt for President Furbank’s visit. 

He had some advice for us. Not to be too “American,” in other words not to imply that “this is how we do it in America” and not to take over and build up expectations that can’t be continued after we leave the island. Respect for the leadership is lacking here and we try to model correct behavior, like using their titles and not using first names as many do here. 

President Furbank had a laptop computer that he used to set up Bill in the church’s MLS system. When he was through he shut it down and handed it to Bill, who said, “Not me!” Since it’s not a Mac I’m not touching it either. It will be given to the branch president as soon as possible.

District Meetings in Guernsey

This is a typical weekly district meeting for the England London South mission. It was the sisters from Eastbourne, elders from Worthing and us with “our” elders from Brighton. We gathered at the Crawley stake centre.

By contrast, district meeting in the Channel Islands happens by speakerphone. Sometimes the elders from Poole (on the mainland) join us otherwise it’s the sisters in Jersey and the four of us from Guernsey. It lasts about an hour and includes lessons and discussion from Preach My Gospel and the scriptures. And singing. ;-)

We love going to district meeting; it’s like the spiritual high point of the week. The elders are focused and it's obvious they love serving the Lord. We have learned a lot from associating with them. 

Perhaps rashly, I promised them that once we got settled in a flat we would have them over for dinner once a week. The last time they ate with us they especially enjoyed the “funeral potatoes” and knew what it was called. Even the one from Canada knew. It was a touch of home for them.

We don’t know what sacrifices these particular elders are making to serve a mission but we know that they all do. 

The following is a story of sacrifice to preach the word of God.

Our New Digs

After two weeks in a temporary place, we are now living in a sub-let flat closer to town. The father of one of the branch members is spending a few months in Egypt and agreed to let us live in his flat. (for a price)

We were warned about the traffic noise. This would be a good place for a speed trap because they really zip along.

14 Kings Court

Ville au Roi

St. Peter Port

Guernsey

GY1 1NZ

(in case you want to write to us)

Notice the lovely box end table

Flat screen TV with satellite service!

It really lights up too.

Believe it or not we eat in the hallway!

Bill demonstrates the evil step. I swear it's going to kill us.

The kitchen is modern with lots of storage.

The first day I started to heat up some left-overs, then realized there is no microwave oven. That's the first thing we'll buy.

We've been spoiled by having 2 bedroom flats. We'll have to get by with only one.

In front we have a patio area. We had to leave plants behind in Brighton; now we have more than ever. Yea!

Bill couldn't wait to clean up the sidewalk.

Yesterday I went visiting teaching to an older sister who cut some flowers from her garden for me. Sweet!