Good Sunday afternoon.  It's been too long since I posted last.  No excuses.  Just super busy most of the time.  A lot has happened in the last 2 weeks.

First my mentor, Sister Hess, left on June 15 for Ogden, Utah so I've been on my own since that time.  She and I had been working on opening 9 new flats for the new missionaries coming on 10 July.  So far I have 8 of the 9 completed with proper approved paperwork.  Have all but 2 of the flats furnished, course that's not as good as it sounds since 3 of them were furnished flats.  During this time I started working with our new legal adviser from Utah who will be coming to live in Chorley, England to be the legal adviser for all of England, Ireland, Scotland, and not sure what other areas. He is coming with his wife who is completely wheelchair bound.  I'm in awe of anyone who has enough faith to go on a mission, then add being handicapped at the same time is just amazing to me.  The Lord will bless them abundantly for their dedication and courage.  Hopefully they won't have to get on and off of the train or tube without assistance as it is daunting for a healthy, completely mobile person.

Since arriving on May 25, I have had the privilege of hearing an apostle of the Lord, Elder M. Russell Ballard.  He came to London and had a special conference for all of the missionaries in the London Mission and the London South Mission (where I am serving).  Being with an apostle is always a spiritual uplift with the joy of being uplifted by inspiration and truth.  We listened to encouraging words to trust in the hand of the Lord as he is preparing people to hear the message of the restored gospel.  As we help others come unto Christ, we are blessed as well.  We also had the privilege of hearing that historical missionary fireside with Jeffery R. Holland, Russell M. Nelson, L. Tom Perry, Boyd K. Packer, and President Thomas S. Monson which was broadcast all over the world.  Our modern technology is a great blessing for our time to allow us to hear from such inspiring men of God.

A week or so ago, I moved to my permanent room where I will be for the next 17 months.  I can't believe I've been here already 1 month.  Do I sound English yet?  I'm not sure I'll know how to spell American style when I get home.  They spell several words differently than we do, such as tyre (tire), centre (center), and lots more I can't think of right now.  The biggest challenge so far though has been the English keyboard for my computer in the office.  Some of the keys are in different locations than American keyboards which has been interesting trying to type correctly, i.e., the " is on a number key at the top, the @ sign is where the " is normally.  There is an extra key on the bottom left which I am always hitting for the shift key.  It is getting better thankfully.  My new room is smaller than the one I had, but it has wifi set up in it so I can access the internet more easily.  If they would put a door from my room to the office, I could literally step through it to my desk.  It's a good thing they don't, though, cause I would be too tempted to go back in to work as I never leave at night feeling like everything is done.  Sounds like life, huh.

Let's see, what other things have happened this past 2 weeks . . . well, last Tuesday or so, Donny Osmond, his wife, and his 15-year-old son came to the London Temple to do baptisms.  They were vacationing in England and decided to come.  They were very gracious and allowed people to have their pictures taken with them.  My companion and Sister King got a picture with them.  They walked too fast for me to keep up with them, so I didn't get in the picture, but it's probably just as well for their camera:)  He doesn't look much different in person than on TV, just a little older.  His wife is beautiful and his son looks like a 15-year-old version of Donny.  It was nice to see celebrities take time to help do temple work as well as the rest of us.

Well, one last thing before I post this epistle.  Yesterday my companion and I went to McDonald's in East Grinstead (I think that's where we were).  We got there by ME driving.  Yes, I got brave enough to start driving.  You all know how much I love to drive, but I was a little nervous about whether I could do the other side of the road thing.  It was different, but it wasn't as terrifying as I thought it would be.  My companion only had to tell me twice that I was in the wrong lane:):)  Fortunately there were no other cars near us.  I will be honest though, I did not attempt one of the roundabouts with 3 or more exits.  People think our roundabouts there in the Tri-Cities are confusing, try over here where you have to be in the correct lane to make sure you are positioned to make your exit without cutting anyone off.  It's a bit intimidating and hopefully I'll figure it out.  Here I can drive for 1 year on my Washington State license (another word spelled differently, licence).  Then I have to take a driving test which I am told is very, very difficult.  Hopefully after driving for a year, I'll be able to pass.

Well, it's time to go fix dinner.  It's early in the day for all of you while it is nearly 6 p.m. for me.  I'm loving it here in England.  The people are friendly, a bit hard to understand when they speak their normal speed, but it is getting easier.  I don't think I'll ever figure out Cockney, but who knows, maybe Henry Higgins will help me out.

I don't get to do any proselyting (actual finding and teaching people the Gospel), but my work in the office allows 220 other elders and sisters to be out in the field telling people of the joy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and how the gospel can help their families, how knowing about the Savior can give them hope in this world of challenge and confusion.  It is a pleasure to be serving with the missionaries of the England London South Mission.

I love you all and, of course, miss everyone, but this is where the Lord wants me to be at this time.  My prayers and thoughts are with all of you every day that you are healthy, successful, and have joy in your life such as I do.

Till next time . . . LOVE . . .

Sister Linda Cates