After 19 straight days covering at least one shift at the VC each day we finally sort of got a day off. As indicated in our last blog entry, we sent one of our senior couples home three weeks ago. That means that we have covered the VC from 9 am to 9 pm with just two senior couples. We have given the other couple a couple of days off which meant that we had to do double shifts a couple of times as well as attend to leadership responsibilities (like meeting with the mission president several times to discuss transfers and missionary issues, attending mission leadership meetings, preparing reports for Salt Lake, etc.). Now we're not complaining. We love this work and we did sign up for a full-time mission but our schedule lately has made it difficult to do laundry or clean our flat, let alone write a blog entry or do any sightseeing. But our new couple has arrived! The Mullen's from Granite Bay, California (near Sacramento) arrived last Thursday. They are still learning the ropes but they are fast learners and are doing great. So some relief for us is at hand.

We also sent home Sister Heather Moody who completed her mission last Tuesday, and on Wednesday we welcomed our first new sister since we came out, Sister Ashley VonNiederhausern from Woods Cross, Utah. We are no longer the "greenies" in the VC! But we still have a lot to learn. Here's a picture of our new VC family.

The work continues to move on here in London. We had another convert baptism last night and another convert baptism took place last week. The baptismal service last night was remarkable. Another young student attending Imperial College across the street from the chapel got baptized. A talk on baptism was given by a young man who joined the church in December. A talk on the Holy Ghost was given by Yuxin whom we wrote about last entry being baptized on April 16th. A talk on Following Christ was given by Arteh who was baptized on April 10th. Then the new convert concluded the meeting by sharing his testimony. Several of these new converts are graduate students who will be returning to China with doctoral degrees and will be incredible leaders and missionaries in their homeland. If any of you think that the Lord is waiting until the Chinese government allows proselyting in their country before His gospel goes forth they should come to England and see what is happening here.

We had stake conference last Sunday and a new stake presidency was called and sustained. The Hyde Park Chapel is our stake center but only seats about 500 with chairs set up in the cultural hall. We had over 800 in attendance at the chapel (the conference was also broadcast to a ward building in our stake). Elder Timothy Dyches, General Authority Seventy, presided and he was assisted by Elder Robert Dryden, Area Seventy. Our stake president was released as he was called and sustained as an Area Seventy at last General Conference. Being in charge of a visitors' centre that is essentially a foyer of a stake centre when there are 800 people in the building that seats 500 creates some real challenges. To top it off last Sunday was the warmest day since we've been in London hitting 81 degrees Fahrenheit. The VC is air conditioned but the chapel and cultural hall are not. So you may be able to picture a little of how chaotic the VC was for a few hours on Sunday. We did not hear much of stake conference but it was an exciting day greeting guests and feeling the excitement of a new stake president.

We learned from our mission president last week that Elder Dallin Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will be coming to the Hyde Park Chapel on June 7th and will be speaking to all of the missionaries from the England London Mission and the England London South Mission. We are expecting 400-500 full-time missionaries at the chapel on that day. It should be another exciting day at the Hyde Park Chapel.