We apologize for taking so long to give an update on our activities here in London. We don’t have any good excuse. We just have been busy with lots of things going on. We’ll do our best to fill you in on what we’ve been doing.

Shortly after our last post we enjoyed a two-week visit from Connie’s sister, Dixie, and her husband, Mark, accompanied by their parents. We kept them busy seeing England and wore them out but had a great time. They scheduled their visit so that they could take a quick trip over to the new Paris Temple which was holding an open house. Sadly, we were not able to accompany them there but we have received many first-hand reports from those who visited the temple of its beauty and spirit. Mark served a mission here in England (a little north of London in Coventry) many years ago and so he and Dixie made an overnight trip to his former mission area. Beyond those “side trips” we showed them around London with many of the traditional tourist sites as well as a few hidden gems.

Buckingham Palace

Kew Gardens

Hampton Court Palace

Much of our busyness of the past month has been dealing with a requested increase of online work. In order to accomplish the work requested, Salt Lake had our small office remodeled and we added two new desktop computers to it. We can now have four sisters at a time online which we have tried to do from 9:00 in the morning when we open until 4:00 in the afternoon. That window of time is critical as the New Zealand VC finishes their day at 10:00 our time and Temple Square begins their day at 4:00 our time. Between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. our sisters are generally the only VC sisters online in the world responding to Mormon.org requests. This process of VC sisters responding to Mormon.org requests is still relatively new and we have been on the frontlines helping Salt Lake to improve the computer programs used and to help all of us understand some of the challenges of dealing with the online requests (responding appropriately to “trolls,” answering some tough doctrinal questions, dealing with members who want help with things that should be going through their home teacher or bishop, helping navigate through anti-Mormon questions, resolving technology issues, etc.). It is exciting to see the work that is being done and rejoice in the successes that our sisters are a part of. They have sent over 5,000 referrals to local missionaries so far this year and we have learned of almost 60 baptisms from these referrals.

Baptisms at the Hyde Park Chapel

With the increased attention on our online work we have not neglected the guests who come into the VC. We have actually had more guests come to the VC this year than last year and our sisters and couples are doing a great job of welcoming them and teaching them. We have learned about and experienced story after story of people coming into the VC who are prepared to hear the gospel. We had a man come into the VC on a Thursday evening and Connie gave him a tour. He wore a hoody sweatshirt and was unshaven but he seemed genuinely interested in the gospel. On Sunday that same man came to church and Connie greeted him. He was in a white shirt and tie and clean shaven. He said that he was baptized here in London many years ago but hadn’t been to church in over 8 years. He is getting married in three weeks and wants to change his life. His finance has now been to church and is meeting with missionaries to learn more.

Just a few days ago one of our inspired missionaries saw a couple standing outside the VC and felt prompted to go invite them in. They cautiously came in and were told about our church. They shared that they were reluctant to come in because they had each had a dream about walking by a church and being invited to come in. When this sister missionary went out and invited them in they were in quiet shock. They have requested to meet with missionaries to learn more and have referred a friend of theirs who is also interested.

These experiences of small and mighty miracles are happening more and more. It is humbling to serve here and witness the Lord’s hand touching people’s lives and moving throughout the world. Our sisters have not only rejoiced with friends who have been baptized here at the Hyde Park Chapel (16 convert baptisms here in the chapel so far this year) but with online friends who have been baptized in Ghana, Malaysia, South Africa, the Philippines, Singapore, and Italy as well as elsewhere in England and in the U.S. What a marvelous work is rolling forth! We are honored to be involved in a small way.