Jim's first mission, Preston Temple and Manchester England

The last week of our family history vacation honored Jim's first mission, then called the Northern British mission, which included Leeds, York ,Beverly, Hull ,and Harrogate at the Mission office. We started by stating at the Preston Temple apartments.This included waking up in the shadow of the Temple everyday and serving there part of the day, The rest of the time we saw the church history sights. including. the baptisms in the River Ribble, Ribchester Parish church, Clitheroe castle, and first places Elder Heber stayed around Preston. We found an out of the way fish and chip place with the fish in newpaper! Just the way Jim loved on his mission. The next day we went to the Lake District, with Beatrice Potter, Windermere. hiking around White Moss and Wordsworth. We moved from Preston to Manchester to stay with the cat lady in another bed and breakfast, This one had a great bathroom. Then we rode the double decker bus in Manchester and saw the John Rylands Museum library and Piccadilly circus. We drove to Leeds (dont even get me started on the driving on the other side of the street with the steering wheel and everything. I was a nervous wreak the whole week!) In Leeds,we went to the train museum  and the park/garden downtown and saw a play about the creation! Sunday we went to the Leeds l ward in the building that Jim helped build on Jim mission. After we went to the CES center and shared our meal with the Elder and Sister Young. Our last day, we went back to downtown Manchester to do two more museums! As you can tell this week was all about Jim and his mission. The countryside was beautiful and we loved seeing where many of our ancestors came from.

We returned to Geneva tired and spent the rest of our last few hours trying to figure out how to get all of our 250 pounds of stuff home,

Good night ,,Bonne soiree, tomorrow we sleep in Orem!

Denmark- part 2 vacation

After a great visit we took off by train, again very early to Paris.  We took a bus from the train station to the Charles DeGaul airport and got to see Paris in a just flash,I even saw the TOWER,,, twice, Then we flew to Denmark, The flight was super clear and I got a good idea of the land scape.- many islands and much farming. It  was clean and neat and so are the people. I have Never seen so many natural blonds, with a nature beauty.We decided to try a bed and breakfast. Our first was two college co-eds.and they did warn us about the shower. BUT, they didnt warn us about the toilet which you could use and answer the front door at the same time. But, it was clean, and we had the whole place to ourselves, which was about the size of our living room in California. We did the down town on Saturday, beginning with a flea market. the Tivoli gardens, the Church of our Lady with the original Christus and his other statues, and of course, the Denmark temple. Sunday we went to church and saw the Institute and had dinner with our new Danish friends.  We also visited the Frederiksberg gardens and cemetery. I saw names LUND and Poulsen and pondered by relatives  to converted in Denmark. I am so thankful that they heard and listened to the missionaries. And , I am blessed to have had this time to ponder in the beautiful land.  

We did not know the language, the money , alphabet, but we did feel their spirit

Brittany with the Banks.- part one of vacation

We began with Jim's dream of taking a long train ride up to the Northern part of France. We stayed for several days with the Banks, parents of Jenny Herr, twice returned missionaries and truly an amazing couple. They are from England but retired in Brittany and transformed an old barn into a dream home After exploring their area we went to.La Rouche Jagu, a beautiful jardin,cote de ceranit rose, then we took a walk along the beach,, the Atlantic!, at Tregastel rocks. For dinner we had a lovely visit with the Plante family in Plumgal, The nexct day everyone said it was necessary to see Mont Saint Michel, an abbey, monastery, prison,,on an island.. Then we went to a 12th century medieval town, Dinan, and finally at Lambelle for their fete, including roasted pig, clams, and dancing and singing. We had a great visit and continued with the missionary spirit with them.