Historical Society of Pennsylvania

Our first week on the "job" we had orientation and security checks and a tour. The building is beautiful, old, but great bones, The Society was founded in 1824 with over 21 million historical manuscripts from 17th century.

This is a view from the front, which we enter when it is open, but we usually go in the side door. The front entry has black and white tile with sea foam walls.The security is very tight and one must be a member. Our books are on the main floor in the family history area and then we will scan a private collection called the brown and green.

 We work on the second floor and eat on the third floor. Where, to my delight, we can go outside and eat on the roof of the horseshoe part of the building

Here is the view at lunch, Notice the barb-wire at the edge of the wall. Jim asked what all the beautiful rainbows ment around the block of the building--we are in a safe area for people of all sexual persuasions!

Next week we will try to scan more than one book a day! We hope to be able to finish what friends , the Symes have left us, from letters M & N  to the end of the alphabet and the brown and green collection. We have already met many wonderful people and look forward to Hastening the Work

Summer in the City.

We have arrived and of course Jim is excited to see all the great structures and I am excited to be here and renew old memories of my childhood. We are both excited to get to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania to begin our research and discovery of books needed to be scanned for the Society and for Family Search. These books will include family records, journals, and documents.

First stop off Rt 202 is 709 North Valley Forge Rd. The house that my father designed and we lived in during my formative years. Here is the updated front door. The new owners have done a great job of making this home a beautiful memory for me. The view of Valley Forge Park over 2 1/2 acres with the pool and trees centered from my old bedroom sliding glass doors. Sadly the famous tree growing up through the home is on longer there but the deck and furnishing are delightful

Next stop the Pennsylvania Philadelphia temple construction sight

The view from my home in Valley Forge. I will love and cherish this memory. My years here helped strengthen my testimony and I continue to grow in the gospel. The relationships and friends that I had during my teen years were instrumental my growth and faith in the Lord and now wanting to serve Him

From Coast to Coast

Preparation for this mission started many months before we left. We had the Lund in Midway with most of my siblings and all my children and the Chatterley reunion on the Oregon coast with all the Chatterley kids and cousins.  Jim traveled to Southern California to secure our home in Simi Valley for the next two years by putting on a new roof and fix the exterior. After our week at the MTC we started our drive with a great diversion in Toledo, Ohio. We met Val and the 4 grandchildren in the late afternoon. Swimming, eating, laughing and watch So You think You can Dance, then more swimming the next morning.

We drove through Lancaster and the Mennonite villages and luck would have it, they were having their annual book sale,MORE BOOKS

But, not to get distracted from all the grand couples we met in the MTC we continued our travels, after doing a little missionary work at the Mennonite Book sale.

We already love all the green and water and beautiful country side

MTC for Philadelphia Mission

The photo everyone takes when they get to the MTC is,,,where are we serving?  Here we are trying to point to the Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Mission, which. in an effort to flex my ever so sinking biceps, I may have missed. 

Derek and Missy celebrated with us at the MTC. They were also celebrating their 10 year wedding anniversary and the recent purchase of their new home in Draper. Layla gave big hugs saying she will miss us for the year we are gone. We will miss them too, along with all our other grandchildren

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Our MTC district group photo the last day of our week stay, where we practiced and studied Preach my Gospel. Staying at home had it's advantages: we could finish any last minute cleaning and visiting. We cleaned out most of our food leaving just enough for our friend David Else to use when we leave, Our grandson Seth will also be living in our home for 2 months before he gets married in October. The disadvantage to staying at home was too many distractions!! We loved the spirit of the MTC and it was our joy to meet President Nielson, President of the 12. He spoke at the Tuesday night fireside. We also got to see some neighbors and friends serving at the MTC, On the last day our friend, Elder Hawkes from the Orem Processing center showed photos of us serving in Geneva teaching Yoga, Fiddler on the Roof and Mongolian Fete,, We became stars all around the MTC!  He was trying to show the other senior missionaries how to be creative in their service. We look forward to more opportunities for creative service as we start at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania

finished our training at West Valley

pattychatterley@gmail.com

Today, Aug. 3, we start our final training at the MTC in Provo. We have been training on two scanners  which I call Zelda and Copycat. We will be using Zelda on the remaining collection in the Historical Society of Pennsylvania and then in about Decemeber start on another collection that they have chosen for us. 

After being called upon to bear testimony and then set apart last night neither one of us has been able to sleep. We feel so blessed. As we travel this weekend to Philadelphia we pray for safety and peace but most of all to retain the information and spirit that we have learned over these past weeks and months of training. We love this work and will carry on carry on carry on in faith and love