Day 8: Trowbridge, Stonehenge, Nice

Seeing everyone at church was amazing! Liz Allsworth mentioned how we had painted their lounge wall and how much it had meant to them, she told Thomas how happy and enthusiastic we were as missionaries. It's so validating to have people still remember you 5 years later, to have them say that they remember your hard work and wished the missionary work in the ward would be that way now. Saw the Farrants and Pam Morley, Paula Amor, the Starns family too.

It's been so great to be back here! So much of who I am now is due to this area, the members who loved and fed us and came to teach with us. The Spirit spoke to me so clearly in this chapel and told me what to do and how to overcome my shortcomings. There district meetings here and a Priesthood blessing I received in the room beside the chapel.

Sang the closing hymn with my arm around Ruth. Sometimes I look back and think nothing happened in Trowbridge, that all of our work was for naught. Then I look at Ruth who is now the Primary President and has three children she is bringing up in the Gospel and I feel like we actually accomplished something there. I feel like she gave us so much hope when we were serving here and even now she continues to inspire her family and all those around her. She mentioned after church that her dad who has been inactive for years had a health scare and is recently coming back to church. Her mom text her today saying that he gave the closing prayer in sacrament meeting. I can't help but think that so Ruth's example has played a huge part in that. I can't even find words to articulate how that feels. As Sister Eyre would say, it's magical!

The Turvey's

Paula, Pam Morley, me and Alisa. Some of my favorite ladies in Trowbridge

Benjamin became my little buddy this weekend

And now an attempt at getting a picture with Ruth and her 3 kiddos:

Pretending we are on a roller coaster. Or something.

Stonehenge

We stayed after church and chatted a bit with people. We headed to Stonehenge and took a little tour of that. I'd been past there a few times but never stopped for long or got up close to it so it was nice to be a tourist a little bit.

Arrived in Nice very late, it's a little rainy and dark but I know we are right by the ocean. Can't wait for morning!

It was very chilly out there on the rolling hills of England