Geese

I am not sure if I should share this bit of our life, but I feel I must. We have a couple of geese that live here in the pond on the temple property. The female goose has made a nest and has some eggs that she is sitting on day and night to hatch. A few days ago, the MTC Supervisor of Support Services, Michael Miller, a man that I love, came in to tell me that the goose had laid a couple of eggs. He wanted to warn me that the temple grounds people would be painting them with oil, so that the eggs will not hatch. There are many reasons why they can't let them reproduce here every year, and the reason why they can't just take the eggs away is that she will keep laying them. So last year this poor mother, sat and waited, and sat and waited, and sat and waited some more. The more I thought about it, my heart began to break. I started looking up how long it takes for eggs to hatch and all kinds of information. The male goose stays close by in the water and protects the eggs from any blue heron that may be close by. It is a good thing that I was raised by a rancher father that taught me that animals were put on the earth for man and not the other way around. I will report on her progress from time to time...I hope she doesn't waste her whole summer waiting for goslings that will never be hatched. 

Sunshine

We have had some very beautiful days since we returned last week. I was even able to run down by the canal and see some cows (instead of the blasted sheep in every field).

This one makes me think of what the Star Valley Temple must look like. With animals in the pictures.

These daffodils have been beautiful growing in the middle of the grass.  I think of my sister Brenda every time I see something new in bloom here. It also reminds me of Santa Rosa. A lot of the same beautiful blooms.

Somehow, I do not know how, the plant world knows that it is spring here in England. The buds started to come even before the sunshine and the warmer hours on a few days. The earth is a remarkable creation and everything that is upon it. I love the wonders of our world!

Waiting for New Missionaries to Arrive...

This is a horrible and cruel picture of Jon as he passed out for a few minutes in his chair while we were waiting for our new missionaries to arrive. They come in all day long starting about 9:30 am. until 9:00 pm. Unfortunately someone always misses a flight or has delays and they never all get here when they have been scheduled. We are learning to be very flexible on this day! We are off our three week cycle. We received these missionaries today a week early. Three weeks from today we will be back on cycle. It will make our lives easier. 

Tuesday Temple Day

I actually really look forward to Tuesday every week. It is our day to walk to the temple and do a session together. Today as we walked up, we met half of the Manchester Mission missionaries waiting at the church for a bus to take them on a church history tour. We had the chance to see some of our recently departed MTC missionaries. It was so much fun! They are doing well and making the transition! It made my heart happy to see their smiles and hear about their adjustment. Here are some pictures of our missionaries from after the session.

The flowers are so pretty!

Elder Andrade (Portugal) and Elder Moura (Argentina).

Sister Balgue and Sister Escritor (Philippines).

Sister Pugh (USA) and Sister Titmus (England).

Our German learning missionaries. Elder Steinmann, Elder Woodbury, Elder Baker, Elder McGuire and Elder Cluff. All from America though Elder Woodbury came from Germany. His father is in the military.

Most of our German missionaries.

Sister Hunter (USA), Sister Lau (USA), Sister Lundskog (USA) and Sue.

Very windy hair. :)

Who can fix their hair so easily with a hand through it? Elder Evans (Canada) and Elder Jackson (USA).

Elder Clark (our miracle this transfer. He was in a very serious car accident two years ago. He wasn't expected to live. He was T-boned by a semi truck. He had a very bad head injury. They told his parents he was brain dead. When he woke up from the coma, he had to learn how to talk all over again. He says whatever he is feeling, no matter where you are or what you are doing. The honesty is refreshing and funny. He is about as pure as I have seen!) and Elder Mason (both from the USA).

Sister Haynie (USA), Sister Miller (USA) and Sister Campos (Brazil).

President, Elder Oliveira (Brazil) and Elder Goodwin (England).

Suns Out, Guns Out.

Today while the sun was shining, we decided Jon should take advantage of the anomaly and go golfing. So for my P Day enjoyment, I walked to Chorley Town Center. These pots of tulips were blooming all along the middle of the road. I'm not sure how the tulips know it is time to bloom, but I am glad they do. The spring flowers bring me great happiness!

I also stopped at McDonald's for a sweet lunch (filet of fish, fries and large diet coke), and then I found some Asians and got a manicure. Finally, they trimmed my cuticles, and I felt like a new woman. Oh the simple, small pleasures of Susan's life! Happy Monday everyone!

Happy English Mother's Day!

Missionaries are the kindest kind of people! Today was English Mother's Day. I received this beautiful card and was sung a song and given flowers. It was so sweet! I was a little worried they had gone to the temple to pick the flowers. On my run the next day, I spotted them close to the MTC. I feel better about that! I hope everyone had a Happy British Mother's Day!

There Is Sunshine In My Soul Today

On Thursday evening we left Las Vegas to return to England. We flew on a very large plane (747). I was exhausted. The flight wasn't too crowded so we moved around a bit and I had my own row to lay down on. It was very nice! I woke up when we had a little over an hour until we landed. SCORE! That was awesome!

As we arrived the sun was shining. It was gorgeous. It came up Saturday morning as well. My run was glorious!

Even the missionaries came outside to soak up some Vitamin D. Everyone has a little hop in their step...life is good in England today!

Rest In Peace

Monday Jon and I flew back to America to be at the funeral of William Wayne Bunker, our father. We feel extremely grateful and blessed that we could return to say goodbye and join in the celebration of his life with Jon's siblings and Wayne's grandchildren and great grandchildren.

He lived a full life, and a life we will forever be grateful for. He has lived an exemplary life for his posterity, and I know we all want to follow in his footsteps of true discipleship and Christlike living.

His grandsons lovingly and respectfully brought his casket in draped in the flag of the United States of America.

After the Marines played taps, they folded the flag and presented it to Michele. It was a very touching tribute to his service in WWII.

His own great grandson, Enoch Profancik, preparing for service in the Marines.

Twenty of his twenty one grandchildren were there to honor him. The one that was missing, Spencer, is finishing up his full time mission in CA.

Many of his great grandchildren were there as well.

We love our wonderful father and grandfather and great grandfather. May he rest in peace until we meet again!

Four generations; Kyson, Tod, Jon and Wayne.

I love this photo of Jon and his dad. We took it just before we left in December. Pure love and joy right there!

MTC Group 15 Mar 2017

This is our new group of missionaries that arrived the 8th &15th of March.

Somehow "silly photo" doesn't translate into German or many other cultures. :)

This is Elder and Sister Lipp from Austria going to Berlin to work with the YSA group there. They will be fabulous!

Some sisters coming to say goodbye and taking a photo so we wouldn't forget them! They will be going to Greece and Germany.

Elder Kenewah - Temple Day

Elder Kenewah, from Sierra Leone, had not had the chance to receive his own endowment before he came on his mission. He told me as we visited when he first arrived, that his father had passed away. We have a little form that they fill out to help us get to know a few things about them. I saw that his father was not a member, deceased and that his occupation was "soldier". His mother was also not a member. I asked if his mother was upset that he had come on a mission. He said no, and that his sisters and brothers were members and that they were helping his mother. His mother didn't feel like she could join the church because "her church" had helped her when his father died and she doesn't want to go against all they did for her. They had nothing, were very poor, and the church helped them get through a hard time. He knows that she knows that she should be baptized, but she can't bring herself to do it yet. He has the missionaries visiting with her, and with a big smile on his face he said he is praying that she will be baptized. 

Today we took him to the temple. We will be gone on Tuesday when we would usually do this. Jon wanted to make sure he was well taken care of, so we did it today. It was very sweet to be there with just him and us. He had a sweet experience. I love being able to be with these good, grounded people, who have such pure hearts. As we were walking back to the MTC he mentioned that he would like to do the work for his father while he is here. The joy never stops.