Anniversary / Senior Retreat

 43rd Anniversary

(As a preface; Our main focus of our mission is Member Leader Support. We love serving with the members in our Pontypridd Ward. They already feel like our family. We are currently helping with a 10 week Family History class for members and community members. It is so much fun helping others get excited about family history. We have spent a lot of time checking addresses of members to make sure these people still live at the addresses. Many have move and several have passed away. We have looked up over 150 people over the past few months. We also try to be supportive of the younger missionaries our district. It is a great day to be a missionary)  We are loving seeing all the historic sites around our mission.   

Cold and a little windy but worth it. 

On our way to Weymouth for our Senior retreat, we stopped at Stourhead Estate and Gardens on our anniversary. It is mind boggling the amount of wealth it would have taken to build up an estate like this. 

Gate

Gate and Gate House

Stable Yard and Stables

The Main Estate

Every room was filled with very old portraits and paintings. 

The Library was amazing!

A couple of period dresses. 

Part of Pride & Prejudice was filmed at Stourhead. These were worn by Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy.

The Temple of Apollo was also in the rain scene of Pride and Prejudice where Mr. Darcy proposed to Elizabeth. 

The Stourhead Gardens rival any I have seen. 

Henry Hoare II, intended to create a living work of art by arranging trees, eye-catching temples, and architectural features around a grand lake. He was inspired by artists like Claude Lorrain, Nicolas Poussin and Andrea Locatelli, who were known for their beautiful rural landscapes in works of art. 

The Pantheon

I think they could have used you as a model Elder Herdt. 

Small Church on the Estate

We have seen many grand cathedral's and churches but 

I think I liked this small and simple one the best. 

Weymouth Senior Retreat!

March 13-15th

Elder and Sister Lewis, who serve in Weymouth organized a fun few days for all of the senior missionaries and President & Sister Mayall. 

(Browns, Kings, Lewis', Cottons, Hanks, Herdts, Simmons, Jensens, Mayalls)

What a great time! We all stayed at the Jubilee Hotel right on the coast. A member of the Weymouth branch owns it and set us up for two days of fun. Breakfast, Dinner, Darts, Escape prison, and Carnival games. 

Below are pictures of the places we visited. 

Weymouth. Wndy and cold this morning. 

First visit was Durdle Door

What a beautiful place on the coast! 

The Whole Crew!

Bro & Sis Brown and Elder Lewis feeding the Crows. 

Several of us hiked to the top of these white cliffs. Quite a steep hike. The pictures don't show the height or steepness. 

 At the top!

The Mayalls

The Hanks

The Cottons

The hike back via a not so steep decline. 

There are always gates to go through because paths usually go through farm fields.

Next stop lunch at a quaint cafe. 

             By the Cafe there was a small cemetery that had the grave of

  Lawrence of Arabia. He died in a motorcycle accident nearby. 

The small church in the area is called the Crystall church because when all of the stain glass windows were broken during the was  they were replaced and clear glass and then etched. 

Interesting sign on the front door.

Please close this gate and door lest a bird should enter 

and die of thirst. 

A couple of thatched cottages by the church and bridge. 

Elder Lewis on the narrow bridge over the river. 

Next on the agenda was Corfe Castle.

How they built and archway. 

The Martins

Elder Lewis and Pres. Mayall

Beautiful Views

Some can nap anywhere:)

Catipult

 

The Jubilee Hotel

Dinner with the Gang. 

Sister Mayall, Simmons, Martin and I got to experience the Hotel Jubilee Escape Prison.. Non of us had ever done an escape room before. With a little help we made it out. 

We also played some darts. Sister Mayall and Sister Lewis won. 

Sister Mayall

Lewis, Martin, Mayall and Herdt

Sister Lewis

The Simmons stopped by the Isle of Portland light house 

on their way back to the office.  

Saturday morning, most of us went to Salisbury Cathedral. A stunning ediface! 

This font was beautiful very unusual. 

Our last stop was 

Stone Henge 

Another bucket list item checked off.

Cold but very interesting history. 

Thanks to the Lewis's we had a wonderful time with all of the Senior Missionaries this trip. We are looking forward to getting to know all of the new senior missionaries coming in the next couple of months.