Day 40: The Gospel is More Important than the Queen

Today is the beginning of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee!  She has now been on the throne for 60 years and there is a huge celebration just for her that will last the next few days.  The big events for today were the Big Lunch, where everyone was supposed to have picnics and share food with their neighbors, and the boat parade.  Essentially a thousand barges floated down the main stretch of the Thames river today, one of them containing the royal family (including the Queen and Will and Kate).  Unfortunately, it was raining which I think ruined everyone's picnic plans.  It's also Fast Sunday, which was bad timing for us.  I thought maybe I'd get to see the boat parade but the huge event lasted from three to six in the afternoon, while I was at church.  Three people from our group of six decided to skip church to go to the parade.  We only have one more Sunday in our ward and I didn't want to miss being there so I went instead.  


It was miraculous.  Today we got to church with NO transportation problems.  NONE!  That's the first time that has happened.  The three of us arrived early and were able to talk to the missionaries and some members.  The two other students traveling with me went to help in primary and I went to Relief Society.  After the first hour, the regular youth Sunday School teacher had prepared a lesson so I decided to help out in primary.  I got up there and it was MADNESS!  The two BYU students were the only adults in primary!  There were maybe only 15-20 kids but 75% of those children were fidgety and crazy.  They said that even the students who normally sit quietly were so disruptive today.  On top of that, there is an 11 year old who is bigger than I am and has some mental issues.  When I got there to the class, I was holding a four year old and broke up three fist fights between the 11 year old and two other boys.  During class he purposefully disrupted by getting up and trying to choke the other children, flipping each student off, and swearing profoundly.  At one point, we just stopped the lesson that was planned and tried to teach a lesson on reverence because the crazy was CRAZY!  We really could have used the help of the students who didn't come.  I got out of there and seriously questioned if I could go into elementary education.  I remembered that YES I am in the right major and YES I love teaching but I had to remind myself that classes won't always be like that.  I was especially grateful when the Relief Society president stood up to bare her testimony and said that her children love the BYU students and always are excited to tell you about what they did in class.  The bishop also told us how grateful he is for our help every Sunday that we come with cheerful attitudes and a willingness to help.  


Sacrament meeting was inspiring from all the testimonies I heard.  I realized how lucky I am to have the gospel in my life and to have always had it, I remembered that miracles follow faith, and that the gospel changes lives.  I know the church is true.  It was plain to me that we had no trouble getting to church because we really needed to be there in primary today.  I don't know what would have happened if the three of us had decided to miss church as well.  It was also clear that I needed to be there to bare my testimony and hear the testimonies of others.  


Coming home, we ran into the crowd of thousands who were trying to get home from the boat parade.  It was pouring rain and several tube stations were closed.  Luckily we know our way around London by now so we walked through the rain and people for quite a while until we found a station that wasn't crowded and would take us straight home.  Even though I could have been frustrated that I missed the parade, frustrated that I was walking in the rain, and frustrated that it took a while to get home... I wasn't.  I just so happy that we went to church and were able to have that experience.


In a way, I'm glad it takes us a long time to get to church because I feel like my whole Sunday revolves around it.  In the morning, I get ready for church and then travel to it.  In the afternoon, I'm at church and have to travel home. It really is an all day event, not just a three hour event.  I have come to appreciate the time and effort it takes to get there because I am more focused on where I'm going and it's importance and I am also so much more grateful for the easiness and accessibility to church at home.


I was able to talk to my mom, dad, and Griffin on Skype tonight, which is always a great thing.  I love my family so much and I can't wait to get home and just spend time with them watching tv or going to out to eat or just talking at home and I hold my puppy, Lexi, again.  I missed J-Dawgs for fast sunday dinner at my grandmas house but I am SO EXCITED for fast sunday dinner in July when I can finally be back with all of my family.


I also got to Skype with this awesome girl and get caught up on her life.  I went from talking to her/playing apps with her/working with her/having classes with her every single day to not talking to her at all.  It's been a hard separation for the both of us.  Her name is Ashley Noel Barnes Marx and she is one of my very best friends/very favorite co-worker.  She comments on my blog (she has a really cute blog here if you want to follow it- and I mean it's REALLY cute) and writes on my Facebook wall but talking "face to face" is always better!

There's a lot of people that I can't wait to catch up with when I get home like my Nana and Papa and FFE/roommate Michal and others.  I can't believe I will be home next week but I think I'm getting ready to come back to America.  I'm still loving every minute here but there truly is "no place like home."