Konold Chronicles

Today, I predict, is the beginning of Spring.  Although the week started cold (and snowy), we ended the week at a high of 14.5 C (about 57 F).  Here is what the beginning of the week looked like:

One of the great things about living where we do is that we can get up on a Saturday morning without a clue what we are going to do and, within an hour, plan, drive and be surrounded by some impressive antiquity or beauty.  February 27th was one of those mornings and we headed for the west coast area of Cumbria.  We started with Furness Abbey–another of those peaceful places.  The abbey dates back to 1123 and was once the second wealthiest and most powerful Cistercian monastery in the country, behind only Fountains Abbey in North Yorkshire (as everyone knows, one of our favorite places in No. England).  The red sandstone distinguishes Furness Abbey from other abbeys we have seen.

We ended the day at Cartmel–which has a three story toy store which makes no sense for a very small village close to nothing.

On March 9th, we and the Backmans hopped on a plane and flew to Dublin for the weekend.  I had always wanted to see the Book of Kells at Trinity College.  The book (3 volumes) is an illuminated manuscript of the four Gospels in Latin.  It is believed to date from 800 AD. This is some of the art work surrounding the text–which is in perfect calligraphy.

 
     

I’m not sure whether there is a modern counterpart to this kind of effort.  I suppose some of the sand-art by Tibetan Monks might rival the Book of Kells.

The rest of Trinity College and neighboring Dublin Castle and St. Patrick’s Cathedral were impressive.

When we visited Dublin on vacation several years ago, we found an Irish pub by the name of the Merry Ploughboy.  A family has been putting on an Irish meal and entertainment every night for over 25 years.  We decided to share it with the Backmans and had a very enjoyable evening of Irish folk songs and dance (River Dance-style).

On Sunday, we attended Church in Dublin and made contact with John and Eileen Connelly (who were just released from the temple presidency and returned to Dublin).  We had dinner with them at their home that night.  We also visited the Malahide Castle.

Our trip home Monday morning was an event we hope to forget, so I will not save it here.  I think IKEA designed the Dublin airport.  It forces you to wind your way through every duty-free shop you can imagine.  As we were doing this, our names were being called over the loud speaker as we were late to the gate.

They day after our return, mom and I got extremely sick (first time on our mission).  It turned out to be a one-day flu and we were both back to work on Wednesday.  A short, but very powerful experience.

On Thursday, it became necessary for us to head off at a minute’s notice to help some sister missionaries in the Leeds mission with a legal matter.  We took off at about noon and drove for almost 3 hours and got home after 10:00 that night.  We took them to dinner at the end of the day.  I did not know that one of their rules is that they cannot eat at a restaurant that serves alcohol.  That pretty much limits them to fast food joints. We ended up eating at the cafe in a grocery store. These sisters had been through an extremely harrowing experience and their only worry was that their time was being diverted from their investigators.  Such focus and commitment. I admire them and just seeing their faith made our efforts seem so minor in comparison. We went to help them and we came back uplifted.

On Friday, mom passed her driving test (with flying colors).  I am very proud of her. As you might imagine, she denies she has her license.  Tomorrow is a big test as she has to drive to Manchester for an activity for sister missionaries in the mission.  Keep tuned.

 

 

Thinking I might be able to get a post in before Sophie gets home from school to be wished a Happy Birthday. Easter Sunday we spent in the Helston Ward in Cornwall (Southwestern England).  It was a very picturesque part of England and a wonderful place to experience Easter. They have fields of daffodils. We had been around rock for a couple of days and, perhaps, that is what made me think about the large stone that covered the entry to the cave in which Christ was entombed.  For the first time I recall, I wondered why the stone was rolled away.  It would not have been to facilitate the resurrection.  As we see, later the same day, Christ appeared to the Apostles in the upper room where the doors and windows were shut and locked.  In other words, walls were no obstacle for a resurrected being.  So, he did not need the stone rolled away to “get out.”  Could it be that the stone was rolled away to facilitate witnessing by others.  First, Mary and then others of the Apostles.  Could Mary have said, “where have they taken him” unless she saw the empty tomb?  And, if she had not asked, would she have experienced the transforming moment in which she recognized the Savior by hearing Him say her name?

I am grateful not only for the resurrection, but that the stone was moved so I can have the powerful witness of those who actually saw that the tomb was robbed; that death had been defeated and replaced with everlasting life.  In a way, that tomb still invites us to peer in and see for ourselves what miracle has been performed and, perhaps, let us hear Him call our name–but only if we have the faith to enter and the courage to ask the question.

Last week, we were all stunned by the terrorist attack in Belgium–particularly because it impacted those with whom we so closely identify–reminding us that the reach of this evil is long and powerful and none is exempt from its terrible consequences.  Our dear missionaries are people of such courage and commitment.  Almost universally, their response to something like this is to heal quickly and stay in the service of the Lord.

A couple of weeks ago, we drove about 2 hours away to see Hadrian’s Wall.  The Romans build the wall in the third century to prevent against Scottish invasions.  The wall runs 73 miles all the way from the west to the east coast of England.  It is  not particularly large or impressive in segments–it looks a lot like any other rock wall in England.  Here is a piece:

The Romans occupied England from about 150 AD until about 450 AD.  Most of the major cities in England have some remnants of the Roman period.

One of our major bucket-list items was to visit Cornwall–a county in SW England.  Since Easter weekend includes bank holidays on Friday and Monday, we and the Backmans headed south. Because of traffic, it was a 6 hour drive down  and a 7 hour drive home.  But, it was worth it–even though it rained Thurs night, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, Friday was a gift.   We used it to visit some of the remarkable coastline.  We started at Tintigal which is the castle where, supposedly, King Arthur reigned and had his round table of knights.  The hike and location are the most impressive part.  There is not much left of the castle.  This is the setting.

We then visited a small fishing village called Port Isaac.  It is quite a climb down a steep road to get to the town.

On Saturday, we visited the Maritime Museum in Falmouth (where we stayed) and then the Eden Project–which is a large indoor rain forest.  Quite a memorable place.

On Sunday, went to Church (described above) and then visited St. Michael’s Mount–an castle on top of a hill on an island near the southern tip of England.  To get to the castle, you have to wait for a low tide, then walk over a causeway, then climb a very steep hill.  Here are a couple of pictures.

On the way back, we went by Lanyon Quoit, an ancient rock structure that, like so many others, has no known origins or uses.

As we drove home that night, fitting to the end of a long day, a flock of geese showed us “the end.”  This is about the widest road we were on for three days.

 

Our OGC team in Chorley.  From left, Elder Backman, Elder Konold, and Kristie Hita

Happy Spring.  We had a real-live snow storm this morning.

Cheers for now.