Conference weekend was a pivotal point in our group dynamic. On London study abroad, we live together, eat together, go to class together, travel together, put on impromptu vocal performances in our room together, get chest infections together, eat nighttime spoonfuls of peanut butter together, etc. We're basically a family in one tall and skinny Notting Hill house, but I believe that didn’t reach its full potential until this crucial weekend. Because of the time difference, we watched conference at 5 and 9 o’clock at night. Saturday was spent scattered throughout the city, but when 5 o’clock rolled around, the flat was filled with the spirit before conference even started. I passed people on the stairs carrying their blankets, notebooks, and scriptures as others came in the front door with a community box of Ben’s Cookies, and I couldn’t help but feel struck by the matter-of-fact, enthusiastic way everyone around me gathered to listen to the prophets.
“If you seek God’s truth, that which now may appear dim, out of focus, and distant will gradually be revealed and clarified and become close to your heart by the light of God’s grace. Glorious spiritual vistas, unimaginable to the human eye, will be revealed to you.
Your testimony of the living Son of God and His restored Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, may not come as quickly as you desire, but I promise you this: if you do your part, it will come.
And it will be glorious.”
-Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Sunday was a bonding experience in a completely different way, centered on hilarious mutual shame of the least healthy day ever lived by one group of human beings. No one is quite sure what happened that day. After a quick breakfast in the morning, every single person fell victim to a Sunday nap that lasted FOUR HOURS. Not normal. At 3 o’clock, I rolled out of bed to kitchen crew. We bustled around the kitchen helping Thais, our centre director/head chef, make (get ready) two types of Belgian waffles, a giant vat of scrambled eggs, English bacon, finely chopped fruit salad, boxes of assorted Krispy Kreme donuts, and syrup, Nutella, ice cream, and whipped cream to top it all off. When Thais asked us if we thought she should put the infamous rolls out too, we pleaded with her not to. When the rest of the flat arose, they were ravenous. We sat at our long kitchen tables, loudly passing dishes like we were from Cheaper By the Dozen. It was the most sugar I have ever seen in one setting in my life. When we finished eating and were sitting at the table slowly realizing what we had just done, Lexie sadly looked at her FitBit and announced as the sunlight of the day was fading, “Guys, I’ve only taken 291 steps today..”
“If you seek God’s truth, that which now may appear dim, out of focus, and distant will gradually be revealed and clarified and become close to your heart by the light of God’s grace. Glorious spiritual vistas, unimaginable to the human eye, will be revealed to you.
Your testimony of the living Son of God and His restored Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, may not come as quickly as you desire, but I promise you this: if you do your part, it will come.
And it will be glorious.”
-Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Sunday was a bonding experience in a completely different way, centered on hilarious mutual shame of the least healthy day ever lived by one group of human beings. No one is quite sure what happened that day. After a quick breakfast in the morning, every single person fell victim to a Sunday nap that lasted FOUR HOURS. Not normal. At 3 o’clock, I rolled out of bed to kitchen crew. We bustled around the kitchen helping Thais, our centre director/head chef, make (get ready) two types of Belgian waffles, a giant vat of scrambled eggs, English bacon, finely chopped fruit salad, boxes of assorted Krispy Kreme donuts, and syrup, Nutella, ice cream, and whipped cream to top it all off. When Thais asked us if we thought she should put the infamous rolls out too, we pleaded with her not to. When the rest of the flat arose, they were ravenous. We sat at our long kitchen tables, loudly passing dishes like we were from Cheaper By the Dozen. It was the most sugar I have ever seen in one setting in my life. When we finished eating and were sitting at the table slowly realizing what we had just done, Lexie sadly looked at her FitBit and announced as the sunlight of the day was fading, “Guys, I’ve only taken 291 steps today..”
That night, the social media craze hit. Possibly a product of the brunch incident, it started with a simple comment on an embarrassing junior high Facebook picture to bring it back into remembrance, and it soon blossomed into a garden of the driest wit. Hopefully you, who aren't familiar with these people or the shock of being awoken from your peaceful bus slumber by our driver Bill narrowly avoiding another crash, will think these are funny.
That may give you a sense of how much fun we have solely within the bounds of 27 Palace Court. Then we travel outside of it. To glamorous English country houses/Pride and Prejudice film locations, as per usual
To Scotland, where kilts are actually worn on date night and where Harry Potter history lives like the boy who lived
To Kensington Palace to sip wild berry tea
To the river for some Friday night Thames Time
To a walk in the country, which only added to the already thriving excitement for the holidays
And then back to the flat again, to listen to this song and sing "When she waaaaaallllllllkkkkkkssss innnnnnnnn the rooooooooom" with Lexie as nasally as possible, secretly being overcome with happiness every time I listen to it. Soundtrack to the October of my life.