the Wandsworth Ward

Here all the students are divided up between ten wards, sort of like spreading the wealth :) Me, and three other girls have been assigned to the Wandsworth Ward in the Wandsworth Common Stake. Let's see if you can find it:

[ You're looking for Wandsworth ]

London is huge. Every ward is still within the city of London. While the whole yellow section is considered London it is really separated up into sub-towns, like Wandsworth. Wandsworth is a picturesque commuter town, a suburb of the city. 

Every Sunday, the girls and I are out the door by nine o'clock. We hop on the tube, we only have to make one transfer, and then we get off at the Victoria Rail Station. From there we catch the next train to Wandsworth common. Its about a ten minute train ride through the outskirts of London. I enjoy riding the train. This past week the other girls wanted to leave early, I was not awake quite yet, so I ended up venturing to church on my own. I sat on the train and read Jane Austen and felt a little bit like a cliche but still awesome at the same time. Once we get off the train it is a two minute walk to the chapel right off Nightingale Lane. 

[ The train platform at Wandsworth Common Rail Station ]

A lot of the wards in London are really diverse. There are over 100 different nationalities represented in my stake. In my ward, however, it is about 50/50. Fifty percent are English and Americans (mostly those who have married a Uk-er) and fifty percent is African, well mostly African. Now mind you that the normal attendance every Sunday is about 65 people. 

Our bishopric consists of Bishop Aideou ( I spelled that very wrong), he is from Ghana, then the first counselor is a trendy young American guy with Ray Ban glasses and the second counselor is an older  English man. As soon as we entered the building on our first Sunday we were thrust into basically taking over every single musical calling. My unofficial calling is to jump up and then the music whenever I hear a hymn, because no one else will do it. So last week I was conductor for sacrament. That is a tiring job with four hymns with four verses each. I am very proud of myself though, I did four whole verses of a 6/8 song flawlessly. 

[ Park kitty corner from the chapel ]

After this past Sunday, I decided I am really going to love this ward. There are two sets of American missionary couples who love us BYUs (I am a BYU, no need for names). I am the only one of the BYUs who gets to go to both Relief Society and Sunday School, I'll be called to something in the Relief Society soon. Sunday School has been really good. The teacher is Lindsay, she's a twenty something Brit. Her and her husband are the epitome of the idealized English couple that I have had in my head. Adorable really. But he lessons are pretty amazing. She is very energized and witty and really makes you participate. This Sunday we were divided into groups, I somehow ended up with ALL the Americans, and we discussed different parts of the Fall of Adam and Eve. My favorite point she made was that, now, after the fall we must work, especially for food. In Eden the plants cared for themselves and provided fruit to eat, she claims now we have cursed vegetation we have to work after. I thought it was pretty funny, especially in that accent. 

I think being in this ward is really going to be good. Its a whole new kind of church experience. Including last weeks munch and mingle where the Scottish Primary President gave me some hagis to eat.... it was actually kinda good.