Loughborough

Our visit to Sister Kiddle's birthplace (Loughborough) to visit her aunts

We had a very enjoyable visit with Aunt Joyce and Aunt Valerie for 4 days this past week. Our cousin Marylyn Pringle came to visit on the Tuesday and took us out to see some of the sites. She took us to visit Queen's Park where we had lunch. There were beautiful gardens in the park and an amazing Bell Tower that had a carillon in it. The bells in the tower were all made at the John Taylor Bellfoundry located in Loughborough. After lunch Elder Kiddle climbed up the inside of the tower and on to a balcony where he enjoyed a marvellous view and took some great pictures. We then went and visited the John Taylor Bellfoundry. The bell (Great Paul) for St. Paul's Cathedral was made there. We saw the large casing in which the bell was made on display in Queen's Park. We had a guided tour of the Foundry that was very interesting. They still use the same method in making new bells as was used over 200 years ago.

 Sister Kiddle with cousin Marylyn in front of the Casing for the bell in St. Pauls

 The Carillon Bell Tower

 some of the bells in the bell tower

 a view of some of the gardens and the band stand from the balcony on the bell tower

a view of our hotel (red building) from the bell tower

On Wednesday Aunt Valerie drove us to Beacon Hill and Bradgate Park which are high points from which you can see a lot of the country side. One of the rock out-croppings at Beacon Hill looks like the side view of a person's face. 

 View from top of Beacon Hill

 Sister Kiddle in front of a 600 Million Year old outcropping of rock

Sister Kiddle is a quite a bit younger than that!!

 Information sign about Beacon Hill

 Elder Kiddle in front of rocks that look like a human face

 Sister Kiddle and her aunts Valerie & Joyce  by a wood carving near parking lot at Beacon Hill

 Rosalie and her aunts in front of rock wall built as the Romans did rock on rock

View of climb up to Old John at Bradgate Park 

 Old John

 a view from Old John

another view from Old John

The above represent only a few of over 200 pictures we took on our visit to Loughborough

Below is a picture of Sister Kiddle waiting for a train in Loughborough Train Station for our return journey to the Temple.

We love you Aunt Joyce and Aunt Valerie. We can hardly wait to visit again in December

Elder & Sister Kiddle

Fletching, Swindon, Chiddington, Scotney Castle

Our family has brought it to our attention that we haven't posted anything new to our blog for a couple of weeks. Time is just zooming by. We have visited four places of interest since we last posted.

1. Fletching is a small village which we drove through on our way home from church and stopped for a   picnic lunch and a view of the old church there. It is a very picturesque village.

 Sister Kiddle & Sister Curley enjoying a picnic lunch

 A charming brick house in Fletching

  A Church in Fletching

Main Street showing the current parking situation in England

2. Swindon has a wonderful Railway Museum and was one of the largest Train works in England.

 Some History

 At one time the fastest train in the World

One of the first Steam Engines

3. Chiddington is the home of the Chiding Stone where members of the community were chastised in public if they needed correction. There is also a more modern Castle near the town.

Our new mission car at the castle (ha ha ha)!

East side of Chiddington Castle

Elder Kiddle receiving a "chiding" from Sister Kiddle at the chiding stone

Main street in Chiddington

4. Scotney Castle is a very picturesque Castle surrounded by a moat. The owner of the castle thought it too damp and cold to live in, so built a large house up on the hill. The Castle was in the valley below. You will see in one of the pictures that it looks like part of the Castle had become ruins but we learned that the castle was built that way to make it more picturesque.

 one of several ornate fire places in the house

 the house at Scotney Castle

 One of the gardens at the Castlen showing walls that look like ruins but are not

Scotney Castle and part of the moat

There seems to be no end of beautiful places to visit in SE England.

Until next time

Elder and Sister Kiddle

Chichester Cathedral

On July 29th we went on the Temple Van to visit Chichester Cathedral. It was built about 1100 AD and is about the same age as Canterbury Cathedral. When we told of our visit to Canterbury we mentioned that there was a prayer roll in the crypt but we were not allowed to take pictures in the crypt. We found a prayer roll in the Chichester Cathedral also but it was on the main floor so we could take a picture of it which we have included herein. The builder of this cathedral was Ralph Luffa who built the Cathedral and was Bishop of Chichester from 1091 AD to 1125 AD. He is represented as the central figure in one of the stain glass windows we are including herewith. There is an interesting sun dial on the side of the cathedral. We took the picture of it at about 2:00 PM and the sun dial shows about 1:00 PM as it does not take day light saving into account.

 Sister Kiddle at the west entrance to the cathedral

Chichester Cathedral

 Sun dial on side of the Cathedral

 stained glass window showing the Nativity

 Prayer Roll

 stained glass window showing the Saviour calming the storm

 Centre figure in this stained glass window shows Ralf Luffa builder of the cathedral

 An Arundel Tomb described below

Inside the Cathedral

Hope you enjoy the pictures. We really miss everyone back home. Our Grandson Gilbert entered the MTC  July 31st  on his way to Romania. Have a great mission Gilbert.

Love from Elder & Sister Kiddle

Senic Drives near Temple

Over the past two weeks we have stayed close to home but have still been able to see some beautiful places.

A week ago this past Monday we went to Eastbourne with Brother and Sister Wood. The beach is very similar to the beach at Brighton but the area near the beach is quite different.

Flower Garden at the beach in Eastbourne

Eastbourne pier

This past Sunday we took a scenic drive back to the Temple after Church in Brighton. We stopped at an old Church and had a picture taken behind the church in a small garden.

This past monday after we had finished the laundry we took a trip to Tunbridge Wells on the local bus system. We took 3 different buses there and back again. We went shopping in the Royal Victoria Place mall to try and find a white blouse for Sister Kiddle but were unsuccessful. We still had fun looking in the different stores.

An old building near the mall

Royal Victoria Place Mall entrance

Just for fun we are adding a picture of an airplane flying over the Temple. During the day we have an airplane fly over about every 2 to 3 minutes as they approach Gatwick Airport for landing. You can hear them at the recommend desk near the front door but once you enter the ordinance areas of the Temple there is complete silence. As you can see in the photo they are flying quite low.

Although it might look as if we are on an extended vacation we do work in the Temple for 7 to 8 hours per day, five days per week! We continue to enjoy our Temple Mission.

Love from Elder and Sister Kiddle

A surprise celebrity visit


The London Temple has almost everything including celebrities! We were delighted on June 28th when Donny Osmond , his wife Debbie and son Josh came to the temple to work in the Baptistry. Rosalie and I were Baptistry Co-ordinators that day so we were privileged to work with him and his family. We found him, his wife and son to be humble, gracious and devoted to the Lord and the Lord's Church. They were still on the grounds after our shift so we were lucky enough to get some pictures of them. We really enjoyed visiting with them.

Roses in bloom at the London Temple

Elder Kiddle with his favourite "Rose" on their 46th Wedding Anniversary

Our mission at the London Temple continues to go well and we enjoy every day 

Love Elder & Sister Kiddle

Summer Visit to Hever Castle

We visited Hever Castle last December when the gardens were in hibernation and wanted to see it again in the summer so last Monday the Temple Van took a group of us to Hever Castle again for Rose Week. Unfortunately, due to the coldest spring in 100 years, the majority of the roses were not out yet. We did however get to see other beautiful parts of the gardens. The flowers in front of the temple have been replaced again, this time with begonias. They are beautiful.

 Begonias at the London Temple

 Gardens at Hever Castle - this and the next 5 pictures

 Elder and Sister Kiddle on the Castle Draw Bridge

We also visited an old church next to Hever Castle. Two of the Missionaries found ancestors buried in it. Wow what a find. It also had some beautiful stained glass windows.

 Stained Glass window in the Church

 Church next to Hever Castle

Burial place for the Boleyns

 Our love and prayers go out to all of you in Calgary and surrounding area's at this time of devastating floods.

Elder & Sister Kiddle