Helping Hands Saturday September 23, 2006

I love doing service projects, and today, my church did a project in Avenham Park. This park is soooo beautiful and large. The park ranger said it was about 50 acres!!! There are various sections of the park, but the Japanese Gardens are really special. In this garden there are two plaques. Both are in remembrance of Latter-Day Saints in Great Britain. There is a river that runs along the side of the park; and at this one bridge is the suspected site of the first baptism in England. This was really cool, because there is a lot of church history in Preston and the surrounding area.




First LDS baptism in England July 30, 1837



Back to the service project…Our ward planted 1500 crocus and 1000 bluebonnet bulbs in the Wildlife section of the park, cleared walkways, and other gardening things. This only took about 2 hours and then we went to Newman College Park and helped the other ward with there Helping Hands service project. They had 23,000 daffodils and 8,000 crocus! It was crazy and my hands were really dirty, but it was fun. Helping Hands is an international LDS sponsored service organization, in which each year your ward can provide a service to the local community. This was the first time I have ever participated, and it was GREAT!

Some members gave me a ride home because I looked like rubbish and did not want to walk through Town Centre in my dirty clothes. It was also good, because it would have been a good 40min walk back and I was tired. I immediately washed up when I got home; and then caught the bus to ASDA. I think my mind thinks I am stronger than my body really is. I came out with a cart full, and I packed it all neatly, there was too much for me to carry onto the bus. Therefore, I had to return the Diet Coke, like 10min after I bought it. Hahaha I personally think the bus is expensive, so maybe next time I will walk to ASDA and then just take the bus home?

After unpacking the groceries and then packing them into my tiny fridge and freezer, I went for a jog. I really like jogging at Moore Park. The trails are good and it is a good distance. I went around 1 1/2 times and I was happy to get it done with! If I don’t join the volleyball club, jogging at Moore Park will save me $140 (school gym membership) for the year.

In the evening I went to Lea’s house, a girl from church, and watched a movie with others from church. When we were trying to pick out a movie, I was looking for the rating; since I don’t watch rated R movies. This was a bit confusing, because they do not use the same system over here, big surprise! In England they rate their movies on a scale of U=G, 8=PG, 12=PG-13 and 15= R. I am not sure if this is 100% correct, but it is what I concluded. The number system represents the minimum age the person viewing the movie can be without adult supervision. I wonder what they thought about President Hinckley’s remarks on R rated movies.