Monday, 30 June 2025 by Sagacity

Liverpool, England

Today was our visit to Liverpool. It is a short report as Amanda was feeling ill most of the day.

We visited Old Rufford Hall in the morning, drove to Liverpool, and visited the Anglican Cathedral and Albert Docks.

Liverpool Anglican Cathedral – highest and heaviest peal in the world

We also took a series of photos from the top of the bell tower:

Liverpool Anglican to the west – Birkenhead

Liverpool Anglican to the northwest – Liverpool, Vauxhall, Bootle – across the Mersey my first area, Seacombe, Liscard, and New Brighton

Liverpool Anglican up the Mersey to the Irish Sea

Liverpool Anglican looking at Liverpool Catholic Metropolitian Cathedral

We had to stop at Albert Dock. Amanda and I both had many family lines that came through Liverpool docks, very likely through Albert Dock.

Liver Building, Cunard Building, and Port of Liverpool Building from Albert Dock

Albert Dock looking at my first missionary area across the Mersey, Seacombe and Liscard

Albert Dock Promenade along Mersey River

Afterward, we drove back to Wigan through Upholland so Amanda could see the church where one of her family lines lived.

Upholland Church – St. Thomas the Martyr

Paul Ross at St. Thomas Church in Upholland

Tonight we had curry for dinner. That was definitely a treat.

Brenda Millington, Paul Ross, Jack Millington

Brenda Millington, Paul and Amanda Ross in Howe Bridge

And lastly, we stopped at my sacred grove location. It is somewhere between Roby Mill and Skelmersdale. I tried to locate it on a map, but it has changed enough I cannot locate it. But here are some photos. I located it on that trip in 2008. Amanda did not want to hike to it, so I went by myself.

View at the top of the hill from the quarry

Out building remnants not far from the quarry

Just for fun, a picture at some of the same remnants with Elders Gavin Wright and Joseph Hulse in 2000

Sunday, 29 June 2025 by Sagacity

Wigan, England

It is Sabbath in Wigan. Therefore, not a whole lot in the way of mention of traveling or exotic places. However, we did go to church and visit a few people. A quick couple of thoughts.

Church was great. Funny how even though I lived here for a couple of years, I still really struggle with some of the accents. In Sacrament alone, I could not understand the second speaker. Might as well have been Greek.

The pure Wigan accent I am simply unable to replicate. I cannot even try.

Jim and Julie Monks family at their home

We went to visit a couple of people. Jim and Julie Monks, Dawn Rhodes, Ceri and Lorraine Jenkins, Charlotte Ainscough, Alan and Rose Aspey, Brian and Sylvia Burtonwood, and Rene Simpkin. We had a very good visit with the Monks, Jenkins, and Aspeys.

Ceri and Lorraine Jenkins family with her daughter Charlotte Ainscough in Wigan

Dawn Rhodes doesn’t live in the address we were given. We were either given the wrong address or she has moved. She was the only convert in the mission I felt like I really oversaw the entire thing from initial contact to baptism and even some of the new investigator discussions. Alas, she is not active and it seems nobody really knows where she is. Except for Brother Monks and she either moved or he gave me the wrong address in Aspull. I was very disappointed.

Sadly, I found out Rene’ Simpkin passed away around Christmas of 2003. That would explain the stopping of letters. I am disappointed nobody notified me or responded to the letters. I will have to find her birth and death information so I have it for my records. I really came to love the lady and she the church, but she just couldn’t give up her wine. The Burtonwoods remembered her. She was a fine lady.

Street near Aspey home looking toward Wigan

In visiting with Alan Aspey, he let me know an Aspey from Wigan is definitely related to him. I will have to let my Aunt Lolane Andra know that her Margaret Aspey who came from Wigan is very likely related to him. Interestingly, Alan also commented about his Aspeys living in Upholland and Ormskirk. We told him about Amanda’s Ashton relations in Upholland and he knew the name as having some in his own line. However, he knows of no relations who joined the Mormon church and moved to America. This would be a first for him if we could show a link.

I found out from President Monks that Gheorghe Simion, my second to last companion from Romania, now lives in Liverpool. We will have to try and find some contact information for him so we can meet up while we are near Liverpool.

Charlotte Ainscough still has the little stuffed animal I gave her when we baptized her. I found out she named him Ross. How sweet is that? The Jenkins and Charlotte were very excited to see us. They gave us their passes for the British Trust sites in England. We will have to mail them back when we leave the country, but it includes a parking pass. Meaning we can save well over 200 pounds with the passes for much of our travel throughout the UK in our remaining time.

It was a sweet day in Wigan. It made me feel good so many people remembered me. If not my name, at least my face. They all adored Amanda and commented on how beautiful she was. Some even recognized her from our wedding announcements.

I think this is Parbold Hill west of Wigan

Saturday, 28 June 2025 by Sagacity

Preston, England

Another more relaxed day in England.

Today we received word the paperwork and everything has all been signed for our home. The paperwork is off to Oklahoma City for the official closing on Monday. I don’t know what could really change now. By all accounts, we are now the proud owners of a little home in Oklahoma City. Or at least we have a title to a home with a significant lien for a bank somewhere. Hopefully everything continues to work out like it has so far.

Downham Cemetery from steps of Downham Church

Pendle Hill from Downham, where prophets anciently dedicated the land

I think this is Black Moss Road to Barrowford

We ran to the Preston England Temple today. It is one of my favorite temples. There is something in the simplistic beauty of it I adore. Amanda agreed. It is on par with the Rexburg and Vernal Temples for the simple elegance within. We snapped a couple of pictures.

Preston England Missionary Training Center

Amanda and Paul Ross at Preston England Temple

We also ran into a member I knew in the Wigan Ward. He is now in the Temple Presidency and enjoyed a good visit with him. We were supposed to go over and visit this evening, but our plans crowded it out in the end. We had to reschedule it for tomorrow sometime. We are going to work it out in church.

Afterward, Amanda and I ran into Preston. I showed her the town center where the missionaries preached the gospel for the first time in the British Isles. It is in Preston that the longest continuing unit of the church operates, the Preston Ward. We ran out of time to go to the flat where Parley P Pratt and Orson Hyde were attacked by the legions of the devil. We did not get a chance to see Avenham Park or the beautiful River Ribble where the first baptisms took place outside of North America. We did not get over to see the apartment where President Hinckley received his famous “Forget yourself and go to work” letter on Wadham Road. Perhaps sometime in the future.

We came back and were relaxed some more with the McCabes. They treated us to a fine meal of South African descent. They lived in South Africa for a number of years. Later this year they are immigrating to Australia! How is that for exciting. When we make it to Australia, we know who we will be calling on! Amanda and I made a call at Tesco today and purchased a Pavlova. Boy, was I glad to get my hands on one. We consumed it after dinner as one of our desserts. Mmmmm.

I realized yesterday was the anniversary of Joseph Smith’s death. I wonder specifically what he is doing these days. What or where is he up to doing work?

Tomorrow we are off to attend the Wigan Ward. Then we will go visit some of the new converts I helped bring into the church. Sadly, I don’t think any of them are active. But we shall find out. I did find out Jim Monks knows where one of them lives.

Friday, 27 June 2025 by Sagacity

Hindley, England

We are now in Hindley, Lancashire, England. We drove down here today to crash at the home of Hilton and Rhona McCabe. I met them while as a missionary here about 8 years ago. The friendship has continued and we have kept in contact.

We are waiting to hear word from Salt Lake City. We are supposed to be closing on our home in Oklahoma City. Hopefully everything works out. We will find out tomorrow I guess.

Last night we spent our evening in Edinburgh, Scotland. We walked throughout the city, saw the castle, the Holyrood residence, and the cathedral. Amanda got to see her world famous Mary Kings Close. It was very interesting. We got our hostel for the equivalent of $30 which we thought was a gonga deal.

Edinburgh Castle looking northeast to the Scott Monument and North Sea

We landed in Prestwick on Thursday after flying out early from Charleroi Airport near Brussels. We then picked up our hired car and drove to Glasgow and on to Edinburgh. It took me a little bit, but I quickly adjusted to getting back on the wrong/left side of the road.

It is late and I am too tired to write more of our travels today or of what we did in Edinburgh. We did stop to visit Downham, Clitheroe in Lancashire today where the entire town joined the church and later emigrated to Zion. Now we are back in the old mission. My second visit since being released. It is good to be back.

Amanda with Royal Palace Great Hall Fireplace

Amanda Ross with Foog’s Gate at Edinburgh Castle

Details of St Giles’ Cathedral tower and steeple

Amanda with Mary King’s Close in Edinburgh

Paul Ross at John Knox House in Edinburgh

Edinburgh Castle from near the Scott Monument

Sir Walter Scott inside the Scott Monument

Amanda and Paul Ross with Edinburgh Castle

Tuesday, 24 June 2025 by Sagacity

Lausanne, Geneva, and Paris

We did not have internet in Paris, so there has been a long silence. Perhaps that is a good thing.

As a note, I did upload some photos on the blog. They were the ones from Dresden. Well, a few. I hit my limit for the month for how many photos I can upload. As soon as July 1st hits, I will start uploading again. Sorry. There are some great pictures from Dresden and Meissen.

We left Bern and started making our way to Paris. We were planning on hitting the temple in Bern but after trying to figure out the buses, taxis, or trains with attendant costs, backpacks, and traveling all day in our church clothes, we threw in the towel. We just started out for Paris.

See our digital camera, given for our wedding looking at Lake Geneva

We made stops in Lausanne and Geneva.

Amanda at Place Saint-François in Lausanne

Lausanne was beautiful.

The view coming in over Lake Geneva was amazing.

Oomp Pah Pah band near the Lausanne Cathedral

Some of the Alps between Bern and Lausanne were breathtaking, much like the Alps we passed through in Northern Italy.

View from Lausanne Cathedral to Lake Geneva

We were supposed to catch a train directly from Lausanne to Paris, but it was fully booked.

The Cathedral of Notre Dame in Lausanne, Switzerland, was consecrated in 1215 after 45 years of construction. This tympanum and archivolt on the west portal called Montfalcon is elaborately decorated with Biblical statues. It was built in 1517 and named after Bishop Sébastien de Montfalcon.

We were able to book a train from Geneva so we knew our time in Lausanne was limited. We decided to hike up to the Lausanne Notre-Dame. We stopped at some church on the way, St. Michaels or whatever. We heard an Oomp Pah Pah (who knows what they are really called) in a park near the cathedral. It was so hot, the sun was killing us, and we were wearing our backpacks climbing an asphalt mountain made for a welcome arrival at the top. We enjoyed the hike back down to the station to head off for Geneva.

Amanda with Brunswick Monument in Geneva

We had limited time at Geneva as well. We walked over and saw the famous Jet d’Eau and enjoyed what little comfort the breeze brought to us from it.

It just made us want to jump into the water for some salvation from the heat. We walked through the park to see the flower clock, which all these watch-makers got together to show their prowess.

This massive clock set in a flower bed. However, it was more than 6 hours off, not one of the hands was on the right time. Watch making prowess must have been a think of the past. We then walked up to Saint Peter’s Cathedral where we toured where John Calvin taught.

St. Peters, or Cathédrale Saint-Pierre Genève.

The University of Geneva is right next door. It was all very fascinating. We then had to make our way back down to the train station so we could head off to Paris.

The ride to Paris could have been better. We ended up in an assigned seat going backwards. Plus this train was going much faster than the other trains we have been riding on it and it swayed back and forth. I got sea sick on a train! Boy was I glad when we got to land. I wasn’t feeling well.

Looking down the stairs of the Arc de Triomphe

Église Saint-Augustin and Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre from Arc de Triomphe

The next few days in Paris were a blur.

It was miserably hot, again, for the first two days. We walked loads and both of us ended up with blisters on our feet. Probably more from the swelling of our feet rubbing. I was fortunate enough to get blisters between my big and index toes on both feet. Amanda got them on top from her flip flops.

Paul at Basilique Cathédrale Saint-Denis

Ornate tomb of Catherine de’ Medici and Henry II

St Denis crypt containing the black marble tombs of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, and others of the family

But it was quite the couple of days in Paris.

We hit all the big sites, except the Pantheon.

Arc de Triomphe, Place de la Concorde, Place de la Bastille, Champs-Elysees, Montmartre, L’Opera, Saint Denis Cathedral, Basilique du Sacre-Coeur, Louvre, Tuileries Gardens, Invalides, Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame de Paris, and Palais Versailles. I am sure that is not even a full list. But we saw them, and much of Paris in between.

Since it is late here, only a few highlights. Amanda got to see the sun set from the top of the Eiffel Tower on the longest day of the year. I was there too. How romantic is that? We had a fancy, full french meal before ascending the Eiffel’s nearly 700 steps to the second stage. Mine included deep fried turkey and marinated (basically pickled) red peppers. I probably could have done without the peppers. My baklava was amazing!

We climbed more than 1000 steps between Notre-Dame and the Eiffel Tower in one day. On other days we climbed Montmartre and a whole list of other stairs. Add to that the oppressive heat, and some days we were about as good as dead when we got back to our hotel room. Our hotel had no air conditioning!

We enjoyed French pastries every morning and every time Amanda would let us.

We did see the Venis de Milo and Mona Lisa, along with scores too many of other artworks.

The Metro of Paris is wonderful. We could get to nearly anywhere in relative comfort. However, some of them were hot and the air hung with a motor oil smell and greasiness.

Of course we did the visit to Notre Dame. However, since this post is already too long, I will post later regarding Notre Dame and the top of the Eiffel Tower.

We are glad to be back Oostrozebeke, Belgium for a day of laundry and relaxing. Thursday we fly out for Glasgow. Britain, here we come!

Friday, 20 June 2025 by Sagacity

Bern, Switzerland

Hallo from Bern, Switzerland. It has been a verz long daz working our waz through Northern Italz up here to Swityerland. Zes, we are back to a German kezboard+ About the onlz thing reallz noteworthz todaz is that we made a stop over in Milano, oh and Zurich. We will be seasoned train travelers the waz we are going. I cannot forget to mention the endless tunnels as we worked our waz through the breathtaking Alps.

We left the Adriatic humid heat to come to the Alpine drz heat of Bern. Aren`t we luckz?

Helvetia on Bernabrunnen west of Bundeshaus

I know I onlz made passing mention of Venice in our verz short time on the internet there. It was an interesting citz. We enjozed our different Italian meals and some of the sights. However, it was hot and sultrz. We both ended up with blisters on our feet and enough swass for the rest of our lives. It is the worst laid out citz on the planet. Between the canals and small allezs, we never knew if we were coming or going. There were manz wonderful things there, but neither of us think we will go back.

Bern has to be our favorite citz so far.

Dresden is definitelz a match, but unfortunatelz war removed most of its everz daz walk of life.

Bern was fortunate to maintain and hold most of its medieval roots.

We are learning a new currencz here.

We were feeling rich believing the dollar was worth more than the Swiss Franc, but we are feeling poor watching how much higher everzthing is priced.

Tomorrow we hit the temple and start the long, long, long, long, long train ride to Paris.

Thursday, 19 June 2025 by Sagacity

Venice, Italy

Just a quick update. Internet here costs us roughly $10 an hour, so we are using as little time as possible.

We are in Venice. We arrived safely here from Salzburg.

Some waiting gondolas. We couldn’t justify the price…

We arrived in the afternoon and wandered until the sun went down.

Right on the Adriatic Sea, we are feeling the heat and humidity. I am loving it, Amanda not so much so.

Last night, I had real Italian pizza and Amanda had real Italian pasta.

This is not an alley. Some of the walks to homes are quite small.

Amanda with Statue of Nicolò Tommaseo in Campo Santo Stefano

We are living the life of luxury.

Looking at Santa Maria della Salute in the distance from Ponte dell’Accademia

We are in a nice little flat right off campo (miniature piazza) named Campo Santa Margherita and the place buzzes at all times of the day.

Chiesa del Santissimo Redentore across the water

Me and Abbazia di San Giorgio Maggiore across the way

Me on the steps of Basilica Santa Maria della Salute

Of course we had to visit the world famous Doge Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica.

Another narrow alleyway in Venice eating gelato

We finished the day off with an authentic pizza in a quaint little piazza outside our hostel. We had some amazing gnocchi in a little restaurant in Venice run by some Asians! The whole world is a melting pot!

Wednesday, 18 June 2025 by Sagacity

Salzburg to Venice

There is not a whole lot to share I think manz would be familiar with.

We did get a ride up to the Hohensalzburg, see the big main churches here in Salzburg, and visit the birthplace and home of Mozart. Those were definitelz interesting.