All I ask of you.....

On Sunday, I got to go to the ward I'll be attending for the next few weeks for the first time.  Everyone there was so friendly and I felt so at home.  It's the only place I've felt completely at home and like I've belonged since I've gotten here.  I also found out that I'm going to be helping out in the Young Women's! I'm so excited to meet, get to know, and work with these teenage girls.  I'm super psyched!

On Monday, after class, Jessica and I went to Hamley's.  Hamley's is this massive 5 floor toy store, similar to FAO Schwartz in New York.  It was definitely a child's dream realized.  It was so much fun!  Although I didn't find the toy I was looking for, they did have really cool Olympics stuff which I was quite excited about (as the photo might suggest).

Wembley was great!

Royal family legos

My pin!

Then, we went to the British Library.  It was fantastic!  We got to see some fantastic original manuscripts. Everything from a Gutenberg Bible, Shakespeare's folio, Jane Austen's writing desk, Handel's Messiah, the Magna Carta, illuminated manuscripts from the entire world, Leonardo Da Vinci's notes on architecture, and so much more!  It was an amazing experience.  The king's bookshelf was also quite impressive.  I couldn't believe how large it was!  I felt like Belle (from Beauty and the Beast) when she first walks into the Beast's library - absolutely blown away.

A very clever title for a cafe outside of the British library

The enormous King's Library

Today, after class, Jessica and I went to Regent's Park.  After walking the park, I now understand why Jane Austen heroines spend so much time walking.  It was absolutely breathtaking!  It was exactly what I needed today.  After being in such a large city for so long, it was amazing to go to a place and escape the city and noise for a while.  Here's just a glimpse of what the park was like:

Also, tonight I went to the Phantom of the Opera. It took me a while to get into it, but by the end I really enjoyed it. The actress who played Christine in particular was fantastic.  The Phantom of the Opera will definitely be in my mind.  The music was really beautiful and has been in my head ever since I left the theater.

Before the show

Evidence of camera hacking (aka taking silly pictures with my camera while I went to the restroom)

After the show