Week ending December 18, 2011

Last Sunday, we delivered Swedish bread to three of the eight flats in our section of the building.  The rest were not home.  We got one during the week but that was mostly because we were gone or had company.  Monday, I made my second batch just before bedtime.

Tuesday we left work with the wind really blowing hard again.  It wasn’t as strong as last week but there was still a travel advisory out.  We called the Branch President to ask how it was over his way.  He felt we should just call Mutual off.  So we spent the evening cleaning and baking bread.

Wednesday I went to work but suddenly had sharp stomach pains like the flu or food poison.  I stayed at work for about an hour and a half, but after losing my breakfast Bill brought me home and I stayed in bed until around 2:00.  I was feeling much better by then.  That was a good thing because that evening we had Elder and Sister Clark coming to stay with us for three nights.  Also we had tickets to go to The King and I with about seventeen missionaries that had arrived for Senior Missionary Conference.  The play was wonderful.  It was well cast with some strong beautiful singing voices.  They used their scenery well also.  The only problem was we just missed our bus and at that time of night the next one was a half hour wait.  Needless to say, it was a late night.

Thursday we arrived at the Mission Home and packed our own picnic lunch.  Then we traveled to Glamis Castle which was about an hour and a half away to the north.  The castle is still being lived in today.  It is beautiful and is all decorated for Christmas. 

To keep the Castle open they allow tours.  The section on the left with the armor was built in the 800's.  The dining area was built in the 1800's.  In addition to the revenue from the tours they are also a working cattle ranch with Highland cattle.  The cattle have a double layer to skin which allows them to stay warm in the winters.

We ate our lunch in the cars on our return trip back to the Mission Home.  We had a couple of workshops that afternoon followed by a potato bar for dinner. Then Elder and Sister Matthews presented a fireside on their mission in Nigeria.  They had an exciting and scary mission having been shot at two different times.  They loved the people and their faith and willingness to be taught.  They would go back to Africa again without a second thought.

Friday there were more workshops and presenters.  We learned about the Centers for Young Adults and the impact they are having on the 18-30 year olds in areas on this side of the world where the church is not as strong.  We also have a couple who have just opened an Employment Center to assist people in upgrading or getting a job.

We ate at the Carvery which is like a buffet in the States.  This was followed by a fireside with Elder Stephen Kerr who is an Area Seventy .  What a dynamic man!  He used two of the Christmas Tabernacle programs from previous years as the background of his talk. 

Saturday we had a fantastic lesson on the difference between having a testimony and being truly converted to Jesus Christ and the atonement from President Griffiths.  Then we had a testimony meeting and Sister Griffiths bore her testimony.  We have the best mission couple you could ever have.  I will truly miss them when they leave in July.

Our last speaker was Elder Craig T. Wright who is also one of the Area Seventies.  Just when you think it couldn’t compete with what we have had, it did.

We went to Falkirk after the conference for their Christmas music and spoken word.  Imagine a whole evening of acapella singing by members.  We had no one there that could play the piano.  I excited I am to hear that some of the grandchildren want to take piano lessons.  It will be so useful on their missions.  How I wish I had continued and could now play.

Today I used the Churches new videos of the birth of Jesus for my lesson.  I am so impressed with them.  The girls were so caught in the story.  Thank you for this new endeavor by the church to make new videos for the church.  Bible Videos - The Life of Jesus Christ

December 11, 2011

Monday’s family home evening lesson was the one given by President Boyd K. Packer in the October Conference entitled “Counsel to Youth”.  In light of our callings we felt it appropriate.  We have our work cut out for us we noticed as we met with them on Sunday and Tuesday.  There are about five or six in both YM and YW. Most are related to each other as brother and sister or cousin which can have its pluses and minuses. We are looking forward to the rewards and challenges.

This week also brought the dreadful word “rework”. Blurry pictures Bill took and I missed that Salt Lake found.  They warned us when we were there we all would have rework, but somehow or other you hoped you would luck out and not have any. 

Wednesday was a normal day with no surprises

Thursday started just like any morning weather wise. Of course daylight arrives after we are hard at work about 8:30 or so.  It was partly sunny and some wind. One of the ladies did walk in saying they were already closing some schools all day and others at noon because of wrong wind warnings.  By 10:30 on the radio the police were asking everyone to go home early because of predicted winds of up to 100 mph.  It was supposed to hit in the early afternoon.  We only live 10 minutes or less from work and we cross no bridges to get home, so we didn’t think we would be impacted much.  We though the power might go off, but we have food, water, warm clothing and blankets, and the flashlight Mike sent with us that we had used once when the power had gone out early one morning for seven minutes.  Our boss lives in Livingston which is about a half hour away and you do use a bridge the way he usually goes.  So after lunch they advised him to go home.  At about 1:15 they came around and advised all of us to leave so they could close the building.  They said on the street there was a good sized limb that broke off and blocked the sidewalk.  So we came home early.  I used the time to make cookies to take to reward missionaries who had a clean apartment for our Saturday Flat inspections.  We suffered no major damages in our area but the usual shingles, downed sections of fences and trees, etc.  The same type of damage Davis County, Utah suffered the week before.  However, on the west coast the wind was blowing so strong it caused a wind turbin to burst into flames.

Saturday we arose to soft beautiful snow falling with about three inches on the ground.  It looked like a White Christmas.  We debated about calling and telling the Elders and Sisters we were not coming because they were about one and a half hours away.  After prayer we decided to go forward with our plans unless we discovered the roads to be slick under the snow.  We were glad we did.  After slower going, snow packed roads for the first 45 minutes, the snow was gone and we only had wet roads for the rest of the day including our return trip to Edinburgh.  We visited the towns of Kilmarnock, Irvine, and Ayr, all on the western side of Scotland.  We enjoyed meeting the Elders and Sisters and seeing where they lived.  We found their flats to be in pretty good shape so we shared with them a plate of cookies and goodies. 

As a side benefit of the trip I found all I had been looking for in the shopping we did between visits and after we were through.  Who knew peppermint candy canes would be hard to find. I also found a couple of sweaters that will come in handy for Mutual night.

I also had made Swedish bread Friday night to rise over night.  I braided it Saturday morning and put it in the guest bedroom to rise while we were gone. I came home to bake it that evening.  So we have now made our first batch of Swedish bread to share with our neighbors.  Christmas is almost here.

Bill and I have worked hard on our lessons for today and hopefully they will be successful.  Thanks Natalie for the links.  I am using a suggestion found on Sugardoodle of the parable of the popper and popcorn to help with the lesson on dependability. 

Sunday evening at 5:30--the lessons are over and went well.  Who knew popcorn is also a rarity in the Scotland.  We found the kernels in a grocery store, and Costco has the microwave variety.  We found out the only place they get it is when they go to the cinema (movie theater).  They loved it with white chocolate drizzled over it.  I thought of you Julie as I was doing it.

We came home and went for our usual walk for exercise--a walk up the big hill.  It only took 55 minutes today rather than an hour.  We’re both getting stronger.  Guess what I saw blooming in someone’s yard -- a daffodil!  How things change in one day.  Today is cloudy and warm.  All the snow is gone and the lawns are green and beautiful, and so with warmer temperature and a daffodil is it winter or spring?  We love it here.

We hope all of you are having a great week.  We hope to hear from lots of you as we have this last week.  We know of your prayers for us and feel of your love.

Week ending December 3

What a week.  It started with Bill being called as First Counselor in the Young Men’s organization on Sunday morning before church and then sustained in Sacrament Meeting.  There are six young men that attend church on a regular basis.

We were invited to Brother and Sister Dickson’s home for Family Home Evening and dinner on Monday along with the other Elders.  What a wonderful dinner it was.  Some of the best lasagna I have ever had with wonderful garlic bread and then a jelly, fruit, and cream dessert.  We gave a lesson on Family History and the Elders on praying for friends to invite to hear about the gospel.  The Dickson’s have only been married since July.  It is a second marriage for both.  Soon after they were married Brother Dickson went in to have his esophagus stretched and all went wrong.  They put a hole in it and the follow up surgery almost killed him.  He had a few near death experiences and then spent nine weeks in the hospital recovering.  He said it was a good experience because he feels nearer to God than he ever had in his life.  We had a great evening there.

Tuesday we went back to Falkirk for mutual.  I went with to attend the Young Women’s in Excellence Program, while Bill met with the young men and shared a lesson on their priesthood duties.

Wednesday, Bill went out with the Elders for a visit and I got Christmas letters and package ready to mail.  In regards to packages, please do not send us any.  It is too expensive as we have learned from sending one and receiving one.  Please write us emails and we will Skype for Christmas.  It will be the best gifts we can get from you.  If you love us please do this.  We have everything we need here and are really not missing any things from home.

Thursday we had the delightful experience of going to the play Beauty and the Beast as a pantomime.  We didn’t know it was a pantomime when we got the tickets or we probably wouldn’t have got them.  We found out that a pantomime is not what we think of.  It is like a melodrama where the audience gets involved booing and cheering.  It is usually a children’s play and done around Christmas.  We loved it and would have liked to take all of you to it.

Friday Bill went out with the missionaries again.

Saturday we went and visited Rosslyn Chapel.  It is the chapel that was mentioned in Dan Brown’s book The Di Vinci Code.  Construction of the Chapel began in 1446.  It was built by Sir William St. Clair for his family to attend and be buried in. 

He wanted it to be a teaching place as well so all the carvings are telling Bible Stories.  The whole building is built of stone and for that reason is still standing and in use today.  There are hundreds of stone carvings throughout the Chapel.  Stories from the Old and New Testament are carved in stone.

This carving represents the birth of Christ.  There are 41 pages of information in one reference alone on the internet and hundreds of books written about this Chapel.  One of the mysteries associated with the chapel was the several images that seemed to be associated with music.  Just recently a father and son team was able to “break the code” and discover the song.   It was fascinating.

Today President Paterson asked us to come early so he could visit with me.  I was called and sustained as First Counselor in Young Women’s.  So all of you who are serving there also, I will appreciate any suggestions, websites, ideas for activities and lessons that you have.  It has been several years since I have worked with young women.

We also had our first snow this morning.  We had about an inch of snow.  Now it is gone on the roads for the most part but when we went out to walk a few minutes ago a man almost slipped and fell right in front of us.  It was enough to scare me and so we came back inside.

We have our tree up and decorated, and stockings hanging in the window. 

We hope you too are getting ready for the holidays and have a great week.