Week ending May 27 2012

My thoughts are again on Memorial Weekend and all the past ones.  Memorial Day has always been a big day in my life.  We always went to the cemetery to decorate the graves of loved ones.  Mom and Grandma had flowers from their garden that we would cut and take with us.  Dad would find the cans and we would cover them with aluminum foil or other wrappings.  We would go over the hill to Soda and stop and get wild flowers along the way.  When we got to Soda and had picked Grandma up, we would head to the cemetery. We would clean off the headstones and make them look nice. We would arrange the flowers, and dad would stake them down with coat hanger wire or other wire.  As we went from grave to grave we would hear about that person and why we were putting flowers there.  Memorial Day was always on the 30^th of May.  It was on Grandma Oberg’s birthday.  We always saw lots of relatives and friends there also and it was a great day for visiting with people we hadn’t seen for a while and those we saw all the time.  We would spend most of the morning there.  Although I never met my Grandfather Oberg or my Great Grandparents, I learned about them.  Now how I wish I had asked more questions and got to know them better.  We always decorated their graves, and then over the years added more and more to the list.  Sometimes we would just add a flower or two to a vase that was already there, as the number grew of those we wanted to remember.  There were always more than we had flowers for, but as we walked by their plot memories were shared.

After we finished we would go either to the park or Grandma’s to have a picnic lunch and celebrate Grandma’s birthday.  This was the beginning of summer for me, although many a times it still felt like winter and would even snow on us.

When they changed Memorial Day to the last Monday in the month of May it changed the tone.  Then people would decide which day they wanted to come, Saturday, Sunday, or Monday because it was now a three day weekend and more of a vacation day.  We didn’t see as many people when we went.  It wasn’t Grandma’s birthday most of the time.  Yet it was better because we were able to get more family together as it was a 3 day holiday.  We still remember it as a day to honor our loved ones.  I miss being there this year, but I am still remembering and honoring them here.

This week began with a Standards Night on Sunday evening.  Our Stake President was the speaker and said it was the most difficult talk he had ever prepared.  He did an excellent job with it and hopefully the youth were listening and learning.  He used the song Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes to help illustrate a point.  You may touch between the head and shoulders, and the knees and toes, but avoid touch between the shoulders and knees.  We were spiritually fed that night as youth and adults.

Tuesday we practiced and decorated for our “Falkirk Has Talent Night” to raise money for the youth week temple trip in July.  They do have talent.  Wednesday we had all kinds of talent displayed.  One lady played the spoons clicking them together and hitting different parts of her body…we loved it.  We also had the youth singing, dancing, playing the drums and guitar.  Our Elders even got in the act.  One did a yo-yo demonstration and then they also had a wheelbarrow Jell-O slurping contest.  They supported their upper body up with their arms while another person held up their legs.  Then they slurped Jell-O out of a container to see which one could finish first.  We heard from Barbara who was our MC and then she sang.  She was the one who was recently on the TV program “The Voice” competing to become the Voice for the United Kingdom.  It is like our program, America has Talent.  She didn’t make it all the way to the top but made it a long way.  The night ended with most of the youth dancing to the song Thriller.                                    

My talent was baking Cinnabuns, rice krispie treats, and cookies, and taking them to sell for refreshments.  Cinnabuns were new to them and didn’t sell at first.  I had taken five round cake pans with seven rolls in it.  One man bought one and took it to his car to take home and eat.  He tasted it outside and came in and bought another one, getting down on his knees and bowing to me saying one pan wasn’t enough.  Then the rest went quickly.  I had made 11 pans and baked them at the Mission Home.  So we ate one there, I gave one to the Grahams, our cleaning lady Frances, The Mission President, and the Elders.  One pan got too brown so we kept it and took five to sell. .

Saturday we left at 6:30 to make our run to the west coast to do flat inspections.  We do them once every transfer.  We enjoy it so much because we get to visit with the Elders and our one apartment of Sisters. Then we are off to explore the area.  This time we went to a beautiful area.  Adell and Lee you have to come back and see it.  It is the Culzean Castle and Country Park.  There is something for everyone to see.  The place is advertised this way in the brochure.

“Welcome to Culzean, former home to the powerful Kennedy family and Scottish masterpiece of architect Robert Adam.  Enjoy being outdoors in a family friendly place with stunning views, great walks and over 6,000 years of history”.

The castle reminded me some of the colors and design in Mount Vernon.  Each room the ceiling and fireplace were designed to show what the room was to be used for.  There were grapevines and flowers in the décor of the dining room, women’s head silhouettes in the bedroom, etc.  It was three stories high and the view from many of the windows was of the sea.

There was the magnificent Oval Staircase which can be used today for your wedding if you want to rent the home and wait until after five and the visitors leave to have your wedding.  For children they have hidden Lego people in most of the rooms to entertain the children on their way through.  They call it the Lego Man Hunt and you get a Lego Man sticker at the end of the tour for finding where they are hidden.

Outside there are gardens to explore and miles of paths to walk through, mixed and historic woodland, along a scenic coastline, and through the woodland garden to the Swan Pond which now is only the home of ducks and cranes.  Here there is also a pagoda where the family kept exotic animals and birds.  There is also a playground for the children, picnic tables, and wonderful ice cream.  There is also a section for camping and trailers.  We were there on one of the hottest, sunniest days we have had here.  In fact it was almost too hot and we were seeking the shady areas.  There were many more areas to explore, but time had run out and we had to be on our way back home.  It was a delightful day.  So from 6:30 to 11:00 we were busy doing our job and from 11:00 until 5:00 we went sightseeing.

Now today we get to go into the Office this afternoon and fix dinner for two sets of Missionary couples that arrived yesterday from the England MTC and are staying here over the weekend and then heading out to their 6 month assignment of serving on the Northern Islands of Scotland with reactivation and teaching new people.  They feel it is too harsh of an environment to keep them there year round.  President and Sister Griffiths are away for a Stake Conference and so the Grahams took Saturday dinner and we have Sunday dinner to serve them and visit with them.  The Mission now is giving us a wide variety of experiences and we love it.

Week ending 20 May 2012

I am going to start with the miracles that occurred this week.  One morning Elder Graham was responsible for the devotional.  He turned to the back cover of the May Ensign to the picture of the Garden Tomb. 

 His opening statement was, “What would have happened if the stone had not moved away and the tomb had not opened.”  He then went on to talk about the miracle that had happened that day.  He made the statement that Jesus was either whom He said He was which is “The Son of God”, the one chosen to give His life for all of us so we can have eternal life by taking on all of our sins in the Garden and then being allowed to be crucified on the cross, or He is the biggest best liar that there ever has been.  He has deceived the whole Christian world into believing that.  He said more but that is the part that stuck with me.  That night as I was saying my prayer I was reviewing the day and I was hit with such a powerful witness that Christ is who He says He is and that He died for me personally.  I am so grateful for my testimony of Christ and the Atonement and the part it plays in my own life.    Hope each of you has or will receive your own testimony of the divinity of Christ.

The next thing that happened was told to me by Sister Graham and so I do not have all the details.  Sister Griffiths called her and said that the lady who said she would do dinner for Zone Conference in Ireland had cancelled out.  So she needed Sister Graham to call Subway and order sandwiches. Sister Graham was having difficulty getting through to Subway and so she called the Zone Leader up there and asked him if he would go and order them and see if he could get a deal of some kind for that large of order.  They went there and placed the order instead of calling because he also could not understand over the phone.  As he was leaving the shop, a man stopped him and asked if he was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  He had just moved there and had met the missionaries where he had been living and so he had been looking for the Church and had not found it.  The Elders now have someone to teach because someone cancelled their catering assignment, Sister Graham couldn’t get the order placed over the phone, and they went to Subway in person to place the order.

We were left to mind the office alone most of Thursday and all of Friday.  President and Sister Griffiths and the Assistants were in Ireland for Zone Conference and Elder and Sister Graham went with the released sisters we replaced to sight see and ride an old fashioned steam train in the northern part of Scotland.  So we were left in charge and it was a miracle that for the most part we were able to do ok.  I called Sister Graham once about a reimbursement that an Elder was not sure he had already turned in and been paid for, and Elder Graham was called on an accident to a car bumper and how to handle it.  Also just as we were getting ready to leave Friday afternoon the security system alarm went off and we had to call to find out how to handle that.  So all in all we got lots done and felt good about our efforts on our own with Heavenly Father’s help.

It had been a cold rainy week all week and so it looked like Saturday was going to be the same.  We were ready to just stay home, clean and relax.  But Saturday morning it was cloudy and not raining and it sounded like that would be the case all day.  So about 11:00 we took off to see the palace in Falkland, which is about 40 miles away.  As you can see, it turned out to be a beautiful sunshiny day after all and was warmer then expected.

 The palace was fixed up in the 1500’s by King James.  It was to be their hunting lodge/palace.  Unfortunately it was burned by the forces of Robert Cromwell in the 1600’s and started to fall into ruins. 

The Keeper, or caretakers section had been fixed up in the 1800’s.   It was fully furnished and has a Keeper as a caretaker to this day.  His “apartments” are furnished with both 18^th century and more modern day furnishings mixed together.  It’s really interesting. 

Falkland also has the oldest tennis court in the United Kingdom.  We saw the court where “Royal” Tennis began and is the only Royal Tennis court of its’ kind and age still in existence. Royal tennis is much different than the tennis we see played today.  They actually use the roof over the spectator area to play the ball off of, and they can play with the ball even if it bounces a few times.

The Royal Gardens were also wonderful to wander in.

The next stop of the day was at a Tea Room where we enjoyed Scotch Broth with Soda Bread followed by Strawberry rhubarb tart for Bill and I had Strawberry Meringue with cream and ice cream.  All was delicious.

Today we enjoyed our Sunday at Falkirk.  We were again invited to Sister McFeat’s home next Saturday on our way back from doing flat inspections.  Sister Davies offered to put names on the Temple list for us when she goes to the temple this week and also is making us an afghan in our favorite colors.  She calls it a crocheted blanket.  We are getting better acquainted and love the branch members.  They are making us feel at home there.

This evening we will be attending a Standards Evening for the Youth, youth leaders, and parents.  It is hard to have to stay indoors today because we are again having a beautiful day with lots of sunshine.  It sounds like we may get a week of such weather.  I hope so.

I will be thinking of you and your adventure in Wayan this weekend for Memorial Day.  My how I wish I could be in many spots at once.  I love and appreciate my parents and grandparents so much for the heritage they gave me.  May I be able to do the same for all of you.

The knowledge that I have of My Savior and what He has done for me and all of you and being able to say as Nephi did,  “I, Julia, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father”.  I love the gospel, I love my membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,  I am grateful that I grew up in a home  where the Priesthood was held by my father and my parents loved us and cared for us.  I am glad I grew up in Grays Lake, Idaho, USA and had the freedoms, friends, and education that the church, school, and country provided.  I never realized how blessed I am until I have visit other parts of our world and lived here.  Be grateful for all that you have.  Know that I love you so much and pray for you daily. 

Week ending 13 May 2012

Life sure has changed from our days spent in the archives.  It really does feel like we are on a different mission.  We put in longer more stressful hours and yet we enjoy the work more. 

Devotionals at the archive was picking up the Book of Mormon and take turns reading a verse from where you left off yesterday.  Now we are given a reference or topic and prepare a devotional on that once or twice a week.  The first week it was on axioms and this week talks from General Conference.  More time and inspiration in preparing for devotional is needed now.

We have windows to see out and can see what the weather is like.  It doesn’t mean we get out of doors more often, but we sure do enjoy our windows.

We have lots more to learn and are being given more assignments daily to learn.  We eat lunch with the others when there are transfers, and trainings going on where we help set the table and cook part of the meal while Sister Griffiths is busy in the training and greeting new missionaries.  Of course that means some cooking and cleaning up is added to the assignment.

We see more of the younger missionaries now as they are in and out of the mission home for those trainings and coming and going.  Also the couple missionaries are in for their mail and supplies so we see them.

The days are much longer now and we arrive a little later in the mornings.  We wouldn’t go back to the archives but are anxious for the time we feel more comfortable with our assignment.  We have heard three months and we will feel more comfortable.  By then we will have a new Mission President and will see how much he changes and runs the mission.

I have been working with Sister Graham a lot this last week to learn some of the things she does so I can move into her position possibly when they go home the end of July.  Bill has been given some extra projects from President Griffiths also.

This weekend we left the mission home just before 7:00 Friday night.  So home, dinner, and relax is all we wanted to do.  Saturday, we left the house later than normal and caught a bus into the city center so we could visit Holyrood Palace and see the new collection.  Only thing was Royal Family Members were also visiting this weekend and the Palace was closed to us.  So we walked the area and saw a garden and a museum and then headed over to a store selling suits so Elder Rasmussen could get a new suit that I wanted him to pick out for his birthday.  So we have no new pictures to share.  Oh that is another difference, nylons and dresses and church clothes everyday like all the other missionaries wear.  No more casual pants.

Last Sunday, Elder and Sister Flynn invited us to dinner at their home.  We knew it was a birthday dinner but was a surprise that Mike and Shirley and family and Jimmy and Margaret from the archives were also coming.  It was a pleasant surprise.

The Assistants to the President sang to me on my birthday and gave me an ice cream bar,  We ate altogether with the Connelly’s and the President and Sister Griffiths and other office staff and had birthday cake and ice cream for my birthday.  I got a beautiful white begonia and a pineapple and some tulips.

For Bill’s birthday we also had dinner, only with the Elders that were in for training and also had brownie and ice cream with a candle and singing.  He received two books about Edinburgh history and Scottish cooking.  So we both had wonderful birthdays.

We have had a cold, wet week with lots of rainy days.  Yesterday was nice and today is rainy with gale winds as they call it.  A lot of our trees are losing their blossoms.  It has been so beautiful here with the trees and bushes in bloom as well as more and more flowers.

Today is Mother’s Day in America but not here and so it really doesn’t seem like Mother’s Day.  No mention made of it at church and so only Bill said Happy Mother’s Day.  Of course you have said it to me as I have spoken to you this week.  Thanks so much.

Mother’s Day is a special day for me.  It is my favorite calling and one I will never be released from.  I love being a wife, mother and grandmother.  I am so grateful to my Heavenly Parents for their plan and my opportunity of belonging to a wonderful family with special parents and grandparents.  I hope I can be as great as they were in teaching me.  I hope all the women in my life will feel honored to have this experience.

Week ending May 5, 2012

I missed writing last week.  Life got too busy and I didn’t find the time to do it.  It seems like so long ago that I am not sure I will remember all that happened to make it so busy.  The office is much more demanding of our time and alertness than the archive was.  There is so much to learn and Sister Wallace was in and out all week because of a tooth problem.  She saw six or seven dentists in less than two weeks’ time.  With their health system, you do not have one dentist that you see.  The dentist that is on call or not busy is the one you go to and she had to keep going to the dentist.  She also spoke to a couple of the Elders here who had been dentists at home. 

We went to Galashiels with her on Saturday to take some of her things home.  She was the one that is from Scotland serving a six month mission to replace a sister who went home early.  This was the second time she had filled in.  We offered to help her take some of her things home.  We went and saw Melrose Abbey near her home while we were there.

This week started with Elders and a Sister arriving from Ireland on Monday evening.   We had a farewell dinner for the two office sisters, a senior couple, and a birthday party for Bill and I and a couple of other missionaries with all of the senior couples in this area on Monday night.  The other departing missionaries came in on Tuesday morning to spend their last time in the Mission Home before going home Wednesday morning.  Tuesday night we helped with a farewell dinner for all of the missionaries going home and those parents who had come to pick up their sons.  There were over thirty people in attendance at the meal.  It reminded me of the holidays in Wayan.

Early Wednesday morning the missionaries left and around two in the afternoon the new ones arrived from the MTC in Provo, and yes Adell, I met Elder Brown.  We had a dinner for them Wednesday night and then they went to different places to spend the night.  We had two stay with us.

Thursday was spent getting them trained, interviewed, and set up with their companion.  This involved another lunch.  Most left Thursday night for their areas except those going to Ireland, they left Friday morning before we got to work. 

After transfers the work for us really begins.  We have to set up new address sheets, update the presidents’ boards with pictures, send out letters to bishops and stake presidents informing them of the new missionaries in their area, send letters to the parents of newly arriving missionaries, and the normal stuff we do every day.  So we put in lot of extra hours this week.  It was all worth it.  I felt the spirit guiding me many times with things I needed to do, inspiration on how to do things, etc.  I am feeling a little more comfortable each day.

Saturday began with a phone call from Amy telling me she was in the hospital, her water had broken, and Ava was on her way to being born.  She had called Julie and her family was on their way to Pocatello so Julie could be there for her.  How I wished it could have been me. 

We had plans, thank goodness, to spend the day with another couple, the Hambelton’s from Meridian, to show them the Abbey we had visited for a short time last Saturday and then another Abbey not far from there and then an early dinner afterwards.  That made the day go by faster instead of staying home waiting for news. 

Saturday evening arrived and Ava still had not made her appearance.  It was an anxious time for me with all that was happening so far from me and Bill at a Stake Priesthood meeting.  Finally at 10:00 I headed to bed knowing it would still be a while.  I got a one ring signal on our cell phone to let me know to go on Skype and call--Ava had arrived.  Amy and Ava were doing well.  After Ava had her bath and the pediatrician had been in I got to see her.  She is beautiful.  She is healthy and was sleeping peacefully.  Amy and Khalil were relaxing after their ordeal and waiting for the midnight feeding before they got to go to sleep.  Many prayers were offered and answered and the baby and mom are both doing well.  Amy will fill you in on the details I have left out.

If I had known in April what was going to happen this year, I don’t think I would have chosen to serve a mission at this time.  But I still am glad I am serving.   I know we have been truly blessed.  I can’t wait to meet all these new members of our family and get to know them.  Thanksgiving and Christmas will be wonderful having all together again.  Heavenly Father is truly blessing me. Thanks to all who are stepping in to fill my spot.  Families are fantastic.  I love you all so much.  God is at the helm and is directing our lives if we but listen to the Holy Ghost and follow His plan for us.  I know the Gospel is true and that Jesus Christ gave His life so we can return to Him as families.  I picture our parents saying goodbye to these children as they leave their Heavenly Home to come to us, telling them what a fantastic family they are coming to and that they will be loved and cared for and taught the Gospel here.  I Know Heavenly Father loves them very much and chose the best homes for them to be placed in.  Know that we love you so much and pray for you daily.  Be kind to one another and continue to reach out and support each other. 

Love,

Grandma and Grandpa