Week ending August 26 2012

I am having a hard time getting started today.  I have been reading my email and all the comments about the Grays Lake Reunion and am feeling homesick.  Then talked with Julie yesterday and told her Braydon’s grandparents are leaving for home the 5^th of Sept. and are already to go.  She asked if I was ready and I told her I better not be or it would be a long year to go.  I definitely miss everyone and all the things that are going on.  I would like to be there for them.  I am busy enough though that for the majority of the time I don’t think about it.

We had a catch up week last week finishing jobs that you don’t have time for all the time. Now this week will be departing, arriving, transfer week and we will put in some long days again.  It is fun to see those going home greet long time no see friends from the mission field that have served in different areas.  Then some parents come and it is fun to see their reunion with their son or daughter.  We will have more this time since we have several from England going home.

We had a fun time with the sisters Friday night after the mirror collision on our way home.  Elder Rasmussen had walked home and so we let Sister Vance drive the car since she wants to drive and they don’t have a car and I prefer not driving.  She has only driven a couple of times before and she still likes to hug the left hand side.  She almost hit a mirror before, but this time she did.  It was sure scary.  I am jumpy now riding in the car again.  We are all ok and the owner of the other car was real nice.  He didn’t want to call the police or get insurance involved as the cost would increase.

After we arrived home, they helped me cook a Mexican dinner and then we ate and played Canasta. 

We went touring with them on Saturday to the North.  Our first stop was Dumferline to visit the Charity shops.  Both Sisters were anxious to buy a kilt to make a scrapbook.  They were both successful.  While we were there they were having a festival, so we'll share with you part of the "parade".

 

 Our next stop was the House of Dun which is in the northeast corner of Scotland.  The home was very nice.  On the outside were some trees that were over a hundred years old and very stately.  They reminded us of the redwoods in California.

 

 

The House itself was very nice, a "small" country home.

 

We really enjoyed the gardens.  We were especially impressed with the fruit trees that grew on the side of the wall.

 

On Sunday we enjoyed at Falkrik and then after dinner today we went to the National Botanical Gardens to walk around and enjoy the beauty and relax.

 

Glad to hear of the mission call to Albania Corryne.  We are excited for you.

Glad we have our internet service and have Skype.  We have been able to catch a few of you on line.

Have a great weekend next week.  Say hello to everyone for me at the reunion and they have to plan another one after I get home to go.

Glad to hear another school year has or is starting for you and hope it is a great one.

We love you.

Elder and Sister Rasmussen

Week ending August 4 2012

Wow a week of August is almost over.  Time is going by fast.

The main events of this week were: Ross’s baptism, saying goodbye to the Grahams, handling the office without them, and going to the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and the Fringe Festival.

President and Sister Brown, the Grahams, Sisters Price and Vance, and Bill and I went out to dinner on Monday night at the Carvery for their farewell dinner since they couldn’t be there on Saturday.

Tuesday morning Bill and I went over to the Grahams apartment and helped them carry down their boxes  to load in the car.  It makes me wonder how we are ever going to get home in only two suitcases. 

Then they came in and we worked on last minute things they wanted finished.  It was also a day to prepare the taco soup lunch for Zone and District leaders training.  The Grahams left at noon as goodbyes and tears were shared.  We really love and admire this couple and are glad that our lives have touched.

Friday was the first day of Tattoo.  Elder and Sister Hambelton, the Sisters and Bill and I all went to dinner together and then went to downtown Edinburgh to walk around some of the Fringe activities.    We picked up a booklet 374 pages long of activities taking place in the city during August. There is everything you can think of.  We watched a little of some dancing, a knife juggling act with the man balanced on containers maybe 5 feet off the ground, story tellers, and many more that we walked by as we only had 45 minutes.  There were all kinds of things being sold, and booths like at our state fairs. The cab driver told us that the population of Edinburgh is about 700,000 until August when it swells to 1 million.  Many residents go on holiday and rent out their home.  There are streets blocked off and activities and performers all up and down the streets and in lots of churches and buildings. 

Then the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo takes place for three weeks.  It has a cast of about a thousand people.  They put up seating for seven to eight thousand people to view it and expect over 200,000 thousand people to attend during that time.  It is truly an amazing experience.  As you can tell from this picture we were in the nose bleed section, yet it worked out to be an ideal location because we could see everything and we could actually stand to take pictures.

Just to give you a taste of the music, here's a wee clip:

And our favorite group was the Top Secret Drum Corps from Basel Switzerland

Saturday we went and helped Hambelton’s move to their new flat, took the sisters out to see  the Newhailes home and garden that we had been to before.  Then we took them shopping and came home to paint a wall and pack some more boxes in preparation for our own move on Tuesday.

Last Sunday Ross was baptized.  We hurried back from Falkirk so we could attend the Baptizm.  What a wonderful experience to  see the room packed with people there to witness it.  Elder Graham gave a wonderful talk and then baptized him.  What a way to end your mission.  Now Ross will be confirmed this Sunday.  We will not be able to attend that as we will be in our own meetings in Falkirk.

We hope you are having a wonderful Sabbeth Day doing what our Heavenly Father and Jesus would want you to be doing.  We are attending our meetings, having a Presidency meeting for YW, going to Sister McFeat’s home for dinner and then out on a teaching visit with the Elders in Falkirk.  Hope to catch some of you at least on Skype after that.  We will only have Skype at the office after we move out of here until it is installed in our new flat on the 23^rd of August, so look for us in the early mornings your time  if you need to talk to us.

We love you all so much.  Love, Elder and Sister Rasmussen