Back to Scotland

Dearest Family and Great Friends,

We hope this letter finds you all well and happy.  We know as spring arrives in full measure, the pace of life increases for you--so we hope that life is treating you all well.  We also have so much to share this week and hope we can begin to give you a glimpse of the great week we have had.

To start the week, (Tuesday) we had a wonderful All-Ireland Zone Conference here in Dublin.  This was a first for us, and probably a first for all of the other couples as well.   We all really enjoyed getting together and being with the young Sisters and Elders and feeling the spirit of the work.   The Mission President is always a treat to hear and the young Elders do a great job too.  During the lunchtime we did a mini exit-training for one of the sisters going home soon, so we didn't get to mingle quite as much as we would have liked, but it was a good chance to help her get ready to go back to home, to school, and get work.  There is a careful concern that the young missionaries make the transition home smoothly and keep the spiritual momentum they have attained on their missions, and apply it to the temporal concerns they will resume.   Self Reliance is the perfect program to help them--and we love working with these incredible young people. 

 

The Ireland Conference lasted most of the day, which was more than we expected, so we felt a little pressure getting ready for the rest of the week ahead.  We have been really busy lately and with classes every night, we had a lot to do to get substitutes and details taken care of to leave for the Mission-wide Couples Conference in Edinburgh, Scotland, but it was really worth it!  We flew out with all the Ireland Senior Couples on Wednesday noon, were picked up at the airport, and went to the Mission Home where everyone was gathering.  We already knew all but one of the couples who serve in Ireland, but we enjoyed getting to meet all the other couples serving in Scotland and had such a wonderful time.   It was so fun to see the Mission Home and Edinburgh again.   The purpose of the conference was not so much to train us, but to give us the chance to feel the support of each other and share experiences and faith, ---and it served its purpose well!

 

Sister Donaldson had felt the value of hosting the event and did so much to make it a success. It was held at the Mission Home, but most of us stayed in a nearby hotel.  Our room by the way, was grand---bigger than our whole apartment here and much nicer!  We were so lucky because most of the rooms were not that great.  When we arrived on Wednesday afternoon we had nice snacks, then a few workshops to start.  The couple from Scotland over Self Reliance and we presented  a workshop together on SR for the purpose of having the other couples of the Mission be able to help in their areas.  They seemed quite willing and it will be a great support. 

 

Most of the "workshops" were more for fun and social interaction, but the President and Sister Donaldson also did a blend of fun and spiritual presentations that made it a wonderful time.  On Thursday we all took a river cruise on the Firth of Forth that was such a nice time.  We saw great scenery, and learned a lot of the history and facts of the area.  We sailed under 3 enormous bridges:  one a big rail bridge, another a car bridge, and third that was being built to relieve the traffic pressure, so that ultimately there will be one bridge for each direction of traffic.  These are huge, Golden Gate size structures with big ocean vessels coming and going constantly.  It was a wonderful rare sunny day ---and we were so lucky to have them pay for everything and take us. 

 

After the cruise, there were choices of activities, and we decided to go with those who went to see the Queen's Yacht, the Britannia.  It was much larger than we expected--more like the size of a smaller cruise ship, but not nearly as fancy as we expected.  It was built in 1953 and we reflected on the idea that in our lifetime, the most elegant royal ship would not be very impressive to us because of the incredible materialism that the world is now used to.  It also is an indication that although the yacht is no longer in commission, the Queen has not been overly worried about opulence.  To them it was just a good trip away from home--and we think not nearly a fun as the houseboat.  The dining room was quite impressive, and should be because they said it took 6 hours to set the table perfectly.  Could that be because the waves just kept making the dishes and crystal slide around?  We can't imagine how they could maintain a set of such precious dinnerware on the ocean!

 

By late afternoon everyone gathered again in the Mission Home and we had a nice meal again and a farewell fireside time.  Then we hurried and caught our flight back to Dublin.  We scored lucky again, because for us, this was home and for some the trip was another 2-3 hours drive, making their return as late as 3:00 am!

 

We were grateful we didn't have to be that tired because the rest of the weekend was pretty tightly scheduled.  We spent Friday making sure we had all the "pieces in place" for the eight presentations we had ahead on Saturday and Sunday.  Early Saturday morning we drove to Limerick for a District Conference.  Mom spoke at the Relief Society Conference and later met with all the RS Presidents.  It was a special time to be able to just share with the women and discuss how SR applies to them.  Dad met and spoke with the Priesthood, and afterwards with the Branch Presidents.   

 

Following Limerick we drove to Galway, 2 hours away and met with a returning missionary there for a few hours, then took them to get a quick dinner before they had to go teach again.  They had just had 6 mission leaders come to help them "find" for a day.  The result was over 70 appointments for them to follow up on.   Some of the investigators of course don't show up, but we learned the next day that this one was "golden". 

 

We, on the other hand, went to get a quiet meal and a hotel.  We really felt a tender mercy when we tried the recommended hotel and found its summer rates were in effect and the going price was now $230!   We told them we didn't want to pay that much and could they suggest another hotel, so they showed us a room for $100.  LUCKY again, because our other efforts were not even finding a room within 50 miles!  They even offered the expensive breakfast at no charge!  On top of that we got the last table at the restaurant we went to.  The people right after us were turned away.   Galway is a nice little resort city and it was so busy because the weather had been beautiful for two days. 

 

On Sunday we spoke in Sacrament Meeting, and  helped with a branch council training, then had to leave to drive 2 hours to Mullingar for a Devotional.  When we got in Mullingar we learned that the meeting had been postponed for a week--but we didn't mind because we still had our Sunday night class in the Dublin area.  We got home in time to get a bite to eat before we went and were much more ready to carry on.  After our class we stayed for a nice Priesthood Restoration Fireside and were able to visit more with the great saints in this excellent ward.  We met some investigators at the Clondalkin Ward who are staying in a refugee "camp" nearby - actually a converted hostel that is more like a detention home.  We have been thinking of ways to help them, and may be able to do some self-reliance teaching there.

 

This letter may seem a little disjointed because it is so late, but it is Monday night, which means English class in our home.  Tonight the class consisted of 6 Brazilians with a wide range of English proficiency.  Never a dull moment around here.

 

We are loving this Work, and are so grateful for the blessings we have that allow us to be here.  We recognize the hand of the Lord so many times each day in the "small" miracles that we witness continually.  We have decided that the so-called "small" miracles let us know that the Lord is involved in our lives almost more than the bigger, more dramatic, ones.  Either way, we are grateful for our testimonies and for the opportunity to witness the Lord's love for all of His children, including us.  Among our greatest blessings are our friends and family.  We can say honestly that we could not be serving this mission without the support and love of each of you.

 

May the Lord bless you in every way.

 

Love,

Grandma and Grandpa, Mother and Dad, Lynne and Lanette 

 

 Senior Couples at the long table for dinner in the Mission Home. 

 Looking out the window of our hotel at tennis and lawn bowling fields

 

 Our hotel room in Edinburgh was bigger and far nicer than our whole flat in Dublin! Luxury fun. 

Beautiful plaster work in the ceilings of our hotel room

 

Again looking out the window of our hotel room.  Edinburgh is a very clean and pretty city.

 The railway bridge over the Firth of Forth.  A short story about this bridge:  In WWII a big ship was coming in from the sea up the river and needed directions.  The message was to come under the Forth Bridge and turn right.  The ship came under the bridge and counted it "one" but could not find the next three bridges and ran aground with several fatalities. 

 

 Our cute Mission President Donaldson on our river cruise.

 A awrm day for seal sunning.

 This island was used defensively by building structures on the island that made it look like a naval battleship.

 A small island where we turned around.  The ancient Abbey is now there to explore.

 Closer view of the ancient Abbey.

 Sister Donaldson prepared to be on the outside deck for the river cruise.

 hard to see, but one little island that had several little gnomes on the rock ledges

 The rail bridge (front) and the motorway bridge behind.

 A view of the three bridges:   the rail, the motorway, and the second motor bridge in construction.

 When the second motor bridge is complete, traffic will be one direction on each bridge.

 The massive work being done to construct the bridge--is right over the open water and so high up!

 Hard to see in the photo, a lego model of the Queen's yacht, Britannia.  1953-1996

 Some of the Senior Couples after the river cruise.

 The Queen's bedroom on the yacht.  We though it would be so much more elaborate.

 The yacht's formal sitting room for receptions, opens into the dining room.

 Workers sleeping quarters--is very much military austere.

 The Yacht's dining room--the most impressive of all.

 They said it took 6 hours to set the table because every piece of dinner service had to be at precision distances.

A memorial to one of  Britannia's sailing crew.