We are now into November, the only month we have not yet had in Ireland. The weather is honestly beautiful! The temperatures are a little cold--but only just below freezing. Yes, freezing. We think we should note that we saw frost in Ireland just this week for the first time ever. Even though we came last year in December, and we had some pretty miserable weather days, we never saw frost ---and we only saw snow from a distance on a hillside. Now we think we are really in winter, but the days are beautiful! Even if the morning starts out below 0 Celsius, the sun has been shining a lot. A few times when we have had our curtains open and the sun is streaming in the patio doors, it actually gets too warm in our little apartment---but only for a few minutes.
The colors of the leaves are starting to be less glorious but only because so many have fallen now. Here at the Churchyard the leaves are falling in beautiful layers and it seems such a shame that there are no grandchildren here to bury in the leaves or make piles to jump in. We have taken a few bits of time to help rake and bag some of the ones on the sidewalk outside the gates, because that is a big thing with the neighbors. And this morning we went out and gathered some of the most gorgeous ones to press as table decorations for the couples conference this week. Some of them were honestly too big to go into an 9x12 book!
We are really looking forward to the Mission Couples Conference this week to be held here in Dublin. Since we are pretty much the only residents of Dublin area, we are doing the recreation and food planning. There will be 24 here--(staying in a hotel) for two days. One day will be for fun and one for meetings. We plan to go out to the ancient burial structure in the morning, eat lunch at the Church here, and then take a city bus tour in the afternoon. The evening will be fun to just mingle and maybe play games. The hardest part of it all is that there are only small refrigerators, and limited equipment---so we are having to be a bit creative with preparing ahead. The mission will cover some of the cost, but since all the other couples are having to pay for their hotels, we decided we would take care of a few of the meals. We think it will be much more fun for everyone to eat together than trying to figure out restaurant meals, and all the Irish couples are helping out by bringing a dessert to share.
We thought of the "Hugs and Hospitality" title because in contrast to the Irish way of serving a meal, we will just do it American buffet style. But we do want to share the Irish way of hosting a dinner. This week we were invited again to some friend's home for Sunday dinner. It was a very welcome invitation because we had such a busy day and a meal would have been pretty basic, but this meal was far from basic. There were two meats, two potatoes, mushy peas, carrots, savory bread dressing, and Yorkshire Pudding (a bread like German pancakes). The hostess, Audrey Cole, served up the plates and they looked like Thanksgiving Day quantities!---and all heavy foods. The "rule" is, only eat what you want to---but that is hard to do when so much work goes into the meal. Then there were two desserts---the one I brought and the one she did too. It was all deliciously too much!
Along with the huge dipped plate of food, the Irish seem so hospitable. Whenever you go to someone's home, or whenever a church meeting starts, the host says "you are very welcome." It is such a minor thing, but it often takes me off guard, and I think, "welcome for what?" I haven't said thank you. And then to greet a friend, it is always the European hug and kiss on the cheek. It is so genuine and warm--but only to friends. The dinner was shared with some cousins of the Coles and it was nice to meet them. The boy, Lehi, 14, was nice young man, who was born without legs. It was fun to see how easily he got around and without a bit of sadness. It made us really think about the things we have without taking a even a moment to appreciate them.
On Sunday our busy day started really on Saturday. We drove the long distance to the little branch in Sligo for a class, then found the Elders apartment and did a "flat check,", and finally drove another long distance on minor roads to another city (Omagh) to stay the night. Early Sunday we went to a Branch Council to organize the starting time for classes, then went to Sacrament Meeting just for the Sacrament, and got on the road to get to the end of a block meeting back down beyond Dublin, where Grandma taught Relief Society. After the lovely dinner we still had a YSA fireside--with refreshments to do for that. We served ice cream cake roll, with chocolate topping--which we were surprised to discover was a new dessert. Perhaps because freezers are typically so small, it must not be practical. Anyway, it was a successful treat.
Other events this week included starting the Health and Well Being class in one of the wards nearby, so we are taking it with the group---not even facilitating it! That feels like progress. We also started a Job Class in a ward that had not been going yet. There are quite a few groups in progress throughout Ireland, but it is fun when a ward gets its first start.
We have been doing Self Reliance for 11 months now, and we wonder if we have done a very good job of summarizing how it works and why it is so important in the Gospel. Self Reliance is the idea that we should all be providing for ourselves and our families, both spiritually and temporally. It is based on the doctrine that the spiritual and the temporal are not separate in Heavenly Father's eyes--that he cares about both parts of our lives, and wants to and does help us when we put our faith in Him. It started out focusing on careers, getting the education we need to get good jobs, or starting our own businesses. Now it has expanded its curriculum to include teaching money management and how to be healthy. The classes are all started with "Foundation" lessons that teach important principles that help us to do our best in life.
The classes are not really taught, but work like a council, with a leader or facilitator. The group works through the lessons together and make commitments to reach the goals they set. The reason it is all so important is that as people attain their goals, they are not only more happy temporally, but also spiritually, because they rely on the help of the Lord and see the source of their blessings. Then with well-balanced priorities, they want to help others. We see it as a significant way to build a Zion people. As saints reach their own goals, they feel hope and then charity to be a light to the world. It fulfills prophesy that Zion will be the light to the world. Anything new, no matter how good, is slow to get started--but we feel so blessed to understand these principles and find such joy as we see others begin to see the greatness as well.
Self Reliance is one way to hasten the building of the Kingdom, but we also really see it as the missionaries stay so busy teaching so many new investigators. We love seeing so many new people being taught and feeling their faith. Our schedules to help teach do not always fit with the needs of the young missionaries, but when they do it is always a thrill. The truth is not hard to see if an investigator is willing to put in a sincere effort. They just read what they can of the Book of Mormon and pray about it and rely on the Spirit to tell them it is true. The Elders and Sisters all have different ways of teaching, but that doesn't matter because the Holy Ghost is actually doing the teaching. It is truly amazing to see the miracles that are happening as the Work is hastening. It's just not possible for new investigators to know everything about the Gospel before they are baptized, so they have to rely on the Holy Ghost to assure them that the Church is true and that baptism is necessary. This all makes sense because the Holy Ghost doesn't teach in the same way that men teach. People who have only an elementary understanding of the Church and the Gospel can indeed know that they are true because they have been taught by the Holy Ghost using methods beyond the five senses. It is a wonderful thing to watch.
This part of our mission is something we didn't count on: being involved in so many missionary teaching situations. We thought we would work with Church leaders (which is happening), but we didn't know we would also get the chance to watch so many individuals accept the truth. It is interesting to note that the Scotland Ireland Mission is 60% ahead on baptisms compared to the same time last year.
The holiday season is fast approaching, which makes us a little homesick, but we are amazed at how fast the time has flown. Christmas shopping in Ireland is in full swing, since they don't have Thanksgiving or Black Friday. One day Halloween decorations are up, and the next day Christmas decorations are everywhere. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that the days have shortened dramatically, and it feels like "winter." Leapin' Leprechauns! Only 248 days until Christmas!
We think about you all constantly and pray for you every morning and night and in between. We try to imagine what each of you is doing, and are grateful for the examples you are to us. We are so grateful for many things: good health, a warm home, the chance to serve - and you.
Consider yourself hugged!
Love,
Grandma and Grandpa
Mom and Dad
Lynne and Lanette
Elder and Sister Pettit
Level II Leprechauns (full certification is pending)
Baptism of Polly - a great friend on a great day!
Ladies night out, Dublin (Clondalkin Ward)
Sayings attributed to Shakespeare
Found in a library, Dublin
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