Wrapping Up Ireland

Dear Family and Friends:


     This week's letter might be a little shorter because things are getting crazy around here as our move approaches on Thursday.  We feel rushed to get everyone visited that we would like to, as well as wrap up some last-minute Self-Reliance details.  We really don't mind the rush, though, as we have had so many wonderful experiences this week with our friends here.
     After the Monday trip to Galway to visit with our friends the Currans (the branch Self Reliance specialists), we held our last English class.  So many students have already gone home for Christmas, so we only had 3 in attendance, but we had a relaxed, fun time with them.  We realized how fun this English class has been over the months, and hope that it will be a means of bring some of the wonderful young people we have met into the Church.
      Tuesday morning found us in District Meeting, and it was such a wonderful thing to watch these young Elders and Sisters show their love and concern for their investigators.  The meeting was centered around finding ways to move investigators toward baptism, so each set of missionaries listed their current investigators on the board and the group discussed ways that we might help each of them.  It was very touching to see how the missionaries really cared about each investigator and how much they wanted them to enjoy the blessings of the Gospel.  To see such charity from these missionaries truly affected us.  The meeting ended with one of the sister missionaries suggesting that we all fast together the next day for these people.  We feel very strongly about the power of united fasting and prayer, and we are confident that many of those we discussed will be baptized.  The mission is well on its way to reaching its goal of 360 baptisms this year, which is a miracle in itself.  We are grateful for the opportunity to be a small part of what is happening.
      Tuesday evening was our YSA Job Search class (no institute tonight.)  The class started off on shaky ground with very few people, but they started coming in late, and we had a very nice group about halfway into the class time.  What is most important, however, is that they started to catch the vision of how they can work together as a group and how the material can really bless their lives.  Sarah is the newly-returned missionary who is facilitating the class, and she made the extra effort to come in spite of being in the middle of moving.  Her sacrifice is a real example to the others, and we feel very good about leaving the class in her hands.  If this class could work, we feel that it would be a great blessing to the YSA.  After class, Sarah had a meeting with the Stake Presidency and was called as the Stake YSA Leader.  She will do an absolutely wonderful job, and we are excited about it, especially because of her feelings about Self Reliance. 
     Wednesday morning we got up early and drove to Nick's (Romanian perpetual investigator!) so we could put some birthday decorations (and cake) in his apartment while he was at work.  The landlady let us in, and we had fun doing something so that he wouldn't feel forgotten on his birthday.  When he got home from work he was so surprised and called us right away.  He was so appreciative, and told us over and over again how much it meant to him.  We asked him again how soon he felt he could be baptized, and he replies that he wasn't ready yet.
      In the afternoon we drove to Limerick, with a visit along the way to the house of the former Self Reliance Specialist, with whom we worked when we first got to Ireland.  His house is way out in the country over some narrow roads, but we really wanted to see the new addition he just put on his house.  He was so proud of it and so excited to have us see it that we were glad we went out of our way.  They seemed to really appreciate our visit and fed us lunch.  We feel like it was meaningful to them that we would be interested enough in their project to take the time to come see it, and express our appreciation for what they did to help us as we were first getting started.
     From there we drove that last 45 minutes to the Limerick chapel to hold a Career Night for the Young Men/Young Women.  We were surprised at how many came (14), and we feel like the presentation went well.  It was the first time we have given this presentation that was developed by our boss specifically for the Youth.  It consisted of a fun career-choice activity and some instruction, and they seemed interested.  If we have a chance to give it again in Sweden, we will refine it and hopefully it will be meaningful for the youth, who have to make school/career choices so early here in Europe.  Because it was so late when we got through, and we were so tired, we just stayed at a hotel in Limerick and drove home in the morning, which is something we haven't done very often.
     Thursday evening we were able to join the Sister Missionaries in teaching Valerie, who is a golden investigator from Mexico.  She asks the most searching questions, and really wants to know about the Gospel, but she is reluctant to get baptized for a very interesting reason:  she is worried that having to go to church on Sunday will take away from the time she can spend with her extended family.  She is very close to her family (especially her grandmother) and Sunday is the only day she can spend with them.  How would you help her through that problem?  We would be interested in your answers. 
     Thursday night was a YSA Family Home Evening with treats and games on the Wii.  Not overly well-attended, but it was nice to be with them one last time.
     Friday morning we were up early to clean the church.  The cleaning closet was in such bad shape that we bought some new supplies and really gave it a good cleaning.  We felt like we contributed at least a little to making the building look better.  There is lots more we could do, but not enough time.
     Friday night we invited our good friends the Keoghs and the Coles over for dinner, and we had such a fun night eating, talking, and playing games.  Mom taught them "9's", Fruit Basket, and Speed Scrabble.  It was interesting to be involved in a political discussion after we introduced the concept of a "Trump" card!  Oh boy!  We exchanged gifts and hugs.  We are going to miss these wonderful people!
     Saturday morning found us on the road to Portadown in Northern Ireland where we put up a display for SR for a ward anniversary open house.  We were very happy to have it shared there and there seemed to be good interest.  This is one area that is just getting ready to start SR--but we have trained the senior couple there and they are excited to bring it to the saints in that area.  We had some meetings with the leaders and in all it felt like a success.
       As quickly as we could, we got on the road back to the Dublin Stake to attend a ward Christmas party where Grandpa was able to be Santa's helper.  It was so fun to see how excited the Children were to see Santa.  Grandpa did a few minutes of sharing the important symbolism of Santa as a reminder of the Savior and it made it all even more special.  We really love Santa--and he does bring us closer to the real meaning of Christmas if we think about it.  We hope you will al think about it.
       Our last Sunday in Ireland was spent in another small branch on the West coast of Ireland where we were able to do a graduation presentation for those who had just finished a course.  We have spent  a lot of time with this group, so again we were blessed with special feelings for them.  We also spoke in Church---with the Mission President since we were all (surprise) there at the same time.  
         After we got back to Dublin, we visited our friend Nick who was having some serious back pain.  We were able to bring the missionaries with us and gave him a blessing--which we feel was a tender mercy path for him to connect with them before we go.   And later we were lucky to have our good friends Carlos and Priscila (Carlos the first baptism we had in Ireland) come and visit us.  We had hoped to be with them when they go through the temple in February, but we were just grateful for them and the way they have grown so much in the gospel since Carlos was baptized.   Looking back on these people as blessings in or lives is sweet--but makes it  harder to leave them. 
         Now we roll around to Monday again---today.  We are making our last trip out of Dublin to visit one last small branch family and their group who has also just finished their course.  We will do another graduation evening and then spend the night at their home.  (They insist and we don't have the heart to decline.)   In all, we will feel like w have completed some circles, not just around the island, but with the completion of groups that had a hard time getting started, but have finished with victory and blessings. 
           We reflect so often on the many  times on the many ways the Lord blesses us.  Things don't always turn out perfectly---not everyone gets baptized and not every ward or branch has magnificent success, but we are seeing the Lord's work prosper and bless many lives--including our own.  We really hope you can feel our love for the Lord, for the people of Ireland, and for you our dear family and friends!   Love is what matters, and like a beautiful gift that was given us says, "The heart that loves is always young"----we know that in truth, it is the key to Eternal Life! 
           Finally speaking of Eternal Love, we want to recognize the Anniversary of Great Grandpa and Grandma Godfrey--Their 70th!!!!   It is another event we wish we could attend, but we joyfully celebrate with them in our hearts.   They have been a wonderful example of teamwork and love.  They have shared their unity with all the family and continue to be an inspiration to us.  We honor them for all they are--together.
          We leave for Sweden in 3 days.---much to do until then!  
           We hope your days are full of Christmastime joys.  Hugs to ALL!!
Grandpa and Grandma,
Dad and Mom
Elder and Sister Pettit
Lynne and Lanette

In front of our "flat" on the morning we left for Sweden.  A lot of memories here!

The Sisters took us to the airport in Dublin to send us off. 

Ireland is green, even in December!

We have lots of memories of the "Emerald Isle"

 

 

So Many Blessings!

Our Dear Family and Friends,

First of all, we want to write to the Grandchildren.  We have had a bit of fun this week that we think you will be interested in.  While we were out for our morning jog, we noticed a few things that were a little peculiar.  At first they didn't seem like anything, but then we took a second look, and we think we are seeing signs of leprechauns!   The weather is starting to change just a little and we wonder if maybe we saw a little flurry in the grass just before we spot things.  We aren't too sure, but for example, we will post on our blog the pair of little gloves left on the sidewalk.  We think the cooler morning air made the leprechaun put on his gloves to start gathering his magic morning dew gems, but as the sun came up (a little later now than during the summer)  he took his gloves off and maybe forgot them.  Or maybe he just took them off for a few minutes and then we came running by, ---and he had to leave them there and hide nearby.  Anyway we will keep you posted if we see something else.  Let us know what you think.

Now for the mission news.  Sometimes when we get to writing our letter for the week we wonder what we can tell you that will be different for you.  After these nine months of our mission, we realize that a lot of what we do is much the same, we travel to the corners of Ireland, we usually speak or teach a group, we are amazed at the goodness and faith of those we associate with, and we see little miracles happen.   As a change up, we enjoy that we can interact with investigators, mostly immigrants who are truly outstanding people trying to understand the message of the gospel.  

The names and situations are always changing, and the miracles are always a surprise.  The love we feel for the people seems to get stronger and we feel more blessed every day.  Yet we struggle to know how we can help you to feel these experiences enough to show our gratitude for all that is happening here.  We hope you do not get bored with our stories and will be able to feel the Spirit as you read our letters .  So we begin:

Stake Self Reliance Committee meeting just seems to get better every time we meet.  At first we felt like we were having to try and convince people of the value of implementing SR in the various wards.  The goals were pretty low, but they were goals, so we were happy for support in a positive direction.  Some of the leaders tried to talk the talk, but they just didn't have experience.  Since a few of the classes have now finished, the experiences that are shared have made the quality of the meetings dramatically different.  Especially those who have been participants in the groups relate such depth of appreciation for what they have been a part of, and it changes the whole perspective and purpose for the meeting.   It is wonderful that we are not the only ones who are so impressed with the power of the initiative, and we feel our own testimonies growing even more. 

Other things we have done this week are training Elders to go home soon.  We love being able to see the strength of these young men who have given so much energy and commitment to serving the Lord.  This is a great time in their lives, and although they represent different countries and different backgrounds, they have in common the joy and rewards of their hard work to take home as a treasure.   Whether they go home to the States, Mexico, Great Britain, or wherever, their faith is strong and it is great to be able to give them some counsel to continue to depend on the Lord as they pursue their life careers.   We always give them treats and a meal, but we love feeling their gratitude for blessings more meaningful than the food. 

September really is fulfilling the expectations we have hoped for regarding the starting of new classes.  We had two areas get groups started this week and both were pretty exciting.  One group was 5 ladies wanting to do "Starting and Growing Your Own Business". (with a few more who plan to attend next week)  They seemed so determined and excited, with a sweet desire to support each other---and most of all depend on the Lord to lead their efforts.  The other group was another small branch in Northern Ireland.  We didn't have any idea how many would come the distance back to Church on the Sunday evening, but lo!  there were about 14 in attendance and quite a few who wanted to be in more than one class.  The Stake Specialist was so happy he was ready to call it done to have a group form, but in the end there were 3 different classes started!  They can hardly wait to get going.  It is a long ways away but we think we should try to get there again next week to see if it is for real.  It really made the long drive worth it. 

And a few weeks ago, we mentioned how changing our plans and getting to the little Sligo branch was such a blessing.  Well, there must be some strong ties to heaven's guidance because we ended up there again this week after a change of plans, and it was so great that it happened.  The only way we "saved the day" (class) was that we asked one of the class members to share their financial success story of getting out of debt with the class.  She is such a soft-spoken Philippine woman, but she had such a great success with their effort, that it was more than inspiring, it was fun to hear.   We think it will really add vision to the effort of the group. 

We have mentioned our good friend Nick from Romania before, who is an investigator.  He is working in Ireland to earn better money than he can in his country, but he really misses his little daughter and wants to bring her here.  He needs to work hard to get enough money saved up to make it possible.  Lately his boss has not been paying him, and at the same time telling him he wanted to give him a raise.  We have been very worried about this and told Nick to be careful to not let it go on.  He felt he could trust his boss but after a 3 weeks of not paying him, he started making up excuses why he wouldn't be able to.  This was just not honest and it was so sad to see Nick loose faith in his boss who had been a friend to him.  This week he has gone back home to Romania and we seem to feel he may decide to use his skills and return soon to his homeland.  We really care about him and hope he can continue in his progress in the Gospel.  Smoking is still a problem for him, but we have had such good talks with him about the Restoration, the Priesthood, and the Book of Mormon.  He wants to be baptized and we  hope he can reach that goal.

Another good friend, who joined the Church (from South Africa) called to tell us that his wife who had been lukewarm about the Church had gone home to visit family and called to tell him she was thinking when she came back next week, she would like to start learning more about the Church.  We have spent a lot of time with her and were so happy to hear that good news.  He is already a strong leader in the ward and was just called to teach Elders Quorum although he has only been a member about 6 weeks. 

Also this week, we were happy to see our friend from Iraq who has suffered so much grief from losing his father and uncles in car bombs, come back to Church.  He first attended the last session of the Job Search Class and then came to Church on Sunday.  His questions in class were so sincere and so deep and he really seemed to enjoy the association again.  We hope he can stay involved again. 

And finally we think our YSA lad (who needs to get a job) may actually make the goal.  He needs to complete a few more detail hoops and it looks like he may be there.  It is a big step for him to set aside his video game habit and be ambitious, but we think he will.  Next we want to get him to start dating.  ( that will be a hard one too).

Now last, but absolutely not least, we are blessed with our sister and brother-in-law Marilyn and Steve Leininger visiting us here in Ireland.  They flew in on Sunday and will tag along with us as we do our travel and work, for at least a while this week, so it will be a fun time.  We appreciate their friendship and family bond---and hope they can enjoy the trip.

Well, that's enough for this week.  Once again, we have had the privilege of seeing the Lord's hand in this work.  It is such a blessing to us to be able to watch the many miracles the Lord is performing in this missionary work.   This is the Lord's church, and He is moving the Work forward at an increasing pace.  Our prayers and thoughts are always with you!

Love,
Grandma and Grandpa
Lynne and Lanette
Mom and Dad
Elder and Sister Pettit

Swans can be aggressive when they are hungry!

Leprechaun shoes!

Leprechaun gold!

Leprechaun socks!

A Leprechaun bowtie!

One Year in Ireland

Dear Family and Friends,

 

     Well, the months are rolling along, and November has turned into December.  On the 13^th of this month, we will have been in Ireland for a full year.  Looking back, it doesn’t seem nearly as long as it did looking at it from the front end, but that is typical.  We certainly have experienced a lot of things over the past year, and we feel like we have been on the run almost every day, which has made time go by really fast. 

     The Christmas season is in full swing here, as we imagine it is at home.  Since this year we know where the stores are we are seeing the decorations and shopping rush a little more.  The traffic is significant and everyone blames it on Christmas shopping.  We have visited in a few homes and it is fun to see their decorations, which are quite like home. 

      But the seasons don’t change much.  The days get noticeably shorter (sunup is usually around 8:00 am, and it starts getting dark shortly after 4:00 pm) but the temperature only varies between the high 30’s and the mid-40’s, with “misty” rain.  This fall has been unusually dry, with not nearly as many hefty rainstorms, but there is always a little moisture in the air, and it seems very cold.  Everyone on the street now is wearing a stocking cap and a heavy coat, and most of the time several layers.  Even though we don’t get the extreme temperature changes that Utah gets, it still seems cold.  Even the Leprechauns are dressing warmer!  The calendar says it is December, so we miss the snow that we know you are getting.  The most boring job in the world would be the Irish National Ski Team Coach.  There aren’t many mountains around here, let alone hills, and certainly not snow.  Oh well, no country is perfect.  We’re taking care of our craving for snow, however, by moving north about 700 miles.  We understand that the winter days in Sweden are even shorter than Ireland.  We would like to arrange our flight to Stockholm so that we land in the daylight, but we don’t know which hour of the day that would be.

     Speaking of being busy, this week has been another “on the go” week.  We suddenly have so much to do to wrap things up so we can leave, and so little time to do it in.  After a Monday at home to catch up on office work  and few lessons with the young missionaries, we were off Tuesday morning to Limerick (2 hours) to train two elders who are going home next week, and to attend part of the Limerick Zone Conference.  We are getting a little more polished on our presentation for the exiting Elders, and it such a blessing to see how much these wonderful young people have matured in their understanding of the Gospel and their approach to life.  They are literally “head and shoulders” above most young people their age in their preparation for what is ahead.  Our purpose in the training is to encourage them not to lose the momentum they have gained as a missionary, and to not forget to do the things that made them successful in the mission field.  We teach them a little about how to effectively present the skills they have gained as a missionary, goal setting, the importance of education, choosing the proper career, and managing time and money.  They usually are reluctant to stop thinking about missionary work long enough to think a little about going home, but they are bright, strong, and willing to learn.  It is a real pleasure to work with them.  We tell them that they need to always work together with their spouse in financial planning and goal setting, and that the first step to doing that is to get a spouse.  That usually gets their attention.

     We got back from Limerick in time to do the last minute meal preparation for the Job Search class which we facilitate on Tuesday nights.  It is a class for just the YSA, and we hope it gains a little momentum as the word gets around.  They of course like grandma’s cooking, but this time they really seemed to get a feel for what this class could actually do to help them in their job search.  We hold the gospel Foundations part of the lesson for an hour, break to attend Institute, and then finish

Coleman, Emma, and baby Curran - SR Specialist in Galway, Ireland. 

 

Youth group in Limerick Branch.  This was our first SR presentation to a youth group with the "Bobilator" exercise.

 

"Graduation" from Finance Class, Tralee, Ireland.  Dom and Ashley Anne Knight, Margaret and Jack

 

Tralee graduation again.  With them are the Walkers, Senior Couple in Tralee.

 

We had fun giving them the certificates and candy leis.

 

 

They are a happy group!

 

Valarie is from Mexico.  She is such a wonderful person, and we pray that she will one day join the Church.

 

 

up for another hour after that.  It makes for a little late night, but the class members seem to be willing to do it.

     Wednesday we attended the Dublin Zone Conference, held right here in our chapel, so no driving this day.  Grandma helped prepare lunch for the missionaries, and we got to be a part of the whole Zone Conference.  It was so fun.  We recite our “Missionary Purpose” and sing the mission song right along with the Elders and Sisters, and it really makes us feel a part of things.  President Donaldson is such a great mission president, and he has been able to get the missionaries to accomplish things they didn’t know they could.  We think we told you before that they have already had twice as many baptisms this year as last, and they are well on their way to make 360 for the year!

     After the conference was over, we had dinner at a restaurant with the mission president and his wife, and the mission presidency counselor and his wife.  What a wonderful privilege!  It was just a relaxed social evening with them, and each time we are with them we grow to love them even more.  They are deeply spiritual, highly effective leaders, and we have learned a great deal from them.  We are going to miss them so much.   They are working so hard and making such a difference here.  They are on the road constantly with Zone Conferences and interviews, and they just learned that they need to interview the missionaries even more frequently than they now are.  Being a mission president is a very hard job.  They looked so tired during the dinner, and they still had to drive to Belfast that night for a Zone Conference the next day.

     As for us, we waited until early the next morning to drive to Belfast for the same Zone Conference, since we had three Elders and one Sister to train before they left the mission field.  We conducted our usual training, and had just as much fun as we usually do, even though we messed up on the timing somehow and missed lunch.  (Fortunately the group we were training made the meal.) However, we did get to go in and listen to the testimonies of the departing missionaries and the final instructions from President Donaldson, as well as hear a special presentation given to the Belfast Stake President, who was being released in two days.  Once again, we realized how much we are going to miss this mission.  After the meetings, we rushed back to Dublin in time to teach a lesson with the sister missionaries.

     Friday was taken up with all sorts of odds and ends, and we spent the evening with Nick, our perpetual investigator.  By the end of our visit, we thought we had him convinced to attend church on Sunday and meet with the bishop to determine what had to be done to be prepared for baptism before we left.  We really had high hopes, but then we were disappointed again when Sunday came around and he wasn’t feeling well enough to go to church.  It has been very hard for us to want him to come into the Church so badly, and to see challenge after challenge come along to prevent that.  We are so worried that if he goes back to Romania without being baptized, he never will be.  It is causing us a lot of concern, and we are not sure what to do.  We have tried very hard, but there still might be something more we should do.  We’re just not sure what it is.   

           On Saturday morning we drove to a little branch about an hour away to assist the young Elders to start their new class.  This is the experimental group and we thought we should help out with as much time as we have.  The great news is they would have been fine without us.  These two young Elders were so good to follow the prescribed format, ----and other than the lunch we brought that gave the class a little more time to enjoy being together, we really weren’t very useful.   We wish every class that starts would have the faith of these two Elders. 

          Later on Saturday we met with a great young woman investigator from Brazil that we are going to miss.  It was nice to have a chance to see her for a while and enjoy lunch together because she has been so busy with all her jobs lately.  (She is a product of the Job Search class.) She is very accomplished in Brazil and now is willing to do any work she can while she improves her English.   She doesn’t feel very connected with family at home and really dislikes the corruption there, so she wants to stay in Ireland.  We hope someday she will join the Church and be able to have even more blessings.

          And finally on Saturday night we went to a farewell party that was not for us, but they treated us as special as if it were.  The party was hosted by the stake president counselor who is moving to England for a new job.  They had a nice catered Chinese buffet which was lovely, but the friends were the real treat.  We had such a nice time visiting and feeling the blessing of knowing such great people.  We wonder if the people of Sweden can ever be so inclusive as these friends have been.  One tender conversation was with the new stake president counselor whose 6-year-old daughter is having brain surgery in a few weeks to remove tumors that are caused by Tuberous Sclerosis.  Of course, that hit us very close to home.  He was interested in some of the medications that Lydia is taking, and we are going to correspond with him.  He and his wife are showing wonderful faith in the face of this trial, and our heart goes out to them. 

     Sunday morning found us back on the road to Belfast to attend their Stake Conference in which a new stake presidency was called.  We really enjoyed the meeting (it brought back some memories), and were especially touched by the remarks of Elder Sabin, a member of the Seventy who was the visiting authority.  He seemed so caring and understanding, and really wanted the members of the stake to feel the Savior’s love for them.  He said something that was really funny, as well.  He said that he was sure that outgoing stake president had slept like a baby the night before.  He was also sure that the newly-called stake president had slept like a baby too:  up every 30 minutes and crying!   We sat with our good friends the Bowens, who worked in Self Reliance when we first got here.  They are such good people, and we will try to keep in touch with them in the future.  They are the ones who introduced us to something new for our bucket list: skiing in Austria.  They have done it a couple of times, and told us that it was absolutely wonderful and not all that expensive.  All right, all right - we can dream, can’t we?

     After the meeting, we spent some time in emotional farewells with the mission president and counselor and their wives.  We will probably not see them again before we go to Sweden, and it was hard to say goodbye.  We had gifts for them and the Bowens, and it was good to see them all again one last time.  We also very much enjoyed visiting with some of the people we have met and worked with in the Belfast Stake.  The Self Reliance initiative seems to be in good hands there now, and we pray that it will really take hold.

      We got back from Belfast in time to have dinner at the house of some members in Clondalkin, the Coles, who we have worked with in their ward on SR and other things.  She is Relief Society President and he is in the Bishopric, and we have come to really admire them.  It was so fun to spend some time with them.  They have been very good to us here.

      After dinner, we attended a musical fireside put on by the YSA.  The number in attendance wasn’t great, but there was a great spirit in the meeting, and we stayed after to visit for quite a long time.  We continue to pray for these young people because they face so many challenges as members of the Church in Ireland.  They have wonderful testimonies though, and work hard to keep the standards.  It’s just hard to get a “critical mass” of young people here, and so many leave for places where there are more members of the Church.  They want so badly to marry someone who is strong in the church, and there just aren’t that many here.  Distances, the cost of transportation, and so many other things make it hard for them to do all that they would like to do, but they are trying, and the Lord will bless them.

             It’s now Monday again, and today we drove to Galway (2 hours) to spend time with the branch Self Reliance Specialist and his wife.  They need some encouragement, and it seemed to mean a lot to them that we would make the trip just to have lunch with them.  It is so hard for them in such a small branch where the numbers are few and people are not so strong.  We are actually quite concerned about them, and pray for the Lord’s help in supporting them.  We would really like to come back to Ireland to visit these branches and help “prop up” things, but we’re not sure if we can.  Job security - that’s it - we will never run out of things to do.

     Enough for this week.  Let’s end with a testimony of this Work.  Surely there is no more wonderful work than to be part of building the Lord’s Kingdom, whether in Utah or Ireland.  The miracles just keep coming, and that should be no surprise, since the Lord is so involved in this work and He will make sure that it succeeds.  We have been thinking lately how important it is for us - all of us - to do what we can, small or large, to prepare the Church for the Second Coming.  That is what we are all doing: preparing for the coming of the Savior.  This is no ordinary task!  What a blessing for us to be living in this important Dispensation, when the Lord’s hand is so clearly visible in the “grand millennial mission” (President Hinckley) of the Church.

      Thank you so much for your love, support, and examples to us.  We continue to pray for you so much, and hope you are having a marvelous Christmas season!

 

Love,

 

Grandma and Grandpa

Mom and Dad

Lynne and Lanette

Elder and Sister Pettit

    

 

                  

Happy Thanksgiving to ALL!

Dear Family and Friends.
First of all we want to wish you all a happy Thanksgiving.  In case you don't know, this is not a holiday in Ireland, but we are aware that it is coming this week, and we will still celebrate it by being thankful for each of YOU.   We are happy to be serving this mission, but even though we are far from home, you are each so important in our lives.  We are grateful for your support and love and hope the holiday is fun for you.   The YSA have actually asked us to cook Thanksgiving dinner for them, so they can know what it is like (totally not our idea!) but even if we could get the right foods, and even if the climate were the same so the foods would turn out, it would not be like home---We will miss everyone bringing their favorite pies, and best recipes all around.  We will miss the hugs and fun of the grandkids, football games, the craft times, combing through the newspaper ads and all the crazy shopping times, the game sessions, the sledding or whatever else fun activity gets put together and so many more wonderful traditions.  Thanksgiving is truly worth being thankful about!


Second, we will update you the little bit we know about our upcoming move.  We have heard they have a car for us--we are hoping it is 4-wheel drive, but think it isn't.   We have heard they have an apartment for us, and hope it is warm and a little better than our present flat. (We are frustrated this week because we have not had internet connection at all, and the water is even lower pressure which causes some problems with the washer and it's hard to shower.)  We are crossing our fingers that this move will be comfy --but regardless, we are more sure every day that we are going.  We think we are leaving on Dec 15 with a temporary 90 day visa, meaning we will likely come back to Ireland for a bit (which is very good for us!)  We have heard folks say we will not even get to see Sweden in the daylight for awhile because it is so far north--but we think it is an exaggeration.  And several say that it is very cold (but a dry cold--so more like home).  And many say it is beautiful and we will love it, so we are happy for all good reports. 


This week has been quite busy and the upcoming week is really scheduled tight--- but with so many good things.  Probably the most fun thing has been teaching our friend Polo.  We mentioned her in our letter last week and we are glad to report that she has been doing well with the lessons.  Thank you for your prayers.   We have taught her almost every day--as she requested, because they are going back to South Africa this coming Saturday on business for a few months and she is anxious to learn all she can.  We have not wanted to push a baptism date to be more important than truly gaining a testimony, but she is so prepared.  Our lesson times have gone long and she has been such an incredible investigator.   We thought she had been taught some lessons, but apparently not because she wants to learn everything from us ---and her responses are wonderful.  So many things in her life have prepared her for the gospel and she really recognizes the reasons behind the doctrines.  Her baptism and confirmation are scheduled for Friday night, so we are looking forward to the day.


Here is a cute story about Polo this week:   On Friday we didn't teach her, because she had a shopping day planned with a friend (non-member).  That evening she called and said she had a good day and she was proud of herself.  She said her friend suggested they go get a drink of wine, but Polo declined, saying she doesn't do that anymore.  The friend then said, "I've been  thinking I could see you changing, are you starting that religion of your husband?"  Polo said yes she was.  Then the friend asked if she was already a member and Polo said, "not yet."   So the friend said, "then you can still have a drink of wine."  Polo's answer was, "no, I am already a Mormon in my heart."   Great huh!


And here is one more funny thing.  We were talking to the missionaries about her husband, Wellington, a very intelligent man who we were able to help bring into the Church about 5 months back.  He is now the Elders Quorum teacher and we hear he does such a good job.  We smile because he even tells us how well his lessons go.   Anyway, the missionaries were telling us that some people in the ward think he will be the next bishop.  His answer to them was, "Well, first we need to get my wife baptized."  We love their comfortable way of settling into being Mormons!


This week we had three "devotionals" scheduled for 3 consecutive nights (one from each stake), but in the end one got bumped to next week for good reasons.  It was an all-time first to have so many budding groups in a row.  The funnier thing is that we didn't even realize that we were breaking a record for ourselves because we are just trying to keep up with the way things are popping.  The two that did happen were very successful, especially since they are in small branches.  One group even had two non-members come, and the other  one was a little hard to get organized because the members wanted to take multiple classes!  Both of these branches are being supported by senior couples who are now willing to take on the role of SR specialists for their branches.  This is an idea that is being implemented in Ireland that we think is going to catch on in many areas.  The devotional that is postponed to next week is even more innovative because we were given permission (from the Mission President) to let young missionaries lead a Job Search class to help their investigators.  We feel such miracles as these branches are able to have the blessings of SR come to them.  There is power when saints put their faith in the Lord to help them lift themselves to higher goals.


Now in case you think we are not having any genuine fun, this week we had two great nights out.  The first was a Relief Society activity that Grandma was invited to (we have become good friends with the Relief Society President) , to go to dinner and then to the Broadway show, "Sister Act".  It was a very fun night (no host) with 42 sisters attending!   The remarkable thing was how difficult it was for everyone to get transportation there--but they did it and it was so bonding.  They had less actives, and non-members, and moms and sisters come along.  It was a great success. 


The second night out was an invitation to dinner from the former Belfast Stake Specialists that we have not seen in quite a few months.  We ate fabulous food (steak and lobster) at a quaint little restaurant on the bay and just visited for hours.  We learned about their brave move from South Africa (white discrimination and crime) and their difficult, but very successful, endeavors to build a business here.   They are really an example of righteous prosperity with a strong motivation to help others.  It was a delightful time!


And then to top off the week we will tell you about Nick.  We really think he is getting close to being able to be baptized, but it is not easy for him even though he wants to, and he is so lonely for family.  His brother was going to join him in Ireland, but the plans changed (probably a good thing for now) and he was feeling low.  You probably remember he is trying ever so hard to quit smoking.  Thursday night we had a few hours open and went to his house to read scriptures with him and just talk.     It was a wonderful time together and we ended with Grandpa giving him a blessing.  He did better the next two days, but not a complete stop.  Then today, we made a special effort to take him to church in the ward he is supposed to be in, since he moved, but doesn't have friends at all there.  He was a good sport about it, but not thrilled.  But the Spirit really came with such power to bless his efforts. The meetings were wonderful and he said he felt the Spirit so strongly.   We introduced him to people we know and they were great to him.  We have to say that another surprise about our mission is, it is remarkable how when we are trying to help others build their testimony, that we also feel our testimonies growing in significant ways.  We know that the Lord loves each of His children--and us.


So yes, we have much to be thankful for this year.  We wish we could zip home and give you all a big hug, eat some of your fabulous food, and enjoy all the warmth of the holiday, but we are doing well.  We LOVE you and we love serving the Lord, so we are thankful!!


May all the joys of the holiday be with you and your families!
Love,
Grandpa and Grandma,
Dad and Mom,
Lynne and Lanette
Elder and Sister Pettit

This is our good friend John Hannon singing "Danny Boy."  When we get home, we will play it for you - it is a real treat.  John really watched out for us!

 

Thanksgiving and Baptism

Dear Family and Friends,


We hope this letter finds you all just a little fatter and happier after a Thanksgiving weekend holiday.  Here in Dublin we also celebrated a nearly traditional Thanksgiving feast and weekend--minus the football games and of course family.   It really was a good and memorable weekend where we were indeed thankful for many blessings, but it really didn't seem the same.  That's okay though because we realize that there is no substitute for family, and we only have to miss it this one year. 


So to do a little review:  we told you how the YSA asked us to do a traditional American Thanksgiving dinner for an activity.  We wondered if we would find the food needed, but it turned out pretty well.  We didn't realize how lucky we were to find  turkeys this early in the year because we learned whole turkeys are usually only available for Christmas, but we did find them at only the second store we checked.  They were small, but small worked best for the wee (tiny) ovens, so we bought two and a ham.  We couldn't find any pumpkin canned or fresh--- too bad for the pumpkin pies, but they do have sweet potatoes, so we had the yam and apple dish we like--which was quite popular.  (We think our sons will be happy to know we just didn't dare try yam pies!) Pie crusts in general don't turn out as well, so we made apple pudding cake instead and ate store pies,(which verifies that crusts don't do too well here).  We made good stuffing, green bean casserole, corn, honey glazed carrots and least popular of all: fluffy marshmallow cranberry and pomegranate salad.   The issue is sweets don't ever go with savory foods---and although it is somewhat like trifle dessert, it was not popular.  The best deal of all was the potatoes.   Once again we used In the potatoes that were peeled and shrink sealed and it made the best mashed potatoes with so little work.


We survived the appliance size problems by being extra resourceful   We used the car  (35-40 degrees) for a fridge, which meant WE smelled like Thanksgiving dinner.   We used all four crock pots from here and the Church, so they served as ovens. And of course we layered both the ovens and fridges with a skill we hope to never have to use again.


The institute teacher (also Americans) and his family joined with the dinner effort and brought a tossed salad and some pre-prepared foods too, so the feast table was nicely filled---and more bodies for the celebration.  The sad thing was that this is really not an Irish holiday, so there were not many YSA who came.  Who celebrates mid-week in November?  We did have some foreign investigator friends come, so a total of about 18--- and after we were mostly done, the Elders showed up "to the rescue"!   The American Elders were delighted, but it was funny how the UK Elders just thought it was too much food!  Yes, we Americans do know how to eat.


The good part of not having a huge crowd was the leftovers.  For some reason, this week had already broken the record for number of big and small meals hosted, so to have quite a bit left over was not a problem because Friday was Polo's baptism party--and those who were special guests for that evening, especially Polo and Wellington, were delighted that it was a Thanksgiving feast in her honor.  We were of course not sad that we didn't have another dinner to prepare and like Grandma Godfrey always said, the second day it tasted even better. 


So now for the highlight of the week:  Polo's baptism.  It is never easy to be able to explain the delight of seeing someone come into the gospel, but being so involved in the friendshipping, teaching, and planning made this extra special to us.  Polo and Wellington seemed totally happy and at peace as they came into the Church Friday evening.  We had to smile that they were even color-coordinated with Wellington in a handsome new blue suit, and Polo in a modest blue dress.  (One time Polo commented on how Grandpa Pettit's tie usually matches Grandma Pettit's clothes--and how much she liked it.  This of course is a G&G Godfrey trademark we stole for fun).  But more than being dressed so nicely, they were ready spiritually.  It was just powerful to see a husband baptize his wife. They have not been married even a year yet and this was like adding cement to their relationship.  He was a little nervous because it was his first ordinance except for blessing the sacrament, but it went perfectly and was indeed a sacred experience for all who were there.


After the baptism, Grandma went into the dressing room to offer help (after about 15 minutes) and Polo was so gracious and grateful, but apologized for being slow because she had been crying so many tears of joy.  The confirmation was performed by Grandpa and was beautiful.  Grandma gave a talk on the Holy Ghost and Polo herself bore such a wonderful testimony that you would never think she had only been learning about the gospel for 2 1/2 weeks.  We have always felt that Wellington would be a leader, but she is going to be right there beside him.  The very next day they flew to Africa for business, so the evening was ended with heartfelt good-byes.  We wish we could be here when they return from Africa to hear their experiences of sharing the gospel with family and friends--because that is their plan.  But we will stay in touch, and the ward here in Ireland is extremely supportive of them--so they will return to open arms. 


On Saturday morning we had another good experience in a small branch about an hour away.  This is where the young missionaries were given permission to be an experiment as facilitators for Self Reliance, because the branch is too small to have extra people for the calling.   When we got there, we were met by a little group of 6 who seemed very committed to starting a class.  We did the 'devotional' which starts them out, and they were so supportive of the missionaries and each other.  It felt like a little family unit--all friendly and caring--and the group strengthening activities were powerful.  We had brought a soup lunch and enjoyed the time with them, feeling that this branch was now on its way to having the blessings of SR too.


Sunday we were in the other end of Ireland helping a rather large branch get a new start on SR.  They had classes some time back, but with a new Branch Presidency and some other calling changes, they needed to be trained and start again.  We didn't do much because the District SR Specialist is in charge, but it was good to see the District committee now working so well.  


And for the weather report, things are so comfortable this fall.  We have had quite a bit of frost--and last year we didn't have any, but the weather this year seems more mild. It seems there has been far less wind and rain, just mostly cool, calm days, with cloudy skies and a little rainfall most days to keep things damp, but not super wet.     We are not certain if this is as different as we think it is, or if we are just more used to being a little cool and damp all the time, but we know we are definitely in for colder weather in Sweden. 


And Sweden?---We are still  waiting for word on how they are going to handle our visa and when we will go.  In the mean time, we are filling our days with all we can to have things in good order and get everyone as trained as possible.  We do have a Mission Home address if you want to send a note, but of course our email will remain the same.  (Actually we hope our email will get much better! as we have had so much trouble lately since the Stake offices we are connected to changed the provider.  Everyone is frustrated and we feel there are few bigger stress factors than technology!    ( We NEED our kids and grandkids here to help us.)  One evening our Stake President came by to work on doing some adjustments to make it better (That is his business, so we were very grateful)---but he fell off the chair and badly dislocated his finger!   We had to help him drive home and then his wife took him to the A&E  ( Accident and Emergency)    So that was the end of help, but we try to be proactive, patient, and cheerful whichever is most needed. 


Stoockholm Sweden Mission
Enebybergsvagen 38
182 46 Enebyberg
Sweden


Email address
2019205@ldschurch.org
phone:   +46 8-5447-0930


So another week of our Irish Mission has come to and end.  We find ourselves quite tired every night--but happy and comfortable and recognize that the Lord is blessing us in so many ways!  We wish we could share more of our faith and love with you so that you could feel it too.    We appreciate your emails and support.   We know the holidays are getting in full swing now and we hope they are not too busy to enjoy them and especially your families. 


In Ireland, people are more "huggy" than in America--especially if you have good feelings for the person.  On Sunday a lady we didn't know well, but was very nice gave Grandma 4 hugs in 10 minutes!--- so we are sending some Irish home.   Lots of hugs to everyone!!!!


Grandpa and Grandma
Dad and Mom
Lynne and Lanette
Elder and Sister Pettit

Mom with Polo Kagonye on baptism day.  What a special day for a special person!

Polo on her baptism day.  A great friend!

What a happy day!

Wellington and Polo Kagonye.  What a special thing for him to baptize her!

This was a great occasion!

The Jacksons, Wellington and Polo, us.  The Jacksons were a great influence in her baptism.

Dundalk Branch, Dundalk, Ireland,  A small SR group just started there when this was taken.

 

Hugs and Hospitality

Dear Sweet Family and Kind Friends,
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