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| Edinburgh Castle |
Serving a mission is an amazing and challenging experience,
especially for senior couples ingrained in their olds ways and liking their homey
comforts. First you leave everything that is familiar, your family, friends,
home, country and familiar routines. You must adjust to an unfamiliar place,
different customs, laws, shopping, an unfamiliar group of people, and a
missionary routine. It took us about 4 weeks to get through the initial change.
The aspect you really never get over is missing the family. Tears come easily.
Thank goodness for Skype!
Despite the challenging circumstances, we wouldn’t have
missed this mission for the world. We have grown in ways we never would have
experienced had we stayed at home in our tiny zone of comfort. Every week we
are faced with new people and new situations. We’ve learned, its okay to be
uncomfortable. The doing of totally new things forces us to put our trust in
the Lord and the end result is always growth.
What is our routine and how do we spend
our days? Mornings are spent preparing; this includes some physical exercise, scripture study, planning for the day, lesson and meal preparation. In the afternoon
and evening, we visit ward members. With the less active we’ve found
the best tools are friendship, love, patience, prayer and never giving up.
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| War desk where all the planning takes place |
A good portion of our time is spent with the Elders on their
teaching appointments. We probably accompany them on 10 to 15 teaches a week,
which keeps us busy. We love going with them and have had some tender moments sharing life experiences and bearing our testimonies.
Mondays are set aside to do laundry, clean the flat, shop
for groceries and maybe take in a sight. Monday night we hold Family Home
Evening at our apartment or a Branch member’s home. We specifically invite
investigator’s, less active and single members, but everyone is welcome.
Tuesday morning all the missionaries in Galway and Limerick
attend District Meeting in Limerick, about an hour away. There are 12 of us.
We love getting together to be inspired and uplifted by our leaders.
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| Our District minus the two senior couples |
Thursday night we have Institute for the Young Single
Adults. Gary prepares the lesson and I do a light refreshment.
Sunday is a full day. Meetings begin at 11:00 a.m., we arrive by 10:00 and we usually don’t leave until 3:00. Gary worries all week long about Sunday; when it’s over he finally relaxes. Being a Branch President is a rather high stress assignment, like that of a bishop, especially when you are getting started and don’t know the members or situations. I teach the Valiants in Primary and am a Branch Family History Consultant.
Sunday is a full day. Meetings begin at 11:00 a.m., we arrive by 10:00 and we usually don’t leave until 3:00. Gary worries all week long about Sunday; when it’s over he finally relaxes. Being a Branch President is a rather high stress assignment, like that of a bishop, especially when you are getting started and don’t know the members or situations. I teach the Valiants in Primary and am a Branch Family History Consultant.
A mission is a marvelous opportunity to take on new
challenges, to do something you’ve never done before and experience amazing
growth in the process. Whatever you do, don’t miss an opportunity to serve a
mission!
Senior Couples Conference
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| President & Sister Brown are first row, center |
In December we received the exciting news of an upcoming Couples Conference in Edinburgh, in February. We were excited as we thought it might be our only chance to set foot in
Scotland.
When the event came, we flew from Shannon Airport to Edinburgh; it only took an hour and a half. Brother Hansen from the Mission Home picked us and the other couples up at the airport and
delivered us to the Royal Ettrick Hotel, a lovely Bed & Breakfast.
As we walked in the door, Brother and Sister Hales were just heading out to visit Edinburgh Castle, several of us quickly decided to go along. I’m glad we did
because it wasn’t raining!
The castle is a breathtaking sight on the hilltop above the city of Edinburgh.
We were amazed at the size of the complex; and decided taking a tour would be the best approach. Our tour guide was a regular Scottish bloke; he made the tour so interesting. We took pictures and video, hopefully we can put it into our blog so you can hear him. Interestingly, the compound is still an active military site, so there were some buildings closed to the public.
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Portcullis Gate and Argyle Tower
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We were amazed at the size of the complex; and decided taking a tour would be the best approach. Our tour guide was a regular Scottish bloke; he made the tour so interesting. We took pictures and video, hopefully we can put it into our blog so you can hear him. Interestingly, the compound is still an active military site, so there were some buildings closed to the public.
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| The castle walls are built around the rock |
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| 400 lb balls |
was the name of the black smith’s wife, so the story goes. The balls weigh 400 lbs. The cannon, itself, 15,000 pounds.
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| "Big Gun or Mons Meg" |
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| The Scottish National War Memorial |
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| Battery of canyons protecting the castle |
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| Royal Palace |
These cannon balls were huge. After being fired they were retrieved because of the difficulty to manufacture.
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| The Honors of Scotland |
In the large area outside the castle they hold
the annual Military Tattoo. People come from
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| Tattoo held annually in August |
To view the annual Edinburgh Tattoo go to -
We tried getting directions to the bus, but you know how that goes, eventually after walking and walking in the cold evening air and getting nowhere we jumped in a taxi. We were all starved by then and anxious to get back to our lodging for dinner.
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| Sister Hansen, a mission secretary, in front of the Scotland Missionary Board |
Mission Home
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| Missionaries serving in Ireland |
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| 18 senior couples, 2 single sisters attended |
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| 'Whate'er Thou Art, Act well thy Part.' |
At noon President Brown dedicated a new monument in front of the Mission Home. It is a replica of the original engraved stone that had such an impact on President David O. McKay as a missionary. The story goes that....
While serving in Stirling, Scotland, David O. McKay had an
experience that affected the remainder of his life. He and his companion had
been in the town for a few weeks, but had had little success. They spent part
of a day walking around Stirling Castle and Elder McKay was feeling homesick.
He later recalled:
“I said to my companion: ‘That’s unusual! I am going to see
what the inscription is.’ When I approached near enough, this message came to
me, not only in stone, but as if it came from One in whose service we were
engaged: ‘Whate’er Thou Art, Act Well Thy Part.’
“I turned and walked thoughtfully away, and when I reached
my companion I repeated the message to him. The inscription became David O. McKay’s life motto.
In 1955, as President of the Church, he revisited the same
spot and shared the story with those who were there. The stone was later
acquired by the Church and is now in the David O. McKay exhibit in the Museum
of History and Art next to Temple Square. (
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| These two lovely ladies are Sister Wagar & Sister Lowry, mission secretaries that help keep the mission moving smoothly along with Sister Hansen. |
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FYI - Sister Staples, second on the left,
is a Sarah Pallin look alike! |
The conference was a wonderful experience; we had a great time, sharing family stories of children, grandchildren, homesickness, and missionary moments. We were trading email addresses at the end. For dinner that evening they ordered Chinese into the mission home. After dinner we attended the play, “War Horse” at a local theatre. It was an interesting play centering around, World War I. Gary and I were intrigued with the amazing puppetry used for the horses.
Wednesday Feb 12, 2014 Most of the couples left for home today. We, along with the Whitneys, had to wait until Thursday afternoon to fly into Shannon Airport. This gave us an extra day to look around the famous old city of Edinburgh. Gary purchased bus tickets for all day tours around the city.
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| Bagpiper on corner by Waverley Station |
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| Edinburgh, once called Auld Reekie |
(By John S Ross September 2010) "In days gone by when the smoke of countless coal fires curled into the winter air, Edinburgh had the nick-name, "Auld Reekie," which being translated is 'Old Smokie'...But thanks to the clean air act there is no smoke in Edinburgh today.
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| What a sense of Humor |
In those old days one always knew when 5:00 p.m. rolled around
because all the chimney pots in town started bellowing out smoke as wives began
preparations for evening tea and for husbands, who would soon be home from work.
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| Hundreds of Chimney Pots |
On the tour I saw a grandiose building with a clock tower; it reminded me of London’s Parliament building. It turned out to be the Balmoral Hotel. I learned from the Wikipedia that it was built as a traditional railway hotel for the North British Railway Company adjacent to their Waverley Station. To assist passengers in reaching their train on time, the hotel tower's clock, visible from a considerable distance away, is traditionally set to be two minutes fast. The clock tower, at 190 feet high, forms a prominent landmark in Edinburgh's city center.
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| Parliament Building |
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| Interior of Parliament building |
On the other hand, Scotland’s Parliament building was
interesting to say the least. From the outset, the building and its construction
have been controversial. The choices of location, architect, design, construction
company and the exorbitant cost, were all criticized by politicians, the media and the Scottish public.
I can see why.
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| Grass Market Square |
Grassmarket is an historic market square in the Old Town of
Edinburgh, Scotland.
From 1477 to 1911, it was one of Edinburgh's
main markets for horse and cattle …The Grassmarket was also a place of public
executions.
The Scott Monument is a Victorian Gothic memorial to
Scottish author Sir Walter Scott. It stands in Prince's Street Gardens in
Edinburgh… near to Edinburgh Waverley Railway Station, which is named for one
of Scott's novels.
The tower is 200 feet and has a series of viewing platforms
reached by a series of narrow spiral staircases giving panoramic views of
central Edinburgh and its surroundings. Some say it looks like a "gothic
rocket ship".
Thursday Feb 13,
2014 - Tuesday and Wednesday, there was a terrible storm front that hit Ireland
and the west coast of England. They suffered torrential rain and flooding in
both countries. We were worried we wouldn’t be able to get back, but by
Thursday morning the weather was much improved. After packing up and eating
breakfast Brother Hanson, hustled us off to the airport for our trip home.
On our drive back to Galway from the airport evidence of flooding was everywhere, a month later it is beginning to recede.
As a closing note we express our gratitude to the Lord that we have this opportunity to serve together in Ireland. The Church and the gospel are the same all over the world. We know we are engaged in the Lord's work, we have witnessed his hand in it. We bear testimony that He lives and loves us.
We love you all!
Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa, Gary and Karen Weber
We love you all!
Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa, Gary and Karen Weber
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| Well look at this little guy who sneaked in! Baby Tre |
