Week 23: Really…already??

Elder Gibb, Stephanie and Elder Peacock. (Along with Stephanie’s brother who was baptized a few months ago.

After the baptisms this past week we of course had two confirmations in sacrament meeting.  Our bishop, who had just stood and said he would be fasting for more people to come to our ward this coming Fast Sunday due to the fact that school is over and we lost many great ward members as they travel home or on to careers.  And then here were our two sweet confirmations.  Stephanie dressed up in a beautiful white dress looking like she has been a member her entire life and Nicholas in a full suit and a big smile on his face.  It really touched me to see both of these sweet people get baptised last week and then come fully prepared to receive the Holy Ghost.  It looked like an answer to a yet to come prayer from our bishop.  It is more usual for our new members to still come to church even for their confirmation not quite looking like the usual church-going attire or aura about them but it was different this week for these two.  It gave you a feeling of receiving a long lost sister and brother who had just been waiting for someone to find them as they left pre-mortal life with trust and faith that they would be found.

Sunday was a very quiet peaceful day and I got to the office Monday morning expecting a carefree week.  I should have known better by now.  We had West Scotland Zone Conference scheduled on Tuesday which is the simplest zone conference for me because it is held next door at the church and no one really needs any travel help.  But Sunday night President Donaldson decided to change zone conference to an All-Scotland Zone Conference on Thursday.  So it was almost like a moves week trying to find ferry and train tickets and then to find half the missionaries were told it was on Wednesday and not Thursday so we had that schedule problem to deal with.  It just took one-step at a time to get everything done and we did it.  It was so fun to see all the Scotland missionaries together.  That was the first All-Scotland Zone Conference I had the pleasure of witnessing.  It is so neat to watch these missionaries when they see a long-lost companion or MTC friend.  They get so excited.  Thursday turned out to be a very busy day for me in the office as well so I didn’t really get to enjoy anything at conference.   I only ran over to snap a few pictures and to make sure the mail was sorted and laid out where the missionaries could find their packages and letters.  I feel bad I didn’t hear the outgoing testimonies as I have several missionaries that I know well now that are leaving this next transfer.  But that’s life in the office.  I love being the mission secretary and I would rather be too busy than not busy enough so I’m not complaining.

This week has been a bit of a blur so I don’t have much to report on.  We have had extra work in the office due to our receptionist needing to fly back to the states to be with family, we got our visiting teaching done as best we could.  We have seven ladies that we visit teach.  Two or three doesn’t seem so bad now!!  I got asked to be the Music Director for our ward and see if we can get some people trained in the music areas to better facilitate our meetings.  I knew that was coming before I even got told Brother Nielsen needed to talk to me.  I felt it the moment I sat down in sacrament meeting.  So I better get thinking of what I can do to help these sweet people in the Edinburgh Ward.

Wednesday after working late Sister Gifford and I decided since we didn’t have any food in the flat and we were too tired to go to a grocery store we would go out to eat.  We found a place we have never been to before called Mia.  The menus were in old record albums.I had my usual Spaghetti Bolognese which is becoming my replacement for Mexican food.  It usually has a lot of flavor and the meat here is usually really good.

Thursday at the end of the work day I ran two sister missionaries to a doctors appointment.  On the way we saw some baby walkers.  These three walkers had nine babies in all and not one of them was crying.  Amazing!!

 

Sister Kim and Sister Irving

Transfer week always gives us a few new missionaries to get to know and a few more to miss.  We love to have the missionaries pop into the office and we get to know the ones around her pretty well.  We got two new sisters this past transfer – one is Sister Kim who I’ve talked to on the phone quite often but I had never met her except for a brief hi at her ward in Glasgow once.  She is such a pretty girl and so much fun.  And her new companion is Sister Irving from Alpine, UT.  Sister Irving is friends with Jaiden Larson.  It is so much fun to have people who feel like home even though I didn’t know her from home.  I think Sister Irving is going to be a great missionary as well.  She always has a smile on her face and seems to be fitting right in, although I know it isn’t easy when you first get here.  I admitted to her that I am just barely getting to the point where I don’t sit and count how many times I’m going to have to wash my hair here or go to church or anything else that is countable.  I still count now and then, it’s hard not to be aware of how much time you have been here or how much time you have left.  But Sister Irving agreed with me that she is doing the same thing.  I promised her it will get better.  She doesn’t seem too worried about it.

Saturday morning (today) I got called back into the office for a few secretary duties that had to happen due to issues that came up last night and then I came home and cleaned our kitchen, changed the sheets on my bed, cleaned my bathroom and then Sister Gifford and I hopped on a bus and went to the National Museum of Scotland.  The museum is a great place and we saw everything from the Millennium Clock to Elephants to Fashion and ancient stones and artifacts.  Then we went out on the roof of the museum to see the city from up there.  

After spending several hours in the museum we walked over to Victoria Street and had lunch then wandered down to Grassmarket and bought a croissant to take home for later.  We ate lunch at a place called Howie’s.  Not my type of restaurant but I can’t always have my way since my way is always the same thing.  I’m not much for variety or even expensive restaurants.  But I did have dessert and they had my favorite Scottish dessert.  Banoffee Pie.  

The weather couldn’t have been better today.  The sky was blue and clear and I loved it.  Oh, I have to throw this picture in as well.  We saw this ol’ chap sitting around.  I hope a wind doesn’t come up and lift up that skirt.  I hear they don’t wear anything underneath.  He looked a wee bit precarious sitting there.

3 thoughts on “Week 23: Really…already??

    1. I don’t know but I can get you a recipe. Sister Donaldson made it not too long ago and it was delicious. Probably even better than what I had yesterday at the restaurant.

  1. Thanks for the update on sis Kim and sis Irving!! Makes this mamma heart happy to know someone is looking out for them!! Love you you sis Call!
    Janeal Irving

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *