Week 33: 50 Year Anniversary, Moves Week, Lots of Baptisms

So this Friday, 50 years ago our church building was dedicated.  It was dedicated on 10 November 1967.  This week Sister Gifford and I have been busy decorating the foyer for this event to celebrate the anniversary of the building.  This building was built by the members of the stake along with some young building missionaries.  I compiled a video of all the pictures I was able to collect, (which we ended up not using), and we set up trees and hung stars from the ceiling.  We have tartan ribbon and throws on the furniture and tables.  We have a guest register for everyone to sign as they come in.  We were able to get everything set up on Thursday evening since Friday is when I am going to be buried in transfer work.

Monday morning we got the missionaries in Edinburgh together for a choir practice since we are singing at the 50 Year Celebration.  Here is how Elder Carter and Elder Huang showed up.  They aren’t even companions so I think this was a coincidence.

Then that night we made our last effort to collect everything we needed for the decorations and then went to Nando’s again for dinner.  We had driven to IKEA and by the time

we were done wandering through there it was late.  Especially since it is dark now by 5:00.  It seems even later so dinner out seems the only option since we are so tired and with the dark it seems like it should be bed time.  I’m sure it was only about 7:30 but it feels like 9:00 at least.

Wednesday we attended a baptism at the church.  Kevin Richardson was baptized and it was a great baptism with the spirit very strongly present.  This man was very excited to get baptized.  He missed his first baptism date because of a conflict with his work where he was called out of town.  When he got back he found the missionaries who had been teaching them and before they could say anything, he asked them when he could reschedule his baptism.  He was ready.

After the baptism Elder Gibb asked us if we would take a girl home who is also investigating the church.  She is from Taiwan and her name is Ching.  She lives in Edinburgh but down a long, dark street and it scares her to walk home at night.  So we gladly put her in our car and drove her home.  It was nice because it was in an area we have never driven in before.  I had no idea this area existed and we plan on driving back down there in the daylight so we can look around.  Elder Gibb told us the next day that she had been taking the discussions for a while now and she is getting baptized this Saturday.  He also said that she told him that her auntie and uncle were just baptized in Colorado.  No one else in her family is Christian and Elder Peacock and Elder Gibb got a little worried about what her auntie and uncle were baptized into but she showed them pictures and sure enough, they were baptized into our church.  She was very excited about that and took it as a final reason to accept baptism.

Thursday we got the foyer decorated right after work and then once again drove Ching home.  She was in for her baptismal interview.  After we dropped Ching off we ran to M&S to grab a snack since we didn’t have time for dinner (or lunch in my case) and

then we went back to the church.  I sat with Bahadier as he had a follow-up lesson on The Plan of Salvation.  He has done so well since he was baptized.  He has even passed the sacrament the past couple weeks.  He is learning English as well, but very slowly.

Sister Gifford helped the bishop with a few last details in decorating the   and then we hung around until just after 9:00 because Sister Kim and Sister Irving were alone with Michael.  He is their investigator that has believed the Book of Mormon is true and has received a confirmation that the church is true but hasn’t felt ready to commit.  He already lives the word of wisdom pretty much so that isn’t an obstacle for him.  Well this night he finally committed to a baptism date.  They have worked hard with him.  We got home just before 9:30 and I actually just crawled into bed and fell asleep.

Friday I finally got the list of moves and I was very ready for them.  I had all my charts set up and there was nothing undone before I started working on the moves list.  Of course between Friday and mid-Saturday the list changed two different times but that’s normal.  I got as organized as I could with the time I had.  I didn’t have much time.  I had committed to help Sister Dahl, a young missionary who serves in Galashiels get her car to the dealer for a 20,000 mile check-up.

So that took time driving twice each way to the dealership to drop it off then pick it up.  We also had told the APs that we wanted to take them to dinner this week and between us there hadn’t been a night.  Elder Peacock only has six more weeks of his mission so he is transferring out to Dublin for his last transfer.  Elder Wright has come in as the new AP.  Well, late this morning the APs decided they could do lunch today and we had to jump at that chance or Elder Peacock would be gone and it would never happen.  So off we went after I got back from getting the car to Zizzi’s.

Friday evening was the celebration over at the church.  The missionaries were singing so I had to go over.  They had dinner and entertainment.  They had a Highland dancer and a ballerina and the missionary choir.  The original people were there and told a few stories that were quite entertaining.  After it was over I took Sister Gifford home and then headed back to the office where I worked until 12:30 on ferry tickets and flights.

Funny story from the celebration.  The primary kids sang a song and the little girl in front had on a sweater with the sequins that are two different colors, (like my red and white pillows at Christmas).  Well she was standing there playing with her sequins rubbing up and down on her shirt and then the boy standing next to her noticed and decided to help out so he stood and rubbed up and down on the front of her shirt as well.  I know that doesn’t sound as funny as it was but it was pretty good.  Here is a picture of our primary.The girl is on the end and the boy is in his kilt next to her.

This morning, Saturday I was up and at the office again by 7:30.  I left a note for Sister Gifford to call me when she got up and wanted to come over so we could get the foyer cleaned up and then I went to the quiet office to work on moves.  I get so much done when I’m the only one there.  I ended up working until 4:00 and then Sister Gifford and I ran to get some dinner and now we are heading out to our baptism.  We have a baptism tonight of five people.  Four different sets of Edinburgh missionaries have baptisms tonight so it is going to be a great night.

Tomorrow is Rememberance and at 11:00 AM the whole country has a two minute silence so that happens during our sacrament meeting.  They are going to have to figure out confirmations around that.  Five confirmations will take some time.  Well we are off to the baptism.  I thought I better get this done now though or it wouldn’t happen this week.

Oh I wanted to add one more thing.  I found something I really like here.  Crumpets.  I don’t know why we don’t have these in the states.  We have English Muffins which is the same kind of thing only these are thicker and softer and they are each just like half of an English Muffin.  The bottom is solid and the top has all the holes in it.  They taste pretty much the same too but they are so much better being soft.  Even after you put them in the toaster they are still nice and soft.

OK.  Well, I’m off.  I hope you all have a good Sunday.  I miss you and love you.