An Amazing Week in Scotland!

So much to talk about and so little time! Scotland is the place to be!!

Nov. 23

We had a super solid P-Day! Went down to Pollock and had a Blitz, I got to go with Elder Tullis and we were killin it! We got four potentials in one flat complex!! When we finished chapping those flats we came out and saw this massive hill. We could have gone around it, but we had the bright idea to go straight down! Not even half we down, we both ate it and slid down for a solid 15 feet! We just kept going! We were covered in mud from head to toe, and the worst part was I was in my suit because we were staying the night in Pollock, and had district meeting the next morning! We had a fun night with the other elders and got fat off of Kababs and Chippys!

Nov. 24

District meeting was good stuff, after words I took Elder Perkins back home with me on exchange. We did lots of finding, and guess what?? I got let in while chapping for the first time! We taught the Restoration right then and there. The guy was pretty crazy so I don’t know how much time we'll be spending with him, but it was pretty exciting anyway! We were also able to teach Gemma the word of wisdom and chastity. It can be a really hard lesson but it went over well!

Nov. 25

Hey, it’s my 5 month mark!! When did that happen?? Another solid day, did some finding in the morning, some service in the afternoon, and then had a lesson with Eddie that night. We taught him the Word of wisdom and the 10 commandments. He soaked it all up, and is one step closer to his baptism!

Nov. 26

Happy Thanksgiving!! It wasn't like the Thanksgivings back home in the States, but thanks to my Missionary Mum Anne I was still able to stuff my face! She took us out to a beautiful carvery. Food is good. Afterwards we spent some time in Dunoon, and had coordination meeting. Dunoon is a wonderful place!

 

Nov. 27

Black Friday's a thing here now! Lucky for me I didn't sse much of it because we were too busy teaching Gemma and Eddie! We had the chastity and tithing lesson with Eddie, and tithing and fasting with Gemma. We're on some of the last lessons. This is getting real!!!

Nov. 28

Lots of finding and try by's in the morning... and another lesson with Eddie! He's eating up the Book of Mormon and told us that “This tithing thing... I agree 100% with that stuff!” Let me tell ya, that's not usually most people's reaction to the tithing lesson.

Nov. 29

Crazy storm!! A lot of folk were not able to make it to church so Elder MacFareland and I got to teach Sunday school, but the main thing that went down last night was receiving a prompting to move Eddie’s baptismal date. It went from Dec. 13 to this Thursday!!! I’m so stoked! Please pray for him :)

It's been an amazing week and we have and even better one coming up! Keep praying for us. You’re prayers are answered!

-Shout Out to the Higgins Family for making us the world’s best chili!! 

Love, Elder Cluster

This week Flu right by ;)

Nov. 16th

We got haircuts! Elder MacFareland convinced me to go European style... I was a little unsure about it at first, but its growing on me! ;) We also had a stellar lesson with Eddie, he's a boss!

Highland Coos

Nov. 17th

I got the Flu.... I was feeling pretty crappy,  but felt a lot better when I had the Elders giving me a blessing after District meeting. Our night was filled with a video conference on Branch Counsel in Paisley. Nothing to exciting but it’s always fun to travel around! 

Nov.18th

Still felt like poop... didn't do much besides have another lesson with Eddie, I totally committed him to be baptized! #KingdomBuilder

Nov. 19th

I did absolutely bubkiss today!! Getting sick as a missionary is the worst because there isn't any good pastime.... However, we did get some excitement when we traveled down to Beith for a little Blitz thingme! We were just chillin on the train and sitting next to the bathroom, and this old guy walked up to the stall, it was locked because somebody was already in there, so he just pulled down his trousers and pee'd all over the wall!!!!! It was so gross! Because of the bumps and turns on the train the stuff was getting everywhere! I was trying so hard not to laugh that I cried! The ticket man saw it all and came over, got in a big fight with him, then kicked the guy off at the next stop! But that’s not all.... the poor ticket man slipped in it on the way back!!!! What a night!

Nov. 20th

I spent the day ill in the Beith flat with Elder Fisher. Elder Macfareland was able to show Elder Baker around to some former investigators because Beith was his first area!

Nov. 21st

Did some street contacting in the morning, and then endured weekly planning. After our weekly planning, things picked up! First we had another lesson with Eddie at the church, and then we had a branch Thanksgiving party! It didn't feel like a genuine Thanksgiving, but I still enjoyed every bit of it! The best part was Kizzy's Pumpkin pie!!! They don't do anything pumpkin up here! For most people there it was their first time tryin' the stuff! I don't know how they survive sometimes! The Branch is also very musical; the presidency made a band, and they played Sweet Home Alabama! I never thought I’d see a group a Scots singin' that one, it was Golden!

Kizzy's Pumpkin Pie... Yummm

Nov. 22

Church was great as always, we had the primary program this week! Watching all the young whipper snappers made me miss my “Bo on the go!” We were also able to get to investigators and two less actives out to church this week! We ended the night off right with a lesson at the Higgins, they're champs!

Well it wasn't the most exciting week ever but I'm feeling a bit better now and I’m excited to get back at it! 

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!!    

Love, Elder Cluster  

Elder MacFarlane (The Englishman)

It’s been another BIG week!! Scotland is ready for a change!

Nov. 9th

Mine and Elder Clawson’s last P-day together, and it was killer! We went on an epic adventure through the wilderness, and into the big green Scottish hills! We were finally able to make life slow down, and just enjoy the outdoors. Later that night we hopped a ferry over to Dunoon and had a grand lesson with Gemma.

Nov. 10th

Busy, Busy! We taught our new investigator Eddie in the morning. It went great! Eddie's gonna go far :) Afterwards Elder Clawson said some goodbye's (It was his last day in Greenock after 6 months) and we had another stellar lesson with Gemma! I'm tellin' ya, the Lord trusts us with some very prepared people right now! After our lesson we took a long bus ride down to Irvine and stayed in the Zone Leaders flat for the night, along with 6 other missionary's. Everyone was grouping up for the moves tomorrow! There wasn't enough bedding so I had to sleep on the ground with nothing but my hoodie... it was a rough night!

Part of my new district

Nov. 11th MOVE'S DAY! Wednesday was something else! You're never gonna believe it, but the zone leaders needed me to drive around loads of missionary's to their new areas all day! I was driving all up and down the West Coast of Scotland (On the Opposite side of the road might I add) including through the busiest streets of Glasgow all day long! I was singing "Jesus Take the Wheel" And he did! Besides for when I found myself on the wrong side of the road, or hitting a curb... It was probably not the smartest idea to make a sleep deprived American drive around crazy Scottish roads, but we're all still alive :)

I also got my new companion Elder MacFarlane, he's a funny Englishman and we're having loads of fun together! He is also teaching me the Ukulele and Guitar. I'll be a pro in no time! I'm excited for all the work we'll be going together. 

 

Deep Fried Pizza...Yummm

Nov. 12th

Today we did Weekly planning (BOOO!!) But we also did some street contacting, and had a lesson with Louise, so it wasn’t too bad!

Nov. 13th (Friday the 13th, Spooky!)Today we had another All Scotland West Conference (This time in Glasgow) These Conferences are always the best! They put my spiritual batteries into overdrive!! Plus it’s always nice to see President and all my other missionary buddies. After the conference I went on exchange in Greenock with a new member of the district Elder Neilson, it was fun spending some time with another missionary from my MTC Group.

Nov. 14th

We begged for money to help British folk with Heart problems, Unexchanged, then went down to Dunoon! We had two lessons in Dunoon this time! One with a less active and one with Gemma. Both were stellar! Getting back to Greenock was a bit of a probably because it was so stormy out. Our ferry was shut down, so we ended up having to take a different one that dropped us off at a weird spot with crappy bus times. Long story short we had to walk through this crazy intense rainstorm and ended up getting back to the flat pretty late. It was way fun!

Nov 15th

Church was great, as always our gospel principles class was the best part! (Besides Sacrament of course) We also had a dinner appointment, and then had a lesson with Graeme so it was a pretty awesome day!

Thank you all for your love and support, your prayers are what makes the deference!! 

PS. it is UNREAL the amount of rain that has been coming down on us this week (Even Right Now!) They've got some new lakes to name out here!! They weren't kidding when they said they were putting me in the rainiest area in the mission!

One Love! -Elder Cluster

Moves Calls...And More!!

Dang, this week has definitely been one of the biggest of my mission so far! I'll squeeze in as much in as I can, but just know that thing are happening here is Scotland! 

Nov. 2

Elder Clawson and I were sick and tired of having boring P-days so we went on and epic adventure straight into the wilderness! It felt so good to get away for everything and enjoy the fresh air up in the middle of nowhere! Later we had a pretty killer lesson with Louise.

 Nov. 3

Our last district meeting before moves... Traveled down to Pollock in the morning and had a really great district meeting. We had lunch all together at this all you can get Indian/Chinese Place called Cosmos. That place is like heaven. It was hard to part because we knew out district would probably get torn apart with moves, and it did! But we'll talk about that later! We ended off our day with a lesson with the Higgins

Nov. 4

Today was HUGE! Brother Cain came down in the morning and we had a lesson with our former investigator Angela. When we came by Angela’s place, she had this crazy old lady over names Barbs.... She snuck up and kissed us on the cheek a couple times and kept telling me how handsome I was.... It was pretty freaky, but the lesson went well at least. The main event of the day was when we went down to Dunoon and taught Gamma with Bro Cain. It couldn't have gone any better! It was in that Baptist Cafe again but that didn't stop the spirit! She's totally going to be baptized!! Dang I'm Stoked!

Nov. 5

GUY FOX NIGHT.  We started our day off in Port Glasgow doing some street contacting and found three potential investigators! But that’s not all the good news, after that, we went down to the Isle of Cumbre and had lunch with some members!! It’s pretty cool when you get to hop a ferry to an island for a lunch appointment! From there it was straight back to the flat. Pres. wanted us in my 5PM because of Guy Fox Night (some weird holiday about someone trying to blow up parliament) So we enjoyed the sounds of fireworks while we endured weekly planning!

 Nov. 6

Back to Dunoon! We did some try by's, finding, and had a coordination meeting with Bro Cain. Sister Cain had just gotten back from a vacation to Turkey and shared some of her genuine Turkish Delight with me!!! It was quite the experience. After coordination our friend Billy who also lives over in Dunoon had us over for dinner where we were fed a variety of home cooked curries! Curry is a pretty big deal over here. But long story short, it was so hot I thought my face was melting.

Nov. 7

Today was pretty nuts as well, I mean, every day this week was nuts but we had fireworks this time! Another pretty big miracle happened this morning when we happened to bump into this potential investigator named Eddi we found just yesterday! One thing led to another and we found ourselves giving him a tour of the branch building and having a lesson with him!! Eddi is a Druid, I didn't even know that was still a thing, but he's gonna be a Mormon soon! The Branch all got together and went down to a big firework show. We got three investigators to come so we were able to go too!! (Gemma, Louise, and her partner) Fireworks have always been my favorite... I soaked up every last second of it!

Nov. 8    MOVES CALL

Sunday was just insane. Church was awesome; we had both Eddi and Louise come. Our Gospel Principles class was on fire!! After church was pretty rough, it’s hard to get your mind off of the suspense of moves call! During a lesson we had with Greame the Zone Leaders called and pranked us saying we were both staying together in Greenock! It was pretty messed up, and we didn’t end up getting the actual call for another two ours! We were at the Higgins when it happened....... Wait for it........... Elder Clawson’s outta here and will be staying in Greenock another five weeks with an English Elder named Elder Macfarlane! Elder Clawson is going down South to Stranrear. The time Elder Clawson and I spent together was real but I’m excited for what the Lord had in store for us throughout this next transfer!

Well there ya have it folks! Keep praying for us, we're gonna need it!!  Love, Elder Cluster

PS. The sun goes down at about 4:30 these days.... It’s Dark, Wet, and Cold. I like it :)

Pushing through....rain & shine (mostly rain)

Hello everyone :) Things have slowed down a little throughout this last week, but it’s nothing to worry about, we'll have it up and burning again in no time!

Oct 26

Just another P-day, nothing to exciting... Today will be better! After P-day we had another really great lesson with Gemma! She is so ready for this gospel!! Unfortunately we have to push back her baptismal date though because she hasn't been able to come out to church because of college and work. :/ It’s nothing to worry about though; I know she'll get there!

Oct 27

We had one heck of a district meeting today! The zone leader and sister training leaders came down and I got to do a 20 minute instruction on Diligence! I got the group pumped up for the work buy showing them my mission call video!! :) After DM we all went out and blitzed the heck out of Greenock! I was with my trusty zone leader Elder Perkins. To put an end to the night we went to the branches epic Halloween party with Gemma. It was way fun! I dressed up as Elder Clawson… Spooky right?? All the little children dressed us up as mummies, that was exciting! 

Oct 28

Elder Clawson did a lot of district leader stuff throughout the day, but we had a successful night by teaching both Greame and Louise :)

Oct 29

Alright today sucked pretty bad. Long story short all of our appointment fell though and we ended up just talking to grumps all day. No worries though, tomorrow made up for it!

Oct 30

We started the out morning off my street contacting in City Centre.... and I found a man with a Miniature Schnauzer!!! That’s the first one I’ve been seen since I said goodbye to little puppy Paisley! Definitely a tender mercy. Later my mission mum Anne took us out for lunch and gave me a uku! Just watch, I’m gonna return from my mission as a complete pro at the ukulele! We also had a really amazing member family baptism. I was privileged to be a witness and be a part of the confirmation. What a great experience!

Oct 31

Happy Birthday to my Sweet Sister Ivy!!!!

Today was something else! First we went down to Paisley because Elder Clawson had to do a baptismal interview. From Paisley we went straight to Irvine for a Zone Leadership Training (That was an awesome meeting.) Then from there we went back to the flat and did our weekly planning. Since it was Halloween we had to be in the flat by 6pm. I'm not gonna lie, it was the most boring Halloween I've had. Ever!! But hey, maybe next year will be more exciting :) 

Nov 1

Wait, its November already!? Church was great! Louise came again! 

That’s me out!! Buckle up for next week, it’s gonna be a crazy one!!    

Love, Elder Brycen Cluster