Two Busy Weeks, One Email!

 Hello everyone, I would like to apologize for not being able to email last week. Apparently they celebrate Easter for like a whole week here in Scotland, and all the libraries were closed! So buckle up because I'm going to try and fit all the excitement of two weeks into one!

Mar 21st

I'm not gonna lie, this was a pretty flippin' boring p-day; I don't even really remember what we did! I know we finished the night off strong with some good old fashion chapping though!

Mar 22nd

Today we had an extra early morning and a nice long train ride to Ayr. We had a nice and spiritual district meeting then an exciting Blitz in Ayr! I was on exchange with Elder Ararve. Together we reminded loads of folk what Easter is all about or taught... you'd be surprised how many people didn't know why we celebrate Easter! By the time Elder Hoppe and I made it back home to Stranraer it was getting late, but we still managed to have a wonderful recent convert lesson.

Mar 23rd

Two main things for today, first was a sketchy drive to Kirkcowon on bad tires. We made it safely and had a rockin' lesson on the 10 commandments with Kevin. We topped it all off with the Law of Chastity. That’s one more chaste man in Scotland! Next was a another sketchy drive, this time all the way up to Ayr to get the tries changed (we had to go to Ayr because Stranraer is too small to have a shop the church can work with)

Mar 24th

Thursday we have coordination meeting then made out way up to Newtown Stewart where we had a good time chapping. We chapped into this crazy catholic lady who invited us in to meet her daughters then kicked us back out when we tried talking about the church!

Mar 25th

Today the Mcleans had us over for pancakes! You can't find any decent maple syrup over here but it was still a tender mercy and a little taste of home! We also got to help Kevin out with some painting. It was a lot of fun but I think I got some paint in my eye....

Mar 26th

In the morning we had a lovely less active lesson where they surprised us with Scottish breakfast roles! There nothing like a good slice of black pudding and haggis in a bun with a fried egg! Today we also had some ridiculous winds and a spiritual lesson with Dave!

Mar 27th

Yay, its Easter!! I couldn't have asked for a better Easter Sunday. All through church and throughout the day I felt the spirit as I reflected on the resurrection of my Savior and what all that meant to me. I thought of the song "I know that my Redeemer lives" I do know my redeemer lives. But not only that, I know that He loves me. I know that I will live with Him again. One highlight of the day was going on a picnic in to countryside with the branch president and his family. We colored eggs and rolled them down a hill to resemble the rolling of the stone of Christ's grave. It’s a fun British tradition!

Mar 28th

Today’s P-day definitely made up for the last one! Because the library was closed we had a little extra time to go on some adventures we did it all, from hunting for muscles (Elder Hoppe cooked those suckers up and ate em!) to watching a highland coo crossing on a kind mans massive farm, all the way to trying to build a dam across the river! It was a good thing we had fun because for the rest of the night we went to hell and back cleaning out the mold and dust off the old flat so we could hand the keys in. I think there is something growing in my lungs now...

Mar 29th

Today we taught Kevin more about family history and did some service helping the McLeans out with their Garden. Later on some other members had us over for a classic "British High-T" This thing was a heart attack of happiness! It started with Fish and Chips then lead to a tower of British desserts. You eat the deserts on the bottom level of this thingme then work your way up to the Meringue on top! It was quite the experience, but I cannot officially say I survived a British high-T!

Mar 30th

Today we had the old flat checked out by the land lord "This is the cleanest I've ever seen it!" You probably could have heard our sigh of relief from Ogden! Besides that it was a load of finding.

Mar 31st

Thursday was sweet! I'm talkin' 5 new investigators baby! Three came from a group of kids we met at the park when we went to have a lesson with Vicky, One was a kind Baptist we chapped earlier on in the month, and the last was someone we chapped into and let us in to talk about the second coming. He had a weird Oriental cat! 

Apr. 1st

Today was extra stormy! This was pretty unfortunate because we mostly just chapped doors all day!

Apr. 2nd

General Conference again already!? I loved every second of it, with the time difference we were only able to watch the morning session. It felt weird watching it live at 5pm! I wish I had more time to talk about it but I will say this, our leaders are inspired all the way! We also had a fantastic lesson with our new investigator Campbell.

 

This is where our Branch meets for sacrament meeting. 

Apr. 3rd

We got to watch the Sunday morning session of general conference again, what a blessing! I'm still trying to figure out what my favorite talk was... I loved them all! We also did weekly planning today and I had a bubble bath where I was able to soak in all the wise words of our prophet and apostles.

These two weeks has been all over the place but I am so grateful for the experiences I had. Between Easter and General Conference I've been reminded just how very blessed I am to know of our saviors perfect Plan of Happiness for me and all my brothers and sisters. I pray that we will never take our knowledge of this gospel and our Heavenly Fathers love for us for granted.

Love you all!     

                  -Elder Cluster