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

Good Things Are Happening!

Dang, this week’s been awesome! It feels like it’s been ages since my last P-day, but that's just because we are starting to have loads of success :)

10-19

We had an alright P-day, but a flippin' awesome night! Our lesson with G went perfectly! As soon as we walked her into the chapel, and we all felt the spirit so strongly. I was able to commit her to be baptized on Nov. 14th!!!! It’s so exciting to watch the gospel work in her! We are having another lesson with her tonight, so say another little prayer for us!

10-20

Started the day off with a really great District Meeting in Paisley, then had lunch at Burger King with G :) Burger King is rubbish here... if I haven't said that already. But it was loads of fun being able to spend some time with G! As for the rest of the day, we had a lesson fall through so mostly just chapped around. We finished the night off right with a lesson with Saffron though!

10-21

We did loads of street contacting in the morning and found a very promising potential named L (Who is now an investigator!) Later we did some service and a less actives house; we uprooted this massive bush in the wind and rain! It was a bonding activity for Elder Clawson and me! I mean, this bush was heavier than me, and I’ve already gained 18 pounds!

10-22

We were supposed to have a lesson in the morning, but that fell through.... again.... but that’s alright because the rest of the day was a success! We went down to Paisley and did an exchange (I took Elder Rogers home with me to Greenock!) Elder Rogers is a good guy, he's Australian! We had an extremely spiritual lesson with L..... And committed her to also be baptized on Nov. 14th!! I don't think I’ve ever had a lesson go as perfectly as this one! The Lord is just blessing me left and right! 

10-23

Went back to Paisley, just to meet up with Pollock and go on another exchange! This time I took Elder Roylance home with me! Today was an adventure to say the least. We had coordination meeting in Dunoon with bro Cain, but it was so stormy it made the ferry feel like the Tidlewave Ride and Lagoon!! Luckily we made it over alive, but just to be tossed around by the wind while trying to chap! I was happy when we finally made our way over to the Cains where we had a wonderful meal and a meeting. However, getting back home was even more of an adventure! The ferry we originally took was shut down because of the intense waves, so we had to travel down to a different terminal with a much larger boat. (The kind that carry buses and junk!) It was still a bumpy ride, but we made it home safe and sound! Maybe you'll see the crazy video I took one day!

10-24

Another windy day.... Still made 20 Pounds begging for money for the British Heart Foundation though! Afterwards we had lunch with the Pollock Elders and unexchanged. We also had another super awesome lesson with Louise! And last but not least.... Saffrons Birthday!! Elder Clawson and I sang beautifully for her ;)

10-25

Daylight savings... We got and extra hour of sleep! I woke up feeling like a million bucks! And I’d say pounds, but that probably doesn't feel very good ;) It was Stake Conference today; we traveled down to Paisley with the Cains... and L! We moved mountains to get her there, but all worked out in the end :) Stake conference was packed! It was the most Mormons I’ve seen in one place since my farewell! We got a new Stake Presidency, so that was pretty cool! And guess what? I've officially been out for four months! That's just crazy talk! The time just flies! Everybody warned me of this but I don’t think I really believed them till now!

Well there's the week! This week is going to be even better! Just you wait :) Hope all is going well back home... Drink some A&W in my honor!

With Loads of Love, Elder Brycen Cluster

Scotland's about to see a whole new wrath of missionary work!!

HELLO! Dang, this week went by soo slow for some reason, but that’s okay because we got work done!! Scotland's about to see a whole new wrath of missionary work!

 10.12

We had P-day with the Higgins! Gavin also drove us around to do our shopping, and went with us to the Morrison’s for the first time! I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to survive without them!

10.13

Not much happened today, mostly just loads of finding... But we did meet this hilarious man at the bus stop! He was cracking jokes about us going to chap his door, but by the end of the conversation we had a whole crowed of people practically in tears! I don't really understand why everyone thought it was so funny, but I’ll take it! I told each one of them that I was going to track them down and chap on their doors, and that they better let us in!

 10.14

Zone Interview Training!!!! I saw my Mission President for like the second time in my whole mission, he's a good guy; just wish I could get to know him better! The zone gathered in Irvine and we had a giant conference “thing me”, it was loads of spiritual fun! Elder Clawson and I did a role play in for the zone, it was pretty nerve racking but I think we did great! And the best part of it all... Free KFC!!!!

10.15

More finding......... Oh yeah, and they found a bomb in Gourock! I think it was one of those submarine one's that look like a spiky balloon, ya know, like the ones on Finding Nemo! I guess it was left behind from the war, and nobody really noticed it till now... They had to evacuate people to defuse it, so that was pretty exciting.

10.16

One heck of a BLITZ in Pollock! The district plus the zone leaders spent the day in Pollock on a blitz (Finding all day) I went off with Elder Tullis and we lit the area on fire!!!!! I’ve never seen so much success in my life! All together as I group we found 27 potential investigators! But that's not all, Elder Tullis and I got let in to a guy’s house that we chapped, we taught him a lesson, and I committed him to baptism!!! #Miracle #Blessed At one point Elder Tullis and I found five potentials in 20 minutes. That’s gotta be some kind of record!!!! I finished off this awesome night by taking Elder Johnson home with me on an exchange. 

10.17

Elder Johnson and I begged for money for the British Heart Foundation, did a ton of GQing, then exchanged back to Pollock. After words Elder Clawson and I went down to Dunoon for Coordination meeting. Dang I love that place. 

10.18

Church was great; we gave a solid lesson in our Gospel Principles Class and had an amazing sacrament meeting as well! After church we tried by a potential investigator I found the other day, and guess what? She was in and was excited to see us! That doesn’t happen very often! Pray for us, we set up a lesson with her tomorrow :)

 10.19

As for today we're planning on a pretty relaxed P-day, which is much needed! We also have a lesson with Gemma tonight! I’m stoked; we're going to meet with her in our church instead of the Baptist church this time!!  As far as the weather goes, we've been pretty lucky with avoiding the rain lately. It hasn't been half as bad as when I first arrived :) It's just extremely cold and dark all the time now.... Well that's it for this week :) Thank you for all your prayers, they make all the difference! 

Don't forget, Heavenly Father loves you!!!!        -Elder Brycen Cluster

  

   

#blessed

This week’s email is going to be a little different because I’m extra short on time... The computers at the library were down, so we are taking a quick minute to email using the Higgins laptops!

I'll start this week off with my experience at the great and abominable church! So we were goin' round town talking to anyone and everyone and met this lady named Yavon and made a deal with her that if we went to her church, she would come to ours! And before we knew it, we were in a prayer circle, and everyone was speaking in tongues! It was strange stuff.... quite the experience though! I was happy to get out of there. The worst part is she bailed on coming to the true church... :(

The wonderful Anne Harrison took us out to eat again this week! That’s always a fun treat. Anne is the best!! She says I’m cheeky…. She actually went as far as telling my mom that I’m “Completely and Utterly full of Cheek!” Haha!

Cheeky Boy!

Next up was my exchange with Elder Tullis in Paisley! The exchange was awesome! I feel like I’ve been spending a lot of time in Paisley lately... We had a good time, and had an extremely spiritual lesson with Elder Tullis’ recent convert Allen. Allen is a boss! The spirit was so strong we came out on cloud 9! After we left the lesson, I got down on my knees with Elder Tullis in a dark wet field, and thanked Heavenly Father for the experience we had just had.

Saffron's Confirmation was yesterday! Another spiritual Thanksgiving to say the least. Afterwards we had our testimony meeting and the spirit had nearly everyone in tears.

The only other main event was when I found a new starfish friend in Dunoon! I named him Carl and took him home with me :)

Well sorry this one's a bit small, but thanks for all the emails, and most of all thank you for all the prayers! I was reading an MTC talk from Elder Holland and he explained how missionaries are the most prayed for group of people on the earth.... Dang!! #Blessed

Love,
Elder Cluster

General Conference Baby!!!

Hello everyone... it’s been an awesome week! From Baptist church's, to sleepovers in Paisley. I soaked up every minute of it!

9-28 - We had our first lesson with Gemma! Remember, the one I mentioned at the end of last week? It was amazing, but there's a bit of a plot twist... We had it in a Baptist Church cafe in Dunoon... I’m not gonna lie, I was pretty concerned when I realized where she wanted to meet us, but we went for it anyway. Regardless, the spirit was so powerful! I've got some pretty high hopes for this one! We are meeting her again tomorrow, this time in our church! So please be praying for us!   Oh yeah, and I had some killer hot chocolate!

9-29

Not really all that eventful... Mostly just chapping doors. One of the members saw us on the street, so he picked us up and we went home teaching with him for a while, that was fun!

9-30Today was crazy fun!! Because it was the week of moves our P-day was today (Wednesday) when I looked out the window this morning I couldn’t see more than a couple yards past our flat! So much fog!!! I loved it! We spent our day along the shores and beaches of Largs... I feel so blessed to live so close to the water. It helped me to clear my mind, and think of the miracles the lord freely gives us every day. All the ones we normally just take for granted and often look past.

10-1

More chapping....  I got Burger King!

10-2 

We did more yard work at that sister's house, I destroyed another bush!! Fun stuff.... Later we took the ferry over to Dunoon and had coordination meeting with bro Cain. I also found out about the lives lost in Oregon. We all need to remember to pray for those families.

10-3

Begged for money at the British Heart Foundation... Then went down to Paisley and watched conference!! Conference is amazing, and you get so much more out of it as a missionary. The spirit testified the truthfulness to my heart with every word spoken. That night we got kebabs and spent the night with the Paisley Elders! 

10-4 

More Conference!! I feel so spiritually exhausted and I love it! I wish I could go into detail, but my favorite talk was definitely Elder Holland’s. Because my mum's perfect. :)

In between sessions Elder Clawson and I went out chapping. Folks seem friendlier in Paisley... Then we had another sleepover!

Times up but thank you all for thinking and praying for us! God be with you till we meet again :)

I love you,

Elder Brycen Cluster