Progressing

Teaching Jim is going really well.  He went to Ward Conference and the Stake President talked all about spiritual and temporal self-reliance and building your spiritual foundation.

Finding is actually going really well.  We are just finding at the college all the time and I’m loving it, it’s a blast and we are having amazing conversations with students and we are meeting with a lot of people all the time.

We didn't get any pictures from our castle excursion last week because the road was closed leading to the castle and so we couldn’t go in so I don’t have anything.  I’ll try more next week when we are going to another castle that should be open.  I  haven’t gotten any pictures of the flat yet but I’ll try to do that this week. 

This week we went to Morin’s for lunch and it’s pretty cool because she is a recent convert from when I was in Aberdeen before and I taught her a couple of times when I was on exchanges and she fed us a Nigerian dish called egg pasta that was sooooooo hot.  I was drinking so much water and I was sweating so much and my nose was running and it was so bad because I haven’t had spicy food in so long but it was really good. 

Yesterday for zone development we just played sports all day.  We did chair football and volleyball and dodge ball and it was a lot of fun and I just like feeling sore from doing sports all day. We also had Costco pizza and muffins and it was so much fun.  But, the best part was just talking with all my other missionary friends.

I love you!

Elders Benson, Cavolero, and I

Busy

I'm not sure, to Americans I probably could imitate Scotts or the Irish pretty well, but mostly I can just say Irish or Scottish slang or words. I've noticed that I will say "like" or "but" at the end of sentences even when they aren't needed and Elder Benson also does because his last area was in Northern Ireland, so we make each other say the weirdest things. 

We have people we are teaching - Jim and he's great.  He is looking for a job right now and he comes to church every week.  He just isn't ready for baptism yet but he's a really good guy! 

Pearl is the mother of some members and she actually comes to church a lot but she's still just scared of a couple things. 

Some less actives are doing well.  Allen was actually baptised when I was in Aberdeen before but just hasn't been to church in a while but now he's for sure coming back.

Moligetta is doing good too. 

Bob is a wee man that's just the nicest and we actually took him tracting with us a little because he wanted to help us.  Almost all the less actives we are teaching have a goal of the temple in the future. 

Since I was in Aberdeen and it was the other side of the city, I actually haven't run into too many of the same people. 

This week was a blast. I'm loving being with Elder B.  We have been pretty dang busy and have able to see a ton of people. Today we went to a castle that I don't even know where it was and it took a long time to get there so that's why I didn't get to email earlier today.

E-mailing on P-Day

We're doing a lot of good

The interview with President Brown was great!  We had a couple laughs and it was just really good.  I’m not really nervous any more about interviews.   The zone meeting was ok, they did a lot of role plays, other than that, it was pretty normal.

We have a couple of really good people right now that we are teaching, they are really great, we also had a lot of less-actives come to church! 

The ward has about 75-80, but it feels massive because I got so used to Cumbernauld.

This week was awesome sauce!!  I’m having the best time with Elder Benson.  He’s from Utah and we have a ton in common and we have been going about doing a lot of good. This week we have a lot planned and a lot of people to see.  The weather has actually been really good for the past couple days and today its actually been kind-a warm... it’s been a long time.  Today for P-Day we are going to go on a hike to somewhere. 

Just trying it out.

Bridge of Don

My first week in Bridge of Don has been pretty amazing.  I already love it a lot here.

 Elder Benson is so funny, I probably haven't stopped laughing since Wednesday.  I already knew him so I was really looking forward to being with him. 

The work is just a little different, we mainly go finding around the college and that’s awesome just talking to people that age because that is when people start making those large decisions and they are really open.

I’m already in love with the ward they are so good and I can tell that they love us. 

Elder Rogers is out of my zone so I probably won’t see him all that much.

The weather is a little dryer but a wee bit colder.  There hasn’t really been any snow up here. 

My week has been great.  I’m so happy to be here and I love being with Elder Benson.  He’s a really good guy.  We joke all the time and we have both been out a good amount of time so we both know a lot.  This next week I’ll be having an interview with President during zone interview training and we will also get instructions from our zone leaders. Right now we are just finding people to teach and things are going pretty well. 

I actually just read that same scripture this morning:  1  Nephi 17:50 "And I said unto them: If God had commanded me to do all things I could do them. If he should command me that I should say unto this water, be thou earth, it should be earth; and if I should say it, it would be done."

LOVE, Elder H.

I've come full circle--back to where I started-in Aberdeen

Well I should know a lot about the place I’m going because I’m going to Bridge of Dawn in Aberdeen, so I started where I might end. 

For once I know my new companion and his name is Elder Benson!  I met him in Belfast and I’m pretty excited because we got along really well. 

Elder Rogers will be staying in Cumbernauld with Elder Winder and I don’t really know anything about him. 

I’m really good, I’m just excited to have Elder Benson as a comp.  I knew that I was going to be moving because a lot of things always happen with your investigators right when you move. Billy is doing amazing and wanted to go see James's baptism on Saturday... Oh yeah and James, a young man in the ward finally got the ‘ok’ to get baptized by his Mom so we have taught him a bunch this week, and the recent reactivated girl in the ward will be going on a mission now, and the ward has been just amazing.  It’s going to suck to leave but I’m kind of excited, but it’s kind-a lame that I’m going back to another area that I have already been again.  Haha, but it will be good.

Teaching, snow, letter from Bryson's

We are getting moves call on Sunday night and I'm pretty sure that I'll be moving. We weren't able to meet with all of our investigators this week but we were able to really work with helping members know what to do and say when they are asked about what they believe.  We are also helping a member that has been less active for a long time and is now coming back.  So we are helping by teaching her the missionary lessons and it's really good to see someone grow and learn and regain a lot of what they have forgotten. Usually it's kind of hard to explain the feeling of the Holy Ghost but she explained how it was just knowing, and so she already knew what it was, and all the feelings that the gospel with give you.  She also explained that she is just happier since she has been back. It's been snowing pretty much all week so it's been pretty cool, especially since it's the first time Elder Rogers has ever seen snow.

A letter from the Bryson's!:

"Hello There Big Irish Son

Hope you are not to cold and you are being looked after J

To say we miss you is an understatement I know it may not seem like it cause I have not been in touch but I do miss you and your counsel .  I am struggling a bit but Russell is doing so well. He passed sacrament last Sunday and Sunday just passed and the Bishop had a word and told him he would soon be blessing the Sacrament.  The first Sunday he passed it, I was sitting in church and was proud beyond  words and cried my eyes out.  Russell has also been asked by his Mum to confirm our Great Nephew who is getting Baptised up in Derry so he asked the Bishop if that would be ok and he gave him his blessing so , as long as the Bishop up in Derry says it is ok then he is good to go.  All these things that Russell is doing is also a credit to you and the work you did with us and without you we would never have got this far, even though I am finding it tough I know I am closer to where I need to be and without your spirit and prayers and counsel I would be wandering in a very dark place, I will be forever grateful. 

Carter is fine and he got a part time job in a brill American BBQ place in Ballyhackamore and he loves it, will you keep him in your prayers as he is finding it tough going in College, thank you pet. 

I am in work at the moment so have to be quick I must mail our other son to let him know.  Thank you for always being there and never forget we are always here for you.

Our Love and Prayers

Your Irish Mum and Dad xoxoxoxox"

Catch-up to the New Year

January 12, 2015

Ha! No I haven’t seen any clogging yet.  I don’t think I ever will because they don’t really do that here but I’ll look out for it. They are having Burns night in a couple weeks and that’s going to be cool because I’m going to try to wear my kilt as much as I can.  

Yeah, every once in a while I see people playing bagpipe music and I’m pretty sure it’s my favorite instrument at the moment.

Bridy hasn’t come to church yet and we weren’t able to meet with her this week because she had to go to a funeral.

Billy is doing really well but we know we are just going to have to work with him really slow because we realize just how much we ask people to do when they aren’t used to it, especially to people that aren’t that social in the first place. 

This week wasn’t too bad, nothing too crazy has happened.  We got to meet with a lot of members and it’s just been really good and fun. We are hopefully going to be teaching a couple of member’s friends this next week and I can’t wait. I also just see all the time how lucky I am to have the understanding that I do.  I know the purpose of life and that’s pretty cool. 

I’m not to sure what to update you on because it’s been pretty much the usual this week. I’m lovin Elder Rogers and we are freezing but having a blast.

I love you too, Mom!

The Scotland Sport P-Day

     
     January 5, 2015!:

We were able to get lessons with Bridy, Billy and Margaret this week and they were all really good. We taught Bridy and just pretty much read with her and she committed to coming to church in the next couple weeks.  Billy is a really good person.  When we were teaching he explained how he’s really starting to like all that we teach him and he knows how good everything is that we teach him. I’m not totally sure what to do with Margaret because she is really good but she doesn’t really want to change or commit to anything because her family pressers her too much into staying Catholic. 

Another cool thing is that we are starting to teach a member in the ward because she was less active for a long time and wants to get a better understanding of the basics. So, things are going well.  We have a good amount of really good people to teach.

Today we are going to a golf range with some other Elders and Sisters, so that should be pretty fun. Things are just keeping on and I’m doing really well and I’m so happy with how good Dad is doing. ​

Bro. Cattel drew pictures of Elder Rogers and I

December 29, 2014

It was great talking to you all on Christmas! 

Boxing Day was great.  We went to a member’s house and watched Frozen and ate pizza and got haircuts and it was just a lot of fun. For New Year's Eve we aren’t out past 6:00 because there will be a lot of interesting people out.  We are going to the Foots on New Year’s but I’m not sure other than that. 

It was a really good Christmas. It was just weird to not be always busy or doing something, but it was a good way to rest for a couple days to get back into things. We didn’t get to meet with too many people throughout the week just because everyone was busy with Christmas but that was expected. 

It was amazing to get to Skype all of you and get to see Dad bald. Now it’s getting colder and colder so that should be fun for the next couple months.