Week 9 November 24, 2013 - November 30, 2013

Week 9

November 24, 2013 (Sunday)

Between the Glasgow and Springboig Wards, we attended five hours of church meetings then Elder Browning spent the afternoon working on a Springboig YSA Excel Spreadsheet with birthdays and postal codes, so we can send letters and birthday greetings.  The idea is to see who is still around and attempt to set up some visits.  We’ll see how that goes.

November 25, 2013 (Monday)

We left our flat to go shopping with the Sister Missionaries. Getting to the car was fun as we ice skated down our icy path leading from the flat to the car. Fortunately, the roads were not icy or slick.

We bought a hand-held blender, so we could make smoothies. First attempt went OK but the taste left a lot to be desired.  We’ll keep searching for the right beverage to go with the strawberries. We both worked on the FHE meal.

At FHE we had our combination of YSA, investigators and missionaries.   

The activity was fun. Sister Caswell was in theater in school, so we did one of her improv activities.

The scene is a restaurant. The waiter/waitress has gone to the kitchen and two patrons talk about the quirks of the waiter/waitress. The patrons have to come up with four quirks. Then, the waiter/waitress comes out and portrays those quirks and he/she takes the orders. It was good fun. This could be a fun parlor game. Elder Browning was the last waiter, and they had him as a drunken pirate with a parrot on his shoulder that he always talked to. They tossed him a marshmallow on that one. Elder Browning made a good drunken pirate -aaaarrrrrrr.

November 26, 2013 (Tuesday)

We love observing these young missionaries at District Meeting; they are well prepared to preach the gospel. The District Leader, Elder Farnsworth, challenged us to pray and in our prayers ask; who will I find; what will be their needs; where will I find them; when will I find them. He also asked us to assess at the end of each day what was effective and what wasn't. This is pretty good counsel.

November 27, 2013 (Wednesday)

Institute activity was dodge ball with mostly "guys" participating. We set up the table of food in the back of the cultural hall, and it doesn't take an eejit (Scottish for idiot) to see "it" coming. So, I’m an eejit. Yes, one of the participants knocked over a pitcher of water - game delayed. Kris decided the best way to clean up water was using a broom and dust pan. It was creative - but ineffective.

November 28, 2013 (Thursday)

We went on an adventure to figure out how to get to Staples for some Acco Fasteners. We were successful - Yea, for small miracles!

We also wanted a map. We were sent to Buchanan Street to purchase the maps. We ended up in the parking lot for Buchanan Gallery. We’re not sure how we got there, but we’ll take it. Buchanan Gallery is like Lloyd Center, so we did some looking around ending up at a kitchen store where they were displaying an air popcorn popper - so we bought it. We hope it will come in handy for home and YSA functions.

After leaving Buchanan Gallery we went to a Visit Scotland Information Center. We were pleasantly surprised at what they had - even maps. We talked to a couple of the employees and even discussed our reason for being in Scotland. One young man was of YSA age so we told him what we did with the YSA and gave him a card with the address to the church on it. We ended up buying the maps we needed, picked up some brochures and Elder Browning purchased a knitted skull hat with the Scottish flag on it.

We were invited to attend Bishops' training to introduce ourselves and to let the Bishops know we were available to assist them in reaching out to their YSA. We also asked for a list of their YSA, so we would know the extent of the rescue effort. This was just the Glasgow Stake. We also need to work with the Bishops in the Paisley Stake to give us the same info.

We had a short visit on FaceTime with Leigh, Jill, Simon, Elliot and Fiona as they were preparing Thanksgiving dinner for a crowd of friends. It’s always good to see and talk with them. They are dearly missed, but thank heavens for technology, which eases the distance while we are separated.

November 29, 2013 (Friday)

Pretty much spent the day in the flat so Sister Browning could make three pumpkin pies for our Thanksgiving dinner with the Senior Missionaries at the Mission Home on Saturday.  

November 30, 2013 (Saturday)

We traveled to Edinburgh and parked at the base of Edinburgh Castle, just off the Royal Mile and then we walked up to the castle. It is just as Elder Browning remembered. Magnificent! It was a cold morning; and while there were crowds developing, it was still early enough in the morning that the crowds were not overwhelming. We did a quick walk through, took a few pictures and a couple of short movies of the panorama from the castle and decided we would be back. We learned later that the castle was free and open to the public in commemoration of St. Andrews Day. Next time it will cost us.
 
We took a photo of the special cannon called Mons Meg, which was presented to King James II in 1457, but we can't find it...

Photos of Edinburgh Castle

 

Outside the castle looking up from our parking spot on the street.

 

Standing on the Esplanade in front of the castle

Entrance into Edinburgh Castle

Inside the castle

Cannon protecting the castle

Last fired in 1681 when its barrel burst

View from the castle

Another view from the castle

View of Arthur's Seat (It was nicknamed Pratt's Hill)

We left the castle to walk the Royal Mile. 

Just off the Castle Esplanade is a shop that sells all kinds of tartan wool goods with their factory in the basement. We toured all three levels of the store, which helped us stay out of the cold weather. We both were wearing our Harris Tweed coats, which were a blessing since the coats really do a good job to keep the cold out.

Wedding - we think the groom is in the kilt...

Ornate steeple

A Santa piper

 As we walked we came across a Santa playing his bagpipes. He was playing Scotland the Brave and Jingle Bells.  People were taking his picture, like us.

 Pres. Brown carving turkey

How gracious is our Mission President and his wife to host a Thanksgiving dinner for all the Yanks.  The food was great – appetizers, fruit and veggies and a big turkey, very tasty.  It was also nice meeting the senior missionaries in Scotland and chatting with them.  Because of the social setting we didn't get much of a chance to talk shop with the YSA couples. We met a Senior Missionary who previously served in Scotland at the same time Elder Browning did but in the Scottish Mission.  We learned that we were both released by President Haight at the London Temple, but we did not know one another.  He was not aware that the two missions had been merged because the merger did not affect him.

Singing at mission home

As the evening wore down, we retired to the living room. Elder Browning had a Deja vu moment as he was transported back 50 years to that room where he entered the mission, and they had a testimony meeting for those going home and for those coming in. One of the missionaries going home was someone he went to high school with.  It was a fond memory...

There is a piano in the living room and a Sister Missionary began playing the Christmas songs from the hymn book. We were both blessed that night to find the notes, so we could be part of the impromptu choir. The group sounded pretty good under the circumstances. President Brown came in to sing with us and ordered the sisters out of the kitchen to come join the singing.  It was great. 

The person who made the Cranberry Salsa also took a picture and sent it to us with the recipe.  The picture, and the recipe, will be a cherished memory.

Sure do luv ya,

Cheerio the nu