Riches in Scotland

Sunday, January 8, 2023

END OF THE MISSION

We've made some special friends who are in our "divine orbit" while serving here on our mission. This is Archie, who is from China. He was baptized in Hong Kong and is the only member from his city of a few million and one of two hundred members in the city where he went to school of several million. I think that makes him quite special

Romik is quite special to us too. He is from Punjab. He calls me "Mom" and Charles "Dad". Today after church, he wanted us to FaceTime with the girl his mom chose to be his wife. She seems really nice and is pretty. He really wants us to come to his wedding if it all works out. A trip to India could be very interesting!

Our friends from the Philippines, Daisy and Marius, invited us to dinner Monday. They are lovely people, and very gracious. They love to travel, and just returned from Christmas in Paris and left a few days later to visit Denmark and Sweden, where theya re now.

Ly is our friend from Viet Nam. We took her and the sister missionaries to lunch yesterday so we wouldn't be the only ones here who know her. They invited her to go with them to teach a Chinese girl they recently met, and she agreed to do it! She is very talented, majored in business, works in FinTec, and is also starting up her own on-line business. She's also artistic, and gave us this pretty oil painting as a Christmas gift.

This is where we ate with them- Barburritos

FHE Monday, playing games.

We rode the bus out to Gullane Beach Friday on a day that turned out to be the windiest one we've had yet.

It was really gusty, and made the foam blow all around us.

Cemetary and old church in Gullane.

Bus ride through the city on the way back.

Sunday, January 1, 2023

New Year

Here are some pictures from zone conference a few week ago.

There are still some Chritmas decorations up in Edinburgh. We rode the bus to Leith and walked on hte trail and went to some charity shops.

I like this cow sculpture, but always think the skeleton one looks out of place!

The naked man statue was covered in sticks and twigs due to last week's heavy rain.

We invited the sister missionaries to go to dinner with us and a new YA, Uzma. We hadn't met Uzma yet, but thought it might be a good idea for the sisters to know her too, since we'll soon be gone. The three of them really hit it off!

I've been going to Dee for my hair during out mission. Since this was my last appointment, I asked if we could get a picture together. I gave her a gift with cookies, some cash, and a Book of Mormon with a note explaining my feelings about it. I could have done it sooner, but thought that might makes things awkward during appointments. We have discussed religion some, but I wait for her to bring it up.

We got to go to the temple with Aaron Wednesday. It was very special. He has only been a member of the chcurch for two years, but he has a very deep understanding of the gospel, and was very prepared for this.

Abby sent this picture of her cute children doing the dishes toether.

Sunday, December 25, 2022

Christmas and end of December

This is the cover of a Christmas Coo card Lizzy made for us.

Christmas was pretty simple at our house. We didn't want to give each other things that we'd have to fit in our suitcases.

My brother, Ben and his puppy. I think he is aging very well!

Carly sent their recent family photos. What a good-looking group!

I thought this was Austin when I first saw it, but it's Hunter with a moustache, holding Owen. He lives in Yucaipa, but came home for a week for Christmas.

Megan's baby, Isla Grace.

Isla Abigail

Tessa, Lucas, and Isla Abigail acting out the Nativity. Traditionally, at our house, the piano was under the stable, so that's what they are doing too.