Mission Blog #20, Feb. 5, 2023

Another Week In The Books

Transfers:

On Monday, we took Sister Judd and Sister Gardiner to the Dundalk Train Station (featured for 10 seconds in the movie 'Disenchanted'). Our little Hyundai i30 hatchback could not take all of their luggage and them, so we had 1 more large suitcase plus other bags to take with us on Wednesday to District Council. They were wonderful and we'll miss them very much.

Sister Weston and Waltman have joined us here. We'll only have them for about 6 more weeks as Sister Weston completes her 18 months mission in March. Sister Waltman will be transferred to Scotland at that time. But, we have known both of them for the last 4 months as they have previously been in Dublin. They are amazing young women - their parents should be extremely proud.

Sunday evenings we have an All-Mission Devotional. We have brief training on things like 'Adjusting to Missionary Life', and that could be given by senior mission couples, Mission President, or other experts. Tonight we had training on dental care - some reminders on brushing, flossing, TMD, grinding, etc. It's good to remind missionaries how important good oral hygiene habits are - while they are young. I'm sure the dentists in the family are happy about this.
 

A Wee Road Trip to Belfast

It has already been more than a month since we saw family at Christmas, so we drove the 70 minutes up the A1/M1 to Belfast again on Friday for an overniter. Tina's brother James and sister-in-law Lorraine hosted us. We were able to see nephew David and Connor, as well as niece Julie, nephew Cliff, and their daughter Cara. James was a good sport and let us teach him to play SWOOP!! This was just what we needed to recharge the batteries.

We enjoyed an outing to the Ulster Museum, Belfast. No entry charge for museums here. This display featured Ireland's famous glass - Waterford being the most widely acclaimed.

This display shows a 21 piece toilet set - what items you may find in a manor home's fancy bath room.

Rembrandt van Rijn's etchings were featured in the art exhibits.

My favorite - The Bridge at Grez by Sir John Lavery - a small row boat with shimmering water - amazes me how the artist did this; and did this large painting all in one sitting.

The art exhibition rooms had some great works of high quality - Irish and other artists were featured.

We enjoyed our day at the Ulster Museum. The natural world created by a loving Father in Heaven, and art and invention developed by the ingenuity and skill of people throughout the ages were fully on display.

Tribute to Bernie Orr

The world lost one of the great ones this week - Bernie Orr. Earlier blog posts gave some insights as to my interesting connection with church members here in Ireland, and Bernie, from Orton/Fort MacLeod, Alberta. I was posted to the ATB Branch in Fort MacLeod in 1981 and shortly after I arrived, Bernie Orr returned from his mission to Ireland. I loved getting to know my own roots - my great grandmother being Sarah Ann Orr and married to James Stevenson McMurray, they along with several children and a few others arrived in 1901 from Liberty, Idaho to where they established Orton. Bernie is a cousin. When Tina and I were assigned to Dundalk, Ireland we made a friend who had mentioned that she was baptized into the church 42 yrs ago by a Canadian missionary who we learned was Bernie Orr. He had visited her here a few weeks prior to our arrival and we pitied that we had missed him. In Fort MacLeod we had a vibrant young adult group of which he was a part. Bernie went on to become a teacher and a football coach - of hundreds of young men who grew into accomplished men. He built a junior football program in Raymond - but he more precisely built young men. 

 

Just before Christmas, our friend, Ita, came to our home so we could help her prepare some family name cards for Temple ordinance work she planned to do at the Cardston Temple when she visited Bernie in Raymond over the Christmas holidays. Then we called Bernie on FaceTime and had a wonderful visit with him - reminiscing about those early post-mission days in Fort MacLeod and life since - and to talk about how we all these years later have a mutual friend in Ita. We mourn Bernie's passing but we are grateful to have known him - I've seen some of the tributes from younger men he coached and taught and it is remarkable the things they have said about him. Well done Bernie! We offer our sincerest condolences to all who mourn this great man's passing.

Reach out to a young person this week and like Bernie would - look them in the eyes, pat them on both shoulders, tell them how proud you are of them, tell them that they can do it, that they are amazing, and that you love them, and hug them.

Have a great week,

     Elder Eric & Sister Tina McMurray