Mission Blog #28

 

Preparation Day Outing - O'Meath and Carlingford

The drive from Dundalk north and over the Cooley Mountains, down some amazing scenic roads to O'Meath, is one we needed to take Elder Schneider and Caswell on. They're standing by Longwoman's Grave near the summit.

Here, we've arrived in O'Meath and took a leg break down by the water. Warrenpoint, Northern Ireland, looms across on the other side. 

Lough Carlingford is home to some of the most amazing oysters in the world. Exports go to many different countries. It's the unique sweet taste and high meat content (they're huge) that makes them awesome.

It has become a right of passage that we go to PJ O'Hare's and down a few of those bad boys; a bit of lemon, a drop or two of Tabasco, and down the hatch. PJ's can prepare the oysters, 'Original', 'Grilled', or 'Asian' style. 

We don't know how the other 411 missions in the World punish young missionaries, for breaches of Missionary Standards (Rules)... but in Ireland, this is how we do it. No fooling around!

District Council in Dublin  

Sister Judd, who began her mission service in Dundalk 5 months ago, is now training a new missionary, Sister Carrus, from Italy. We are thrilled to have Sister Judd (from Taylor, Arizona) back in our District. There is no doubt that these two missionaries have alot of fun, while finding and teaching those who have a desire to learn more about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

Elders Schneider, Caswell, Sisters Judd, Carrus, Sister McMurray, Elder Aina (District Leader) and Truman. 

Our District Council is about 90 minutes long; hymn, prayer, mission announcements, doctrinal message, mission standards review, role play, prayer; then the food. Everyone takes part and receives assignments a couple days prior from Elder Aina. We always look forward to it. Tina and I do everything we can to uplift these young missionaries. We express our gratitude for their sacrifices and efforts, and we make sure that we love them and are proud of them.

There was a bit of competition for best banana bread... it was all very good but my fave was by Elder Aina! Their mommas would be proud.

You've Won a New Car......

On Monday evening prior to District Council on Tuesday, we received a phone call from the Mission Vehicle Coordinator. Sister Madsen informed us that we would be exchanging our 2020 Hyundai i30 Hatchback, for a 2023 Toyota Corolla Luna Sport Hybrid with the Sister Training Leaders. Ireland received 2 new vehicles which means that 2 pairs of missionaries previously on foot, would now have wheels; one new vehicle was given to the Zone Leaders, and one to the Sister Training Leaders on Thursday. Missionaries in Mullingar and Waterford received the older vehicles.

On Sunday evening the Sisters had a bit of a scrape on the wheel cover, and put a dent on one of these brand new hybrid cars. As a result, it was felt by President that it was best that the Senior Couple (Tina and I) should have the new car. Yippee for us!

The dent is not huge and we have an appointment for next Friday with our local dealer to get it expertly repaired.

Learning safe driving habits, and being responsible for automobiles, is just one more aspect of being a missionary.

Elders who received their vehicle in Waterford, lost their driving privileges 4 hours later, after going 20kmh over the posted speed limit, at a time when President was monitoring them on the fleet tracking device. Busted! Learn to be responsible the right way, or the hard way....

Both front wheel covers were scraped up a tad - haven't heard the whole story on how both got dinged. Nothing major but President has a zero tolerance policy on vehicle incidents.

It is a blessing to us to have the hybrid since we'll get approximately 40% more kilometres on a tank of fuel. 

Senior Moments....

Every month or so all the senior couples in the mission have an evening together, via Zoom. Each time, the responsibility for the topic for discussion rotates. 

From L to R on top row, the Edwards (from Alberta) assigned as Mission Medical out of Edinburgh, (Elder Edwards is a physician); the McMurrays; the Madsens - Elder Madsen is our Mission Finance Secretary and a former 35 year employee of the Church's Department of Finance in Salt Lake City, Sister Madsen is our Vehicle Coordinator; the Kitchens - are located in Belfast as Member and Leader Support (MLS) missionaries, from North Carolina. On the L second row are the Sylvesters who are pretty new to the mission and they are located in Greenock Scotland, and they are also MLS missionaries; the Colton's are MLS missionaries in Omagh, Northern Ireland - Elder Colton slipped and fell this past winter and broke an arm and a few ribs but he's well now; Sister Hardy and Sister Gundestrup work in the Mission Office and revamped the filing systems and assist a number of other office staff; Evenson's from Alpine, Utah are MLS missionaries in Tralee, Republic of Ireland (southwest corner). We've known them and corresponded since we first met on the mission facebook page prior to actually arriving in Ireland. They hosted the evening. Tremendous people. Bottom L are the Eddy's, MLS missionaries in Inverness, Scotland, and Elder Collier - I believe he works out of the Mission Office HQ in Edinburgh.

This represents about half of the total senior missionaries who work in the Scotland-Ireland Mission. Some have become very good friends to us. If some of us look tired in this photo I took without asking anyone to pose, it's because we are. After all, it was 8pm - 12 hours since we left our apartment... 

Seriously, these are some of the finest people we've met; accomplished, dedicated, and carrying a wealth of experience and knowledge to every task, and demonstrating faith to move mountains. 

Missionary Housing....

A local church member, Alice, lives in the left unit of this semi-detached structure. She also owns the unit on the right and with tenants leaving she has offered it for rent to the young missionaries. Up until the pandemic, she had missionaries there for about 6 years. So, we'll be moving them in over the next week or so. It's perfect for them.

Elder Schneider and Caswell hosted us for dinner at their flat. A very nice gesture. Schneider did a spaghetti omelette. Not bad at all.

After dinner we spoke about their education and career plans a bit. Elder Caswell expressed some fear about going to college. So I asked him how he did in high school. His reply was, 3.97 GPA (out of 4). Oh, can't you see the struggles ahead....?? I chuckled. I told him that obviously he just needs to continue to apply himself, and carry over his habits developed in high school and his mission into college and he'll have absolutely no problem.

Schneider, from Berlin, explained how their education system was quite demanding. He was also an outstanding student. They both have bright futures, and not just because of their aptitude for learning, but because of their humble attitudes.

Coming back from District Council on Tuesday we stopped and met up with Jonas, from Honduras, and a member of our Dundalk Branch of the Church. He is a sweet man - works here and sends money home to his wife and family to give them a better life. He'll be coming with us on the upcoming Temple trip to the Preston England Temple.

Sorin and Irina Covaciu, from Romania are two church members who live about 20 minutes south of Dundalk. I've never met anyone with such command of the scriptures, particularly the Old Testament - other than my father. Their English is very limited but we manage okay. Sorin loves to discuss the scriptures. He'll read one in Romanian, then we'll read it in English, then we'll share insights. Sometimes we'll stop and show a video, as we did today, as our discussion related to Easter. They celebrate it next week and have invited us for a lamb Easter supper. They are sweet, and we love them.

Raising 9 children in a foreign land has not been easy and I applaud them. I will be spending some time in DuoLingo trying to learn some Romanian. Today I greeted them with 'Buna'. Sorin got a kick out of that.

Belfast for Easter Sunday and Monday, with Family

What a great Easter feast we had; gammon, lamb, roast potatoes, mashed, carrots, peas, beans, etc. Tina's nephew David and his wife Tess are standing.

Cara and her cousin Conner - Tina's great niece and nephew. We love seeing them. As they play their games of football (soccer), or jump on the trampoline, or play other games running around the garden, or through the house - we are exhausted just watching them. Boundless energy right there!

Saw this flowering plant in Victoria Park in Belfast today. No idea what it is.

Easter Sunday was great. The Branch President asked me to speak in Church. I don't believe I've ever had the privilege to speak in Church on Easter Sunday previously. Jesus Christ, the Redeemer was my topic. Last weekend's Annual General Conference talks gave me much inspiration. The whole week was very uplifting as we pondered our Savior's last week, humbled by His sacrifice offered in love for all of us, and completed by His magnificent resurrection.

This is Gorse hedging, a very prickly evergreen, grows wild along roadsides and fields. It's now in bloom all over the countryside. Great for keeping out kids, dogs, and burglars (how it's said on Amazon).

Cara is Tina's great niece. She is the only child of Julie and Cliff - star footballer, gymnast, Girl Guide participant, a budding artist, gamer, and smart as a whip. Every time we see her now she seems to have grown 3 more inches, and gained even more confidence. Well done mom and dad!!

Cliff, Lorraine, and Julie try to keep up....

Victoria Park has a few nice wide paths - kid's play park, waterfowl of all kinds, as Tina's brother, James, is pointing out. It was a great Easter - being able to drive just over an hour and spending it with Tina's family.

Cara and Lorraine feed the swans.

The Samson and Goliath cranes used in construction of many ships in the Belfast shipyards in the background.

Tomorrow, President Joe Biden visits Ireland. It's in commemoration of the Good Friday Agreement signed several years ago. As the article states, after some official ceremonies in Dublin, 3 Chinook helicopters and 2 marine helicopters will bring JB to a landing a few hundred metres from where we live in Dundalk, at the Dundalk Institute of Technology sports fields. It'll be some time in the afternoon. Good thing we'll be in Dublin at District Council, to avoid all the noise and clamour.

We finished our Easter weekend with James and Lorraine, out for a nice meal after a great walk in the park.

Thank you James and Lorraine for a lovely weekend. We look forward to hosting you in a couple of weeks.

Ireland is always green but Ireland's spring green is pretty spectacular. We enjoy the drive home now, since there is more daylight.

This week will be a busy one; District Council and apartment inspections will be some of the priorities; but also completing the contract review and amendments for the new mission apartment here; and assisting in teaching the gospel to a 27 year old young man, Aminu, in Drogheda, who we met on Sunday. 

"Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life."  - 3 Nephi 5:13

God bless you all this week.

Elder Eric & Sister Tina McMurray, 

Scotland-Ireland Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.