Mission Blog #66

HAPPY CHRISTMAS - from Scotland

Something that the young missionaries look forward to each year that they are in the mission field at Christmas, is receiving Christmas packages from home. Parents and their families are asked to send these to the Mission Home, then the Assistants to the President load up the mission van and deliver them to each of the Zones, including to Belfast, Northern Ireland and Dublin, Republic of Ireland. They make sure that everyone has something under the tree Christmas morning.

Elder Petrovay on the far left is smiling extra wide - he told me that the Temple previously announced for Birmingham, England will be built in his suburb of Sutton-Coldfield, about a 10 minute walk from his parent's home. It is also very close to our daughter, Michelle, who lives in Lichfield. 

Elder Petersen, Elder Bangerter, and Elder Aina all got to play Santa. 

Elder Aina is one of our very special missionaries with whom we have shared much of our 15 months in Ireland and Scotland. He has many amazing gifts, not the least being that he carries an amazing positive outlook. Another is his love for people and desire to talk to anyone and everyone about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. 

We first met when we were in the Republic of Ireland. After many trials and set-backs he later became our District Leader and is now an Assistant to the President. The road has not been an easy one for him with many adversities along the way - as with each missionary - but he has shown us how a true disciple is always more focused on reaching out and serving others, than he is about his own trials and concerns. He returns home to Utah in February and we look forward to seeing him 'on the other side' where we know he will adapt and accomplish amazing things as he applies the same principles - faith in Jesus Christ, hard work, and perseverance.

There were some games played before the gifts were distributed. Called 'signs'...  District Council doesn't usually have any games on the agenda but today was a special time to gather and it was alot of fun.

On the serious side of our District Council we each offered our favorite event in the life of Jesus, whose birth we are celebrating. It was clealy evident how much our Savior means to each of these young missionaries, and to Sister McMurray and I.

Lunch was a burrito bar. Everyone pitched in with bringing something and it turned out great.

One of the best Districts we've been in. 

If you haven't ever had the young missionaries in your home to share a message about our Savior, I encourage you to invite them - you won't regret it.

A new friend had us over for a wonderful evening and we found many connections and common interests. We have really enjoyed getting to know Anne and supporting her.

Inspections: Our timing for performing apartment and vehicle inspections moved up a week due to our hosting our youngest daughter Michelle beginning Friday. Inspections are always an opportunity to check in on the missionaries themselves, not just their flat or vehicle. We try to pay attention to their emotional and physical well-being and provide support when we can, or find the right support.

Christmas With Family Is The Best

Michelle took EZ Jet from Birmingham up to Glasgow Airport, a 45 minute flight. Glasgow Airport is just a 10 minute drive from our Anchor Mills flat. It is sooooo nice to have Michelle visit us, again. She came to visit us twice when we lived in the Republic of Ireland; Dundalk, as well as Cork, and now in our final stop, Paisley, Scotland.

And we love her kindness and her discipline in pursuing her dreams. We love her humor and her game skills, but couldn't she let the hosts win once in awhile!!?

We walked around the Paisley town centre to give Michelle a sense of the town's pulse, and the character of its people. These two musicians were playing some great up-tempo Christmasy songs - if they had a drum kit handy, I would have joined in.

Near Paisley Abbey, standing on the bridge of the White Cart Water, with its pretty lights. We've had so much rain in the last few weeks, you would think we live in a rainforest. Luckily we had a couple hours where it paused so we could walk about.

Our friend Anne had told us about a monster shopping centre, Braehead. What better way to get in the spirit of the holidays than to go shopping with 50,000 of our Paisley and Glasgow neighbors. I was told to go sit on a bench and just wait. Had a couple of great conversations with new friends, while Michelle and Tina got their steps in hunting for a few things.

One woman had been shopping awhile with her friend but came to sit and guard the six or seven bags of Christmas gift items while her friend went for one last thing. We talked about what I and Tina are doing in Scotland - and about having spent a year in Ireland. She was a very friendly and chatty person. She apologized for the weather, which many locals have done.  She left and Kenny came and replaced her. After exchanging our names, he asked where in Ireland I'm from....that was an awesome moment. We talked for an hour and just had a great time sharing about some of the things that are important to us.

Our Sunday services today were very special - full of Christmas carols and readings from The Old & New Testament, and Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Everyone was told to remain seated at the end as they had a special thing to do. Cynthia is the Ward Relief Society President, originally from Nigeria. They had all the 7 missionaries come up to the front of the chapel and Cynthia gave some very kind and loving remarks about the missionaries and how much the whole Ward appreciates what we do, with the Ward members 'active' or 'less active', and within the community with new friends. It was very moving and unexpected. Some gift bags were brought out stuffed with packages and cards from the Ward. There were three bags for us and each missionary received a sack full. It was sooooo thoughtful of them. We'll never forget that wonderful gesture. Isn't Cynthia's dress and cap, from Nigeria, amazing? And her smile lights up a room. 

Back to our flat for some late Christmas decorating. Without any string, we tried a couple of ways to display the Christmas cards we've received. We tried cellophane tape, then settled on a television cable that was lying around. 

Our local Elders (Zone Leaders) Tewes and Mauclair joined us this afternoon for our Christmas Eve; we watched some Tabernacle Choir Christmas performances, ate, sang some carols, then read the story of our Savior's birth as recorded in Luke chapter 2.

We also each took a moment to talk about the first Christmas that we spent away from home. For Michelle it was when she taught English in S. Korea in 2018; for Tina it was the first Christmas when she came to work in Canada 1981; and for me it was Christmas 1977 in Breda, Netherlands. The young Elders had their first Christmas away from home last December. This is their 2nd Christmas away.

After we'd eaten we went for a walk over by the Abbey and town centre, to see the lights. 

"And when they were come into the house, they saw they young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh." Matthew 2:11

"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."  Luke 2:10, 11

"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."  Luke 2:13, 14

There was a service in the Abbey tonight - people were going in for what is certainly an annual tradition that has been ongoing in this community for 800+ years. 

We continued one of our family traditions of watching Sound of Music tonight. 

Whatever your own family traditions are at Christmas, we hope that it binds your family together and uplifts you to ponder about the gift of family, and the gift of our Savior, the greatest gift.

"And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and his mother shall be called Mary."  Mosiah 3:8

We feel blessed in many, many ways. Every day is a new one, with its own challenges, its own opportunities. We know that through the gift of our Saviour, we have an opportunity to start anew, after applying faith in Him, and through repentance - a change of heart. We're imperfect and we need our Saviour. 

God bless you all as you strive to include Him in your lives, each day.

Elder Eric & Sister Tina McMurray

Member and Leader Support Missionaries

Scotland-Ireland Mission

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

www.churchofjesuschrist.org