Mission Blog #69

 Callendar House, Falkirk

A mansion redesigned and extended in French Renaissance chateau style with some Scottish baronial architecture. 

This week began with having our first District Council with our new District Leader, Elder Dillon Gneiting, from Rigby, Idaho. We also welomed a brand new Sister missionary, Sister Annie Brimley. Our meeting wasn't very long since we also had the Scotland South Zone Conference on Thursday. 

Traveling to Zone Conference in Edinburgh at 7:30am is definitely not one of my favorite things to do. First, we travel at rush hour through Glasgow, then into the Edinburgh rush hour traffic. About a 50 mile (80 kilometre) trip that takes about 2 hours. But in that time we got to know Elder Gneiting a bit better. He seemed to know a friend of ours, Keith Carey, who was a missionary in Sherwood Park some years ago and one of our favorite missionaries of all time (along with his companion Elder King). Keith now is a teacher who Elder Gneiting knows well, and says is a unique and fun teacher. Elder Gneiting also seemed to know my cousin JoAnn Powell and her husband Myron in St Anthony... small world.

Zone Conference was just for the South of Scotland this time around; a group of about 70 attendees. We helped feed the group - taco soup, salads and desserts galore. The training is offered by Zone Leaders, Sister Training Leaders, Assistants to the President, and President and Sister McCrudden. And, we Seniors had our own break-out meeting - no agenda but just an open discussion about challenges and successes in the different areas we serve in. Our Mission Secretary departs for home this month, as well as Sister Hardy from Wiggin, England (knows some of same people that Tina knows from L'pool), and the Colton's who are serving in Omagh, Northern Ireland - who are completing their 4th mission. Elder Cangelosi, spouse to Sister Cangelosi our Medical Advisor, will be brought into interim Secretary duties. We like his sense of humor, maybe too much. During our Senior missionary meeting, Sister McCrudden came into the room and was carrying a weigh scale, saying she needed to find Sister Cangelosi. Elder Cangelosi who was sitting with us in the room said that he didn't know where Sister Cangelosi was, 'but if that scale is for her, I have to warn you that the last time I gave her one of those, she wasn't very happy about it.' For his sake we hope that President McCrudden can appreciate his wit and humor. P.S. Sister Cangelosi has a wonderful sense of humor as well - we have had many laughs with her.

Car adventures; when we arrived in Paisley, September 27th, we learned about one of the mission vehicles that was in the shop and awaiting completion of repairs. It had already been there a month. The Mission Vehicle Coordinator appreciated our offering to liaise with the shop and to speed things along. Well, it is January 14th and I have just been advised by the shop that the repairs are completed. Apparently we'll be picking up the vehicle tomorrow. Good things come to those who wait...

When we arrived at Callendar House, we found that they were hosting the 2024 British Cycle Cross Championships on the estate grounds. Junior Men, Junior Women, Senior Women, and Senior Men competed on a sunny day in Falkirk. Cyclecross is a non-Olympic discipline of cycling that is a cross between road cycling, mountain biking, and steeplechase. The courses are 1.5-2mile loops on a mix of paved and off-road surfaces (grass, dirt, mud, etc) over flat to rolling terrain. Elite races last an hour or so. 

We enjoyed the atmosphere and wandered around and watched the teams, individuals, coaches and supporters enjoy a great day for racing.  Note: A Scot repeated as champion of the Senior Men's category.

They had cleaning stations - to wash off the mud accumulated their practice runs, and Pit areas for the set-up or repairs. Sponsors gave out meals for the racers and free stuff (swag) to take home.

The biggest building project the people of Scotland had ever seen was the Antonine Wall, built by 6-8000 Romans in around AD 142. It ran east to west from Forth to Clyde, 37 miles in length. It marked the northwest frontier of their Empire. The wall is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Part of the visible sections are in the Falkirk area, including on the Callendar Park property. It was fascinating to learn about the planning, organizing, and the carrying out of the construction. The Antonine Wall differs from the Hadrian's Wall as it is made of earth, rather than stone/rock. A ditch on the north side, and a Roman road on the south side; it was ingenious.

Within Callendar House were models showing how the house began and evolved over many years, to become what it is. They have not maintained much of the original interiors, but rather, use the interior space to explain the local history, politics, wars, way of living, and so on, through the ages.

Fans of the series, Outlander, may recognize this kitchen utilized for filming of various past episodes.

For local citizens and historians, the Archive Room is of great value.

It was interesting to see these official certified Imperial weights and measures. An Imperial gallon is the second from the left.

We have 2 Timmy's in Paisley and another near us in a mall in Glasgow. A little taste of Canada. Tina loves the tin of hot chocolate powder mix that we bought there.

We enjoyed having our Zone Leaders for dinner tonight. They are two of the finest, one is from Ancona, Italy and the other from Munich, Germany. We love them and we enjoy seeing their dedication, and hearing their testimonies.  Our joy would be full to see them in five years or ten years, still on the covenant path and serving and happy in the gospel.

It is our hope and desire for all of our family and loved ones, that they would build their foundation on their Savior, Jesus Christ. Someone once said, 'You never know how much you need an anchor until your boat is in a storm.' The storms are guaranteed to come, so it is important that we develop and utilize the anchor of faith in Jesus Christ.

God bless,

Elder Eric & Sister Tina McMurray

Member & Leader Support Missionaries

Scotland-Ireland Mission

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

www.churchofjesuschrist.org