Mission Blog #71

 Who Is Robert Burns?

When we arrived in Scotland on September 27, 2023, we drove on one of about a million 'round-abouts' and near one by Prestwick Airport we saw a brown sign (indicating a point of interest) that said 'Robert Burns Birthplace and Museum'. I knew he was an important figure in Scottish history, that he was a poet. But I didn't really understand the scope of the high regard that the country and elsewhere holds for him. This week has been the week in which we've come to more fully understand who Robert Burns is.

He was born on January 25, 1759 in Alloway, Scotland, one of seven children of tenant farmers William Burns and Agnes Broun. The cottage shown was built by his father. Robert was given irregular schooling and he grew up in poverty. Alot of his education came via his father who taught the children reading, writing, arithmetic, geography, history and also wrote 'A Manual For Christian Belief' for them.

When we realized we were less than an hour's drive from Alloway and that it was his birthday, we made a quick decision to drive down to Alloway. 

Alloway is a beautiful village of 5,000 in South Ayrshire located on the River Doon, 2 miles from Ayr.

The birthplace of Robert, 'Burns Cottage' is adjacent to a museum containing original manuscripts of his poetry. Some gift boutiques and cafes line the opposite side.

The Brig o' Doon, is a late medieval (1400's) single-arched bridge that was at one time the main entry into the town. Burns featured it in the final verse of his most famous poem, Tam o' Shanter. Tam, on horseback, is being chased by Nannie the witch. He is just able to escape her by crossing the bridge (over a running stream which she cannot cross), narrowly escaping her attack as she is only able to grab the horse's tail which comes away in her hands:

"The carlin caught her by the rump

And left puir Meg wi' scarce a stump."

Burns was a poet and lyricist, celebrated worldwide and he wrote about the people and places he knew and loved. 

Brig o' Doon House Hotel, adjacent to the Robert Burns Monument and Gardens, has the best views of the bridge.

There are over sixty known memorials (statues, plaques, towers) to the Scottish poet, Robert Burns, including this one in Alloway, his home town. They are found in several locations of Scotland, and in Australia, Canada, New York's Central Park, Michigan, England, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Estonia, and elsewhere. 

The property of the Brig o' Doon House Hotel on the right is host to alot of weddings; their grounds and gardens are stunning, even in dead of winter.

Alot of bride and groom photos have been taken on this spot. Mel, and Joachim (photographer friends), I know you'd love this location!

Our First Robert Burns Dinner

We feel blessed to have been able to visit Robert Burns' birthplace, and walk where he walked, on his actual birthday. Our interest in Robert Burns was peeked further a couple of weeks ago when our church congregation announced that we'd be having a dinner in his honour - a tradition they had carried on for many years, until Covid pandemic restrictions. Alastair Mair was in charge of the evening's program and surprisingly asked me if I would be willing to bring the haggis into the hall, following behind the piper. I can't tell you what a wonderful honour it was to be asked. We scrambled to do our own research on how the formalities of a Burns dinner would go. 

The haggis was given to me literally on a silver platter by our chef in the kitchen, and as our piper played 'Scotland the Brave', I walked in with it, all the others in the hall standing and clapping in rhythm to the music as I made a lap of the room then placed it respectfully on the table. We sent a video clip home of this procession and we heard back that our grandson, Xander, the wise 7 year old, asked what would happen if Papa dropped it. Trust me Xander....I was wondering the same thing. I suppose the piper would keep playing and I'd go back to the kitchen and hope they had another, or they'd just pipe me out to the parking lot. The bagpipe sound always makes the hair on my neck stand up. It was one moment that I wished I have been wearing a kilt, but my MacKenzie tartan tie had to be enough.

Tina and I were both honoured to be seated at the 'top table', along with others who took part - giving speeches honouring Robert Burns, and the last ones giving 'toasts' (or roasts) of lassies, then laddies - a tradition of men honouring the women, then a response on behalf of the women. It was all in fun, and tastefully and respectfully delivered.

The traditional food served at a Burns Dinner is haggis, tatties (mashed potatoes), and neeps (turnips) - and we had a little gravy too. We enjoyed it but once a year might be frequent enough. This was our fourth or fifth meal of it.

The 'Top Table' for the evening, with Stewart McManus as the MC. Stewart has an amazing Scottish accent, and he talks fast so that was entertaining all in itself. However, even the locals missed some of the punch-lines for his jokes as a result of his way of speaking. We all laughed anyway because it sounded so great it must have been funny.

We were moved by some gaelic singing by Rochelle Mair - the sister missionaries came across her in the town a short time back. She hasn't been participating in church for quite awhile, but she stopped and talked to the Sisters.  They got on well with her and ended up inviting her to come to the Burns Dinner, and she being a talented singer, and her father trying to get a good program organised, agreed to perform a couple of songs. She did a beautiful job. We'll take that as a wonderful miracle, and we hope to see her again.

A favorite part of the evening was as we all stood, crossing arms and clasping each other's hands while we sung perhaps the one song sung in more countries all around the world than any other, penned by the man we were remembering - Auld Lang Syne. 

In between the different bits on the program we made it around to help welcome some new faces - Emerson and Wendy Gallegos, from El Salvador. We have arranged to visit with them regularly for the next few weeks to conduct some English lessons utilizing the Church's 'English-Connect' course curriculum. We taught this course when we lived in Cork so it should be fun to try it again, with just 2 students. We also met a wonderful older gentleman, a friend of a member of the Ward. Peter was interested in my family history, especially in Scotland, and he shared some of his own history. I hope we see Peter again soon. We have passed along a special gift for him through our mutual friend - we hope we continue a budding friendship.

Visiting and Ministering

During the week, we enjoyed having Evelyn McGeehan over for lunch. She has lived in Paisley for one year - we think she lacks a friend here. We have enjoyable times visiting with her - and she joined us to help out peeling potatoes for the Burns event, Friday night..there were five of us peeling so that made short work of it.

 

Our friends, Elder Rod and Sister Cindy Sylvester, who live in Greenock came over for a break earlier in the week. They had returned to Utah before Christmas, drove to Missouri for granddaughter's wedding, drove a ton more and then returned back to Scotland. A three week whirlwind of a trip, and while home they picked up a nasty cold/flu that has kept them at home. They've missed activities in Greenock, but also District Council Meeting and Zone Conference, and our Day Tripper group visit to the Mining Museum. They have to find another flat now since their landlord says he's moving his mother into their suite on May 1st.

They brought a new game with them to try. The game is called Pegs and Jokers, alot like Sorry! Rod is a handy guy and made this beautiful game board in his home shop, with walnut from Cindy's grandfather's farm. But the most important thing to know is that my team won!!

Cindy is a very talented artist, and Rod has some pretty cool stories of adventure and mischief from his youth. They decided to team up and compile those tales into 6 volumes that they could give to their twenty-seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren. We love spending time with them and we're trying our best to give them support in an uncertain time as they prepare for a move and new adjustments that they thought they'd never have to make.

We enjoyed watching our granddaughter speak in Church via YouTube last Sunday, and today we were able to watch our home Ward (Midnapore) Ward Conference with uplifting talks and testimony from Bishop Harding, President Davidson, and Stake President Stevens. It is a tremendous blessing to be able to stay connected in this way with the wonders of technology.

Have a great week. Stay safe.

God bless,

Elder Eric and Sister Tina McMurray

Member & Leader Support Missionaries

Scotland-Ireland Mission

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

www.churchofjesuschrist.org