July 20, 2015

So this week has been a crazy one. Tuesday we had our Zone Interview Training in Aberdeen which is a 2 1/2 hour trip, and Pres. Donaldson is a beast. He told one of the missionaries that he baptized half of his home ward. He also kinda wants us to be a bit afraid of him but he is awesome. After that we went with the zone leaders and blitzed their area since it takes way to long to do a regular exchange. 

Wednesday we got dropped off at the train station and had to wait for an hour for the next train to Inverness. Then it was about a two hour train ride back. Once we got back we went and did some service at a member's house and had a later lunch. Then we had a meeting with our ward mission leader there. The ward mission leader, Ben, is pretty cool he knows ninjitsu so he is a ninja and will be having a ninjitsu class at the church on Thursdays. After that we went on a hike with the young men up to a place called Fyrish it is really cool. (There are pictures of this hike at the end of the e-mail.)

Thursday we had weekly planing. Then we went to the church so Elder Carter could take a district leader study. Then right after that we went and met up with bishop for dinner. Bishop is so cool! Then we went and had another quick meeting with Ben so that finished up the day.

Friday me and Elder Carter went to do some service at a member's house, the one who had us do the lumberjack work. But he forgot and was on his way to help someone cut down some trees. So we waited for an hour for the next bus. Then we went on exchanges I was here with Elder Rogers new companion, Elder Wilkins. He is pretty cool, we really only had time to go see a less active and then it was back to the flat. 

Saturday me and Elder Wilkins went to do service at British Heart. Then we went and played sports with the young men at the church. After which we exchanged back. The rest of the day we spent trying by a less active who wasn't in then finished off with a district leader study. 

Sunday church was good. But after church Bishop invited us over to his house for lunch and then we went to see Georgana in the hospital but she was already out. After we then went and saw another member family since the mom was pretty sick so we gave her a blessing and talked about the temple trip with her 18 year old son. The rest of the day was district leader study and trying by less actives so that was this week. 

These are some pictures of the trip with the Young Men to the Fryish monument. This is what Mason said about this place . . . Adam, the young men's president told us that the guy who owned the land was trying to keep people on the other side of the hills out. So he hired people to build this wall but after finishing the gate they started complaining about the pay and he wouldn't pay them more so they quit. 

 

July 13, 2015

Mason has now been gone 10 months!  Here is the e-mail we got today . . . 

So this week felt really long mainly because all the members where down at the temple (in Preston, England) for the whole week. So Monday after emailing we pretty much just did shopping but then the elders in Invergordan called and said that their branch president was having a BBQ at his house for Elder Stobbs because he got transferred and that we were invited so we went there and had dinner. It was the same family where the sons sword fight so we got the swords out again and had a lot of fun. We got Elder Carter involved and he just loves it.

We went to a hardware store and got some PVC pipe, foam and duct tape and made some swords. Elder Carter made two short swords and I made a long sword and so whenever we have time in the flat we just sword fight like crazy. It is so much fun and a good workout.

So Tuesday we where able to see Georgana but her mom wasn't there so we just did some reading from the Book of Mormon with her. That was the biggest thing that happened on that day.

Wednesday it was P-day (because of moves) so we went and did some shopping in the city centre Elder Carter got some stuff for going home like a new white shirt. So nothing much there.

Thursday I really can't quite remember what we did after weekly planing. I forgot my planner in the flat today and the days are kinda starting to blend together. 

Friday not much else happened then we were supposed to see Georgana but she got out of hospital so she is doing better. We saw a less active who is a bit of a grumpy old guy. So that was pretty much it.

Saturday not much happened there either we were able to teach a guy we met on the street that day. It went alright the guy is trying to quit some hard drugs though so I don't know how its going to go with him. That was the big thing of the day. 

Sunday we had church it was really good to see the members again.  But before we left the flat Elder Carter prayed that we could get a dinner appointment cause we didn't have a lot of food in the flat, then he got hungry again at church and prayed we could get a DA again. Then after church one of the members, Sister Sutherland, came up and asked us to come over for dinner, then Elder Carter told her he had been praying for a someone to ask us over and she said she had had a prompting to ask us over for dinner so that was really cool. But during sacrament one of Bishops little girls, Skye, came over and gave Elder Carter a picture she drew and then had us color with her. So that was a fun sacrament meeting. Then after church we went back to the flat and dropped off our church stuff and went to the Sutherlands. You and dad would really get along with them they are really cool and funny. But there ten year old girl is so much like Bryn it is crazy. It's funny every ward I have been in there is someone there who is like, or would get along really well with Bryn. But that was our Sunday. Love you and miss you. Only a little over one more year left. 

Mason didn't send this picture - somebody in Scotland posted it on the mission Facebook page. This was taken a couple of weeks ago when they had a meeting to meet the new mission president and his wife. Mason, his companion Elder Carter, and Elder Rogers.

July 6, 2015

This is the e-mail we got from Mason today.

This week was a bit crazy. So Monday we had a pretty fun P-day with the Elders from Thurso. Tuesday we had district meeting then it was right out to the Isle of Skye it was about three hours one way. So we went by the referral and she wasn't in but her husband was and we gave him a card with our number on it. After that we had to drive right back to Inverness. But I got a few pictures of Skye and me and Elder Carter got pictures with a Highland cow we saw that was close to the fence so that was sweet. Then we went to the hospital to visit a member who is there, her name is Georgina she is about 18 and she has cystic fibrosis. Then we went and got dinner. 

Wednesday really nothing happened in the morning me and Elder Carter got haircuts. Then we went to a members and had an early dinner with them. We then went to a small town called Nairn to see a former investigator.We met with her and she said she had a few issues to work through but that she did want to start coming to church again, so that went pretty well. Then we just came back to the flat.

Thursday after weekly planing we went and visited Georgina again. After that we went and had dinner with another family, the Sutherlands. They are pretty cool. Then during dinner we got a text from Elder Rogers that his companion, Elder Stobbs, was in the hospital. So we got dropped off at the hospital and it turns out that he might have appendicitis. So we visited with him for a bit then drove up to Invergordon so Elder Rogers could get his stuff to spend the night. So that was Thursday.

Friday we had to go back to Invergordon to get stuff for Elder Stobbs since we was going to be in the hospital for a few days. Then we went and saw a less active who was also in the hospital and then saw Georgina again. We are supposed to be teaching her mom because she wants to get baptized, but she had to go and do something every time we were there. Then it was off to another less active - not much has changed with him. He is an older guy who is just grumpy so not to much going on there. Then we had to go back to Invergordon to pick up the Thurso Elders who were coming in on the train. Then we drove back to Inverness and went to sleep.

Saturday we spent the July 4th meeting President Donaldson. We all got in the car and drove for about 2-3 hours to the Dundee stake center. We all introduced ourselves to the Donaldson's. Then President and Sister Donaldson talked and introduced themselves for a little bit. President Donaldson is really nice and he said "don't be surprised to see your mission president in white a few times" so he is really going to get involved. After the meeting we went and had lunch with a member from Elder Carter's old area. Then we just barely missed our train so we had to wait for an hour for the next one. We got the next train which took about 3 hours. But we did go over the Harry Potter bridge, the one that the train goes over in the movies, so that was pretty cool. We ended up getting into the flat about 9:45 and we were just tired and went to sleep. 

Sunday after church we went to Adam and Rose's new flat and had lunch with them as well as another couple in the ward who are dating. Elder Carter got pretty trunky. Then we went and got Elder Stobbs since he got released from the hospital - he ended up not getting his appendix out. Then we had to stay in the flat with him and wait for moves call. So I will be staying in Inverness and so will Elder Carter. Elder Carter is going home at the end of this transfer so I'll be killing him off. He is going to be so trunky this transfer.

So that was my week really crazy and it went by really fast. Love you guys and miss you.  

Here are the pictures Mason sent.

This picture is in the Inverness town center with the missionaries that are in Thurso (Thurso is at the very top of Scotland).

These are pictures from Mason and Elder Carter's trip to the Isle of Skye.

The rest of these pictures are scenery from Isle of Skye.