August 8, 2016

It is hard to believe but this is Mason's last e-mail from Scotland!! He will be home next Tuesday, August 16!! Here it is -

This week has been crazy! Monday we saw alot of awesome stuff in Orkney. I will try and upload some pictures tomorrow.

Tuesday was a lot of GQing (still in Orkney) and we taught a lesson with the Harts (senior missionary couple) which was really good. Then back to GQing till I got the call from Pres. so we called Elder Hart and asked him to come pick us up. Then we got kebabs since the Harts have never had them before, and they really liked them. Then I called you, while I was trying to call you the Harts and Elder Arave were taking bets on if I would leave or not and they all said I would leave.

Wednesday we got on the ferry and got some food and cleaned the car then drove down to Inverness. 

Thursday we got up at four in the morning to drive down to Edinburgh. Then we had our conference and we had to hang around for a while after for me to get a temple recommend interview. I also got the tartan stuff. Then it was back up to Inverness. 

Friday we got up to Thurso and did some chapping then went to the Jones' for dinner

Saturday it was Service Saturday. 

Then Sunday we saw Lee and Naomi after chapping in a wind storm. We literally almost got blown off the door steps and couldn't even hear what people were saying. But it was fun cause it was kinda warm and not raining. 

But that was our week. 

It is crazy that this is the last email. Well all I can say about my mission is how great it has been, there have been the ups and downs but it has been great getting to meet so many great people. And learning so much about the gospel. And I know the church is true. 

Love and miss you guys see you in a week.  

Bryn's Blog 

August 1, 2016

Only one more e-mail from Mason after this one!!  Mason actually called me earlier today!! There is a missionary that is sick and is coming home. President Donaldson called Mason and asked him since he doesn't have a "traveling partner" when he is coming home if he would like to come home THIS SATURDAY with the other missionary. So, Mason called to see what I thought. I told him we would take him any time he wanted to come home, but after talking for a few minutes I could tell he really wanted to stay and finish the last two weeks and end his mission with the rest of his group. The first day of his mission they climbed Pratt's Hill and they do that again on their last day and a few other things that he decided he didn't want to miss out on. He called President Donaldson back and told him if the other missionary needed someone to travel with him then he would be willing to go, but if not, he would prefer to stay and finish the last two weeks. I got an e-mail a few minutes after I talked to him, and he said he is staying until the 16th (which is probably a good thing since we are in the middle of repainting and redoing a few things in his bedroom!!). So here is his e-mail today from Orkney Islands.


So a change of pace for this week I am on the Orkney Islands right now (Orkney Islands are islands northeast of mainland Scotland). I'll tell you more about that later in the email. 

So for this week on Tuesday it was a lot of finding. But then we went and had FHE at Lee and Naomi's which was fun, they said it went better then they thought it would. 

Then Wednesday we chapped all day.

Thursday we did finding most of the day. But we did manage to get a lesson with this one girl named Fay. We have had one lesson with her before. But we had dinner with one member family who lived just outside of Thurso, but the opposite direction from Fay. But Elder Arave was able to get us there on time, and we had a good lesson.

Friday was service day. We went to the Winkles in the morning and helped them out with the living roof they want to do. We had to put a rubber mat under the stone tiles of their roof so we had to take off the bottom two rows of tiles then but them back on. It was pretty tricky but really fun. Then we went over to the Tolworthys and mostly just mucked out the outside horse pen. Then during that we got a call from Elder Hornberger. The Orkney branch was having a baptism and they needed another witness and they asked us if we would be able to go on Saturday for that. We said we could go up on Saturday, then Elder Hornburger said the zone leaders would call us and let us know what was going on. 

So Saturday morning we got a call from the zone leaders and they said that we were going to Orkney until Wednesday! We thought we would just be going to the baptism and back since the ferry is only an hour and a half. But president said if we were going we were going to do some work up here. So we had to pack really quick. Then we went to New Start, but we had to leave a bit early. Then we really quick got some lunch and then booked it to the ferry which we almost missed but we just made it. Then we went to the baptism which was nice. Then the senior couple up here took us back to their flat. We are staying with them while we are up here. Then we chapped up here the rest of the day. 

Sunday we had church then we chapped the rest of the day. 

So the unexpected trip to Orkney was a bit hectic but it is really cool to be up here. 

But for my schedule my last week as far as I know right now, I'll be going to Inverness Saturday night. Then Sunday I'll be going to church there, then somehow getting to Edinburgh Sunday night. Then Monday we hike Pratt's hill and then whatever we want in Edinburgh. Then Tuesday we fly out. 

All Scotland (conference for all missionaries in Scotland) is going to be on Thursday of this week. 

Love and miss you, it is so crazy that I only have one more emailing day after this. 

Bryn's Blog

July 25, 2016

Here is the e-mail we got from Mason today with some pictures - only 21 more days until he is home!!

So this week has been good. Me and Elder Arave went to Dunnet's Head this morning in our kilts and got a ton of pictures so those will be uploaded today or tomorrow (pictures after the e-mail). 

So Tuesday we had district meeting and then we helped out at a funeral for a member who I think was in her 90's. We never meet her but it was a nice small funeral. Then we went out to Wick and chapped the rest of the day. 

Wednesday we chapped in Wick all day again.

Thursday we got up early and went down to Inverness we got there about 10 then we went out and GQed all day, GQ means street contacting. 

Friday we GQed all day again and then me and the DL's companion Elder Holberg went to Gail's for dinner. It was great seeing some people from Inverness again. 

Saturday we got up and headed back up to Thurso. We got back to the flat then went right to the charity shop and did service there. Then we did some chapping. But then we had the branch BBQ which was a lot of fun. 

Sunday after church we did our weekly planing since we were in Inverness on Thursday. Then we saw Lee and Naomi.

So that was our week not to much exciting but it was still a fun week. 

 Love and miss you.

Here are the pictures he sent from Dunnet's Head - 

July 18, 2016

Only 3 more blog posts from Mason after this one - 29 days to go!!

So this week we did a lot of chapping so much chapping. Monday after emailing we went to Wick and we went to the tartan shop and when we walked in Elder Arave saw a tweed kilt jacket and vest. The owner saw him but it on and how well it fit and made him a deal. He said the jacket and vest is normaly £300 but he said he would sell it to him for £200. Elder Arave also got a kilt belt and buckle so he spent a lot of money he didn't mean to.

Tuesday we had a lesson set up so we took one of the young men in the ward with us, Zach Winkle. But the lady wasn't in so we chapped the rest of the street with Zach. Just when we were about at the end of the street one girl named Fay let us in and we got to teach her a quick lesson since she was just about to go somewhere. So we are hoping to see her sometime this week.

Wednesday was chapping. Then we went to a members house for dinner, the Gallaghers. They are pretty cool. We had oven pizza and it wouldn't stop, we would finish one pizza and then they would bring out another. But we did manage to eat about 7 oven pizzas between all of us that were there.

Thursday we did weekly planing then chapping. Then we went and saw Lee and Naomi.

Friday the Tolworthys weren't feeling good so we chapped.

Saturday we did service at the charity shop and then we went and did service at the Winkles.

Sunday after church we chapped. Then we had dinner and a meeting at our branch Presidents house.

So it was a good week but we weren't able to see Rebecca and Arran. But this week is going to fly by - we are going down to Inverness on Thursday for a two day blitz.

That was this week. Love and miss you.

Bryn's blog

July 11, 2016

Here is the e-mail we got from Mason today! Only 4 more e-mails/blog posts before he is home - 5 weeks (35 days) from tomorrow!!!!

Hey Mom - We actually have a car again and it is the best! I don't know what they did with the Invergordon area they may have just split it in half, and if they did Inverness would be covering the branch itself and we would only have a good chunk of the area.

So this week Elder Arave (Mason's new companion) came in Tuesday morning we picked him up and we spent some time in Inverness before heading back up to Thurso. I got a new tartan tie, the Scott hunting which is really cool. I remember at the Scottish festival before I left I asked one of the guys if they had any Scott kilts and he said they only did the Hunting so I think I will get a kilt in the Scott Hunting next year. But then we got back to Thurso and Elder Arave unpacked and got settled in and that was it. 

Wednesday it was chapping all day long. 

Thursday we saw Rebecca and Arran which went pretty well. Then Brother Jones took us out to dinner which was awesome. It was just him cause his family were all at the temple trip this week, and he couldn't get off work. 

Friday it was croft service. 

Then Saturday we did service at New Start Highland and then we went and did some service for Lee and Naomi so that was a fun day. 

Sunday after church we put all the names on the branch directory into our GPS in the car. Then we had a meeting with our Branch mission leader then that was that. 

I also got an email about going home. It just said stuff like what we are supposed to do at the airport and all that I will forward it to you. 

Love and miss you. 

Bryn's Blog 

July 4, 2016

Here is the short e-mail we got from Mason yesterday - he will be staying in Thurso for the last 6 weeks of his mission but he is getting a new companion. He also forwarded the e-mail he got with his flight information - he will be coming home August 16 and his flight gets in Salt Lake City at 8:47 p.m. 

 

So my new companion is Elder Arave he is Elder Kinville's current companion. I'm really happy to be staying in Thurso. Elder Burgess is going to Bangor in Northern Ireland which is why we had to get to Inverness today. The Zone Leaders called us this morning and said to get on the next bus to Inverness. So for Invergordon Elder Sorensen is going home and Elder Roach is moving to Ireland and they are shutting down Invergordon!!! But we will be getting the Invergordon car.

 

So this week we did a lot of finding all day long. We werent able to see Rebecca and Arran this week cause Rebecca got a new phone number and we didn't get it until Thursday night. But we did get to see Lee and Naomi so that was good. But something really cool happened this week, we were going to Tesco to get something and right when we walked in a guy asked if he could talk to us. He told us about his life and how hard he was having things right now like how him and his wife are flat broke and so on. But we set up a time to meet him in town and he showed and we talked to him and gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon. He doesn't have a phone so he said he would talk to us when he saw us in town next but it was still good.

 

Other then that and dinner with the Jones' this week not much else happened this week.

 

For my flight plans I was surprised when I saw them cause every other flight plan I have heard of goes to London or Amsterdam from Edinburgh so it is cool I'm flying right to the states to an airport I have been to before.

 

Love and miss you.

June 27, 2016

Here is the e-mail and some pictures we got from Mason this week - it is now less than 50 days (47 to be exact) until he comes home!!

So this week we pretty much just stayed in Thurso except to see the people who live outside Thurso. And I do know I go home in 50 days I'm doing the Doctrine and Convents count down, that is where you read D&C starting from official declaration 2 and go to section 1. I hope I don't get moved I want to die in Thurso, If I die in Thurso my last Sunday on the mission will need to be in Inverness then I can say good bye to every one there and maybe do something with some of the members Saturday night. 

Things are going good with Elder Burgess. This week it wasn't too different we did a lot of finding, but we got a new investigator. His name is Neal and he seems like a really cool guy we have only seen him once and now he is on vacation for the week, so hopefully we will see him next week. Other than finding we saw Lee and Naomi on Wednesday, Rebecca and Arran on Thursday as well as another less active named Brenda. And we did some service on the Winkle's croft this week as well as the Tolworthy's. So its been a good week. Not a whole lot of really exciting stuff. But Invergordon is up today so we are going to have some more fun with them. 

Love and miss you guys.

These pictures are at Dunnett Head which is the mostly northerly point of the United Kingdom. Mason's new companion, Elder Burgess is on the far left. The other two missionaries are the elders from Invergordon.

At Loch Ness so Elder Burgess could become immortal.

Some place in Inverness.

Bryn's Blog