November 10, 2014

Mason has been gone 2 months today!  Here is his latest letter and he finally got to go to a castle so he sent some pictures.

So this week has been a bit crazy. It was moves this week but I'm staying in Ayr. Elder Tang got moved and Elder Barton has a new companion, Elder Stringer. This week we also had our first Bonfire night, that is when they have a big bonfire because a man named Guy Fawkes got caught trying to blow up parliament and was burned at the stake. (November 5 is Guy Fawkes Day or Bonfire Night) So we went to the Bishop's house where there was also food. Carrie and her daughter (investigators) came and she said she had fun. We haven't had a chance to meet with her the rest of this week but I'm not too worried about that. 

Because it was moves, Thursday was also a P-day and one of the members took us to see a castle and I did bring my camera! That was really fun and after we played around in the castle for a bit we went and hiked through a gorge and when you are hiking in Scotland you are just about walking in a stream the whole time cause it had been lightly raining that morning and there were small waterfalls along the trail. We got some really cool pictures and I'll send those. Other then that not a whole lot has been happening this week. 

But something fun about my companion is he talks in his sleep and sometimes I'll wake up and hear him. Like last week I woke up and heard him say "No I don't want to take a bath with another man!" then Elders Barton and Stringer stayed over and Elder Barton heard him say "No my thoughts must be God's!" so some fun stuff. Then when we had dinner with the Gilardi's on Thursday Bro. Gilardi told all four of us that if we come back to Scotland with our families we can stay with them how cool is that! Also if you want to talk with the Gilardi's they are on Facebook the easiest way to find them on it would be to look up Stobbs the Baker since they own it and Brother Gilardi's first name is Umberto. 

Also I got invited to be in the mission Christmas choir! Apparently they travel all over Scotland and perform for a week around Christmas. And I did get the packages you and G-ma sent.

Love you guys and miss you! 

Here are the pictures of us at castle Loch Doon.

 

Here we are inside the castle. There was an arch that was perfect for pictures.

I decided to be Lord of the castle and Elder Lauricella decided to climb the walls. 

All four of us on a hike and some Scottish wildlife.

November 3, 2014

Here is the e-mail we got from Mason today (the comments in blue are from me).

So last P-day we took a train down to Elder Barton's area and met up with them and went for a bit of a hike in the woods that was really fun. I forgot my camera so Elder Barton has most of the pictures - I'll get him to email me the pictures. I did get the package you sent from Amazon (I sent him some root beer and Halloween candy through amazon.com/uk - the best thing ever!) and there is still some root beer left, thank you!!! The district leaders are going up to the mission home this week and they will get the package then they will give it to me the next time I see them (since I sent it 5 weeks ago I hope he gets it soon). 

This week we found a new investigator named Carrie and her seven year old daughter, Erin. We taught her one lesson and it went a bit crazy because we were trying to teach about the restoration and Joseph Smith and then the member we brought with us at one point started to go off on the plan of salvation and temples, mainly because she asked about our beliefs on after death and families. But surprisingly I actually brought it back on track by simply telling the story of the first vision and the need for a restoration. My trainer was pretty proud so hopefully we will get to see her again. The investigator I told you about last week is seeming a bit flaky she says she isn't feeling well whenever we go by but hopefully we will be able to teach her again soon. And for her age - 50-60 might be a bit nice (I gave him a hard time about calling 55-60 kind of old)cause I think see looks about mid 70's and she smokes like a chimney. 

So it has been pretty cold out here its been about 45-50 degrees almost every day but the weather in Scotland basically is it looks like it's going to rain or it's raining. The other night we got back to our flat and had dinner and headed back out at 6 to try and see some people and it was lightly raining. Then it started raining harder and harder and we didn't see anyone so when we where close to the flat we went to the store and got some Ben and Jerry's ice cream really quick, and when we went outside it was practically a monsoon. We had to jog back to the flat. So we had walked about three hours in the rain in a loop for about 4-5 miles and we where soaking wet - our rain coats were almost soaked through and water had gotten through my pants ran down my leg and into my shoes so not exactly the most pleasant of days. 

  

Here are some pictures when Elder Barton and Elder Tang stayed over we had a towel whipping war Elder Barton got me good on the arm a few times. Then we have the posterity tie that is passed down from trainer to trainee. So that's me for this week love and miss you guys.  

Almost forgot - I will be getting a hair cut this week so no need to worry about that (I asked him if he had gotten a haircut since it has been two months since he got his hair cut before he left!).