Three Countries in Four Days!

Busy week! We had the grand experience of going once again down to Dublin for our All-Ireland Zone Conference. The most exciting thing that we learned there was about an additional lesson to teach. Our missionaries are now teaching new members about the importance of doing family history work. A study has shown that new members that get involved in family history work are 80% more likely to stay active in the Gospel than those that don't. It will be an important part of the new member lessons. Had a break for lunch where I experienced a totally tasteless sandwich. Kind of an egg salad spread with one or two alfalfa sprouts. Tasted pretty much like a paper towel. We could teach a wee thing or two over here about what makes up a good sandwich. At least there were some good crisps (potato chips), a tangerine and biscuit (cookie) to go with it, so my taste buds weren't totally left out of a flavor party.

Trying to learn to eat like the locals. (Knife in the right hand and fork in the left) . . . scooping up peas and potatoes etc. onto the backside of your fork. Not an easy task for one such as myself. Similar to trying out chopsticks for the first time. My husband cheats because he's already learned how to do this on his first mission in Belgium. But I'm working on it, and plan to completely conquer this technique before the next fifteen months are up!

We were invited to accompany two of the elders to lunch with one of our less active young singles. Who says food is not spicy here? She whipped us up a pot of THE spiciest chili I believe I've ever had! It made me break out in a sweat. Our noses ran and tears came freely to our eyes. But all we could do was compliment her on how wonderful it was as we ate every single bite. :o/

We experienced a very tender mercy this weekend. We were invited to go along with our stake leaders to the Preston England Temple. It's outside our mission boundaries, but our dear mission president requested permission from the Area President to allow us to go and bond with our stake leaders (stake presidency, high council, bishops and their wives). We got up in the wee hours of the morning and drove to the Belfast International Airport to catch a forty-five minute Easy Jet flight to Manchester, England. From there we took a 75 minute mini-bus ride to the temple grounds and overnight accommodations centre (not a typo) right across the quad from the England Missionary Training Centre (or Preston MTC). We settled in to our little "patron housing facility" and headed over to do an afternoon's worth of temple work. Later, We had a great fireside about tying family history to missionary work. This was the very same topic we had just been taught earlier in the week with all our younger missionary colleagues by our mission president. Our temple fireside was taught by a couple who have just been called by the Area President to serve as Preston, England Temple district's family history specialists.

Taught YSA Sunday School to our one active Young Single in the Newtownabbey Ward. We had a brilliant lesson with him. He's been a member for three years and we had a great discussion on some questions he had about things he's read in the scriptures.

It was a grand and glorious week, so it was. With the loveliest of people, so they are. With my fabulous companion, so he is. Amazingly beautiful temple, so it is. On very beautiful and spacious temple grounds, so they are. Attending a baptism tomorrow, so we are. Of a man named Eddie, so he is. Our blessings never cease, so they don't. And now my blogedy blog is done, so it is.

I'm away - I'm leaving now
scondered - to feel shame, embarrassed
aye- yes (in agreement)

Sister Blickenstaff