Congratulations dear readers! You have soldiered on to the end of this blog. Sadly for us, this mission has come to an end. We are only left with determining how many pairs of socks we will donate to the local economy ‘cause they just won’t fit in the suitcase.
But before we go, I need to share something with you about Ireland, which, if you have been paying attention, you will know is NOT where we are. We are in Northern Ireland, which is a whole different country. Northern Ireland has a queen and Belfast. Ireland has neither. However, Ireland does have something very cool.The formerly longest name of a place in the Republic (of Ireland) is Muckanaghederdauhaulia, which is in County Galway and is Irish for, “piggery between two briny places.” It has since been relegated to the longest name for a town in the Republic. The longest name of a place is a tie between Bullaunancheathrairaluinn and Sruffaunoughterluggatoora, both also in County Galway. In fact, eight of the top ten longest place names in the Republic are located in County Galway. This is the type of useless information for which I am also a man of no small reputation among all those who know me (my apologies to Amulek – See Alma 10:4).
Here is something else I have recently learned. Why I used to be considered less trustworthy than other men. I have blue eyes and used to have a thin face. New research from scientists (actual science not included) shows that men with blue eyes and thin faces are viewed as less honest than men with brown eyes and big faces that smile. I am not making this up.
Scientists using real science scientifically asked volunteers to look at 40 photographs of male students and 40 different photographs showing different differences of female students. The scientists, still using the scientific method for which they are famous, found that eye colour makes a huge difference in our perceptions of trustworthiness. This is especially true if we are perceiving perceptions of men.
For example, our scientific scientists used actual science to determine that rounded male faces, with bigger mouths and chins, coupled with brown eyes, are perceived as being more trustworthy than blue-eyed men with narrow faces and chiselled chins.
On the other hand, according to the science generated by these scientists, when we are looking at the faces of women, we only need to see the eye colour to pass scientific judgement; facial shapes of women are irrelevant. Well, irrelevant only to scientists who study these things. They are still pretty relevant to non-scientific men.
One of the scientists who conducted this study is a doctor. I don’t know if he is real doctor, or just one of them [sic] university type doctors who are always going on about science this, science that, yada yada yada. In any case, this Dr. Karel Kleisner is a scientist from Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. I’m sure you’ve heard of it (the Czech Republic, not the University, which I know you never heard of). He said blue-eyed faces are not perceived as being as trustworthy.
Smaller faces with downward pointing mouths are also perceived as being untrustworthy, according to all “the scientists”. I don’t know if all the scientists refers to all of the scientists in the universe, which would be a pretty large number, given the popularity of science, or if it refers to all the scientists known by the author of the article I was reading, which probably is a much smaller subset of scientists, probably one I’d guess.
In any case, since learning of this science, I have increased my caloric intake, which has enlarged my face, thus reducing the scientific likelihood that I am perceived as less trustworthy than some brown-eyed guy who is not a scientist but looks like a weasel.
And I could go on, but really, should I?
I want you to know that my companion and I have loved what we are doing here. We have sadly run out of time in which to love doing it. Serving together has been the best thing we have done in years. We love Northern Ireland, its magnificent landscapes, deep-rooted culture and easy to overeat food. Mostly we love the people. We cherish the relationships we were blessed to develop here. We have a boatload of memories to take home and cherish forever.
A few nights ago, the stake and the YSA organised a lovely surprise departure party for us. It was brilliant and we cried. We have put our whole hearts into this and they are breaking with the thought of saying goodbye.
Last night, we held our last fireside with the YSA and we cried some more. They are just lovely people and we will miss them.
We invite and encourage you to incorporate a mission with your spouse into your plans. Seven percent of the 64,373 missionaries currently serving are seniors. For those of you who graduated from Monticello High School, this is just over 4,500 senior missionaries. It has been our greatest honour and privilege to be two of them.
A few weeks ago, we were driving down a country lane (intended for a small dog pulling a cart) and came across a road sign that adequately expresses our feelings at this point in our mission.
Thanks for reading.
Elder Blickenstaff
Signing off from Belfast, where the craic is mighty!
