A Busy Fortnight

We have now been operating the Employment Resource Centre for two weeks on our own.  The Hambelton’s have returned to Boise, Idaho and we are the Employment Specialists for the Mission.  We have been reading through all the material created for us and have been deciding how we are to move forward. 

Last Friday, Carolyn thought we should go to Aberdeen on Saturday…no particular reason, but thought we should go.  That afternoon we received an email from the Stake Employment Specialist in Aberdeen in response to our email introducing us to him.  He told us he was making a presentation on employment resources at the Stake Priesthood Leadership meeting.  He said he knew it was a long shot, but asked if we could come to the meeting to assist and also be introduced to the Stake Leaders.  Well, there was the reason for our trip to Aberdeen.  We drove up Saturday morning (a little over 2 ½ hour drive) and helped with the presentation at the 2:00 p.m. meeting.  Both Carolyn and I spoke briefly at the meeting to introduce ourselves.  On the drive to Aberdeen we saw fields and fields of blooming daffodils.  They pretty much grow wild in yards and along the roadside.

We stayed overnight and attended the Saturday evening session and the Sunday session of Stake Conference.  The Sunday session was a broadcast from Salt Lake City to all the Stakes in the UK and Ireland.  It was a good meeting.  Elder Baxter of the First Quorum of Seventy, (a native of Glasgow) conducted the meeting.  The other speakers included Richard G. Scott, one of the Apostles, and President Henry B. Eyring. 

We are getting settled into the area to better know our way around, and are getting used to the different terminology.  We can make it back and forth to work (to the Employment Centre) without using the “SatNav” which is what they call the Garmin GPS unit.  We attended a birthday dinner Friday night for Sister Price (she works in the Mission Office) and had “Gammon”, sweet potatoes, and beans.  Gammon is Ham.  It is cured differently but tastes pretty much the same.  We buy “Semi-skimmed” milk which is 2% milk.  We have “biscuits” for desert which are cookies.  We have registered at the medical Centre (hope we don’t need medical services while we are here), opened a bank account, obtained a library card, and applied for a bus pass…seniors age 60 can ride free on the local buses…and we can understand almost everyone.  Driving on the left is coming along pretty well.  I have started to study for the drivers test as my USA license is only good for one year.   The challenge is the narrow streets with cars parked on both sides, lots of unusual traffic signs, and lots of markings on the pavement directing lane changes.   (by the way, a "fortnight" is two weeks)

Yesterday we went with a group of senior missionaries to Pitlochry which is a town about 2 hours away.  The purpose for some was shopping but the main purpose was to see a stage play – "Hello Dolly".  It was a small community theatre and the production was very well done.  We had lunch, went the matinee performance, and then went on a short hike to some waterfalls.  It was a beautiful day.  The temperature was in the low 70s and felt like summer.  Today has been cloudy again and it will be rain again tomorrow.

 

 

Carolyn at "work" in the Employment Resource Centre

 

 

The Falls at the Heritage near Pitlochry

 

 

 

 

The town of Pitlochry on a beautiful day!  Saturday was the most sunshine we have seen since we arrived in the UK

 

 

River near Pitlochry

 

I used Google Maps to show the location of the Mission Home and the Stake Center.  The Stake Centre is the building on the right...the big roof.  You can see the addition of the Mission Office to the original house of the Mission Home.