Arthur's Seat...Also known as "Pratt's Hill"

Wednesday we spent the morning with the new missionaries who were just arriving from the MTC in Preston.  There were about 23 new Elders and Sisters.  There is a tradition in the mission that new missionaries climb “Pratt’s Hill”.  They also climb the hill again before they leave to go home.  We climbed the hill with the new missionaries and the Mission President & his wife.  The hill rises about 875 feet above the city and there is a great view of the surrounding area. 

In 1840 Orson Pratt was a young missionary for the Church who went to Scotland.  He climbed “Arthur’s Seat”, a hill near the center of Edinburgh to pray for success in his missionary efforts.  About 40 years ago, the mission president in Scotland at the time decided to take a few missionaries with him and they climbed up Arthur’s Seat and prayed for their success in their missionary efforts.  Hence, the tradition was born and the missionaries now refer to the hill as “Pratt’s Hill”. 

When the new missionaries arrived in Scotland, they climb the hill and sent goals for themselves for their work during the next 18-24 months. When they are ready to go home at the end of their mission, they climb the hill to reflect on what they have accomplished.

 

President Brown (in the hood) and his wife spoke to the missionaries about the tradition of climbing "Pratt's Hill"

The View of Edinburgh City Center - from the Holyrood House (the Queen's palace when she is in Scotland) to the Edinburgh Castle and beyond to the Firth of Forth.

Aye, that is me, Laddie

 

Carolyn, President & Sister Brown making the hike up the hill

Carolyn on Pratt's Hill