Christmas Call

We had the wonderful opportunity to spend 90 whole minutes on Skype with Elder Kinville on Christmas.

It was amazing!

He seems so happy and he is just doing so well!

Seeing his positive attitude and happiness really makes us happy in turn.

It was definitely the highlight of our Christmas!

Weekly Update #38

  Good day to you all from the bright and merry Dalkeith! Let's get the weekly update rolling and out of the way.

 

     This one is going to be a we bit short, mainly because I don't have a lot of time and my family already knows what is what.

     Monday was grand, we did good things. Ended the day with Chineese food.

     Tuesday we went out to go and chap on some doors. We enjoyed it and we even got a few people who wanted us back... After the holidays. Well, we'll go back after the holidays. We then had dinner with the Ross'. 

     Wednesday was grand, too. We rocked and rolled out to visit a family for lunch, then had another appointment with Jack and his wife after. Both of those were excellent and fun. Good food, too. After, we stopped by and shared a little Christmas message with Annette and her daughter. That was most excellent.

     Thursday was also a good day. We went about with a wee bit of work then had a lunch/dinner with the Campbell's. That was enjoyable, and then we went to the ward's Christmas carolling service. The music and Spirit was fantastic. It also did not feel like Christmas. Too much green and rain, methinks. 

     Friday was Christmas. We opened presents, I got a lot of socks and food, ate food at the Johnston's, ate more food at the Campbell's, Skyped with the family, talked with Andrew, then called it a night. Busy day, for certain.

     Saturday was when Galashiels came by and picked us up to take us to Sterling. Now, this was the best day, because it was the day we got permission from President Donaldson to go forth and see this film called 'Star Wars, The Force Awakens', or something. It was alright, they had the old guy from Indiana Jones in it and a few other folk. 

     .....

    Nah, IT WAS THE BEST FILM EVER!!! So good! I wa pumped and excited the whole time! Was exceedingly grand! We then sang more carols and had a pizza night with the Edinburgh stake president.

     Sunday was a typical Sunday. We weekly planned after church because we didn't during the week. Oops. It was good though, got done what needed to be done. ''Twas a good week, if I am to say.

     There are no pictures this week because I am not on a computer. The library is closed, so obtaining a computer was made difficult. Plus I forgot my camera chord in the flat, oops. Oh well, this week has been a blast. I have enjoyed Christmas and I'm looking forward to this week of a new beginning, a new year. Going to be grand!

     Cheers! Have a Prosperous New Year!

-- 

Godspeed

Elder Kinville

Jacob 6:12 "O be wise; what can I say more?"

Weekly Update #37

 There's a saying in the mission: In the Scotland and Ireland Mission, we invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the Restored Gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. Missionaries just like to shorten it: In the Scotland and Ireland Mission, WE BAPTISE!

    

     That's what me and Elder Roylance did this week.

 

     The rest of Monday was alright. We knocked some doors, did a bit of work; because of moves week, it wasn't preparation day.

 

     Tuesday we continued knocking and then went over to have the mother of the mother and daughter group interviewed for her baptism. That was grand. After that, we had some food and went to the church to watch Jack's wife be baptised! Wow! She's grand, and Jack was a happy gent.

 

     Wednesday was our preparation day. We went to Roslin Chapel again with a member from the ward, Andrew. That was grand. We then ate at IKEA. I may have gotten a few IKEA pencils for surveys. Maybe. We then had dinner at the Ross' and then boogied off to a short meeting and that was the night.

 

     Thursday we did a bit of weekly planning then went over to Jack's house for a plateful of spaghetti. It's still fantastic. We then went caroling with the Zone in Edinburgh! It was a bit chilly, but fun!

 

     Friday we finished weekly planning, ate lunch at the Johnston's, went in the visit a less-active friend, visited another less-active friend, then had a pizza. That was the day. Travel is a killer, let me say.

 

     Saturday we were stressing out, or at least I was. We first went out to print out baptismal programs, then we did some service for an elderly sister, who makes AMAZING stir-fry. We then tried-by another fellow, went to the church, and got ready for Annette's baptism. Then, we baptised. Annette was so excited and it was an absolute blast! I had the honour to be the one baptising her. It's fantastic, let me say.

 

     Then on Sunday we confirmed Annette, had a good time at church, watched the nativity program put on by the primary, went back to the flat to do some business, visited a family, and then it was night. That was it.

 

     I apologize, but we only have an hour this week to email because I'll be Skyping with my family in a few days. They'll keep ya'll posted!

 

     Cheers! Have yourselves a Merry Christmas!

Godspeed

Elder Kinville

Jacob 6:12 "O be wise; what can I say more?"

Weekly Update #36

From a bit later than usual, howdy! Let's get this rolling.

 

     The rest of Monday was grand. Jack took us to the Scottish Mining Museum and it was pretty intense. The building was neat, the tour was neat too. Selfie. 

We then went about and did a bit of contacting, which was cold but fun!

 

     On Tuesday we travelled out to a small town and did some finding out there. That was grand and we met some pretty fun people. We then went to knock on another neighbourhood where we talked with some more incredible people. Really neat to talk with fun people. Most of these fellows only wanted to talk, not about the gospel, sadly. We then went out and taught the mother and daughter a lovely lesson.

 

     Wednesday, we weekly planned because on Thursday there was an All-Scotland meeting. That was fun, but let this email be an email of order. Wednesday we had Jack after weekly planning, mainly because we couldn't meet Thursday. The meal was the same: spaghetti. I'll never tire of Jack's spaghetti. It's just too good. He's a champion. Truly a scholar and a gent. After Jack, we did a bit of finding and whatnot.

 

     The All-Scotland was a blast! Elder Kearon of the European Area Seventy was there and it was a grand meeting. The overall theme was "Just Do It", or at least that's what I got from it. It was fantastic, nonetheless and I was pumped afterwards. Also, we had ward council when we got back to Dalkeith. That, as always, was fun.

 

     When Friday came around things went a wee bit less than expected. Within ten minutes, the two appointments we had set up cancelled. It was shocking, but that's the way the cookie crumbles. We went out and had lunch at the Johnston's, travelled back, did finding, and I got a fantastic letter from my family. Love you family! It was good.

 

     Saturday was a special day, it was the day we were told that the Mormons ran UPS. Elder Roylance and I were shocked when a fellow asked us if we were Mormons, to which we said yes, then his follow-up question of if we worked for the UPS. I was confused. Apparently, it's a thing that The Church owns UPS or part of, as well as Coca-Cola, Wal-Mart, and many other companies. After asking a member to Google it for us, we found it was false. With that aside, another appointment cancelled so we did finding! It was glorious. Also, we had a donner pizza with lots of fun stuff. Delicious.

 

     Then with Sunday we did the usual. The mother and daughter were at church, Elder Roylance gave a wonderful talk, we had a fantastic dinner with the Middleton's, and then we got moves call. Fun fact: this was only a five week transfer. It didn't really matter because we were told we were staying together. Whoooooo! Dalkeith! I'm excited!

 

      Anywho, that is that! Hopefully the Spirit of Christmas is working within us to tell everyone about the meaning of Christmas! Everyone, have a great week. Work hard, do stuff, and do your best.

 

Godspeed

Elder Kinville

Jacob 6:12 "O be wise; what can I say more?"

Weekly Update #35

Fun things are out and about in Dalkeith this week! Let's get ya'll in on this.

 

     Monday, we went to a store called Dobbies with Jack and his wife. Jack is a blast to be with! We had a good time looking at all the Christmas stuff and taking fun pictures. 

After, we had a bit of a fright when we were told that we had to travel down to Dumfries (a 110 minute or so car ride) for Disctrict Meeting the next day and we learned that train tickets there were about £80. Fortunately, we STP (Solved The Problem) and asked the elders in Galashiels to give us a lift.

 

     Tuesday, we went down to Dumfries and had a grand District Meeting. We had District lunch, seeing that it was the last District Meeting before moves and unfortunately until January. After, we travelled back, got lost, and then shared a lesson with the mother and the daughter. It was a marvellous way to end an evening.

 

     Wednesday we got up and got to work! We went about, talked to some folks, met with Jack on this day and had spaghetti because he was going to be busy on Thursday, and continued to find folks. While waiting for a bus to take us back to the flat, this gent was sort of walking around us. He eventually came up and asked us for the time. We told him the time and he asked if we were Mormons. We said we were indeed the Mormon missionaries and had a good conversation. We set up a return appointment with him the next day in Dalkeith Town Centre, and we considered it a grand way to end the day!

 

     Thursday, we went out and about to weekly plan, then meet with the gent from the night previous. He wasn't there, unfortunately, but we weren't discouraged and returned to the flat for weekly planning. We did so, had a lovely time, saw the snowing and raining and wind outside, then went out into the weather to catch a bus. The busses were all delayed this night. We waited for the bus, finally caught it, got delayed while on the bus, then finally got off the bus to have a dinner with our ward mission leader, Ben. Much had not been said about Dalkeith's ward mission leader because he was on holiday in Peru and only recently got back. He's a swell chap, though. He served in the Dublin, Ireland Mission back when it was it's own mission. We had a good conversation with him and a lovely dinner as well.

 

     Friday was a usual Friday. We went out to catch some busses and hopefully try-by some people before a lunch appointment. The busses were still a wee bit slow, but we got to the appointment with the Johnstons and had a grand time. We then helped get their Christmas decorations out of the attic. That was fun. After, we travelled back to meet with a less-active. We did so and then travelled about to meet with the senior couple for a flat inspection and a dinner to go along with it. The inspection went grand, very few problems were found with the flat. The dinner was good, too.

 

     Saturday was busy. We prepared a crock pot meal for that night in the morning a bit before heading out to meet with another less-active. After, we travelled back to Dalkeith to meet with another fellow and then we boogied back to the flat for the marvellous beef stroganoff that Elder Roylance and I prepared that morning. It was grand. We had to eat quickly because we had another appointment with another gent that evening. That lesson went well and we then returned to the flat for the end of a day.

 

     Sunday was fantastic! We met with Ben, had the mother and daughter at church, and I had the blessing to sit through what was probably the best fast and testimony meeting I've experienced. The daughter was nervous about coming to church. She was under the impression that everyone there was born into the church. She learned it was not the case. Every member who bore their testimony mentioned their conversion story. How incredible is that?! We then had a meal appointment and I took a picture with me, myself and I.

 

     It's amazing how when you work you are blessed. I feel privileged to be able to go around and share the gospel with people. It's a blessing for myself and a blessing for others.

 

     Thank you all for the support! I wish you a happy start to your Christmas season!

 

     Cheers!

Godspeed

Elder Kinville

Jacob 6:12 "O be wise; what can I say more?"