Weekly Update #86

   Good morning from lovely Lerwick! Let me break it down, now ya'll.

     The rest of Monday was grand, we went to St. Ninan's Isle, which is connected to Shetland by a sand bar. It was sweet! There's pictures, of course.

It was a blast. We then saw a few other old things around Shetland and then had family home evening and did our weekly shopping. Good times.

     Tuesday was a District Meeting. We Skyped in and it was fun. 'Twas a pleasant meeting. After, we did a bit of work around town, visited with a friend and had a decent chat with him. After, we had a meeting with this fellow about a Chess group in Lerwick. Elder Giles and I were curious. That went well.

     Wednesday we did some work in the morning and then popped into the knitting group, which was neat. After, we went to the same friend as Tuesday and met with him some more. That was pleasant. We then had a dinner with a fantastic family. Always good. 

     Thursday we started off with some work around town, then went to a chippy for lunch on Thanksgiving. After that, we did a bit of work around town some more, then went to the Van Der Tols for dinner. They are an amazing family. After that, we tried to see the Norther Lights, but there were clouds where we were. One of these days I'll see them. Missed them in Thurso, but I'll get them here!

     Friday we did some work for a parade that was on Saturday. We went and did some painting on Santa's sleigh and then did a bit of work about town. After having a jolly time doing so, we returned to continue to help make the sleigh, setting it up and doing some decorating. It's pretty neat. We also had "Thanksgiving Dinner" on this day.

     Saturday was grand, as well. We went about doing some work in the morning then watched the parade. It was grand! There were vikings in this parade. Everything in Shetland has vikings, which makes it pretty swell.

The only bummer was that after taking the pictures and whatnot, my camera broke. Welp, gg all. Gg. It should be fine. In the evening we went to the Youth Cafe and had a fantastic time there. I enjoyed it.

     Sunday was good, too! We went to church, had a blast there, and then visited by a member who was a wee bit under the weather. He's one of my favorites. He leaves us Jame's Bond voicemails. He's grand! We visited him and then went to the MacDonald's (Not McDonalds, MacDonalds) for a dinner, which was great. 

     Today, is going to be epic. We have, for the first time people can remember, four elders in Shetland. Elder Arave and Harvey are up from Orkney to exchange with us. It's going to be grand! We've got good things planned. They leave on Wednesday and came in this morning. Should be the best, ever, of all time.

     Thank you all! Have a fantastic week! Cheers!

Godspeed

Elder Kinville

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

In the name of progress!

Weekly Update #85

 A good lovely morning from the Island of Shetland! It's gotten cold, let me say. Not quite as windy as it was last week, but it has gotten cold! But here's what's what for this week.

     The rest of Monday was great! We went to an old fort in Lerwick after shopping. But then, we went into this music store, and in the back was a saxophone. An alto saxophone. I inquired about it, the fellow took it down, handed it to me, asked if I played it, I said of course, and then he gave me a reed and away I went! It was so, so, so, so, soooooooooooooooo good! I loved it. After that, we had a grand meal with some members. Always good, always epic.

     Tuesday we went out and about, did some work and what not. We went by and visited some friends. At one of their houses, we were asked to play some music. Sadly, there was no saxophone there, but I derped about on the piano and this recorder thing. We ended up singing some Christmas songs and killing some baby reindeer in the process. For those who don't know, I (personally, partially as a joke) hold a belief that when Christmas music is played before Thanksgiving, a baby reindeer dies. Just for fun. We then had a decent rest of the evening doing a wee bit of service and whatnot.

     Wednesday we went to a quilting club as per request of a member. It was held at the church and it was pretty fun! I was taught how to knit, just like the vikings. To say the least, I think I'm pretty decent at it so far. I don't know a whole lot of it, but I know enough to know I'm not totally failing at it! Anywho, after that, we got on the ferry early to go down to Aberdeen for a Zone Interview Training meeting. We found an old boat on the way.

 We had to get on early because it was supposed to be stormy. And it was. The ferry ride was pretty turbulent and pretty fun! I enjoyed the few hours I was awake for it. 

     Then Thursday morning we docked in Aberdeen, met with the elders in the Orkney Islands, and got a lift to the meeting. The meeting was great! I still felt like there was a gentle rocking motion going on from the ferry. Elder Stevens and Arave from my MTC group were there, so picture.

 We had to leave right as it was over so we could get back on the ferry to Shetland. We barely caught the ferry and then we were off. The ferry ride up was incredibly smooth! No rocking! What a blessing.

     Friday morning we docked back in Lerwick. I still felt like I was on the ferry most of the day. But we got right back to work. We visited one of our friends, had a nice time there, then visited another of our friends. Also, a nice time. We invited him and his two kids to a class the next day at the church, they came and it was neat. To close it out, we had  a wonderful meal at a member's house. So grand.

     Saturday was also a grand day. Granted, I still felt like I was on the ferry, but this was the last day I did! In the morning, Elder Giles taught a karate/tai-kwan-do class. That was neat. I participated. After that, we had some service we went out and did in town, then in the evening we went to the youth club for volunteering. That was great. Good day.

     Sunday was good, too. We went to church, Elder Giles gave a talk, and then we had a pot-luck after meetings. That was great. I got more familiar with most of the members, which is always a good thing. After that, we did a wee bit of work, some planning for the week, and then visited a friend who had us by for most of the rest of the evening. Great craic, like. 

     This week was great! It is really, really crazy to think about that number at the top. It is fantastic, though. I have loved every minute of this. What a blessing!

     Thank you all for your support! Have a great week! Please do!

Godspeed

Elder Kinville

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

In the name of progress!

Elder Kinville's Mission Call

As of today, it has officially been 2 years since Elder Kinville opened his mission call.

For those of you who don't know, for his 18th birthday all he wanted was to have the title of Lord. So my parents bought him a tiny plot of land in Scotland which granted him that title. When Elder Kinville opened his mission call, we were all shocked at how perfectly fitting it was for him!

Elder Kinville LOVES the people of Scotland and Ireland and only has positive things to say about his mission experience. We can;t wait to see him in 4 short months, but are so thankful to the good people of Scotland and Ireland who have taken such great care of our missionary while he's been gone!

Weekly Update #84

     A good lovely morning from Lerwick, Shetland! Wow, wow, wow, wow is there a lot to cover!

     The rest of Tuesday was grand, we ran around Aberdeen with some of the other elders, giving lifts, being professional, eating food, all the good stuff until the evening.

     Wednesday we were still in Aberdeen to catch our ferry that evening. After taking care of some business, doing the shopping that cannot be done in Shetland, we got on the car and onto the ferry to the Shetland Isles. On the ferry, we had dinner and then things got a wee bit bumpy due to the nature of taking a ferry across open waters in winter-like weather. It was pretty neat, we just slept most of the ferry, thankfully.

     Thursday morning we arrived in Lerwick, the main town in Shetland. From there, we went to our flat, which is a new flat for the elders up here. Elder Giles partially moved flats before coming down to Aberdeen with his companion, so it was our job to unpack and reorganize. We did some of that, then we visited a less-active fellow, had a chat and lunch with him, the continued to unpack, dropped by a member, visited another less-active fellow, then had dinner at a member's house. It was a busy first day, but an epic one. I can't complain about it. 

     Friday, we continued to unpack. I was then showed the church building, we weekly planned, visited a few other folks, and cell service was totally out, too. That was the worst part. We eventually found this place called The Knab where we had some reception. That was great. Had a good view, too. 

     Saturday we did a lot of things. We started off finalizing the unpack of the flat then went to the church to help out with a class that was to be taught there after branch mission coordination. Certainly a blast. After, we took part in several community activities and it was grand. After, we went off and met with one of our friends, then had dinner and volunteered at this Youth Cafe. That was pretty great, the Youth Cafe is pretty fun and missionaries have been doing it up here forever. It's a blast. 

     Sunday was Remembrance Sunday. It celebrates those who died in World War I and in the wars since, and it was epic. We went to church, but near eleven, we went to a memorial in town to watch a small parade and participate in the memorial services. That was fantastic to watch. At church, I met most of the members in the branch. After, we had a soup lunch with this one family, which was grand. We then went out and about and did a bit of work. It's fun doing work in Shetland, because it gets dark around 4:00 or so. Pretty neat. We had dinner at a member's house that night, too. Lamb is grand, so it is.

     That was this week. So far, it's pretty neat. There's plenty of wind up here and plenty of rain. I think, it's going to be a great time!

     Thank you all for the support and whatnot! Hopefully you all have a fantastic week and you all enjoy what comes! That's what we ought to do, take life as it comes and deal with it. 

Godspeed

Elder Kinville

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

In the name of progress!

Weekly Update #83

     A day late, but from the Granite City of Aberdeen, hello! Terribly sorry about that, you'll hear about why that was so in just a wee bit!

     Monday was good! We had dinner at a member's house and watched some fireworks! Pretty fun, pretty neat! That was Monday. I also had a pretty good costume. The picture says it all.

     Tuesday was our final District Meeting. It was nice. Elder Gibb and Keim were grand and it was a good meeting. We then got a call from some missionaries about some members who are moving to Dundalk! That was neat, so we chatted with them and got some things worked out there. It was grand. After the meeting and into the evening, we had a study class at the Church and that was that.

     Wednesday we had a decent time just doing finding about Dundalk and whatnot. It was good, pretty good.

     Thursday were going in from town when Elder Plewe's tire exploded, so we had to do some walking. We went down to Drogheda again, had a blast finding down there, then returned to Dundalk for Branch Council. Short, sweet, to the point!

     Friday we were out for exchanges to Finglas to do some work there. I was with Elder Keim and we had a blast! I also got a Boojum's shirt! This is great! I am so, so, so happy about this shirt, you have no idea. So that was great.

     Saturday we got a text saying moves call was coming that evening. I was kinda taken back, but we went for it, did some work, visited some folks around Dundalk's area, and was having dinner with an investigator when we got the call. It was then that I was told I was going to be transferred to Lerwick! Now, Lerwick is also known as the Shetland Islands. I. Am. So. Excited. You. Have. No. Idea. Chances are, that will be my final area and I am so, so, so excited.

     Sunday we went to chuch, told members I was heading off to Lerwick when I got a call from the Mission Home saying I had to leave Monday morning at 7:00 to start my travel. So, we packed and got a train down to Dublin that night.

     Monday, we woke up early and got on the bus. I travelled with two other missionaries who will be in my District. We bused to Belfast, got a ferry to Strenrar, got a bus to Edinburgh, where I met Elder Arave again (who's going to be my District Leader!) and then I got a train to Aberdeen. I was the only Elder on the train. It was fun. Monday night, 9:15ish I rolled into Aberdeen and spent the night. That's why I couldn't email, I was traveling all day.

     Today, I've woken up and gone a wee bit around Aberdeen. My new companion is Elder Giles and it should be a blast! We catch the fourteen hour ferry to the Shetland Isles Wednesday night and it is going to be fun!

     This week, especially this weekend, has been a blast! I am so, so, so excited. You don't even know!

     Thank you all for your support and help! I wish you all a grand week and safety in what you do! Choose the right and be the very best!

Godspeed

Elder Kinville

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

In the name of progress!