Scottish Missionary Reunion 2011

 Our mission president and his wonderful, wonderful wife-- second parents to all the SEM missionaries.

Every year at this time, Scottish returned missionaries get to once again hear bagpipes, see kilts, hear the mission report, hear a discourse from President M., and meet with old missionary companions and our dear mission president's wife.

First there's a big meeting, with everyone packed in a giant chapel.  This includes everybody from the twenty-ish year old returned missionaries to the ninety-something year old returned missionaries.  Then we split up into smaller rooms with our individual mission presidents.

 This is my very first missionary companion, and me.  She was my trainer and she was great!  I, however, was not so great at the time.  Spoiled, scared, homesick, not used to working hard or being cold or excercising that much faith on a daily basis-- I am sure I made her life difficult.  We were in Stornoway, on the Isle of Lewis, hours by ferry to the mainland of Scotland.  It was a cold and lonely place at first. And I did a few choice things like calling my parents and the mission president and telling them I am going home.  But I got over the hump, thanks to lots of support, a priesthood blessing, and some great counsel from President.  I am so glad I stayed.  That mission changed my life in many ways.  I wish everyone would love their mission as much as I love mine.  I wish they'd learn and grow as much; it felt like twenty years of learning packed into less than two.  I am not even exaggerating.

I heard through the Scottish facebook grapevine that things aren't going so well right now on the Isle of Lewis.  Many people have fallen away from church activity.  I wish Sister B. and I could show up on their doorsteps again now.  Would they recognize us now?  We were 21 then.  Our ages have doubled!!!

 Sweet D.H. and Baby H. being patient at the reunion. 

My MTC companion and my trainer are here; I wish all the sisters could have been there.  What strong, good memories seeing these faces brings!

 It's incredible: 21 years have passed.  And there are still many who come faithfully to our reunions.  But we all look much older!  If I wouldn't have come so late, I would have asked for a group picture of everyone there.  I just took pictures of the people I knew the best.  Except this man:

I don't even know this adorable SEM returned missionary; I'm guessing he was in Scotland a few years before we were.  But I asked to take his picture because I love the Scottish kilt!!!

Now I am feeling sentimental about Scotland, so I decided to go on a photo hike online and find some places I've seen in my first area of Scotland, the Isle of Lewis, and post them here.  Later I will add my other areas.  I am really having fun with this.

Beautiful Isle of Lewis:

Stornoway:

Isle of Lewis Ferry:

The Shore

Stornoway Dancers:

Stornoway town:

Stornoway Castle, Isle of Lewis:

The beautiful beach scene reminds me of the baptisms we were privileged to watch, out in the icy Scottish ocean in mid-winter.  I'll never forget those white-clothed people standing in the cold blue sea, and their bright red bare cold feet walking across the sand afterward, to get wrapped in blankets and hugs and tears.

The Church of Scotland:

There were plenty of churches there.  Baptist church, Church of Scotland, etc.  Our own Latter-day Saint church was only a few handfuls of members.  We met in a double wide trailer.   ---And had no baptismal font, except the ocean!