Meetings, Meetings and more Meetings!

      I'd like to start this week's blog off by giving each of you a quiz! WHAT?!?!?! That's right! A quiz!!! Hey, it's my blog, so I get to control it anyway I want to. Now you can cheat or you can try your best. That I will leave up to you. Here we go!

     Can you figure out what these two Gaelic words stand for? Look closely and you might just be able to figure it out. The answer will be posted at the end of this blog!

     Isn't it annoying that all your educated life, your teachers pulled this stunt on all of us over and over. You know, making us wait a long time before we were to be enlightened, like making the teacher look like they have some magical powers. Well, it was all an ego thing to make them look more intelligent in our little eyes. And we fell for it every time! That's why they were our teachers and we were "only" the students. 

     Ok, now for the blog. This week certainly was a week of many meetings, It started as we had Family Home Evening (FHE) together on Monday night. Then, Tuesday, we had a missionary district meeting in the morning, and a branch presidency council meeting at 7 pm, directly followed by the monthly Scotland/Ireland mission Senior Couple FHE. Wednesday found us in our weekly missionary correlation meeting. Friday, a ward member, Sister Potts and I went to visit a less-active member in what they call a reach-out. Saturday, we met with the young elder missionaries at another member's home, only to start off this next Sunday night with another meeting to train us on how to do flat (apartment) inspections in correlation with missionary transfers. I can say that the leaders here are trying to do everything in their power to be obedient to the subject of meetings. The main concept both Elder Muirhead and I learned through all those meetings is how so disparately we are needed here!

     On Tuesday, after district meeting, Elder and I went exploring and found a super (and I mean super) large grocery store. It was comparable to a super Walmart in America. Besides that, it was clean, modern and had many mini shops within the store. They even had as many as 30 different people constantly stocking the shelves. Their bakery was amazing, they had 2 butchers actually butchering meat before your very eyes, and oh boy, you should have seen Elder Muirhead's face when he found the large, fresh seafood section. He literally froze in place! We though we were in grocery heaven! While there, Elder tried a large serving of homemade shepherd's pie, while I bought us a traditional loaf of Irish soda bread to eat. That experience made our day. 

     After, we drove out 30 minutes to a place called Glenstal Abbey, a real working Benedictine monastery, which also includes a private boarding school for boys. Yes, monks and all! The abbey resembles an English castle (weird in Ireland) that looks like it was built centuries ago, but was actually finished in 1839. The exterior of the building looks very cool and they say that the interior is some of the finest in the country. The only building that we could enter was the chapel. We were so pleased to be there at that time we did, because the monastery organist was practicing. Wow!!! He was really, really good and his music swirled around those chapel walls in rich tones of incredible music. What a treat. 

     Wednesday, on our daily walk through Limerick, we walked over to the famous Limerick treaty stone. In the late 1600's, Limerick fell under siege between King James of Ireland and King William of England. After several fights, a treaty paper was agreed to between the two kings and was literally signed on top of this rock, which now has been made into a statue. From there, we crossed over the Shannon bridge to King John's castle and the still standing medieval church now named Saint Munchin's. They say that the original church that once stood right there was built in 561 AD. The church has a cool burial ground right outside. So much history! It's amazing.

     In supporting our branch, who desires to become the first ward in Limerick, the leaders of the branch, including ourselves, were asked to suggest activities that could be used to help the branch become a ward. I mentioned that in our home branch on every 5th Sunday, we have a munch and mingle right after church. Well, the leaders all loved that idea and I am proud to say that today, Sunday, the Limerick branch held a wonderful munch and mingle right after church. Our branch president stopped us during the mingle and said that they typically get around 90 members out, but today they had 126! Wow! The magic of food!! We are so excited to see them grow and become more unified. If this keeps up, they will be a ward in no time.

     And, last Sunday, Elder Muirhead and I were called to support the Young Single Adults (YSAs) of the branch. Our branch president told us that we are the couple they have been waiting for to develop and grow this vital population in our Father's kingdom. They even set apart a new YSA representative that very day. I LOVE the YSAs. I am more than thrilled! We will hold our first YSA FHE this coming Monday night. So excited. One more piece of good news! Elder and I finally got our permanent SIM card and it actually works! We can make Irish phone calls, including opening the security gate any time we want to. YAY!!!!

     It is my testimony that God calls His chosen to lead and guide His children, even in the little vineyard known as Limerick. I testify that I know that Elder and I can make a huge difference to all, including the YSAs, living right here in this area. We can pray for them, teach them, lead them to the temple and love them like no other. Who would have known that this calling with the YSAs would be given to us at this important time of desired growth and branch unity. May God be thanked for this amazing opportunity and may we continue to be faithful and true always to His name and His purpose!

     The answer to the quiz question is:

Now you can impress your friends! Good luck trying to pronounce the Gaelic equal

Glenstal Abbey 1839

The rusted iron work on the main door into the abbey

The arch stones about the main entrance

The watchtower (Notice the statue of the man on top. It's suppose to be the contractor)

A beautiful side door

Towers in front and back

The abbey and it's beautiful grounds from the inside

Another photo taken inside the abbey

A depiction of Saint Patrick on a copper type metal in their chapel

The famous Limerick Treaty Stone of 1691

One of the many calming scenes all around me daily

Elder and I went late Thursday night up the street and I was able to take this photo of King John's castle