Good Things Are Happening in Limerick!

      Elder and I were invited last Sunday after church to meet with our many branch auxiliary leaders and the South Ireland District Presidency concerning the next step forward to take here in this area. South Ireland has developed a wonderful church presence in 5 major cities and has had so, for some of these cities, for almost 50 years. Though there are only branches now in each of these cities, the church continues to grow and big changes are a coming!!! What a thrilling time to be here in this part of the vineyard as servants of the Lord as these changes get closer and closer to reality.

     With just a little more member participation and some assigning of a few more new callings, four of the five cities will be able to split their one branch to form two branches. Once this is done and there are 4 new branches, the other 4 branches will be officially made into wards and the church will then have the first south Ireland stake in the church. This move will also push this area closer to joining the Dublin area in forming a new temple district, with the future possibility of a new temple here. I'm telling you, it is electrifying here!!!!

     We, too, have been asked to assist in this goal. We have been assigned to work and regroup the young single adults who live in this area. These young adults before COVID hit, were so faithful. There has not been any activities for them in two and one-half years. It was decided that weekly family home evening would be the easiest to start. We started off with only one single adult our first week and last week had three come. We realize that it may be slow in starting, but Elder and I feel positive that we can be a great influence to this important population. And, of course, I am loving spending time with those young adults every week! This week we are planning a game night and in two weeks, we will gather for a virtual tour with live young sister missionaries currently serving at the Joseph Smith family farm in Palmyra, New York, just before the season ends. We have also been asked to start up a weekly evening Book of Mormon adult class. We are so excited for this chance. I love, love, love the Book of Mormon! 

     The biggest news in the Limerick branch is that we are having a baptism today right after church! The young man being baptized is a friend of one of our branch members and has been working with our amazing young elders who have taught him well. The young man has repeatedly said that he is ready to be baptized! Isn't that great!!! You know that I will be at the baptism, willing and able to do what ever is asked of me. This baptism helps the Limerick branch to meet the future goal of becoming a ward too! So, as you can see, good things are happening in Limerick!

     On Tuesday of this past week, Elder and I went for our daily walk on the south-east side of Limerick to find a post office. Just down the street was St. Alphonsus Cathedral, which we had never visited before. It was so beautiful on the inside. This cathedral was erected in 1856, so it is one of the newer churches in historic Limerick. It, again, made me think of how blessed I am today to have the truth of the gospel in my life.

     

One of the outside angelic figures curved in stone

Small, delicate ceramic tiles decorating an inside wall

This is one the beauties I found in the building. I love the use of the stain glass in the ceiling

The photo shows how colorful the stain glass is inside. This window light shown shades of rainbow colors, which were so soothing to my soul

The exterior of St Alphonsus Cathedral and its bell tower

     I was asked days before last Tuesday to provide dessert for our next zone conference which was schedule for August 18th in Dublin. I asked my mission president's wife if I could make a dessert that I would feel comfortable making. She answered, "yes". Because I have limited cooking and baking supplies, I elected to make 60 cupcakes for the event. Well, that is what I did this past Wednesday. I started early in the morning and continued throughout the day to bake, frost and decorate the 68 cupcakes that I was able to make. Hours later, they were all done and wrapped up for transportation to Dublin.  I have to admit that this is the very first time in my life that I made that many desserts by myself. I have had several opportunities to help others with great tasks like this, but never alone by myself. I must say that I think they all turned quite well.

Me working hard in my kitchen

I couldn't think of any other way to transport the 2.5 hour drive to Dublin. I'm happy to say that all 68 of them arrived safe!

     On Thursday, Elder and I joined the 50 Ireland called missionaries at our zone conference. President and Sister McCrudden gave us all wonderful training as they both taught us. They are a wonderful, stalwart, caring couple with great leaderships skills and a firm determination to do all that is needed for this mission. President McCrudden's address was very meaningful. 

     At the beginning of his training session, he had every companionship come up to a white board and list the names of all those whom the missionaries are currently working with. When all of the companionships were finished writing down names, the white board was completely covered with new prospects! One hundred and thirty-three of them!!! Then President prophesied. He promised all the young missionaries that if they would write down daily the names of those they are working with, and especially in their weekly district meetings, that by revelation before that day is through, that they would know exactly what more they would need to do to help each named person progress to baptism! Wow!!!! I immediately felt the spirit shoot straight into my heart with a strong conviction of that truthfulness! It was certainly the highlight of my day. I found myself thinking about what and how he said what he said over and over.

     We also gladly received 2 more senior couples, Elder and Sister Evenson, going to Tralee, Republic of Ireland and Elder and Sister Colton, going to Omaha, Northern Ireland. What a great blessing both of these couples will be to their area. I was asked later to teach them how to inspect mission cars and I have to say, I just loved being with both couples! On the drive back to Limerick that evening, I participated in a Zoom meeting for our Limerick branch missionary correlation meeting. I also love my branch members who serve so well and are ready to do whatever it takes.

Elder Muirhead's Scotland/Ireland Mission tie

All the names that the young missionaries wrote on President's white board

          Many months ago when we got our mission call, I immediately started this blog. I originally had a beautiful landscape photo of Scotland for my main blog photo, which I loved! Then, of course, we were later selected to serve in Ireland, which is truly where we certainly needed to be! So, I had to change my blog's main photo. It took me a long time to find an acceptable photo for my blog. After looking literally for hours, I found the incredible one that I have been using. The image never had a name or a place attached to it, so I didn't even have any idea if it was even Ireland related, but I certainly hoped so. Well, I found my answer Friday!

     A branch member weeks ago suggested that if we ever had the time, that we should go and see "the Rock". I said "sure" without knowing what he was even talking about. Friday morning, I was looking on my cellphone and I found it. I thought my jaw was going to hit the floor and shatter into pieces!!! I couldn't believe what I was looking at. It looked so familiar. You guessed it! The picture that you are all starring at this very second was the place called by my friend "the Rock". And what was even more amazing, its only one hour away from us. I'm pretty sure that you all know where this is going to, right???

     Yes, we both jumped in the car and drove one hour away to the Rock of Cashel. This edifice holds iconic historical significance. The complex alone has several chapels, two towers and several other buildings. The Rock has been around since the fourth century. Legend states the Saint Patrick personally came there to convert the then King to Christianity. Starting 978, The Rock of Cashel became the capital of that part of the country. In 1101, the site was granted to the church and has been one of the most significant centers of ecclesiastical powers in all of Ireland. The place of the "Rock" is one of Ireland's most visited sites. I was NOT disappointed either!!!

This photograph taken by me is on the opposite side of the picture used as my main blog photo

This photo of the Rock of Cashel was captured walking up the steep hill along side it

The main building of the Rock as seen from the admissions point that contains the round tower, the gothic chapel, graveyard, etc 

The beautiful landscape of the countryside below the Rock. This is the side that my blog photo was taken from. I never was able to get to that side to take any photos

One very happy person!

     The Rock displays many Celtic and medieval art and design forms. Other gems are its barrel-vaulted roof, magnificent arches and the oldest stairs to be found anywhere in Ireland. I found the graveyard a pleasant find. It was very large and included some "high crosses". One high cross placed for the Sulley family, was destroyed when a lightening bolt hit it and today, this high cross lies on the ground in front of its original base. The graveyard had some very old head stones that were hard to even read, but were weathered with moss growing on them (a photographer's dream). The graveyard is currently closed and will not accept any more burials there. Here are my last pictures from the Rock of Cashel. 

This shows the graveyard that surrounds the back side of the Rock

Like I said, very old, unreadable head stones covered with moss

The back side of the Cashel with its bell tower built in the 1100s

A close-up picture

From inside looking out upon the graveyard

The vaulted ceiling over my head 

An architectural window on outside upper wall

     I have said this before and I will say it again. I am ever so grateful to live in these the latter days, when the true gospel of Jesus Christ is on the earth with authority and power. There is certainly an awe and a reverence walking on these historical grounds in Ireland, but in reality, I can sense that hundreds of years ago, that these people had a great, great need to find God. I feel so overwhelmingly thankful that someone cared enough about me years ago to show me the way back to Him. I love my Heavenly Father and His amazing Son, Jesus, the Christ, who also cared enough about me today to be patient and ever forgiving to my many faults and sins. Hallelujah for the many blessings the gospel brings! How has the gospel blessed your life? I challenge you to reflect on this thought and then thank God for His tender mercies in your life.