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| A Sad Farewell to my Beloved Ireland |
Hello everybody! This week began with
one of the saddest moments of my life, and then it got better! This week was
just some real power! It has been so great! I have loved it!
So, on Monday, Elder Cropper and I went and emailed, and then we
went and got our last Chequers together! (Chequers is a fantastic Fish and
Chips restaurant) Twas intense! I am gonna miss that place! And then the rest
of Monday, I was packing after we looked around town a bit, and then we didn't
even get to go to FHE since we had to be in Belfast earlier than usual! So that
was a bummer! We left for Belfast that
night and stayed with the ZL's at their flat.
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| Inside the Ferry to Scotland |
Then, on Tuesday, I got up at 4 in the morning and got ready and
dressed since we had to leave the flat at 5:00am to get to the ferry terminal
on time. Well we left, and it turns out
that the terminal didn't even open until 6:00, and the actual ferry didn't
leave until 730!! So, I arrived 2 hours early. Plus, I am traveling by myself,
so that was bit odd. The ZL's and Elder Cropper waited for the terminal to open
and then we said goodbye and I was left to my lonesome. So, I just wrote in my
journal while I waited for the ferry and then wrote some more once I got on the
ferry. I also snagged some breakfast at the restaurant that they have on board.
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| Got me a delicious chocolate shake to ease the emotional pain!! |
One of the saddest things that I went
through that morning, was waving goodbye to Ireland. I love Ireland so much! It
killed to leave! I had learned so much and grown so much there that I couldn't
believe I was leaving! It was killer! I looked out the window, and to make
things more dramatic, it was a really foggy day and the window had rain
dropping down it and there was a very blue over tone. I was like, "dang...
there it goes..."
Hopefully I can serve there again before
I am done!
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| Arrived at the Scottish port town of Helensburgh and waited to meet my new Companion |
The ferry ride was nice, and then I took
a bus from Stranraer, which was great, too. It was quite relaxing being by
myself, but also kind of weird. I was alone for 8 hours! When I finally arrived
in Glasgow, there wasn't anybody to pick me up, so I just sat down and waited
on a bench until the missionaries arrived.
We spent the day in Glasgow, and I had
to carry my luggage all over that flipping city again. (I invite you to read my
first email, in the which I chronicle my hectic journey to the Emerald Isle,
and a main focus is literally running through Glasgow with all my luggage.)
Ahhhhhh, memories! Am I right!!! Haha! Then we headed to Dumbarton in the
evening, and unpacked our stuff. My
companion, Elder Milburn, and I are whitewashing. So we both have no idea about
the area. He has only been out for 12 weeks, and he is English. He's from
London, so that is fun! The whole situation is crazy because we are starting
fresh in this area!
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| Elder Milburn and I having an ice cream in Helensburgh |
The rest of the week was pretty similar.
Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday we were GQing in the
different towns of the area. Wednesday we also went home teaching with a
member, so that was pretty fun.
Saturday,
we headed over to a members house for dinner and General Conference, which was
really awesome! It was a really nice family that loves missionaries!
And then on Sunday, we spent the entire day in the Glasgow Stake Center
watching General Conference! It was like the super bowl for us! It was awesome!
Then a member from Dumbarton fed all the missionaries in the Zone and it was
awesome! So good! Lots of leftovers and yummy snacks! So great! Plus,
conference was really solid! I loved it! My favorite talk was President
Uchtdorf on the Saturday Morning session on the Plan of Salvation! It was so
good! The Bretheren are putting a huge focus on the Book of Mormon, and
enduring to the end! I would invite each of you to apply the Book of Mormon
more in your life! Whatever role it has played so far, make it play a bigger
one! It is a Book that can truly change your life and outlook on the world. It
is inspired of God!
This week has been nuts, but I have
loved every moment of it! I love this Gospel and I love Jesus Christ! And I
love you all as well!
--
Till the Work is Done
- Elder Mickelsen
