Scotland Snow . . . and more wanderings!

A beautiful fluffy 6" of snow covered Edinburgh today and shut the city down. City transit, schools, businesses, Parliament, everything except for the baptism tonight. Two young adults were baptized and it was very special. The turn out was huge, especially for a blustery, winter night. What a joy it is to attend so many baptisms, part of our mission statement is "that we are a baptizing mission." I've been here 10 months and there have only been 2 weeks where there were no baptisms--that's pretty extraordinary. Almost always two in a week, and as many as five in one night. We have eight full-time missionaries in Edinburgh and 8 Senior missionaries. The Scotland/Ireland Mission has 175 missionaries total. We just got two new missionaries this past week; one from China and one from Utah. Another new senior couple just joined us & they will be serving in Glasgow as Young Single Adult missionaries helping to plan and carry out programs for the young singles. Of course, my job was to find them a place to live in Glasgow. So here's how it went--President Donaldson says, sister Gifford I need you to start looking for housing in Glasgow area for a senior couple but don't make any commitments because we are still not sure where they will be located. So I go online, talk to letting agents and start feeling the market. This is a Monday, so I find 4 places I feel are worth looking at (still can't make a commitment), send a senior missionary couple to Glasgow for the day on Wednesday to look at flats. 3 out of 4 are keepers, but one was a "10" out of 10. I speak with the letting agent and ask how soon we could get in and offer them 6 months rent in advance if they can speed the process up. O course I still haven't gotten the final word from President Donaldson. On Friday I get the go-ahead and Friday night the landlord agreed to our offer. Tuesday they moved into a beautiful, completely furnished flat! I see no way any of this works without the Lord's help. I do this all the time and I'm amazed that people sometimes let missionaries move in before the money is even transferred into their accounts. So that's just a little snippet of how exciting my days are. I hope it didn't bore you 😊

It's the end of the week now and we have had 12" of snow. The city does not have the resources to clear the snow except for the main streets and highways. It has been 3-years since the last significant snowfall. Our car has gotten around fairly well in the snow, but we had a flat tire that needed to be fixed. Fortunately, it went flat while in the mission parking lot. Also, our handy, dandy wash machine broke down this week. Our landlord told us to get it fixed or buy a new one and take it off the rent. Of course, we chose to buy a new one! But in the meantime .  . . so inconvenient to lug our laundry to the mission home.  Oh well, can't let those things interfere with the spirituality of our missions. Everyday is Christ-centered and that is a marvelous feeling. Sometimes it is hard to remember what I did with my time before my mission.

I'm having trouble importing my snow pictures, so they may have to be in the next blog. My best wishes to you all and lots of love.

NOTE: Hi mom--I know you love listening to my blog. I'm so glad you enjoy them. I know you have a great love for the Saviour that you depend on Heavenly Father & Jesus Christ for the strength to carry you on each day. During a song in sacrament meeting last Sunday I had the strongest feeling that I sure bare my testimony to you . . . so here goes. Mom, I want you to know that I know our Saviour lives and he is our advocate with the Father. Just like picking a telephone up and calling someone we can we can communicate with our Heavenly Father through the Saviour. I know how much we are loved by them and I'm so grateful for the atoning sacrifice made on our behalf by the Saviour. I know the Book of Mormon is true and is another testament of Jesus Christ to stand with the Bible. I know The Church of Jesus Christ was restored by the Prophet, Joseph Smith, and remains as the only true church on the face of the earth. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to serve a mission and to help teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I pray for you each night that you might have peace fill your heart and mind. I love you.

NOTE:  So, Hi Emily. How are you doing? just wanted to tell you how much you're loved and I think you are a top-notch mother! Avery is such a special little person. I hope he can serve a mission someday. I can picture him with his missionary badge preaching the Gospel in Scotland/Ireland. Yup, he'll say, just following in my great-grandma's footsteps. I'm so proud of your accomplishments and so very happy that you have chosen a career that provides such continual service to others. I hope you will someday be able to work toward your registered nursing degree--I know

you can do it when the time is right. Take care of yourself and stay joyful. grams

OK, everytime I drive by this guy I say "what?!!!"
He is at the end of the drive to enter the Modern Art Museum in Edinburgh.
What do you think about this artwork, Jocey??