Less than a week to go . . .and more wanderings.

A walk in the Enchanted Forest

We drive 1 1/2 hrs to Pittlockery t\hen took a bus to the Enchanted Forest. It was the last thing on our Scotland "bucket list."

It was well worth the trip--it took about an hour to walk through the trails. Music playing in the forest (nature sounds) and beautiful light displays everywhere. Along the walk, they had open fires where you could roast marshmallows or just sit awhile by the fire. The whole thing was very cleverly done.

A forest creature - me and my new
companion--Sister Smith

       

Trees lit up from behind.

My final wandering was done yesterday. It was only fitting that I visit the ruins of Melrose Abbey at the end of my mission as that is where I started my wanderings 18 months ago. The abbey was built in the early 1100's and
is matchless in beauty.

OH BOY! fish & chips--I will really miss this!

Goodbye to awesome Ireland views!

Goodbye to beautiful built by hand stone walls!

We saw 63 castles in 18 months - there are 3,000 in Scotland

Goodbye to bagpipers on the street

Goodbye to all the taking missionaries out to eat

Goodbye to helping cook big meals for Zone Conferences in the mission kitchen (my famous garlic bread in the basket)

Goodbye to Harry Potter Memories

                                                    Goodbye to ruins - all shapes all sizes

Goodbye to cobblestone streets and very narrow 

Goodbye to beautiful coastlines all over Scotland & Ireland

Goodbye to Gifford in Scotland!




Goodbye to my wonderful companion of 18 months

Goodbye to Highland cows (coos)

Gifford family in St. Andrews
Goodbye to being the tour guide in Scotland!

Matt & Jennifer - another chance to be a tour guide

Lorre and me - my first visitor and how wonderful that the visit was right at Christmas

Of course, you know, that I could go on and on . . . but I have accepted the sad fact that my mission is coming to a close, my blogging is done and I will return home with more memories & blessings than any one person deserves to have.

My testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ has grown by leaps and bounds and is something I can hold deep in my heart forever. I know that God lives, that Jesus is the Christ. I know that we are children of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ is our brother. I'm grateful for my testimony of the Book of Mormon and through that testimony, I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. I'm grateful for our living prophet today; Russell M. Nelson.  I'm more familiar with the scriptures then I have ever been and have learned to love, ponder, and study them. I'm especially grateful for my family; that I could be the mother to 5 wonderful children and love & adore 17 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. I love my 4 siblings and I am so grateful for their love and friendship.  I leave this testimony (my last from Scotland) in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Much love to all, Sister Gifford

Winding down Wanderings . . . me and the village of Gifford

You remember when I found "Gifford Town" well this is just Gifford! The name is fairly common in the UK. It is a lovely little village started up in the early 1700's by Hugh Gifford. He built the castle that still remains there. We had lunch at a quaint Inn and I showed my Gifford badge--nobody offered me a free anything!!

Gifford Castle

We spent all of Saturday wandering, we saw an old mill
that ground oats (built in the 1700's). We also toured a beautiful
private garden. The garden was advertised on the internet, but
when we arrived there was a stone wall around it with a big
wooden door with an even bigger lock. Not being timid at all,
I knocked on the door and this very old gentleman opened the
door. We introduced ourselves and asked if we could see the
garden. He seemed flabbergasted that we had heard about it on
the internet and led us on what ended up being the adventure of
the day. The garden was huge and had many different sections,
fountains, garden sheds, and just beautiful plants and flowers. The house he lived in was built in1602 and he bought it for his wife as a wedding present. It turned out he was a classical bagpipe player and
his lovely wife an artist. Enjoy the pictures below.

Wall designed from shells in one of his potting sheds.

                                                            And a final picture of the Old Mill

Last Wednesday my replacement arrived. Sister Smith from England. She is in her mid-sixties and also a widow. Her husband also passed away from cancer and several years before he was diagnosed with cancer he had an aortic aneurysm-quite a coincidence. I will train her for the month of September. I can already tell she will do just fine and I wonder what I will do for most of the month. The sad part is my companion Sister Call has moved out and is living at the mission home until she leaves next Monday. I really miss her! I'm going to have to move out at the end of October and stay at the mission home my last week. The sister taking Sister Call's place will be arriving and I will give up my room for her. I'm going to try to learn some of Sister Call's job so I can help Sister Astle when she arrives. Lots of changes! I'm excited to soon see my family and friends--very excited!

Sunday I gave my farewell talk--the topic was "How Fasting brings us closer to Jesus Christ" I did an ok job, think I kinda rambled on a bit. I'm still teaching Youth Sunday School and probably will be until I leave. Maybe they will turn the class over to my new companion. They are a good bunch of youth, but it is tough teaching 12 -18 yr. olds the same lesson. The missionaries continue to have baptisms every Wednesday (at least one). I will truly miss that mid-week spiritual refresher. The office stays very busy although we are trying to leave a little earlier (around 5pm) because Sister Smith is a diabetic and has asthma so she gets pretty tired. I've been so blessed, my energy level is better than ever and I can keep up the pace with no problems at all. I turned 77 last week and honestly don't feel a day over 60!

I'm going to sign off for now. My thoughts and prayers are with all my friends in North Carolina that are living with the hurricane damage. I'm so proud of my church ward and all they have been doing to help everyone in need. Bless all of you.

Love to all,

Sister Gifford