Connections With Scotland/Ireland

Since receiving her mission call, we have found a few people who have interesting connections to Scotland and Ireland.
Something that we found hard to believe was that our friends, Doug and Carol Ladle, had just left for this same mission a few weeks previous to Sarah's call.  We first met Doug and Carol after a ward boundary change almost 14 years ago.  They welcomed our family and street into the ward by delivering popcorn to each house.  Shortly thereafter, I was called to serve as Young Women president, serving as leader to their daughter Joy, one of our laurels.  We became good friends at that point.  Doug also served as our home teacher for a year or so, then our ward boundaries were changed again and we were placed in different wards.  Doug and Carol didn't let ward boundaries stop us from being friends.  He remembered all of our birthdays, contributed money towards family activities and basically became grandparents to our children here in Rexburg.  I also taught Carol piano lessons and she helped us paint our upstair walls in our home.  We have been so lucky and blessed to be their close friends and recipients of much kindness.  Now Sarah gets to serve her mission knowing some very dear friends are close by.

Kate Prescott, a friend from our stake and fellow dancer received her call to Scotland/Ireland.  She leaves in December.  Her father Larry teaches photography at the high school.  Dave considers him a great friend.

Tara Fitzgerald, Kirsten's former piano teacher and Dave's former choir student, served in this mission several years ago.

My grandparents, Clyde and Sarah Viola Thompson, served in the Ireland mission.  When Sarah opened her mission call she sat at the piano in our living room.  Just above the piano hangs an oil painting depicting 19 red roses arranged in a glass vase.  This piece of art was painted by my grandmother Thompson.    On the back of the painting is written "for Julie Anne on her wedding day".  My grandmother had already passed away when I was married but her handwriting and acknowledgement of my wedding day has always been special to me.  And then last Wednesday as I watched Sarah open her call the picture reminded me of their service and that special connection they now have with their great-grand daughter Sarah.  I'm sure that my grandparents will be watching over Sarah as she serves in their same mission.

Mary Schwendiman's father served in Ireland and just last year Mary, her mother and 2 sisters visited Ireland.

We have many ancestors from the Scotland area.  I want to post their histories on this blog so we can all be more familiar with their stories.

Another member of our stake, Will Evans, is serving in this mission.

Our new neighbor, whom we have yet to meet, grew up in England.  His father is Elder David Baxter of the first quorum of seventy.

My second counselor in the Young Women has a nephew that just returned home from there.  Sarah met him last Sunday as he was visiting his aunt in our ward.

So we can draw upon many experiences as Sarah makes her preparations.