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I forgot to mention they the fire alarm went off because someone burnt some microwave popcorn. It was at 11.30 at night sometime on our first week. Everyone was in their pajamas. I mention this, because it just went off again. Everyone is so fed up of it, but right afterwards a massive thunderclap was heard while we were outside, so God must be angry with someone or something 

Scottish Missionary fae Tullibody Melts in the Desert

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ke7PcXCfxR8azkcG9

And so I depart for Washington. I've had a lot of fun at the MTC. I've gotten to know great people, strengthened my testimony and knowledge of the scriptures and had great experiences. I don't think that it's occurred to me yet that I'm not coming home after the MTC. It feels like an FSY at the moment, which is like a youth camp. There are a lot of similarities. You're with a group of about 15 people. You're mostly always with someone and you have great spiritual experiences, if you go full in and enjoy every minute. The only thing the MTC is missing is a ceilidh, mosh pits and someone loading up Clash Royale with the volume up during a devotional. We don't get such things, because we are here to focus all of our efforts on serving Jesus Christ.

My comp left in the morning, so now I'm in a trio with a good companionship. But it's just the three of us left in the district. There was a sister missionary, but she got transfered district or something like that.

I felt rain for the first time in three weeks, which is a new personal best I think. It felt like that scene from the Shawshank Redemption. It was just so nice for it to be not a billion degrees all the time. I feel like I'd get some form of sunstroke or heatstroke if I stay here any longer

If you don't know, missionary standards dictate that missionaries are always supposed to be in smart clothes, except for pday, so for male missionaries its a lot of shirts and ties. A common event to happen is tie trading. There will be corridors full of people trading ties and haggling for rarity and how valuable they are. There is a lot of strategy involved as well, becuase there is a lot of salesmanship that goes on. I think someone tried to convince me that their tie was worn by Russel M. Nelson, who was the president of the church, until his passing on Sunday. We will all miss his guidance and his presence, but I find comfort in knowing that he will reap the rewards of his many spiritual efforts that he did on earth

I also ran into the one and only Elder Grounsell, bound for Australia, and an Elder Wilkinson, who is from Wales, and ran the fsytalks Instagram page. I also met a Sister Gibbons, who was from Ireland, and who's mum knew my mum when my mum was serving in Ireland on her mission. How crazy is that! It just shows how connected the community of the church is. I remember my Dad talking about a game called the Seven degrees of Kevin Bacon, where you could get from him to any actor, because he has appeared in so much media over his career. I'm convinced that you can do that from the church as well, where you can get from a random member of the church in Argentina, to a member of the church from South Korea, and I guarantee it'll be mostly through missionaries. 

We had a general authority (someone high up in the church) come to give a devotional last week, which is basically a big conference. It was really inspiring. He talked about some of the best ways to be a missionary, and a thing that stood out to me was very simple. Sevre with a smile. It's remarkable how much people are more likely to get along with you if you simply smile more. It applies to life as well. If we simply smile more whilst doing mundane tasks, or interacting with people, they'll think better of you, and wonder why you are so happy while doing laundry or flipping burgers. I know that you will see an improvement in your life, and you will see it reflected in others opinion and view of you.

There is a lot of musical talent at the MTC. Every devotional (tuesday and sunday) and church service (Sunday, but smaller) has a musical item, or performance. One of the requirements for playing music, and in general, is that it needs to invite the spirit and be uplifting, so I can't whip out some Foo Fighters or Muse. Everyone that has played to far has been very musically talented. I played a musical item at a church service on Sunday. I played an arrangement of new hymns that I put together, and have been playing for the last year and a bit. One of the sister missionaries, Sister Peterson, liked it, and asked if she could sing the lyrics to the songs with me as a musical item, becuase it was previously an instrumental. I'm happy with our performance, and happy that I could leave some of myself at the MTC. I recognize that it is a gift that I have been given, and I am eager to share it with the people of Washington state.

Scripture of the week is Alma 37:9

"Yea, I say unto you, were it not for these things that these records do contain, which are on these plates, Ammon and his brethren could not have convinced so many thousands of the Lamanites of the incorrect tradition of their fathers; yea, these records and their words brought them unto repentance; that is, they brought them to the knowledge of the Lord their God, and to rejoice in Jesus Christ their Redeemer."

Ready to move on to the next chapter of my life.

Elder Black 

Irish Diversity Hire Almost Gets Food Poisoning

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ke7PcXCfxR8azkcG9

I hope everyone back home is doing well. I only get to respond to emails on my preparation day, which is tuesday, at the moment. I don't know if it'll change when I get in the field.

I haven't been able to listen to music that doesn't invite the spirit, so, most of the stuff I used to listen to. Even though creeping death by metallica is about the passover I don't think they'd let me listen to it. It's gotten to the point where I find myself playing riffs on an imaginary keyboard on my leg or desk. I also keep typing MTV instead of MTC. Also, whenever you search on Google it takes you to the church website, so we've got no access to world news. I would have no idea if Aberdeen have gone all the way or Scotland beat Portugal in world cup playoffs. But I understand that I'm here to do the lord's work, and to be effective in what I do I need to focus my efforts on serving. 

The food is painfully mediocre as well. One of the days we had a steak, and there was a wide variety in how cooked they were. It was either so rare that the French would be impressed, or so well done that it could be classified as congratulations. I think some of us got a minor dose of food poisoning, but we are all still alive.

Aside from these things, the MTC (Missionary Training Centre) experience has been great so far. My district (classmates) are great. I get along with all of them. They're very fascinated by the Scottish accent and some of the slang I use. I had to explain "shattered", "wee" and "waffling". The elders in our district have very deep spiritual conversations, with random boyish comments sprinkled in. You really feel the Holy Ghost present when we discuss the gospel and the great mysteries of life. One thing that we reference a lot to show approval is "si bueno". Some elders are trying to learn Spanish because they think they might need it where they're going, and it's hilarious to hear "yo bebo agua" every 20 mins. 

I've been to two (three) temples so far. Orem, Mt. Timpanogos and the one in temple square, which is under contstruction. I don't have a favourite, but the temple workers at Orem thought I was Irish. I actually ran into someone from Ireland and she found it funny that everyone thought I was Irish. There's also no wind and barely any clouds, so you're boiling in the sun when you go from building to building. The altitude is a problem as well. I was playing football and I turned into the Scottish Maradona for about 2 minutes, because the Americans don't play football that much, then was out of it, because we're playing at 4500 ft. I'm used to 100ft, so the air is a lot thinner here than it is in clackmannashire. You feel like you're doing shuttle runs on the peak of Ben Nevis, while it's 27 °C.

On Monday I was given the opportunity to go on a tour of Temple Square in Salt Lake City. Probably because I'm Scottish. Most of the people on the tour were all non-american, and probably wouldn't get another chance at going, so it's nice that the MTC people take that into consideration. The experience was really nice. I met some missionaries and MTC branch presidents who either knew my family through a missionary connection or had just come from holiday from Stirling, which is crazy!

They've got paintings up for the first presidency an the quorum of the twelve apostles, and in President Russel M. Nelson's painting he's holding an open Book of Mormon to 3 Nephi 12:1, which is really obvious as to why it's that scripture when you read it. I'm not going to say what it says, so that you go and look it up.

I really hope that I don't get an American accent while I'm here. Sometimes people in my district start speaking with a scottish accent when they dont mean to, which is just so funny. We wake up at 6.30am and go to bed at 10.30pm, which means that I'm going to be permanently sleep deprived from the flights on last tuesday for two years. 

Scripture of the week is definitely D&C 31:3

"Lift up your heart and rejoice, for the hour of your mission is come; and your tongue shall be loosed, and you shall declare glad tidings of great joy unto this generation."

Elder Black

The Long Goodbye

 

AI image of Elder Black and Oscar on the plane I made to cheer myself up

The Fab Four on their last journey for now

Edinburgh Airport Parking

Us having enjoyed a brief breakfast pastry

Emma enjoying a present The Banks left for Michael

A couple of games of Rummikub on our last night

After the farewells Monday was a bit of a difficult inbetween day. Elder Black still had some classes online but he was mostly packed and he was ready to go. Sarah and I were going through a whole rollercoaster of emotions. Our Washing Machine had died a couple of days earlier so that was an extra problem to have to deal with.

Despite the delicious reportoire of meals I've prepared for Michael, he wanted a Munchy Box from a local takeaway. For the uninitiated, it's a pizza box filled with chips (fries), kebab meat, chicken pakora and some other stuff. It is not a health food.

We got up early to head off to Edinburgh Airport the next day. Michael had thankfully chosen a flight that left at 9am rather than 6am, so we got to leave the house at 5:45 am rather than 2:45 am.

He was ready to go, though. He was excited to get on with the next stage of his life and prepared to serve. The farewell went as well as one can imagine. I'm holding back the tears thinking about it, but laughing thinking about Elder Black gesturing to us asking what we were doing as we were watching him on the other side going through his security check.

His journey to Atlanta and Salt Lake went well, but that's a story for him to tell. 

We miss him, we think of him often, but we don't want to see him for two years and know he's where he should be. He's ready. He'll have a great experience.

Dad

Baby Photo Recreation

 In July 2007 Sarah, Michael and I moved to Edinburgh from Berkshire, England, and lived there for 3 months whilst we were sorting out buying our house in Tullibody, near Stirling.

Sarah and I had been in the Edinburgh Ward before moving to Berkshire, and it was good to see some old friends.

Someone took a photo of Dave Bleakley an I with Michael and Dave's son Joseph one day during or after church. The Bleakleys were good enough to pop by yesterday to say goodbye to Michael, and Claire Bleakley had the idea to try and recreate the photo.

We did our best. It certainly made us laugh. Michael refused to wear a dummy (pacifier)

Family Farewell - PT 2: Adam Family

We had the second leg of Michael's Family Farewell yesterday. It was testimony meeting at church, as it had been Stake Conference the week before, and Michael was allocated some time for a musical item at the start and to give a farewell testimony/talk. The Bishopric were good enough to broadcast the meeting so those who could not attend (i.e. me) were able to experience it.

Some of the Adam family had journeyed down from Aberdeen and it was great to see them. Michael's Uncle Alan made some delicious burgers and we've still got three bowls of salad in our fridge that Michael's Grandma made. Oscar (our dog) and Buster (Alan's dog) mostly got on well, although Buster is a rather large Labrador so towers over Oscar. For the most part we managed to keep the dogs away from the food.

Farewell Talk (Elder Black's email)

You should expect netflix free trial emails any day now. 😆

I will be sending out emails every week updating you on my adventures with increasingly creative subject names. There has also been an online blog created, which you can view at https://elderblackwem.blogspot.com/, where you can view photos and all the emails that I send out.

Also, if you know anyone who would like to be part of the email list then let me know!

The Home MTC Experience™ has been quite the experience. A lot of late nights and a lot of Zoom classes, which have been spiritually uplifting but physically boring. A lot of chair and laptop. My district (the people that I'm in the zoom class with) are all really nice. All Americans, but still nice. I get along well with my companion, Elder Anderson. He's getting a headstart for the stats and is baptising his little brother later today. 

I got indirectly told off for snacking in class. In my defence I hadn't been told the rules yet about eating during meetings. 

All of the classes are on Utah time, so my eating schedule has been moved a lot. I'm going to bed at about 1-2am and waking up at about 10-11am (which, to be fair, it's not out of the ordinary for me to lie in that late), but I do feel my focus going the later the day goes.

I leave for the Provo MTC in Utah on Tuesday, flying out at 9am. Thankfully I'll get an earlier night on Monday, which is very good. 

I'm excited. I'm looking forward to serving the Lord and meeting new people. I'm also making a lot of sacrifices to be here, because my dad told me that the new Mario film is based on Super Mario Galaxy, which is my childhood, so I'm a bit miffed that I can't see it in cinemas, but I know that I'll be participating in a great work. At least I'll have that to look forward to.

I'm going to send another email with details for my farewell talk on sunday. Hopefully I'll see you there

Elder Black

And don't spoil any movies that come out for me while I'm gone!

Family Farewell - Pt 1: The Blacks

 

Elder Black had the first of two farewells today. The Blacks came over for lunch for some food, some chat, some photos and some goodbyes. Oscar was mostly on his best behaviour, but did manage to eat most of a stray muffin that was left around.

It's been strange having Elder Black roaming around the house this week. Much as it's been great to have him for another week and a bit, he's in limbo between how things were and how they will be in the MTC. His classes have gone on quite late sometimes until 3 am UK time, so we've not enforced the rule of him waking at 6:30 am each day.

Setting Apart

 

Michael was set apart as a Missionary on Sunday Evening. 

The Stake President, President Wilford, was good enough to come by our house with his wife, Helen, his son, Daniel, his daughter Aimee and her husband Jarom.

I can only apologise for some of the footwear.

It was an emotional occasion. The Stake President first took Michael into the kitchen to have a chat with him, then when he came back invited us all to say something about Michael before he set him apart and he invited me to assist.

We're going to have family gatherings coming up this weekend as well as inviting anyone to drop by and see him to say goodbye on Sunday, but this felt like the start of the end, or rather, the start of a new beginning.

More photos!

 

Photos of me and my family

Hello World!

Just trying out a test post to see if this works.

Here are a couple of photos of Elder Black's first day as a Missionary. He's still in Tullibody doing home MTC.