Smudge

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Everything posted by Smudge

  1. I think that your best bet would be to contact your new ward and the high school your daughters will be attending and asking them. I know that in the part of rural scotland I live in for a long time we didn't even have early morning seminary - when I was a student we had it in a tuesday evening before Young Womens - in recent years it has been early morning because all the youth now live in one town and attend the same high school and one of their parents is the teacher.
  2. Oh dear. In my house we don't turn the heating on until it reaches about 5C which is about 40f Although I sort of understand how they feel because when I would come home from 3 months of working and travelling the USA I would find it really cold here - yet everyone who had spent the whole "summer" in the UK was wandering around in shorts and tshirts and I was wearing long sleeve Tshirts and hoodies and jeans. So I guess it is what you are used to!
  3. I am currently responsible for primary (I have been assigned to cover it until a new presidency and teachers are called) in a very small branch and with the approval of the then Branch pres I only do sharing time (because of the age range of the children, the fact that they are late every week and we have less time than normal for primary). I think that if you have prayed about calling this sister and feel that is what is right to and you already have approval from stake presidency then I would say go with it. When you are in a small branch it isn't always possible to have every calling filled and people sometimes end up doing things differently as it is what works for the members/numbers they have available. I would say go with the flow and trust the inspiration you have recieved!
  4. We will be having Turkey, roast tatties, peas, carrots, sprouts, brocolli, red cabbage, homemade cranberry sauce, home made cornbread and homemade sage and onion stuffing. Followed by (probably) homemade chocolate baked cheese cake with strawberries and hopefully homemade ice-cream - if I can fit the bowl in the freezer on saturday when I take the turkey out to defrost. When we have ham we tend to have it with new tatties, peas and carrots and apple sauce - or with baked potatoes
  5. 1. There's an extra seat at your dinner table this Christmas. Who do you invite? Someone who would spending the day alone 2. Do you prefer the look of presents (a) in gift bags with tissue paper, or (b) boxed and covered in wrapping paper? wrapped - but I do find bags are easier 3. Who is the family "grinch" every holiday season? we don't have one 4. If you could teleport anywhere in the world to celebrate Christmas, where would you go? Probably somewhere snowy in the USA, preferably with mountains 5. What is one traditional holiday dish that you're just-not-that-into? Cranberry Sauce (although apparently I make good cranberry sauce) 6. What colour is Christmas to you? red 7. What smell is Christmas to you? Gingerbread baking 8. Do you put up the Christmas tree in November or December? Dec 1st 9. Do you use the same Christmas tree ornaments each year? No - because as I add to my collection I don't have room for all of them so rotate (or as in the case of this year I have had to go for cheap ornaments that the puppy can't destroy) 10. Who in the family is eager beaver to start decorating for the holidays? Me, me, me 11. Name one Christmas movie every family should watch. Only 1? I would say - Its a wonderful life or Muppet Christmas Carol 12. Does your family budget or shop-til-you-drop for gifts? Budget sort of - I start shopping in the January sales and pick up bits and pieces through out the year 13. Do you take advantage of Black Friday? If yes, what was your best buy? We don't have Black Friday in the UK 14. White Christmas or dry Christmas? Wet and rainy probably - although I live in hope of a white Christmas 15. What's your favourite holiday family activity? 16. Do you re-gift unwanted items? Yeah sometimes - usually hold on to them for a while and then donate them 17. What is your favourite way to give back to the community during Christmas time? I work with the Brownies year round, but at Christmas I like to do things like Shoe box appeal 18. Does your family incorporate Ugly Christmas Sweaters? nope 19. Turkey or ham for Christmas dinner? Turkey 20. Do you hang, and use, mistletoe in your home? No 21. Do you say "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays"? Happy Christmas 22. Did you make Santa's "Naughty list" or "Nice list"? the nice list - I hope 23. Christmas isn't Christmas without: The Elf on the Shelf, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, or Frosty the Snowman? Rudolph (discovered elf on the shelf and def starting that next year :) ) 24. Name one Christmas carol you only know the chorus to (LOL). I don't think there are any 25. What is the biggest (not cost but in size) gift you've received to date?A5ft Rupert the Bear my mother made for me when I a teen 26. Have you ever pretended NOT to know what a gift was and acted surprised when you opened it? yeap 27. What edible goodie do you look forward to every year in your stocking stuffer? Chocolate 28. Which character would you be from, A Christmas Carol, as written by Charles Dickens? 29. What special ingredient makes Christmas hot chocolate so much better than regular hot chocolate? 30. Do you send or return Holiday greeting cards to others? I try to (but I do hate writing them)
  6. I have watched several documentaries about various Christian families/groups in both the UK and USA where they take their children out of school to teach them what they believe to be right the one that really really springs to mind is Westborough Baptist church. I guess sometimes people just have odd ideas about right and wrong - but I know that some people think our ideas of right and wrong are odd too!
  7. I haven't heard that story - but the missionary who baptised my sister ran away from the mission field. This was back in the late 80s early 90s (when missionaries came out at 18 before it was put up to 19). Anyway prior to leaving for the MTC the poor young man had never spent more than one night away from his parents. He had grown up in the church and he had been prepared spiritually for the mission - but not in other ways. Every YMs camp or Scout camp he want to - either his father was there as a priesthood leader or his mother was there as one of the cooks/first aider - so he couldn't cope with being away from them. His companion knew he was struggling and had hoped that performing would lift his spirits and his confidence - but he still remained very home sick. Shortly after the baptism he was transferred to a town much closer to the mission boundaries. Several months later we heard that he ran away - and was at the airport when he remembered that his passport was at the mission home for safe keeping. When he called them they convined him to return to the mission home but couldn't convince him to stay and a week later he went home. I found it really sad that a young man who had the potential to be an amazing missionary just hadn't been encourage to spend time away from his family prior to leaving for his mission.
  8. Maybe it will but - it is also likely to make her the brunt of much bullying! And as someone who spent many years on the receiving end of bullies and dealing with the long term of effects of bullying I think it is wrong to do something that will lead to a child being bullied - I am sure there are/were other ways help her take responsibility for her actions!
  9. what an exciting time for you and your family :) But since people are guessing - I say either Scotland/Ireland mission or Samoa
  10. About 5 years ago, after a series of incidents involving various organisations including youth groups (both religious and non-religious) laws were implemented that meant that in theory ANYONE working in any capacity - either paid or voluntary - HAD to have a CRB (criminal records background check) carried. I was in primary at the time and remember being given the paperwork to fill out - but then I was released so didn't have to follow through with it I can only assume that the law has changed again when they realised just how much work it would be to make every youth worker for every church (every church not just ours) needed one, and in theory needed a new one if they changed age groups or locations they were working as the last time I was called to primary I wasn't asked to get! As far as I am concerned I have nothing to hide and if it meant that children were offered some degree of protection then I am all for it.
  11. At my first high school (UK so age 12-13) I was horribly bullied - for the way I spoke (english accent in small town Scotland AND not swearing), because I went to church, because of the way I dressed, because I had music lessons and sung in the choir among other things. I had things thrown at me, people threatened to get me put off the school bus (where we live it was already starting to get dark when school finished), and I ended up skipping school. Eventually after following ll the proper channels my mother took me out that school because the bullies weren't disciplined (or they were and then were allowed to travelled on the same bus as so they could take it out on me that they been). Things settled down after I changed schools - until 2000 when my childhood bully moved into the house next door to us and proceed to take up where he had left off all those years before! I still struggle with the effects of this bullying over the years since I changed schools I have slowly rebuilt myself but I still struggle with my self esteem (which hasn't been helped by things that have happened since). At the time that the bullying was most severe I did struggle with depression but luckily thanks to a few wonderful friends and Girl Guiding (we weren't active at that point) I never considered taking my life but my heart goes out those who feel there is no other way to end the bullying. The high school I attended had one other LDS student in a student body of about 1200 students but because I hadn't been active we weren't friends as we went to differnt schools in different towns (4 or 5 primaries from 3 towns feed into that high school)
  12. I guess your other option - is to focus on your general this year, pray about a mission and/or what you should major in - and make the decision once you have had that first year of college. If you are still unsure you may find a mission takes you in a whole different direction to where you previously felt you should go or you will have longer to decide your major if that is how your prayers are answered :)
  13. I am sorry if you disagree - but the scriptures say 2judge not lest ye be judged" or words very similar - I we don't know the full story and therefore we have no place to judge this women - that is for Heavenly Father to do.
  14. there are programs in place to help pay for meds for the uninsured. I know that for years my friend has got all her asthma and anxiety meds through these programs because she is uninsured (she was bare;y earning enough to pay for fuel to work let alone paying insurance). Initially it was programs that her Dr told her about directly through the drug companies but now it is one run through the local hospital
  15. I think we shouldn't be judging this womans actions - we don't know the reasons behind them! I know that some of the people I attended uni with told me, for example, that their parents would buy them alcohol or allow their boyfriends to stay over for one reason - they wanted to know they were "safe" - they didn't want the alcohol being spiked if they got other people to buy it or they figured that if they were going to have that sort of relationship then it was better to have in a safe locations than in some of the locations/ways that would be far less safe! That doesn't mean I agree with this but I can understand why they would think/act in such a manor!
  16. I too have mixed feelings about this - it did make me smile when I seen it as it is very well done - but at the end of the day it is vandalism!
  17. I would say do what makes you happy based on the guidance of the Holy Ghost. At the end of the day it is your name and you have to live with - NO ONE ELSE has to live with your name. It shouldn't matter what other thinks about your name. However we had a couple get married in our branch last year and he changed his name to that of his wife and no one in the branch batted and eye-lid (which was actually surprising given how judgemental some of the members of my branch can be).
  18. I am fortunate in that I live in the UK and we have nationalised health care - which while it does have its down sides is free. A few years while working at summer camp I injured my ankle and after being unsure whether I was putting through on workers comp or my insurance - I put it through workers comp - and that was turned down - I came home to a bill of nearly $1000 for an Xray, an Ice pack and an air cast. I found myself wishing I had just used my insurance and paid the $50 co-pay. But I looked at the bill and wondered how those things cost that much. I think that there is a balancing act to getting health care to all who need it. As long as people need health care we are a captive market and people can charge what they like because they know that we have no choice but to pay (or not as the case maybe)
  19. I always wanted to go to BYU - in my second year of my degree I actually filled out nearly all the paperwork to apply to go - but at the same time I was praying about - for me it would have been a great experience - but that isn't what Heavenly Father wanted for me. I was a university were on paper it should have been really hard for me to maintain my testimony and stay strong in the church - but that is exactly the opposite of what happend. The Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus who I was friends with, I discovered actually lived very similar lives and had similar standards to me (dispite the differing theology behind their standards) and they respected me for who I was. I bring this up because I would suggest that you pray about university - and decide which is more important to you - going to the school that is your first choice or studying the course that you want to study - sometimes it can be hard to decide which path to take especially if both are good paths to follow. I would look at other schools and the wards/YSA near them and see if you can get what you need from them. The school I went to was the only one in the UK to offer my exact course so I didn't have any options - but I did have choices about housing and such - and I ended up surrounded by people who supported my choices even if they weren't choices they would make and expected their friends to respect them too. Good luck
  20. Smudge

    Hi :)

    A member of my branch has done alot of work digitising what there is of the Irish records and has created a website. Unfortunately I don't know what it is and can't ask her as she is on her mission for another month or so - but if I remember when she gets back I will ask. She and her sister finished the work on the website the week before she and her husband got the call :) Depending on how long ago they ended up in Ireland I would imagine that they probably headed to Ireland at the time of the Highland clearences - alot of people forced from their homes headed to either Austrailia, the USA, Canada or Ireland I am actually English but have been in Scotland for a very long time. Thanks for the welcome :)
  21. I have been in the church for a while and currently live in a rural community in Scotland and attend a tiny branch where I am chorister. Other than that I am a part time college student and Brownie Guide leader :)