Tag Archive for: fun

The Final Scene of our 96 mile expedition

On our last evening after walking the full West Highland Way, just the four of us remained.
We wrapped things up in Fort William with a trip to the cinema to see the latest Mission Impossible film, a fitting choice, since parts of this trek really did feel impossible!
This is my final post about the walk, and one last chance to support Mary’s Meals before I close the project on July 1st.
Not only did we complete our great challenge, we also managed to raise a few thousand pounds for an amazing charity together.
If youโ€™ve been meaning to donate, hereโ€™s the link: https://www.marysmeals.org.uk/fundraising…
Everyone of us who participated, despite the hardships, truly loved it!
Yes, even the rain, midges, ticks and gale force winds all added to the fun! ๐Ÿ˜†
Iโ€™d recommend the walk, to anyone, but you need to be a wee bit mad to do it too!
I think it was one of the greatest adventures of my life and to be with such great friends was simply awesome.
Huge thanks to everyone who supported us along the way. You helped make every step count.

Bart = Instant Joy

When Bart walked into our house the other day, the whole place just lit up and bubbled with joy!
I don’t know why exactly, but when he is around, everything just seems so much better.
Literally and figuratively!
At 6 foot 8, heโ€™s just simply impossible to miss, but itโ€™s his spirit that really fills the room.
I first met Bart back in April 2008 in Provo, Utah.
Monic however, had already painted a vivid picture of him long before that.
Their story started in 1990, when Bart showed up in Utrecht, Netherlands, as a brand-new missionary.
Back then, he didnโ€™t understand a word of Dutch and just followed his companion around hoping for the best.
The way he tells it, is literally comedy gold.
You could listen to his stories for hours and these last couple of days, we truly have!
Bart is a whirlwind of joy, laughter, and stories youโ€™ll never forget.
This week, he swept through our lives again, arriving on Sunday evening after taking a train up from London and then renting a car.
Back again last night, after an epic, rapid-fire (36 Hour) tour of Scotland, from the Trossachs to Glencoe, Skye, Loch Ness and St. Andrews, (yes, photos included!), he showed up beaming, a wee bit tired, and full of even more wild tales.
Every visit with Bart is more than a catch-up, itโ€™s more like an event.
He seems to have boundless energy.
And he loves to practice his Dutch.
Itโ€™s the kind of experience you donโ€™t just remember, you ๐’‡๐’†๐’†๐’.
He honestly feels like a human sunbeam!
So, if you ever get the chance to hang out with Bart, our advice, take it.
Donโ€™t think.
Just say yes.
And Bart, next time you visit, youโ€™ll need to stay a wee bit longer!
We simply need to get more time with youโ€ฆit is such fun!
We need a reunion Part 2 in Provo too, next time we visit with you!
Because when Bart shows up, our experience is, life gets a whole lot more awesome!!

Pearls of Wisdom

Yesterday, Monic and I had a rather interesting and refreshing experience at Marchmont Dental Practice in Edinburgh, where our talented niece Sara works.
Some months ago, we made an appointment to trial a new system.
We went for an Airflow clean, a procedure carried out by Sara.
As I understand it, the Airflow technology works by emitting a powerful, yet precise jet of air, water, and fine powder to thoroughly clean our teeth.
The process was surprisingly fun and, more importantly, very effective.
Saraโ€™s skilful approach, coupled with her warm and reassuring manner, made the entire experience both pleasant and at the same time quite educational!
She explained each step of the procedure clearly, putting us both completely at ease.
Dentists arenโ€™t our favourite thing!
The results?
Brilliant!
Our teeth now feel cleaner, brighter, and remarkably smooth.
Reflecting upon yesterday, I couldnโ€™t help but consider the lesson this procedure taught me.
The Airflow clean reminded me that careful, focused effort produces the best results.
Much like this procedure, life requires us to slow down, make careful adjustments, and focus on the task at hand.
Itโ€™s tempting to rush through things or seek shortcuts, but just as Saraโ€™s meticulous work ensured a great outcome for our teeth, our best successes often come when we approach challenges with precision, patience, and attention to detail.
And just like our time with Sara, the process can be enjoyable when we engage fully in the moment.
Whether itโ€™s work, relationships, or personal goals, taking a little extra time to focus and adjust carefully can make all the difference.
And who knows?
You might even find some fun and joy in the process!
What area of your life could use a ‘clean and polish’ to make it shine?

A snapshot of joy

Laughter is one of the most powerful and life-affirming experiences we can have.
And so it was as Ali, and I, visited my mum on Friday evening.
As we sat together, reminiscing about old times, sharing stories, something spontaneous happened that turned a quiet moment into one of pure joy: we started laughing.
At the end of our visit, we simply decided to take a picture together.
For some reason, the very suggestion sent us all into fits of laughter.
It wasnโ€™t the idea of the picture itself, but rather the delightful simplicity of the moment that made us chuckle, giggle and laugh until our sides hurt.
Earlier in our visit weโ€™d talked about some health concerns, yet as the laughter began, it was in many ways a form of releaseโ€”a way to break free from the weight of life’s burdens, even just for those special few moments.

Wellbeing

Our visit with my 89-year-old mum reminded me of just how essential laughter is to our well-being, offering a connection to joy even in times of challenging health.
In her lifetime, I know mum has witnessed challenges and joys, yet in our moment of laughter together, it served as a bridge between the past and present, reminding us that life, at its core, is about finding joy in the little things.
For each of us, that moment wasnโ€™t just about taking a picture, but about capturing a memory of joy with the people we love, creating an even stronger bond that no words could truly express.
Reflecting on the shared experience with my mum and brother-in-law, I realise we werenโ€™t just laughing at the idea of taking a picture, but at the joy of being together, of being present in each other’s lives.

Joy

While also lifting our spirits and lightening our loads, it was a celebration of love, family, and togetherness, all wrapped up in ๐’‚ ๐’”๐’๐’‚๐’‘๐’”๐’‰๐’๐’• ๐’๐’‡ ๐’‹๐’๐’š, through the healing power of a good laugh.
Letโ€™s not to take life too seriously and cherish those fleeting moments of joy that come from simply serving and being with the people we deeply love.
There is a time to have fun, laugh, play, learn and serve together.
Dale G. Renlund said: โ€œTo effectively serve others we must see them… through Heavenly Father’s eyes.
Only then can we begin to comprehend the true worth of a soul. Only then can we sense the love that Heavenly Father has for all His children.โ€
Looking upon my mum as a child of God, being able to laugh with her, and as we ministered to her, we felt a healing and strengthening warmth that will last forever.
Why is it important to be able to laugh at ourselves?

Tuesday Mornings…

Tuesday mornings arenโ€™t going to be quite the same anymore!
For the last 3 years, Jurgen, Chris and I would spend an hour online together as a Mission Presidency, counselling about all of the important matters of running the Belgium Netherlands Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Counsellors

Whilst the missionaries were starting their Preparation Day (P-Day) weโ€™d be counselling together to address the salient challenges of the week.
And there was always lots to talk about.
Although we met weekly, I think hardly one day has passed by that I havenโ€™t spoken with either Jurgen or Chris.
The wise writer of Proverbs tells us that โ€œin โ€ฆ counsellors there is safety.โ€ (Prov. 11:14.)
Counselling together with one another was a constant.
Weโ€™d counsel together in order to reach a united conclusion, to help us know the direction we intended to pursue was in harmony with the Lordโ€™s will.

Volunteers

The three of us never sought out these assignments, we were simply asked by a church leader to serve, giving many hours voluntarily every week.
Itโ€™s been a labour of love for all of us.
Over the last 3 years we have developed a strong bond of friendship too.
On Sunday evening, I took a trip up to Zwolle, with the Assistants, to spend some final moments with Jurgen, Analรญa, and Christel.
I took some time to release Jurgen from his responsibilities in the Mission Presidency and we enjoyed the opportunity to reminisce for a while too.
One of our sweetest memories was when we set up an experimental โ€œSocial Media Districtโ€ for a few months. Lots of lessons were learned together as Jurgen, Analia and Christel spent many long hours working with many missionaries in the office together in Gouda.
For several months, Christel was travelling almost daily between Zwolle and Gouda, as we built some momentum in our social media efforts.
Days never to be forgotten, for sure!
Helen Keller said โ€œThe best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched โ€” they must be felt with the heart.โ€
As I recall the sweet memories made with my dear friends, I know that it is all about what we have all felt in our hearts together.
Thank you for all the memories.
Until we meet again dear friends.

FSY

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to attend FSY Nederland-Vlaanderen in De Beukenhof, Biezenmortel.
For the Strength of Youth (๐…๐’๐˜) conferences are five-day events that include activities, devotionals, and classes designed to help strengthen faith in Jesus Christ and provide opportunities for youth to grow spiritually, socially, physically, and intellectually.
My co-facilitators were 5 of our missionaries, Libby Wilcox, Averi Hanny, Christian Adams, Luk Vanderlinden and Dallin Doxford.

Workshops

We had the opportunity to run 4 workshops, attended by in total, 100+ Gen Z participants, aged between 13 โ€“ 18 years old.
Our topics โ€“
– Preach My Gospel โ€“ 2nd Edition.
– The Benefits of Serving a Mission.
To begin, we ran some fun icebreakers on communication, change and observation.
I retired the first edition of Preach My Gospel, and everyone received a hard copy of the second edition.
We used it to teach some key principles about technology and sharing the gospel via social media.
Technology allowed us to connect to the Missionary Training Centres (MTCโ€™s) in Preston England and Provo, Utah.
We were joined by former missionaries Joey de Sousa and Nathanael Strickler who teach at the MTCโ€™s.
They facilitated a discussion with missionaries who were enjoying the first few days of their MTC experiences, and fielded questions from our participants in the room.
Four of the missionaries online, will be arriving in the Belgium Netherlands Mission in 5 weeksโ€™ time.

Expert Panel

We followed up with an expert panel of our own missionaries, who have served from 13 โ€“ 22 months in Belgium and the Netherlands.
Questions came freely from the workshop participants.
They listened intently to the answers from our missionaries.
Whatโ€™s been the most difficult thing in the mission field? Do you have any fun? What do you do all day? How long do you serve in an area? Is it hard work? What is it like to be with your companion 24/7?
It was fun to be with everyone.
Somehow, we managed to engage with our Gen Z digital native friends for around 50 minutes at a time!
And we even managed to share a fun Instagram post together!
Please invite us again! ๐Ÿ˜Š

To the Rescue

๐Œ๐ž๐ž๐ญ ๐ƒ๐ž๐ฑ…
He is an energetic 2-year-old Jack Russell Terrier that belongs to my Dutch in laws โ€“ Simone & Guus.
Every now and again, I get to spend some time with Dex.
Yesterday was one of those days. ๐Ÿ™‚
Gleefully, we went on a little walk together.
After a few minutes on our walk, although I wanted to go in one direction, it was clear he wanted to go in another!
I relented, and off we went the way he wanted to go.
It turned out to be one of his favourite little fenced parks, dedicated to dogs, so that they can run freely.
Ball and thrower in hand, we commenced our afternoon of activity.
I was happy throwing, and he was very happy chasing.
Enthusiastically, this activity continued for around half an hour.
Then the fun really began!
Putting the ball and thrower away, it was time to depart for home.
He knew exactly what was happening, and certainly did not want to return home.
Off he raced, to hide in the woods!
For the next 45 minutes I tried every single trick in the book to entice him on to his lead.
Little treats, throwing the ball again, ignoring him, patiently trying to corner him near the fence, following him into the woods, then back to laying a trail of treats on the groundโ€ฆ.
The Result โ€“ Nothing! ๐™๐„๐‘๐Ž success!
My patience was wearing very thin!
โ€œTime to call Simoneโ€ I thoughtโ€ฆ
โ€œ๐‡๐ž๐ฅ๐ฉ!โ€ I declared.
She smiled and laughed.
10 minutes later, as Simone and Monic arrived in the park together, Dex ran to Simone!ย  Job done!
Moral of the story โ€“ sometimes you just have to admit defeat, call for help, have a little laugh and wait on others to come to the rescue!
Have you rescued anyone recently?

Is it for real?

๐ƒ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ž ๐›๐š๐œ๐ค ๐š๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ?
100 missionaries.
2 days of multi-zone conferences in Antwerp and Utrecht.
Inspiration galore.
Remarkable experiences.
Real joy.
Each afternoon, role play, after role play, after role play, after role play, with 4 different scenarios to consider.
The cheering each other on, the laughter, the glee and camaraderie was a joy to behold.
It had been a while since Iโ€™d been so involved, but once I dived in, I loved it!
So why spend so much time in role plays?
– It develops communication and language skills
– It creates opportunities to explore, scrutinize and experiment
– It allows everyone to act and make sense of real-life scenarios.
– It encourages creativity and imagination
– It motivates and engages everyone
– It inspires greater confidence
– It advances listening skills
– It promotes in the moment creative problem solving.
– It builds empathy by experiencing new perspectives
– It provides opportunities for feedback through critical observation from peers.
And above all โ€“ many new friendships were formed.
Yes – roleplay is more than just make believe.
Creating a safe space to explore scenarios together was a wonderful experience.
My personal learning takeaway was – through acting out a variety of situations, role-playing teaches that we can be ๐š๐ง๐ฒ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ฐ๐ž ๐œ๐ก๐จ๐จ๐ฌ๐ž ๐ญ๐จ ๐›๐ž.
Yes, they always smile back at you!
Do you?
#learning

Tips!

The problem with the word โ€œtipโ€ is that it has many definitions.

At a recent CIPD event, we had a few moments of miscommunication and hilarity, as we tried to contextualise a three-letter word into a definitive description!

For example, consider the following…..

– Leaving a tip for the waiter is good practice.
– Fly tipping is a problem around the country.
– It was on the tip of my tongue to say exactly what I thought.
– Tipping the glass of water over wasnโ€™t what Iโ€™d planned.
– The tip of the pencil needs to be sharpened.
– The goalkeeper tipped the ball over the crossbar.
– A good tip for the Grand National is Tiger Roll.

We were trying to get to a succinct definition of the word โ€œtipโ€! In our case it was about a good idea or more specifically a โ€œhelpful hintโ€.

And so, my tip (oops) helpful hint for today is simply this one life saving daily habit โ€“ have a talk with yourself and donโ€™t take life so seriously! โ€œIn all of living, have much fun and laughter. Life is to be enjoyed, not just enduredโ€ said Gordon B. Hinckley.

A little craziness once in a while perpetuates sanity! Learn to laugh at the little things, and life will be easier. Laughter is the best form of therapy.

Remember, life isn’t all business, it can be mixed with fun & laughter too.

Look out for some laughter today!

Pranks!

Siblings can be annoying at times, right? (I guess I can be too sometimes – LOL!) Challenging behaviour isn’t only limited to siblings, but work colleagues and others too. Here’s one solution that worked for me!
Visiting the beach in summertime was a regular occurrence in our family. It was a short train ride to the beach at Kinghorn. Arriving at the station, we’d walk down the steep slope and then create many fond childhood memories on the beach together, sandcastles, swimming, ice cream, games – the whole shebang.
I recall one particular trip, my big brother was even more annoying than usual with his pranks. As time passed by that day, in a moment of playfulness, I hatched a master-plan. Along the beachfront, I went hunting for a starfish (he didn’t like them). After finding one, I searched for my brother. I managed to sneak up on him, starfish in hand, yet at the last moment, he saw me coming and he took off! I took aim and threw the starfish at my brother. And then, the moment of real joy, with its strong glue like suction pads it fastened itself to my brothers back! The terror on my brothers face was a delight to behold!!
The moral of the story, well that’s debatable! I’m sure you’ll find your own. For me, sometimes its best to reprove with sharpness and show an increase of love afterwards! ๐Ÿ˜
What is your favourite prank?