Tag Archive for: love

From Rome, with Hope

 

Yesterday, I had the privilege of attending the Shape the World Summit in the shadows of the Vatican, at the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome, a place fondly referred to – as Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle reminded us – as “the missionary university.”
And it was HOT!! 35C!
It was a gathering rooted in the Jubilee of Hope, where more than just ideas were exchanged. We heard of leaders shaped not by power or platform, but by kindness, goodness, and humility.
Cardinal Tagle drew a moving contrast between Christian hope – anchored in divine purpose – and the kind of wishful thinking that so often falls short.
The theme of faith over fear became a recurring call throughout the day.
The summit didn’t shy away from the complex realities of our world: deepening conflict, climate disruption, the acceleration of AI, and demographic shifts across ageing western societies.
One sobering statistic lingered long in my mind: over 800 million people go to bed hungry each night.
Amid such weighty truths, a quote from Baden Powell, founder of the Scouts, brought clarity and resolve, especially meaningful to me as a former Boy Scout myself…
“Try and leave this world a little better than you found it.”

Too small?

And just when the scale of the challenges felt overwhelming, Oliver Pawle shared an African proverb that really resonated with me:
“If you think you’re too small to make a difference, you haven’t spent a night with a mosquito.”
A wise and timely reminder to us all.
For me, one of the most stirring contributions came from James Moore, whose talk “A Broken World Needs Creative Leadership” struck a powerful chord. He spoke of the USA at a geopolitical crossroads, but also of a broader truth – that we are all, in his words, “temporary shepherds of our global world.”
A powerful reminder of our shared stewardship of the earth and each other.
Much was also said about the appointment of the new Pope, significant not only in the choice of leader, but in the values that come with his Augustinian roots: humility, unity, contemplation, and deep interior commitment.
These are virtues our fractured world urgently needs.

The Common Growth Fund

As a Trustee of the Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) Foundation, I was honoured to stand alongside my fellow trustee Matthew Jones for the launch of the Common Growth Fund, in partnership with Lawrence Chong of Consulus. This initiative seeks to reimagine our economic systems, supporting faith-based enterprises and creating space for values-led, socially impactful transformation.
Again and again, familiar themes emerged:
• Respect and dialogue as essential tools for peace
• Compassion and empathy as the birthplace of change
• A growing hunger for creative, values-based servant leadership across all sectors of society.
But perhaps what moved me most wasn’t any single keynote or statistic. It was the spirit of the gathering.
People from diverse backgrounds and many faith traditions, all united in a shared desire to build something better, to shape the world with courage and conscience.
And yes, I came away with a few new friends, too.
So, what kind of world are you trying to shape, and who are you shaping it for?

The Real Way

For months now, sixteen of us have been preparing for our great West Highland Way adventure beginning this week.
Among our most enthusiastic walkers?
Always full of energy, laughter never far behind, and the kind of person who makes even rainy training hikes feel like a party.
But last weekend, a message from Emily landed like a thud.
She’d been out hiking, went over on her ankle, and managed to break her little toe.
That tiny bone had big consequences.
No walking the West Highland Way.
Not even a few stages.
Her dream of trekking through the Highlands, gone in one misstep.
So then came the question: should she even come?
Now, if you know Emily, you’ll guess her answer wasn’t made lightly.
It came after prayer, reflection, and a few conversations with family and friends.
And in true Emily fashion, she showed up.
Not with boots, but with crutches and a wheelchair rented after landing in London.
That kind of determination is something that typifies Emily!
Yesterday, we wandered (and wheeled) through Edinburgh, up and down the Royal Mile.

Together

Friends took turns pushing, guiding, and laughing along the way.
No complaints.
Just togetherness.
And it hit me; this is what walking the Way really looks like.
“For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.” – Ecclesiastes 4:10
Emily won’t be hiking the trail, instead she’ll be in the support van, encouraging us all on, and reminding us that the journey isn’t just about who finishes the miles on foot, but about how we can carry one another through it.
Because that’s the real Way, isn’t it?
Supporting one another even when the road ahead looks different than you hoped.
Who may need a lift from you this week, a push up the hill or a word of encouragement?
Happy Sunday from Scotland ❤️

Birthday Wishes

Tomorrow I will be turning 60 years young!
I’m sure I may receive 1 or 2 well-wisher messages too (thank you in advance).
However, I’d like to ask one simple thing – can you consider this please?
I have always wanted to walk the West Highland Way, and as part of my birthday celebrations, I plan to do so starting in just 10 days’ time, with 15 dear friends from the Netherlands and the USA.
We had our last online zoom planning call last night.
The excitement levels are reaching fever pitch now!
On our great adventure, I am certain we will have lots of fun and create many new memories together.
That said, we also hope to raise some money for a great cause – Mary’s Meals, a global charity, based in Glasgow, that serves life-changing school meals to some of the world’s poorest children.
Their mission is simple but profound: “Every child deserves an education – and enough to eat.”
We have set ourselves a stretching goal to raise enough money feed 1000 children for one year.
“Impart of your substance to the poor… administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their wants.” – Mosiah 4:26
For my birthday tomorrow, if you were planning to send me a message – thank you.
But even more meaningful would be a donation to this cause that’s so close to my heart.
Please click on the link below to make a donation.
And a huge thank you to those who have already donated.
With love, gratitude, and slightly sore feet in advance!

Haste Ye Back

Over the past few days, our home has been full with visitors.
Last Wednesday and Thursday, we had the absolute joy of hosting seven of our returned missionaries from the Belgium Netherlands Mission.
Adam, Alex, Logan, Landon, Luk, Sam and Trent, came to visit not just as guests but as part of our mission family.
On Wednesday, we walked the paths of Dunfermline, fed squirrels in the park, met the peacocks (thank you Tina and Alex), and learned a lot about Andrew Carnegie.
But the real joy wasn’t just in what we saw, it was more about just being together again.
On Thursday, we explored Edinburgh.
We climbed Arthur’s Seat, walked the Royal Mile, visited St. Giles Cathedral, and learned about the Order of the Thistle.
We laughed over lunch, soaked in the sights from the Castle, wandered through the Grassmarket, and ended the day the way any proper visit should: with fish and chips and a deep-fried Mars bar!
But here’s the thing that’s been on my mind most since they left: missionary service might have an official end date, but the bonds created will never end.
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” – Matthew 18:20

Service

As we walked side by side through cobbled streets, it hit me, that our friendships were built on faith, service, and sacrifice.
They were forged in the quiet moments of testimony, in praying together, in days sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ and serving others.
They left for home on Friday, to their studies, summer jobs and families, yet I want to witness that the spirit they carried as missionaries still shines through.
Their name tags may be gone, but who they became as missionaries hasn’t faded.

Connections

Having them here reminded me that the impact of missionary work isn’t just about the service they rendered in Belgium and the Netherlands, it’s about the deep, lasting connections formed along the way.
As we laughed and reminisced, not as missionaries with schedules, but simply as members of our extended family, we rediscovered a deeper, powerful connection.
One rooted in shared purpose, made richer by our unhurried time, of just being together.
Their footsteps echo with us now, not just in the places we visited, but in our hearts.
And for that, Monic and I are so grateful.
Who in your life has left spiritual footprints you still feel today?

Three Generations of Joy

Yesterday we visited our daughter Megan, son-in-law Caleb and our little grandson Oscar in Glasgow.
It had been a few weeks since we’d last seen them.
We’ve discovered that in baby time; a few weeks is an absolute age.
Babies grow so quickly!
Oscar had grown stronger, more expressive, much more curious.
We each held him for a wee while and had fun playing with him too.
Then something magical happened.
Megan put him in his bouncer chair.
“He loves it” she said.
Sure enough, he bounced happily in his little chair, beaming from ear to ear, giggling, squealing with laughter and babbling away.
His whole face lit up with the kind of joy only babies seem to manage.
It was just pure, unfiltered happiness.
Monic and I sat on the couch, completely captivated and absorbed in that moment.
We couldn’t take our eyes off him.
His energy was contagious and his joy infectious.
I think we both had that wide-eyed, can’t-stop-smiling look that only proud grandparents get from time to time.
What made the moment even more special was Megan catching it all, camera in hand, laughing not just at Oscar, but at us.
Her joy was layered: love for her child, and love in seeing her parents fall head over heels for him.
There’s something deeply beautiful about that, three generations wrapped in a single moment of laughter and love.
We left feeling full-hearted, loved and joyful!
Smitten doesn’t begin to cover it.
What’s a small, everyday moment that filled your heart lately?

More than Miles

These last few months I’ve done a lot of walking.
I walk everywhere.
This week, I also discovered that May is National Walking Month 🥾🥾
For many, it’s a chance to stretch their legs and get outside.
But for me, my daily walks are helping me train for my adventure starting 28th May, along the West Highland Way with 15 dear friends in support of Mary’s Meals.
Years of scripture study have taught me lots about the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.
Many things stand out in His teachings, but I’d like to focus on just one thing today.
He walked everywhere.
As I walk, I’ve been thinking about how much of the Gospel is rooted in the act of walking.
He was often seen walking by the Sea of Galilee, on the road to Emmaus, through crowds of people, with sinners, publicans, to Nazareth, Capernaum and Jerusalem, but mostly He walked with His disciples, and He even walked on water.
The disciples walked everywhere too.
Often not knowing exactly where they were going, but they trusted deeply and followed Him.
That’s what faith often feels like.
Some days I’ll put my boots on, uncertain what path I’ll take, but I hope and believe it always leads somewhere worth going.
We don’t need to walk by the shores of Galilee or among the Judean hills to walk where Jesus walked.
As Thomas S. Monson said, “Walking where Jesus walked 𝒊𝒔 less important than walking 𝒂𝒔 Jesus walked”.
It’s not about the path under your feet, rather it’s all about what’s in your heart, by choosing to follow Him in your own journey through life.
The scriptures teach us not just about what to do, but how to walk; “To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)
That’s the kind of walk I want to train for.
Not just the miles ahead, but a life filled with service that moves toward justice, mercy, and humility.
I so look forward to walking together with my friends in a few weeks’ time.
Walking is simple.
But walking with purpose, that’s really where the Gospel meets the ground.
Where is your walk leading you, and who are you walking it for?

When Angels Meet Again

On Saturday evening, I had the opportunity of witnessing something quietly sacred.
I had taken my mum, to a fireside/devotional in Perth.
As we arrived, she spotted the familiar face of a dear old friend, Anne Crook — and, in a moment that felt suspended in time, they gently embraced.
It had been some time since they’d last met, yet the years just seemed to melt away.
Their smiles widened, their voices softened, and they simply 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆.
I sat next to them.
Watching them was like watching and listening to two angels.

Together

Two lifelong friends caught up in each other’s presence, laughing, reminiscing, and sharing their news, as if no time had passed at all.
Their friendship reaches all the way back to the early 1960s when, as younger women, they found the restored gospel in Dunfermline and Perth respectively.
Not long after, they served together in the District Primary Presidency, quietly shaping young lives with faith and love.
“…they did walk after the commandments which they had received… and they did love one another.” 4 Nephi 1:15
Decades may have come and gone, but their bond, rooted in shared testimony and service, remains unshakable.
Both lost their husband’s, some years ago.
Gentle. Humble. Enduring. Radiating love.
There was no need for any grandeur or noise.
No spotlight.
Just a quiet sweetness, two women of great faith, simply being together.
For me, it was a holy moment and a privilege to sit with them.
In their warmth, I was reminded of those things that matter most, the beauty of enduring friendships, of lives lived in service, sacred covenants and of the quiet strength of discipleship.
Sometimes, the most powerful moments are the stillest ones.
Who are the quiet angels in your life, the ones who have walked beside you through the years?

The Joy of Reunion

These last few days, we were blessed with a visit from one of our returned missionaries from Texas, Ashley, and her husband, Connor.
And what a joy it was!
There’s just something really special about reconnecting with those we worked alongside in our missionary efforts in Belgium and the Netherlands.
It’s been a few years since our last meeting, but somehow the bond created doesn’t fade; in many ways, it simply deepens.

Time Together

We shared a few meals (yes, they bravely ate a lot of haggis and liked it!), laughed over games, and visited some of our favourite tourist places, including Culross, the Kelpies, the Wallace Monument, Castle Campbell, Dollar Glen, Dunfermline Abbey, and the Carnegie Birthplace Museum.
It wasn’t the locations that made our time special, rather it was the stories, the shared memories, and the new moments we created together, especially Connor with the amazing video footage he filmed with his drone – wow!
“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;” – Philippians 1:3-5
There’s a special kind of joy in seeing how life unfolds for those you once served with.
To hear of their continued faith, their marriage, and their journey since returning home is a tender reminder that missionary service is never the end, it’s a new beginning.
A beginning of lifelong discipleship, and forever friendships too.
Paul’s words in Philippians resonate with me: “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.”
That’s exactly how we felt as we spent a little more time together, with so much gratitude for our shared experiences, and for the fellowship of the gospel of Jesus Christ we enjoy.
I hope we never underestimate the power of a visit, a meal, or a conversation to strengthen those ties that bind us as brothers and sisters in Christ forevermore.
Who brings you joy when you remember them?

A Mothers Gift

Yesterday, I had the chance to visit with my mum for a wee while.
Mum is in her 90th year and looking well.
Today is Mother’s Day in the UK.
I am so grateful for my mum.
I love her dearly and we feel blessed to have had a lifetime of love and laughter together.
The gift of a mothers love is a priceless treasure.
Her gentle words, quiet strength, and unwavering faith have shaped who I am.
Reflecting upon my time with my mum, I feel immense gratitude for her enduring example and many quiet sacrifices.
In Proverbs 31:28 we read, “Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.”
Mum’s love can sometimes go unnoticed, yet I know it forms the very foundation of our family lives.
On this special day, may we all take a moment to reflect on our mothers.
“God bless you, mothers. When all the victories and defeats of men’s efforts are tallied, when the dust of life’s battles finally settles, it is the mother’s love that will be remembered. It is the memory of your arms, your prayers, and your constancy that will live on.” – Gordon B. Hinckley.
Let’s cherish our mothers, each one of them, not just today, but every day – with love, words, and time.
How can you honour and show appreciation for your mother and the mother figures in your life today?

Please Give!

“Give – Charity and the Art of Living Generously” is the second book by Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, CEO of Mary’s Meals.
It’s a powerful reminder that charity is not just an act but a way of life, but rather a way of seeing others with love, of lifting burdens, and of making small sacrifices that ripple into something greater.
Many of you know that from May 28th, 2025, I will be walking 96 miles along the West Highland Way in Scotland over 8 days.
But I won’t be doing it alone.
I’ll be joined by 20 of my dearest friends, all of whom I had the privilege of serving alongside in the Belgium Netherlands Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Together, we are embracing this adventure with excitement, determination, and a shared commitment to raising money for Mary’s Meals – a cause close to our hearts.
Each of us has spent months preparing, walking mile after mile, training our bodies and minds for the challenge ahead.
But more than the physical preparation, this journey is about something far deeper – it’s about walking with purpose, with faith, and with love for those in need.
The way we practice charity reflects the depth of our compassion, humility, and willingness to serve – not for recognition, but simply because it is the right thing to do.
True charity isn’t just about donating money; it’s about offering our time, kindness, and understanding.

Charity Never Faileth

It is in giving that we receive, in serving that we grow, and in walking together that we strengthen not only our legs but also our hearts.
As Mother Teresa beautifully said, “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”
Along the way, we may come to realise that charity is not only something we give to others, but something we, too, need from time to time, whether in the form of support, encouragement, or simply a helping hand.
Many of my friends are travelling from the USA and the Netherlands at their own expense, ensuring that every penny we raise goes directly to feeding children in need.
If you’d like to be part of our journey and help provide a meal for a hungry child, please consider making a donation through the link below.
Together, we can turn small acts of generosity into something truly life changing.
Will you join us in making a difference, one meal at a time?