Oneness

Striving for Oneness in Scotland

This was a glorious anniversary week for Elder and Sister Betteridge. We celebrated 46 years together on August 9.  To celebrate, we visited Inveraray, Scotland for a few days and enjoyed the environs of the lakes district in Scotland.  Pictured below is the Killean Farmhouse and Cottages where we stayed.  It was once a sheep farm-- we stayed in the upgraded stables. 

 During our stay we visited the birth place of Heather's 4th great grandparents, Alexander McDougall (1768-1849) and Janet Fulton (1778-1846) born in the parish of Kilchrenan - Dalavich, close to Loch Awe.  Pictured below is the Parish church in Kilchrenan built in 1771 and still in use today.  This is the likely spot where these two ancestors were christened.  Also pictured below is the Dalavich post office and cafe where we ate lunch.  The post master told us that there was still an operating McDougall farm in the area.  We hope to reach out to these probable relatives. 

We also visited St. Andrews Cemetery and located the head stones of Heather's 6th great grandparents, James Playfair Principal (1738-1819) and  Margaret Lyon (1751-1831) as well as her 7th great grandparents George Playfair (1710-1786) and Jean Jane Roger (1710-1804).  The miracle of this visit was the revelation we received as we reviewed their records in FamilySearch.org discovering that some temple ordinances needed to be performed for these ancestors. We hope to perform these ordinances next week at the Preston temple. 

 

We also visited Bob and Edna, who we had met on a previous visit to the Dundee area.  They made us a beautiful Scottish dinner for our anniversary and we left them a gift of the Book of Mormon.  These two had been married before and came together later in life.  They love their garden and their house which was likely built in the 18th century.  They are striving for oneness in their marriage and we complimented them on all that they were doing in this regard.  The picture on the mantel said it all-- "We may not be perfect, but we're perfect together."

We had a lovely visit to the Inveraray Castle.  The present castle, completed in 1789, was built in the Gothic Revival style replacing a 15th century castle on the same site. The foundation stone of the present castle was laid in 1746.  Downton Abbey had several episodes filmed at this castle.  This is the primary residence of the 13th Duke and Duchess of Argyll.  They live in about 1/3rd of the castle and allow visitors to tour the other 2/3rds. Their daughter Charlotte served us in the gift shop.

On the wall in the cafeteria was a slice from a tree planted on the castle grounds around 1665.  When the tree came down in 1989, it was noted that the tree was really the result of two trees that had grown together in unity.  As can be seen in the picture of this tree's growth experience, the outward growth years had swallowed the earlier growth years when it was apparent that the trees were separate.  When it was finally laid to rest in this mortal sphere it was viewed as one tree.   Let this be a type for us-- that we strive to grow together in oneness in our marriages and may we also feel such unity with our Savior.  

Elder Christofferson said, "It is only in and through our individual loyalty to and love of Jesus Christ that we can hope to be one".

At the end of the last supper, the Savior prayed, "Holy Father, keep through thine own name [mine Apostles] whom thou has given me, that they may be one, as we are."  Then, tenderly, the Savior expanded His petition to include all believers: "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; ... that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us." (John 17:11, 20-21)