Institute Graduation and a Gold and Green Ball

For this year (it has been done differently other years), Institute Graduation for Dundee Stake was combined with Seminary Graduation, followed by a big Stake dance, the Gold and Green Ball.

Sister Bylund with our
Stake President

The graduation was notable for 1. The stake President was dressed in his formal kilt; 2. Also present to congratulate the students was the Fife Deputy Lord Provost, Kay Morrison (the Lord Provost is the civic head and chair of the Council). It was great to have community involvement. 3. Elder and Sister Bylund both spoke (briefly,perhaps not so notable). There was only one Institute Graduate, although 30 YSAs received Certificates of Course Completion for one or both of the semesters.

Seminary and Institute Graduates with the Stake President
and the Lord Provost. 

The back of the formal kilt,
from where were sitting

 The Stake Gold and Green Ball was elegantly done. The decorations were amazing, the tables were loaded with food, and a two piece live “band” provided the music. Interestingly, there was a cash bar for the drinks, which was not something we were familiar with for a Stake function.

The Cultural Hall all done up before the dance. 

Our table with some of our YSAs.

 A wonderful time was had by all.

Temple Road Trip

The closest Temple to Dundee is the Preston Temple in Chorley, England. It is about 4 hours away, and we went by “Luxury Coach” (bus).

Our bus driver, Sister Bylund and our Council President

We left about 5 pm on Friday night, stopped at Dunfermline to pick up a few more, and then it was on to Preston. It was a gorgeous day as we drove through the green, rolling, pastoral, luscious (how many adjectives can we use?) hills of southern Scotland and northern England.  The YSAs were in high spirits throughout the trip - telling jokes, singing, eating and generally having a "brilliant" time. We arrived a little after 11 pm, got our room assignments, had a short devotional, and then got a few hours of sleep.

Preston Temple

Saturday morning most of the group went to the baptistery, ably organized by Jonathan with a little help from his father. Then many of us went on the endowment session with Lawrence as he received his endowments (soon on his way to the Alpine German-speaking Mission).  Michelle also received her endowments in an earlier session, and then did the work for her "gran."

Some of our group of 31 in front of the Temple

After lunch we were blessed to be the guests of the Temple President and his wife in their home right next to the Temple for a wonderful fireside. Two of the YSAs bore their testimonies and then President Murray gave us some wonderful counsel and guidance about the Temple.

Fireside:  Rebecca leading the singing.

Fireside:  Rowan, leaving soon on her mission in Brazil , sharing her testimony.

President Murray

Lily's baptism

At the Ceilidh dance

We left the Temple about 4:30 and stopped at Glasgow on the way home. The Glasgow and Paisley Stakes had Institute graduation that night and we got there just in time to join with them in a brilliant Ceilidh dance (Scottish folk dancing). Several of our YSAs who were unable to be with us on the bus, drove over and met us at the dance. The enthusiasm and energy of the YSAs was infectious. We arrived back in Dundee a little after midnight, feeling blessed, happy and tired.

One of those who went with us was a non-member American student studying at St. Andrews. Just being at the Temple was sufficient to confirm her desire to be baptized, and she was four days after the trip.