Yesterday afternoon, I had some time to reflect on the events of the weekend. I have been the recipient of great teaching and counsel this weekend, this combined with the outpouring of love and support from those present at the conference and from those far and wide and the witness of the Holy Ghost provides me with the confidence that the Lord leads and guides his chosen representatives. 

President Henry B Eyring, 1st Counsellor, 1st Presidency spoke at this April’s General Conference

“Seemingly ordinary men whom I knew well were called as stake presidents. I raised my hand on those days as you did today and had a witness come to me that God had called His servants and that I would be blessed by their service and for sustaining them. I have now felt that same miracle countless times across the Church.

I saw in the days and months that followed their being sustained that those stake presidents were lifted up to their callings”

I can categorically tell you I am a very ordinary man and the experiences of this weekend give me the confidence that this will indeed take place. 

Once again I thank you.

MG

Unfortunately our digital cameras are broken so we are reduced to the pictures off our phone, which didn’t come out very well.
So this is the only pic…

Emily’s sweetie cake

Emily celebrated her birthday this weekend, Saturday she had her friends over for her party and had a great time and on Sunday, friends and family came over for dinner and cake.  She’s growing up very fast and is relishing the role as big sister to Heather.  Each morning we awake to her and Heather playing at some sort of role-playing game.  Kindred spirits that’s for sure…… 

We have put a few pictures on the picture gallery, click here or on the picture of Emily to go the pictures. 

If you have forgotten the gallery password or not yet received it, please use the email tab above to request it. 

We’ve added some of photo’s we took while camping in Cornwall.  To see them in a slideshow click on this link here or visit our Gallery at http://gallery.thegilmours.net

We have just got back from a weeks camping in Cornwall.  We based ourselves out of the Summer Valley campsite near Truro. 

Our week consisted of:

• going to the beach - lots
• swimming
• flying the kite
• seeing the Pirate and Highwaymen activities at Pendennis Castle
• experiencing the firing of a real pirate’s cannon
• bodyboarding at Perranporth beach
• cycling the camel trail in Padstow
• watching the planes from the RNAS Culdrose Air day
• eating pasties, clotted cream teas & cornish ice cream
• snorkelling on the rocks
• playing lots on the campsite
• getting stuck in the mud on the way to Church (well not our car!)
• cooking a Sunday Chicken Roast on a trangia stove!!
• Putting up the tent in the pouring rain (the only real rain of the week)
• boating and kayaking from the beach
• visiting St Ives, Padstow, Falmouth,

Cornwall has so much to see and do, normally when we are down there we go diving, but this time we didn’t take the diving gear, only the snorkelling kit (see my diving blog) so that we could enjoy the other attractions of Cornwall. 

As we were planning this trip we kept a close eye on the weather forecast and were prepared to go and do a lot of wet weather activities, such as the Eden project, and the zoo’s etc. But the weather held good all week and we spent most of the time on the beach and in the sea.  It was excellent fun.  Perranporth is a great beach but you’ve gotta get down there early or there is no chance of finding a parking space.  We spent a whole day there, bodyboarding and flying the kites. Scott, Elizabeth and Emily all tried the bodyboard and were great.  Weighing next to nothing, they were catapulted in on the smallest of waves and loved it.  We took our waterproof housing for the video camera which came up with some great video shots.  I shall have to see if I can digitalise some of the clips and post them on our blog.   Even Lisa and I managed to get a sneaky morning off from the kids, watched by friends who we were camping with, and headed off with some of the others for early morning bodyboarding with the whole beach to ourselves.  A lot of fun.  

Something that we would highly recommend is the Camel Trail, from Padstow to Wadebridge and on to Bodmin.  A very picturesque bike ride along an old disused railway line. Being a former railway line, meant it was fairly flat with no major inclines to slow one’s progress making it suitable for all ages to cycle along.  Even Emily had a go for a little while.  One word of caution though, it can get very very busy, the M25 of cycle paths. There were hundreds of people doing the same as us.  We only completed the first section from Padstow to Wadebridge and back (much to Scott’s disgust, he wanted to do the full 36 mile round trip), a total of 11 miles.  Scott led the way with Lisa carrying Heather on the child seat, whilst I towed Elizabeth and Emily (and emily’s bike)in the trailer.  It was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon, slightly overcast, which meant we weren’t cycling in the blazing sun.  After our ride we loaded the bikes back onto the car and walked into Padstow for Pasties and ice cream.  We managed to find one of the few food shops not owned by Rick Stein! And the queue for his takeaway fish n Chips at £9 a pop reached out of the door and around the carpark.  No fish n chips is that good and my pasty was delicious.  Not a Ginsters in sight!

We’ll add some pictures to the gallery once we’ve sorted through them and maybe try and sort out the video clips. 

After a very calm crossing on the ferry and getting stuck in the rush hour traffic in Antwerp we made to the Belguim, Holland border where Su and the children were waiting for us. 

Whilst we were there we spent time visiting Eindhoven, playing in this fantastic woodland playpark (perhaps Aunty Su can tell us the name of it) and swimming and playing in this superb indoor lagoon with lots of slides and wavepools. The children loved it and I think so did Mummy. She was desperate to get all the girls on this one slide that took you into a big bowl that you went round and around in until you dropped out of the bottom into a deep pool.  Elizabeth and Emily had to take a swim test to show the lifeguards that they could swim before they were let on. They passed and had a whale of a time. 

It was absolutely great to see all the children playing together getting to know each other and having a great time. 

We’ve put lots on pictures on to our gallery.  If you need the password drop us an email. 

For Easter we jumped in the car, strapped the bikes to the back and headed north to see Grandma and Granddad and also Aunty Claire, Uncle David, Jessica and new baby Joseph.  Having enjoyed fabulous weather in the south over the weekend it was a bit of shock to arrive to overcast skies on Easter Monday in Scotland, but thankfully before the week was out the weather had cleared and we were able to enjoy hiking again up Tinto and a really enjoyable bike ride around Biggar and Broughton. 

The reason for going up to Scotland during the week was to celebrate Joseph’s Blessing (link to invite) who was born on March 1st. The children loved cuddling Joseph, especially Heather was very interested in having a baby around.  Seeing Heather and Joseph together we realised just how quickly Heather is growing up and is no longer a little baby, not quite a toddler so therefore a tiddler!   David has posted pictures of Joseph and Jessica on their family website @ dcbleakley.com

While we were there Grandma and Granddad bought Scott a new bike as he has outgrown his old one.  So on the Thursday his bike was ready and we decided to go off for a bike ride.  The only problem with Scotland is that it isn’t flat! We decided on a route that took us south of Biggar on a country road towards Coulter Fell and then turned to Broughton.  We stopped on the way for a picnic and a break before setting off again and riding back via Broughton and the long way round back to Biggar.  All in all about 11 miles.  The clear weather also gave us the chance to hike Tinto again.  With Scott being a bit older this time we took the opportunity to go back down the shorter more direct but more challenging route back down.  It was a very good walk and if you ask Scott not as windy as last time!

For a whole host of pictures go to the gallery here  (remember if you need the password for the gallery please use the email tab at the top of the page)