The Land of Connemara Ireland & Galway Branch Baptisms

This is a Connemara Pony. They are protected horses in the Connemara national Park to help keep this breed of Irish pony pure and from being killed off.
Looking toward the north and west coast of Ireland from the heights of the Connemara mountains were they mine out the Connemara marble which is used in Irish jewelry.
Elders Elston & Rowley with Olanrewaju Alayande & Damien Flatley. Ola is from Nigeria and Damien from Ireland. The two of three Baptisms this month of September 2008
Olanrewaju Alayande & Damien Flatley with Elder Tolman & Brother Coleman Curran of the Galway Branch Ireland. Ola is from Nigeria and Damien from Ireland. The two of three Baptisms this month of September 2008

Signs in Connemara park and along the Roads in English and Irish and that is the way it is all over the republic of Ireland; however in Galway they speak the Irish a lot and there schools, news papers and other documents come out in the Irish language.

This is a beautiful lake in the Connemara National park very calm and peaceful This is a view from the bottom of the trails in the park. This is like pikes peak in the Unitas.
The Irish Country side looking out over the land from up on the Connemara mountains.
Looking toward the East of Ireland from the Connemara mountains and yes Ireland does have High mountains in the north and Western side of Ireland where the English drove all the Irish and where 14 English Lords governed over the people for years. This part of Ireland is filled with rock fences because it is all very rocky in this part of Ireland. Yet the foliage is beautiful.

Baptism in Galway one of four 2008

Meet Wilson and Liliana. She is the newest member of the Galway Branch. She is the first of four Baptisms that we will be having this month of September. The other three will be three men, one Irish, one South African, one from Georgia a Russian.
Wilson and Liliana with Elder and Sister Toman at the Limerick Chapel prior to her Baptism.
Wilson and Liliana with Elder Elston and Elder Rowley who helped to teach her in Portugese. Wilson is from Brazil and Liliana is from Portugal. They met in Portugal and were married and immigrated to Ireland. We had the special blessing of helping this family to come together in the Gospel and in a year before we come home we hope to see them off to the Temple for an eternal marriage. Wilson is a returned missionary who served in New Jersey Portugese speaking in the Morris town mission and was so greatful for the help in bringing his sweet wife into the church.

Galway Branch Party The international Branch

The Galway Branch 33 of its members gathered in a town of Gort 25 kilometers outside of Galway where the Brazilian members live. In this picture are Russian, Latvian, south african, Irish, English, Russian Georgians and of course the missionaries.
From right to left Elder Midgley, Tolman, Brother Adirson Leal a Brizalian Elders Rowley, Elston, Watts. All of us are learning portugese
Sister Tolman with Khanansi a south Africa.
The getting ready to play a game of friendly soccor of course after great Brazialian food.
Elza and her youngust son gliarmie, he was not sure about all these people and was tired.

The First beginnings of the Branch in Limerick Ireland

This was where the first Branch met in Limerick in 1964 and the first family was confirmed members of the church, Brother and sister long and their six children.
This was number 18 upper mallow street where the Elders lived in 1964
Number 10 Lower mallow street where the Branch hall was located.
The Bunratty castle outside of Limerick one of the oldest castles
A 16th century 400 year old cabinet with religious carvings in the Bunratty castle.