WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT SCOTLAND?

Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales are all part of the United Kingdom. Scotland shares the southern border with England. 130 of the 800 Scottish islands are inhabited. Scotland is a little smaller than South Carolina.  The official language is English, AND Gaelic AND Scots.  We have to listen really hard to understand some of the Scottish people. I have always wondered if they have to listen as intently to us as well.

The Roman Empire in the 1st century begins Scotland's written history. The Gaels from Northern Ireland began to raid Scotland in the 5th century. Not far behind in the battle were the Vikings in the 8th century. The Bruce Family in the 12th century claimed Scotland as the Anglo-Norman land barons. Scotland continued to be fought for by the English. There were many wars and during a period of 50 years the nation of Scotland changed hands 8 times.

    

Glasgow is the largest city in population, followed by Edinburgh, the capital city. If you draw a 1/2 way point between the two cities and a little north, that is Falkirk, where we live.The last half of the 20th century they had a steady decline of population because of emigration.The rise in population is mainly from England.Many Asian and Chinese students come to Scotland to study, earn a degree and then return to their homeland.

The  Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints  Church in Scotland

1830 brought the first LDS missionaries to Scotland. Samuel Mulliner and Alexander Wright had emigrated to Canada and were the first Scottish people to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints there and then returned as missionaries. 1840 brought the first converts to be baptized in Scotland. Four months later Orson Pratt organized the first branch of the Church in Scotland at Paisley. 

In Edinburgh there is a hill called Arthur's Seat or for LDS people, Pratt's Hill.  Elder Pratt prayed for 200 converts to join the church and by the time he left Edinburgh in March 1841, more than 200 people had been baptized. Now as missionaries come to the  Scotland/Ireland mission, they climb the hill and then before they go home they climb back up Pratt's Hill and have a quiet time accounting for their mission.

1840 also saw the first converts emigrating from Scotland. By the end of 1850 one branch had grown into more than 50 branches with 3,257 members. Church membership in Scotland began to decline in the  late 1800's as the members heeded the call to come to ZION, Utah, and build the church there. 

With two World Wars, and encouragement to stay and build up the church where you live, membership has increased slowly in Scotland.