When 20 year old Christine Watt, from Castle Rock, Colorado, learned that she had been called to serve a full-time mission to Scotland, she couldn’t believe her luck. Not just because she didn’t want to go to a hot country, but because she had a famous ancestor who had come from Scotland. Sister Watt, a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) is descended from the first person in the British Isles to be baptised a member of the faith in 1837. George D Watt’s story was recently re-enacted in a stunning Pageant spectacular which took place at the Church’s temple ground in Chorley, near Preston, which was attended by 10,000 people over two weeks in August.
George D Watt emigrated to America to join other converts, but returned to Scotland to serve a mission to help spread his new faith. Sister Watt is serving in Edinburgh, in the very same place where her ancestor climbed Arthur’s Seat with his companion, Parley P Pratt, and began their missionary labours. Previously, Sister Watt has served in the Hamilton area where she served with a companion, Sister Lindsey Hulet, whose ancestor, Peter Muir Fife, was baptised shortly after George Watt arrived in Scotland. When the young sister missionaries discovered their connection, they were struck by the remarkable coincidence of them both serving together in the land of their forefathers.
Sister Watt has been on her mission for six months and will serve in total for eighteen months. She said she felt inspired to serve a mission, and her opportunity came sooner than she anticipated when the Church lowered the age of women entering the mission field. She feels sure that her ancestor, George D Watt, a man who became a prominent leader of the Church in Utah, would certainly approve of her decision to serve a mission, and no doubt applaud the fact the she has come to the Edinburgh that he loved so much.
George D Watt emigrated to America to join other converts, but returned to Scotland to serve a mission to help spread his new faith. Sister Watt is serving in Edinburgh, in the very same place where her ancestor climbed Arthur’s Seat with his companion, Parley P Pratt, and began their missionary labours. Previously, Sister Watt has served in the Hamilton area where she served with a companion, Sister Lindsey Hulet, whose ancestor, Peter Muir Fife, was baptised shortly after George Watt arrived in Scotland. When the young sister missionaries discovered their connection, they were struck by the remarkable coincidence of them both serving together in the land of their forefathers.
Sister Watt has been on her mission for six months and will serve in total for eighteen months. She said she felt inspired to serve a mission, and her opportunity came sooner than she anticipated when the Church lowered the age of women entering the mission field. She feels sure that her ancestor, George D Watt, a man who became a prominent leader of the Church in Utah, would certainly approve of her decision to serve a mission, and no doubt applaud the fact the she has come to the Edinburgh that he loved so much.
Pictured from L to R - Sister Lindsey Hulet and Sister Christine Watt