#5 Al Ain ~ What Makes Al Ain Famously Good for Visiting

I know you might not be quite as interested in this next section as you are in hearing about our everyday adventures, but I thought it would be good for me (and AI 😉) to give a little overview of the wonderful things that make Al Ain famous and why you might actually want to come visit. 

AI Overview: Al Ain is famous as the UAE's "Garden City" or "Oasis City" due to its lush green oases, ancient falaj irrigation system, and being a UNESCO World Heritage site, offering rich cultural heritage, historical sites like Jebel Hafeet, and being a tranquil contrast to the coastal cities, showcasing traditional Emirati life. 

Key Reasons for Fame: Al Ain Oasis: A massive, irrigated oasis with date palms and fruit trees, showcasing historical agriculture and offering peaceful walks. UNESCO World Heritage: Recognized for its cultural landscape, including the oases, historical forts, and traditional water systems. "Garden City" Nickname: A green, verdant environment with gardens and agricultural heritage, differing from other UAE cities. Jebel Hafeet: Abu Dhabi's second-tallest mountain, offering stunning views and nearby attractions like hot springs and ancient tombs. Rich History: One of the oldest settlements in the region, with archaeological sites and historical structures from ancient times (Iron Age).

Culture & Heritage: Provides an authentic glimpse into traditional Emirati life, with forts, museums, and a focus on natural beauty. Al Ain Zoo: Home to a vast collection of animals, including many endangered species, located at the foothills of Jebel Hafeet. In essence, Al Ain's fame comes from its unique blend of natural beauty (oases, mountains) and deep cultural history, serving as the green heart of the UAE.

**In the upper left hand corner you'll see a picture of a button with a chair on it; this is in our car and I was thrilled to learn that the passenger seat was a MASSAGE chair .  . .  but, unfortunately, it’s broken 😢. **Next to it is our Visa/ID Card photo example. It shows a picture of a beautiful woman looking great with sleek, pulled-back hair and no smile. This was how we were supposed to look for our pictures: no smile, no frown, forehead showing, ears showing. I did my best, held my breath, and somehow passed. Billy, however, had to take his 2 more times — apparently his relaxed face looked too much like a frown. Ironically, when we arrived, they needed a pic for our ID cards and Billy’s Visa photo worked but mine didn’t 😮. So I found a photographer in Al Ain, wiped the smirk off my face, and took a plain (slightly tragic) new photo 😐. It passed. **The picture underneath is one of the most scrumptious cakes I’ve ever tasted — a Kunafa chocolate cake. Our sweet little Indian friends brought us two slices to celebrate her birthday, and it was absolutely divine. Leena is from Calcutta, and Jakob is from Southern Africa. Theirs is a true marriage of love — they were able to choose each other, unlike her sister and many others in India. They are the cutest couple, and it is always such a joy to spend time with them. **The Perpetual Education Fund is helping some of our members here, and it is such an inspiration to see its impact. Years ago, President Hinckley had the vision to start this program to help those who lacked the financial means to pursue further education. What a blessing it continues to be. **The middle picture shows our ant problem. I don’t mind the big black ants; they’re easy to see and easy to smush. It’s the tiny red ants that are my sworn enemies. Those little stinkers are everywhere: the kitchen, living room, even upstairs by our bathroom. Their bites don’t just sting once; they linger all night. I’d rather have an open wound from scratching than that constant sting. We’ve used every spray and powder imaginable, even on my freshly cleaned rug. They may think they’ve taken up residency… but I’m determined to evict every last one of them. 😏 **I hope you don’t think I’m obsessed with the trees… but at this point, I might need to admit I have a problem. They just make me so happy that I can’t stop taking pictures of them. Don’t worry though, after the next two blogs, I’m pretty sure you and I will have officially documented every single tree in the area. Mission accomplished 🌳. **I keep looking for oil rigs and snapping pictures of anything that remotely resembles one; only to find out there are no active oil rigs or drills in Al Ain. So the picture under the scrumptious cake is something I thought was an oil rig 😂. **Below that is the beautiful campus of United Arab Emirates University, and the middle picture is downtown. The large building at the bottom is Remal Mall. In the summer, lots of people walk there to escape the heat ~ but otherwise, it’s practically empty. Most of the stores are closed, and no one new has moved in. It’s the craziest thing - this big, open mall that seems to exist solely for the walkers. **To the right of the mall is the Catholic Church. At one point, they mentioned we might possibly be able to use their basement but a lot would have to happen first (like our Area Presidency having a little chat with their head leaders 😉). **Above that is the card from our new friend Susan. She’s the Asst Director of the Evangelical Church located on the property of Kanad Hospital. And honestly, the story behind that hospital and church is one of the coolest I’ve heard. From Wikipedia: "Kanad Hospital is a private hospital for women and children in Al Ain, established in 1960 by American missionary doctor Pat Kennedy and his wife, Marian. It is the oldest hospital in Al Ain and the second oldest in the United Arab Emirates." In the early years, when infant mortality rates were very high, even among the ruling family, the compassionate care these Christian doctors provided made a lasting impact on the parents of HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who was born there, on March 11, 1961. In gratitude, the Sheikh’s family donated a portion of land near the hospital for an Evangelical church. Today, that church rents space to other Christian denominations. We visited with Susan and heard this incredible history along with her own beautiful conversion story and how she tells of God leading her to exactly where she is today. So beautiful. 

That was a lot of words for the last collage. I hope you made it through it but if not, I totally understand!

Gordon B. Hinckley put it beautifully when he said, “Life is full of joys and sorrows, of successes and failures, of brightness and darkness. But the Lord is ever near, and in His love we find peace.”

#4 Al Ain ~ The Interesting City of Al Ain

I shouldn't say that Al Ain is plain but . . . . . . 😝! I know it’ll grow on me, and by the time we leave I’ll love it—and the land. And honestly, I’m grateful it’s not Oman-level WHITE, where everything shines so brightly, with just a hint of blue tile for balance. So yes, lots to be grateful for already!

Going downtown you have a little more height and variety and I love that there are trees scattered here and there. I think in the lower left corner is a little park but we didn't get out to investigate. All the shops are on the ground level with apartments or office space above. 

As we drove around I tried to notice more green in our city. There are actually groves of date trees and olive trees in different spots.  I definitely loved this. I'm just not sure why they didn't plant more around the neighborhoods. 

Close to our house there is a long, wide strip of grass, on both sides of the street and each evening we see many families having picnics there. It is really sweet and would be nice if there were more of them everywhere. As we explore the city I'm hoping to find more.

This is a fun picture.  In the upper left corner are the car washers! They hang out in the mall, store and strip mall parking lots and when you park they ask if you'd like your car washed.  It cost 15 dirham, which is about $5. They are so charming; their little airplanes have all their supplies inside the hood. ADORABLE! 

The top right corner is the man who came and picked us up and took us to the Disease Prevention and Screening Center where we had a chest X-ray and our blood drawn.  Then we were supposed to go to another place and watch a half hour video but our driver just pulled it up on YouTube and we watched it on our phones, in the backseat, while he drove us home. It was the Incentive Work Video which I think some of the employers need to re-watch again.  

In the left bottom picture are chocolate Labubu dolls.  These dolls seem to be a hit with some of our grandkids back home. Maybe if they are still around when we leave we'll have to pick up a few. They are so funny/creepy/cute! 

In the middle was a visit to the Camel Market; these camels were not super big and they were all over in a zillion cages.  Outside of the market there were about 13 trucks with large cage contraptions on the back, lined up waiting to transport the camels to the camel races or to the farms to process milk, cheese, yogurt, infant formula, leather, wool or to the meat factory. Tourism also gets use out of the camels for nice leisurely rides in the desert. 

Last but not least Billy found a Five Guys hamburger joint that I am pretty sure we will be visiting quite a bit (I have to say the chocolate shakes were very good).  Billy got a cheeseburger with the works, fries and a drink and I got a shake ~ $35 < not actually sure how much time we will be going there after all😂😂🤔!

After we ate at Five Guys we walked around the Mall and came upon the sweet little skaters.  This ice rink is like the one in Pleasant Grove called Evermore. The ice is not really ice and took me by surprise when we went on it some years ago.  But it is great for the youngsters and I especially liked the little holders to help the kids hold onto and not fall down. Did you notice the "Winter" themed elevator? Soooooo, darling.

My new favorite store is Jimi's Gift Market; it has my fake plants and greenery. I know I have spent a few buckaroo's on plants but it has brightened up the house and brightened up my day! 

The water bottles are all sizes at the store and I think they are delightful. We've got a bunch of different sizes in the fridge so I'm not sure how the Ashby's distributed them 🤔. 

The top right corner is the before/after of Billy's office.  He wasn't using it so I told him I'd make it so he would like it and now he does.  I hope you can tell which is the after 😜.

The left bottom is what we ordered on Amazon UE.  The Ant spray (thank you, Carlene) came but they wouldn't send the contact paper and I'm not sure why. It's no big deal, I'm just curious. The wonderful thing about Amazon UE is you can get 'almost' everything, the bad thing is that it is double the cost . . .  sometimes worth it. 

The right bottom pics are just a comparison of the time difference between us and NY and then the 7 countries in the UAE.

We came home and even though there are a lot of echo's and white walls in our home there are these gorgeous, large pictures of Christ and Christ themed pictures. That makes my day bright, too 😇

The bottom pics are the Area Presy and all the Senior Service Volunteers in the North Africa/Middle East Area.  Such good, steadfast and wonderful people. Above is our sweet little Branch on zoom. We absolutely love everyone of these faithful Saints. Billy and I were asked to bear our testimony two Sundays ago and last Sunday I gave a talk (Thank you, Wayne)!

 

Isaiah 35:1–2 The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing…

P.S.

This is The Clock of the Grand Mosque.  I forgot to tell you about it in my last email and it is a daily part of our life so I felt it should be included. There are 11 clocks in the inner halls of the Grand Mosque designed in the shape of a six-petaled flower. In the center, the analog hands indicate the hour and minutes while the digital panels indicate the prayer times.  

Muslims are required to pray five times a day at specific times. These prayers are called Salat. The Salat last anywhere between 8-10 minutes

The five daily prayers are: Fajr: Before dawn, Dhuhr: Midday/afternoon,  Asr: Late afternoon, Maghrib: Immediately after sunset, Isha: Nighttime. 

You can pray as an individual or in a group, but the best is in a Mosque (there are over 9,000 registered mosques and musallas-prayer spaces, in the UAE). You pray in specific physical postures and recitations while facing Mecca. The exact times change throughout the year based on the sun's position. 

The Adhan is the Islamic CALL to PRAYER, this is also 5 times a day and is usually 10 to 20 minutes before Salat. Adhan literally means "announcement" or "to inform”. This "call to prayer" lasted about 4 minutes; the first morning we arrived I timed it at 5:40 am and it went until 5:44 am, then 20 minutes later, for another 10 minutes, we listened to the prayer part again over the loudspeaker.  We have a mosque right outside our Villa about 100 feet away.

#3 Al Ain ~ Visits and The Skeikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi

Before the Ashbys headed home, Brian—one of our wonderful Branch members—treated them to dinner at the amazing Emirates Sea Restaurant, and we were lucky enough to tag along. It was so dilly-isious 😋!  The food was divine, unique and there were many dishes that I didn't recognize but nonetheless were fabulous. I tried a Lemon Mint drink and it was tremendous and is now my favorite. It was great to get to know Brian and also have a minute to sit down with the Ashby's and just enjoy their and Brian's company.  It has been a hussle and bustle since we arrived but we've enjoyed every minute of it.

These are a few of the Branch members that we got to meet as the Ashby's said good-bye to them.  I'm afraid that I was just as emotional as everyone else with this sad exit 😢. I'm not sure how I will manage when it's our time to leave. These are already our special friends: Carla, Hygiene, Joshua, Kay, Sheila, Teena and Leena. What a fantastic group of people.

After many good-byes we headed to the Skeikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi before we headed to the airport for the Ashby's departure. The Mosque was magnificent. So beautiful and truly amazing.

These will be mostly pictures (which, of course, does not do it justice)! 

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque primarily uses high-quality white marble for its flooring, columns, and cladding, featuring over 20,000 marble panels, including Sivec from Macedonia, Lasa from Italy, and Makrana from India. It's a masterpiece of modern Islamic architecture, merging Mughal, Moorish, and Ottoman styles. Completed in 2007, its interior is an opulent showcase of global craftsmanship featuring materials like 24-carat gold and semi-precious stones. (copied this off Google search AI).

These glass and stone inlays were really unbelievable especially when you can see them up close with all the intricate details.

This is the Main Prayer Hall. I was hoping you could read the pictures but I don't think it is clear enough so I'll try to briefly tell about each symbol. The Qibla wall has 99 names of Allah, a golden mosaic Mihrab representing rivers of heaven, and an 11-step Minbar. The room is white marble with floral mosaics and 7 crystal chandeliers. The niche ~ Mihrab is in the center of the Qibla wall symbolizing the rivers of milk and honey in Paradise. The pulpit ~ Minbar has 11-steps made of cedar wood representing the continuation of religious leadership. The Carpet is the world's largest hand-knotted carpet, designed by Ali Khaliqi. There are 7 huge chandeliers with millions of crystals. The main dome is 84 meters and has  Moroccan artwork and Quranic verses. 

Bottom middle picture are worshippers at the Mosque. There can be around 78,000 worshippers at the same time in the large, open floor space. They all stand, bow, or kneel together in rows without chairs or fixed pews to symbolize equality. 

These are replicas of The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Al Fujairah and The Sheikh Khalifa Grand Mosque in Al Ain.  We haven't checked out the other 2 so we can put them on our bucket list. Not all Mosques allow visitors so we'll check it out and get back to you!

When we left our car and walked into the door of the Mosque it is an actually a HUGE shopping mall. Crazy and quite a surprise. Then you start walking to the actual Mosque. It's hard to see how far we walked down this corridor to get to the actual mosque, but it was a very, very long way, fortunately there were moving walkways that helped. On the way back we must have looked old and tired because a sweet man directed us to the golf cart and gave us a ride back 😊😏😛. These are a couple pics of the outside with the square trees and the last picture is of King Charles III with Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi in 2016, at the Grand Mosque.

It was a lovely day.

Psalm 133:1 “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” 

#2 Al Ain ~ Our Joyful Departure/Arrival Begins

 ~ We are off ~ 

Our renter—let’s call him Cameron —rose early Saturday morning at 4:00 a.m. to take us to the airport. We said our goodbyes and checked in, with a little last-minute shuffling of weight distribution (Billy’s… not mine 😉).

We arrived a full hour and a half early, which gave us plenty of time to get through security—though had our TSA status actually made it onto our tickets, it would’ve taken about half the time 🤔.

Anyhoooo, we boarded the plane and our 3½-hour flight to Chicago went fairly quickly, thanks to the Christmas sleeping masks and blankets from Willie & Grace. We both managed to get some much needed sleep 😴. Unfortunately, that would be the only sleep we’d get for quite a while. 

The next 13 hours were not nearly as kind. I’m not sure why sleep was impossible, but for me it didn’t help being squished between two men—even after losing 20 pounds. The gentleman by the window was very friendly…and also battling an upset stomach, which meant he was up and down quite a bit. Sadly, during the final three hours, I’m afraid he didn’t quite make it to the restroom in time 💩.The smell radiating from his seat nearly did me in. Billy thought I was feeling extra snuggly, but really I was just trying to breathe air from his side of the row. (Sorry—TMI.)

We arrived to a beautiful day in Abu Dhabi and were greeted by the most wonderful couple alive: President and Sister Ashby. From the moment we hopped in the car, Sister Ashby and I talked nonstop—just like the men up front! It instantly felt like we’d known them our whole lives. They filled us in on everything: the branch, the villa, the community—and we hit the ground running. Once we got home…well, let’s just say we crashed hard 😴.

The next morning we woke up to the most delicious smells. Sister Ashby is a fabulous cook, and breakfast included muffins, omelets, and juice. It was comforting to learn that almost every food we can imagine is available here in Al Ain. I also discovered my new favorite chocolate date treat, "Camel" (pictured above)—absolutely divine.

After breakfast, we headed out to a few stores and drove past other places we’ll need to become familiar with. We also stopped at the mall, which immediately reminded us of the malls in Thailand—huge, impressive, and very expensive. The Ashbys left us there to get our new phone while they went off to order a stack of pizzas.

The FUN FAMILY NIGHT begins:

Each member of our branch has a different work schedule. Most work twelve-hour days with only one day off each week. This makes it difficult to meet as a full group, especially since many are required to work on Sundays.

Our branch is very small—about 30 to 45 people total. We have just three Primary kids, two young men, and one young woman. The members are from the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Nigeria, with a couple of American expats mixed in. It’s going to be a joy getting to know them, hearing their stories, and sharing testimonies and love across so many cultures.

Our little Branch community is one of the sweetest groups of people you could ever meet. They are loving, warm, and genuinely good.

This assignment is already so different. We’re excited to be here, but it’s also been a bit of a shocker. Billy has been asked to serve as Branch President, which is a big mantle and a heavy burden. That means lots more praying on both our parts. 

What has been the hardest—and most eye-opening—part is the poverty. It feels so strange to come from a place with bishop’s storehouses everywhere, yet have branch members here who sometimes go to bed hungry. These are not people trying to take advantage of anything; they are faithful, righteous, hardworking members who sacrifice deeply for their families. Many came here believing they would earn enough to live, save a little, and send money home. That’s what they were promised—but for many, it simply isn’t true. Some work and then don’t even get paid. It’s heartbreaking; it may be better for Filipino nurses, but for others, it’s nuts.

We will do everything we can to make sure our members don’t go hungry while we’re here. What happens after we leave, I don’t know—but these people are so good and so deserving.

This mission is going to require us to become as spiritual as possible. It’s sad, humbling, and deeply meaningful all at once. Truly interesting—to say the least.

Mosiah 4:16–18

And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish.

Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand… But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent.

For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have…?

#1 Al Ain ~adventure into the unknown

As Senior Service Volunteers, there are real and meaningful sacrifices that come with our desire to serve our Heavenly Father. While we are grateful for this opportunity, leaving family is by far the hardest part. Knowing it will be many months before we can hold, hug, and snuggle them again weighs heavily on our hearts. These relationships are our greatest earthly treasures, and distance does not make that separation any easier.

These are the loved ones we have left behind for the next 18 months as we step forward in faith, trusting that the Lord will watch over them, bless them, and keep them safe while we serve. Though we are apart for a time, we are forever connected by love, prayer, and the eternal bonds of family.

Here is the first batch we are missing; our six wonderful children, from left to right: Robbie (39), Marcie (43), Kenny (36), [Jamie (me), Billy], Willie (41), Mindy (45), and Timmy (33). They are all incredible sons and daughters, devoted spouses and parents, and righteous individuals who love Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father. Each of them brings so much goodness, laughter, faith, and strength into our lives. We love them deeply, will miss them dearly, and couldn’t be prouder of who they are or more grateful for their constant love and support.

Pictured with them are their amazing spouses, who have become cherished sons and daughters to us, and the 23 beautiful grandchildren they have added to our forever family. These precious little ones bring endless joy, purpose, and meaning to our lives, and we feel incredibly blessed to be surrounded by such a legacy of love, faith, and family.

Matthew 28:19
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”

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We will be living in the wonderful town of Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the next 18 month! 

~ God be with you until we meet again ~