Janurary 25, 2016- "Amanda's baptism is scheduled !!"

 Sister McBride in Dublin at city center


Hi!

This week was good we did a lot of finding! We need to visit more members. It's important to visit members to help the work. I know that your prayers are definitely helping me and helping sister Petch. Thank you so much for the package that you are sending. She is one of those people that is so tough but is really a major softie on the inside. She cries at watching the old Finding Faith in Christ video every time we watch it for language study. Love her!

We had an absolute fantastic lesson yesterday. I would have to say one of the best on my mission. We met with a lady named Amanda she has 4 boys and her 2nd oldest joined in the lesson. She had been taught by missionaries before and when we started going through the restoration we came to the part about Christs ministry and I felt prompted to ask her, her belief about Christ. Then about how she came to that belief. She gave a simple testimony and a generic experience but it was so sincere that the spirit filled all of our hearts and we invited her to baptism. She said yes and she is scheduled for the 13 of February along with another investigator from a part member family. all their kids are baptized but the mom isn't but she wants to be!! We are so excited and things are going great! :) 

We had a Zone meeting that was great but after the zone meeting we had a World Wide missionary broadcast which was one of the first ones in 10 years! It was really great!

I better close this but I hope you all have a great week and I love you all so much!

Helaman 5:10-12

Sister McBride

Sister McBride in Dublin

 

 Sister Petch

 

 Beautiful sunrise in Dublin

 

 

January 18, 2016: "I Love finding"

Sister McBride in Dublin, Ireland

Hello everyone!

Wow there were a lot of letters in my inbox it was so good to hear from so many of you! C: Also Sorry if I don't reply to some of them, I will do my best! I hope you are all doing well. Enjoy where you are right now and make the most of it! 

This week has been good. It's been a lot of finding and chapping but we had a recent convert Leanne come out with us so that was fun. Well to be honest I actually really love finding the only downside is that it's cold and people don't want to talk to you, but you want to talk to people! I just absolutely love being able to go out and stop as many people as possible and invite them to come closer to christ. I am in no way perfect or very good at it and yes a lot pf people say know and close the door BUT it is worth saving that one soul who is open and is ready because the gospel is the light, the good news of our lives. 

Miracles happen. The Lord loves us and as long as we believe and have faith He will guide us. He wants to help us, comfort us and care for us but we have to choose to let him. Christ knows exactly what you are going through right now and he will give you all the divine help that is in his power. He has created worlds with out number and created us, He can help you if you turn to Him. And when you do your life will be changed for the better.

I know He lives and loves us

I love you all have a wonderful week!

Sister McBride

January 11, 2016: " Leanne was baptized!! WOOT!"

 Sister McBride and Sister Petch (all I know is the 3rd from left is Elder Holman and the Elder next to him behind the sisters is Elder Stanley)


Hiya!!

This week was great! not only did we go to city Centre today at 5:45 and its a 45min bus ride, because we thought we had to figure out Sister Petch's travel document stuff again. just as we turned to get into the line we got a call saying that we did not need to go again and that someone was supposed to call us about it.... well we didn't really want to go back to Clonsilla just in time for the end of studies so we studied in a McDonalds near by haha until the shops started to open and then we did some shopping and some looking around the city! 

Leanne was baptised!! I would say with out a hitch but that wouldn't be true! she is 18 and wasn't able to get a lift over to the church so she was 30min late. then the Elders did not fill up the water nearly enough for Leanne to be properly baptized so not only did James (also a recent convert who has never baptized anyone) struggle with baptizing in general but Leanne was scared and she had to be dunked twice.... so yeah. BUT! Leanne was happy even though none of her family came she is a determined girl and she absolutely loves the gospel! So we are happy for her :) Her light shines (mom here: Leanne was baptized Friday January 8, 2016)

I love this gospel! It changes live because it is the true church of God

have a great week everyone!!

Sister McBride

A few pictures of Sister Dias before she left in December to go home (mom here: she was sister McBrides last companion and went home in December just before Christmas)




  




   



 

January 4, 2016: 'Sister Petch is leaving' (Her passport got fixed and she ended up not needing to leave)

Sister McBride and sister Petch

It's been an interesting week. Sister Petch is originally from Cambodia and has lived in Finland since a young age and has a different kind of passport. All missionaries have to get the Garda Card when they come in but we weren't sure with her different one if she needed it (and its like 300euro) so we had to go check today. we had to leave at 5:30 to be there by 6 and then they told us that she actually cant legally stay in Ireland.... so looks like I will be having an ET... (emergency transfer) I don't even know what is going to happen  it seems just as we were sorting out our differences and getting along she has to leave and getting a new companion is always difficult. :( I am truly sad to see her go but I hope she will be ok.  (mom here: update she did not have to leave she is staying)

New years was good we watched the Cinderella movie. Not a lot of people do anything super exciting but all of the shops were closed down and there was like no one out on the streets on new years. It was fun we had a great lesson in the morning with a lady named Emina from turkey. She is so open and in tune to the Spirit it was awesome. we really have been doing some great work and it has been fun. just hard at times but the Lord blesses. :)

I just had a bunch of cards and I felt like they were people who had greatly influenced me so yeah tell them I am glad they enjoyed them and I'm glad you all liked them :) I just told brother huntsman that he was a great seminary teacher and that I learned a lot. I always felt the spirit in his class and that those experiences really helped me decide to go on a mission. 

Wow one of the 12 and some of the 70!!  (our area is having a training for Bishops, her father is a bishop and they are getting a apostle of the Lord and a memeber of the 70 and 2 from the presiding bishopric.. it will be a great experience) thats so cool! I :D Safford is so great. I never realized how lucky we were to have visits like that. I hope all goes well and that you enjoy your working time however hard it may be at times. 

Thank you for your love and encouragement. I am so very lucky to have an absolutely wonderful family and parents who love and guide me. I put my whole trust in you and it is so comforting to know that it is well placed.

LOVE YOU ALL SO SO MUCH!

Sister McBride.

They are at the Redmonds for Christmas dinner.

December 28, 2015: 'Loved skyping with you all'

Hello!! So I am typing on a little tablet and I don't have a lot of time with all the holidays our emailing is short. And its a bank holiday so we are at sister shines again to email. She is super nice!!

 So Christmas was gooood we had a huge dinner at a members house at around one and then we chilled out there until we went to sister shines house o Skype. It was pretty uneventful. The family the Redmond's gave us a bit box of gifts I got a cute wallet and scarf and then some other chocolates and little gifts from members. I forgot to mention that I absolutely loved the harry potter shirt and the little bag the boys got for me :) they are perfect! 

Anyways it was wonderful talking with you and I will be able to write more next week when I actually have a normal keyboard. Ha ha know that I am doing really well and tell the other family that it was great to see them!!! And tell the boys I say hi:) 

Love love love you!!! 

Sister McBride

December 21, 2015: 'Merry Christmas'

Hey! Things are going great but I have VERY little time here. Our President has told all missionaries to get shopping cleaning and e-mailing done in one hour! of course that is absolutely impossible (maybe if we had ipads...) but yeah basically he said to do everything as fast as possible! so anyway to answer your questions YES I got the packages (the year mark and the mexican food filled one... yeah I opened it. I couldn't wait! ) C: hehe anyways they're great but yeah dont send any packages through DHL or whatever it is. There were 2 regular sized candy canes in there that someone ate!! They punch their hand through the side of the box pulled out the candy canes un wrapped it, ate half of them and then put it back in! Luckily it didn't get on anything important but it was all melty and gross on the bottom.  Anyways, life is good and Sister Petch is awesome. A mission has really taught me how to love people and accept them for who they are and how they are a missionary. Hardly anything bothers me or gets on my nerves.

 

So yeah! life is good. I'm doing good we met some pretty cool people this week that still want to meet up with us despite the holidays so we are excited. 

SKYPING will still be at about 4. if things drastically change and you don't hear from me I'm sure Sister Christine Shine is on the SIM facebook and she will send you a message. C: 

I've got to go but I will talk to you soon!

Love you 

Sister McBride

December 14, 2015: 'Numbers are up this week!"

Dear Parents,

My goodness. So I am staying,Woot. This week was good :) our numbers are coming up because we were able to be more obedient and find more. It's amazing how the Lord blesses you when you actually do what you're supposed to. My new companion is Sister Petch, who I have heard great things about. It's just recently that I have gained a wonderful love for finding. now that I'm a year OUT! Ugh.... it's annoying. I only have 6 months left. I wish I had the love more before now!! I mean I did go finding and I did enjoy it, but now I really love it and I just wish I could have had that at the beginning of my mission. Other people seem to have gotten it. so why didn't I? it's just frustrating. I want to be an amazing missionary so that i can help others and be an example to them. When I think of other missionaries I think "wow they are so good. I want to be more like them". I want that, I want to be that help for others if that makes sense. I want to be apart of that great work! I want to leave something that inspires others to be better, not because I'm so great but just because I would love to help! I know how much it helps me and I want to give that to other people. Yeah I've served well but I haven't really accomplished what I set out to do. I want more time to serve, more time to do and now I'm nearing the end. Finding and talking to strangers was so hard for me but now I love it! I love serving!!

 

I'm so happy the ward party went great! The ward parties here are a bit different. They have little workshop tables and finger food. There's no presentation or dinners like we have. But, hey that's ok. I love them. We went to the ward party and we had to try and make elf hats out of paper for the kids and it wasn't going well because we found out about it the day of so we tried making antlers for reindeer and they looked absolutely ridiculous!! but the kids liked them so that's all that matters. haha

Sister Dias heads off today :( so I will be with Sister Wilkinson and Skousen in their area for a few days and I'm really excited! 

They live in a 4man flat. can you imagine how crazy that would be?? hence the elevator photo. haha 

December 7, 2015- "This week was hard numbers wise"

haha... I wonder what this picture was about. 'missionary work is serious!


I don't know the elders. Sister McBride and sister Dias

Dear Mommy,
Oh my goodness you are the most amazing, wonderful, dedicated, hard-working, loving person with the best intentions that I know! Don't worry about the package. I'm sorry the company gave you such problems. Don't cry Mommy :'( It makes me sad. I hope you know that I'm not upset that it came late. I know it would have made your heart happy for it to be to me by my year mark, but please don't stress about it. I pray that your heart song will feel better. (mom here: I was using the service DHL and had many problems with them trying to deliver the package to her. -it was my first time using the service and I didn't know certain criteria, I will never use them again- It was a package to celebrate her one year mark and a Christmas scripture advent calendar it took a month for her to get it but she got it just before Christmas, and I wasn't THAT stressed and sad haha... she is so cute. Isn't she the sweetest, so worried about her momma. I was more irritated than anything)

WOW what a flippin' awesome ward party! mom Dang.  (mom here: we had a polar express pancake breakfast and had made a little train out of cardboard boxes and had a fellow church member bring his small barrel train for the kids to take a little ride.  We decorated it pretty awesomely I might add...it was a lot of work but lots of fun) I don't think I realized until I came out here how 'all-or nothing' americans are.  My goodness what wonderful things you do. Just remember president Uchtdorfs advice about a good sacrifice "Staying up for a little bit with a child who is scared is a good sacrifice. However, staying up all night and risking your health to make the perfect accessory for your daughters Sunday outfit may not be a good sacrifice." I think you are amazing for doing all this just don't risk your health and stress yourself out. Ok? I love you too much for you to feel depressed and overly stressed about a Christmas party! ;) (mom here: she's just the cutest! I did do a lot and she was wise in telling me this. I do tend to go overboard a bit! she knows me well... haha..)

Daddy, Wow my goodness sounds so busy. We work pretty closely with the Bishops (mom here: her dad is the bishop and is extra busy during that time with tithing settlement and other things) and I think I admire more now what you do every Sunday and all the time. I hope you don't feel that I expect things from you. I hope you know that you are a wonderful example by simply who you are and how much you try to do better. I think something that I have learned is that yes people do expect a lot of us, but they don't expect us to be perfect right away or all the time. The thing people admire most is that we a re trying to be better. So I'm sure you feel people expect things and you can't deliver. I feel the same! Especially with the goal our mission president has set for every companionship to baptize in December and it kind of feels like we are the only ones with out a person with a date!! Anyway I love you a lot and hope you get some good rest.

Where do I start? This week was hard numbers wise. I love my companion so much and she is an amazing missionary. But it has been difficult this week. As she prepares to go home she is stressed and anxious about all the things she has to do and has been trying to do things in preparation on a normal day when they can easily be done on p-day.  It has been hard because we have not been as obedient as we can be and I know that this is why our numbers are falling. So all in all this week was hard for that very reason. I feel the end approaching and I feel the fear of something amazing coming to an end but I cant seem to get my mind a body to work with my heart. Its so windy and cold over here that it is hard to go out for hours and hours, but it has to be done and my body is dragging along with how tired I am. (Before you worry, yes I am getting good sleep and eating healthy things) The Lord will bless me for my obedience but we haven't been very obedient!!

Anyway don't worry about it, it will pass I think this week will be better and we will do more work and finding and more every thing and I won't feel so bad! haha anyways I really am doing fine just a little stressed, but thats ok! C:

SIster Dias goes home the 14th and I don't find out my new companion until moves call on Sunday. I'm sad to see her go. I've loved sister Dias. 

Love you all so much!

sister McBride