Feburary 22, 2016: 'Hey what's the story'

Hey whats the story?!

Yeah no one says top o' the mornin' to ya in Ireland but they do ask you whats the story!

So this week was nonetheless interesting. we met with a lady who... is really nice. Only... a bit off her rocker. was hard to get through the restoration and whenever we asked a question she would go off on this tangent and anyway we invited her to ready the Book of Mormon and to pray but we didn't make a return appointment... we had our recent convert Leanne there who was quite shaken up with the whole experience. She's only been teaching with us a few times... then we found out that Leanne went to hospital for possible appendicitis! She was in the "A&E" (I put those there because you can wait up to 2 days until you see a doctor. Obviously if you are bleeding to death they will bring you in but,.... anyways it's weird) She is out now and they have taken blood tests so we will see what happens. Hopefully it is something a bit better than appendicitis! 

Also we had Patrick for baptism and basically taught him about the Word of Wisdom, Law of Chastity, and Tithing all in one go. No lie it was one lesson. not the most ideal of situations but it is difficult when your investigators cancel a lot and therefore miss a lot of lessons but then say they still want to be baptized on the same day. How can we say no! haha so The ZL's wanted his baptismal interview as soon as possible which was Wednesday but he couldn't meet Tuesday so an hour before we taught him. He passed! haha but we think because he is a really nervous guy. we think he got cold feet because he didn't show up to the baptism! We called and called and called. we even went by his house which isn't too far from the church and knocked. Unfortunately he was in but didn't want to answer the door. We could see his key in the key hole on the other side. So it was really unfortunate but to be honest I'm not too surprised. He was so nervous I felt he wasn't ready. I think with time he will come back and start learning again.

We were truly blessed this week though. Since we no longer had a baptism we did some finding! Woot! We were a bit down trodden and we had about an hour and a half. Usually we wright down back-ups but... we didn't this time so we felt a little aimless but we said a prayer for direction and THEN! We found Gillian! She is from somewhere in Africa haha I can't pronounce it so I forgot. We met her Sat night and invited her to church on Sunday. She said she met missionaries before who invited her and felt that since this was about her 3rd encounter God must be trying to tell her something! haha so she came! Even though it was super rainy and we got soaked! (when I say rainy I mean misty because it's like there is water in the air that the wind is blowing around and it just gets you drenched. It's nothing like Arizona rain. Also it goes on for ages!) She took notes durin GP and took the book home. We met with her this morning and she accepted baptism 2 weeks from now! :D she is so nice and so excited to read the BoM and we are truly blessed. :) We also had someone drop off 2 tubs of Ben and Jerry ice cream with some Cadbury (aka the best chocolate) cookies that night. Only we didn't find it until Sunday morning because we never heard them knock! So the ice cream was completely melted unfortunately... but it's the thought that counts! Clonsilla is the best. We don't know if it was a member or the Elders or what but it was super nice.

I love the work and I love all of you have a great week!

Sister McBride

Feburary 1, 2016- 'Transfer calls'

Mom here: For those who may read this who may be involved with sister McBride on her mission. I contemplated for a while whether I should post this letter she wrote. (this is why I'm a few weeks behind) I'm mainly posting this because one, Sister McBride and her companion sister Petch are good friends. Two, I am getting her blog printed in book form so she has a copy of all of her letters and missionary memories in one place. Three, her extended family as an opportunity to stay connected with her and know how to pray for her. Sometimes she doesn't have the time to send out a mass email to everyone and sends one to us and has us put it on her blog. So a lot of this is for her and her family. It's not ment to stir up any issues or contention of any kind.  Sister McBride and sister Petch are doing great and respect each others friendship but had a spotty patch for a bit. It happens in every good relationship. So please don't mention anything to her it's something she doesn't need to worry about, worrying about other people's feelings about the situation. It will stress her out and she needs to focus on missionary work and not feeling like she has caused a problem. Being a missionary is not only about missionary work but also about learning how to get along with others and develop Christ's attributes. I have learned we grow most when we need God's help the most. These are good growing moments and normal. With that said I wish you all good blessings and have a fantastic day! 

Sister Petch and I are staying! Woot I am excited for the work that will get done... and comforted about how hard it will be. Sorry for the late e-mail Sister Petch has been very ill today so we are a bit behind. There's a lot that went on this week and  I feel I need a little input, or an encouraging word on.

During the transfer I have felt very questioned in my desires, in my actions, and in my testimony. I do not desire to blame Sister Petch for anything I really am trying hard to separate my hurt feelings for the truth We had many disputes this week. In them I felt my confidence reach rock bottom. The things that Sister Petch has said to me has made me question my desires and my work over the past year or so. I really felt like a terrible missionary, and that's not right. I know that I try my best but I keep having to remind myself that I did come out for the right reasons, I did do good work and have baptized people... Our opinions about what we should do are so utterly different that she doesn't understand why I want to do certain things and the problem is, when that happens she then makes a judgment upon my Character as a person and my desire as a missionary. She says it like I'm lying to her, like I know in my heart I'm doing something wrong or that I'm not putting investigators first etc... when in reality its simply a different way of handling a situation.

I love sister Petch but this companionship is teaching a lot about myself. There's a lot that went on this week. This week has been hard. I knew as well that we would be staying together. On Sunday I received a lot of peace and comfort from Heavenly Father about this next transfer and I know I have a lot to learn from Sister Petch and she from me. We are learning that there are many different ways to handle situations. One way is not better than another its simply a different way of handling a situation. 

We chapped a door, the man was busy and asked us to return the next day, in a rush we asked when we could come back. He said 10am the next day and we agreed, but forgot that our ward coordination just changed to that same time and we didn't remember until after we had gone to chap the next house. She mentioned it and I said 'oh maybe we can come by at 11:30 tomorrow instead' In hopes that since we had just left his door step less then 20seconds ago perhaps we could chap again quickly or leave a note. We had already had a few mix ups with W.C. and had to reschedule due to us. I knew it was either try to change the app or go to Ward Coordination and miss it so we didn't ruin our relationship with W.M.L (ward mission leader) by not going. Before I was able to explain she cut me off and then went on to re-account another situation very similar in which she was very upset by my opinion. Now I don't mind if she didn't want to do that. She could have said it in a way where she didn't start making judgements and assuming things and questioning my desires as a missionary. I am going to talk to her about it but I guess I just want you to know that I'm not sure why Sister Petch finds it so difficult to work with me, but I really am trying and I hope that what I say doesn't come across as judgmental to her or prideful I'm just so torn. and very confused about what I should do I feel I'm trying to handle those disagreements as best I can and stay calm and talk it out but it doesn't seem to be working.
anyway.... other then that this week has been pretty good the lord really has helped me feel that I can do it and that I am up for the challenge haha. 

I know that it is through Christ that I can do all things. I have all the help in the world and prayer is amazing. It's just one of those things as a missionary it helps you grow as a person too. I love what I'm doing. I love sister Petch and I know God loves me and I'm doing the very best I can. 

April 11, 2016- " A most exciting weekend of Hospital, a baptism, then limerick, then SCOTLAND?"

Sister McBride and Sister Mueller.


Hey everyone! Sorry if a few of you wrote some e-mails that I didn't reply to personally this week has been crazy!

Don't worry there is nothing wrong with me I am perfectly healthy.

So last Saturday Sister Muller started to have some swelling in her foot. it wasn't too bad so we didn't worry much about it. The only strange thing was, that it was swollen and cold. Usually things are swollen and hot, but her foot was freezing! Sister Muller is a very good pharmacist and knows a lot of Doctor stuff haha. So on Sunday night just before we dozed off to sleep she told me that the symptoms are similar to a condition where you have a build up of salt in your veins and then it gets stuck and when it becomes unstuck it pumps through you body, into your heart and then you die! But she said, it's probably not that and she said she always over reacts about these things because she knows so much about it. But I don't know about that stuff so I prayed and told Heavenly Father that if it really was something bad to somehow let me know... well around 12am a house alarm in the area of flats where we live went off (and it does often!) so I woke up and looked over then woke up Sister Muller! She was fine, she wasn't dead, and continued to be fine all through the night but my night was restless! And for a missionary sleep is seriously one of the most precious things of your life... I mean I thought I appreciated sleep before... now it has a whole new meaning.

On Wednesday we had an appointment with the private Doc. So we went there because if you go to the hospital you have to wait for ages! I mean ages!! because it's free so it's better to go to what they call the GP (I have no clue what it stands for) and get it done quick, you have to pay but its better than waiting.... 

Well they were not so good and couldn't figure out what it was that she had. They thought maybe a bone infection?? She told them she had vein problems but they said it probably wasn't that so she got and x-ray that (an extra90euro! and she can walk so it wasn't her bones) and then at the end they told us to go to the Hospital because she would have to get her blood tested and they cant do that there. So off to the hospital we went! With might I add, the Mission Presidents counselors wife, Sister Thompson who I'm sure has loads of things to do. Then we waited.... for 3 hours so it was 8 by then and Sis Thompson went to the desk and asked about the wait. They told us we were #7 in the queue ( or the line) and that the person who was #1 just got seen and they had been waiting for 6hours! So we left! and came back the next morning at 7:30 and waited for another 3 hours. This time Sis Thompson just dropped us off. We talked to a girl that morning who had been waiting there since 9 that night, thats 11 hours! So I guess because its free everyone goes there 

Anyway, so when we finally got seen she was diagnosed with Shin splints all in about 5min her right foot is really bad but her left is ok... for now haha. Yup so we were told that she wasn't supposed to walk from 7 to 10 days! Grand! So he gave her some pain killers that have helped the pain at night and she has to take it 3times a day. Luckily we actually ended up being pretty busy the past few days, which leads me into the next exciting story!

Saturday at 4:30 was a baptism for 2, 8 year old boys. One a child of record and the other, his mom was just recently baptized. We were a bit sad because our investigator friend Gillian whom we passed over to the Lucan Elders who are in our district because she was staying nearer to them for the time being, had her baptism 30min drive away at 4! :( Even though it's out of our area we had permission it just didn't work out so we ended up being at the church all day because we hada meeting from 10 to 11 then a primary activity we were asked to help out at and set up for at 1 and then the baptism at 4 and we didn't have a lift to and from the church so we just chilled out there and ate some lunch. Also since we were there all day the Elders brought us food and a rolly thing to massage sister Mullers leg. They have a car so it was so nice of them! 

 Leanne ended up coming and she brought her friend Amy. After the baptism was done we were eating treats and I sat down by Amy and she said "You know I think would be really interested in being baptized and I think it would be good for my mom as well"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I did my best to remain calm. We had a great lesson with her about the plan of salvation and how she can know she will see her family again. She loved it and said it made sense and we have her baptism set for April 30th!! ( well I won't be there but I don't care!!) It was so cool. Not to mention that the Elders got an appointment with a guy who just happened to move in across the street recently and decided to pop over to the church just as the baptism was happening! So that was also cool beans.

Now to the end of the week where I totally forgot to tell you it was moves call! We got it unexpectedly at 4pm (usually it's 9 or later) and they told me I was headed to white wash in Limerick!! (white wash means that we go in where there aren't missionaries already there so it's a completely new area for us and we will know no one and have no idea where to go! 😀 )Woot! I was totally surprised and sad to leave Clonsilla but also excited. We went to a new member and investigator fireside at Finglas where Leanne and Amy came as well and they had a fantastic time. the spirit was strong and Amy really liked it and said she felt a very different but good feeling! :) Then around 10pm we got a call from the Assistants to the president again saying that they told me wrong and that I was actually white washing into Ayr in the Paisley stake in Scotland! OH! and Sister Muller is training! 

So we have a crazy schedule and I think we have to leave tonight... I'm not sure. anyways! I am going to be with Sister King who already served there and also goes home at the same time as me. I'm excited. Also sad... really sad to Leave Ireland. I will miss that feeling of home here. I love Scotland but Ireland... it just has my heart 😊 

So yeah It has really been a good week even though it was crazy and I think I am really starting to understand how the Lord works. We do our part and are obedient to prove that we are worth to Him and to ourselves. we really haven't been finding anyone and were a bit sad about our lack of success but not only did Gillian get baptised though in another ward, but now Leannes friend Amy is learning about the happiness that the gospel brings and that is exciting. He brings the people to us. We rarely find them through our own efforts.

I love you all and I hope you have a great week. I hope you get a lot of rain before I'm back because I'm praying for a lot of SUN! 

Wish me luck as I travel and take the Ferry... hopefully the waters wont be too choppy...

Take care!!

April 4, 2016- "Conference weekend"

Dublin city center

This week was eventful. We got a text from the senior couple saying that all the missionaries that are going home this transfer and the next aka me were all invited to a self-reliance training. It was the trunkiest meeting I have ever been to! So it was basically how to be self-reliant and get a job and that it's ok to be rich so that you have no debts and all those things. It was extremely helpful but also weird haha... 

Then on Tuesday we had dinner with a lovely family from the ward called the Mooney's. I have never been over to their house but they are super nice and love Disney and super heroes so it was a piece of home. :)  Wednesday we were supposed to have a lesson with our used to be investigator Johannes, but he wasn't in :( we think he is avoiding us. We had a wonderful lesson with him so we aren't sure what happened.

Then before we knew it, it was conference weekend and there we were! It is always amazing listening to the Prophets speak I love it! Then we had a 'lesson' with a Jehovas Witness couple... it was more of a bible bash and the husband was asking us to read all these scriptures from the bible and... they want us to come back!! I don't know why haha. they are nice but they definitely want to only teach us their doctrine and not really.... listen or try it out. so it was interesting!

Poor Sister Muller has had a swollen foot for the past few days but it seems to be better. I got like no sleep last night due to someone alarm going off!! Seriously I am so tired now haha.

Anyway I unfortunately have to go. Sorry it was such a short e-mail.

Take care

Sister McBride