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Sunday, May 1, 2016

April 18, 2016 - "Traveling to Ayr"




Sooooo. I have been a bit sick. I think I caught a cold from the Last sisters. They left this transfer as well but they didn't clean at  before they left and they had been ill, so ...

Traveling: Let it be said that I really thought buses were cool (especially the double-decker ones) when I came, but now they have definitely lost their excitement. After you ride one for 2 1/2 hours across Ireland and then 3 hours across Scotland literally through your area of Ayr and up to Glasgow because that's where you have to meet your companion and then travel back an hour on the train, you get a little sick with all the round abouts and twisty roads and they're just not the most comfortable. I still love the Ferry though. That was 3 hours as well but it was all rainy and foggy so there wasn't much of a scenery. Also I took the time to charge my camera battery but forgot that both my SD cards were in my suitcase so.. there are no pictures of the epicly long travel as a SOLO SISTER. Yup that's right just. me. and loads of Elders. I didn't realize it was going to be just me with about 10 Elders until the morning of so I was a bit.... interested in how it would go since I've been so used to having another woman by my side literally 24/7, but it actually turned out OK. I was saved by Elder Stanley. Elder Stanley is from England and has been in the same district as me for the past 6 months! I think I have served around him longer than any other missionary so he was nice and talked to my the whole time. Not as much on the ferry but literally the whole time on both bus rides. He is pretty chill and just a genuine person, so he was easy to talk to. But of course there were those times when he was away chatting with someone else and I just felt totally out of place. Until another nice Elder (also from England and one from Minnesota?) would come and talk to me. We played a card game on the ferry. Kind of like a hit the deck thing. I was really bad at it Lol... they went easy on me... oh my pride.... I think the most awkward was the fact that I was literally squashed next to these 10 young men and then I had to use the toilet on the ferry so...I mean any other circumstance if I wanted to go anywhere I would have to get 2 Elders to come with me because just one would be a date! They new that but it was a bit awk cuz... they weren't coming with me to the toilets! So when I asked if they could move the chair so I could get out I didn't want to announce where I was going so I just got up and I'm pretty sure they all watched and wondered where I was walking to until I turned to the toilets.... ugh... but other then that I was like a family reunion with the cousins, loads of boys and no girls! It really wasn't too bad.

Ayr: Ayr is flippin awesome! So the real reason why I didn't end up going to Limerick is because there was a Sister who is in our group and has been in Ayr for a long while. She was companions with Sister King here about 10weeks ago. I guess she basically refused to stay so they swapped us! Which I am actually happy about. I felt a little unsettled going to Limerick . The only thing that I thought would help was the fact that the Cliffs of Moore (aka the cliffs of Insanity from Princess Bride) were in the area, but when I found that I was moving back to Scotland I was excited and I really didn't know Sister King well. but to describe her, she is just as nerdy as me and she is kind of like Ana from frozen only not as ditzy, well not at all. basically she is just super nice and sweet but really funny as well.  I never served around her, but it has been great so far. She is a super good missionary and we are so alike in a really good way.

I have missed the Scottish accent and the places and scenery! I felt a huge excitement that I haven't felt since the beginning of the mission here in Ayr. I know the new stake Pres, President Dewey from when we were teaching Lily and Mark and Andrew our deaf friends. He was the professional signer who would skype for our lessons and drive 2hours to Kirkcaldy to interpret for the baptisms! He was Bishop Dewey then.

Also our flat is right next to the sea front! It's like a 5min walk and you can see it from our front door. It's a nice wee flat and super cozy. I like it. It's probably my favorite flat from the mission :)

I just feel so at peace and energetic about it. I do feel a little cast into the "forgotten land of Paisley" (seriously every one jokes about how Paisley is the forgotten stake haha)  and I don't understand why they are just going to white wash again after us but I can't deny the spirit that I feel that amazing things are going to happen. I personally feel that it's kind of because there is this 'new way' that President is training his missionaries and we are like one of the last ones who really knew Pres Brown and I feel like they just want to put us together to not affect anyone else with our 'old ways' I know that's probs not it at all.
However we did have miracle. A woman who hasn't been to church in 30 years just showed up on Sunday! The day before we had been finding next the sea front by our flat. We got no return appointments with people only good conversations but turns out one of those people we stopped was her nephew who then went home and said (auntie, I remember you going to them Mormon church and taking me. You were always so happy and I was happy too, why don't you go anymore? So she came! and we are seeing her on Wednesday :) her name is Angela.

Oh Dad I met one of your mission friends he said you were in the same district together! (His name is Elder Keir. Pic below) He knew me as soon as I walked into chruch and said Sister McBride?? the daughter of James McBride who served with me in the London mission?? He says I look like you :) and that you haven't changed a bit! Also I have met a lot of people who Colleen knows so that is cool. I really like Ayr

I have to get going but I love you all and I hope you have a great week!

Sister McBride :)



 Elder Keir was sister McBride's dad's missionary friend they served at the same time. 




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