Saturday, December 7, 2013
Chulajuana
(Nov 5, 2013)
Bienvenidos a mi correo-electronico :)
I hope you all had a great week and a fabulousaaaa halloween. Mine was pretty fun, i guess. Me and Hermana Flandro dressed up as Mario and Luigi..tehehe. It was pretty fun. We had a little lunch with the missionaries before our district meeting but me and her were definitely had the best costumes. We had to come in the apartment by 7 at night..so we decided to eat Helotes (corn with mayo, parmesean cheese, and tapatillo) and tomalles for dinner. A halloween like non other! Haha! (see pictures)
This past Wednesday was crazy. We got a text from Ivett that said that she couldnt meet with us for dinner because her son (Bijan, 17) ran away from home. We were so worried but we just went about our day. At about 6:00 at night, I felt like we should go see how she was doing and if we could help in anyway. We went over there and her daughter, Freshte (17) told us she was glad we came because her mom needed company. We went and talked about all the possibilitys of where he could be and how to track down his Iphone and yada yada..during this whole time, Hermana Flandro was just praying that he would call. She finally said, "lets just all say a prayer together". Right then, Freshte's phone rang from an unknown number. It was him! He told her that he was in Chicago and all this stuff but he was acting way fishy. Anyway, we recorded the conversation on Ivetts Iphone and replayed it looking for clues. When Freshte asked him if he was with his friend "Johnny" he hesitated a ton. We started talking about who this Johnny kid was. As we sat there we just kept praying that we could know what to do next and where he could be. She then said "Well..I don't know much about him but he is 22 and he lives behind Vons I think..". Me and Flandro teach people all the time over in that area. All of the sudden it clicked. We teach our recent convert named Nelly and her son's name is Johnathen. He has taken the lessons before but was never baptized. She pulled up his instagram and we figured out it was him. We had even planned on visiting them that night. So we grabbed our stuff and drove over to see her. I felt like a freaking CIA agent. It was so intense haha. Welp..Johnny didn't show up until we were about to leave. We talked to him for a bit but he wasn't with anybody but we walked outside and talked to Ivett and she said that she found out he was in Hawaii. Crazzzy. Moral of the story though...PRAYERS ARE ANSWERED.
Crazy part of that story too is that we are now teaching "Johnny" and he came to church this week! Ivett went to Hawaii and picked her son up and we have a lesson with her tonight. Hopefully all is well!
Diana is doing awesome as well. She came to church and she really likes it. Her belief in God is growing so much. We invited her to be baptized on the 23rd of November and she accepted!! We aren't sure how sure it is but pray hard for her! She really wants an answer. Woop woop!
So..we had a record-breaking miracle this week. 8 INVESTIGATORS AT CHURCH! We were expecting about 2. Mayra's family came. One family brought their neighbors. It was so sweet. The member missionary work is starting to catch on fire here in CHULAJUANA! and I DOTH LOVE IT!
Not So Funny Moment of The Week: Besides Mothers Day and Christmas, there is one day that every missionary looks forward to..daylight savings. I have been stoked all week for that beautiful day that I get an extra hour of sleep. Well..I hurried to bed as fast as possible and we set our alarm and went to bed. Well..we are used to our great Iphones and how they change the time for you. Not these phones. We got up at 5:30 am..thinking it was 6:30. Went to pick up the other sisters and they said..uhhh its only 7:30. I was so mad!!!! Maybe next year..:(
Oh and also, word on the street is their is an underground tunnel from TJ to Chula Vistab equipped with air conditioning and heating. I think like it sounds like a great finding opportunity..we will see what the mission president thinks ;) bhahaha! SIKE.
Spiritual Moment: We went to Bishop Chavez's house for dinner on Sunday and they have gone through lots and lots with their family and everything. My companion was talking to Hermana Chavez a lot about forgiveness. She told us a personal story of her own family and how she knows when she forgives somebody. She told us.."I know that I have forgiven somebody when I pray for them or want what is best for them. Not in a judging way but in a genuine care for their well-being."
I, personally, haven't had any crazy grudge held up in my life or anything like that but I feel like there are little things that bother me or people in my past who I still have hurt feelings. I have learned that it isn't about becoming best friends with that person or having to be in contact with them but it is more to really try to see somebody as God sees them and hope that they do well in life. Anyway..just a cool dinner convo.
LES QUIERO MUCHISIMO!
smile always.
xoxo.
Hola from Chulauanna!
(Oct 29, 2013)
Hola from Chulauanna!
This place really is like lil mexico. In fact, Saturdays are like a ghost town because everybody and their chiwawa goes to TJ for the weekend. I am excited for Halloween although I have no idea what I am going to be. We get to do a little activity for the primary tonight which should be fun. We are also going to Old Town San Diego today to see all of the decoration for the Dia de Los Muertos.
Lots is going on with our investigators this week. We have a few solid people. We had 5 investigators at church and 3 less-actives too. SO COOL. I was stressed out of my mind the whole time but it was the primary program so it was comical as well as spiritual.
First, Mayra (21 years old). Her uncle that was deported came back somehow and the family is so so happy. They now want to come to church and take the lessons. We are so happy because we tried to get them to come before but they were very shy but now they are very grateful because the church helped them out with food for the next month. QUE UNA BENDICION.
Ivette (single mother of the teenagers) came to church too. She is so so solid. Her boss is LDS and talked to her for an hour about it and she called us and was so excited to tell her everything she learned from him.
We went by to see Charlie (Cota). He wasn't at home cuz he was at the hospital. We went the next day to visit him and Bishop Chavez came too. It was so sad to see that little guy so weak but it has brought their family so close. One of the sons even fasted with us for Charlie.
I have taught like 3 different teenagers this week about the nature of God and prayer. There are so many who don't believe and I can really see how wicked the world is lately. We are teaching a 14 year old girl named Dianna who is so freaking cool. She is so smart and has so many questions. She came to church this week and really liked it. Its just sad how many young kids don't have the hope of something more than this world.
Spiritual: There is a famous picture of Jesus Christ when he is standing at the door but there is no handle on the door. He is knocking but it is our choice to open the door. I had a cool thought this week about how Jesus Christ can help me out so much as a missionary because he knocks more doors than I ever could. He knocks on every single door and waits and waits until we are willing to open the door and let him help us. As a missionary, I get frustrated when someone won't keep their appointment or they are inside but ignore us..that is probably how Jesus feels. But he is patient and loving. In our lives we need to be more like Him, patient and loving and willing to wait for those who need our help but arent willing to ask.
Funny: We were walking and walking and walking on Saturday but nobody was outside. Well..I spent most of this time walking behind Hermana Flandro. I finally went in front of her to walk up some stairs in a trailer park and she just started laughing so hard. I turned around to see why and we both noticed that my backpack had pulled my skirt up in the back and basically I was just flashing the whole old-folks trailer park for who knows how long. HAHA! Good stuff. hopefully the old people couldn't see very well. oops..
Miss you and Love you all.
Feliz Dia de Los Brujaaasss!!!
-Hermana McBride
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Stay Classy, San Diego!
Happy Tuesday everyone!
Yes, P-day is on tuesday here. And by here I mean San Diego, CA. For those who still haven't heard the exciting, insane news...I was transferred to a brand new mission this week. I will kind of give you a run down of the past week.
I was able to say goodbye to some people in Kennewick but not enough. I didn't get to say goodbye to the amazing familia Lopez because we had to help the new missionaries coming in that night. The next day I was transferred to Moses Lake with Hermana Ahlstrom for about 2 days. It was actually quite an eventful 2 days. Hermana Ahlstrom is super cute and we had so much fun. *See Funny Moment*
After being there for only 2 days, I got a call from President Ware. Due to the "hastening of the work" we were swamped with a ton of Hermanas and due to some circumstances in our mission, President Ware talked with Salt Lake City and they wanted to move an Hermana to the San Diego mission. LUCKY ME! hehehe. So of course I was super thrown off and super confused, but I have come to really understand that God always has other plans for us. I miss Kennewick more than words can explain but I know God has prepared people here in San Diego for me to teach and I am super excited to be here. The weather doesn't hurt either. I went to the mission home the next day and was able to call Hermana Jones and Hermana Pierce to say goodbye. It was very bittersweet and I was so scared. President gave me an amazing blessing and I was off the next day.
So I showed up to California on Saturday and got to work that night. I am in a trio with Hermanas Anderson and Flandro who are both way cool. We get along really well and they have really helped me adapt to a new culture. The weather is amazing. I really got out of Washington at the right time. haha. I am about 10 minutes from the Mexico border in a town called Chula Vista. We are serving in a spanish WARD which is like surreal to me. There are 2 spanish wards in one stake..What the heck?! #WelcomeToThePromisedLand. Also, for those of you who are into the whole "District 2" series..that was all in my area. The Robles family is in my stake!! I get to meet them next week probably. I feel like a mormon groupie or something haha. So if you would like to see what my life is like right now..just go watch The District 2.
I am hoping that they will make The District 3 while I am here so I can be famous or something..probly won't happen though. I am so so excited to be here. A lot of little differences but it has been cool to see that The Gospel is the same everywhere.
Funny Moment: Me and Hermana Ahlstrom were out meeting memebers and we knocked on this door and the little boy ran to the door. We said "HI! Is your mom here?". He says, "No..She died." STRAIGHT FACED. Couldn't tell if he was kidding or not. He turns around and me and Ahlstrom just DIED LAUGHING. We felt so bad but it was so freaking hilarious. I think he was kidding because according to our records..his mom is alive. Mexican 6 year olds will get you every time.
Spiritual Moment: I have learned so much about the power of prayer this week. Change is so hard. Trials feel nearly impossible sometimes. I have felt somewhat in a tunnel with a very dim light at the end. BUT the great thing is that we have prayer to help that light brighten up. I have never prayed so hard in my life. I have had to completely rely on the Lord to get me through this challenge but I have seen his hand so much in my life lately. So please always pray. He wants to hear you and He WILL help you.
I love you and miss you all so much. McKell..see you next week in San Diego. bahaha jk. don't come find me or I will kill you.
Que Tenga Buena Semana. Hasta Martes!
smile always. xoxo.
(New sign-off)..Stay Classy San Diego..
-Hermana McBride
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
My favorite things: watermelon, ukelele & shoes!
Hola mis amigos y mi familia
Hola mis amigos y mi familia..
Lots of crazy things going on here in Kennewick! Thunderstorms like you wouldn't believe. I am a scaredycat. haha. We have been tracting lots and lots. Having a hard time finding people who want to listen but we are working hard. They are here somewhere. We have still been working a lot with less-actives and recent converts which has its ups and downs but I absolutely love the people here in Kennewick. I am very lucky to have this time to serve here. We were in a lesson last week and the first NFL game was on TV. Woof. That was a doozy. But I left before I got sucked into the beautiful game of football haha. I am learning a lot from training. I am learning a lot about patience and I think that having Lexi as my sister has really come to help me as a trainer. Hermana Dixon is awesome but she is still new and learning.
We had exchanges with the Pasco Hermanas this week. Hermana Kolste was my companion for the day. She is freaking hilarious and we had a good time. She was Hermana Dixons companion in the MTC so she doesn't really know much espanol either. But we had a good time. I still have horrible luck on exchanges but we made the best of it.
Ronay and Nelson are doing good. We are thinking of passing them to the Elders just so they can learn in a different way but we don't know yet. Other than that..not much to report.
Spiritual Experience: I watched a video called "Misisonary Work and The Atonement" this week. It is also a talk that Elder Holland gave to mission presidents a few years ago. I have been having a hard time in these last few weeks with all of the crazy things that have happened but when I read this talk I was able to see a better perspective on things. He says "I am convinced that missionary work is not easy because salvation is not a cheap experience. Salvation never was easy...How could we believe it would be easy for us when it was never, ever easy for him?" I know that there are going to be have to be times on my mission that I have to take a few moments in Gethsemane. But the good news is that Jesus Christ overcame all. And because he did that..so can I.
Funny moment: President Ladow is the first counselor in the stake presidency. I was having a hard time and he came up to me and said "Hermana McBride, if life was a big piece of cake..we would all turn out bald and fat like me". Hahahaha! It was exactly what I needed to hear.
I love you all so much.
xoxo.
Smile Always.
-Hermana McBride
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