Missionary Report

Dear family and Friends,

We love you all very much and want you to know that we have a great love for the Gospel and Christs true church.

We have been negligent in getting an email off sooner. It seems every day in the mission field is so very packed with a myriad of interesting things and if you leave it as we have on this occasion it just keeps building. We will touch on a few of these over the past 3 weeks.

1. had a very wonderful all Ireland conference in Dublin with Elder Koprischke of the Seventy and President of the Europe Area Presidency. It lasted a full 6 hours with only one 10 min break in between. You might think how on earth could we sit for that long and keep interest. Well we all did and it was fascinating. We were taught a new method of teaching that is being taught to all missionaries throughout the world presently and it embodies the use of the Holy Ghost in all our teaching and very effective ways to committ to baptism in the first lesson, no matter how short that lesson may be. We were also taught some fascinating ways to answer all of lifes challenges using the scriptures and how to believe and engage the vision ( some of my very favorite topics ) At the end it was indeed hard to believe that 6 hours had transpired and also need to tell you that we did not eat during that conference --- but there were a lot of starving young men who went straight to a Burger King at the conclusion. These new methods still engage PMG and more fully than ever before. If you are not already doing so may we suggest you study and ponder PMG in all your meetings, both church and family -- using it constantly with the scriptures.

2. The world pipe band championships were held here in Belfast and we took our first date night since we have been on our mission - 4 months now - and went to a ceile' --- a fantastic Irish concert in the Europa Hotel in downtown Belfast City. The Europa Hotel has the distinction of the most bombed hotel in the world -- 27 times and it still stands tall !! Fortunately for us, it was not bombed that night !! A CEILE' is a traditional Irish music and dance and this night they played with the Ullean pipes, fiddles, bongos, bohranes, bagpipes, flutes, etc -- it started one hour late ( Irish time ) but it was a super night and the toes were tapping. We sat beside one of the champion pipe players and of course the subject of missionaries ( accidentally came up ) and we got to discuss the church among our table -- so opportunties come from many angles.

3. Coming back through Ireland from one of our distant travels -- passed thru the little village of Eden and noticed a wee cul de sac with the name -- guess what ? ---- yes, THE GARDEN OF EDEN --- lots of foliage around each small home and flowers in full bloom --- catchy is'nt it ?

4. Climbed to the top of the cavehill away above Belfast Castle with a group of YSA --- one of the young woman with us has her boyfriend leaving on a mission soon to Ventura, Calif --- she has been considering going too for sometime -- think we have solidified her thinking -- much of our work is in mentoring these wonderful young people and we have been very blessed to have been able to establish a good rapport with all of them. We are just their 2nd moms and dads in many occasions and somtimes their moms and dads as their parents are not members of the church. At the top of the Cavehill is a magnificent view right over Belfast and out to the ocean with a look at bonnie Scotland on a clear day.

5. We do flat inspections across Northern Ireland and teach nutrition at the same time -- it is amazing what these Elders eat for breakfast sometimes - we are trying to change that and Sister McBride can be tough on cleanliness but we do give them advance warning so they do not have much excuse. It's hard to believe but the zone leaders can be the worst offenders -- a recent visit to them yielded a pot of boiling water on their stove, with a can of ? in it as they were trying to make a special dessert. They forgot about it and the can blew up spreading its contents all over the kitchen - what a mess !!!! We went to do one in Derry ( originally Londonderry ) note London removed - too much like English rule !! -- now called FREE DERRY after the end of the troubles. We travelled with another senior missionary couple as we had to deliver a letter to a missionary who was being sent home -- there are challenging days in the mission field also and this was not a pleasant experience.
Later that day we were able to walk Derry's walls --- early that morning before we arrived a 200lb bomb exploded at a police station quite close to where we were going -- that was a nice welcome to Derry for us -- for the other couple who are from the US it caused some concern but we have seen it all before. However for the most part it is quite peaceful now, just a few little rumblings now and again, serves to keep us all awake !!
Derrys walls - a fortification of the city of Derry going back to a battle in 1655. The apprentice boys of Derry keeping out the forces of King James, a catholic, who was ousted off the throne of England.

6. We reveived our first mail today and we were thrilled with fabulous paintings from our grandchildren - Karens children -- they now brighten the walls of our flat and we love them -- they lift our spirits every day.

7. Finally trained in Europe YSA --- Trainers from the area office in Germany came and spent the day with us. We had all the guidlines previously and were very familar with them. So the training helped answer a number of questions, address some challenges we had identified and produced a lot of good ideas that we could try in our centre. This is definitely very different missionary work and is extremely varied.

8. Just thought we might tell you a member owns a bakery here not far from us and the missionaries get free baked goods --- Irish pastry is hard to beat and especially when it is free it can taste absolutely fantastic - even heavenly -- we cannot go there very often or we would become blimps and when we do we put a few extra miles on the power walk next morning.

9. We spoke in Dundalk -- bandit country - in the Republic of Ireland last Sunday - we had a grand day with the members there - just a little branch where there are about 70 members and the branch president is Elder McDowel - a missionary couple we have a great relationship with. The couples in the mission field almost always have a great time together and eternal bonds are built. We stayed with this couple overnight and attended a concert and dance showcasing Brian Matthews sister who is a wonderful singer in a show band. We had such a great time with his family. Now bandit country - what is that. Well Dundalk is on the border and during the troubles, where it was almost civil war, the IRA would come into the north, bomb buildings, committ atrocities, terrorize and all sorts of evil things ( just like the Gadianton robbers ) then slip back over the border again to a safe haven. All of that ended with the peace process.

10. Thirty missionaries left last week and only 7 came in so many areas have been closed but this will be good for the local members. Among those leaving was Elder Copithorne to bonnie Scotland. He has grown a lot and gave an exceptional talk in my sisters ward last Sunday. We seen him off at the ferry and he will probably complete his mission in Scotland. He has gone to the Glasgow area.

11. Some closing experiences. We went to visit some less active YSA this week. Thomas had been involved in 2 serious accidents that almost claimed his life twice. He had not been to church for a very long time. We had a wonderful visit with him and the spirit very strong as we invited him to come unto Christ. We taught him a lesson on the nature of God and committed him. He received it warmly and shook our hands " on the deal " to attend church. He kept his committment and we will meet each week as we teach him the Gospel all over again. He is 22 and we think we can begin soon talking to him about missionary service. We know it will be a process and so we start right away. We told him we could not greet him at his ward last Sunday as we were speaking at another but got another committment from him to attend this Sunday when we can be there - we want to keep the pattern. What a great young man and he is going to make it. He has a strong family and his dad is so very pleased.

I knew a man when I lived in Ballymoney over 45 years ago. He was a television personality and had joined the church in a neighboring town. We had heard he had moved to Belfast just recently and were out in that neighborhood and were prompted by the spirit to make an effort to find him and visit. We did and he answered to door to a very great surprize. He was moving that very day and we may not have found him again -- it is truly amazing how the spirit works - such myterious ways his wonders to perform. We had a great talk -- he kept saying " You look so American " -- don't know where that came from but what we do know, we were directed to his door that day and time, for a few minutes later he would have been gone. We now have his new address, contact number, etc and ---- he did tell us to wants to change his life, he is ready to do that and wants us to visit and teach -- we love this work, can it get better !!!
Well --- we think it can, if you think that is possible --- we will share another story with you next email that might just top that.

It is a very special privilege to serve. We love our Saviour, he lives, we know he lives. He is the only begotten of the father, the Son of God. He gave his life that we might live in that eternal world of peace and joy forever. The church bears his name and it is true. We know it. A prophet stands at it's head, he talks with God --- what a great message this is -- that a prophet speaks with God -- TODAY -- in our time. We know Presidsent Monson is that Prophet. May God bless each of you abundantly. We love each of you, our friends and our dear family we love you so very dearly - parents could not be blessed with better children. Thank you all for the examples you set.

Elder and Sister McBride.