HI EVERYONE!
Hope you all had a great two weeks! Sorry I didn't get to email last week - library computers wern't working for a couple of days, but my love was still sent via: air! So a lot has happened within the past two weeks... lets see if I can catch you up...
As you know I got to have a lunch with the Elaina & Susan Yokshas! It was so fun! And it was all in an hours time too - I'm so proud of myself! [Since -as a rule- we can only have hour long lunches] It was so good to have some good laughs with them and I can't wait till we can all have some fun at the house!!
Oh oh, do you know Don Hudson from ABC News?? Last Sunday this guy came into sacrament meeting a little late and he was looking around for somewhere to sit, so of course I noticed him and offered him a spot by me. Well I got to talking with him and he said he was just down here to see his family and he lived up in Provo. He told me some pretty funny stories about his son serving in the Guatemala mission now. His son just got a new companion and every morning this new companion goes outside and just stands with his back faceing the window. Well Elder Hudson noticed that his companion kept looking back at the window cautiously so one morning Elder Hudson snuck out to see what was going on and he caught his companion smoking! [haha, that gave me a huge laugh] Him & the mission president are trying to help him overcome his addictions. After the first speaker in Sacrament was done Don Hudson got up and gave me his business card and told me to look him up when I got home... I think he is the sports guy??? sounds familiar.
You might get a laugh out of this one. On Monday night all of our appointments canceled and so we were left to do nothing. We never really tract on monday since it's a pday and it is usually dark, but now that it is light till usually 8:30 we desided to tract. So we tracted and tracted and were walking up to this one house and when we had gotten to the front sidewalk we noticed that it was getting drenched with water from the sprinklers -but, being the good missionaries we are :) we desided to persue and keep going trough all the sprinklers... WELL, let me tell ya, 17 plus months out in the mission field can do a work on your church shoes (the treds are ALL worn off so my shoes are just flat). So we walked into the sprinklers and WHOOOOOOOP there I fly strait up and flat on my side... Elder Palmer at least asked if I was okay before he cracked up laughing. I came away with a couple of memories from that fall... 1st I was soaked all down my side 2nd, my nice purple bruise all down my side and 3rd, since it was Monday I planned on sending pictures to you all at the library but since it was down I couldn't, but I still had my camera in my pocket (you see where I am going with this...) well Let's continue with the story.. WHOOOOOOOP, I fly strait up and SLAM right down oh my camera. May my camera that now is all bent up and has a cracked screen rest in peace. Oh and 4th is the person at the door, right after I got up from the fall slammed the door right in our faces. NOW THE BLESSING>>> The really weird thing is I never got upset or mad, all I could do was laugh. Sometimes bad stuff happens in life EVEN when you are doing something good and what you are supposed to be doing, BUT we just got to remember the good things in life like our testimonies in Jesus Christ and the happiness that comes from that. I love Heleman ch. 5 where Nephi and Lehi are accounting of their father teaching them to "remember the good".
Well I have to go, sorry so quick - It seems the mission is just getting more busy ALL the time! I will tell you about my new companion Elder Jensen next week (I'm still in Palm Desert/Indio). Love you much! Stay safe and Remember the GOOD!!!
-- Love, ELDER PATRICK McBRIDE
Friday, September 24, 2010
6-14
Hi Family & Friends!
Hope all is great at home... & Elsewhere! I love you all so much and pray that all is well!
"Missionaries & members must ... become on in our efforts to proclaim the gospel." ~Erich W. Kopischke. This past week I trained my missionaries on how we need to use the wards help with teaching our investigtors. Members really are soooo important in the teaching and conversion process. I love some of my letters that I have gotten from my converts and investigators:
-"I went to baptize some other family members, it was so cool! I ended up doing (now I lost count, so I'm not really sure) 15!!! Kathy Thorpe said she thought that was the number - how awesome is that? I only had to do one again, Brother Valentine was great, although he did tell the elders that I had a strong grip, I was afraid that he wasn't going to be able to do me... de did well. I was so honored to be @ the temple and to be able to do the baptisms for others" ~Brenda Franklin
-"We did actually have dinner with the Teters recently. He made his famous ribs & I brought my potato salad! It was quite a meal! Brother Teter is actually my home teacher - how cool is that?!! We just love that family!" ~Jan Judd
-"Meeting & getting to know you made a great impact on my life. I will remember the laughs we shared @ the Yokshas home...thank you for all you have done for me." ~Giovanni Marone
I look back to these and know that as I have brought members to bear testimony of the gospel it has helped to build their foundations. I think if we as missionaries don't have members to help us we take away valuable spiritual experiences that could have been felt! And that goes in likewise, if members don't have missionaries come over they are responsible for taking away those valuable spiritual experiences that could have been had. So we are all commited to use the members help more & hopefully by doing that, the members will use ours! "A ward, as well as a family, draws together as it endures together. What happens to one happens to all." ~Richard C. Edgley
This past couple of weeks have been a little hard. We are not having much luck at all. Whenever we think we are think we are getting close to someone keeping their commitment, getting baptized, or getting a progressing investigator - we get SMASHED! This week Elder Palmer & Snow (on an exchange) tracted into this lady named Grace and picked her up as a potential investigator, Elder Palmer was so happy. You could tell that this lady was serious and elect for the gospel. Well yesterday we thought we would check on her to see how she was doing (we had an appointment with her on wednesday). Well she opened the door [I could seriously feel her spirit was ready for the gospel] and told us how her cousin inivited her to her church today and that she had plegded her life to Christ already and that we would just confuse her if she had us come over. Our hearts sunk! We tried to talk to her but in the end she was 'blinded by the craftiness of men.' Other things have happend just like that. We are trying to be diligent though!
I love you all so much! Hope that things are and will always go well! Be safe and keep the faith strong! Keep praying and preaching the gospel bringing others into the one true fold of God. I would appreciate your prayers so keep remembering me and my investigators! thanks-- Love, ELDER PATRICK McBRIDE
Hope all is great at home... & Elsewhere! I love you all so much and pray that all is well!
"Missionaries & members must ... become on in our efforts to proclaim the gospel." ~Erich W. Kopischke. This past week I trained my missionaries on how we need to use the wards help with teaching our investigtors. Members really are soooo important in the teaching and conversion process. I love some of my letters that I have gotten from my converts and investigators:
-"I went to baptize some other family members, it was so cool! I ended up doing (now I lost count, so I'm not really sure) 15!!! Kathy Thorpe said she thought that was the number - how awesome is that? I only had to do one again, Brother Valentine was great, although he did tell the elders that I had a strong grip, I was afraid that he wasn't going to be able to do me... de did well. I was so honored to be @ the temple and to be able to do the baptisms for others" ~Brenda Franklin
-"We did actually have dinner with the Teters recently. He made his famous ribs & I brought my potato salad! It was quite a meal! Brother Teter is actually my home teacher - how cool is that?!! We just love that family!" ~Jan Judd
-"Meeting & getting to know you made a great impact on my life. I will remember the laughs we shared @ the Yokshas home...thank you for all you have done for me." ~Giovanni Marone
I look back to these and know that as I have brought members to bear testimony of the gospel it has helped to build their foundations. I think if we as missionaries don't have members to help us we take away valuable spiritual experiences that could have been felt! And that goes in likewise, if members don't have missionaries come over they are responsible for taking away those valuable spiritual experiences that could have been had. So we are all commited to use the members help more & hopefully by doing that, the members will use ours! "A ward, as well as a family, draws together as it endures together. What happens to one happens to all." ~Richard C. Edgley
This past couple of weeks have been a little hard. We are not having much luck at all. Whenever we think we are think we are getting close to someone keeping their commitment, getting baptized, or getting a progressing investigator - we get SMASHED! This week Elder Palmer & Snow (on an exchange) tracted into this lady named Grace and picked her up as a potential investigator, Elder Palmer was so happy. You could tell that this lady was serious and elect for the gospel. Well yesterday we thought we would check on her to see how she was doing (we had an appointment with her on wednesday). Well she opened the door [I could seriously feel her spirit was ready for the gospel] and told us how her cousin inivited her to her church today and that she had plegded her life to Christ already and that we would just confuse her if she had us come over. Our hearts sunk! We tried to talk to her but in the end she was 'blinded by the craftiness of men.' Other things have happend just like that. We are trying to be diligent though!
I love you all so much! Hope that things are and will always go well! Be safe and keep the faith strong! Keep praying and preaching the gospel bringing others into the one true fold of God. I would appreciate your prayers so keep remembering me and my investigators! thanks-- Love, ELDER PATRICK McBRIDE
6-7
Hello my Family & Friends!
Hope that you all had a good safe week and no one ran into any poles, got ran over by cars or hurt in any way!
I am doing good down here! Elder Palmer and me had a really great week - Funny because we worked SO HARD! We have been teaching lessons like crazy! Most of the lessons are to members and less-actives, but I'll tell you I have never been so proud and happy of these less active members that I have been working with! It's weird, in most of my area's less active people NEVER want to come back to church even when they feel the spirit so strong. And in These two wards (La Quinta & Santa Rosa) we are teaching so many and they actually listen and keep their commitments in reading and coming to church! As a missionary we plead to be lead and guided to the elect people that Heavenly Father has prepared for us - but I also think that Heavenly Father prepares people to except the gospel into their lives again - and that's what I am seeing again! Two less actives that we have been working with have recently said that they didn't even have testimonies and a Faith to start out with - but through a desire, searching, pondering and praying they gained not only a testimony - but a strong testimony; one that is rooted into a firm ground!
I was reading over Lehi's vision of the Tree of Life... I love the story and can say it is definately one of my favorites! I also love Sister Anne Dibb's talk on it a couple of conferences ago ("Hold On"). We all are called and directed toward this "tree of life". If we listen we can know that this tree holds things within it that can bring eternal happiness. Who wouldn't want that for theirselves and family? As I was reading I was thinking about testimonies and having a faith in Jesus Christ. When we have a faith in Christ we can have a strong foundation, that is- if we keep building on it. I think of that tree from the vision and when we think of trees we think of what... okay maybe that was a little too vague... ROOTS! This past week we had to do some service and cut this huge tree down. Well with being a big tree it obviously had some pretty huge roots! We spent minutes chopping at these roots and sweat was dripping down our faces - but it was the only way that the tree would come out of the ground - it had such a strong steady foundation - it was rooted into the ground. Interesting to see that the prophet Lehi didn't call and becon people to come to the great and spacious building ... could it be that it didn't hold a strong foundation.. or any foundation? Yup! I think so - Having a testimony of Jesus Christ and Faith in Jesus Christ is something that we all have to gain. We go through times of trial and tribulation - but in the end Eternal Life is what we want and it is that something and a place that is rooted. It's the only place, and a place that I want to be for SURE!
I love the joy that comes from doing the work out here. My favorite is when people say "that is just what I needed today". Crazy to think that when you plan and pray for what lessons to do for each person that it is actually person revelation that you are being given!
Like I said, the week was great and we even had 7 investigators at church... that's right 7!!! I was sooo excited! One of our new investigators whose name is Tiffiny actually came up to us and said that she was already to Ether in the Book of Mormon. Well that is great - but the even greater thing is that we just gave her the book a week and a half ago! SO COOL! I don't think I've ever read the book that quik even! haha
Well, I love you all sooo much! Stay safe and remember to always be "rooted" in the gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ! I love each and everyone of you soo much!
-- Love, ELDER PATRICK McBRIDE
PS- Nicole, Sister Christine Ferraud wanted to add herself as my "friend" on facebook and said that you "denied" her. Haha, you will have to add her (she wants to see my profile).
Hope that you all had a good safe week and no one ran into any poles, got ran over by cars or hurt in any way!
I am doing good down here! Elder Palmer and me had a really great week - Funny because we worked SO HARD! We have been teaching lessons like crazy! Most of the lessons are to members and less-actives, but I'll tell you I have never been so proud and happy of these less active members that I have been working with! It's weird, in most of my area's less active people NEVER want to come back to church even when they feel the spirit so strong. And in These two wards (La Quinta & Santa Rosa) we are teaching so many and they actually listen and keep their commitments in reading and coming to church! As a missionary we plead to be lead and guided to the elect people that Heavenly Father has prepared for us - but I also think that Heavenly Father prepares people to except the gospel into their lives again - and that's what I am seeing again! Two less actives that we have been working with have recently said that they didn't even have testimonies and a Faith to start out with - but through a desire, searching, pondering and praying they gained not only a testimony - but a strong testimony; one that is rooted into a firm ground!
I was reading over Lehi's vision of the Tree of Life... I love the story and can say it is definately one of my favorites! I also love Sister Anne Dibb's talk on it a couple of conferences ago ("Hold On"). We all are called and directed toward this "tree of life". If we listen we can know that this tree holds things within it that can bring eternal happiness. Who wouldn't want that for theirselves and family? As I was reading I was thinking about testimonies and having a faith in Jesus Christ. When we have a faith in Christ we can have a strong foundation, that is- if we keep building on it. I think of that tree from the vision and when we think of trees we think of what... okay maybe that was a little too vague... ROOTS! This past week we had to do some service and cut this huge tree down. Well with being a big tree it obviously had some pretty huge roots! We spent minutes chopping at these roots and sweat was dripping down our faces - but it was the only way that the tree would come out of the ground - it had such a strong steady foundation - it was rooted into the ground. Interesting to see that the prophet Lehi didn't call and becon people to come to the great and spacious building ... could it be that it didn't hold a strong foundation.. or any foundation? Yup! I think so - Having a testimony of Jesus Christ and Faith in Jesus Christ is something that we all have to gain. We go through times of trial and tribulation - but in the end Eternal Life is what we want and it is that something and a place that is rooted. It's the only place, and a place that I want to be for SURE!
I love the joy that comes from doing the work out here. My favorite is when people say "that is just what I needed today". Crazy to think that when you plan and pray for what lessons to do for each person that it is actually person revelation that you are being given!
Like I said, the week was great and we even had 7 investigators at church... that's right 7!!! I was sooo excited! One of our new investigators whose name is Tiffiny actually came up to us and said that she was already to Ether in the Book of Mormon. Well that is great - but the even greater thing is that we just gave her the book a week and a half ago! SO COOL! I don't think I've ever read the book that quik even! haha
Well, I love you all sooo much! Stay safe and remember to always be "rooted" in the gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ! I love each and everyone of you soo much!
-- Love, ELDER PATRICK McBRIDE
PS- Nicole, Sister Christine Ferraud wanted to add herself as my "friend" on facebook and said that you "denied" her. Haha, you will have to add her (she wants to see my profile).
6-1
Hello Family & Friends!
Hope that you had an amazing week and a great Memorial Day!
Well I'll tell you, Elder Palmer and I have been so busy this past week running to appointment to appointment. I love when the days are filled with teaching appointments... haha, and not full days of tracting on doors - not that it's not fun or anything... but teaching is what I am here to do!
I don't think I have told you about our new zone yet this transfer.. sorry. They are doing things a bit different this transfer and changing some things up in the mission. Now there is only one zone leader who is Elder Powell and the people in my district are: Me and Elder Palmer, Elder Powell & Elder Salinas, Elder Anderson & Elder Snow.
This week we had a Multizone meeting that was really good. We were taught mostly about Charity and love for one another. Sister Reeves gave us each a rubber band to put on our wrists. She read in a book that if we would be able to keep it on one side of our wrists for 21 days that it would form a habbit. But we would have to move the rubber band to the other wrist if we did things that don't show love for one another. This exersize is actually harder than it sounds TRY IT and you will see how much you are moving it back and forth! Love is something that I try and work on everyday. I don't think that I have shown it as much as I have needed to in life - or at least as much as I should have. I just want to let each of you know that I love you!
We have been working a lot with the members - trying to help them do missionary work and to help them know what to say to their friends to help get us referrals. This week we have had great Lessons with the Morris, Jones, & Hampton family. One thing that I love to do when I go into members homes is to see how the family gets along. At each one of their houses you could see the love that everyone had for one another and I believe that it was because of how much they treasured the gospel in their lives! I know that there is never a perfect family - but I want to try my best so that I can be close to one - always going to church, magnifying my callings, reading and studying scriptures and praying sincerly! That my friends is what makes a "good" family!
I even got a couple of surprizes this week. #1 was that my good friend and convert from Riverside Brenda Franklin came up to see and have lunch with me! We went to Red Robin - (haha and didn't eat very much because we talked so much! [which is good Brenda]) The day was so much fun. Goll, I love this lady! She has progressed so much in the gospel and even helps my testimony grow each time I see her! -I'll forward pictures next week- and Surprise #2 was Sister Yokshas came up to visit and see me! Now let me tell ya, one of the rules that I don't like is the no hugging rule! I had to try so hard not to hug both of them! Weird to think that if I didnt' serve a mission that I wouldn't have had these eternal relationships!!
I'm good here! The days are getting hotter for sure but I am surviving! I love you all soo much! Be safe and always choose the right and share the gospel with others - remember you could have eternal relationships too if you but go and do the things the Lord has commanded!
-- Love,
Hope that you had an amazing week and a great Memorial Day!
Well I'll tell you, Elder Palmer and I have been so busy this past week running to appointment to appointment. I love when the days are filled with teaching appointments... haha, and not full days of tracting on doors - not that it's not fun or anything... but teaching is what I am here to do!
I don't think I have told you about our new zone yet this transfer.. sorry. They are doing things a bit different this transfer and changing some things up in the mission. Now there is only one zone leader who is Elder Powell and the people in my district are: Me and Elder Palmer, Elder Powell & Elder Salinas, Elder Anderson & Elder Snow.
This week we had a Multizone meeting that was really good. We were taught mostly about Charity and love for one another. Sister Reeves gave us each a rubber band to put on our wrists. She read in a book that if we would be able to keep it on one side of our wrists for 21 days that it would form a habbit. But we would have to move the rubber band to the other wrist if we did things that don't show love for one another. This exersize is actually harder than it sounds TRY IT and you will see how much you are moving it back and forth! Love is something that I try and work on everyday. I don't think that I have shown it as much as I have needed to in life - or at least as much as I should have. I just want to let each of you know that I love you!
We have been working a lot with the members - trying to help them do missionary work and to help them know what to say to their friends to help get us referrals. This week we have had great Lessons with the Morris, Jones, & Hampton family. One thing that I love to do when I go into members homes is to see how the family gets along. At each one of their houses you could see the love that everyone had for one another and I believe that it was because of how much they treasured the gospel in their lives! I know that there is never a perfect family - but I want to try my best so that I can be close to one - always going to church, magnifying my callings, reading and studying scriptures and praying sincerly! That my friends is what makes a "good" family!
I even got a couple of surprizes this week. #1 was that my good friend and convert from Riverside Brenda Franklin came up to see and have lunch with me! We went to Red Robin - (haha and didn't eat very much because we talked so much! [which is good Brenda]) The day was so much fun. Goll, I love this lady! She has progressed so much in the gospel and even helps my testimony grow each time I see her! -I'll forward pictures next week- and Surprise #2 was Sister Yokshas came up to visit and see me! Now let me tell ya, one of the rules that I don't like is the no hugging rule! I had to try so hard not to hug both of them! Weird to think that if I didnt' serve a mission that I wouldn't have had these eternal relationships!!
I'm good here! The days are getting hotter for sure but I am surviving! I love you all soo much! Be safe and always choose the right and share the gospel with others - remember you could have eternal relationships too if you but go and do the things the Lord has commanded!
-- Love,
5-24
Life is not a dress rehearsal. Keep your eyes on the prize - Exaltation & Eternal Life!" ~Unknown
Dear Family & Friends,
I hope that you are all having a great week and a good happy Monday! haha, I here you're getting more winter storms up there... I told Shaun to send me some, so I will definately be expecting a package with some snow... think it will last the trip over? I won't complain though, I did get to see snow just the other weekend! Well, I will try to send some showers of the scorching sun your way ;) haha, that would be funny if you had snow in June!
Wow May seems to just be flying on by! On Monday night we went to the Jackman family's house and read to them a scripture story that came from Alma...53 I think. It was a very spiritual night. The story was basically about how Satan is striving so hard to get us to "come down" from following Heavenly Father & if we come down just a little way off from following the gospel, the commandments and our covenants then that is when we fall - for it is a slippery slope down. At the end I bore my testimony of how important it is to follow the commandments and the blessings that come when we do. I told them the story of my dear niece Maggie who from following the rules of bycicling and the instructions of her mom she wore her helmet. I told them that a car had hit her and that she could have died if she had not been wearing a helmet. Good job Maggie for following Heavenly Father, I think it was President Kimble that said, "no righteous man or woman ever goes before his or her time." I know my Heavenly Father loves me and is keeping my family safe while I am out here on a mission.
As for the investigators... well they are pretty scarse in this area! Are closest investigators that are progressing are Nick Tallet & Brooke Reynolds. They are a family that was actually referred to us by one of our members. They are soo close & I know that they know the gospel is true.. the only problem is, is that where they have mormon friends they also have the complete opposite - anti mormon friends - and it's the ones that have been members and than have gone away from the church. We have gotten all the many weird crazy questions but we finally are at another good point with them. Pray for them - they are so close!
I love you all so much! Thanks for the letters and support! Remember to keep following God no matter what! There will be hard times ahead - Remember the council that our Prophet Thomas S. Monson gave us, "look to the lighthouse of the Lord" and that will be how we can safely arive home!-- Love, ELDER PATRICK McBRIDE
Dear Family & Friends,
I hope that you are all having a great week and a good happy Monday! haha, I here you're getting more winter storms up there... I told Shaun to send me some, so I will definately be expecting a package with some snow... think it will last the trip over? I won't complain though, I did get to see snow just the other weekend! Well, I will try to send some showers of the scorching sun your way ;) haha, that would be funny if you had snow in June!
Wow May seems to just be flying on by! On Monday night we went to the Jackman family's house and read to them a scripture story that came from Alma...53 I think. It was a very spiritual night. The story was basically about how Satan is striving so hard to get us to "come down" from following Heavenly Father & if we come down just a little way off from following the gospel, the commandments and our covenants then that is when we fall - for it is a slippery slope down. At the end I bore my testimony of how important it is to follow the commandments and the blessings that come when we do. I told them the story of my dear niece Maggie who from following the rules of bycicling and the instructions of her mom she wore her helmet. I told them that a car had hit her and that she could have died if she had not been wearing a helmet. Good job Maggie for following Heavenly Father, I think it was President Kimble that said, "no righteous man or woman ever goes before his or her time." I know my Heavenly Father loves me and is keeping my family safe while I am out here on a mission.
As for the investigators... well they are pretty scarse in this area! Are closest investigators that are progressing are Nick Tallet & Brooke Reynolds. They are a family that was actually referred to us by one of our members. They are soo close & I know that they know the gospel is true.. the only problem is, is that where they have mormon friends they also have the complete opposite - anti mormon friends - and it's the ones that have been members and than have gone away from the church. We have gotten all the many weird crazy questions but we finally are at another good point with them. Pray for them - they are so close!
I love you all so much! Thanks for the letters and support! Remember to keep following God no matter what! There will be hard times ahead - Remember the council that our Prophet Thomas S. Monson gave us, "look to the lighthouse of the Lord" and that will be how we can safely arive home!-- Love, ELDER PATRICK McBRIDE
5-17
HI guys!
Hope that this week has been good for you... goll it sounds like there have been some ups and downs but I am glad everyone is safe, keep it that way! As for me, I am doing great and am still residing here in Indio California.
Elder Palmer and I have had a good run. Our companionship is pretty much awesome! We thought for sure we would get transfered this week (because it is pretty rare to stay with a companion for more than 2 transfers.) But transfer calls came and wouldn't you know it - we are still together for another round! We are thinking that the Lord has a work for us that we have not yet accomplished together - Hopefully we can be diligent & obedient to accomplish His will!
So we are working with this less active guy named Brian Miller. He grew up in the church. His mom and step dad took them to church every week and the step dad made Brian be there early to set up the sacrament and get the church ready [hmm... sound familiar.. haha jk dad] anyway, Brian really didn't ever get a testimony in the church and so he just got sick of things and went less active. Well years later he is now 39 and called us over to his house to talk (which was about a month ago.) On our first couple of visits he had told us that he had not had any faith (didn't know what it was) and that he had never felt the spirit before. We have been giving him scriptures and every wednesday we have a basketball night with the elder quorum that he comes to and plays. Well he told us this week that he was sick of not being in the church he wanted to come back and get the priesthood and that he would need a priesthood blessing to help him with his really bad smoking problem. On Sunday the we, Bishop Jackman and a couple of the elders quorum members of the La Quinta ward went into the bishops office and gave a blessing. Wow, I am not going to relate to you all the words that were said in the blessing but the Lord spoke through Bishop Jackman and rebuked satan away! it was crazy! You could literally feel the spirits presence in the room! Brian is such and awesome guy and has such a strong testimony of the gospel now - Like the Lord told Ether trials and weaknesses "make you stonger".
We have also been working with this awesome family: the Ferrauds! [This is your special shout out Sister Ferraud... yup that was it!] They are so awesome, and full of laughs (don't worry we won't tell the bishop on you)! I have never really had members of the church that have fallen away for a time actually want to come back as much as they do here in Palm Desert! There are so many of our Heavenly Fathers children coming back to His fold! It's crazy the bonds & friendships you form with people when - if I would never had chosen to come out here and serve I would have never had!
Well I got to go for now, but I love you all sooo much and hope that you will each be safe this week! Remember the Lord gives us trials to make us stronger! How is everyone doing on being a missionary?? Everyone talking to friends and neighbors about the gospel and praying for missionary opportunities?? -- Love, ELDER PATRICK McBRIDE
P.S. Thanks for all the letters and packages! More are welcome
Hope that this week has been good for you... goll it sounds like there have been some ups and downs but I am glad everyone is safe, keep it that way! As for me, I am doing great and am still residing here in Indio California.
Elder Palmer and I have had a good run. Our companionship is pretty much awesome! We thought for sure we would get transfered this week (because it is pretty rare to stay with a companion for more than 2 transfers.) But transfer calls came and wouldn't you know it - we are still together for another round! We are thinking that the Lord has a work for us that we have not yet accomplished together - Hopefully we can be diligent & obedient to accomplish His will!
So we are working with this less active guy named Brian Miller. He grew up in the church. His mom and step dad took them to church every week and the step dad made Brian be there early to set up the sacrament and get the church ready [hmm... sound familiar.. haha jk dad] anyway, Brian really didn't ever get a testimony in the church and so he just got sick of things and went less active. Well years later he is now 39 and called us over to his house to talk (which was about a month ago.) On our first couple of visits he had told us that he had not had any faith (didn't know what it was) and that he had never felt the spirit before. We have been giving him scriptures and every wednesday we have a basketball night with the elder quorum that he comes to and plays. Well he told us this week that he was sick of not being in the church he wanted to come back and get the priesthood and that he would need a priesthood blessing to help him with his really bad smoking problem. On Sunday the we, Bishop Jackman and a couple of the elders quorum members of the La Quinta ward went into the bishops office and gave a blessing. Wow, I am not going to relate to you all the words that were said in the blessing but the Lord spoke through Bishop Jackman and rebuked satan away! it was crazy! You could literally feel the spirits presence in the room! Brian is such and awesome guy and has such a strong testimony of the gospel now - Like the Lord told Ether trials and weaknesses "make you stonger".
We have also been working with this awesome family: the Ferrauds! [This is your special shout out Sister Ferraud... yup that was it!] They are so awesome, and full of laughs (don't worry we won't tell the bishop on you)! I have never really had members of the church that have fallen away for a time actually want to come back as much as they do here in Palm Desert! There are so many of our Heavenly Fathers children coming back to His fold! It's crazy the bonds & friendships you form with people when - if I would never had chosen to come out here and serve I would have never had!
Well I got to go for now, but I love you all sooo much and hope that you will each be safe this week! Remember the Lord gives us trials to make us stronger! How is everyone doing on being a missionary?? Everyone talking to friends and neighbors about the gospel and praying for missionary opportunities?? -- Love, ELDER PATRICK McBRIDE
P.S. Thanks for all the letters and packages! More are welcome
5-10
Hello Family and Friends,
Sorry my emails arn't so spacy like Koltens but..... HAHA JUST KIDDING! Haha, I just thought what he said was funny :) . Oh my gosh it was SO GOOD to talk to all of you! The kids sound like they are growing like crazy!! Haha now you just need to teach Kenadi "I love Patch" instead of "I love Mary" ... haha, maybe that will be my job when I get home :) Right after I got off the phone (because I thought Elder Palmer was going to get on) I noticed that he was in the other room already on one of the homes cell phones - Goll, we could have been on longer! haha, I think our 1 1/2 was up though :'( Fastest phone calls ever!
Well this week was really fun! The weather here has been really really HOT... got up to a whopping 107 this past week!! I have no idea if I am going to stay here another transfer or leave... I am betting I will stay for another.. but we will see on Saturday. So you will never believe it but I got to go from the high 100 degrees to SNOW! That's right I got to play in the snow! On Saturday we got to help out with Mormon Helping Hands and it was a blast! We went up the the tram-way just above Palm Springs and guys... seriously soo awesome! We were diving in the snow for hours (and of course picking up trash on the mountain). On one of the hills we ran and slid down the mountain on our stomachs... well I got some air and flew right into a low hanging branch.. haha everyone keeps asking if Elder Palmer beat me up... I just nod my head and say "I can't wait for transfers" haha, just kidding I love Elder Palmer! He's a good kid!
On Tuesday for my district meeting I decided to train my district on a couple of things that Elder Ballard spoke on and spice it up with a little of my testimony as well. The training basically was on HOW to become a "Master Teacher" and I gave and explained in in three principles #1. Know the doctrine and scriptures, #2 Teach with understanding, #3 Have the Spirit Always! I love what Brother Sterling W. Sill says, "The ancient law of success is still in effect, that the sleeping princess can only be awakened be one with endurence enough to get through the flames & manhood enough to clear out all the obsticles placed in his way." Persistence to attain our goals is key! Well I love you all soooo much and again it was good to talk to you! Be safe, be persistent in following our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost!-- Love,
ELDER PATRICK MCBRIDE
Sorry my emails arn't so spacy like Koltens but..... HAHA JUST KIDDING! Haha, I just thought what he said was funny :) . Oh my gosh it was SO GOOD to talk to all of you! The kids sound like they are growing like crazy!! Haha now you just need to teach Kenadi "I love Patch" instead of "I love Mary" ... haha, maybe that will be my job when I get home :) Right after I got off the phone (because I thought Elder Palmer was going to get on) I noticed that he was in the other room already on one of the homes cell phones - Goll, we could have been on longer! haha, I think our 1 1/2 was up though :'( Fastest phone calls ever!
Well this week was really fun! The weather here has been really really HOT... got up to a whopping 107 this past week!! I have no idea if I am going to stay here another transfer or leave... I am betting I will stay for another.. but we will see on Saturday. So you will never believe it but I got to go from the high 100 degrees to SNOW! That's right I got to play in the snow! On Saturday we got to help out with Mormon Helping Hands and it was a blast! We went up the the tram-way just above Palm Springs and guys... seriously soo awesome! We were diving in the snow for hours (and of course picking up trash on the mountain). On one of the hills we ran and slid down the mountain on our stomachs... well I got some air and flew right into a low hanging branch.. haha everyone keeps asking if Elder Palmer beat me up... I just nod my head and say "I can't wait for transfers" haha, just kidding I love Elder Palmer! He's a good kid!
On Tuesday for my district meeting I decided to train my district on a couple of things that Elder Ballard spoke on and spice it up with a little of my testimony as well. The training basically was on HOW to become a "Master Teacher" and I gave and explained in in three principles #1. Know the doctrine and scriptures, #2 Teach with understanding, #3 Have the Spirit Always! I love what Brother Sterling W. Sill says, "The ancient law of success is still in effect, that the sleeping princess can only be awakened be one with endurence enough to get through the flames & manhood enough to clear out all the obsticles placed in his way." Persistence to attain our goals is key! Well I love you all soooo much and again it was good to talk to you! Be safe, be persistent in following our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost!-- Love,
ELDER PATRICK MCBRIDE
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