Happy Thanksgiving!

It was a super good week again! Time just speeds by here.  I can't believe it's almost been two months already!  That's 1/12th of my mission!  I don't think I'm ever going to want to go home (sorry Mom)! :)  Thank you sooooo much for the package!  No worries - I shared it.  I shared a lot actually, but then felt bad because it probably took a lot of money to send it over here.  I am saving the rest and it should be safe from the other Elders because I set a Book of Mormon on top of it - so they'll either have to crawl under, over, or around that book to get to it . . . Jeffrey R. Holland anyone?  Haha - I'm such a nerd, sorry!


Speaking of the Book of Mormon - I finished it this week!  Very good book and I recommend it to everyone.  Oh, but I started to keep a study journal that I write in as I read and thoughts come into my head, and it is amazing how much more in depth I get with the scriptures that way.  I should have started that a long time ago, and you should have too.  My testimony of the book is so much stronger than ever before!  I can whip a scripture out of it for just about everything now.


I'm glad to hear about the garden!  I hope it's delicious. I think I'm a little malnourished here because I haven't had vegetables in 6 weeks, but it's all right. You sent a Christmas package already huh!  I'm super excited!  The last one got here in 12 days, so not too shabby!


So . . . M. Russell Ballard came to the DR for a Caribbean area conference and stayed in the MTC building.  He never came and said hi or anything, but we got to watch his conference which was really good.  He was the apostle that set this country apart for missionary work, so he loves it.


Every Sunday, we watch a "video fireside" of past apostles that spoke in Provo, and this week we watched L. Tom Perry.  He spoke in Provo about a week after we left!  I was kinda sad that we missed him - but it's the same message anyways, so no worries.  We also have firesides on Sunday nights, and this past Sunday, a stake choir came to sing for us.  To be completely honest, they sounded pretty bad, but they sang with all their might.  They believed what they were singing and I could see their testimonies in their eyes.  I cried like a baby . . . I can't think of the last time I actually really cried, but that night was just incredible.  My love for the people here grew like 1,000,000,000,000 times!


So, I'm not exactly sure what will happen for Thanksgiving here, but because it's not a national holiday, I'm pretty sure that it's gonna be nothing.  But, I hope it's good back in old AZ!  Watch some football or the Macy's Day Parade, or something for me.  Oh, and stuff your face!  But, remember how the Lord has blessed your life.  It may seem hard to tell from your comfy couches in Gilbert, AZ, but if you came over to the DR, you'd know what I meant.  You are blessed beyond what you know.


I leave on Monday and I'm not sure when my p-day will be in the field, so I figured I'd throw my two cents worth in about Thanksgiving!  Oh, and the Dominicans are already putting up Christmas trees!  Ya, they have them here - all fake, but they have the right idea.  I love you all and I'll talk to you later!


Love,
Elder McBride

Dominican MTC

Hola

Another week?!  What?  It honestly seems like yesterday when I last wrote. Time goes by so fast here.  So, where to start . . . I leave here on the 23rd. The President of the East Mission lives in an apartment complex that overlooks the MTC and I guess sometimes he watches up play basketball, haha.  So, the East missionaries just pick up their bags and walk across the street early that morning, and you get sent out to do work that day!  Nuts!  I am super stoked to go out into the campo (field) and teach people for real, and share our amazing message, but I'm not gonna lie, I'm a little nervous. This is when my Spanish will really count!  Will they laugh at me! - or will they feel the spirit I'm trying to share with them?  Who knows?  But the University has been going really well, that's for sure.  I understand 100% more than I did the first time I went.  Oh, and our trainers are usually North American first transfer, which will be nice, but ya, I'm so excited to get out there . . . 11 days!


So we have some Latino roommates that are pretty cool.  One, Elder Martinez is one of the most amazing basketball players I've ever played! He's amazing.  Both of the Elders in my room were baptized no more than two years ago - without any family with them.  They are so strong to be able to do that, especially when their family is against it.  Oh, and Elder Martinez was baptized by one of the teachers here while he was on his mission. Pretty cool.  We've had some incidents with the other elder peeing in the bathtub (no, not in the shower) - just got tired of the toilet I guess . . . and, he's gone on the floor a few times too . . . but, hopefully we got the point across.....


Is it cooling down at all yet?  Christmas is soon and it's weird cuz it is still super hot here.  Oh, and I keep forgetting, but about a month ago, the toe of my right shoe started coming off and it has gotten pretty bad lately.  I'm gonna try to glue it up, but I'll keep you posted about that.


So, not many exciting events or contact this week, but it has been really good, nonetheless.  I never thought I could study the scriptures for hours at a time, but now I crave it.  I've grown so much here I can feel it.  But don't worry - I'm not a new person or anything!  Still pretty goofy and a little weird sometimes!  Anyways, thanks for the letters!  It's supposed to take around a week to get here, which I think is accurate.  But, the last letters I sent took around 2 weeks, so don't worry - I'm writing back, it just takes some time.  


Love you all!
Elder McBride

Hey Everyone!

So another week here in the D.R. Nothing too exciting went on this week. We are really starting to get in the groove here. The Latino missionaries report today, so that will be kind of cool!

I think I finally picked out my missionary plaque scripture Mom. While I was doing personal study a few weeks ago, I came across Alma 29:9-10, which I really love - and I think that's the one, but I'll let you know for sure.

About my companion. He's the last child of 10 and you can definitely tell! He's nice, but kind of last childy - ya know? He is super smart. His dad is a rocket scientist and I think it rubbed off a little on him!

Thanks for Matt and Greg's letters. They were really fun. I wrote Greg last week, so the letter should have just gotten there I think - and, I'm working on a letter for Matt. It's so cool they're already out in the field.

So, there is no possible way to get any kind of sugar here, which is driving us all completely insane! We get ice cream on Sundays, but other than that - nada! I was so spoiled at home with that huge pantry and such. I honestly think that if any missionaries found candy, there would be a District-gang fight over it! haha jk - but if you ever feel like sending a package, feel free. But no pressure or anything. I know that it's really expensive. Oh, and for packages, don't send USPS, but use UPS or FEDX because they are much safer.

I'm kind of sad that I don't . . .(end of e-mail)

(new e-mail)

Sorry, I had to go get a haircut, eat lunch, do service and go to gym and now I'm back. So honestly the week has been pretty uneventful. As I said before, the Latino missionaries come today, but I really haven't seen them yet, so I'll tell you how that goes next week.

Ummmm . . . I think I made some major progress in Spanish this week. Twice a week, we have days that we can only speak Spanish, and it honestly isn't that big of a problem anymore, but, the University Spanish is definitely way harder to understand. I know with the Lord's help, I'll get the hang of it sooner or later though.

I hope Halloween was fun! Many dulces for the hermanitos? Tell Dad good luck at the Stake Youth thingy - sounds fun! And Alex playing the piano for the fireside . . . what?! Love you all and sorry this one is kind of short. It's pretty much the same old as of right now. Have a good week!

Love,

Elder McBride

p.s. Don't worry about the candy. I know we're going through some hard times right now and I'll sacrifice it! :)

Love,

Elder McBride