Hard Week

This is my cake a few days late!

Hey Momma!

I'm sorry my e-maiI's are kind of lacking in certain areas right now. I know how much you like to hear about the people I'm teaching and baptisms, and a little bit about their stories, but the truth is that I haven't written much about any of that stuff lately because nothing is happening. No matter how hard I work or how obedient I am, I haven't really seen any success or people progressing in the Gospel of Jesus Christ...I wish it were otherwise, and I wish I had cool stories to tell - but most of the day is spent sweating in the hot sun, knocking on doors, which get slammed in our faces a few seconds later. I had never had a door slammed in my face in the whole year I have been in the DR. That is the reason for not talking about people too recently. Alvin, the one I was talking about before, just kind of disappeared off the face of the earth, and we haven't been able to establish any kind of contact with him.
  
All of this stuff may seem kind of bad to you - but if anything, it has helped me a ton personally. When I am having a ton of success baptizing a person a week, I don't really have to concentrate on what I am doing wrong - because everything seems to be going great! Out here, I have had to question myself a million times wondering if I am the kind of missionary that I am supposed to be, and put myself through the refiner's fire to make sure that I am. I haven't seen much success lately, but I am comforted in knowing that I am doing all that I know how to do. I have learned to rely more on the Lord our here in Bávaro and serve with all of my heart, might, mind, and strength. I don't need to see cool miracles or have 100 baptisms to feel good, because I know that you guys and my Savior are proud of me if I am giving all that I am.
  
When the president called me a few weeks ago, he told me to work just in the area right around the church - to support the decision of the stake president in putting the branch here. So, I haven't been able to get to know the members as well as I would have like to. We have one member in our neighborhood, and the next closest is about a 30 minute bus ride away...One of the members in the new branch presidency is doing really well, and has come to church both times that we have had it. The other two haven't really been coming, but all we really need is one, right? there is one cool family, headed by an RM, who has come to church two weeks in a row! He was a branch president in the Capitol, and then fell away our here. We will try our best to get him reactivated again because he knows a ton about the scriptures and stuff, which is something that we really need out here.
  
So I opened the 1 year mark package a day earlier than I was supposed to because I found an ant trail leading into it, so I cleaned it out and taped it back up and . . . waited! Everything seems to be find though - thank you for everything! I also just got a package from Emiy today filled with goodies and a yoga book - which I am way pumped for! Still waiting on the Chelsea package ...
  
Well, I need to e-mail the boys back and finish up, but I hope you all enjoy general conference this weekend!

Love, Elder McBride

WHAT? - HALF DONE ALREADY!

Dear Family!
  
Sorry that the e-mail is coming a little bit late today.  We headed over to La Romana last night and are just getting back now because we had Zone unity stuff to start out the transfer - including a soccer game in which I scored the winning goal!
  
Thank you so much for all of the birthday stuff!  It was an awesome birthday even though I was so far away from everyone.  Mom, I got my birthday package and my half-way package when I went to the Capitol to pick up Elder Sunderhaus - so don't worry.  I didn't get the one from Chelsea though . . . sorry Chels.  The birthday package was so full of good stuff that I didn't even know what to do!  I especially appreciated the kit to make animal balloons!  I never would have even thought of asking for those, but they make the best little gifts for the little kids on the streets!  I am going to start doing that for the little member kids in the branch and I will be sure to send home pictures.  Elder Sunderhaus and I did end up going to Tony Romas for my birthday and WOW . . . it was amazing. :)  I had a blue cheese bacon burger and he got the half-rack of ribs - and we switched part way through to try the other's meal.  We also had onion rings and they brought out a big free ice cream brownie at the end for my b-day!  After all of that excitement it was a normal day of work, but it was a good time.  :)

 Elder Sunderhaus

My Bacon Blue Cheeseburger!

So this past week has been awesome with Elder Sunderhaus!  We get along great already and our only major problem is that we talk way too long into the night about all of the people we have in common and things like that.  He was way pumped when he found out that Trevor is going to Nicaragua and that Rob is going to Mexico.  They should all do great and we can all speak Spanish when we go home!  We are working super hard and being really obedient and clean.  Finally . . . a clean companion!  As a missionary, you find out a lot of things about yourself and I have realized that I am a pretty clean guy.  Unfortunately, most of my companions haven't been - and I refuse to clean up after them.  I even watched ants form an ant hill on a dirty plate of Elder _____________'s one time.  Gross Right?  Anyways, Elder Sunderhaus and I gave the house a good deep clean and we plan on keeping it that way!  We also decided to mess around with the hot water heater and it works now!  I can't express how wonderful a hot shower feels - even if it is really hot outside.  There is just something about it. :)
  
So when I went to transfers on Tuesday, I got to say hi to Elder Despain again!  He is doing great and was super excited to get started!  He said, "I feel like my entire life has just been building up to this moment", and he kind of looked amazingly filled with joy.   I took him one of my favorite ties and gave it to him to get him started on his missionary collection.  He will probably have a million more in no time, but I was the first!  His trainer is Elder Blake and he is downtown in the Capitol in the Santo Domingo Zone/Stake. - somewhere I have never been . . . I think I am doomed to stay far away from everyone for my whole mission.  I don't really know Elder Blake very well.  He is in Elder Campbell's (my old companion) group - so he has been out about 15 months now.  The only interaction I have really had with him has been kicking a soccer ball in his face as he was playing goalie a few months ago.  From that act of bravery and dedication, I am sure that he is the kind of missionary that gives 100%!  But, always remember, the trainer doesn't make the missionary.
  
You asked how we got to spend time at that resort on our P-Day.  There is a semi-active member in our ward who is from Venezuela.  He is the Number 2 guy at the hotel and resorts RIU in the Dominican Republic.  He hooked us up with an all-access day pass and let us roam around free for the day!  It was soooooooo beautiful!  If you do come here, I would highly, highly recommend it.  We ate a ton of amazing food and played some sand court volleyball (don't worry - not on the beach) and just enjoyed the luxury and all that.  Probably the best P-Day in the history of all missionaries ever!  (It's amazing how different the circumstances are in the different areas Taylor has been in.  In Monte Plata, his first area, it was in the jungle and I felt like he was in the middle of Africa.  Now, look at him now in Punta Cana.  What a difference!)
     
The Stake President came last week and talked with me and asked for recommendations for new leadership in the Branch and he amazingly took my advice.  The Branch President is the same, but he put in two new counselors and a secretary who came a few amount of times.  I think that with their new responsibilities that they will step up their behavior and be the leaders we need.  I hope . . .  President Antivilo just wanted me to focus all of my time and talents on the missionary work because doing the stuff that I was doing was cutting into all of my proselyting time and just not stuff a missionary should have to worry about.  So, I am EXCITED!
  
That is way cool about Cole's mission call - and Brandee and Mason getting married, and all of the other stuff that is going on back at home!  Sorry that I don't have a lot of time to comment on it, but just know that I am paying attention!  I love you all so much!

Elder McBride

Just wanted to post some pics to contrast all 3 areas

Looking out the window in Monté Plata

Outside in Valienté

Taylor's Church/Home in Bávaro

Re: Happy 20th Birthday!

Dear Mom,
  
Thank you so much for the birthday wishes!  I haven't received those packages yet, but I might get them tomorrow at transfers!  I don't have a whole lot of time because we got to chill at the RIU resort today and eat at the buffet all day and do all of the cool activities that they offer that don't have the water.  It was sooooooo fun! - but I will talk a little more about it and send pics when I have time.

  
Transfer calls came last night . . . and I am staying here still to help the branch out!  The stake presidency visited us and called some counselors to help out the branch.  They are less-actives, but hopefully at least one of them will show up every Sunday.  I am getting sent Elder Sunderhaus - my friend from Red Mountain High School, so I am really, really excited!  He is a great elder and we are sure to work real hard together.  I should be going to the Capitol tomorrow to pick him up and escort him out here.  Hopefully I will be able to see Elder Despain and be able to know who his trainer is and stuff.  I am sure that he will get a good one.  I know some really good elders who are training this transfer. haha.
  
I am trying to reactivate a less-active in my branch who is a baptism of Elder Fuentes.  He told everyone out here that his family owns half of Arizona I guess . . . :) anyways, that is cool that you were able to chat about the mission with him a little bit.
  
Tell Dad happy birthday again for me!  I hope it goes well over there and I have plans myself to take a little bit of money out of the home account so that I can buy some Tony Romas for my b-day!  Yuuuum:)  Well, sorry that all my time got wasted at the hotel today.  I will make sure to write an extra super long e-mail this next week to make up for all of that.
  
I love you so much and tell everyone I said hi!  Oh, and I sent Sister Montgomery a letter pretty recently, so I hope that she gets that soon!  I got a shout-out from Elder McDermott last week!  One of the senior missionary couples in my mission has a grandson who is in the same mission as Brock and my name got mentioned.  He said to say hi to me.  Crazy small world right?!

Love, Elder McBride

Happy Birthday Daddio!

Dear Family,
  
First I will tackle the questions and comments:  1)That is coolio that Sister Despain read my blog about seeing Jeff.  I bet he is gettin' super pumped to come out into the field next week! 2) We were only in Santo Domingo for one day. We took a bus and headed straight back.  I saw Sister Antivilo this Sunday at stake conference and it was good to see her.  3) No, no apostles have come lately. 4) I stayed the night with the zone leaders.  One is from Managua, Nicaragua - which is where Trevor is going, right?  5) The president of my branch that is so sick is President Rafael Rodriguez and he has been president since a year ago when the branch opened.  6) No, I can't have a bike since my area is so big.  Bikes here get stolen or broken too easily so there aren't any in the entire mission.  7) You should tell Cassie to send me one of her wedding invitations!  Tell her and Jeremy hi for me and congratulations :)
  
So this past week was quite the week.  We were super busy the entire time, but hardly got any proselyting done at all!  It turns out that the old secretary of the branch was paying the power bills with undeposited tithing money, so I had to work with the stake to fix all of that up.  The electricity in the house went out - so I have had to try to get someone to fix that and it still isn't finished.  I had to find transportation for the members to use to get to stake conference and still try to find the time to teach people.
  
For all of those reasons and others, President Antivilo called me last night really late and we had a long discussion about the area.  He doesn't want me to have to deal with all of this stuff.  He doesn't like the situation he put me in at all.  He said that I am one of his hard working, high baptizing missionaries and he wants to put me somewhere I can be more effective.  He wants me to be a full-time missionary - and he doesn't know if this branch is stable enough to have missionaries . . . He made sure to tell me a thousand times that none of this is my fault, but he is going to have to really decide if this is an area that can progress anywhere in the next little while.  He told me that he put missionaries here because the stake president begged him to, but that he didn't really know the situation that well until he came to the La Romana Stake Conference this past week-end and talked a lot with the stake president.  So . . . where I was once sure that I was going to stay over here and be able to try to help the branch - now I just don't know.  It is kind of a toss up decision.  I would be pretty embarrassed if my area got shut down, but I know that none of the blame is really mine.  He just wants missionaries to work in a place where they can concentrate on the work and where there is priesthood leadership and support.  I want to try and turn this place around.  I will keep working my hardest and it will be hard to have to leave here after how badly I want to help fix it - but I will do whatever the president wants.  I guess we'll see what will go down next week in transfer calls.
  
Well the week was good besides that I guess.  Elder Martinez - a Puerto Rican Seventy came and spoke to us which was pretty cool.  It was kind of a cross between a stand up comedy session and an edifying talk.  Church leaders like that just inspire me!  Every time I hear someone like that, I just want to be exactly like them and it really just pumps me up.  President Antivilo spoke as well, and it is amazing how comfortable he looks and speaks in front of so many people.  I have seen that a few times now and it really impresses me.  I wouldn't be surprised if he goes pretty far in church leadership by the end of his life.
  
Today we went to Manatee Park finally!  Wooohooo!  It was actually really cool!  They had a bunch of shows like a dolphin, parrot, native and horse show.  They were all pretty good, even though they don't quite compare to Sea World exactly - but I wasn't expecting it to be like that either.  Another part that was really cool was the variety of people that were there.  We met people from England, Cananda, Poland, Russia, Brazil and pretty much every where else in the world.  I am pretty sure that I was the only American over there.
  
Sorry I had to draw out a little more money.  My watch broke so I had to go buy a new one, and I also took a little more out to support myself with.  It is like we are trying to live in America on a Dominican salary in this area.  I have talked with some people high up about it and they refund our traveling - but it doesn't help that much.
  
Well, that is pretty much it for right now.  Take care and make sure you make dad's birthday good!  Happy birthday dad - I already sent a letter a few weeks ago - so hopefully it will come in time.  If not, I'm sorry :)

Me by a HUGE iguana!

A huge motorcycle downtown

The dolphin show at the Manatee Park

Our house/church building

The downstairs of our house where we hold our meetings.

Happy September :D

Dear Everyone,

Hey, the temple was great today!  It was really the spiritual re-charge that I had been needing.  I love the peace that is there and the silence almost hurts my ears because of the noise that I am so accustomed to.  After we walked out of the temple, we met some missionaries that still are in the CCM.  I asked one of them if he knew an Elder Despain.  He said that Elder Despain was his district leader, so I asked him to go get him for me.  Right about then, our bus to leave started to take off.  I haggled an extra two minutes and right then he came running up and we got to talk for a few minutes!  It was kind of weird to see him to be honest - but way cool as well!  He had that excited, pumped up, new missionary kind of feel that is kind of like a breath of fresh air.  He already knew a little about my area, so we talked a little about that.  He asked me a few questions, and then we had to take off - but it was really fun while it lasted!  I didn't get to test out his Spanish or anything like I wanted to, but he seems to be doing really well.  How cool would it be if I could train him this next transfer?  It is a decent sized group, so chances are that I might train - so we'll see I guess.

     
So, apart from the temple, the week has been pretty crazy.  It turns out that our now in-active secretary was paying the bills for the house with the tithing money, so that brought out some pretty huge problems.  I had phone calls and a visit from the church offices in the Capitol so we could try to patch things up.  Turns out that things are so much better when you just do them right the first time... with all of that, the temple, missionary meetings, and stake conference, we almost don't even have time to proselyte - which is pretty disappointing.  I know that I shouldn't feel bad because it is all necessary stuff - but I don't really like it.  Especially when we have a zone meeting or have to go to the Capitol and have to spend the night at other missionaries houses. Sleep-overs just don't seem quite as fun when bed time is at 10:30!

     
So about the hurricane.  It was coming over to us supposedly, so we got a warning call from the zone leaders and they told us to make a quick 72 hour kit and take it easy in the house if anything got too bad.  The hurricane didn't really hit us too hard over here - we kind of got a little bit of the outside I guess.  Super hard winds, black skies, and tooooooons of rain - but nothing too bad.  Luckily where I am now, we have paved roads and a drainage system, so there weren't really any major problems.  Kind of a close call though I guess.

     
So about the church being new here.  Yes, it wasn't here before.  A few months ago, it was only available in a city about an hour from where we live.  I got an e-mail from Jordan Williams today!  First time I have talked to him since the MTC which was pretty awesome!  Tell Nana Happy Birthday and I am going to write her a personalized real letter, even though it will be a little belated.

     
Yeah, this place is really expensive . . . I am trying to live well, but sorry if I take out more money than usual.  Thanks for everything and I will talk to you next week!

Love, Elder McBride

A picture I found from around Easter time when the Dickerson's were there