Glasgow: One Month down...Still going Stribling Warrior Strong

Well another week here in Glasgow has FLOWN by! This week was so crazy and busy, but I guess that's a good thing! When you don't have time to think about yourself then you can be worried about everyone else. Sometimes a little too worried. Michaels Baptism is this Sunday and he is so great. He is just the best. We also met a new guy and his name is Daniel, He is so incredibly smart. He studies Rocket Science at the University.We have met with him once and he is coming to Family Home Evening with us tonight. 

     On Monday we cleaned the flat, like every other Monday, This last week Sister Dias hit 5 months and I hit ONE! woo so exciting. So in order to celebrate we got matching boots. No not really she just didn't have any and mine broke. We went to the post office. OH MAN, let me tell you about these post offices. SOOO confusing, the lady told me each time I want to send a letter I need to bring it in and weigh it. I was confused because each letter will weigh the same. One envelope. One paper. and Some pen on it. She kept telling me no no no you need to bring it in so we can weigh it and then we have you pay for it then. I kept telling her I just want stamps. Stamps to america is all I want. I just need stamps. Soon enough she just sold me some stamps, but as I talked with the Elders I realized she got me! She had me pay £1.28 for each stamps and the Elders told me they bought .98 pence stamps. Sheesh, that lady was crazy. So now we will never go to that Post office again. 

     Tuesday we had our district meeting. We have 9 baptisms coming up in the next two weeks. Two on the 30th, and 7 on the 7th (LOL huh?) Then we did a survey with people near Glasgow University about family history. That's always fun.

     On Wednesday(thanks for teaching me how to spell Wednesday Cype. Wed.nes.day who would have thought) We got a list of names and address' last week that we have been trying to find. We found one lady on the list but she told us that she was Mormon a LONG LONG time ago. Now she doesn't want to be any more because she ''does all the thing we aren't supposed to'' She told us to take her name off and so we will. We chapped doors around her flat and one of the men started yelling at us. Asking us who gave us the authority to go around to peoples doors. ''Well sir, Actually the Lord called us to do this, to share with people.The prophet of the Lord has given us the authority to preach the principles of the Gospel.'' He didn't like our answer but then again most people don't. Soon enough.

     Thursday we planned. Weekly planning takes about 3 hours, Then we met with a lovely girl named Rachel. She is so sweet. She and Michael are definitely the best ever. (Mom note: That's basically what she says about every investigator and every church member and well...everyone!) Then we came back to the flat to have language study. 

     Friday we met with a lot of people, Pierre, Eric, Michael. We got cancelled on once :( sad I know. Saturday we played football and cleaned the church building with the McCall's. Then we made cheesecake with the AMAZING FAITH Graham and then we went to visit Sister Kangall. 

     Sunday Church was great, as usual. We had a lesson and then watched Mormon messages at the Browning's Flat. Over all this week was great. The work is going on and I love this chance I have to be a part of it. Missions are great! Everyone should serve one! (the wise words of Bishop Ashton.) And to think, I used to think only crazy people went on Missions. I know this is where I am supposed to be. I don't want to be anywhere else, The Lord doesnt need me anywhere else. I LOVE YOU ALL!

 

HAPPY ALMOST BIRTHDAY DADDY! Thanks for putting up with me all these years and helping me with EVERYTHING that I could ever need or want. Your the best (as you say when the doctor asks if you're my dad) I am her Father. There is this song that we listen to almost every day, and it's talking about our heavenly father but I think of you each time. "He loves me the way I am. He's my strength when I stand. I am his daughter" I hope you have a great birthday, and maybe if you're lucky Cype and Calli will make you a cake. Sister Dias and I will eat some cake over here for you, dont worry

​ It was pouring down rain the whole time walking home(like always.. ) we got soaked

Beautiful SUNNY day today!!!(still freezing cold though)

Week 2 in Glasgow: I need thee EVERY hour (and probably a lot more than that)

Whew. Second week down. Tough but good. This week we had a lot of people cancel on us. Tough part about this is wanting to share with them this great gift that we have. But this last week, I have come to realize something. I can't do much more than to offer. Offer to help someone, to serve someone, to carry their grocery bags (which weigh a ton), offer to clean their yard, or offer to share anything with them. The Only thing I can do, The ONLY thing I have control over is how I love them. How instead of walking into someone's house that smells horrible and judging them, and thinking less of them, How can I turn myself around and love them? How can I offer to give them all I have? How can I learn to love these people by serving them? I have a lot to learn still. I feel like I have learned a lot, but it is not enough. If we are content with the people that we are, we will be going backward in the Gospel. How can I, Sister Stribling, learn to accept people for who they are? How can I love them? Truly love them. Not just say that I love them, but to show them that I really do love them. How can I stop being sarcastic and talking down to people around me? even though people think that it's funny. What is one thing that all of this has in common? It keeps me from the spirit.

 

On Saturday I fasted for 24 hours. I have never done this before in my life. I didn't think it would even be possible. When I was fasting I made a list; a list of 11 things that I have noticed keep me from feeling the spirit as loving and as openly as I can. So now for 40 days I will be avoiding these things in order to feel the spirit more, to be more worthy, to have that presence with me. It's gonna be really hard, but so great. 

 

This week has been a little crazy, one pair of boots down, one to buy today... Yeah I already broke my boots from walking.... Sheesh. So off to the charity shop to buy new ones today.  (Mom note: Mondays are PDays.  Sister Stribling emails us from the Library)

 

Tuesday we went to the University of Glasgow campus and we did a survey about family history. Most of the people were really very nice so that was uplifting. After this we taught Michael. Michael is so amazing, He is getting baptized on the 30th and we are SO excited for him. 

Wednesday we had a lot of studies followed by someone not showing up and us waiting in the library for about 30 minutes. But then we went to see the amazing Pierre. Seriously. Pierre is so amazing. He had wayyy too much food for us (one hour before our dinner appointment), and he bought us leather gloves, because our hands are ALWAYS frozen after it rains and we just have our cotton gloves. He is so nice (:

Thursday we had our weekly planning (for 3 hours.) SUPER FUN! Then we went around a nieghborhood called Archerhill. And we found out that there is an Archerhill road, avenue, court, and square...haha too crazy 

I need to get better at managing this computer time, haha I promise next week's email will have all the days on it.. Maybe.

In the field! Oh Glasgow..

The Field is white (not with snow but with people)(not the color of people just... ya know Doctrine and Covenants section 4) ANNNNYYYWAYYYY....

Okay so we got here on Wednesday after a 25 hour trip. Craziness. Never again in my life do I want to travel that much. Sheesh. Well anyway the trip wasn't so bad after we got to Amsterdam, called Papa bear and he was crying before he went into work heehee, (Crybaby ya know.) Man these UK keyboards are weird.. all the symbols are different and in the wrong place... I'll figure it out..  

 

Day one(Wednesday) we slept and ate.. then ate some more.. 

 

Day Two!(First day in the field)- We climbed up Pratts Hill(more like mountain sheesh I almost died) IT WAS SO WINDY! people were falling over and sliding down, rolling in mud, it was great. It was so cold and windy. After that we came back to the Mission home and had pasta and chicken. Mmmm yummy. After lunch we met with President Brown's assistants and we had a lesson. During this time President Brown was pulling us out one at a time to talk with us. THIS TALK DETERMINED WHO WE WOULD BE COMPANIONS WITH. Well obviously I said something right(finally) because I got the best Trainer ever! Sister Dias! (no D but G) Spelled with D pronounced with G. She is from BRAZIL! So we are learning how to talk to these people together. It's tough to understand them at times, and some of them talk so fast... Then they realize I am American and laugh a bit, and then restart slowly. The members here are great! Most of them are pretty nice. The people we talk to on the streets.. not so much... 

Day three(Friday)-First full day in the field! I am so lucky Sister Dias is patient with me... Haha I ask her the same question probably like 10 times. But she just gives me the answer and doesn't seem bothered at all. Most of the Questions I have pertain to the buses. What number was it again? Are we taking the 6 or 6A right now? Is this our stop? How about this stop? This still isn't our stop? When do we get off? Are you sure we didn't miss our stop? Sister Dias is so sweet. Friday we taught our first lesson together with a recent convert, his name is Pierre. Pierre is so sweet! He's great really. We talked with him about the attributes that Christ has and which ones we need to work on. After this we went to visit with Sister Barnshaw, She is so sweet! Its great! After visiting with sister Barnshaw we went to visit our neighbor Jim(LOL huh dad, Same Neighbors) Jim is not a member, but all of the Sister Missionaries love him! He lost his sweet wife a little while ago but he is so loving. He is funny, and sweet he is really just a sweetheart! Cutest little old man ever. 

Day four(Saturday)- We met the Elders and some members and non-members and played football(soccer) after we studied and then we went with Sister Gardner to visit some people she told us about, Maria and Evelyn. Maria is about 82 and she lives with her daughter. Maria only speaks spanish so Sister Dias does all the talking and I kinda just sit there and smile. Maria is so sweet!!! After this we went to go and visit Sister K. She is less active but this woman is so loving and sweet. On the first bus we took we met a SUPER drunk man. He just kept on talking, on and on. I told him we were missionaries and he told us he was Catholic. He offered us his Vodka which we kindly denied. Haha crazy people you meet. We missed two buses to Sister Kangals house and we were an hour late. But she had a ton of cake for us to eat when we got there. We talked with her and gave her a prayer rock(put it on your pillow when you wake up and on the floor when you go to sleep.) 

Day five(Sunday)- We studied then we went to church, Elder Burt(our district leader) gave a talk. After Church we went to a baptism for Nina. After the baptism we decided to go and vist this lady named Lorna, but she wasn't home.. :( so instead we decided to Chap(tract) we knocked on so many doors, met so many practicing Catholics, got told no so many times. This Gospel, This Church has brought me so much happiness in my life and people get mad when I try to share it with them.. I don't think they would be mad if I offered them £500. This Church is worth so much more!! UGGGHHHHH. Anyway. So after we failed at this we walked to the bus stop to head on our way to the church for a CES Broadcast. At the bus stop this lady walked up and stood there. She had on the cutest shoes I've ever seen in my life. They were sparkly loafers, you know just my style. So I told her that I liked her shoes. AND BAM we were in. She asked us why we were here in Scotland? oh you know we are actually missionaries for our church. Oh what church is that? The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints we told her. Oh Mormons? Exactly we said. She told us that about two years ago these 2 Mormon boys came to her house and gave her a leaflet(pamphlet) but never came back. We invited Debbie to hear what we had to share with her and she so sweetly said that she would love to. We will meet her on Thursday! AHHHH The Lord answers prayers. For sure.

Day 6(Monday)- Went grocery shopping.. it was horrible.. I hate £'s it is so confusing and expensive.. ughhh.. But we got what we needed with £2 to spare. NICE! 

 

Well everyone, I love you. Heavenly Father loves you. I am so excited to be able to Serve this mission for the next 18 months. This is where I am supposed to be. I would love to hear from you all The Post takes about 2 weeks for letters to get here but it's worth it! Heavenly Father's Church is on the earth again. It has been restored and will never again be taken off of the earth. We can be with our families forever. Jesus Christ has paid the ultimate price for each of us. I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! Hope all is well. Till next week ~Love Sister Stribling

Week 2 Provo MTC "Excited to go into the Mission Field tomorrow"

　 　 　WOO HOO! I have made it to the end of my stay at the MTC, We are leaving tomorrow at 9:25, We have a 25 hour trip and 4 layovers before we get to the Mission home in Scotland. We are so excited, but kinda sad... We will get new companions, new trainers, and might not see each other for a long while. But you know what, I am so fine with it. And here is why... The Lord is in charge. If we give him the reigns he is able to lead us down a road that is much easier than the road we would be wandering down and getting lost in by ourselves. When we are able to trust in the Lord, enough to allow him to do whatever it is that he sees fit, that is when miracles happen. We had a devotional last night by Sister Nelson. Yeah that's right.. Russel M. Nelsons wife. She is so awesome. She read us part of a conference talk by Elder Scott.  In it he tells of what he thinks Jesus Christ said to Peter, after asking him if he loved him. Jesus Christ needs Disciples, truly true disciples. People that will follow him no matter what the consequences are.

　 　 　 I am so excited to go into the Mission Field tomorrow, WE HAVE SO MUCH WORK TO DO! It just makes me happy knowing that people will be able to know what I also know. T-24 Hours! I love you all so much, Thank you for every thing! I will talk to you all soon.

 

Where in  the World??!! is Scotland/Ireland

Cheese-y Sisters Wagner & Stribling

 Elder Martin and Elder Villanueva; Sister Wagner and I, We make the most of "freetime"

 

Sister Stribling and her companion Sister Wagner & Sister Skagen & Sister Reed

Sister Wagner and I, Sister Skagen and Sister Reed...... Oh and Elder Udell

 left to right SISTERS- Eyre,Stribling, Goates, Graham, Davis, Skagen, Hirschi, Reed, Wagner.

Elders left to right, Lindsey, Villanueva, Hansen, Jensen (photobomber),

(nobody knows who the Elder with the red tie is....)