WAHOO!!!!

Dear Ireland Clan,

Well, transfer day is tomorrow....and....I'm.....going.....to........LETHBRIDGE!!!! My companion is, Sister Tomlinson, who will be the most 'seasoned' sister in the mission because Sis. Green is going home tomorrow, therefore making Sister Tomlinson the oldest. The ward I'll be serving in will be a YSA ward (Young Single Adult). I'm VERY excited yet sad at the same time because I'll be leaving Sis. Hill in Tuscany to train a new sister missionary who will be arriving tonight. Sis. Hill is simply the best and I'll miss serving with her. We have had many 'Excellent Adventures' in the land of Tuscany and perhaps we'll experience more if we serve together once again.......someday...... :)

Sis. Hill and I experienced an awesome miracle this past Sunday. Like I said before we had the goal of baptizing someone in October and the final Sunday for someone to come came but to no avail. So, when we came home from church we decided to drop by a potential investigators home. We were expecting that he would say that we wasn't interested but when he opened the door allowed us inside and let us teach the Restoration! His name is Tali* who is from Africa and he's Muslim. His wife, Anita*, is from India and is Hindu/Sheik. Yeah, pretty cool, eh? Anyways he was really receptive to our message and asked us a lot of questions because he's not very familiar with Christianity. He said that what we taught him made sense and seemed to have a desire to read the Book of Mormon. He wants us to come back this next Sunday, and sadly, I won't be there so Sis. Hill will have to update me. So, perhaps we won't get a baptism in October BUT the Lord has opened many doors for Sis. Hill and I because of our faith in Him. This transfer has been awesome. At the beginning things were slow but we've both worked really hard and have seen MANY miracles along the way. My faith has definitely increased as I've learned to rely on the Lord and do and say those things that He desires me to do. I've seen the blessings of learning to rely on the spirit. Throughout this transfer I've learned to rely on the spirit's promptings and have learned that it's for an important purpose, whether I've seen the results immediately or not. "...Faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith." (Ether 12:6) I love this scripture. I know that as I continue to rely on the Spirit that I'll never be taken down a 'wrong path', but rather when I choose to follow those promptings my pathway becomes clearer and I realize that the Saviour is walking with me every step of the way. Whenever you receive a prompting...JUST DO IT!!! You'll never regret it and the Lord will help you receive more revelation for yourself and for those around you.

Love you family!

Sister Ireland

*Names have been changed

Sister Canada

Ahoy family!

Well, I'm going to dispel the controversy of why I didn't write yesterday since I'm pretty sure that everyone is worried and are at the edge of their seats this very moment. We had Thanksgiving yesterday! Yes, October 11 is the official day in Canada where they make merry with their family, friends, and a slaughtered turkey. Since it was on Monday Sis. Hill and I were able to have a fabulous P-day with a thanksgiving dinner to tie it off with a member in our ward. Plus to make things more interesting and fun the Prime Minister of Canada came to his abode for the holiday. So, our street was monitered by his undercover people and it was the BEST. We were practically living on the safest street in Tuscany for the past few days. And to make things even cooler Sis. Hill and I were doing a morning jog by a huge ravine that is behind our house AND the Prime Minister's...I made the prediction that we were probably being watched by undercover people who were hiding in the ravine...and it turns out that I was right! We learned from someone in our ward that they really do place people in the ravine...so....we were not alone that early morning......

This past week and up to this point has been very challenging but rewarding. As a mission we have the goal of every companionship getting one baptism for this month of October. In our zone Sis. Hill and I and two other companionships do not have a baptismal date for this month so far. So here's the deal, we have to find someone to teach THIS WEEK in order for them to be baptized this month, because if they say 'yes' to being baptized they need to at least attend church twice. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! So this past week we've been working hard at trying to find people to teach with not much success. This past Saturday we went to Valley Ridge to see if we could find anyone and also teach some members in that area. To me it felt like Valley Ridge chewed us and spit us out. No one was interested in talking to us and hardly any of the members were home. I remember coming home at the end of the day feeling pretty low and my faith was weak. While saying my personal prayers I just poured out to Heavenly Father that I felt that my faith was very weak and I needed his help to make it strong. I noticed throughout the next day that my faith in Him felt more secure and strong as I did those things I needed to do to be closer to Him. I didn't feel discouraged and felt more hopeful about the future and that He would provide a way for Sis. Hill and I to find someone to teach. I know that when I sincerely poured out my soul to Him in prayer that it made all the difference in my attitude and perception. It helps build my testimony that He does hear my prayers and desires to answer them, I just need to humble myself and come to Him first. I notice in the scriptures when the Saviour says, "Come unto me," we need to make the choice of whether we'll come to him or not. He is there and is ready to receive us, but we ourselves need to make the steps towards Him.

So, to show Heavenly Father that we needed His help to fulfull this goal we fasted for his special blessing this past Sunday. This Monday we received a referral from the mission office that there is a woman in Tuscany who would like to meet with the missionaries! In Tuscany we hardly ever get referalls...until yesterday! The woman who called in the referal said that she had a conversation with her friend who is trying to find a religion.... :) We'll be stopping by her home later on today. Heavely Father definitely blessed Sis. Hill and I as we did our best in trying to find people and has rewarded our faith by giving us an opportunity to teach someone who is searching. Perhaps this lady maybe baptized this month or maybe not, regardless this has definitely been a faith building experience for me and has made me stronger. And to add to that Sis. Hill and I were able to come into a less active man's home and taught he and his wife. Throughout the lesson we would ask them questions and he would always turn to his wife and have her give the answer. Well, near the end of the message we asked another question and this time she turned to him and waited for him to give an answer. The answer that he gave was amazing and the spirit was strong in the room. Afterwards he invited us to come over to dinner next Monday at their home and we're really excited! Also, we stopped by a less active members home and had the opportunity to talk with her for a while. She's very open and doesn't mind us coming over again when we have time to do so. HAZZAR!!!!!!!! The Lord has provided miracles for Sis. Hill and I these past few days and it's built my faith in seeing his hand working in our area of Tuscany.

Love you!

Sister Ireland aka Debbie can you turn a movie on for us? :)

Episode III: Return of the Sister‏

Dear Family,

FIRST of all I must say that General Conference was A.W.E.S.O.M.E.!!!! The talks that were given were definitely inspired and spiritually uplifting....someone slay the spiritual fatted calf and bring out the best remote! General Conference has returned once again! Whenever I listen to General Conference there is always a specific message that I'm able to receive, and when the Lord gives me that message through one of his servants I know that it's important to follow through on that personal counsel I've received. I hope that all of you were able to be spiritually fed personally and I know the Lord will help and support you as you're willing to obey his counsel (please see Nephi 17:3:)

Well, things have been going good in the land of Tuscany. Sis. Hill and I tracted into this young man (Ryan*) who didn't believe that there was a God BUT he was interested in hearing our message. So, on Thursday we were able to teach him and his little sister, Rachel*. Ryan is the kind of guy that likes to prove things scientifically and basically wants to prove, scientifically, that there is a God. While teaching him Sis. Hill and I said that he first needed to have faith in order to receive his personal answer....he and Rachel seemed pretty shady about that concept. They worry that if you go by 'feeling' rather than 'seeing' you might be fooling yourself. So, the lesson in and of itself didn't go anywhere because he kept finding loop holes about the things we were trying to teach him. The cool thing though is that he's willing to read the Book of Mormon so we committed him to read and pray about it. We even asked him to pray after the lesson and he did! He didn't receive any answer when praying but that's definitely one of the first steps for him to receive his answer. If he's not willing to pray with us, then most likely who won't pray by himself. He and Rachel accepted a return appointment this Tuesday and we hope that we can ask those questions to build their faith and to help them know that their Father really exists.

I can't believe how fast this transfer has flown by! Transfers are on Oct 20 and I have a feeling that I won't be with Sis. Hill for another transfer. Ha ha ha ha when we first became companions we didn't understand each other at all. Sis. Hill is the type of sister that is very logical in her thinking while I am the type of sister that thinks illogically. Not saying that I'm a crazy sister that forgot her pills at home but we have a different way of viewing things let's just say. So, the beginning of the transfer was quite interesting, but as time has gone on we both understand each other better and have become good friends. Ha ha Sis. Hill is the best! Anyways, I'll be a wee bit sad if I don't stay with her for another transfer but I've learned a lot from her and she's helped me become more confident in the work. I'm so grateful that the Lord has blessed me with two great companions so far as I'm learning to become a better instrument in his service.

Family I love you very much and appreciate the emails and letters that you write me. They make me so happy and comforted knowing that things are going well in the land of Utah. While watching the footage of General Conference it was weird to see my old abode and I thought about you a lot during this session of conference.

I love you!

Love, Sister Ireland

aka Deberella

*Names have been changed to preserve privacy

Salutations from Canada :)

Ahoy Family,

This past week has been a challenge....a good challenge I must say. Sister Macias (from Ecuador) and I are still considered the 'new sisters' in our mission and this week we went on an exchange. Sis. Hill and Sis. Macias's companion, Sis. Chase had to go to training meetings in downtown Calgary, which left two jr. companions to fend for themselves for four days. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! :) When I realized that Sis. Macias and I were going to be working together I felt very nervous and was wondering how things were going to go because we were still relatively new. But, while I was thinking about it I felt this feeling of peace come into my mind and heart telling me it was going to be okay...and it was! Actually, it was great! Sis. Macias has such a strong, powerful testimony of the Gospel and I was able to learn a lot of things from her this past week. The Lord watched over and guided us as we worked together and it was a neat experience. Every other day we would switch out on areas, so one day we would be in my area, Tuscany, and the other day, Airdrie. It was different but good to learn to be the senior companion for both of us in our areas and I felt that we taught with the Spirit with the people we taught.

Sis. Hill and I have experienced a couple of miracles this past week. We were going to visit a member who was on a street that we previously thought we should tract. So, while walking to the member's house we decided to knock on the first door we came to. A man in his twenties answered the door and while we talked with him he was very interested about the church. Usually when we talk to people we ask them questions, but this time he was asking us questions! He wanted to take our materials that we had about the restoration and Joseph Smith and asked when our church service was because he really wanted to come. He did ask one question that if he joined our church if he could still drink....dun dun dun!!!! So, Sis. Hill told him that we didn't drink and explained that when we put those things in our body we can't be receptive to the spirit. That basically made sense to him and he told us that he would try to come. On Sunday we waited outside for him before church started and he didn't show. We're going tonight to follow up with him and see if he would be interested in learning more. To be honest, he seemed really sincere when we were talking with him so we hope and pray that he will be able to accept the message we want to share.

Also, on the same day we went to an investigator's house, Vance*, to see if he happened to be home. We saw that his car was there and it's REALLY hard to catch him because he works 7 days of the week. Vance wasn't home but the man's name who answered the door was Maribeau (Mare-a-bo:) who is also from Cameroon like Vance. While talking with him he said that he was in a bible study group and they're trying to find the church that is closest to the primitive church back in Christ's time......:) We gave him a Book of Mormon with a restoration pamphlet that he was willing to read and we're following up with him this week. Ha ha! The field is white in Tuscany! Heavenly Father has been blessing us according to our faith.

Yesterday we met with, Iris*, the woman that we tracted into this past Sunday who's husband died this past January. We asked her if she would want to hear our message and she's being a wee bit resistant. She feels that she needs to find inner peace within herself and get her 'ducks in a row' before she can go to church. Little does she realize right now that you can't find inner peace all by yourself. True, you can decide if you want to be happy but when Christ is not in the picture in achieveing that happiness and peace you will not be entirely fulfilled, you're still thirsty. In the the New Testament when Christ is speaking to the woman at the well he testifies that she would never thirst. "Wha?!" she says, "Where can I find this water?" He tells her that He is the well of living water and that through Him she would never thirst (thanks dad for that letter). Satan does everything to convince us that before we need to make changes in our lives we need to do this, and we need to do that.....oh and DON'T forget to do that other thing before you make this major change! When we listen to him we are procrastinating the peace and healing we could receive if we just ran to the Saviour and the well where he stands. If we need to make changes in ourselves we need to take the Saviour by the hand and let him lead us and to not depend on our own strength. "Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things." (Alma 26:12) Turn to Him and let Him help you.

I love you family and I hope things are going well in the land of 70 degree weather in September! Jealous. :) It's getting pretty cold here. Burrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Love, Sister Ireland

aka Debalee

*Names have been changed to preserve privacy

The Field is White in Tuscany!‏

Hi Family!

I'd like to share two cool experiences that Sis. Hill and I had this past week. We decided to stop by a potential investigators house but she wasn't home. So, we decided that we would knock doors nearby her house. While we were walking I noticed this man pulling his recycling bin back to his house and he gave us a smile as we were going to the next door. After knocking at three doors with no success we were heading back to our car and I had the impression that we should go to the home where that man went to. So, we walked back, knocked on the door and his wife answered. Sis. Hill started talking about the Church and she seemed interested but told us that they were busy and to come back another time. I received the impression to give her a Book of Mormon...and she accepted it! So, we are going back soon to see if they really are interested and hopefully teach them a lesson.

Alright, now the BIG ONE! So, Sis. Hill and I were looking at the area map a few days ago and she had a good feeling to go to this specific area and tract it. Yesterday we went to that specific place and the first door we knocked at an older woman answered the door. She was very nice and as we talked to her for a little bit she started to cry. Her husband had passed away this January and it has been a hard for her to heal. She let us in her home and we talked with her for about an hour. Her name is Iris* and she is a very sweet woman that has been raised Lutheran most of her life, but has stopped going once her husband became ill and passed away. She has the mind set that if she can get her 'ducks in a row' she'll be able to go back to her church. She didn't want us to teach her a lesson BUT she doesn't mind us coming back to help her out....which is the perfect opportunity to serve her and teach her more about the Gospel. This situation looks very promising and we're hoping that we can help her come to our church and be able to teach her more. Bit by bit though. So, the FIELD IS WHITE IN TUSCANY!!! woooooooooooooooooooooooo!!! We've both showed Heavenly Father our faith by being willing to talk to anyone that we see on the street and after a few weeks of doing this he's opened the door for us by leading us to Iris. Faith rocks! :)

Also, this past week Elder Zivic from the Seventy and his wife came to our mission and spoke to us for mission tour. It was a really neat experience and the Spirit was very strong.

I love you family and want to let you know that my testimony of this Gospel is getting stronger and stronger as I immerse myself in this great work. It's challenging, hard, and very cold :) but what keeps me going is that I have faith that as I do my part in serving the Lord, miracles will come to Tuscany where Sis. Hill and I serve. I believe that as I do my best to serve Him that He will continue to help me through my weaknesses and challenges that I face personally. My testimony of the Atonement is growing stronger also because it's helped heal me in many ways that at one point in my life I thought wasn't possible. We just need to show Him our faith by doing and He will help with the rest.

Love you!

Sister Ireland aka Spaghetti Ninja :)

*Names have been changed to preserve privacy

Family, eh?

Hello Family!

It's been another good week in Canada. Today is 'Transfer P-Day' which means that you find out whether you're going to be transfered or not. I'm still staying in my area of Tuscany and Sis. Riley is going to the '17th Ward' which is still in my zone. My new companion is, Sis. Hill, and I've heard that she's awesome so I'm excited to get to know her for this next transfer. I'm a wee bit nervous. Anne wrote me in her letter about when you're seperated from your trainer it's like your training wheels are being taken off...and I don't have fond memories about my training wheels being taken because I biffed a lot on my bike...:) Anyways, the Lord is in control and I know that this will be a great experience. I know because I've already felt that comfort from the Spirit.

It's starting to get pretty cold here in Canada. There is already a bunch of snow in the mountains and soon enough it will find it's way down here. I just can't wait to whip out my Darth Vader coat when the weather starts getting extreme, wha ahahahaha! "You will be baptized!" (with the 'force' hand motion)

I've really enjoyed the emails that I've received from everyone this past week and I'm sorry if I'm a wee bit slow responding back. I love hearing from you and it's a comfort to know that everyone still exists :)

I love you!

Sister Ireland

aka Debbie (just in case you're wondering)

Also, please pray for me for tonight. We're meeting a non-member in a member's home and I'm extending the baptizmal date. I really need to learn to rely on the spirit and not myself...because it's just a plain disaster if I try to do it alone :)