My lovely family and friends!
Happy Christmas Season! Wonderful stuff is happening! Cork is one of the most beautiful, picturesque, magical places to be for Christmas! The city is gorgeously decked out with lights and trees all over! Christmas music floating along St. Patrick's street with so many shops with amazing displays! It is awesome!
First of all, last Monday, the elders (Elders Thomas and Wahlquist, and Elders Goldie and Pease) and us went out to Blarney Castle! It was an amazing place! The gardens and grounds are beautiful, and it was so picturesque, how it all was an ESTATE. Not exactly what I expected. The castle itself was really cool, there were tunnels underground, and steep spiral staircases and so many passages and rooms! It was really cool, because there was a lot of freedom to explore the whole place! The blarney stone is a single stone on the edge of the very top of the building, hanging out above a 300 foot drop to the ground! You have to hold onto bars, lying on the ground, have a guy there hold onto you and bend over, upside down to kiss the thing! it was kind of terrifying at first, but now I can say that I've done it... even if I haven't seen the effects yet! haha, maybe they take a week to kick in :) It was a really fun activity. Later that night we went over to the Hales' for Thanksgiving Dinner! It was SO GOOD. Sister Hale pulled off the best, classic Thanksgiving feast. It was good to have a day home away from home to celebrate how grateful we are to our Lord.
We had dinner with Dierdre and Hannah again, and taught the Law of Chastity. She understands, but doesn't at the same time. It will take a follow-up lesson to help her work through some of the blocks she's experiencing because of it. But I love Hannah, and I think that she just needs to feel God's love for her. Keep praying for that.
Speaking of Dierdre, she is just the most fabulous lady I've met. She is a straight shooter, independent, confident, loving, charitable and so so funny. This week, in a Missionary Coordination Meeting (she's a branch missionary) we had an elder from Trulee visiting on exchanges, and he's originally from Texas, and when Dierdre would ask him a question, he would reply, "Yes, Ma'am," with all the southern manners imprinted on his soul, which she LOVED. Elder Pease, also from Texas speaks up and says, "Dierdre, you would make a great Southern Belle!" and she replies, "I know, right?!" It was the funniest thing!
She also had us over last night for a great lesson with Joáo (John), Bro. Quirke (Branch Mission leader) and Stephen (RC, branch missionary) it was a lovely evening, speaking about our personal, spiritual gifts and God's love. The Spirit was great, and Joáo loves being around members! If we can only get him to church!
GO HERE: christmas.mormon.org and #sharethegift! this He is the Gift initiative is huge, and it is such a simple, inspiring way to speak to people about faith in Jesus Christ. I love being a missionary at Christmas, and sharing this special message, and being able to ask questions about people's personal Christmas experiences that really open them up to gospel conversations. I promise that if you share the video and bear your testimony, those around you will feel the true spirit of CHRISTmas.
I'll be in a missionary choir all this next week, traveling from Dublin to Limerick to Belfast, so it'll be hard being out of my area, but it is such a great opportunity to feel and share this wonderful Spirit with the saints and their friends and family here in Ireland!
I love you all! Have a wonderful week!
REMEMBER: HE IS THE GIFT!
<3 Sister Kirkpatrick
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