What a week.  Holy cow.  It was crazy.  At least the first half.  Moves week is always crazy apparently and this week especially.  There was a change in every companionship of sisters in Ireland and most elders. 

Monday:  We picked up a bunch of sisters travelling through Dublin.  We all slept at the STL flat and there were 10 of us in a tiny flat.  5 had beds, 2 had couches, and 3 of us were on the ground (me and the STLs).  

Tuesday:  Three of the sisters flew to Edinburgh for training (including Sis Yu)  I went on exchanges with Sister Kim (the new STL) and basically had to show her around Dublin for her first day here because my comp and another sister's comp were gone.  Tuesday night the STLs picked up Sister Yu, Sister Ritshard from the airport and we slept on couches (upgrade)

Wednesday:  Sister Kim had to go to Edinburgh for new leadership training so Sister Yu, Sister Eggett, and I were in a trio for the day.  We had to do a lot of things to make sure people got to their buses and helped them with luggage, etc.  We also had to pick up new sisters and get them to their bus.  The bus came in late, so the sisters going to Galway stayed at our flat.  I slept on the ground again and Sister Eggett had to get up at 4am to get to Edinburgh for another training.  Basically I woke up at 3:30/4 three nights in a row and slept on the ground, but it was fine hahahhaha

Thursday:  Sister Eggett was gone and so it was our job to get the Galway sisters to the bus station, get them on a bus, and call people to let them know when they would be there because they didn't have a phone and were whitewashing into their area.  It was nuts.  Then Sister Yu and I were able to have our first real day together as a companionship.

Sister Yu is really cool.  She is from Taiwan and has been on her mission for 10 months.  She has served in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and now Ireland.  She is kinda shy (definitely a lot more shy than Sister Scheib and I will have to get used to that), so I have to do a lot of the talking to people in finding and in lessons.  It is probably good for me to be able to grow and not feel dependent on anyone other than God.  It is really cool to see Sister Yu find people and talk to them in Chinese.  Their faces light up when she talks to them in Chinese.  I think that will be really cool throughout this transfer.  We also taught a lesson that was 80% in Chinese.  I just kinda sat there, but it was good.

Our baptism didn't happen this week because he still had some concerns about Joseph Smith.  Church was so good yesterday because the talks were all on prophets and Joseph Smith.  I think it was exactly what he needed to hear.  He really wants to get baptised this week, so we are praying for that!

I also had to play the piano in church yesterday.  We used to have an Elder that would play the organ because he was a concert pianist, but he got transferred.  The lady whose calling it is wasn't there.  Another lady was playing, but that left her 4 kids sitting alone, so I had to play.  Luckily the songs were not too hard and I had heard all of them before.  

I love you so much and I hope your week is good!

November 13, 2017 -- Two months, transfers and BAPTISM!

THE BEST AND WORST THING THAT CAN HAPPEN TO A MISSIONARY: 

Thursday was supposed to be the best day ever.  We started off by teaching a lesson to ____, the investigator that was supposed to be baptised on Saturday.  He told us that on vacation he did not live the word of wisdom and thus, he couldn't get baptised on Saturday.  We were sad, but still happy because we were headed to the church to prepare for ____'s baptism.  We got there, filled the font, made programs, set up the room, and even prepared a special musical number.  3:30 rolled around and we were just planning on him being late (because he is ALWAYS LATE).  We called him and he was being held at the airport because he lost his passport on his way back from Germany.  He didn't know when he would get out and couldn't make it to his own baptism.  We were devastated.  It was supposed to such a good week with baptisms coming out of our ears and suddenly neither of them are getting baptised.

BUT THERE IS A HAPPY ENDING.  ____ told us that he could get baptised on Saturday.  It was a miracle.  Everything went smoothly (except we moved it to an hour earlier because of his work schedule) and there wasn't a member from the bishopric there.  It all worked out though.

Transfers are today.  I will be staying in Dublin, but Sister Scheib is going to Galway to train.  I will be getting Sister Yu (from Taiwan) as a companion sometime in the next few days.  I don't really know what is going on, I'm just going with the flow.  Dublin is exploding.  We had 4 baptisms this week and more to come!  They are bringing in 4 "dying missionaries" and making them a SIM Squad.  Basically they just go crazy finding, teaching, and baptising in Dublin before they go home.  There will now be 12 missionaries in our ward instead of just 8 - it is so crazy.  We have to baptise 93 people as a mission in the next 7 weeks, so we'll see how that goes!!!!  

Yesterday we had an investigator call us that we have been working very hard with and tell us that he wants to get baptised.  He is also from Brazil and we are so excited.  He has been "98%" sure for the longest time and FINALLY made the decision to be baptised this week.  We were thrilled when we got the news yesterday.  

Monday, November 6, 2017

Happy Halloween!  Can you believe it is already November???  It's crazy and I'm very sad that daylight savings hit because now it gets dark so early!   Halloween here was good.  We worked until 5 and then we had to be in the flat or at the church, so most of our zone went to the church with some investigators and recent converts.  We played volleyball, chair football, and ordered a bunch of pizzas.  It was super fun.

Sister Scheib got sick this week.  She had/has a cold and flu like symptoms, but by some miracle I was able to avoid getting whatever she had.  We were still working, but I finally convinced her one day that we needed to go back to the flat for her to lay down.  She took a little nap and it was right back to work for us.  One night I didn't feel too good and probably had a slight fever, but the next day when I woke up I felt fine, so that's a blessing. 

SADDEST STORY OF THE WEEK:  I accidentally destroyed the four leaf clover that I have had for over a month.  It was dead, but still cute and I smashed it and now I am sad and I only have 3 leaf clovers now and they aren't as lucky.

FUNNY STORY OF THE WEEK:  I tried to talk to this guy and he told me he didn't speak English. I asked where he was from and he said "Mexico."  I then asked in Spanish what part of Mexico he was from and he froze.  He responded in English and said, "I'm just kidding" and he walked away super fast and he was embarrassed.  I exposed his lie with the tiny bit of Spanish I know hahahahhaha

SCARIEST STORY OF THE WEEK:  Last night I was in the bathroom and see this massive creepy spider and so I finish in the bathroom and yell at Sister Scheib to come get the spider.  She hates killing them so she traps them in a cup and we take them outside.  She traps it and then can't pick the cup up and doesn't want to kill it.  We decided to leave it in the cup overnight and have the elders kill it today (sis scheib killed it this morning because she was sick of it).  BUT she told me a story that a few transfers ago the sisters were moving the beds and like 20 spiders ran out from under the bed and yeah.  I started freaking out and actually cried because HELLO I SLEEP IN THERE.  Yeah going to bed last night was the worst. 

This week was super good.  One of our investigators, ____ (Brazil), that has been taught since July told us he needed to get baptized, but he wanted to ask God one more time before he made the decision.  The next day when we met with him he said "we're going to pray and then flip to a random page in the Bible and my answer will be there."  Sister Scheib flipped to Revelations 17 and yeahhh we spent about 20 minutes studying that with him.  He really wanted to find an answer through that chapter.  We were discouraged and he asked why we were sad.  We just bore testimony of Jesus Christ and the importance of baptism and we were both bawling.  The Spirit was so thick you could've cut it with a knife.  After that he said "I got my answer, let's do it."  He has a crazy work schedule, so he will be getting baptized this Thursday at 2 woohoo

We have another investigator getting baptized this week.  His name is ____ (Philippines) and he just wants with all of his heart to follow God.  We taught him the word of wisdom and was so ready and willing to give up drinking because he wanted the blessings from God.  He will be getting baptized this week on Saturday.

Another investigator we have is really starting to progress.  His name is ____ (Croatia) and he doesn't believe in God, but is willing to do everything to find out for himself.  He came to church yesterday and was comfortable and even described it as fun.  We are so excited for him!!!!

Monday, October 30, 2017

Bom Dia!!!! (portuguese because I'll be probably be fluent by the time I leave Dublin) 

I don't always feel like a greenie, but then some things happen and I quickly realize that I am very much still a greenie.  I don't know if I really have an example, but yeah I am definitely still a greenie.  

We also had the ward trunk or treat this week.  I think we had more investigators/recent converts there than ward members, but it was really cute seeing all the kids in their costumes.  They didn't have soup or chili there, they ordered pizza and it came like an hour and a half late hahaha.  There are not very many families in the ward and not very many ward members came to the party, but that is okay because our investigators had lots of fun.

The ward YSA party was this week too and we had more investigators at that.  It was fun and one of our investigators absolutely loved it, but it's really sad because he moved back to Argentina yesterday. We made him promise that he would look up the missionaries there, but you never know what might happen.  He is so cool and would've been baptized, but he lost his job and had to move home.  

The other sisters are on the other side of the river, so we see them once or twice a week because they aren't in our area.  We talk to them every night though because they are the STLs and we account to them each night.  But we go to Babs' house together because she is the best and knows how to take care of missionaries.

My companion has served in Dublin for her whole mission now (3 and a half transfers).  The reason she was in Scotland is because all the missionaries that are training go to Scotland to receive instruction from President and to travel back with the greenies, so they don't get lost and die (not to be dramatic).  

TYPICAL DAY IN THE LIFE OF SISTER BAKER:

6:30 wake up, say prayers, make my bed, go to the bathroom

6:40 work out (P90X, circuit workouts, yoga, etc)

7:10 shower, get ready

8:30 daily plan (talk about what we're doing and the people we are meeting with), set goals

9:00 personal study

10:00 out on the streets of Dublin saying hi to literally everyone we see and talk to them about Jesus Christ

12:00 lunch

12:30 teaching lessons, finding, companion study

5:00 dinner

6:00 find, teach lessons

9:00 in the flat, reviewing goals, accounting to our STLs and District Leader

10:30 bedtime

A lot of the lessons we schedule fall through and so we just end up finding people.  We wave at everyone and say "hey I'm just asking people what makes you happy" or "hey excuse me what brings you peace"  "what do you know about Jesus Christ"  "Have you ever heard of Mormons" etc etc etc etc.  When they actually talk to them we establish our purpose and invite them to meet with us or come to church or give them a pass along card. 

We are teaching quite a few people.  We have 5 on date for baptism.  One of them is being dodgy and rescheduling all the time, but we always run into him.  Another one does not believe in God, but we are trying to help him recognize the Spirit that he feels when he is with us because we know he feels it.  He is from Croatia and we gave him a church tour yesterday.  He keeps telling us that he wants it to be true and it would bring him hope, but he doesn't feel like he is getting an answer when he prays and he feels fake when he is doing it.  We aren't really sure where to go with him, but we are trying our best and just working on helping him feel and recognize the Spirit.  

I think one of the biggest things I'm learning is how to talk to all different kinds of people.  We talk to people that are atheist, agnostic, Catholic, Born again Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, and from all over the world.  I am learning how to connect with them and find things in common with each person.  It can be hard when our lives seem so different, but when you recognize that you all come from the same place and the same God it is easier to relate to them and love each person you talk to.  It is amazing to meet people from all walks of life and help them come closer to their Savior.

Monday, October 23, 2017

We are in a ward - the Finglas ward.  It fills the whole chapel, but the chapel is little so I don't know how many members that is.  We are also the only ward that meets in our building, but it is also the Stake Center for like half of the country hahahah. It is kinda funny because pretty much all of the members are Irish and all of the people that are recent converts or investigating are from other places.  Right now we are only teaching one Irish person.  The others are from BRAZIL, Croatia, Italy, The Congo, Argentina, etc etc etc.  

It got very cold here.  On Monday the "hurricane" was so fun.  Literally all of the stores in the city center were closed and had signs in the windows saying "We are closed due to extreme weather and will be open again tomorrow."  Good thing we got our food for the week before everything closed.  None of the buses were running and all of the bus signs said the same thing and said RED ALERT.  It wasn't even that bad, just windy.  We were still out and talking to the people that were out, which wasn't very many hahaha.  The next day was fine, but on Friday it POURED.  We tried to use the umbrella, but it didn't do anything.  We were soaked and could wring out our skirts.  We ended up going back to the flat for lunch and comp study and put all of our clothes in the drier (because we are smart, resourceful missionaries).  Then we went back out and got soaked again.  It was very cold, but luckily one of our appointments actually held, so we got the chance to be inside McDonalds as it was pouring.  When it's raining all day we just keep on keeping on.

One thing we do always is say "Woohoo."  It started as a joke because one of our zone leaders always texts us woohoo, but now we say it constantly.  I don't know why it's so funny, but it is.  We use it all the time, especially if we are having a rough day. woohoo.

THE PRIMARY PROGRAM WAS THIS WEEK AND I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING CUTER.  Just a bunch of cute little Irish children talking about choosing the right and following the prophet.  There were probably about 13 of them if I counted right.  I also started crying in the first song, but had to get it together so my investigators didn't freak out.  What a good week for two of our investigators to come to church for the first time!

We just walk into the city center.  Technically we live in the city center.  It takes us like 10 minutes to walk from our flat to the spire, so no need for a bike.

We are teaching a few people right now.  One is ____ from Brazil and he loves the church, but can rarely get work off to come to church with us.  If all goes as planned he will be baptized Nov 3.  We are teaching ___  who is also from Brazil.  He was supposed to get baptized the first week I was here, but works three jobs, so we could never meet with him.  He just quit two of them, so hopefully he can get baptized soon.  Another man we are teaching is named ____.  He is from the Philippines.  He LOVES coming to church, but never has time to meet with us, but hopefully he'll be baptized Nov 10.  Another is named ____.  He is from Italy and loves God.  He actually called us over to him one day as we were finding and told us he wanted to be closer to God.  He was supposed to come to church yesterday, but overslept, so we'll see how that goes.  They are all wonderful and just need to get baptized already!!!!!

Pray for sunshine, so I don't freeze.

Monday, October 16, 2017

Hola hola hola, 

We taught a lot of people this week and they are hopefully getting baptized on Nov 3.  Some of them were super excited.  One guy named ___ approached us and told us he wanted to quit smoking and come closer to God and get his life in order.  It was incredible and he was super excited to learn.  

SPANISH.  Wow.  On Saturday we taught the man who we contacted last week.  He spoke in Spanish 95% of the time.  Sister Scheib speaks zero spanish, so it was literally me trying to understand him and speak back in broken Spanish and simple English.  It was so draining.  It took everything I had to be able to teach him.  I was praying so hard to be able to understand him.  At the end we told him we wanted him to be baptized and he told us he already was like 15 years ago.  So basically it took everything in me and he was already a member.  Yeah. It was rough.   

Our flat is small.  It has one room with two beds, another room where we keep all our stuff, a little bathroom, and our main room that has a couch a table and a kitchen.  The kitchen is so small i can wash my hands and open the fridge at the same time and they are on the opposite side of the kitchen.

This week was crazy.  We had All-Ireland Conference and exchanges.  Exchanges were so fun and I learned a lot from being with another missionary.  

I love you so much!

Monday, October 9, 2017 - Mostly answers to her mom's questions

The Journey:  Honestly it was awful.  I was in the middle of the plane and couldn't look out the window to see the Northern Lights that everyone else talked about.  I was next to two other sisters though.  I am taking after you and didn't sleep a wink on the plane.  I tried, but I could not.  The flight was sooo long, but we had a super strong tail wind and got there faster than we should've.  Amsterdam was lovely and flying in was cool from what I could see.  The flight to Scotland was much better.  It was only an hour and a half  - hallelujah.

Scotland:  We got to Scotland and were picked up by the AP's and Sister Donaldson.  It was so strange driving on the other side of the road.  PRESIDENT AND SISTER DONADLSON ARE ANGELS.  They were seriously so nice and loving and wow.  Everyone loves them and it is easy to see why.  We had interviews with President just briefly.  He told me that he could tell I was special and I had a wonderful spirit about me.  About three or so hours later I was assigned to Dublin and I was super excited because I had been there.  We took a bus the next morning to Glasgow, a ferry to Belfast, and then a bus to Dublin.  We left at 6am and didn't get to Dublin until about 6pm.

Companion:  Sister Scheib (like tribe).  She is great and has only been out for three transfers.  She feels super inadequate and like she doesn't know how to get around yet, but she is seriously great and so funny.

Area:  The same area we were in.  North of the river is our side and it goes out for ages.  We stay in the city center and meet every one of our appointments at the spire.  We walk, run, and bike everywhere.  

The work:  A lot of our day is spent finding aka we say hello to everyone we see and make some people stop and talk to us.  Most of the appointments we set up bail and so we just keep finding. We have taught threeish lessons so far.  One was in McDonalds with a Brazilian man who later dropped us because "he is sheltered by his grandma."  One was with a stubborn American man who didn't believe God loved us because there were poisonous snakes on the earth.  The last was with a man named _____ who we gave a pass along card to and he actually called us back.  We have another appointment with him this week.  He talked basically the whole time, but Sis Scheib and I both felt like we should just let him talk.  He told us there was something in our eyes and he couldn't describe what he felt as he talked with us.  Maybe you'll see a picture of him in white in two weeks ;)

Food:  I have had potato and leek soup and chicken and potatoes from members.  The rest of the food we have is brought to us by members (we had some salmon) or cereal or we eat out.  I almost died yesterday because there were two kinds of potatoes on my plate, but I poured gravy on them and choked it down hahahah.

My hair only freaks out when it rains.  It POURED the first night and it rained yesterday, but other than that it has been pretty decent weather.

I hope that answered lots of questions.  I tried.  I AM DEFINITELY A GREENIE AND PRETTY MUCH HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS GOING ON BUT ITS ALL GOOD AND ITS THE LORDS WORK.

Random:  There are so many Brazilians here. WHY DO I NOT SPEAK PORTUGUESE.  I can say el livro di mormon and bom dia, but that's it.  I USED MY SPANISH.  We met a man named ____ from Argentina that has been here for a week.  I used broken Spanish and simple English to talk to him and he came to church yesterday!!! He was very interested.

I love you so much.