The Wait is Over

Alex got word the other day that his Visa finally came through!!!!  Wahooooo!!  Here is his email:

"Well, this morning at 9, President called my companion Elder Herrmann and told him he got his Visa!  But he didn't say anything to me....so I was pretty bummed.  Then a few hours later, he called again and said mine came through too!!!!  Woooooohooooo!  I'm leaving October 8th to Miami and then on to Buenos Aires!  It's gonna be so sweet.  I'm allowed to call you guys on October 7th, which I think is General Conference Sunday.  So let me know what the best time would be to call.  Welp.  I gotta go.  See ya later."

He has had a wonderful 2 and half months in Alabama but he is ready to go on to where he was called.  I am thankful that he had the opportunity to serve in Alabama also.  What a blessing to be able to have a soft spot for two different places and to be able to learn and grow and become a better missionary.  I can't wait to talk to him next week!

Checking Into the MTC with Alex

We stayed in a hotel that night and got to meet up with one of Alex's friends for some ice cream that night.  The next day we packed up and ate lunch.  He wanted to have Scone Cutter for his last meal - but it was gone! :( - so we went to Panda Express.  Alex and I were both having trouble with our nerves.  I actually had to have Emily pull over so I could throw up!

Saying goodbye for two years is sooo hard!  We put Dad on speaker phone so that he could be present and hear everything.  They whisk the missionaries away so quickly that it is hard to get too emotional.  It's afterward that I REALLY have trouble.  I do need to explain though that the tears aren't just sad - they are joyful tears.  I will miss Alex like crazy and he will leave a huge hole in our home, but I would be crazy to not want him to go.  I am so proud of him in his decision to go and serve the Lord and I know he will be a fantastic missionary!  Goodbye for two years Alex . . . we love you.

They removed the MTC sign where everyone used to take pictures, so we found a pretty place across the street

Leaving Home

On Tuesday morning, we finished packing up and headed to the airport.  Emily and I flew up with him.  Everyone was able to go to the airport except for Danny because he had finals.  We were really sad for him that he wasn't able to be with us.

I think he just might miss Murphy more than he will miss us!

I'm sticking this next picture on because the afternoon we were flying out, they put the Angel Moroni on the Gilbert Temple.  That would have been an amazing thing to watch!

Setting Apart

On Monday evening, Alex's last dinner request was chicken enchiladas.  That night at 9 pm, he was set apart as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for the Buenos Aires West, Argentina Mission.  It was a beautiful blessing and the Spirit was strong that night.  We were blessed to have some family there with us also.

Bishop Dickson and President Barker

Our Son - Elder Alex James McBride :)

Farewell

We are counseled not to have "Open Houses" for new missionaries any more.  It was hard, but we are trying our best to be obedient.  Alex was a good sport.  He spoke on Mother's Day which was such a blessing in my life.  Because of weird circumstances, he had only spoken one other time in church - and that was when he was 12 years old and it was also on Mother's Day!  Alex was very nervous and worried about it, but he did such a wonderful job!  It was a beautiful talk on sacrifice and he seemed like a pro!  It was a very tender time for me.  Since he is younger than a lot of his friends, it seems that most of them had already left on their missions.  I was pleasantly surprised at how many younger friends and girls that he had that came out to support him.

That night we had family over to say goodbye.  A few friends dropped by that night and the next day on their own just to say goodbye and it meant a lot to him.

Aunt Jeanne

Uncle Greg 

Cousins - Adam, Jon and Celeste

Nana

Sam, Aunt Suzette, Uncle Andy, Cole and Isaac

Hunter, Matt, Uncle Mark, Aunt Susie, Melissa and Tom

The Aubrey Family

Brother and Sister Ward

Bishop Dickson

Taylor, Alex and  Brother Dickerson

5 yr Home Teaching companion Brother Mousser

Siblings - Danny, Ryan, Emily, Mallory and Taylor

Soon to be Sister-In-Law Mallory and Taylor

Some of Alex's cute friends brought him an Argentine dessert the day he was gonna be set apart!

Weekend Escape

Don and Leslie were kind enough to let us use their cabin in Pinetop for the weekend.  It was soooo nice to get away before Alex leaves and Taylor gets married!  They weren't gonna come at first.  Brad, Danny, Ryan and I went on Friday afternoon and then the older boys decided to come up the next morning.  We had a last of the season snowstorm on Saturday that was beautiful!  We woke up in the morning and it had been snowing all night and then it snowed well into the afternoon.  I loved reading while watching the snow and the fire.  It was so relaxing.  The boys played in the snow and read and played games and then we went and ate Mexican food.  What a great weekend!