Happy Monday Everyone!
What a week it has
been! So many miracles and so many experiences I wish I had the time to tell
you all about!
This past week we
went on exchanges, which simply means that I switch places with another sister
missionary in another area and I spend 24 hours with her companion.
I went to Forest
Grove on exchanges, and I was with Sister Peterson for the day. It was super
fun being in another area and meeting new people. We saw many miracles and
tender mercies in just the short time I was there!
One of those tender
mercies was when we met a guy named Shane. We stopped him in the street as he
was going to dinner (so he naturally didn't want to really talk to us) but as
he asked him questions, we got him talking. He started talking about his family
and his adopted son especially, and as he did so, he got teary-eyed! He loves
his family and it's hard for him to be gone all the time for work.
We gave him a copy
of the Book of Mormon and told him about how it was another witness of Jesus
Christ and that it can bless his life more than anything else.
He said he would
read it, but as we walked away, I realized that we didn't get his phone number
so we could follow up with him and see if he had any questions. Man, was I
kicking myself for that!
But here comes the
tender mercy: a few hours later, HE texted US- thanking us for the book. That
NEVER happens! We were amazed that he actually tried to get ahold of us, most
commonly it's the other way around!
Probably the coolest
experience of my mission thus far: 12-8-18
This is the entry
from my journal-
"This morning,
we woke up early so that we could get ready to be at the Salem stake center ( a
45 minute drive from McMinnville) at 7:30am. Within 15 minutes, President and
Sister Tateoka began ushering us into the cultural hall to spend the next hour
shuffling us around so we can line up for a picture to be taken. Every
missionary in the Oregon Salem Mission was there, which has never been done
while the Tateokas have been here, so it took us a while to get all situated!
We spiritually
prepared until the doors opened and in walked...Elder Quinton L. Cook!!!
Elder Cook is an
Apostle of the Quorum if the Twelve and he came this past Saturday to come and
visit our mission! We had a 2 hour devotional with him and a few other leaders
in our area and it was absolutely amazing!
The Spirit was so
strong and I felt like I was within the walls of the temple, rather than a
church building.
Elder Cook talked to
us about having a sense of urgency in missionary work. To make every moment
count. He talked about expressing gratitude and to have a greater understanding
of how precious our missions are and the opportunities we have to be here.
After the meeting,
we all stood as Elder Cook, his wife and the other church leaders walked out..you
could hear a pin drop. It was amazing the reverence that 150+ missionaries had
(all 18-21 years of age!) during the meeting.
I know that Elder
Cook is an Apostle of God, a special witness of Him and one we can completely
rely on to help us more obediently follow our Father in Heaven.
My testimony of the
leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ has grown so much- how lucky are we to
receive guidance and counsel straight from God through His chosen servants!
My dear companion,
Sister Boss, is leaving me! This is my last full week with her before she goes
home! I have absolutely loved being her companion and sometimes I feel a little
jipped because I didn't even get her for a full transfer (we had a short
transfer for Christmas), but I am so eternally grateful for the opportunity I
had to be her companion.
One thing (of the
many things) that I've learned from her is to remember that everything will
work out. I tend to get stressed out when things don't necessarily work as
planned or in the timing we plan it, but Sister Boss has helped me so much to
go according to God's timing and ways. Everything WILL work out!
She also just keeps
me sane. She makes me laugh every day and I love all her quirkiness! She is
also just an amazing missionary!
I'm overwhelmed with
gratitude and love for all the things I've experienced, especially this last
week. It's amazing to see how much missionary work changes as I come to truly
love the people around me- to see them as children of God.
I'm so blessed to be
a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and to be
diligently engaged in His work. What more could I want then to serve Him who
has given me everything?
I love this work and
the privilege it is for me to be here. Thank you all for your love and support.
It means the absolute world to me!
All my love,
Sister McCown
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