My gracious...it has been such a crazy busy week- I don't even know where to begin!
I guess the layout of the week was busy, but on top of that with all the lessons we had...it was just INSANE!
So at the beginning of last week, we had exchanges. I went to Amity to be with Sister Robinson for a day. She is a good missionary and it was fun, but a little weird, to be in my old area! We visited a lot of people and since she was new to the area, I was able to help a little bit with the members in the ward since I knew the majority of the people.
We also had zone conference on Friday and it was great! It was focused on how we can help people to make a keep commitments to progress towards baptism. I love meeting with all the missionaries and learning from President and Sister Tateoka! They truly are inspired and I am thankful for their counsel. It amazes me how the things we talk about are things that, at that time, I really want to improve on! I know that is NO coincidence!
We had zone conference in McMinnville, which is about a 45 minute drive from our apartment in Forest Grove. It is a beautiful drive with rolling green hills and acres of grassy farmland. It's in those moments that I have enough time to just breathe and truly appreciate the ability I have to not only be serving a mission, but also in one of the prettiest in the country!
With those two events, it was a busy week...but nope- it doesn't end there! Sister Leifson and I have been blessed to be really busy with lots of lessons! It's so much true that we calculated less than 5 total hours of walking time this entire week! It was so weird to not have any lessons on Sunday and just walk outside, but it was quite refreshing!
It's important for us to walk outside and talk to people, so that we can continue to find more people to teach. It's been our struggle this past week because of all the lessons we've had, but it is seriously the BEST problem to have! We have been blessed so much to see this area blossom and many people progressing. God is so good!
One of our most progressing at this time is Ashley. I've talked a little bit about her in past emails and she is still doing awesome. She actually finished the Book of Mormon this past week! We counted the days from when we first met her...she read the whole Book of Mormon in 20 DAYS! WHAT?!?!
I've never known someone who has read it that fast.
We taught her twice again this past week and she is still progressing to be baptized at the end of this month. We are so excited for her! Yesterday, she wasn't going to be in town, but she was so brave and actually went to the ward in Beaverton all by herself! We actually contacted the missionaries in that ward and told them to keep an eye out for her and help her feel welcomed, so it was a tender mercy that she had a good experience going to church for the first time but not with us.
She has such a pure heart and a sincere desire to learn. She wants so badly to just make God proud and it's been a huge blessings to be able to teach her.
I'm just loving it here! I love this area and I love my companion! Sister Leifson is so great and I am learning so much from her. I wish she knew how much she has helped me!
We are working really well together and every day the comp unity only getting stronger (knowing what the other is going to say before they say it, etc. etc.). She's a great example to me and she has only been a blessing in my life! She is the greatest human being, I love her tons!
Sister Leifson actually has witch powers. I haven't been sleeping well recently (a lot of things on my mind at night just cause me to take forever to fall asleep), so for the past couple nights to help me calm down, Sister Leifson has been describing scenery to me. Things like the beach, the forest or even the temple grounds...and MAN, has it worked like a charm! She describes it in such great detail and in such a soothing tone, there has been times where I will fall asleep as she is describing it to me. It's kinda creepy, but it works!
I love this work so much and God is so good! He is always ready to bless us and help us in all of our righteous endeavors. I've seen that the more specific our prayers are, the more specific answers and blessings we receive. Prayer is how we communicate with Him, and how can we expect to have a relationship with Him without that source of communication? It is a huge blessing to have that ability in our lives.
Something that I've been trying to work on is always having a prayer in my heart. Even though as missionaries we literally pray for everything (a couple dozen vocal prayers a day at least), but there are so many moments in between! It's made all the difference to have that constant prayer in my heart and I have felt more of the spirit in my life.
Thank you for all your love and support! It means more than the world to me! Have a great week!
Heads up: we may be going to the temple next week, so if I don't email on Monday- don't freak out!
All my love,
Sister McCown
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