365+ days of sweat, tears and joys... all while wearing His name

Hello everyone! So much has happened on the past 7 days, I don't know how I'm going to put it all in one email!

I'll do my best...

So on Tuesday, I went on exchanges! I stayed here in Council Creek and Sister Mortenson from Forest Grove 2nd (we live in the same apartment as those sisters, so it literally took .2 seconds to exchange) came with me for the day. She is a new missionary, but has an amazing knowledge of the gospel and has a powerful testimony! It was fun to be with her and get to know another sister!

In reference to the title of my weekly, I have officially been a missionary for ONE YEAR! I can't even fathom the fact that for the past 365+ days without fail, I have been wearing a name tag on my chest.

I love how my name tag signifies so many things. It represents the name of my family. I want to make them proud. It represents the name of the Church, and most importantly, it says the name of my Savior Jesus Christ. It amazes me that my name tag doesn't have my actual first name on it, because while I am a missionary, the last person I am representing is myself! I am representing my family, the church I belong to and my Savior Jesus Christ. Who better else to represent?!

I feel privileged and honored to be one of His called representatives, and I know that throughout the course of my mission, I have felt His power as I do my work as a missionary.

I've reflected a lot about this past year. It's been a year since I've been able to physically see my family. It's been a year since I've been able to watch a movie not made by the Church or take a nap during the day. It's been a year since I've been able to what I want when I wanted to.

But....

It's been a year I wouldn't trade for the world. A year of diligently studying the scriptures and seeing my testimony grow and be more grounded because of it. A year of introducing myself to hundreds of people and talking to them about the gospel. A year of stressing about the people we're teaching and how we can help them to better live the gospel. A year of stretching goals that have pushed me farther than what I thought I could handle. A year of tears, sweat, sad moments and joyous ones and every emotion in between. A year of some of the hardest things I've ever gone through, and a year of the greatest joy I have ever felt in my life.

I sure love being a missionary.

So a big highlight of the week: Aurora was baptized.

It was an amazing experience and we are so so grateful for all the hard work that the members put in it to make it such a special experience for her.

My favorite moment of the program, other than the actual baptism of course, was when Aurora shared her testimony at the end. She started off by saying that she didn't preplan what to say, but that she would just tell us what was in her heart.

Aurora has been wanting to be baptized for over 4 years now, and within the past couple months, received permission to do so because she would be turning 18. She was so excited and her lessons were always my favorite, but she said that the night before, she had some doubts and fears of if she really wanted to do this and if she was really ready. She said though, that when she took the step of faith to come, every fear and doubt was washed away and that she felt the Spirit so strongly.

I got a little teary-eyed during that testimony and it confirmed my witness that the gospel truly can change lives.

Aurora was so prepared for the gospel, and it honestly wasn't anything that I did that converted her to the gospel or helped her beyond measure to be baptized- she was already ready! I am thankful though, for the opportunity I have to know her, because I'm pretty sure that I learned more from her than she did from us.

Another cool experience:

We've been teaching this older woman, Francine, who has some struggles about accepting a baptismal date because shes been baptized previously.

We've been wondering how we can best help her and we realized that she needed to gain a testimony of the priesthood and how it has been restored.

We asked a couple brothers in the ward to come and visit Francine with us so that they could give her a priesthood blessing. It was cool because Francine had some mutual friends with them!

The priesthood blessing they gave her was so powerful and afterwards, she was speechless (which is super cool because she has no problem saying what is on her mind). We left quickly afterwards and asked her to ponder on what she had felt, and a few days later during our lesson, she said that the Spirit she had felt during the blessing extended all throughout the day. It was amazing!

I love this gospel and the absolute privilege and opportunity I have to share it each day. It is an honor to be here serving my Heavenly Father and representing His Son, Jesus Christ.

Thank you all for all your love and support. Have a great week!

Love

Sister McCown

When it is too hard to walk, He will carry us

Happy Monday, everyone and happy be-lated Father's Day to all the Dads out there!

It was super fun to call home yesterday and see all their smiling faces. Even though we now have the option of calling home on pdays, it's still fun to be able to skype on special holidays and talk to all the kids.

This past week has been crazy with all the different things that have been going on, which has actually made this week feel longer than others.

But all is well, and despite that, we had some cool miracles this past week!

For one, I have a new companion!

Her name is Sister Christenson and she is from Utah. She and I were actually MTC companions, and the fun thing is that this week we actually hit our one year mark of being on our missions! Crazy how time flies!

We were in a trio with Sister Child on Tuesday and Wednesday because her brand-new missionary didn't get here till Thursday. It was crazy covering two areas and we were flying around all day!

The biggest things that have happened this week are the preparations for Aurora's baptism this coming Saturday! Sister Leifson and I met her when I first came into the area and we have been teaching her ever since, and she is now getting baptized in 5 days! She's been waiting for this day for years now because she finally got permission from her parents, and she had her baptism interview this past week as well. She loves the gospel and the people! It's been amazing to see how much she has grown since I've known her and how ready she is to make this sacred covenant with God.

This past week, a good number of our lessons fell through unfortunately, but it was cool to see how inspired it was of God. Because we didnt have the lessons, we were able to meet a ton of prepared people outside and have a lot of return appointments for the upcoming week.

Weirdest interaction of the week:

We've been trying to teach an older lady, but when we stop by in the evenings when she said she would be home, no one would answer. One night when we stopped by, we actually caught her gardening outside! But when we walked excitedly up to her and said hello, she turned and said she was disappointed in us. My heart sunk like a rock when she said that she was mad at how many times we had stopped by that week, and how she really wasn't that interested. We were both so frazzled and confused, because she had actually asked us to come back, and we were speechless for a moment. But as we talked and apologized, she asked an awesome question: "Why are you really here?"

Sister Christenson and I were able to bear our testimonies of our callings as representatives of Jesus Christ and how we only want to help her faith to grow. I saw her heart soften, and even though she said goodbye shortly after, I hope she recognized the Spirit that I felt there that day.

I know that God lifts us up when we are too weak to walk on our own. This week has been hard for various reasons, and I know there have been times throughout my life and especially my mission, that I truly asked Him if I was strong enough to do this.

But I know that He will never give us something we can not handle. Yes, He will give us things that will stretch us and challenge us, but He also doesn't expect or want us to do it on our own.

I love Mosiah 24:14 in relation to this topic.

"And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions."

God didnt take their burdens away, but He gave them the strength to make it seem lighter upon their backs. I know that He will do the same for us as we exercise our faith in Him. I promise that through Him, we will be able to do so much more than we could ever do on our own! And I know this to be true because I have seen it in my life.

I love the gospel and I love my Savior. I will forever be in debt to His sacrifice and all He blesses me with daily. 

And I love being a missionary.

All my love,

Sister McCown

Coasting down the River and hiking up the Mountain

This week has been crazy with the ups and downs of each day...to sum it up it's been quite a rollercoaster!

On Tuesday Sister Leifson and I had a good number of lessons all around our area, and with it being the weekly car fast day, we pulled out the bikes! We were racing all over the place with the limited amount of time in between each lesson, up until racing home in time for curfew.

At one point, we were coming up to a light that turned yellow and then red almost instantly. I made it through the light in time, but my poor companion sadly didn't. We were separated until the light turned green again, and I was laughing my head off!! I mean, it was super weird and I felt super alone even though she was only a few yards away from me, but still! It was crazy, needless to say.

On Wednesday, Sister Christenson and I went to MLC with the other leaders of the mission. It was President and Sister Tateoka's last ever MLC (they go home at the end of THIS month), so there were some tears. It was super good though because we didn't learn a ton of super new things, but did a lot of review. It was kinda like sealing the legacy that President and Sister Tateoka are leaving on the mission. Their big focus for the missionaries is all about obedience. The principle of exact obedience has been drilled into my brain ever since I came out on my mission, which has been the biggest blessing ever. I wouldn't have it any other way!

So this week we also received transfer calls: I'll be staying in Forest Grove and Sister Leifson will be getting transferred closer to Salem. My new companion will actually be my current STL companion, Sister Christenson.

It hurts my heart to see Sister Leifson go. She was the companion I needed when I really needed it and she has helped me more than she'll ever know. She's my best friend. I don't want to be selfish, though, and I know she'll do great things in her new area with her new companion.

I'm going to miss the unity we had as companions that was evident to practically everyone. Just a couple days ago we contacted someone we had never met, and after talking to him for a little bit, he asked us how long we had known each other. When we only said 3 months, he was surprised and said it seemed like we had known each other for a long time. It's true though- I feel like I've known her for years.

All is well though, and everything will work out. I know that hard things make us stronger and more like the people God needs us to be. We can't coast through life and expect to still grow. We can't be comfortable! In order to really progress, we have to face trials. It makes sense why diamonds can only be made with constant, incredibly hard pressure.

To not end on a sad note, I'll end on a spiritual one:

While I was at MLC, we have dinner with all the missionaries and usually Sister Tateoka likes to eat with us sisters. She sat next to me and we began to chat a little bit, and man do I love her! She is so spunky, but so so kind.

She asked all the sisters a question that I've been thinking about for a while: "What souvenirs do you want to bring home from your mission?"

The first things that came to my mind was the copy of the Book of Mormon that I received when I first came on my mission (a book that used to be so perfect and untouched but now so worn you can't even read the title!) and all my journals.

It's crazy to think how much I have changed since I've been on my mission. My testimony has grown so much- yet still so much more to grow, of course- and I've had so many hard and good experiences. I'm not the same person that said goodbye to my family at the MTC almost a year ago, and I'm glad I'm not! And I think the copy of the Book of Mormon and my journals is a perfect representation of how I've changed so far on my mission.

Have a great week everyone!

All my love,

Sister McCown

Every day, every week...One Step Closer!

Happy First Monday of June!

Holy goodness, has another month seriously passed so quickly?! It only seems to be passing faster and faster, I should be used to it by now, but it continues to baffle me!

It's been another busy week here in Forest Grove for Sister Leifson and I.

We had zone conference this past week and it was all focused on integrating family history more into our work, as well as the importance of involving members more from even the earliest stages of meeting people interested in the gospel.

During zone conference, I was thinking a lot about the principle of progression. This whole life- the entire gospel- is about continual edification. Not only in this life, but even before and after mortality. It's amazing to think especially about how a mission refines you. I have learned so many things that I know will help me from now and for the rest of my life. It goes from the smallest things of getting along with a companion or learning how to cook, to the biggest things of learning how to forget yourself and live the gospel so diligently that you could never imagine living your life without it! I am forever grateful for the things I have learned on my mission thus far and all that I have yet to learn!

I know that Heavenly Father will continue to edify us as we open our hearts and allow Him to. He will make much more out of us than we ever could on our own! He knows that we're going to make mistakes (even as misisonaries, I've definitely made and will continue to make my fair share of them!), and He knew it would take time for us to learn and grow.

One step closer each and every day- that's what matters!

This past week, Sister Leifson also got sick, which hasn't been fun for me to watch at all. For the time that we've been companions, I've been sick twice, and unfortunately I think she got it from me this past week. But all is well! She's doing a lot better now and it was a nice change to be the nurse instead of the patient.

This past week I also went on exchanges with Sister Child! She came to Council Creek with me and we did a lot of walking due to lessons cancelling. I already knew her decently well because our companionships live in the same apartment together and we're in a car share, but it was fun to be able to get to know her better! She is a super good missionary and is super good at asking inspired questions! It was a great experience and she was such a good example to me of caring for others and truly listening to the people we talk to.

Over the course of this past week, we've had a lot of lessons cancelling. It can be pretty disheartening when that happens, because unfortunately it is a part of missionary work. It may happen for various reasons, but a day that may start out with 4 lessons may only have 1 actually happen by the end of the night (Saturday...)

No matter how discouraging it may be, I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for us. When the lessons fell through, we had more time to contact other people and other members, and also much more time to be outside talking to people! We had some pretty cool experiences because of it!

We talk to a ton of people each week (doing the math, we found out we talk to at minimum of 75 people we have never before met each week!), and they are all along the spectrum of kindness and receptiveness. We've met some pretty rude people, and some incredibly nice people. Even though a majority do not want to learn more, Sister Leifson and I always say, "One step closer!" (Or in other words, one step closer to receiving the restored gospel in the future!).

One of these experiences was when I was with Sister Child. We were visiting someone who showed interest in the gospel in the past, and on the way there, we met Roe. He immediately said he wasn't interested, but Sister Child boldly asked why he wasn't interested. He thought for a second and, taking steps closer, said he wanted to talk to us for a little bit. I got excited because we weren't getting shut down so quickly, and we had a 5 minute conversation of the importance of church attendance and the difference it can make in our week. He went to a different church in the past but got out of the habit a while ago. He ultimately wasn't interested in coming to our church, but he thanked us for talking to him and said we had rekindled his desire to go to church. It was super sad that he didn't want to learn more about the restored gospel, but it was cool to see how his heart changed as we talked and I know he felt the Spirit as we talked to him. One step closer!

I'm so thankful for this gospel, for all it promises as we are obedient and faithful. Seriously...the amount of blessings we receive are...INFINITE and PRICELESS! You could never regret living the gospel, and you could never feel empty. I know this to be true because I've seen it in my life: going to church weekly, reading the Book of Mormon daily and praying constantly...it gives me every ounce of strength, guidance and peace. Without it...I don't know where I would be, and I'm so thankful that I don't have to wonder what it would be like without it.

I'm so thankful for the opportunity I have every day to share these truths with others- to learn more so I can teach more effectively and to ponder more so I can testify more profoundly. It is the biggest blessing!

I love you all and I'm thankful for your impact in my life. Have a wonderful week!

All my love,

Sister McCown