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
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