Hello, world! How
has everyone's weeks been? I hope everyone has been able to see the little
miracles in each day and really appreciate how much God has blessed us
with...because I PROMISE there has been more than you could even count!
I can't even begin
to count how many blessings Sister Christenson and I have seen this past week,
but here are just a few:
Miracles do really
happen even in the trials of life...and I believe that sometimes our trials
happen BECAUSE we need to see the miracle!
Ash was that
miracle. Last Monday, we went to a berry picking farm (it was so therapeutic
and I will attach pictures below!) and we must've drove over something, because
later that night we got a notice that the air pressure in one of our tires was
low. The rest of the tires were in the high 30's and one tire was in the low
20's.
Tuesdays are known
as our "car fast days" which pretty much means we are not allowed to
use our cars on Tuesday, no matter what! We were in a pickle...
We call our mission
leader in charge of the cars and he said we needed to take it into the shop.
Luckily, it wasn't too far away. We get in the car that Tuesday afternoon...and
the air pressure in the tire dropped to an EIGHT! We were so shocked but got to
the tire place safely.
While waiting the
hour and a halfish for the tire to be fixed, we did some studies and then
sifted through our area book. We wanted to go outside and talk to people, but
we were trying to guess how much longer it would take. In the midst of our
mental battle, a person sitting near us began talking to us.
His name is Ash and
in the next half hour we talked to him, we came to find out his amazing story
of living and migrating from the Philippines and all his stories with meeting
missionaries there. It was so cool and we were able to teach a lot about what
we do as missionaries. It was so cool!
This past week, I
also went on exchanges with Hermana Stoker, a spanish missionary currently
serving in McMinnville. We actually came out together and I've wanted so badly
to get to know her, so the exchange was a blast! We were flying everywhere with
all the lessons and people we had to visit that day, and out of all the places
we had to go, we only had time to talk to ONE person! But that one individual
was so prepared and so amazing. That conversation we had with her....I haven't
felt the Spirit like that in a long time!
We were walking out
of a lesson in a retirement home and we saw Jaime sitting in her car, eating
and car window rolled down. She was parked right next to ours (haha, perfect!),
so it was easy to talk to her.
We explained what we
do as missionaries and we asked her how her faith in Christ has blessed her. I
loved her answer that Christ has helped her in the hard times because He lifts
her up and gives her strength. Mosiah 24:14 came to my mind, so we shared it
with her. This verse is God talking to a group of people that are under bondage
of others. He says to His people,
"And I will
also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot
feel them upon 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."
I felt the Spirit so
strongly as we testified to her how the Book of Mormon can give her added
strength and knowledge of Jesus Christ. We gave her a different passage to read
in the Book of Mormon and the light and love in her eyes as we gave it to
her...I haven't seen that in such a long time. I could see how open her heart
was to our message and I felt the Spirit nudge me to tell her how much God
loves her. She agreed when I said that we were meant to meet her that day and
that we both felt the Spirit as we talked to her.
Those
conversations...they just aren't seen every day and I know that was a huge
miracle from God. I was sad to find out that she actually lives in Beaverton
(not even in our area, but also outside our mission), but in the end, I am just
so excited for her to feel God's love as she reads the Book of Mormon and
learns more about the unique message we teach about Christ. And hey, all of us
missionaries...we're all on the same team anyways! It doesn't really matter who
teaches her!
This past weekend I
was also able to see Alanna Anderson (a missionary who I used to serve in
Forest Grove with and recently went home a few months ago!)!!! She came to
Oregon to visit with her family and oh my goodness, it was so fun to see her!
Her family brought us Chick Fil A for dinner (they are seriously saints) and I
loved every second of it. Her hugs are healing and she has no idea the true
impact she has made in my life or of those around her.
This past weekend I
also finished the Book of Mormon again! It was an amazing experience and I am
so thankful for the opportunity I had to read it again, and for the time I will
have to read it yet AGAIN! It reminds me of a quote from President Gordon B.
Hinckley:
"Those who have
read the Book of Mormon prayerfully...Without reservation I promise you that if
you will prayerfully read the Book of Mormon, regardless of how many times you
previously have read it, there will come into your hearts...the Spirit of the
Lord. There will come a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to His commandments,
and there will come a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of
God."
I am a witness of
this promise. No matter how many times I have read it or will read it, my
testimony of Jesus Christ as our Savior and as my Friend has only grown
stronger and deeper. I felt the reality of His Atonement and I know the Book of
Mormon is a testament of Him. I know this promise works, because I have studied
it and I have been prayerful about it.
I am so thankful for
this gospel and I love my Heavenly Father. I know my Savior lives, and that
through Him, we can access peace beyond what we can find by ourselves.
I want to end with
this scripture, one that I memorized with my first companion, Sister Schmoekel.
It has been "my strength and my song" (2 Nephi 22:2):
John 14:27-
"Peace I leave with you, peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth,
give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be
afraid."
If you reach out to
Him, I promise that He will give you peace in that moment. Even if the
situation around you does not change immediately, He will give you immediate
peace, and from there, He will give you guidance and hope. I know these things
to be true because I have felt them in my life. And what a sacred
responsibility and privilege I have to share that with everyone we meet.
I love you all and I
hope you have a wonderful week. I would love to hear from anyone!
All my love
Sister McCown
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