I'm Leaving my Heart in Oregon...

Here it is everyone, my very last email as a missionary! In exactly one week, I will be flying home, back to Tucson, Arizona! This journey here in Oregon as a full-time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for the past 18 months has been amazing. There are no words to explain how much my mission means to me! It was the best decision I have ever made, and also the hardest thing I have ever done. Nothing has brought me more purpose, though, in my life and I wouldn't trade these experiences (no matter how hard they were) for the world!

This past week has been crazy, I went on three exchanges with three wonderful sisters, and this week we have two exchanges, so it's going to fly!

Because this is my last weekly, I wanted to specifically dedicate it to talking about a few of the many highlights from my mission:

1. Ashley coming out proselyting with Sister Christenson and I in Forest Grove. She is the cutest thing ever and was so bold in telling people in the streets about the Book of Mormon!

2. Going to the temple with Sarah, Sister Christenson and Sister Child, and while we were there, seeing President Wilde and his family there coincidentally!

 3. Having the studies of hope that was introduced to us by Sister Wilde, the mission president's wife. It was truly inspired, especially where I was at when she gave us the challenge to study about the topic of hope. It saved me!

4. Feeling the love from the Wildes when they visited me after I was notified of a family thing at home, and they brought me a pie!

5. Last year attending the one and only FULL mission-wide tour where Sister Boss and I, along with over 150 other missionaries, were able to hear from and shake Elder Cook's hand! He is of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles and it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

6. The lesson with Sister Teters where we taught our friend Robert (a foreign exchange student from Taiwan) where our mission president and wife also came because they speak Mandarin! It was a very powerful lesson where the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ was felt so deep in my heart!

7. My trainee becoming my best friend! Sister Leifson has made such a big impact in my life and I couldn't thank her enough!

8. My amazing trainer, Sister Schmoekel, becoming my soon-to-be-roomate! I learned so much from her and I'm so excited to see her again!

9. My MTC companion, Sister Christenson, becoming my companion during our year mark! I love her so much!

10. My roommate of 6 months, Sister Child, becoming one of my greatest and closest friends! She saw me during some of my lowest and she has inspired me so much!

11. My half-companion becoming the older sister I never had! Sister Anderson is amazing and I miss her famous, healing hugs!

12. Battling bedbugs in Forest Grove (as stressful and annoying as it definitely was, it was also a bonding experience for sure)

13. spending my first three months of the field on bikes (sure got me into shape fast!)

14. seeing how many times a verse in the Book of Mormon that they needed to hear touch someone's heart

15. seeing the look on people's faces when I introduce myself as an Arizonian in rainy Oregon

16. being able to go on exchanges with many Sisters and learning SO MUCH from them!

17. having so many amazing companions that I needed exactly when I needed them

18. for every trial (whether it was mission-related or personal) that I faced that allowed me to become stronger, better and able to emphasize with others

19. every lesson that had kids involved and coming to find out that I love teaching kids!

20. the trio's I got to be apart of (they're a party!)

21. coming to see how a missionary's favorite holiday is General Conference

22. seeing how much better everything is when I put my will into His hands and trust that everything will work out as it should

23. having some of the most spiritual experiences on the side of the street

24. being converted to family history

25. Doing tie dye shirts with the sisters in Forest Grove, the mission president's wife and their daughter

26. Sharing Mosiah 24:14 with Laura on her porch and seeing the light in her eyes sparkle just a little bit more, as she considered the hope that she may be able to feel from the gospel

27. learning what it means to be "fair dinkum" (all in) in missionary work!

28. seeing the changes in myself throughout these past 18 months and realizing more of my potential as a daughter of God

29. Going on exchanges with Sister Leifson after a few transfers of not being companions with her!

30. experiencing Dutch Bros.

This really is only a few of the many highlights of the past 18 months of my life. It is so surreal to think that my time is almost up, but I am immensely grateful for the opportunity I had to dedicate this time to serving my Savior. He has given me so much, more than I could even begin to comprehend, and I am thankful for everything that He has given me!

Out of all the things I have learned on my mission, out of all the experiences and changes of heart, out of...everything, the thing I am most grateful for is the personal conversion I have been able to have to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, especially through reading the Book of Mormon!

Throughout the time I have been a missionary, I have been able to read the Book of Mormon cover to cover five times, and each time I learn more and more and MORE! My goodness, I can see why we are commanded to feast upon the word continually, because there can never be a time where we will be able to say that we have learned all that we can from the Book of Mormon!

There is nothing that has brought me more peace in my life than the precious moments I have been able to read these unchangeable words that seem to have changing impacts in my life, as it pertains exactly to the things I am going through at that time.

I love the Book of Mormon. It is my anchor. Even just hugging it gives me more peace and makes me feel better. I am thankful for the testimony of it that I have been able to gain, as well as all the years ahead that I have to continue to read and learn from it! If I could get on the rooftops and scream about how much I love it and how much it has changed my life, I would...except that probably wouldn't leave the best impression! That's okay, though, because the greatest changes of heart happens when you read it for yourself, and feel the quiet whisperings of the Holy Ghost- often a warm feeling in your heart- that testifies to you of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon! I know that I have experienced that numerous times and I am thankful for every answer I have received and every scripture that I have been able to share with others!

I love this gospel and I love my Savior. I have loved being and missionary and I am thankful for this last week that I have to wear a black name tag with the name of my family, the name of my Church and the name of my Savior Jesus Christ on it.

I love you all and I am thankful for all your love and support these past many months! Thank you everyone, and I hope to see you all soon!

All my love

Sister McCown

Keep the "Christ" in "Christmas"

Only 4 days later and here I am sending another "weekly"! I won't have as much to report on, considering I can only really talk about my weekend, but here it goes!

Well, first off, ONLY 23 DAYS TILL CHRISTMAS! Whoop Whoop!! I love the Christmas season, and all that it entails! Today for part of our preparation day, we went to Walmart and got decorations and started Christmas shopping for our families, and boy- is it fun! I love seeing all the Christmasy stuff and hearing the music and seeing all the joy that comes from it.

One thing that I really want to focus on though, is keeping the "Christ" in "Christmas"! It is so easy to get caught up in all the necessities and "to-do's" before the big day, and so that is what makes it that much more necessary to remember Him at this time of year especially. I'm so thankful for this time that we have to celebrate His birth, because it is only through Him that everything is possible!

Something that I have loved doing is watching a new video that the Church published: "The Christ Child". We have been using that in our lessons with members and they have loved it! It truly brings the Christmas spirit as we watch this new rendition of the nativity scene, and specifically about the more accurate timeline of the wise men and their role in the nativity! It brought me to tears the first time I watched it!

I had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We spent our day with several members, and guess what...I GOT TO PLAY SOCCER!!

For those of you who know me, I used to play soccer for years when I was younger, but I haven't played in almost 3 years! So when we got together with members and missionaries in the area to play, I was so beyond excited! We had enough people to have 2 full teams and we played the full field for almost an hour and a half...MAN, am I out of shape!! It was crazy because my brain naturally wanted to go all out and do everything that I wanted to do, but my body was screaming at me not to. So...I just did it, and even a couple days afterward, my body punished me for it. Needless to say, I was very sore...but no regrets!

On Friday, Sister Morgan and I were given an assignment and had to leave our area for a little bit, because of the craziness of transfers...and I got to see my Sister Leifson again coincidentally! Boy oh boy was that fun! I love her so much!

On Saturday, we had our zone service project and it was so fun!! We met with the whole zone (7 companionships of elders and 4 companionships of sisters) got together and spent pretty much all of Saturday setting up Albany's annual Christmas Storybook Land!

So basically what we did was we unloaded huge trailers full of stuff, separated them to the sets they needed to go, and then set up each of them! There were Disney sets, children's book sets, even a Bear Country, etc. etc. etc.! It took a long time and it was insanely cold, but so fun! I really enjoyed it and we were wiped by the time we left!

Spiritual message of the week..another excerpt from my journal!

"This morning we had Thanksgiving breakfast with some members in another ward. At the end, they shared a spiritual thought with us that brought me to tears! I've been struggling recently as I approach the end of my mission; I'm not mentally ready, but I'm also super tired! It's a daily struggle, really.

They showed us an excerpt from "Facing the Giants" where one football player had to bear-crawl as far as he could with a person on his back, and also blindfolded. The farther he went, the harder it got and the more his coach encouraged him, even to the point of shouting. Not only did the player exceed the expectation, but he made it all the way to the endzone.

It was amazing to me how much that scenario related to being on a mission. We are literally blind-folded because the prospect of home never seems like a reality, no matter how close you actually get.

What I loved most though, was how the player struggled more and more the farther he went along, at some points doubting his ability to press forward, even though the weight on his back stayed the same. I've really seen that recently. I'm here right now, doing the same work that I've been doing for almost 18 months now...but it only gets increasingly harder! Thankfully, and hopefully, I get stronger too, but it is still painful!

I also loved how involved the coach was, by the end on his hands and knees, imploring the player to go just a little bit father. My coach is my Father in Heaven. He is always at the sidelines, giving us encouragement and counsel. He will never forsake us!"

As much as I know that this video related to me and impacted my life, I know that it can relate to each and every one of us and the things we are going through in our individual lives. Heavenly Father is always there, cheering us on the sidelines, imploring us to take one more step in faith! We are blind in this world, to His Plan and His will and timing. But we can take that step of faith despite not knowing, and we can see blessings from it!

I love this work and I love my Savior! I'm so thankful for the strength He gives to me when I don't think I have any left. I am thankful for the constant companionship of the Spirit and the opportunity I have every day to spread the joy of the everlasting gospel to those who don't know about it!

I love you all!

Sister McCown