October 21

Hey hey family and friends! How has it been another week already? I hope that fall at home and in Utah is treating everyone well. When Sister Jackson and I run in the morning, we do a little dance when it is "brisk" out. Aka 80 degrees, and yes it actually feels amazing to us. I guess that means I have finally acclimated. 

ALSO Dad and Sister Livingston coming in so clutch. My gosh I was spoiled rotten this week with two Trader Joe's care packages! I got the healthy food from dad and some more semi healthy treats from Sister L. They were all pumpkin and now I finally feel like I am celebrating fall. I just love it. I love the support from you all! I am so blessed. 

Sister Gardner has been so sick, poor girl. She has been unable to work all week, and I have learned a valuable lesson. I have learned how much I lean on my companions. I thought that I was Miss Independent who pulled more of the companionship, but I find joy in going out of my way to serve her. I realized how much I need my companion in decision making, planning, etc. I am so grateful for this lesson! She has been so sick, so we took her to Urgent Care. Turns out, they caught the beginning of pneumonia. Crazy, right? But she is on a Z pack and thankfully is doing way better already. Our members are amazing and we got two members each day! I love this ward. One to stay with her, and one to work with me. We only got 1 investigator at church and we were short 3 baptismal dates.... but other than that the Lord blessed us and we were able to almost hit standards. The West sisters and the STLs have been so amazing in helping us with exchanges. Sisters Bird and Amoilameh helped us so that I could go to sacrament meeting yesterday.

I have been studying the Book of 3rd Nephi. The spirit that I feel as I read those chapters of the Savior's coming reminds me of a conference talk. The love that we feel for the prophet is a gift from God, as is the spirit that we feel as we read the scriptures. I know that as I feel calm and peaceful and full of love as I read about Christ appearing to those in the Americas, it is the spirit telling me that this is true. Our Savior really did die for our sins. He is so perfect and so loving and he never thinks of Himself. He completed the atonement, and then went to the spirit world to minister to them. I know that as I utilize the atonement more fully, I will be able to be carried beyond my own capacity as I serve others. I have felt it. 

I really do love this work. It is easy to feel like I am not doing enough, but that is part of the process. I love the level of spirituality that missionaries are able to feel. On top of that, we have "ah-ha" moments daily. I think that is why missions change people so much. However, my mission has been the means by which the atonement has changed me. I am so incredibly grateful for this time that I have to serve the Lord full-time. Missions are HUGE blessings. I am blessed each day that I have here to wake up and serve the Lord.

I love you all so much. Crazy to think that I will be home in less than a year. Hope the time is flying for you like it is flying for me. It definitely motivates me to give my 100%, my absolute all each day.

Love,

Hermana McCormick