November 17, 2014

HELLO FAMILIA

First things first: tender mercy packages from Brandi Murray and fam and DAD. Oh my goodness. Can I just say that the timing of packages never ceases to amaze me. So with Brandi's, I got it on transfer day when I had like no food (when you leave an area you try to just stretch to the next P day since you come in on a Tuesday. Sometimes you can go to the store when you have time during lunch, but I didn't) AND IT WAS ALL HEALTHY SNACKS like dried fruit and bars and yummy perfume and earrings-you know me too well- and a drawing from Leighton (best part). Oh my goodness it was exactly what I needed. Especially when my new friends here are offering me canned Spaghetti-Os. Yeah right. Then DAD and m your letter came that day too so it felt like a big hug from my parentals via mail. Oh dad you came through. The best oats with dried blueberries and new TT bars. That's always a great day. The cards are always the best part. Weird, m, how your card answered questions that were on my mind that day. Yeah, you're inspired. I died. Mother's intuition. Enough about the mail. Just know that I got those on the 2 hardest days of the week and may or may not have shed a tear when I got dad's. It was a rough day. I just did not feel like I did enough, although our numbers were still decent. And I was so exhausted... it just brought me so much comfort and joy.

So I am in the land of Lauderhill South. I am close to my last zone, but now I am in the Coral Springs zone. And our ward is STRAIGHT ESPANOL. Can I get a high five? Best day. I cannot explain it, but yesterday in church I was sitting there, not understanding it all, but feeling so at home. I can't explain it, but I just love Latins to death and I love teaching in Spanish!!!!! I am happy here. And my comp, she's top notch.

This area is MASSIVE, but so amazing. I was shocked when I went from 900 miles in Hollywood to 1400 here. There is lots of work to do in this area! I feel that Heavenly Father is truly shaping and molding me. I cannot explain it, but the fire and excitement that I have for every hour of every day to do this work is not my own. Sister Bradley is an amazing companion. I adore her. We have been working so well together. She is so incredibly kind and thoughtful. She has a rock solid testimony, and such a meek and humble way about her. Needless to say, I am in heaven and mission life these past couple of months has been just too good. 

I started the Book of Mormon over and I feel like each time I read it, I learn in accordance with a different theme that the spirit teaches me with. Last time, it was the divinity and reality of the Savior's ministry. This time, it is how easily we can apply the scriptures to ourselves. In the end of 1st Nephi (wish I could remember the chapter and verse...sorry!) how Lehi is talking to Laman and Lemuel about Nephi before he dies. He explains that their brother is righteous and in tune with the spirit and doing the Lord's will and that they should not reject him. I thought we could replace Lehi with Heavenly Father and Nephi with Christ and compare it to our day. Truly, Christ is so perfect and merciful. We should not reject him. The gospel is so simple. We make it so difficult. Something that can help us use the atonement daily is the General Conference talk by Elder Klebingot (sp?). Oh my goodness that talk just resonates with me! It is my favorite talk ever. It makes it sound so simple to live every aspect of the gospel, because it is! I feel like the longer I serve, the more clearly I see the gospel. That is a tremendous blessing from serving.

We are so thrilled to be serving in Lauderhill North. We love this work. I am so grateful to be a representative of Jesus Christ. That is an amazing calling, and I am humbled and blessed to be able to represent him in South Florida. ALSO MY GIRL SISTER COATES WENT STL AND IS MY STL NOW. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. THIS IS REAL LIFE. Can you tell I am beyond excited? Sister Coates and Bird being my STL is basically the celestial kingdom on the earth today. Too far?

Well family, you are in my thoughts and prayers. Less and less though... I have to admit. And when that happens, you are in my heart and I feel even closer to you. Crazy how that works. I focus more, and I feel closer to you. Win win.

LOVE YOU SO MUCH. Eat tons of turkey and send me photos! I want to see thanksgiving back home... that's this week, right?

I know that November is a hard month for our family. But for me, as I serve, it has been easier. That is a tremendous blessing, and I pray that it is easier to get through the holidays for you as well. I know that as we rely on the Savior for comfort and as we lean on our testimonies, we will receive the comfort that we need as we rejoice in knowing that families really can be together forever. We will see Nachita in the next life. She can see us now; she is with us. If our "mortal eyes were not heavy and our ears were not dull", we would see her too.

I love you all,

Hermana McCormick