Saturday, September 13, 2014

(Mom's a little behind schedule with posting....)

Good morning family!

Okay so I thought 24 lessons was crazy... try 28. We have been so blessed and so busy!

This week in the Book of Mormon I loved reading Alma 7. I am growing in my understanding of the atonement. I did not realize (until this week) that missionaries need the atonement the most in this world. I loved Alma 7 because it reminded me that the atonement is a precious gift that we have. We must utilize it every day of our lives. I am seeing that the busier we are, the more I need the atonement. Getting up at 6:30 is so hard, but the second that I kneel to pray I wake right up. I know that is the mantle that we have as missionaries. We are given extra strength. I love serving and being a missionary. It really is crazy how my eyes are soooo bloodshot and I am so tired, but somehow, I have the energy to run hard in the morning, and then work hard all day long! I know that it is a blessing because the second that we walk in the house at night, I feel like I can straight up fall over. Not doing so well at my nighttime work outs.

Sister Gardner and I are doing well in our area. We are still very busy, but we will work on cleaning out our teaching pool this week. We have been blessed with many investigators and referrals. This week had to be the best week of my mission. We are getting so much work done, and we are being incredibly blessed. We hit the highest KIs that I have ever hit, and it brings us so much satisfaction and joy to be doing the Lord's work with all of our focus and energy. We were blessed with a baptism yesterday. It was the most stressful Sunday, as we were unsure if she would be on time to sacrament. She made it! Her baptism was so special and I love seeing her whole eternity change. Round up is the time in between ward council and sacrament meeting where we go to our investigators' homes, remind them about church, and tell them see ya there in 30! It is usually super effective, but sometimes they are SO SLOW. Mom: I am so incredibly sorry for ever making you late to church. You should have spanked me I was the worst. We brought the kids pancakes (talk about torture, I made 15 pancakes on fastSunday... couldn't eat one!) and they were hilarious. That was their first pancake ever. They were so fascinated with the taste, texture, etc. It was priceless to watch them. 

We had the most amazing miracle yesterday at church. We were so busy preparing for one baptism, that we were unable to visit other investigators (we only called/texted them). We were sitting with one of our investigators in sacrament when in walks a huge family! We talked to them after and they loved church. I was so glad, because with Baptists sometimes this church is very different for them. She even wanted to share her testimony. She was too shy, but she will next testimony meeting. This Jamaican family is the coolest. 

So run through of my week... because I kind of realized I never give you a day to day, I just tell you funny things that happened... so here you go:

Monday: We saw A. Remember her? Her sister died 2 days before we met her and she needed a prayer. So she has totally come around and was so touched by the spirit as we talked about personal revelation through the Book of Mormon, SHE CRIED. Cool experience.

Tuesday: P DAY so this zone kinda really stinks at smash face, so that's a downer. We harvested and had correlation and this ward is a riot. Take Jerry Springer and The District, combine them and that is correlation. Always a good time.

Wednesday: A member gave us a lasagna and her husband is a nonmember and reminded me of dad. Super supportive and kind, goes to church sometimes.. super cool guy. I told him he reminded me of dad and we bonded. It was cool. Also we met S. my favorite woman ever. She did not even hear us knock, she just felt like she needed to answer the door... crazy... and did and said we made her day. She is 29, a newlywed, from Washington and we are going to help her spring clean her house this week. She is the kindest person I have met here!

Thursday: T. - Oh my, have I told you about this woman? Okay so we prayed with her husband, then we found her and loved her so started teaching her. We went to see someone else, I put the wrong address in the gps, we get out of the car (neither of us noticed we were on the totally wrong street) and walked like 4 houses down, still neither of us realized, and then guess who drives up? We had a great visit with her, and it was very good fortune for us that we got lost and ended up with her.

Friday: Taught these two children whose parents are in the ward and both parents are deaf, so they feel that their children do not get enough gospel nourishment. I love these children and gosh it makes me miss studying el ed! We also met our referral, M. who is super kind and wants the gospel for her family HOLLA HOLLA

Saturday: We had a lesson with E., he is doing well. Receptive to the lessons especially about the restoration.

Sunday: BAPTISM also yesterday we met our referral who is getting her PhD. 

Okay parents: dad, do you know someone named G.M.? Recently passed. We met his daughter and it was so cool to meet someone who could talk about the huge swell at the Wedge. Also, mom I forgot workout clothes, perfume as ideas for Christmas. All I need. And I need to send you back the black skirt still sorry! Also, have you tried TJ's oatmeal, with a spoonful of melted peanut butter and 1/2 banana cut up? Heaven.

So that was this week. I hope that everyone's back to school week was the best! I cannot believe that our family is scattered across the US. I miss you all so much, but I know that I will be home soon enough. Feed the missionaries and read your scriptures. 

I LOVE YOU ALL! I really can never say that enough. Mondays are the best because I so look forward to writing you all!
xox
Hermana McCormick