Miami in July

Hello Everyone,

This week was a busy week full of biking and OYMing but unfortunately, nobody came to church. We are teaching a member referral and they are wonderful people from Venezuela. They are very interested in the temple so we are planning to take them on a temple tour tomorrow night.

Saturday we got to go back to Fountainebleau South to see Liarys' baptism! She is so kind and it was a great reunion. It was such a tender mercy that I got to go back there with my companions. Her baptism was incredible; the spirit was so strong. It was like a tribute to missionary work. So many people were there. The RS Pres welcomed her and the whole bishopric got up together and welcomed her; that was powerful.

MIRACLE of the week: we were biking and Sister Bradley was in the front and was headed for a sidewalk that was ending but did not realize it so we talked with this girl at the bus stop. We offered her a card and she said, "Are you Mormon? I am too!" We got to talking and she was baptized a year or two ago and has wanted to come back. Even better, she is YSA! Those sisters in Miami Beach YSA are on fire and deserve all the referrals in the world. 

3 Nephi 26: 18 And many of them saw and heard unspeakable things, which are not lawful to be written.

This is a really simple scripture, but this week during my studies I have learned a lot about spiritual experiences and sharing them. I read in a talk that Elder Romney once said: We'd have more spiritual experiences if we did not talk so much about them." Additionally, it is so important to write down the things that the spirit teaches us. As we do, it shows the Lord that we treasure our personal revelation and are ready to receive more. 

Also another cool talk to read: "Becoming a Disciple" by Elder Neal A. Maxwell. It has changed my testimony and the way I look at trials and the gospel and I can't read it enough!

This area is kind of hilarious. We cover this city called Opa-Locka and it actually has a sign with 2 black guys saggin' and says "Welcome to Opa-Locka. No ifs, ands, or BUTTS." and has a municipal code underneath it, explaining that littering is unlawful. There are signs around here that say: "Stop the violence. This is your hood too." Wish I could say I was kidding.

Also we got to do a service activity on Key Biscayne and it looked like Burn Notice and was super cool to go and see the beach and pick up garbage (but we had to stay off the sand and just clean the park). I was drippin’ sweaty!!! This humidity is something else.

I am losing track of time I SWEAR it is still May. Having a hard time that it is already almost half way through July. Would you all kill me if I extended? KIDDING m and d I would not do that to you.

I love this work. I love what I learn each week, as I work and get exhausted, and as I am tried and tested because God always brings me closer during the hard moments. I am grateful for each trial and hard day I have had on my mission. I would not change anything. My mission is my most prized possession.

During sacrament meeting next week, write down your testimony of the Savior. Picture the sacrament being administered to you as Christ outstretching His hands to you. I wrote it down and it came out way differently than it was in my head and I know that I will treasure that page with my testimony as a missionary forever.

I love you all so much! Heavenly Father really blessed me with the most fun, loving, and hard working parents and siblings. 

Hermana McCormick