My Mind is Blown

Christmas was the best. I couldn't have asked for a better day. Skyping home was definitely the highlight. :) I could have talked to my fam for hours.

I have forgotten to tell about a family we met our first day of the transfer.  We've been meeting with them every Monday night they are so sweet. Their names are Claire and Paul and they have a 10 year old son Finley. It's so funny because every time we teach them something Fin looks at his parents and goes "My mind is blown." I love it haha.

We had lots of fun zone meetings this week and spent loads of time with missionaries. We still proselyted though every day and tracted probably 1000 doors but got into 1 haha. There is a less active family from Cameroon we are starting to do FHE with every week and it's seriously the best time. We were fed by so many members this week and got 3 Christmas dinners in 24 hours. We have enough candy to last us months. Holiday weight is real my friends. Also THANK YOU to all who sent sweet packages and letters for Christmas. I sat in my room Christmas Eve reading everything and it made me sooooooooo happy.

Sunday we get transfer calls! I have no clue what will happen.

Random experience which proves God is on missionaries sides: We had a DA on one side of Cannock and had to get to the other side in 20 minutes for a lesson and prayed for a miracle all day that we would make it. Literally when we got out of our DA there was a bus passing and we weren't at a bus stop and we started waving like crazy and it just pulled over and picked us up and then we had to switch busses at the Cannock station and the bus we needed was on it's way out of the station and we started waving like crazy at it AND IT STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET FOR US!!!!!! When does that happen?????? Never. Blessed. We met some really cool people this week. Just need to find cool people who will keep cool commitments like coming to church and stuff. :)

Oh my gosh the coolest thing though..... this week I was studying the teachings of Wilford Woodruff because he is my fifth great-grandpa. GUESS WHAT??????? His very first area in England was Staffordshire......... what the flip. Guess what my first area in England is. STAFFORDSHIRE. Isn't that so cool???? My mind is blown.;) But really Staffs has a special place in Sister McEwan's heart.

I love you guys so much. I hope you had a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

Cheers my dears.

Sis Mc xxxxx

Christmas Gifts from the Maules

Christmas Dinner with the Maules

Tchiapi family at church

Check it - upgraded to AP. No big deal.

Christmas Zone Conference

Elder Wallace and Sister Mamajanyan

Train to Sutton Coldfield

Dinner with the Wilcox Family

COMP UNITY

Yes, we tracted like this

Christmas party so much fun

Decorating a posh grandma's tree

Oliver, A Light to Every Member

Hello friends and family!! Merry Christmas!!! I'm so happy I can be here during such a special time. This week there were many highs and many lows as you would expect in the mission field. We had a heartbreaking experience on Friday. As many of you know Oliver missed his baptism last Sunday because he got sick just hours before. He received a blessing from the elders on Monday. On Tuesday late afternoon Sister Johnson and I went to visit him and we could tell he was very disoriented and confused. He had just gotten out of the bath to answer the door and as soon as he saw us he requested some coke. We ran to the store and brought him some minutes later. He thanked us and said he must go right back to bed because he was feeling so cold and shaken. We later found out Oliver had passed away that night. My heart was so broken and I could barely speak without breaking down. Oliver has been one of few constants since I entered the mission field. He was a light to every member of the Cannock ward. There is a massive hole in my heart.

I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to teach Oliver, and to have been taught by him. Before each lesson he would always start with something he learned that week from the Book of Mormon. I can so vividly remember him saying  "Yes, that's the main thing" about any and every gospel principle we introduced to him. Each time we went over he gave us countless amounts of produce from his garden and was always so eager to know how our missionary week went. I will never forget the garden tours and how passionate he would get when talking about his hedgehogs and sunflowers.

On Friday I was devastated and confused as to why God would take someone who was so good and so close to baptism. We had an appointment with a man named Bernid following the news. I could barely utter words or look at anyone so Sister Johnson did most the talking. I was looking around his home and saw an ornament hanging on his tree of half of a butterfly, and half of a sunflower, connected to each other. I immediately knew that Sarah and Oliver had met. I felt comforted that Oliver's work here was done. Although Oliver was not baptized a member here on earth, his sweet testimony was needed penetrate the hearts of others on the other side. And this is why we have the temple! Olivers last week on earth was so special - preparing for baptism. We had a very spiritual evening with him while picking out the songs we would sing. He bore his testimony for the first time this last fast and testimony meeting. His eyes were shut and his hands tightly gripped on the microphone it was precious. I will never forget the times we had with Oliver.

He lives, and because he lives, we can live again.

I know Jesus Christ lives. I see His help in this work every single moment. Even in the rejection and in the rain and in every person we invite to know him. This Christmas, I invite you all to know him!!! To recognise his hand in your lives. I promise that if you take the time to study the life of the Saviour, you will come closer to him, because you will be more like him. And that is our purpose here on earth. To prepare to meet him and our Father.

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."

He is all these things and more. May we all strive to live more worthy of Him.

I love you guys!!!! Happy Christmas from England 😘🇬🇧❤️🎄✨

Sister McEwan xx

Me, Oliver, Bro. and Sis. Denton and Sis Price

An Instrument in My Hands

This week was a "humbling week" Sister Johnson and I decided. It was definitely one of the hardest one so far. It's been difficult for me to be away from home while Isabelle has had her surgery.

Oliver unfortunately was not baptised yesterday. He got very sick the night before and couldn't get out of bed. Sister Johnson and I have tried to fill our days with back to back appointments but every single one of them fell through. We do not know what is going on.

Trying to rack my brain of what even happened this week. We had one cool miracle where 2 different people on our way to Oliver's lesson stopped us instead of us stopping them and wanted to meet with us! That never happens so it was weird that there were two within a minute of each other.

We had stake conference this weekend which was awesome because they filled up the stake centre and it felt like a regular Utah ward hahah. One guy told us this week that he was a "Born Again Atheist" which made no sense. We met a sweet woman named Margaret at St. Luke's a few weeks ago and she invited us over for lunch and to help her decorate her Christmas tree. She was POSH and had a maid at the front door taking our coats haha it felt like Downtown Abbey.

We got to see Steven!!!! It's been 2 months since I last saw him. He has that desire but his family still won't let him leave the house on Sunday to go to church. It was crazy though because we were teaching Steven in a coffee shop (ironic) and in came Dean..... 2 formers in one place hahaha so Sister Johnson and I literally had our backs to each other. She talked to Steven and I talked to Dean. Dean has gone COMPLETELY anti. It was horrifying. He was bashing the church so much and saying such terrible things about it. You could see the Devil in his eyes. It was honestly so scary he was yelling at me at how stupid I was to be apart of such a cult. It really shook me but actually made my testimony so much stronger so... that backfired;) haha. But really. I tried so hard to keep the conversation without contention and with love. It was very hard because I wanted to start screaming at him. I just had to bite my tongue and think "What would the Saviour do?" I expressed my love to him and reminded him of the feelings of peace and comfort our message brought to him when we first met. All his concerns were very worldly.

Funny experience Oliver called us earlier in the week saying: "My friend is very poorly I'm wondering if you can come around and put the hands on his head?" hahahaha he doesn't understand the term blessing quite yet.

The zone leaders sent out a prayer request for Oliver to our zone last night. In the middle of stake conference was when Oliver called saying he couldn't get out of bed so sister Johnson and I got super sad. All the missionaries there were so concerned because we are the loudest sister missionaries ever and we weren't speaking haha. But it was so sweet because we got several calls that night from missionaries telling us "5 things they love" about both of us. It really lifted our spirits.

The whole week sister Johnson and I kept saying "chin up, everyone might be rejecting us but we have a baptism on Sunday!!!" Then Sunday came and we felt so defeated.  Sweet Elder Jensen our District Leader called and gave us the scripture Alma 17:11 "And the Lord said unto them also: Go forth among the Lamanites, thy brethren, and establish my word; yet ye shall be patient in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may show forth good examples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls."

This whole week we taught a lot of people about trials and long suffering. I know that in order for me to be a better teacher, I have to go through those same things. If we endure these things well, and continue with faith in the Lord, he will use us "...unto the salvation of many souls." To know these things makes every hardship worth it. I love you guys. Thank you for the prayers. I feel them every day.

Cheers,

Sister McEwan xxx

Waiting for the train

Litchfield Zone

Stake Conference

Best Friends

What a Good Week

WHAT A GOOD WEEK!!!!!! Oh my goodness. My new comp Sis. Johnson (actually from Idaho) we are the same person and have way too much fun together it's insane. We get SO much done. Work hard play hard is our vision for this transfer. We had such a good missionary week. I am so completely exhausted and 100% drained and I've felt every range of possible emotion but it's been incredible.

I don't even know where to start. We met with the Edwards family yay!! Katie Joseph and their 2 little boys. Charlie and "little Joseph." They are sweethearts. They are so kind and so open. Joseph is just starting his own business so he is working a ton, but Katie still meets with us and it's greeeeat. :) Roger and his fam also set up an appointment with us. Roger, Faye, and their 2 kids Rihanna and Xander. I'm so excited. Matt came with us to a Christmas concert in Lichfield we are hoping we can put him on a baptism date tomorrow.

On transfer day sister Johnson had a ton of luggage and we had to get from flipping Sutton Coldfield to Cannock by train because the Lichfield zone is the closest to the mission home so we didn't get a coach. It was such a blessing that everyone on the train was actually being nice and helping us!!!!! It was rough though because we had to switch trains in Birmingham. When we got off in Cannock we were talking to each other about how it was going to be impossible to get it all to Heath Hayes because it's like a 15 minute uphill walk from the train station. Some random woman turned around and was like "Can I give you guys a lift to your flat??" She was completely normal and so kind!!!!!!! We got to her car and she was like "My husband actually has a van so I'll phone him so you can easily put all your stuff in it!!!" We were like..... "is this Utah?" What the heck!!!!! We were convinced she was an angel. Her name is Claire and we are actually teaching her tonight!!!!

GUESS WHO'S GETTING BAPTIZED THIS WEEK????????!!!!!??? The one and only Oliver. :) FINALLY!!!!!! Oh my goodness I can not wait. He told us that he wanted to be baptised this week and our jaws fell to the ground. Everything is all planned for we've just got to get him in the water!!!:) he had his baptism interview yesterday and passed with flying colours.

There's a man named Peter Sister Price and I street contacted a few weeks ago. We've knocked on his door at least a dozen times but he has never answered (even though he is clearly home). On Saturday I was like ehhh why not let's just try it one more time. Finally, peter answered. He said we could come back the following night to come teach him!!! When we first met peter I remember him telling us he had a lot of mental health problems. The next day when we taught him, as soon as we sat down, he told us "I haven't had people in my home for over 4 months, this is a huge step for me." He said that he never answers his door, and never goes outside. The one time he was outside was when Sister Price and I stopped him, and he knew it was a sign that there was a God!. He said several people had knocked his door that day that he had ignored, but he felt that he was supposed to answer it when we had knocked. THE LESSON WAS SO GOOD. he opened up to us and told us everything. We showed him the light of Christ Mormon message which related to him completely. Then we invited him to be baptized and he said "I would want nothing more than that." We pray that he will make it to his date, on January 1st!!!!!! Peter is so ready for that date!!!!! Please pray that his anxiety will allow him to go to church with us. :)

This week we tried so hard to make our finding efforts creative. One day we literally saw a trolley (shopping cart) outside of someone's flat complex. So we took it in and I sat in it as we knocked doors hahahaha it actually got people to listen to us so you gotta do what you gotta do. It's our new favourite finding method. Trolley tracting. It's a thing. Later in the week we tracted into a family and u know.... when u have a family on the line,... you gotta do everything possible to make them talk to you. This body builder answered the door so we just started talking about protein and the gym for like 10 minutes hahahaha turns out the day before the missionaries in Stafford (Manchester mission) had tried to teach him at the gym hahahah we were like "THIS IS A SIGN!!!!" So he's gonna let us come back and teach his fam haha.

The coolest miracle ever happened on Thursday. (This was pre-trolley tracting) Sister Johnson and I prayed that we would find someone named Robert. We came up with a new way to tract by knocking and being like "Is this Roberts house?" And then they're like "no" and then we are like "oh...... well we are volunteers from our church!!!!" And start a convo that way hahahah. ANYWAYS we literally found a guy named Robert. He was a dude who was babysitting his 2 grandkids Keegan and Ethan. They were THE CUTEST LITTLE BOYS. we showed them the light the world video and Keegan was like "It's Jesus!!!!" Every time he came on the screen it was so cute. Robert invited us back and we set up an appointment to meet his son and sons girlfriend (the parents of the 2 boys) yesterday we went back and taught them and it was hands down the best lesson yet. Emily and Kieron are their names. We taught them the restoration and they were like "This is the most true of all the churches. This has to be true." Then we read the Book of Mormon as a family and Emily was like "I really want one of those" and we were like ITS YOURS hahah. Oh my heck it was amazing. This week we are going to teach the plan and temple marriage. This sweet little family is so prepared for the gospel.

We met Manees boyfriend at her shop and he was like "Come over for dinner and teach us!!!" It was so awesome because he's never been taught by missionaries. He was loving it and we had a great discussion about the plan of salvation. We got bible bashed hardcore this week by several people hahahaha it was a trial. Our comp unity is hilarious we say the same things at the same time. Sis Johnson goes home in 2 transfers so I'm going to beg president that I can stay in Cannock with her until she leaves. Also I was demoted from ward pianist because one of the new elders in our ward plays Organ. 💔 we saw Phillip at his little windmill antique shop this week on our way back to our flat and he just gave us a full size mirror for free. He's adorable.

We've been trying to do some service because ''Tis the season". We ate at a pub on Friday and bought a dessert for this random table and had a waitress deliver it to them. It was so awkward because they were like "We don't want that" HAHA Backfire.

We met so many people this week and I wish I could tell you everything about everyone!!!! We are really focusing on building our teaching pool. I'M SO TIRED. It's the best feeling though. Some moments I feel so inadequate and like "What am I doing?" But other moments I think this is going by too fast and I need to just soak it all in!!! There are so many things that happen every day I wish I could share but you'll just have to wait a few months for it all. :)

When we are obedient to the missionary schedule we truly see miracles. We have been going running at 6 every morning and even those 30 minutes of exercise make such a difference in the day. Sorry I don't have any spiritual bit but I love you all sooooooooooo much.

Please pray for my beautiful little sister Isabelle as she is going into back surgery this morning ❤️❤️ love you Wiz.

OG Cannock crew at transfers

New District

Don't ask. We are tying to make funny videos for the Wylde Green Elders.

Hit before our run

How Blessed We are to be Apart of Something so Sweet

Hello family! Sooo transfer news!!! Sister Price is leaving for Cheltenham on Tuesday! My new companion is Sister Johnson from Utah and she's sooooooooo cute and I'm so excited!!!!! I'll pick her up Tuesday. She is currently serving in Warwick in Coventry zone training Sister Tarapi from the MTC so I can't wait. :) and also WE ARE GETTING ELDERS IN CANNOCK!!! FINALLY!!! I'm excited for a change.

This week was eh. We walked all over the world and nobody would listen to us. Issss all good though. We found a new investigator named Matt from street contacting. He is 17 and super awesome and open. On Sunday he came to church it was the best thing ever because it's next to impossible to get anyone to come to church. It was super stressful though because at 9:45 (church is at 10) we got a call from him saying "Hey I'm here!" But he was absolutely no where to be found and we were like hmmm... where? And he was like "St Michaels church in Penkridge" and we were like oh freak...... not only is Penkridge out of the area but it's out of our mission hahaha. But luckily Sis. Garner went and got him and he made it just in time for sacrament. :) Nick didn't make it out again. It is hard to not get so defeated when people don't come that you pray and pray will make it. None of our investigators are progressing because they won't come to church.

On Wednesday we had a pretty rough day full of rejection and so we decided to take our dinner hour later at 8 so we could go back to the flat early and eat our sorrows away. We bought pizza and ice cream and all things comforting. Being completely drained at about 9:00 we both accidentally fell asleep :) Completely oblivious to he fact that we had forgotten to text in to our district leader :) we also had the phone on silent as we were in the St. Luke's church earlier that day :). Soooo as my fam knows I am a deep sleeper. Sis Price is too. So this was bad news. At about 10:20 I woke up to a buzz from the phone and answered it all calm and collected and then Elder Devoz was like "Ahhhhhhhhh!!!! You guys are alive!!!!! We thought you were kidnapped or something the zone leaders are on their way to Cannock right now to find you!!!!!" We had like 20 missed calls from the AP's and the ZL's and everyone else you could imagine. It was terrible. Then we didn't sleep the whole night because of all the adrenaline. Yay.

Sheila is the best and kept our spirits up this week. She took us out for lunch and just makes us laugh like crazy. We taught Emily and I love her to bits. The Mawles showed up at our door on Thanksgiving I LOVE them. Met a cool dude named Kane. The elders challenged us to commit a random person to baptism on the streets. So we literally committed some random dude to baptism on the street but then hewouldn't give us his number or address so who knows where he is now haha people are soooo strange. Oliver is my favourite. He keeps changing his baptism date though? It'll be before the end of the year but he's so indecisive haha. Missionary life we are running everywhere all the time from appointment to appointment which is great. We got into a lot of houses this week which was awesome. I have a new technique of getting into people's houses by being nosey and pointing out something I like inside their house and asking if I can walk in and see it hahahaha it's either super awkward or super awesome.

We had an appointment with the Edwards family on Saturday. Their house is quite a walk and so I was praying the whole way there that they could feel the spirit in the lesson. When we got to the door the Book of Mormon and restoration cd were on the porch and they said they didn't want to have a lesson. The Rogers family didn't answer when we knocked and neither did Tina.

It's hard not to feel so down especially when we are working so hard. I've never worked so hard in my life. I think my Heavenly Father needs me to slow down and recognize the small and simple miracles from this week. Like an investigator willing to go all the way to Penkridge to hear our message of the restored gospel. It was the most precious feeling seeing Matt take the sacrament and sing along to the hymns. I hope it is something I can experience again soon. How blessed we are to be apart of something so sweet. I pray that I will NEVER take the gospel for granted ever again.

#LIGHTtheWORLD I cannot WAIT to start using this incredible initiative. :)

Cheers,

Sister McEwan xxx

This is a picture Sunday lunch at sister McCalls with her adorable grandkids Rigby, Monte, Amelie and Wren

Bag Sis. Garner made for me

St. Luke's Church

Made the Elders try grilled cheese and jam

Stupid photo we took at district meeting

The Train

The Garners teaching Emily

Teaching Families

Happy Mondaaaay! Today we went to Walsall because there's a lot more to do there than in Cannock;) We had a really good missionary week. Mostly because we've found some families to teach!

Monday

We did some book club with Nick. He is really learning so much and loves to study the Book of Mormon!!!! It's so fun reading it with him.

Tuesday

The wind and the rain has begun. We saw dean on our way to the chapel for youth. It was super depressing. His entire countenance has changed. He let his doubts get in the way of the spirit he felt when we taught him. His friends and family have been telling him that we are a cult and that he will never be able to stop smoking. He is literally a different person and it kills us. But it was good to see him because whenever we knock by he always has an excuse to say he's busy. We miss him lots though.

Wednesday 

Zone Meeeeeting. Takes our whole day but it's all good. We had some great trainings. We've all been wondering when people need to stop smoking before getting baptised. President made the announcement that it can be literally as they are walking into the chapel haha. The gift of the Holy Ghost will help them to quit then and there. Our mission president received revelation that each companionship will have 1 baptism by the end of the year. After ZM we got our flu jabs and ate at the Garners. We have stopped by Greg several times this week but he's always got company over. We went over with the Garners but he couldn't talk so we went to nicks instead with them. It was the greatest lesson ever though and all worked out. We did book club haha he loves the Book of Mormon. He also invited his friend Kurt who was totally into it and asking tons of questions. And  taught Tonya earlier in the day. She didn't want the Book of Mormon but told us to try back again in a few months... I think she just liked our company and because we would listen to her tell us about Russia.

Thursday

Greeeaat day with lots of knocking. We found some really cool people who we are teaching this week. We didn't have much luck at the beginning. I prayed sooo hard that we would be let inside at least once. All it takes is a prayer. 10 minutes later the sweetest woman named Tina let us in. :) She just lost her daughter with epilepsy a few months ago. She's never been religious but wants to learn more. There's also a family on our street who wants us to come teach them (yay!) they asked us to drop by some material they could read so they'll have questions and stuff ready for us when we come over on Wednesday. So excited. Also got our palms read by some random guy we were talking to at the supermarket. He told me, "Don't bother getting married darling you'll be divorced by 27" ahaha sad. Then we asked him if he wanted to come to church and he said, "Only if I can find myself a dance partner there" then he proceeded to show us the cha cha also keep in mind he is 80 years old. Nick was there too he was dying. 

Friday

Sheila from the poppy appeal asked us to help with a couple hours of poppy stuff. We met the niiiiicest woman named Hyra who want us to come teach her and give her a chapel tour!!!!! She SCREAMS elect but is going to New Zealand next week for holiday until February oh my goodness... but she will be baptized when she gets back. ;) We met a guy named Mel earlier in the week we knocked his door and made a return appointment with him. He was super interested and excited for us to come back. We went back with the garners but he didn't answer it was really sad. We will go back though. We taught Oliver he is adorable. He is like a princess and has so many animal friends like hedgehogs and lady bugs  that just live with him. He has been dating his girlfriend for 36 years though. Which really explains his baptismal commitment issues hahaha. He did have some great news though that he wanted to move his date to right before Christmas. :) Love him so much. We always leave his house with the most random stuff from his garden haha. He is so sweet. Every time he talks about how thankful he is for missionaries he says "Crikey, I just want to weep." So sweet. He told us that each missionary who has taught him was sent specifically for him.:) Miracle: we saw a former potential who changed phone numbers so we couldn't get a hold of her and she lost our number so yay! We will see her soon.

Saturday

We taught the Edwards family!!!!! Oh my goooodnessss the best feeling ever. We taught the resto. Their baby was just Christened and they said, "We hate to admit it but when we were at St Luke's we have to admit we missed that feeling of going to church." We were like YES! Haha. Please pray for this family that they'll be able to find peace and hope in our message:):) Katie and Joseph and they have 2 sweet little boys. We will see them again next week. Also feel like we know everyone in Cannock by now haha I swear every time we walk through town we see like 10 people we know

Sunday

I love church. We taught gospel principles and were supposed to teach young women's but no young women were at church so we just went to relief society. Nick didn't come again... he was really sick. We were really down. Florence didn't come either or anyone else that said they would #missionlife.. Ate at the Mawles :):))). Then we went to Huntington (Sister Price and I decided that all the elect and ready are in Huntington). A 17 year old name Joshua referred himself because he saw the musical Book of Mormon and wanted to meet with missionaries and we had THE BEST discussion with him ever!!!!! Him and his girlfriend both are interested in learning more. The spirit was so strong when we were testifying of the restoration. They are going to Switzerland the next 2 weeks for holiday but will be back and want to learn more:):) it was such a good lesson. Then we taught Tina and her family again and are working on her faith in Jesus Christ because she

didn't have that belief before!!

It's raining, it's pouring but I love it here it's so beautiful. This week I found out that where I am serving is basically like the Tennessee / Louisiana / Georgia of America. Which explains the accent that I do not understand. ;) it's not the posh London accent hahaha I love it thought and am slowly understanding it hahaha. Transfers are next week I'll stay in Cannock but sis price is probably going so we will see what transfer 3 brings!!!! Christmas is early here because there is no Thanksgiving loveeee it. Saw like 800 Shih Tzus this week so that was depressing because they were all Bean but it's fine.

I love missionary work. This week I prayed and prayed for the spirit to be present in the lessons. We are not perfect teachers and sometimes it's hard to blame ourselves for lessons that aren't as good as others. I have been getting really nervous while teaching the restoration I need to humble myself and let the Lord do his part. I studied 1 Nephi 16 and the bit about the liahona. It only worked toward the families "faith and diligence" two things I need to work on. I've also been so caught up in thinking "I will be blessed for going on a mission" but I was slapped in the face during studies this week. "We will not be judged for the things that we have done, but for what we have become." I need to use the next 18 months to become a more humble, loving, patient, obedient, faithful disciple of Jesus Christ. I want to be a missionary not for the reward, but because I love the lord. I need his help to do so.

Hugs and kisses from across the pond. Enjoy your thanksgiving feast I will miss that holiday. 💔

Cheers,

Sister McEwan xxx

"Sister McEwan" Drawn by Sister Price :)