I am Meant to be in England

Oh my gosh you guys. Never did I think I could love something so much. I LOVE IT HERE. GO ON A MISSION. It's so amazing I have grown so much in the last two weeks it kinda freaks me the freak out. But the heavens have seriously opened and I just want to scream to everyone in England that the Church is TRUE!!!!!

I have a ton to talk about a ton of fun stories but I have to start with the most important!!!! So last Thursday we had a proselyting street contacting practice day in Manchester. They gave us two Book of Mormons and some pass along cards and dropped us off at a big outdoor shopping place. First of all it was like a 30 minute drive and raining and I could not believe how beautiful this place is. I mean wow. I have never been somewhere so green and so beautiful in my entire life. My pictures do it no justice. Anways so we get there and me and my comp decided we would not waste any time and just attack people. So the first people were saw were an elderly couple and they were adorable and they were also already Mormon. SO THAT WAS AN ULTIMATE FAIL. And so then we went to like 10 other people and they kindly told us they weren't interested (kind of kindly). But I couldn't believe how fine I was with being completely rejected. It didn't put me down at all. Then we went over to these 2 teen boys that just got out of school and were straight chillin at the park. We talked to them for a good 10 minutes then I asked them if they believed in God and they said no. So I challenged them to pretend for 1 day that there is a god and just see what happens. I got their emails so I'm about to email them and ask how it went. They were really up for it. And then we found this guy from Africa who was handing out newspapers and we said we would trade him a newspaper for a Book of Mormon and he was SO INTERESTED AND KEPT ASKING US QUESTIONS and so we both we bearing our testimony and bawling and he was crying and he said he was going to read it because he's trying to find God because he believes in him and needs his help. I got his email and I'm about to write him too!!!! And THEN (this is the best one) there was this total gangster father I saw several times throughout the day and he was kind of scary cause he had really long hair and ripped jeans and tons of tats but he was so cute and with his little son and I kept feeling like I should go up to him and teach him about the plan of salvation. Finally after the 5th time I saw him (he was without his son that time and with a girl with hot pink hair) and we attacked. He LOVED THE PLAN OF SALVATION and told us he would read the Book of Mormon and that he was looking for religion and super interested and at first the chick was like what are you doing here but at the end she was loving to listen. It was amazing I was on such a high I can't even tell you. I can't wait to do that for 18 months. And we got his email too. And there were a bunch of other sweet people we talked to but didn't have much success with but had good conversation. It was pouring rain and so much fun I LOVE ENGLAND.

So this purple garment thing has turned around to HAUNT ME. Yesterday I threw a pencil at Elder Terry because he made fun of me or something and he got pencil all over his white shirt and I was like oh my I'm so sorry I'll wash it for you, then Elder Gilbert was like ya if you want it to turn purple. bye. Whatever it's fine. I got white garments at the store today for p-day and we got to go to the temple again I loveeee the temple I'm so sad that will be my last time for 18 months because I don't have a temple in my mission. GO TO THE TEMPLE MORE PEOPLE.

Worst experience of the week was teaching 2 random elders the law of chastity and my Russian companion doesn't know any of the law of chastity in English so basically I was the one teaching the entire thing. So uncomfortable. And then one of our progressing investigators (fake, just a teacher) brought it up in our lesson that night which probably went even worse. Pray for me.

I have so much fun with my district we are so comfortable with each other that I legitimately talk to them in my baby voice hahahahahhaaha they love it. Everyolne in the MTC keeps coming up to me and asking me to talk in my baby voice hahah so annoying this one elder calls me Sister Goofy cause he thinks I'm hilarious. He is out of control we all have so much fun together. This week we made Elder Gilbert eat a bug for 20 pounds, Elder Odgaard gave us some NASTY DANISH CANDY that he just inhales it's disgusting. Elder Gilbert is from the south so he has that typical southern accent (he's the district leader) so I always make him sing "baby lock them doors and turn them lights down low" it's hilarious hahahahaha I'm going to try to send a video of it. And he always says alright in this southern accent oh my gosh I love him he's so annoying. We played down by the banks of the hanky panky as a zone the other day and I was the only one who knew how to sing it and I had to sing it probably 300 times until the game finished and I lost my voice cuz I was yelling it. Good times.

The most spiritual day of my life ever was yesterday and probably the day before too hahah. We got to sit in the chapel here for 30 minutes and just study as a district I can not explain to you the spirit that was there it was soooo strong. The chapels here are GORGEOUS. wow. Then yesterday I was struggling major with teaching with my companion because I do most of the lesson because she can not speak English at all so I got so frustrated and my teacher Sister Sawyer (I love her now she's amazing) pulled me aside and reassured me that I'm doing better than I think I am. (Honestly that practice teaching is the only thing I hate about the MTC its so intimidating teaching your teachers.) But she said she set me up for exchanges tomorrow so I get to spend the day with a different comp and see what it's like to teach with someone else which is a blessing because its Sister Lannan who's one of my roommates!!!! I love her so much. I also love my companion soooooo much so it's not that big of a deal just teaching is frustrating. But we get along so well. I have learned a lot about patience already. KARMA of me always being late has finally bit me. I am always on time here. seriously. always ready by the time I need to be always up right at 6:30, but my companion.... ALWAYS LATE we are always the last to eat cuz she takes so long to eat and I have some serious Butler genes in me when I say I am the first person done AT EVERY MEAL OUT OF THE WHOLE MTC. It's fine though. I have learned how to wait I usually just pray to have patience while I'm sitting there waiting for her to hurry uppppppppp.

There was a thunder storm the other night and it was HORRIFYING I was up the whole night!!!!!! The last few nights I have gotten no sleep at all I almost fell asleep during the session today haha it was so hard to stay awake. But yeah thunder storms here are just like in the movies where the dogs get scared and it feels like there is an earthquake. So scary. My heart was pounding the entire night.

Every day my district we make a drawing on the board of how our day went. I'll send pics cuz that probably made no sense. but we started by drawing our grave stones after every practice lesson because we all did an awful job one day and pretended we were dead and the reason for our death on our gravestone. That made no sense but I'm not deleting it bye.

We play frisbee every day for exercise time its sooooo fun and everyone gets way into it hahahah. I am so sweaty that I have to shower after its so fun. I am literally Isabelle out here I never do my hair haha I love it Izzy is adorable I tell everyone about you guys all the time. Everyone knows about my fam.

Also this week I was complimenting a British elders pants (cuz they were cool) and I said "Hey I like your pants!!!!!" (completely oblivious to the fact that in England, pants are underwear) and he responded saying "How come, they're only white!!!!!!" Hahahhahaha now he makes fun of me every time he sees me. I MEANT TROUSERS!!!!!

There's this elder from Salt Lake who I guess his district teases him about me and we were talking the other day in the line waiting for dinner and his district came down with cameras and ran up to him saying "Elder, Elder, its 5:30 you need to apply your cream!!!!" Hahahahahahahah he turned bright red it was hilarious. My musical number last week went so well. Brother Phillip from the 70 came to speak to us and it was amazing. The spirit was so strong. This week I learned how to be a consecrated missionary and put everything on the alter. I WANT TO DO EVERYTHING I POSSIBLY CAN this next 18 months!!! I have eternity to mess around ;) wow I feel so great right now. I'm having so much fun. I couldn't stop thinking about this week about how exited I am for Amelia and Isabelle and Maxwell. I was going to say I can't wait to see what I'm going to be like when this is all over but I DON'T WANT IT TO END!!!!!! Spiritual high. Read your scriptures. haha. Loves

There's so much more I could say seriously I have so much fun here oh my gosh I am learning so much and I wish I could tell you about every scripture and every spiritual moment and lesson but the paper I have of the scriptures I wanted to send I left in my room and if I go to my room during computer time my comp will probably have to go to the bathroom which takes so long so I'm not risking it. I love you so much and think about you guys all the time!!!! There's no where else I'd rather be though!!! It's amazing how the mission changes your perspective on everything!!! On everything that is important!!!! I wish I could tell you about every person I have become friends with here. I have made friends from France and Ukraine and Salt Lake and California and Germany and Fiji and the Philippines. i. just. love. it. My district was meant to be together. My companion was meant to be my companion. I am meant to be in England.

I'll talk to you guys next week!!!!!! I drive to Birmingham on Wednesday so I have no idea if I'll write on Tuesday or not talk for 2 weeks ://// I am so sorry I have no idea. But if not, then the next time we talk I'll be IN THE FIELD!!!!! England or Wales wherever the Lord sends me :) cant wait cant wait. I can feel your prayers!!!! I'm praying for you!! So much love!!! Haven't cried since my break down last week don't even worry hahahha. <3

Cheers to England!!!!!!!

xx Sister McEwan

Preston England Temple

They call me Sister Goofy

I Feel So Happy to Serve a Mission

Hello My Family!!!!!!!

One week of no communication is crazy and I have way too much to say and so little time. I tried writing down the most important stuff though and I don't know what pictures have sent because I literally have no idea how to work this, so hopefully they're good ones and not of when the elders stole my camera to take selfies.

So first of all I just want to say how happy I am and how much I love it here. I go to bed literally beaming every night because I am so beyond happy. I wish I could have written yesterday, so I could say I have not yet had a breakdown, but last night my practice teaching put my over the edge and I bawled to my district. But my district leader Elder Gilbert and his comp Elder Terry and Elder Odgaard and Elder Kjar gave me a blessing to calm me down. It was a very humbling thing and spiritual moment for me.

FIRST MY DISTRICT AND COMPANION. Oh my gosh how I love them!!!!! They are my family and it's going to be so hard to leave them when the MTC is over. Luckily everyone in my district is going to Birmingham so I will have them in the field!!! So my comp is Sister Smyrnova from Ukraine. She speaks zero English so the language barrier is SO HARD. But I love her sooooo so much. Everyone in the MTC thinks we are relationship goals because we get along so well. The most difficult part is planning lessons though because I have to do all the work and she just has to try to memorize stuff so we cant really teach by the spirit it is very planned out. That was why I broke down yesterday because I was so irritated. I felt prompted to switch the lesson to the plan of salvation but she kept going with the restoration then asked him to be baptized and I was like (??????) NOOOOO NOT YET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And its hard cuz she always needs my help to write talks and study and she takes a long time to eat so that cut into my email time haha and she keeps asking me how to spell words in Russian with English letters and I'm like idk baby but honestly have SO much love for her. She eats the weirdest things.  The other day for lunch she ate beans, salmon pizza and hot chocolate. yum. She is like the Ukrainian waiter we had on that cruise. Just imagine Gorun saying "Is this water?" Literally all day long from 6 am to 10 pm.

We have 108 missionaries here which is the most they've ever had at this MTC, it's nuts!!!! But I already know everyone and love everyone!!! My district is Sister Smith from Australia, Sister Tarapi (Liahona Faith) from Philippines, Elder Abecia from Philippines, Elder Odgaard from Denmark, Elder Kjar from Utah, Elder Gilbert from Atlanta (love him, he's the district leader such a good guy) Elder Ey from NYC, Elder Phillip from Trinidad, Elder Terry from Cali and Elder Varner from Cali. The Filipino elder is hilarious and me and Elder Ey just feed off each other we fight so much but it's hilarious. We are just a big family and I love love love love love them soooo much. I sat by Elder Kjar on the flight here and the furthest hes every been is Yellowstone so that just sums my experience of flying up for ya.

I forgot my retainer.

I have been struggling with my teachers but I prayed a ton that I would love them and now I love them. Their names are Sister Sawyer and Brother Nolan. It's so hard teaching them in practice teaching, they make it so overwhelming but I AM GROWING. The days go by so fast here!!!!! I am on cloud nine though. Honestly missions are amazing and bring so much joy and happiness!!!! I am making so many friends here. Friends that will last a lifetime. I had my first fish 'n chips which was super yummy.

I have a great relationship with the MTC Pres already!!! He's awesome. I asked him on the first day a question about the Apostasy because I just need help with knowing about that and he printed off three talks for me and keeps stopping me and talking to me about it. Then Sister Preston asked me to play tonight for a devotional where one of the members of the Seventy is coming to speak to us. I am playing Come Thou Fount, but in the background I could hear President Preston yelling the song has to be about the Apostasy!!!! Sister Preston was so confused and I was just laughing so hard. He's the best we chat all the time. He is grateful for my patience with Sister Smyrnova. I love her so much though. She has helped me to grow a ton and is teaching me a ton of Russian.

Oh so everything was great until yesterday I was just so happy and I think that what set me off was that ALL MY WHITES TURNED PURPLE WHEN I DID MY LAUNDRY so ya all my garments are purple and I feel sooooo stupid. But it's fine I'm going to go buy some more today. All my white clothes are purple too, yay. And all my socks. The elders think it's hilarious and bug me about it all the time. They told me I could borrow their garments. I politely declined. Yesterday I accidentally left my notebook on a chair outside my classroom and I found like eight notes in it from random elders entering love passages saying how much I loved them and how cute they were. So stupid. I love everyone here so much I wish I could tell you about every single person.

IT IS SO BEAUTIFUL HERE what the heck it looks like heaven!!!!!! Honestly if England is what heaven looks like I will be so happy. We went to the temple this morning and walked on the grounds I am going to try so hard to send pictures I was dying it was so beautiful.

I can't tell you how many times I've said, "God is your loving Heavenly Father and He loves you so much and wants you to be happy." I can't tell you how many times I've said that and "Will you follow the example of Jesus Christ by being baptized by someone who holds the priesthood authority of God?" Tonight I am nervous to play the piano but I am exited. Sorry this is all over the map THERE IS JUST SO MUCH TO SAY. THE FOOD IS SO GOOD HERE!!!!! Honestly so good!!!!!!!! I am gaining at least 30 pounds you're welcome mom. Except I bought all my clothes too big so I'm just drowning in all my clothes it's fine though. I have 10 minutes to get ready every day. They weren't kidding when they said you'll have no time to do anything on the mission. I am constantly doing stuff, then at night I just fall on my bed and die with the lights on before any one else. But I have had no problem waking up at 6:30. I love it, I have so much energy!!!!

Thank you for the prayers I can feel them!!!!!! Just know I am so happy here and have thought a thousand times this week that there is no other place I'd rather be. Just wish you guys were all here with me ;) so so so so so so so much love for everyone. Trying to think of other stories I could share... Oh ya I found the Schulthies cousin!!!!!! If I can figure out how to send a pic please send it to Dustin and Jodie!!! I am awful at these mission emails already I'm sorry if this sounds so dumb. I LOVE IT HERE I LOVE ENGLAND it is so beautiful you all have to come here I love it so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love all my friends here. They are amazing. K I love you guys. :)

Cheers to England!!!!!

xx Sister McEwan

P.S. At home I would always refer to myself in 3rd person and I keep saying Madeline and everyone's like who is Madeline? I MISS MY NAME!!!!!! I love my district we have so much fun, I am having so much fun and learning sooooo much. I FEEL SO HAPPY TO SERVE A MISSION. I'm so excited for you Izzy and Mia and Max to serve, it's the best thing ever!!!!! Even when you're sobbing in front of your entire district!!! I felt so stupid hahaha but it made us all closer. I love it here.

OH MY GOSH I LOVE ENGLAND!

OH MY GOSH I LOVE ENGLAND!!!!!! SO I ACCIDENTALLY TURNED ON CAPSLOCK AND DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX IT SO JUST READ THIS EMAIL LIKE I AM SCREAMING wait i fixed it ok hi my family!!!! so i was crying so much through security but luckily i was with elder bassett who came in at the same time as me and we sat next to each other on all the flights and same with elder kjar and it wasn't a silent k it was a silent j i am not kidding you. anyways so you pronounce it elder care. good guy. wanted to talk the whole time and i just wanted to sleep but its fine if you wanna know what he's like he is carter madsen mixed with carter madsen idk i couldn't think of anyone else.

so i was the only sister with like 20 elders at the gate super fun then finally another girl came. so anyway then we went to atlanta and met with a bunch of others i love the elders they are all seriously so sweet and so cool and they are just my babies and i love them so much. anyways then on my flight from atlanta to paris (torture) i was next to this french man who wanted to talk the entire time he wouldn't stop staring at me and then i finally was like hi and he was like ur from utah and then we talked for like 3 hours good guy he gave me tons of advice and i kept trying to bring up the gospel but he just wanted to talk about rugby. cant wait for that to happen.

anyways then we got to Paris it is beautiful but i barely saw it because we were running to our connecting flight. i am so tired. then we went to maNCHESTER OH NO I SWITCHED TO CAPS AGAIN ANYWAYS SO THEN I READ YOUR GUYS LETTERS LIKE 80,000 TIMES AND I DID THE CROSSWORD AND I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU I CONQUERED IT I WILL SEND YOU A PICTURE LATER ANYWAYS AND THEN I GOT TO THE MTC AND I LOVE IT AND I CAN'T STOP SMILING. THERE ARE NO SISTERS IN MY MISSION THE ONLY ONE GOING MISSED HER FLIGHT SO I DON'T HAVE A companion yet but it's fine.

anyways ill send a ton of pictures next week i forgot everything that happened but the MTC president is adorable and the sweetest. i am loving life but every time i think about my dogs and family i cry but i love you guys so much but im so freaking happy i love it sorry this email is a disaster i only have a second to write but England is beautiful and i love it so far im tired but im so happy and im having so much fun and i have so many fun friends ARE YOU MY FAMILY K this boy who reminds me of ethan bentley needs to use the computer but i have so much i wanted to say but i forgot everything.

i love life i love the united kingdom. i need to go unpack my suitcases. wiz i love you i cant respond to your email cuz that's disobedient and amelia i love you and mom i love you and dad i love you and kobe i love you and i was laughing so hard during the crossword and everyone was staring at me and when i was reading your emails just barely i was busting up laughing too i love you my family.