Monday we had P-day and the elders forced me to eat an Indian kebab and be "kebabtized." It was awful. Don't try it. I wish I could tell you what was in it but I have no idea. Other than lamb.
Tuesday we had a district meeting with President at the mission home. What an inspired man. Wowowow. I didn't want the meeting to end. Afterwards we were taking district photos behind the church and like an hour later we were looking through the photos and saw that President was photobombing in the window in all of them hahaha.
On Wednesday we met Kelvin who was supposedly on a baptism date but turns out wasn't. :( It's okay though we can change that. He is about 65. He stopped taking lessons from the missionaries once he learned about tithing and stopped going to church but he'd only been twice. Sister Price and I couldn't find any members that were available to teach with us because it was in the middle of the day, so we thought we would just teach him outside... We aren't supposed to teach men without another female present unless we are out in the open. We showed up at his door and then it started pouring rain haha. He wanted us to just come back another time but I was determined to teach him because I was having a hard day and needed something to happen. So we suggested we sat on the ground in his entryway with the door open. So we did that. The lesson lasted for an hour and a half and I've never felt the spirit so strong in my entire life. (I always say that, but it was really powerful.) When we testified about the commandments and the promised blessings you could tell he understood and knew it was true. I think the hardest thing here is that people know it is true - they just aren't willing to make the commitment. The church does require a lot of us!!!! To me that gives it even more of a reason to be true. When much is given much is required, and God wouldn't give us something easy to believe in. He requires faith and lots of hard work in everything - including religion!!!! Anyways, the lesson was great. He had a stroke a few years ago and believes he was saved for some reason and he thinks that this might be it. Still searching though. Baby steps. We will get there. :)
Nothing could stop my high of happiness after the lesson. It was pouring rain and I forgot a coat (typical) and cars kept driving through puddles and drenching us and we had an hour walk ahead but I honestly did not care one bit haha. It's SO true that Satan beats down at you hard before a miracle is about to happen. I see it every single day. He asked us to come back on Saturday so we went back and got to actually be inside this time because we brought Sister Mawle with us. It was another good lesson about revelation. He gets off topic really easy and forgets what we are talking about.... But the spirit was there that's all that matters. And he came to church. :) He was nervous that people would judge him because he hadn't been for a long time. We told him the members would be more than welcoming, and they were! He only stayed 2 hours, but we were still happy. And he wants to come to General Conference with us next week.
We taught Oliver and Manee on Friday. Oliver is great. I love lessons with him. He always dresses up and gives us drinks and a treat before the lesson. And he always leads the lesson out and calls on someone to pray and reminds us of his baptism. I love it so much. He wants to make sure his baptism is 100% perfect. Manee is kind of progressing.... And her religion is Nepan. She's just struggling with commandments. She works at town centre so we try to visit often and just make her feel loved.
The members here are so dedicated. I love eating with them and getting to know them. Each of them have such special stories of finding the church. Member present lessons are the best. We are building such strong relationships with them!!! This week we ate with an older couple called the Dentons. They feed us every week because they think feeding the missionaries is their contribution to missionary work - SO TRUE!!! FEED MISSIONARIES!!! Gaining lots of lbs though unfortunately. We were leaving after dinner and I forgot to hug sister Denton and she goes "Mmhmmmm Sister McEwan! You're forgetting something!!" I thought I left my scriptures or something, but no. We have good laughs with all the members and so many memories already.
The elders in our district spoil us because we are the only sisters in a district of 8 elders. This week they bought us 16£ of lotion, a ukelele, and on Saturday they bought us bikes at some bike sale and are repairing them for us!?!!!!? What the heck!!! Today they're coming to visit us in Cannock. They're so nice and would do anything for me and Sister Price. We feel way too loved.
Saturday we helped Sister Mawle paint her house and then we had curry it was delishhhh and I'm obsessed with her kids I just love being at their house. I feel like I'm in Utah when I'm with them.
SUNDAYYY woohoooo. It was brill as they say here. I love playing the hymns. I wish I learned the organ before but right when I get home I'm taking lessons. :) Fast Sunday is 10x harder as a missionary btw because you have to walk everywhere hahaha it's okay though I feasted after. After church we went to the hospital to visit Ingrid. We went earlier in the week and she requested that we bring her some pears because she loves them. So we did that and were able to chat for a little while. Her and her family are recent converts. I'm glad we went when we did because it was visiting hours and pouring rain and her family doesn't have a car so they weren't able to visit.
Our day was planned like this: church, ward coordination, meet up with our potential Steven, go to the bishops for dinner, then visit Ingrid. The bishop cancelled on us so we decided we would talk Steven and then see Ingrid. BUT Steven was running late so we went and saw Ingrid first (sorry if this is confusing, there is a reason behind it) it all worked out EXACTLY how it was supposed to. We were able to visit Ingrid when her family couldn't, and we met Steven outside the hospital at a bus stop and talked for almost 3 hours!!!!!!!! And it was on quiet peaceful ground which wouldn't have happened because we were supposed to meet in the town centre. It was the most perfect day.
But Steven ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!! We met him street contacting last week (turns out finding actually works!!!) He is 20. Atheist. His whole family is. He's never believed in God but when we saw him on the street last week we challenged him to pray. He told us he did the next morning, before work, and he went outside and saw that it was sunny (super rare here) and he said he knew that it was a good sign. He said that he was so shocked when we stopped him on the street. He said he isn't really good at talking to people and that people don't care to talk to him ever so he was shocked when 2 random Americans cared to talk to him and get to know him. He said it made his day!!! He said he doesn't go out much. He said If people approach him he usually runs off but had a feeling to stay and talk with us. We've been talking over the phone through the week, and meeting with him was amazing. We taught him literally every lesson out of PMG in one setting because he was asking so many good questions and wanted to know so much. Oh my word he is a sweetheart and so ready and prepared to receive the gospel and he is totally open even though he has never had religion in his life. I had completely forgotten that I hadn't eaten all day because we were so into talking to him. He wants to meet again on Tuesday!!!! If the only thing that comes from finding Steven is just to be a friend to him, and letting him know that he is loved, that's all I care about!!! But we have a good feeling. You could tell he was feeling the spirit. And he admitted that he was. He said "I just feel so happy." Words can't describe how happy I was to hear that. It makes everything worth it.
Dyed a shirt purple today. #tbt I swear I did my own wash at home idk what is going on. Also MASSIVE 18th Happy Birthday to my not so little sister Amelia on the 28th!!!!!!!! I love you so much you have no idea. I'd give anything to be there!!! Everyone give her a hug for meeee ❤️❤️❤️ so proud of you Mia.
That's about it from me this week. I'm making lots of friends, walkin many miles, learning more than I've ever learned in my life, eating loads of potatoes, English sweets and lamb, just working hard to contribute in the building of the Kingdom here in the United Kingdom. :)
Tarah tarah! Cheers and so much love back home. Miss you guys like crazy but happy beyond words. 18 months is nothin.
Sister McEwan xx
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| Our Cannock Chapel (Rumour has it they built this church in a way that it could easily be turned into a temple.) |
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| Youth night. My teams ultimate fail of a spaghetti tower. It's fine. |
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| Painting |
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| Amelie's picture she drew of us (notice how she spelt McEwan) |
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