Key to Spiritual Protection

Hiya babs u alright ? 🍻

HAPPY ENGLISH MUMs DAAYAAYYYYY (day late) but yaaa won't be skyping till the real one in America. ;) This week has been HECTIC and has just flown by I can't even believe it. Love when things are busy.

Tuesday we had the follow up trainers meeting at the mission home... sis ohanyan accidentally threw away her retainer at lunch so the APs had to dumpster dive to find it. Saw sister Nkomo and it made me so happy. Afterwards we went straight to a dinner appointment with Rasha and Ahmed one of the Syrian refugee families we are teaching English to. They made us some very interesting Syrian food.... I was so hungry so I just ate it anyway but ya never had anything like it in my life.... They are so sweet though it was raining and we live about a 45 min walk from them and Ahmed was like "our home is your home you can sleep upstairs and we will sleep on the couch" we were like oh no thank you it's okay hahahahah. My favourite times as a missionary is when everything is going wrong, when it's freezing cold, and pouring rain, and people are slamming doors in our face. I can't help but smile and enjoy every second!!!! Sounds psycho but true.

We ate lunch with the sweetest member from Nigeria named Gloria. She always is so emotional and just cries to us the whole time. We sang several hymns with her and she felt a lot better. She's amazing she served a proselyting mission by herself when she was 60!!!!

We taught Sheila several times this week, the woman who accidentally came to church on Sunday....... she is quite the story.

So every few hours she calls us asking if we can say a prayer with her or sing a song. Yesterday she called and in the middle of the prayer the line was cutting out. She stopped and said "sister McEwan is that just an interference or are their evil spirits listening to our conversation??" She called today to tell me I was sent to her by god and I could hear her playing my piano cd in the background it was so sweet. She always forgets sister ohanyans name so in every prayer she says "I'm thankful for sister McEwan and the girl who is always with her" hah shoot

She came to church it's so funny because she's kind of deaf so in the middle of sacrament meeting she will yell "what did they just say?????" And ask them to repeat at the stand hahahahahaha and if she agrees with something she says to me "oh yes, hallelujah Jesus and the almighty god through Jesus!!!!"  Makes no sense bless her.

Jess and Lottie and Dave and Liam fed us this week and then took us home after..... literally we knocked into them 2 weeks ago and they do more for us than our members lolllll. :) but we had a really good lesson about The resto and prophets and at the end Liam said "I just know that everything you just said is true" it was great and we had the best discussion. They all came to church and we had some questions off Liam about the law of chastity and such. It went over really well. We referred him to Mormon and gay as well but ya luckily we had the elders with us to help out.

Went on exchange with sister Christy she came to kiddie. We went to teach a part member less active family. 2 of the girls want to be baptised the mum just needs to set the example and come to church!!!! But yes it was a really good lesson on the Atonement. Meant to come on Sunday but something came up,.. praying they'll be there next week.

We saw sweet rose this week. And Dorothy. All the elderly of the branch ha.... they are all so lonely it breaks my heart so they highlight of their week is when the sisters come around to see them. Dorothy talked our ear off for an hour about the most random things like anything I would say she would be like "oh that reminds me of a story about a pigeon" and it's like .......??? How did my spiritual thought remind u of a pigeon????

DODGE NIGHT was yesterday. Transfer news.... sis Ohanyan and I are staying together in kiddie for 5 more weeks then I'll move. but the zone leaders are moving to Redditch (super weird they're taking them out of Birmingham) BUT it will be way fun cause they're in our district now and I love them.

I wish I would have made studying the scriptures a priority when I was back home. The hour I have each day to immerse myself in the Book of Mormon is the reason I am I completely unafraid to knock any door or stop any person in the street to rejoice in its truthfulness. Daily study of the Book of Mormon is essential in our eternal progression.

Elder Boyd k packer said:

"The sons of Mosiah fought against the Church for a time but later
repented and underwent a dramatic change. In Alma we read, “These sons
of Mosiah … had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they
were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures
diligently, that they might know the word of God.”"

"I bear certain witness of the scriptures as a key to our spiritual protection. I also bear witness of the healing power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, “that through him all might be saved” who will be saved. The Lord’s Church has been established on the earth once again. Of the truthfulness of the gospel I bear witness. Of Him I am a witness. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

(This talk is amazing it has the best story about Joseph F Smith it's called key to spiritual protection read it!!!)

When we study the Book of Mormon each day there is NO WAY our testimony can waver. Each night I ask if these things are true and every morning I am reassured through the peace and spirit that I feel when I read the scriptures. I am addicted to feeling thee spirit!! Ha! Seriously a spiritual high is a real thing!!!! Everyone asks us daily why we are so happy. It's because We have the fullness!!!!! Why wouldn't we be happy???? We must appreciate it daily and build our testimony upon it. "because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."

Sorry this is so long!!! Xxxx

Cheers,
Sister McEwan xxx

Photoozzz

1) sis Nkomo.... Wales took my heart
2) best day
3) district lunch making Armenian food
4) mirror selfie
5) Cathedral in Birmingham
6) Ahmed and Rasha Syrian food
7) district meeting
8) elder devoz going back to Columbia 💔
9) Lottie put on my jacket and badge hehe
10) jess Lottie Dave and Liam
11) sis belnap
12) exchanges
13) our sweet zone leaders love them

Mind the Gap

HEY!

Flip can I just say I love being a missionary? I seriously am so thankful I decided to go on a mission I can not imagine my life without this. What a week in Kidderminster!!!!!

Tuesday
We did a lot of finding in the morning. We've been doing lots of street contacting lately which hasn't been too successful...... door knocking is probably the best form of finding in kiddy. We taught English to Rasha and Ahmed. They told us that we are their only friends... seriously the saddest thing I have ever heard in my whole life!!!!!! They are making us a Syrian dinner on Tuesday which I'm excited for. They said the only time of week they are happy is when we come over. :(. In the evening we did door knocking. It was the most kind rejection I have ever had on my mission literally only 3 doors were slammed on our face out of probs 50!!!! Only 1 guy said we could come back but hey at least people were nice about it. ☺️

Wednesday
We took a bus to stourport to see a member called rose. The Kidderminster branch is 95% elderly and the other 5% is sarah because there are less than 20 active members. But ya anyways rose keeps having falls. In England there are soooooooo many old people in general like seriously it's like a cruise ship. So you hear ambulances every 2 minutes going to save fallen old folk bless them. But ya her face was all bruised up from her fall. She had us go to tescos to buy her food and then we did some house work for her. Rose has the strongest Birmingham accent and it is so difficult to understand so I have to translate constantly for sister ohanyan hahaa.

Later in the day we had some people come by to check our water and gas. We gave them both a Book of Mormon haha and taught them because they were stuck in our flat and couldn't reject or else it'd be super awkward;) cheeky.

Thursday
District meeting. We left our flat early so we could do some street contacting hahahaha let's just say the people of Kidderminster are crazy. We stopped one woman and she started shouting at us "DONT EVEN START WITH ME, MY HUSBAND DIED BECAUSE OF YOU LOT!" And we were like oh I'm so sorry why? And she said "YOU WOULDNT GIVE ANY OF YOUR BLOOD." And then she stormed off before we could clarify that we weren't Jehovas witnesses hah.

Sunday
The best day!!!!!! In the morning I prayed for a miracle. Our friend Liam who is gay came to church!!! I was so nervous that our older branch would be judgemental of him but everyone was very loving and kind!!! He said he definitely coming again next week he loved it. But here's the cool part!!!!! A random woman walked into sacrament meeting. Afterwards I went to speak to her... she said that she wanted to come to a church to have "peace and prayer" and she was meant to got to a Methodist church but the taxi driver accidentally dropped her at ours! (No accident there am I rite????;) But ANYWAYS her name is Sheila and she is about late 60s. Sacrament meeting was slightly boring there was a high council man that spoke last but just read from a paper but afterwards he still had some time so he shared his conversion story and the spirit was SO STRONG!!!!!!! Anyways Sheila is deaf so she said she couldn't hear the meeting but she said that at the end of his talk she could feel something warm and peaceful.... it was so cool. She come to gospel principals and was asking all about prayer and then in relief society literally the entire lesson was about prayer!!!!! By the end of the lesson she was in tears. I am reminded every single day that god is mindful of his people and it makes me so happy.

After church we went over to her home to teach her more!!! She enjoyed every second. We are so excited for our new friend. :)

Sunday evening we went finding. We were walking to a specific street but I had a really neat experience where I just stopped right in my path and knocked a door like something overtook my body haha. We opened with a "powerful statement" to the lady that our families can be together forever. She immediately broke down and told us about how she had lost her husband a few years back and that it was still very difficult for her. She was ill so told us to come by the following week so we are excited to see her again!

We also knocked the weirdest dude ever. He was older and a bit plump. We started by asking if he was religious at all. He quickly ripped his shirt off and pointed at each tattoo yelling "pagan, pagan, pagan!!!" Then slammed the door....what the fetch England.

On the trains here in England they say " please mind the gap between the platform and the train." At literally ever station. Sister Ohanyan says it over and over and over because we hear it every day and she loves trying to say it in a British accent hahaha but ANYWAYS there's actually a talk called mind the gap that I read this week and loved. Gaps and things we need to be aware of that can get in the way of us being faithful servants of the lord!!!!!

"Let your voice be heard among the faithful as you valiantly declare that He lives, that His Church has been restored, and that the plan of happiness is available to all. As we mind these gaps by paying careful attention and removing ourselves from danger, we will begin to realize the fullness of the blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives."

I love you all!!!!

Cheers,
Sister McEwan xxx

Pictures
1) district lunch elder devoz yummy Colombian food
2) made her wash dishes
3) sister Mitchell put on the cutest relief society party
4) we bought Lottie pizza and chips she was so happy
5) mirror selfies

Do we Have the Faith?

Hello babs (I've been calling everyone babs the last few weeks I find so much joy when people say babs here).

It was a pretty normal missionary week here in kiddaa minstaaa.

On Tuesday we taught Mandy and Demi from 2 Nephi 31. They both KNOW it is true and can testify of it but just have not come to church which is so frustrating. Demi works at a club until 7 am and crashes after but always tells us she's coming.... Mandy wants to give up smoking so we started the stop smoking workshop with her. They both want to be baptised on April 8th but need to come to church so keep them in your prayers!!!

Tuesday was also zone meeting. The spirit was really strong as there were 3 elders who gave their departing testimonies. Afterwards we enjoyed some KFC and I thought about my little bro Maxwell bless him tell him to email me.

Wednesday was a mission wide "spring cleaning day" so basically we were stuck in the flat deep cleaning all day we got a bit stir crazy though and needed a break and went finding for a lil. In the morning we had breakfast with the elders and ZLs because they were on exchange. Afterwards the zone leaders came by our flat to drop off some supplies.. they were parked in this woman's parking stall who lives in the flat next to us and she pulled up behind them cursing and yelling at us telling us to go back to where we came from and that me and sister ohanyan were way too loud at night and she was just swearing up a storm ANYWAYS she stomped up the stairs to go into her flat after  this all went down and elder Stephenson was like "Jesus still loves you" and she just rolled her eyes and slammed the door. But ya we all felt super bad and they left a note on her windshield apologising and we left her some chocolate and a note on her doorstep and today we got one back from her saying that she felt really bad.

On Thursday we had a dinner appointment with an investigator and we ate cottage pie (English dish google it its really yummy) anyways about halfway through my dinner as I was scooping and putting the food in my mouth I felt something rather hard and pulled out a massive beetle. So ya there was a beetle baked into my food. Still get all the blessings of a Latin American mission here in Europe except for the sun and the success. Lol. Ew. #protein

Friday we weekly planned and middle of the sesh Sister Ohanyan started to break dance????? My girl is a professional breakdancer??????? She literally took classes back home. So proud to call her mine.

Saturday we went to the dentist with Ailsa cuz she needed help it was a disaster but that's another story and I just don't have time or the energy to talk about everything. In England if they have a tooth problem they just yank it ha. Then we taught English.. flippin love them all with my whole heart. This week I watched Refuge from the storm the Mormon message EVERYONE WATCH IT AND READ THE TALK anyways I could not stop crying and crying because it really touched me. These people are so good and they need our help. "Being a refugee may be a defining moment in the lives of those who are refugees. This moment does not define them, but our response will help define us."

“Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

I can not describe the love I have for these refugee families.

After English we taught Vicky then went finding finding finding we need some people who will listen to us!!!!!! At night we had to go emergency grocery shopping because we had NOTHING and we were carrying everything back from Tescos and it was a bit heavy and we were a bit tired and guess who we ran into...... the elders!!!!!!!! Tender mercies of the lord so we made them carry it all to the flat for us. ;)

Sunday we taught jess and Dave and Lottie and we have a new investigator we are teaching named Liam who is gay but really nice and was really touched by the message of the restoration and wants to come to church next week bless him!!!

I love going to church. I never thought I'd say that but honestly my mission has made me love Sundays and love church. Today before sacrament I was just soaking up the spirit in the chapel and enjoyed every single moment of church. The spirit was so strong. One thing I heard today that really got me thinking was.... "We may have the faith that we will be healed, but do we have the faith to not be healed?" If we are not healed, do we have the faith that the Lord is still there
and that he still loves us? I can testify that HE IS and that HE DOES. And because he loves us... in his timing we will be healed, and we will be better for it. He has a plan... intricately designed for each of one of us. :) let us be faithful to him!

LOVE you all and LOVE the mission!!!!!

Cheers BABS,

Sister McEwan xxxxx

Pictures:
1) 3 Generation photo in Birmingham zone together!
2) Birmingham zone meeting
3) sisters Carson and Vogen ❤️️
4) KFC
5) Spring!
6) pretty flowers!
7) Ahmed Rasha and tasnim.... love them so much.
8) comp unity
9) the superheroes of Kidderminster
10) St George's church
11) My breakdancing companion
12) sisters C my American fork buddy

Rain or Shine (But Mostly Rain)

Hiya you okay ta? 🇬🇧

Yesterday we had a multi stake broadcast and Elder Ballard and Linda S Reeves and a couple others spoke to all the stakes in Northern Europe and WOW they were so American it's weird hearing American accents from non-missionaries.

Anyways WHATS UP this week was goooood AND SO WET!

It started terrible tho. We had interviews with President Leppard in Birmingham Tuesday and we had to wake up at half 5 and train / bus to get there on time. Finally we reached the harborne chapel and begin district meeting at 9 and half way through the zone leaders walked in and are like "it was a mix up interviews are tomorrow......." so ya we had to travel all the way back and do the same thing on Wednesday morning #blessed #exhausted

This week we had loads of lessons. One was with a woman called Deborah Sister Nelson and I found. She started off the lesson telling us she has been praying about the Book of Mormon but in her bible (it's a super modern translation) it says that nothing should be added upon or taken from that bible. So ya right off the bat we had to whip out some Ezekiel 37 and then she was asking us so many deep doctrinal questions we were NOT READY but THE SPIRIT WAS!!!!!!! We were spittin out Book of Mormon dodge like no ones business it was awesome.

Another lesson with jess and Lottie. Jess wants to be baptised!!!!!! And she broke up with her boyfriend!!!!!!! And she doesn't drink or smoke anyways!!!!! We taught her the plan of salv and it really touched her. She said that it makes perfect sense and she loves it.

We had fish and chips this week with a part member family we've been working with. They are the sweetest. The wife, Davinia, has been less active for quite some time but finally started coming out the last few weeks and now she is going to the temple in 2 weeks for baptisms!!!!!!!!!!!:) and working toward her endowment!!!!!!:) We have been talking a lot about temples with her she is very excited.

At district meeting part one this week (lol) we were doing role plays in front of the district and we were paired up with the Redditch elders. We went into the hall to pretend to knock on the door so before we went in I told my greenie to take the lead on this one and start with how to begin teaching from pmg. The DL assigned us to role play law of chastity. Anyways we walk in and the elders were sat there holding hands and sister ohanyan being completely dead serious begins the lesson with "Today we are going to teach you something that might be very disappointing for you" hahahahah fetch the whole role play was an absolute disaster we def need to practice bless her she's had a very emotional week mission life has hit her a little harder than she thought it would. But she's a fighter and I'm so proud of her!!!!

This week we had a joint English class at the chapel with 9 students!!! All refugees from Syria. I will take a picture next week of our little classroom. It was probably the highlight of my week. We have all become so close and we have so much fun together even though there is a very thick language barrier. Even last week we texted Ahmed and Rasha if they still wanted us to come over and they said "yes, we want to be happy" I think it's more of an escape from stress for them than an English class because we truly are the worst English teachers on the planet and I'm not sure how much they actually get from it... but we do have so much fun together. We saw sweet Ahmed and Rasha in town yesterday on our way to an appointment and they so badly wanted us to come over for tea and biscuits (England stereotypes are real) they were devastated that we couldn't I love them so much.

PANCAKE BREAKFAST! My favourite day of the month. We had investigators and LA families we've been working with come it was such a blast. I seriously love this branch. Everyone is family. I'm going to say that about all my areas but ya. The friends you make on your mission..... I know they will last forever. I'm so happy I came.

Charly McCall is a less active we've been working a lot with lately (the one with the children in Cannock) she is such a sweetheart we went to lunch with her on her birthday to Pizza Hut and had such a laugh. Yesterday after multi stake conference we walked an hour in the rain to get to an old woman's house in our branch. She talked our ear off for an hour about the most random ish that had absolutely nothing to do with the spiritual thought we shared here what the fetch then she was like "brb I need to go pick out the hymns for my funeral" ummmmm okay. So random. On our way walking back it was chucking BUCKETS and we were soaked. Charly saw us walking and she picked us up and took her to her mums and we got to have a family night with her and her kids and then I got to call sister McCall in Cannock which made my night (but also homesick for Cannock) because her son was there and wow tender mercies of the lord.

But yessss England is just as rainy as they said it was. Wowwwza it literally does not stop. I love it here. All the time I feel like I need to pinch myself haha or I'm like "I wish my family could see what I'm seeing right now!!!!!" It's so beautiful I need to take some pics.

In elder Ballards address to Northern Europe he said two things that really stuck out to me. 1) was just the necessity of reading our Book of Mormon and how it gives us a shield of protection every day (which I totally have seen on the mission not just physically but emotionally) and 2) that we need to take a step back sometimes and CHILL. he didn't say it like that but basically haha. He just said that we are becoming too occupied in too many things and sometimes it's good for us to take a step back and just breathe. Obviously not as a missionary but ya when I'm home I'll FOR sure heed to his counsel;)

TILL NEXT TIME

Sister McEwan x 🇬🇧🌧🍻😘🎉💌

To send me post if ya wannna:)

England Birmingham Mission
187 Penns Lane
Sutton Coldfield West Midlands
B76 1JU England
United Kingdom

Pictures
1) pancakes with jess and Lottie 😍
2 - 3) St baxters in Kidderminster
4) McCall and Mitchell family save us from the storm
5) Proper England stereotype
6) district lunch in Birmingham
7) Our English class!!! (Zacharea Reemas Ahmed Mohammed Mostafa Nahala
Rasha Abdula Tasnim)
8) comp love
9) torn between two
10) me chillin while my comp makes lunch selfies