The BOM is the bomb

Hiya fam! Miss you guys! Had yet another brilliant week ova here. Same
old same old ;);)

HIGHLIGHTS and lowlights.....

For starters miracle Ben flogged us... guessing he got really drunk or
something and fell asleep. Sad. Hopefully we will see him soon.

Beginning of the week went to great Malvern. It's famous for its hills
and Wilford Woodruff dedicated the land on those hills! Pretty neat.
Sister Castle, an older woman from our ward, took us out for lunch.
Bless her she is so sweet. She took us into the priory a big church
there and there was this huge Steinway and they let me play it! I
played some of our hymns and a few people came over to listen. It was
a special experience. :)

We dropped Simon.... not progressing and he went back to drinking tea
and coffee dang it. He lives a 30 minute cycle away though we need to
be spending our time more wisely so had to drop him. Which is sad cos
he passed his baptism interview and everything just wouldn't come to
church.

This time of the year spiders LOVE ENGLAND and you wouldn't think
there would be that many here BUT THERE ARE THAT MANY HERE and
although none of them are poisonous they are still huge, and still
scary. My companion and I are both horrified of them and literally
fight over who is going to hoover them up. One night it was so bad out
neighbour heard us out the window, knocked the door, and asked if they
could come kill them for us HAHAHA. Huge blessing might I add. We've
started to name all of them as well. Oh it's the worst they're so big
but if you're serving in another foreign country I probs have no room
to talk LOL HATE THEM!

My favourite day this week was Friday. We did some service in tenbury
wells which is an hour bus ride from Worcester. Only cost us 2 quid
don't know how but not complaining. There are members here that live
on a huge farm and have tons of land and just needed help burning
trees and moving logs. It was quite fun I must say. We had a BBQ after
which was so much fun because their in-laws are members in
Kidderminster and they got to come!!!!!!! Made me sooo kiddie trunky
but it was honestly the best.

Saturday morning was sports at the chapel so we were gonna walk into
town, meet Regina, and then walk to sports! We left our flat about an
hour and a half early cos it takes ages if you wanna walk there.
ANYWAYS bless her broken English it took us an hour to even find where
she was. We told her we were going to the chapel and we'd meet on
Worcester bridge but she thought we were meeting at a street called
chapel bridge? Anyways after a long time we found her and showed up at
sports and she had such a great time!!! Everyone loved her this ward
has got their act together when it comes to fellowshipping.

Sunday Regina AND Simon came to church! We were shocked when Simon
walked up after we had just dropped him but can't complain. Regina
loved church she was sat with all the ysa it was so great. CANT WAIT
for her! Also a less active who speaks Portuguese came and got to
share his testimony with her in his native tongue and it was the best.
:') We taught our next door neighbour yesterday which was interesting
hahaha bless him. He is such an interesting man I can't wait to tell
you all about him when I come home hahahaha so many stories. Swears
more than anyone I know though.... But basically it's bank Holliday
weekend so everyone goes to the pubs on the Sunday to get drunk. He
came home last night and we heard him out the window talking to
himself about the French revolution lol.

Elder de feo of the 70 is coming to speak to the mission this week.
I'm excited!!! This week I want to challenge you all to read the Book
of Mormon consistently. Doesn't matter how much, but make sure you
have a habit of studying it daily. It truly is the key to spiritual
protection. Life would be a lot darker without it. How often do we
take all this knowledge for granted?

Luvs and hugs u guys rock.

Cheers,
Sister McEwan xxx

Picture time!
1) sister Olsen and smith!
2) district meeting
3) burning things (not a touristy shirt at all lol)
4) members from kiddie!
5) me and my best mate Joseph
6) Worcester
7) playing the piano at the priory
8) Matt a sick RC always brings us donuts when we teach him every week
at the library and we have a contest to see who can go the longest
without licking their lips! I always lose....

Instrument in His Hands

Hey MATES

Brill things happening ova here across 'the pond'

Some highlights:

We met a girl named Regina a few weeks back who was leaving for
Portugal but told us she would text us and meet up with us when she
got back. (People always say that but they never do) BUT SHE TOTALLY
DID!!! We met her at the library, shared with her the Resto and put
her on a baptismal date for the beginning of October!!!! She is 21 and
SO SWEET seriously never met someone like her we are super excited for
what is to come. :) We gave her a Book of Mormon in both Portuguese
and English, she's loving it!!! She works on Sundays but has gotten
them off starting in September so she can come out to church :):)

SARAH GEORGE our Recent convert from Kidderminster came to visit me on
Wednesday 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 it was the best reunion EVER!!!!!!!!
Seriously she is so cute. So strong in the gospel. I've never met a
convert as dedicated. And she does not need ANY help from anyone in
that branch. Sometimes there can be drama at church, but she told us
"no one can offend me enough for me not to come to church, I know it
is true." She went on holiday in France and said she was always
reading her Book of Mormon and when her family asked about it she
would give one to them. The cutest missionary!!!!! She has made my
mission worth it.

Friday was my "trunky meeting" aka self reliance. Basically it's just
a meeting where all the peeps who go home in 6 months talk about after
mission and how we need to be preparing ourselves for it. It was 7
hours long..... and my career results for my online test was a drama
teacher (????) no thank you. But ya got me all NERVOUS for real life.
Stuck in Birmingham literally the entire day though. Man I love that
place I almost shed a tear walking into city centre. So many memories.

Had the best Less Active stop by of my entire mission literally went
perfect. We shared with him a spiritual thought, invited him back to
church, he said yes, hadn't been in 15 years!! Really cool guy.

Went to the hospital to visit an old lady in our ward. Strongest
testimony. It strengthened mine.

Got a new investigator from a referral from a member! His sister! We
went right after a dinner appointment and she had a huge dinner
waiting for us....... I was sick all night!!! Way too much food. But
she was so sweet we couldn't not eat it...... good lesson though and
she came to church on Sunday!

Met some other great people, had some fantastic lessons with new
investigators, one literally out someone's car window while they were
blowing cigarette smoke in our faces. Love it! Also was proposed to by
a 70 year old man. I said no.

What else...... stopped someone who was a satanist / cultist. He knew
all about our church lol.

Played a musical item in sacrament meeting. This ward is seriously so
cute to me. They're all a lot older but definitely one of my
favourites. They are all obsessed with Wilford Woodruff so they all
come up to me and share stories about him they have discovered that
week. It's adorable. Bless them one grandpa asked me if I was a
concert pianist HA bless him! Not even close! Thankful for the mission
though it really has helped me with my piano. Put me out of my comfort
zone. I can play all the hymns now and my playing by ear has gotten
much better!!!! Playing the songs for the primary program in a couple
weeks hahaha. Remember doing that in Cannock last year... time is such
a weird thing!!!! Can't wait to play on my piano in a short few
months. :)

Saw SARAH HALL today for p day. Best p day ever. :):):) love kiddie

Today for P day we bussed into town. There was a man sat behind us who
we started talking to. He asked us about our accents and we told him
why we were here. Immediately tears began to stream down his face. He
told us that this was an answer to a prayer, that he had lost
everything and needed to turn to God. We shared with him the hope that
the gospel brings and a light flooded his eyes. He knew that this was
no coincidence. We are meeting with him tonight! God is so aware of
each of his children. I feel so privileged that he would use me as an
instrument in his hands in bringing this message to every child he
loves.

Pictures:

1) my beautiful Sarah George
2) Teaching Regina outside the library!
3) Trunky meeting!!!! Catchin the plane home with these cuties
(kinda... im the only one going to America....)
4) 6 months
5) at the mission home
6) accidentally matched...l everyone asked us if we had a uniform. Ha!
7) new best friend Joseph. (Bishops son) such a cutie!!!! Fell asleep
in the car after church bless him
8) LOOK WHO CAME TO WORCESTER!!!!!!!!!!! Best day ever.

Gadfield Elm and Benbow Farm!

Today we visited some church history sites in Herefordshire!!! The
history behind these places brought me to tears. I am in such a
special part of the world. I am also so proud and honoured to be a
descendent of Wilford Woodruff! He had a tremendous part in building
the Lords vineyard in England, especially the West Midlands!!!. :) I
love this place!!!! 🇬🇧

Here are some photos. :)

1) Malvern hills - our area
2) Benbow pond where they would baptise people right after hearing
about the church!!!! Literally people would listen to one sermon and
then get baptised.
3) Church by benbow farm
4) My Grandma signed this visitors book just the year before!!!!!!:D
5) B.o.m.
6) Gadfield Elm - oldest Latter Day Saint chapel!
7) Me preaching :) take after great great great gramps :)
8) Benbow farm
9) church by the farm
10) Code to get into the chapel hahaha.
11) LOOK HOW COOL!!!!!! Worcester cathedral had inspiration for SLC temple!!!

One Year in Great Britain

1 year. Wow. I can not believe how quickly the time has passed. Thethings I have learned, the people I have met, I would not trade these experiences for the world. How grateful am I to have chose a mission.

I ❤️️ England!!!!!!! 6 months to go and SO MUCH TO DO!!!!

This week was great. Lots of little tender mercies, but they all added up!

First things first, SIMON. Our referral. Good guy. Passed his
baptismal interview last week and is SOLID for the 26th of August. So
getting excited for that. Bless him, this week we were cycling away
from his flat, he yelled at us to stop and said "thank you for doing
this, you have changed my life." It was so tender. Things like that
just make everything worth it. We also had the opportunity to teach
his friend while he was being interviewed for baptism!!! It was so
sweet because following the interview Simon wanted to play the piano
at the chapel, and his friend was just sat in the corner reading the
Book of Mormon. Made my heart happy!

No bike crashes this week people!!!!! :) nose is still pretty sore but
that's okay people would at least stop and talk to us even if it was
only to ask what happened to my face HA. healed now though for the
most part. :)

Did loads of cycling this week. Lots of less active stop bys in far
off places. The ward list is rubbish so we go by some of these houses
and people are like "ya they haven't lived here for 30 years!" Haha
it's so awkward. But we actually got 2 new investigators from people
living in previous members homes!!!! Cool stuff!!! :)

Matt and Andrei!!! Both the coolest recent converts.

We meet Matt every week at the library. Such a sweet heart. It was so
awkward though because last week we were teaching him the law of
chastity and some woman came over to us and was like "you guys need to
be more quiet everyone can hear what you're saying" HAHA proud to be a
loud McEwan (butler, sorry mom;) but yes slightly embarrassing but
hey! Now all of Worcester library knows they should be virtuous! :)

Andrei is the coolest!!! He's from Poland. He invited us to come meet
him at a cafe on campus where he works (we live literally right next
to the university here, I can't wait for all the students to come next
month, one being SARAH HALL MY BEST FRIEND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) But ya we
went and he made us free Starbucks (no coffee obviously;) and gave us
some muffins it's great being a missionary! Free stuff! I had an eye
doctor appointment this week and got a free pair of sunglasses and a
discount on my new glasses all because I was Mormon like the osmonds
HA. The employees there were mad about the osmonds.

Had interviews which went well. Discussed faith with president
leppard. Want to know how I can get back to my greenie faith... it has
changed over my mission. He told me that I can not put my knowledge
over my zeal, but rather add them together. Also played the piano for
a couple to practise who was singing at their wedding that weekend.
They asked me to play at their wedding hahaha too bad I'm a
missionary. ;)

I was asked to speak in church last minute yesterday. I literally
wrote my talk in my brain on my bike on the way to church.... haha.
Went well though they all were impressed I had no notes haha. The
things you learn on your mission. Probs my 20th talk in the last year.
Also everyone here is obsessed with Wilford Woodruff so when I told
them I was a descendent I instantly became a celebrity hahaha.

Dean, (RC in Nottingham) passed the sacrament for the first time on
Sunday!!! I would have given anything to have been there. :)

I continued to study faith this week. I went to preach my gospel and
studied the Christlike attribute. It basically said plain and simple 3
ways you can determine if you have faith. I made myself a little chart
of these questions..... Are you repenting? Are you obedient? Are you a
dedicated servant? These are questions I am evaluating myself on each
day. While I alter that which needs to be altered, I have faith that
my faith will grow. This study fit in perfectly with what I studied
this week in the Book of Mormon, that being the story of Alma healing
Zeezrom! Alma asked Zeezrom if he believed in the power of Christ,
Zeezrom said yes, And Alma said: "If thou believest in the redemption
of Christ thou canst be healed." And he was!!! According to his faith.
:) And in the verse directly after it says: "And Alma baptised Zeezrom
unto the Lord; and he began from that time forth to preach unto the
people." I love this conversion story. It reminds me of the Sons of
Mosiah, and of Enos, all of these people were healed, or forgiven, and
immediately after desired to declare it to their people. The gospel
has healed me, and I too have that desire.

I love you all. Thank you for your support this last year, I could not
do this without you. HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!

Cheers,
Sister McEwan xxxxx

Pictures:
1) HEY LENNON FOTU this guy was comps w/ your bro in Poland :) small world.
2) All my 1 year groupies in the Cheltenham zone
3) CHRISTS CHURCH you got that right!
4) gospel in action - elder vermeeren teaching the restoration to our
bap dates friend. :)
5) my super circular free sunglasses
6) Hahahahahahahhahaa England ps) wash up is do the dishes
7) Breakfast. wow I am so English. #beansontoast (mom I know you are
going to now send me a picture with Bean on a piece of toast please
do)

Wilford Woodruff in Worcester

Another great week here in Worcester!!!!! Full of absolute weirdos and

miracles too. :)

Start off with Tuesday!!!!!

Stressful day. The elders in Evesham (district leader) were coming in
a week late because Opheikens was training and his boy just came in.
It's soooooo fun being back with opheikens aw man bringing back some
great mems from Birmingham but I think our whole district hates us
cause we just talk about it the whole time haha. But anyways they were
coming on a train and we had their keys and phone. We had noooo idea
when they'd get to Worcester because they had no phone so we literally
sat at the station all day and watch every train to see if elders were
on it. After 6 hours of trying to spread the gospel at the train
station;)...... they decided to arrive!!!!! Haha bless them.

In the morning we tried finding in city centre and sat down for a
moment. We were quiet for a for minutes then started talking about how
we wish we could just teach someone instead of spend all our time
finding someone to teach. All of a sudden some random dude comes and
sits down next to us and is like "mormons! Tell me about your
church!!!!!" He was so neat and from KIDDERMINSTER!! We talked about
the church for no joke and hour. It was sick. Hopefully he goes to
church in kiddie this week :):)

We met the coolest guy from Portugal last week sat on a bench by the
canal who we taught a great lesson to on Saturday!!!! He lives here in
Worcester now for work he's about 30. He came to church with us
yesterday!!!! Miraclesssz. lol I don't think he fully understood it
was a church service that he was coming to. He definitely strolled
into the chapel in biking spandex and a helmet HAHAHAHAHAH. The
members loved him and all the old women were totally flirting with
him. Bless!!!

This week the we had a door approach where the woman opened the door,
looked us up and down and absolutely disgusted said "What are you?" We
told her missionaries, she then cursed and yelled "Oh for havens sake"
then slammed the door. All those experiences remind me of the talk
"missionary work and the atonement" by Jeffrey r holland. He says
something like: "remember during these moments that you are standing
shoulder to shoulder with the greatest missionary the world has ever
known." He is talking about the saviour! And whoso receiveth you,
there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on
your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your
hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.

Met a weird Latvian dude. When we stopped him we said "hi we are
missionaries" and before we could even continue he just looked up,
threw his hands up in the air and yelled "I AM A MISSIONARY TOO, FROM
THE CHURCH OF LOVE!!!!!!" Everyone in city centre was staring at us.
He asked where we were from, we said America and he said "oh I've been
there!" Then he pulled out his phone and thought it'd be a good idea
to show us a picture of him hanging from a tree in the Grand Canyon
with absolutely no clothes on at all. EW!!!!! It was so gross he was
so random and asked if he could speak to our congregation on Sunday.
It was fast and testimony meeting so...... I've never not wanted
someone to come to church so bad hahahaha bless him.

Yesterday I gained a testimony of helmets. Had my first bike accident.
My helmet is completely broken I'm all achey and scraped up. I think
Nottingham was a time for emotional trials... Worcester must be
physical!!!!!!! Was going too fast, hit a curb the wrong way, went
flying and so did my bike:) and it so kindly chose to land upon me:)
went to the hospital this morn to check out my head, all good
though!!!

LOOK WHAT I FOUND: While serving a mission in England in 1840,
President Wilford Woodruff (1807–98), then one of the Twelve Apostles,
was prompted by the Spirit to go to the south of England. Through his
efforts and the efforts of others serving with him, about 2,000 people
were converted in the area of Herefordshire, Worcester, and
Gloucester. Reflecting on this extraordinary period of his life,
President Woodruff wrote: “The whole history of this Herefordshire
mission shows the importance of listening to the still small voice of
God and the revelations of the Holy Ghost. The Lord had a people there
prepared for the Gospel. They were praying for light and truth, and
the Lord sent me to them."

I AM EXACTLY WHERE MY GRANDPA WAS!!!!! I know that if I have the faith
he will help me find those praying for light and truth here in
Worcester. :) Can't wait to talk all about it with him in the next
life. ;)

Have a great week people!!!!!

Cheers,
Sister McEwan xxx

Pictures:
1) bless me
2) Relief society district (more sisters than elders)
3) recent convert just commented this on someone's Facebook status LOL!
4) First sushi in over a year
5) Cute missionary wall the ward mission leader made
6) Sister Val Haw!!! Met my sweet nan and grandpa over a year ago at
Gadfield Elm!!!!! She's been asking president if I could serve here.
First thing she said to me was "I have been waiting a year for you to
come here!!!!!" Hahah.
7) Cathedrals on errry corner
8) Bike crash..... wear ur helmets guys!!!!!!!