A Dear Companion, Sister Price

September 12, 2016

Dearest Sister McEwan's Mother Deary,

Sister Price

I would just like to inform you on how happy and blessed I am to have your daughter as my companion. When I found out I would be a trainer I fasted for us both, and individually because I remember once I came from the MTC into the mission life, everything was very very different. I wanted to make sure that the transition for her wouldn't be too overwhelming, but ultimately, more than anything I was just so gosh dang excited to meet my "baby". You can ask all the people in my last area, even Elder (Daines) Wallace (who I've served around for 9 months and discovered he graduated with my dearest companion), I kept telling them all the time just how excited I was! Then when transfer day came, I was so anxious to finally meet her. I was the first trainer's name called and afterwards they had me stand followed by your daughter's name and as she stood and we saw each other, I just knew that Heavenly Father had blessed me with an incredible companion and an incredible best friend. I didn't even have to look long to just know that I had been blessed and I thanked Him so much for sending me a little piece of heaven my way.

Your daughter is incredible, she was born to be a missionary. She is a determined soul and knew in her preexistence what she was meant to do when she came to earth. I have had my fair share of companions, but I have never felt so equal and so in tune, as much as I am with your dearest Sister McEwan. If I could I would shout off mountain tops how much I love her and how proud I am of her decision to come on a mission. She is going to do incredible things here in the U.K. and people are going to love her, heck! I love her and it's only our first week together! And boy, I can't wait for hopefully the next few months together! I wish I could stay with her forever! But thankfully you guys don't live too far from me back home! ;) I just happen to live in West Valley City and can I assure you how often I'm going to visit when we both are home!

Thank you so much for being the exact support Sister McEwan needed to come on a mission. I can't thank you enough, she is such a blessing in my life and I know that she is going to be a blessing in so many other lives! I love you, I love your family, and I love your daughter and her laugh, her jokes, her mad piano hands, her groovy dance moves, her baby voice when she talks about her pups and I love serving with her every single day!!!

I hope all is well and that you and your family are having a superb and brill day! Cheers love, and don't fret, I will make sure to take care of your adorable British L'ill Miss! :)

With Love,

Sister (Ashley) Price :D


September 19, 2016

Dearest Mum,

   You are such an incredible mother, Sister McEwan is so blessed to have you in her life! I can assure you that my mother felt those exact emotions, fears and worries. Considering I have an ongoing list of allergies, health issues, and whatnot, my mum feared greatly, she still does which is just part of the worries you gain as a mum. But the people and the members, even the investigators and ultimately our Father in Heaven provides miracles. I can't even count all the times that I've eaten food that I'm allergic to and still was blessed to function properly the rest of the day, or to be able to walk an ongoing amount of hours daily accompanied by genetic knee problems. It just goes to prove that Heavenly Father loves us so much, and especially when we are doing His work, He will provide. I also remember very very well what it was like in my first stages of the mission, I've been out roughly 10 months and it feels just like yesterday. There were some rough patches but I was given the strength I needed to get through it. And I can attest that having a missionary out really blesses families. It's just my mom and I back home and when I get emails from her telling me the weekly miracles, it just humbles my heart and makes me so happy to know that we all are being watched after in the Lord's work. Your daughter is surely safe and I will do whatever I can in my power to keep her safe and to keep her smiling. I've experience many crazy things the past 10 months, and even with your incredible daughter we have already seen so much, but I will do whatever I can to help her in whatever she may go through. She is an incredible leader, a diligent warrior, and a passionate and devoted missionary. When we work, she leads and it astounds me at how ready she was to come out here. I was not even close to as ready when I first came out. But she is a special and purely devoted daughter of God who wants the best for His children. You can see it in her eyes, every time we talk with people in the streets, every time she shares her testimony, she has a strong heart and a great and devoted love for her Savior and her Father in Heaven.  She is going places, and I know that your family will truly be blessed ten-fold for her hard and diligent efforts to serve.

I know that it may seem hard to not have her there, I know it was very difficult for my mom, but the time will fly and her personality and talents and vibrant spirit will bless the people here, and when she comes home, she will be different, but still the same wonderful Madeline you know and love so dearly. You will see her spirit amplified and you will see how God has been blessing her for the time that she has been away. I can promise that not all the blessings will be seen all at once, but they will come. I know that she has been a blessing in my life, I thank Heavenly Father for having a companion that I get along with so well and feel the spirit with so abundantly. It really makes a difference. I honestly can't wait for the time I get to spend with her, I value every second! I did have a brother once when I was young and a miscarried sister, but both passed leaving just me. In that time I always dreamed to know what it was like to have my siblings with me again and especially to know what it's like to have a sister. And your daughter has answered that prayer of mine. She really is a sister to me and I try as much as I can to show that I love her and how much I value having her in my life. It's an honor for me because I get to treat her like the sister I never had. I will always strive to be an incredible friend for her, through the good and bad, I will always be there. And especially even after my mission, I will write her and continually support her and even after both our missions, I will always be there for her and your family. I love her and your family so much and thank you all for devoting this small period of time to let her serve. It will be an incredible experience for you all and I can't wait to hear all about it :)

I hope that you have been having an amazing day and love you and your family oh-so-very much! Take care and as I always tell my folk back home, may the force be with you, always :)

With love,
Sister Price :)

This does my heart good to see that she gets to rest every now and then

My favorite companionship

Price Street

Drawn by Sister Price

Good Afternoon from Cannock, England!!!

Disclaimer: This keyboard is in British-English so it corrects anything I write. I haven't already turned English on ya (ie: favourite, saviour, colour, offence, tyre, aluminium).

Good afternoon from Cannock, England!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow wow wow. My world has been turned upside down. No offence family but it may have been harder to leave the MTC than it was to leave home. I bawled like a baby. Birmingham Mission left a day earlier than everyone too so it was hard not having a P-day to pack and say goodbye. Most my friends are going to London and London South so it was super hard knowing I wouldn't see them again. But it's good I can write them because they're out of my area. They are my family. It all feels like a dream. Luckily Elder Ey is still in my zone so that's a blessing to know someone and I'll see him next week at Zone Conference. But it was truthfully the best 3 weeks of my life. Thinking about it makes me sad so BYE MTC. :'( I can't think about it or I'll cry legit. My heart hurts just writing this. :( Except I do have to share that we went on a Church History tour to some BEAUTIFUL PLACE. I forgot the name of it though but everyone said it looked like Downtown Abbey. I'll try to figure it out. I wish I had a picture. We also saw President Hinckley's mission housing in Preston which was so cool. Look it up. I'd send you guys pictures but all my photos on my camera up until this point were deleted the night before I left the MTC :):):):) Yay!!!!!!!! I was so sad. Seriously devastated. Me and Elder O'Hare and Sister Smyrnova made some awesome vlogs at the River Ribble so that's devastating and I lost all of Izzy's videos and pictures of the dogs :(. Trying to be positive about it though. I got some great pictures the night before I left but I have an iPad now so I'm gonna try to figure out how to send them. But you may not see them for 17 months - that's right!!!! It's been been a month!! (On Thursday) The fastest most INCREDIBLE month of my life. Go on a mission.

So... CANNOCK wow it is beautiful here! It's directly above Birmingham and borders the Manchester mission. I'll probably be here for a lot of my mission because it's my Greenie area. For at least 6 months I bet. There is so much that needs to be done here it's insane. THE FIELD IS SOOOO WHITE AND SO READY TO HARVEST. My trainer is Sister Price from West Valley and she is awesome! I don't really have problems getting along with people haha so it's good. She loves cats and Star Wars. She has knee problems so I won't be biking the next few transfers. I think I'll be here with her for 12 to 18 weeks but you never know. I love her so much. She takes such good care of me!!!! Such a sweetie.  I have an iPad so I can draft this letter throughout the whole week, that's why it's so long!

It took 3 hours to get to the mission home. President Leppard (Mum you were right, it is pronounced Lepppppaaaard (all British and weird). He is the sweetest man. So wise. We checked in and got our assignments. It was so sad seeing my district babies all gone and I don't even know where they are but I hope they're okay. Sister Smyrnova is in Nottingham it's so weird not being with her she was like my security blanket. The STL's (Sister Training Leaders) dropped us off at the flat and I wanted to get to work but my comp wanted to get to know each other which was fine too. No new sisters went to Wales this transfer. I have a feeling I'll stay in Cannock for a while but I love it here because we are very close to the city centre which is great for street contacting and we're about 10 mins from the train which will come in handy and 10 minutes from the Tesco which I had to buy makeup from because I left it all at the MTC haha typical. But if u want to know what Tesco is, it's Walmart but not nearly as nice, so ya it's disgusting. This makeup should not even be called makeup it is nasty but President Preston emailed me and said he would send it over with the next group. I've already found at least 10 spiders in my flat. I hate spiders. There are also spiders covering the baptismal font. That won't stop us from baptisms though cause we showed up to this area with 2 scheduled for October!!!! Oliver and Kelvyn! :)

Wednesday:
It is madness here. We are the only missionaries in Cannock (pronounced "can-nick") and Rugeley. Our first dinner appointment was in Rugeley on Tuesday with the sweetest woman on the planet named Sister McCall. She is a sweet grandma who made us cottage pie and some chocolate cheesecake. It was very yummy. Look up cottage pie it's so typical English. We ate it all the time in the MTC. I've consumed so many potatoes in the last month it's slightly ridiculous, I hate them. Every time I have chicken and potatoes I laugh because I hated it at home. It was so yummy tho, I think it was because I was starving and we had been walking all day. We took the train to her house and it felt like Harry Potter.  We ate with her and her oldest son who is like 30 and it was a blast talking to them. The houses here are so small and old and then the cars are all BMW's it's hilarious and so pretty. We did some street contacting before and found our chapel which is soooo posh as the English would say. It's weird though because they don't have pues it's just set up chairs and there is 2 stories and the chapel is downstairs. Sister McCall said there are only about 50 people who show (on a good day) and there is only one ward that attends. And sooooooo many less actives. So we have A LOT OF WORK TO DO.

Also we are "Pink Washing." Which means we are both brand new to the area and the people before us were elders. Our flat is nice but I have yet to buy sheets so I have been using sweaters for blankets and pillow cases. They don't believe in dryers here so we have to hang dry our clothing but nothing dries because it's so humid. Love it though. Street contacting was cool we only had 1 guy named will who was interested and we're going to ring him tomorrow. We had many drug encounters one guy was literally casually rolling a joint when we were talking to him. Our flat smells like weed. While we were waiting for the train there was a boy, I kid you not, Maxwell's age or younger who was smoking pot. So much swearing and people yelling at us out their car windows. We have so much to do here wow. We are the only missionaries here too, which is madness. I HAVE SO MUCH TO SAY!!!!!! My cute little investigator David from Manchester emailed me saying he's super interested and has been reading some chapters in Mosiah I told him about and he said praying makes him so happy!! He's in Manchester though so I will have to give him to the Chorley missionaries :( but I will still email him :) such a cutie, I'm so proud.

I got your package mommy!!!!!!! I was so happy and the clothes are so cute!!!!! I love the socks!! I've already worn it all haha. Thank you so much. The candy was gone immediately. I have been buying so much candy here. They have so many good gummy candies like gumdrops and Haribo which is my favourite. There's also these things called Quashies. I LOVE THEM! Google them they're so good. And the Cadbury and Galaxy Chocolate is to die for. We go to Asda before we tract and buy candy in the morning hehe.  The first couple days from the MTC have been so hard because we were fed so well and so frequently and now I'm just starving all day every day! Also don't know how to use pounds. But I love it and love the cereal here. It's a lot more foreign then I thought it would be. All the brands and stores are completely diff.

Everyone here says "You alright??" or "You okay???" as their greeting instead of "How are you?" and every time they do I'm so taken back like "Yes, chill, I am fine." And they think you're weird if you say "How are you?" so that's been a trial. So many phrases I don't understand yet and everything is worded so differently. Like instead of what is her name they say, "What is she called?" hahaha or they say reckon like "I reckon that she's in the loo." and it haunts me. I've been reading the Book of Mormon too much. Every time I see a store that says "We laminate here" I think it says lamanite #helaman5 #darkclouds. Wow I love it here so much. Also I turned into an optimist when I was set apart I feel like. Nothing bothers me. Really does feel like I'm learning a foreign language though. Sometimes when a member is driving us back to our flat I just think "I am in a foreign country with some random people living with a girl I've never met with no contact with my family." It's crazy. But I loveeeee it.

Please tell the Schulties I LOVE ELDER WALKER!!!!!!!!! (Their cousin)!! We did exchanges last week so I spent an entire day in his district. He is such a hard worker and seriously the nicest kid ever. Such a stud and an incredible district leader. He was for sure one of my faves at the MTC. My comp was Sister Lannan for the day and it was so fun I love her. She's from Australia and would leave chocolate on my pillow every night. Such a sweetheart. It was fun being in that district for the day but I did miss my children in my district. They said it was too quiet without me hahaha. But I learned a ton and it was such a blessing getting to teach with sister Lannan because she can speak English. I prayed every day I would have an English speaking trainer because A TON of people in this mission don't speak English. I'm her first American companion and she's been here for 9 months! Miss my Ukrainian though. Bless her soul.

Thursday:
What a day. We had to take a train to the mission home for a district meeting. We left at 8:30 and got there at 11:30 because we got lost so many times and had to take a connecting train and had no idea what we were doing. And funny story hahahahaha we were getting on a train from Birmingham new street to Sutton Coldfield and Sister Price got on the train and I didn't. The doors shut and I went into sheer panic mode and just stood there in shock because she had the phone and it was my second day hahahaha! But then some kind man helped me out and opened the door somehow #foreignerprobs. Finally, we got there.

Our district is super fun and crazy. Elder Wall from Mapleton is the DL then we have Elder Decker from the Netherlands and Elder Louis from Madagascar and Elder Gosturani from Albania. They're super fun. It was cool being back at the mission home so fast. And I got letters!!! SISTER WARD: your letter made me soooo happy and I taped it onto my wall. Thank you sooooo much!!!!!! We got to talk to President and Sister Leppard for a little while and I met their dog hah. I told them you loved them for having a dog mom haha. After we traveled back with the elders and went to a dinner appointment with the Dentons who live by the chapel. I love them they are the sweetest older couple. It was shocking though going into their house because they are major hoarders so there was stuff EVERYWHERE! I have never seen anything like it in my entire life. They were amazing, we had such a good conversation on the gospel and they're both converts from missionaries in Plymouth. The whole time I couldn't stop smiling. We are eating with them again next week. We have DA's every night. Sister Denton was proud of me for it being my second day in the field. We have dinner appointments every day this week it's amazinnnnng I look forward to them every day. Members take such good care of the missionaries. Especially because they haven't had sisters for a while.

Friday:
We made lots of appointments and had a dinner apt again. Their names are the Garners and they're an older couple. They live in Rugeley so we had to take the train. They LOVE RED. Their entire house was red and they were both wearing red I kid you not the entire house was red everything was red it's like that one TLC episode where the woman loves pink. It was amazing. (They also wore red to church.)

The members here are so amazing. Also lunch means breakfast here and dinner means lunch and tea time is dinner (but u don't drink tea) and pudding means dessert.  Also the Garner's accents today were so crazy I could not understand what they were saying sometimes I just have to smile and
laugh hahaha. I have no idea what's going on hahahaha. :)

Saturday:
Today was a finding day. No success. Except one. We went to B&M for our daily dose of candy haha and I kept having this feeling I needed to approach one of the employees. I kinda shook it off and kept walking through the store but we kept passing him so I told my comp. we made the plan to go over and ask him what his favourite candy was because we were new to England and needed help because we didn't know what was good or not. He was super quiet. Finally after chatting for a while we got into gospel. He doesn't believe in God so we gave him the prayer challenge. He was totally into it and said he would do it. He asked us if he could pray for the day to go by faster haha and we told him to try. I told him I'd do that at Jones Paint and Glass all the time ;);). He said we could come back to the store on Sunday to check up on him. Saturday night we ate with the Denton-Irwins. They have 3 lovely kids and they were hilarious!!! Such great members here. That night we talked to more people but no one was interested. It's so defeating especially when someone has a hard life and need the plan of salvation and you're like COME ON I CAN HELP YOU!!!!!! But it's all about planting seeds and representing Christ. We had great convos with great people who Heavenly Father loves and adores. I finally bought sheets, too.

Sunday:
CHURCH finally we got to meet the members of the Cannock ward!!!!! Oh how lovely. The congregation was tiny but so full of the spirit. They were playing music from a CD when people were walking in which was so strange so I asked if I could play some prelude music before church and now I'm the ward pianist..... So I've got lots of hymns I need to learn. Also got to speak for a few minutes with absolutely no notice. Hahahaha it's a good thing I had 3 talks written from the MTC. Every Sunday President Preston gave us a topic and we all had to write a talk then right before sacrament he would announce 6 lucky speakers. I never was chosen but it ended up being a blessing having stuff to say for when I did randomly get called up. It was crazy because everyone in the ward has like 3 callings each because there aren't enough people. So the same lady who taught Sunday school taught Relief Society hahahhahahhaa. Utah is so blessed it's insane. Everyone was so welcoming to us.

It's been really difficult pink washing but we are getting the hang of Cannock even though we get lost 80,000 times a day and almost hit by a car 9,000,000 times a day. People legit drive through puddles to try to get us wet hahahhahahhaa it's like the movies. I don't even care though. It's good memories. Nothing irritates me here it's so weird. I'm always so happy. After church we ate dinner at the Mawles. IT WAS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously so good! We had kebabs. They are amazing. Sister Mawel is so kind and like a mom to us here. Her kids are darling and so well behaved.

I could have stayed there all day we felt so at home!!!! But we had to leave and go find Luke at B&M before his shift at work was over. We got there and he went home early his coworker said. I was sooooo sad. But we are going to find him Tuesday because we know he works then. After 2 weeks of no contact this has been a blessed p-day. :) Tonight we eat with the bishop's family and are visiting some less-actives.

This week has taught me about the extra protection Heavenly Father gives his missionaries. This really is the Lord's work. We have to have faith that it will work out exactly how he wants it to. I've learned a lot about patience and a lot about love. The amount of growth I've had the last month is something I wouldn't trade for the world. My mission has already been the most sacred experience of my entire life and I can't wait to see what the next 17 months hold. There's so much more I could say.

I love Cannock, I love my comp, I love the people, I love my ward, I love my family, I love the missionaries, I love the gospel, I love the work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers to England!!!!!!!

xx Sister McEwan

Me and Amber the Dog, President in the back

Amelia Patricia McEwan

District separation anxiety, taking different trains

Favorite Sister Shwarz from Germany on our church history day. I had so
many good pics and it was stunning. #rip

Welcome to England Birmingham Mission

Shaking hands with President Leppard

Hugging Sister Leppard

President and Sister Leppard with Sister McEwan

All new incoming missionaries

The Corner Stone: An EBM Tradition - Each missionary stands on the cornerstone and introduces him or herself to the mission

Awaiting new companions

Letter from President & Sister Preston, England MTC

Dear Family,

Your daughter will be departing the England Missionary Training Centre on Tuesday morning, 6th Sept. We want you to know how much we have enjoyed having her with us.

Sister McEwan is a fine young woman and we are grateful for the opportunity we have had to work with her on a daily basis.  She is well-prepared for her mission and she continues each day to grow spiritually.  She is developing good teaching skills and is excited about the work.  She is ready for full time service in the Birmingham Mission.

We love this young woman and are grateful to you for all you have done to prepare her for this wonderful time in her life.  Your love and continued support are important to her success.   Letters are always greatly anticipated and appreciated.  Please address all future mail to:

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

May you and your family be blessed as she continues to serve our Heavenly Father.

Sincerely,

President & Sister Preston
England Missionary Training Centre

PLEASE NOTE - Your daughter will probably not have another opportunity to e-mail home whilst still in the MTC. You may not hear from her again until her next preparation day in the mission, which in most cases is Monday.

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.