The Lord Shapes the Back

Because of the horrendously long email last week, I have decided to
keep things simple this week. ( I wrote this before I started typing,
it's now long. Sorry guys!!!)

Some of the highlights: we went to Malvern with an older woman in the
ward. She took us to an organic foods shop and we had a lovely soup
and bread. We then went to the big church in Malvern and I got to play
some hymns on the piano again :) and older couple came to sit down and
listen with their elderly mother. I played for about 20 minutes for
them! I wish they could have heard the lyrics to the hymns I was
playing, but they really enjoyed it and thanked me at least a dozen
times!!! It was really special for me! :) we also fed the ducks. I ate
most the bread though lol.

Tuesday was CHUCKING DOWN WITH RAIN ALL AFTERNOON AND EVENING and we
were on our bikes for 2 hours in it. It was horrifying as well
honestly because I could barely open my eyes cuz the rain was flying
in my eyes and it was also way dark. So we said a prayer every time we
got on our bikes that we would be safe haha. We were soaked when we
got home.

We knocked into a Bulgarian family who we are going to be teaching
English to! I am so happy that I'll get to teach English again. :)
they are the sweetest and thankful that we are going to help them!!

We had 2 lessons this week that we needed a member for and none of the
members were agreeing to come with us. So we called a few less actives
and they came!!! It actually ended up being soooo perfect. They even
found scriptures and prepared beforehand. It was coooool :)

We taught Andrew and he's solid for baptism!!!! Regina as well. Sent
us the sweetest text telling us how much she loved the church and the
book I will send a picture of it. :) we visited an old woman who had a
fall earlier in the week. She's about 80 but acts 18 haha she loves
talking about boys she's in love with one of our 20 year old
investigators hahaha bless. But we asked her about the war and she
told us so many stories about it. I love talking to the other members
about it because they remember so much and get really emotional about
it. It's tender. Joan is doing okay. Not really progressing.. says she
doesn't feel the spirit.. but she comes to church every week and feeds
us.

We played football (soccer) at the park with our 4 Portuguese
investigators. It was such a blast I'm getting pretty good as well
;);) lots of fun though. All of them are really enjoying the church.
We had a joint lesson with all of them this week at the library which
was really special as well!!! There were also three 10 year olds who
walked into the chapel the other day and wanted to know about our
church so we watched a Mormon message with them it was sweet. Their
hearts were so open and it really made "becoming as a child" make more
sense to me!!! Hopefully they'll play football with us next week as
well, we can start our own club!!

Danny was an interesting  lesson.... we showed up and he had found the
WEIRDEST video online  describing Mormonism. He showed it to us and it
was really quite offensive honestly. It was soooo sooo weird. So we
had to explain everything and then he was asking some questions about
the temple that we couldn't answer it was just weird.... at the end of
the lesson we shook his hand as we were leaving and he put a rock in
my hand that said "believe" ha bless him.

Sunday we had the primary program. I got to play the piano for all of
it as well like I did in Cannock last year. :) I'll miss how much I
get to use my piano playing in England!!!

There was a quote given by our prophet recently which I have been
pondering a lot about this week:

"The Lord shapes the back to bear the burden placed upon it."

I have been wondering how in the world I am doing this, that is,
handling all the pressures that come with serving a mission. I know
that the Lord has a huge part in this. He has helped me to be my best
self by "shaping my back to bear the burden" through this challenging
experience in my life. I never thought that serving a mission was
something I would be capable of doing. And now I have 5 months left of
this crazy journey!!!! I've made it this far thanks to my loving
saviour who has helped me every step of the way. I owe everything to
him!

May your weeks be filled with lots of dinner appointments (if you're a
missionary) and lots of sleeping in (if you're not a missionary)

Cheers,
Sister McEwan xxx

Going out into the storm

Look how close Uruguay and England are on this map!!!!! (Not accurate lol)

Silly thing has spectacles. (Thought grandad might like this)

Big church I played piano in

More photos...
1) we get in bed as soon as we get home haha
2) andrei!!! Sick recent convert who give us food :):)
3) teaching the children haha :)
4) the haws! Some favourite members !!! Always have such a good time with them.
5) with the grandkids
6) PuB gRuB
7) at the library with my bestie!!!!! (She is studying for uni while I email;)
8) chillin
9) look at this kitten 🐱 !!!! Tracting yesterday this woman had 20
kittens roaming around her house SO CUTE!!!!!!

I Will Rejoice in My God

Warning: THIS IS THE LONGEST EMAIL I EVER HAVE AND EVER WILL EVER WRITE IN MY LIFE. APOLOGIES IN ADVANCE!!!! This week was one of the best weeks of my mission!!!! Sister Gjika and I are on cloud 9.

Started with TRANSFERS. dropped sister baker at the train station and
was in a trio with sister Gjika and mamajanyan for a couple hours
while sister mama was waiting for her new companion! We went to
Malvern to visit the bishops family. It's so fun being with their
little kids Joseph and Amelia! Although it's always weird calling
other people Amelia haha ;)

Worcester ward and it's people are so wonderful. We have several
people who are deaf, so we have someone who signs at the front. There
is the sweetest boy with Down syndrome who passes the sacrament. It's
just so amazing that everyone is there for the same reason, and we all
have the same thing in common. Going to church really is the best
thing! it has become so much more spiritual for me on the mission.

Tuesday evening we ate dinner with some members called the matthews.
She's a pro seamstress so I dropped off a couple skirts and dresses
which needed mending as well. ;) it was such a fun evening. sis
matthews dad lives with them as well, they take care of him. Bless him
he is about 90 and sooooooo hilarious and cheeky and was totally
flirting with us the entire time. It was too funny. Also had to listen
to him talk about chess for an hour straight and it was kind of
torture but also funny because sis matthews was always like 'stop and
eat your food!' She had to reheat his food cos he wouldn't stop
talking telling us about chess hahaha. So passionate about it.

My best friend Sarah Hall from kidderminster is going to university in 

Worcester and we live literally on the same street as the uni so she 

parks in our parking spot and i get to see her EVERY MORNING
BEFORE MY STUDIES!!! its such a blessing!!!!! GOD IS SO GOOD!!!!

Wednesday we had a lesson with Simon...oh bless Simon he is too much
haha. So many funny experiences but I just can't put them in a weekly
email for everyone to see HAHA. Did lots of finding and tracting. Met
a few cool people. Lots of times we just teach lessons on the door
step and that is the end of it, they don't want to hear more, but it's
still really special for me to be able to teach them. That is my
favourite part of the mission is getting to testify of these basic
principles.

Thursday was district meeting. Then we biked to a member called Mary
who is about 80. She had us go to the chippy to buy us all some fish
and chips and then we ate together. She is such a crack up all she
wants to talk about is boys I love it 'bless her life' she says that
about 200 times while we are with her. Friday we had an amazing lesson
with our investigator Joan. Who is a member referral (one of the
members sister!) she's doing well and comes to church each week but
doesn't think she feels the spirit...Saturday we spent most the day in
Cheltenham doing a service project sewing blankets for refugees. It
was fun being with the relief society in the stake.

OKAY NOW THE GOOD PART!!!!!!!!!!

Saturday night we helped a recent convert called andrei write his talk
for church the following day. His topic was testimony of the saviour.
So we helped him make different points and found a couple scriptures.
At the end we watched prince of peace and all 3 of us shared our
favourite things about the saviour. It was one of the most spiriutal evenings

of my life. We were in the library in a quiet corner to ourselves having our

own testimony meeting about the saviour. It was so incredible hearing his 

sweet testimony after working with him for so long. 

Sunday was the best sunday of my entire mission. hands down. Miracle 

after miracle kept happening. so firstly, regina called us saturday night and said

'i have something i want to tell you guys, i am bringing my friend with me to

church on sunday, is that okay?' we were like YEAH DUH!!!!!! So she brought 

her sweet friend sofia - from portugal as well! Then another recent convert

called susie brought her boyfriend who was the coolest ever!!!!!! We had 4

gators at church again. our gospel principals class was so diverse this week!!

It was the best. There were 3 from portugal, 2 from Africa, 1 from England, 1

from phillipeans, 1 from Albania, 1 from Romania, 1 from Armenia, and I was the

only American! It was incredible, gathering together as members and non members 

from across the world, all testifying of the saviour and the plan he has for us. Sister Gjika and I taught and we invited our portuguse members to share their testimonies in their native tongue

for sofia and Regina which they loved. Sofia even expressed her desire to be 

baptised!!!! She said that she had been trying several churches while being in

England and none of them came even close to this. She said she felt so welcome.

The last hour was combined with relief society and priesthood. Bishop played the 

youth video 'ask of god' and sofia was so overcome with emotions. Andrew, the 

boyfriend of Susie also expressed his desire to learn more and we are teaching

them this week. :) I am thrilled.

After church we taught a lesson to a man named Danny who we tracted into 

last week. We taught him on his door step as he didnt have another woman 

in the home and he too was overcome with the spirit! We said a closing prayer

outside his home and when it was over his eyes were teary he said that this

was exactly what he needed. We are going to be teaching him again tonight

with a member!! 

We went home to eat then rode our bikes to the library for another lesson with

an investigator we have called Pedro!! (the guy who showed up to church in

cycling shorts hehe) but yes, we taught him the gospel of jesus christ and it

just made sense to him. we put him on a baptism date for the end of october. we pray

that he will give the book of mormon and coming to church a priority so he

can make that date :) we are hoping to put sofia and andrew on a date this week

as well!!!! So many good things happening in Worcester!!!!

I loved something in Alma 25 this week I wanted to share! 

"Now have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you, there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we, since the world began; yea, and my joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God; for he has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful Being, even unto salvation, to those who will repent and believe on his name."

"I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God."

Right now I am studying about the Anti-Nephi-Lehis. I love their example of faithfulness to their covenants. I could make a list of so many principals of the gospel i learned from this story, but one that stuck out the most to me while reading it was that God has a plan!!!! They all buried their weapons of war and went to battle without any form of protection. They were Gods people, but many perished. But because of their examples of faith, even more of their bretheren were converted. 

"And it came to pass that the people of God were joined that day by more than the number who had been slain; and those who had been slain were righteous people, therefore we have no reason to doubt but what they were saved."

I have no doubt that those who were slain to convert the lamanites thought it was worth it. I know that this was the plan God had. He will do anything to have as many of his children return to him as possible. Every day out here, even all the painful days, ESPECIALLY the painful days, is worth it. Even though I have had to bury so many 'weapons of war' I have never been so happy. 

I AM SO SORRY THIS IS SO LONG if its only my grandma and parents that read this its totally fine:) 

I love you guys way too much. Thank you for everything. Heres to another FAB week in England!!!!

Cheers,

Sister McEwan xxx

Wearing this beautiful scarf Sarah bought me from Italy!!!! <3 

Sista tarapi!!! us in cheltenham making blankets! 

Sweet regina and sofia! 

 Yummy place called Shakeaway. 

Train tickets! oh wait... she just had to walk to her next area.. lol! 

Funny story about joseph and his rediculous smile in this photo: his mom said he could have ice cream if he
did a proper smile cuz he was just making silly faces hahaahahha look at that smile!!!!!

Got to see my bff CARSON!!!!! i love her. 

Power of Testimony

Transfer dodggeeeeee! Sister baker is moving to Coventry and I'm
getting sister Gjika from Albania! She speaks great English though so
that's good. But yeah it's gonna be a weird transfer because there are
2 teams of sisters in Worcester and sister Gjika was here last
transfer literally just switching flats and companions to me... makes
no sense but HEY were happy!

It was a good finding week in Worcester. We had 4 at church on Sunday
which is such a miracle here hahaha so that was fantastic. Regina our
baptismal date came. She is so solid! She was taking notes the whole
time it was really sweet. Then we had Simon again, Joan, and a cool
former Clive!!! Clive was probably the biggest miracle. He
investigated for a short while but never came out to church. We felt
prompted to invite him this week and he came! Afterwards he asked
everyone "what is it about you guys that is so different" and every
person gave him the same answer, the spirit! He said that he wants
that. It's amazing because he has a family and said that he will for
sure be here next week and we are going to meet this week!!!! Pray for
Clive and his family!!!

Simon bless him.... he's something else. I sat with him in the back of
the congregation at church. It was fast and testimony meeting and no
one had gone up for about 3 minutes and all of a sudden he just starts
belting some random song and doing some weird hand motions. Then he
yelled "I need a girlfriend" everyone was like .........uhhhhh who is
this dude. Then he just randomly grabbed my hand and yeah it was
really weird. It's hard to cope with him in class as well he just says
the most random things that don't relate to the lesson at all.....

We had a wonderful multi zone conference this week with elder de feo
of the 70. I was spiritually fed and my desires to work harder than
ever before increased. I love hearing from general authorities. They
are so humble! The power of his testimony was my favourite part. It
strengthened mine.

I don't know what else to say.... we had loads of good lessons. One of
my favourites was Wednesday we felt that we should stop by Simon. Not
sure why, as we dropped him. But it was so neat because he had 2
mental health support workers there who sat in on the lesson and you
could really tell that they felt the spirit. Think the scriptures we
read weren't meant for Simon, but for those sitting in.

Had a similar experience to that on Thursday. After the conference we
went to a lesson with a man named David and he brought a friend. We
met at the pub and taught the plan of salvation. You could tell his
friend was feeling the spirit. It was difficult though because they
were so set in their ways they wouldn't just experiment with our
religion. I've found that that's how a lot of people are here. And I
know that 99% of those I speak to aren't going to accept our message,
but my duty is to invite them to. It is to proclaim the message of the
restoration to everyone I can, so they can at least hear that Jesus is
the Christ, and that this is his kingdom here on the earth today. It
is my job to carry it to the heart, and the Holy Spirit will carry it
in.

I really love the Worcester Ward. The people here are so sweet!!! They
love me because of my heritage haha. I am always mentioned in
everyone's talks haha because they love Wilford woodruff so much here.
I am so honoured to be apart of this ward. I never want to leave it!
I've never felt so loved and appreciated. They all want me to finish
my mission here haha :)

I need to give 2 special birthday shoutouts to 2 of the most special
girls in my life!!!!!!! Sister Talia De Capite & sister Reagan
Curtis!!!!!! I love you two so much. Couldn't have made it this far
without either of you (honestly, not just saying that) ❤️️❤️️❤️️❤️️❤️️

Have a good weeek people. Share your testimony at any chance you
can!!!!. Today I shared my testimony to a random woman scanning
pictures at the photo shop haha :) bless her.

Cheers,
Sister McEwan xxxx

Pictures:

1 my group! All came out the same time.
2 sister ohanyans tablet case... hahaa I love her.
3 elder clabaux!!!!
4 REUNITED WITH MY GIRL!!!!! At last too many months apart!!!
5 proper English :):) sending BIRTHDAY mail to SISTER REAGAN Curtis!!!!
6 Proud sponsor of Wolverhampton football.
7 my favourite couple in this ward. Seriously love them so much!!!!
8 Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil, Cheltenham, and Birmingham zones.
9 BOM
10 England missionary hehe.