08-29-2016

Hello my favorite people ever :)


Time goes by so fast. How does 7 days fly by?

This week we met this old lady named Joy and oh my goodness she lives
up to her name, she is the cutest old lady I have ever seen. We did
some service with her and then she took us up to the Country Club for
lunch with her. She is seriously the cutest lady ever. you meet some
of the best people on your mission, that is for sure.

We had interviews with President this week which is my favorite thing
ever because I love president and his wife so much. As I walked into
the room, he goes all serious "Sister Thurgood you are doing an
injustice for Sister Morrison" and then just stared at me " I was like
uhhhhh whattttt" then he says "No matter who I put with Sister
Morrison after you, she will never love them as much as she loves you.
You are making my job very hard" gosh I love her so much. She is the
best ever. I am going to really miss her when she leaves me. One day
we were out walking and she goes "okay I'll say it I'm afraid for the
day when I have to live without you hahahah" gosh she is my most
favorite person ever.

President told me that he has seen how the missionary work has changed
me, he said that every time he sees me that I am happier than before.
What a testimony to be again that missionary work has the ability to
change who we are. I second the statement [I have had] "a mighty
change of heart"


This week we met with our new investigator Riva. She is so awesome. We
had an awesome lesson with her. She is one of those people that see
LDS people and feel that they have something that she doesn't have and
now she knows what it is, the gospel of Jesus Christ. It was so funny
because we asked her if she had heard of the Book of Mormon before.
She said that she once heard a story from someone who was going
through security at the airport and referred to his Book of Mormon as
"BOM" haha when he referred to it as a "BOM" he was detained and had
to explain himself hahaha we were like okay okay hahha So we learned
that we shouldn't refer to the Book of Mormon as a BOM thanks Riva
hahaha

We met with Mel this week and had an awesome lesson he asked if his
son could baptize him when he finally decides to be baptized. I can't
imagine the happiness his son will feel when Mel asks him. What a
tender moment for their family.

I have to say out of all the miracles and tender moments that happened
this week, my heart was full of love and joy on Saturday night. We
were asked to play the piano at the  Spanish Elder's baptism for their
investigator Hilaro. The whole service the spirit was so strong. I
have met Hilaro a few times but I don't know him very well but I
couldn't help but have tears running down my face as I watched him get
baptized. Watching someone enter into the waters of baptism is one of
the most tender moments I have experienced while on my mission. There
is nothing quite like it.

After the closing prayer, I sat next to sister Morrison as she played
the piano while people congratulated HIlaro on his baptism. I sat
there and watched people and I felt so much joy so much happiness. I
looked around, and everyone was happy, everyone was hugging and
smiling and their countenances were full of light. But what was more
moving to me, was watching one of the elder's faces who had taught
Hilaro, and witnessed his change of heart. He is not one to show
emotion, a big tough guy but as he hugged Hilaro he was so overcome
that he began to bawl. Oh my goodness guys, it moved me so much. The
reason we walk and we talk and we sacrifice 18 to 24 months is for
moments like that. Moments where you hug your just baptized converts
and cry together. I told Sister Morrison, that there is no one that
could've been in that room and denied the truth of this work. There is
power in the spirit, power that moves people to tears and allows
people to start again. There is no such thing as the end.

It's all worth it. Every rough moment, every not very nice person,
every slammed door, every 630 wake up call, every questionable dinner,
every thing, it's all worth it. And it'd be all worth it if it was 1
person I helped come to Christ or 100 people.  It makes me want to
work harder, to be better, to be more obedient, more fervent in my
prayers, because the better prepared I am, the better I will be able
to do my part when the Lord calls upon me.

I was reading an article this week and a quote this week really struck
a chord with me. It says "greatness is best measured by how well an
individual responds to the happenings in life that appear to be
totally unfair, unreasonable, and undeserved".
So be great, be happy even when things are really hard and seem
unfair. That's the test of true greatness.

I love you guys and I miss you all so much.

Godspeed always

Sister mckaylee t

PHOTOS

Us with Mel, our favorite retired air force combat pilot