10-24-2016

Hello to all my favorite people :)

I love you all and I miss you so much.

Get ready for the best email of your life because this email is about
to be good haha

This week sister Randall and I have been blessed. Miracle after
miracle. Pray is real guys. This week will go down as one of my
favorite weeks of the mission. God is real.

A few weeks ago I was feeling a little discouraged. It's been almost 9
months and I haven't had an investigator get baptized. Awhile ago
President wright sent all the missionaries a weekly email saying that
if we have faith we can create miracles accordingly to his will. So
even though I was feeling discouraged I was also feeling determined. I
began studying up about prayer. I read how prayer is aligning gods
will with ours. So sister randall and I began to pray. we began to
pray that we would have someone who would be prepared and ready to be
baptized by the end of the transfer. We prayed and prayed and asked
Heavenly Father for guidance to complete our goal.

After that week it was rough, that next week almost all our
investigators had been dropped. It was as if everyone that we thought
could potentially be ready needed some time. I was trying to figure
out how we were going to accomplish our goal. We continued to pray and
pray even though we were wondering how

On Saturday we had a lesson with Jon, our only progressing
investigator, and we had a member come with us. We started off the
lesson and he said that he wouldn't be able to be a member because of
tithing but that he would continue to learn. we taught him about
tithing and the lesson went so well. The spirit was so strong. He told
us that he would pray but that it's going to take him a long time to
understand and that it would be a slow process and he didn't think he
would be baptized anytime soon. We realized that it was going to slow
with Jon but that he had a desire and we could work with that desire.

 I decided to fast on Sunday to better align my will with gods. I
decided to fast for a new investigator and to try and have someone
ready for baptism.

We had church on Sunday and it was the best meeting ever because me
and sister Randall had to speak haha Jon ended up going home right
after sacrament and we were kinda bummed. But we were glad he at least
came to sacrament.

After church we checked our phone and we had a text message, it was
from Jon. It read "ok, I'm ready to be baptized". I wish you could've
been with sister Randall to see our face. Oh my goodness we were SO
happy. it was the best text message ever. I was so happy. Miracles
happen. I can't even believe it. It's crazy cause not even 24 hours
earlier he had told me and sister Randall he wouldn't be able to
become a member. There is power in the spirit. He said that it finally
hit him, that after church he felt so happy he felt almost numb and he
knew. He knew he was ready to be baptized. I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY.
I would have never guessed that this would have happened. I know even
more that God is aware of me, he has heard my prayers.

But it gets even better.

The week before last we had tried a few times to see this former
investigator. We stopped by to see her, she came to the front window
but didn't open up the window. we couldn't hear anything she was
saying but she was mouthing "okay okay I sick bye." Me and sister
Randall were SO confused but we were like okay that was weird but
okay, she didn't really want to talk to us. And we went on with the
rest of our day

Then yesterday afternoon around 4 we get a call from that former
investigator, clementine. We had never talked to her before that weird
window interaction. She asked us to come over at 8. We stopped by and
oh my goodness my heart broke, her sister recently passed away, a few
months ago she was hit by a drunk driver, and she was feeling like she
has hit rock bottom.

She said that when we were at her house knocking a few weeks ago she
was laying in bed just so so so sad and then she heard a knock but
then the person knocked twice and then three times (haha we just want
to make sure they aren't home for real so we knock a few times haha)
she decided that it was God knocking on her door and she decided that
she would go see who it was. And that's when she stuck between the
curtains and saw us. She said that she felt so bad that she had made
us go away but that she had been thinking of us and then today she
decided that she would finally call us. She said she can't find God
and she feels that meeting with us will help her find God again.

We had an awesome lesson with her, she cried and cried and we sat with
her and shared scriptures with her of our savior and prayed with her.
The spirit was so strong. It was so amazing. I am so grateful to be a
missionary

So now we have a new investigator. And someone who is ready to be baptized.
GUYS PRAY IS SO REAL. He listens he knows us.

It's no coincidence.

This week I learned so many things. I learned that patience is
essential to learn but not always easy. I know that God has a purpose
for us. I learned that God works through our faith. Imagine if me and
sister Randall hasn't worked hard during the past weeks, we wouldn't
have ever knocked on clementines door and met her kinda..through the
window. If we put in the work, God will direct his hands to fortify
our works to create miracles.

EVERYONE BEING A MISSIONARY IS THE BEST.

I know that the gospel is true. I know that Jesus Christ lives. This
is his gospel. I have never been so happy. The mission is the best
thing ever. God is a god of miracles.

He lives. I'm so grateful for this opportunity to serve my savior. It
has changed my life.

hurray for Israel

Xoxox always

Sister mckaylee thurgood