12-5-2016: Sister Ward = Sick; Sister Thurgood = Best Nurse Ever

Helllllllloooooooo

This week was a great week. A week with Sister Ward in Middletown Ward - what could be better? 

Some of my scripture cases.

On Monday, Sister Ward got sick and whatever was in her took her DOWN and she was out for Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Out of those 3 days, she was awake for 8 hours of them. My poor companion. She was so sick. So when Sister Ward is sick, Sister Thurgood becomes the nurse. hahaha So what I'm trying to say is those 8 hours that Sister Ward was awake was probably the best care she has ever received. haha

Guys being inside for 3 whole days makes you go crazyyy. There is only so much you can do and only so much you can read. haha I started making scripture cases from cereal boxes and decorating them with pictures from left over magazines in the apartment. haha They actually turned out pretty cute. I felt like Buddy the Elf when he is decorating the store and he goes so hard so fast. haha

On Friday, We went down to Santa Rosa because I had a Mission Leader Conference. It was such an amazing meeting. The spirit was so strong. I love to hear President and Sister Wright teach. At the meeting, the departing missionaries gave their goodbye testimony. Its so moving to hear tough dudes cry because they are so grateful for the Savior and for what the mission has done for them. I to can attest to a heart full of gratitude for my mission and what it has done for me. It has changed my life.

Just chillin' in the office with the
one and only Elder Achal.

This next week is my companion's last week in the mission. How does 21 days go by so fast, I swear she just got here. Sister Ward is the best ever. She is so much fun and all we do is laugh. She is LOUD and has so much energy. hahha She is a crack up.

When Sister Ward got here we set a lot of goals to reach before the transfer was up. We were wondering how we were going to accomplish them as we weren't able to go out and work for most of this week. Regardless, we worked hard on Saturday and Sunday and SAW MIRACLES. God has blessed us. 

We found two new investigators and taught quite a bit of lessons. It was so awesome. 

We were up on Cobb and we visited this part member lady. We finally were able to find her house and when we pulled up she was SO excited to see us. She ran out to hug us. She is a young mom of 6 kids in a really ROUGH home situation and really rough living arrangements. I don't know why, but me and Sister Ward felt the purest spirit coming from her. She is truly so sweet. On the day of the fire, a year or so ago, she was down in Santa Rosa with one of her kids while the other kids were at home when she got a call that she needed to evacuate. She was an hour away and 5 of her kids were home, the oldest one being 14. She called home and over the phone told her daughter that she needed her to get all the kids, pile them up in the car and that she needed to drive the car out of the fire. She said that by then smoke was everywhere and the fire was really close. Over the phone she explained how to drive a vehicle to her 14 year old, who had never driven a car before. What was even more heart wrenching was that as she was on the phone with her kids to explain where to go and how to drive, the call was dropped because the phone lines were on fire and there was absolutely no service. I can't even imagine how she felt as she dialed her kids again and again and how worried she was until they were finally reunited, hours later.  

A member from my last area sent me
my own stocking. I love nice people.

This lady has been through so much and I was touched so much by her special spirit. She is the sweetest ever. We had an awesome lesson with her and she kept on hugging us. What a blessing it is to be a representative of Jesus Christ and that I get to be an instrument in His hands to let them know that regardless of their situation, they are loved and they are remembered. 

I know that He Lives. I know that He knows us, He is aware of us and that although at times we may feel that we are abandoned, HE WILL NEVER LEAVE US. 

I am so grateful for the opportunity to be a missionary. 

Godspeed always

Sister McKaylee Thurgood