I hope Kirst had a great birthday! Wow what a crazy week it has been! First of all, Santee is now a full proselyting area which means we both got taken out last week! I am so sad to be leaving Santee, but I know that this is what is needed as we were super busy! I know the missionaries who are now there will take good care of it! I am excited to go to our baptisms there coming up! So my new companion is......... Brittny Baker from Pocatello!!!!! Isn't that crazy?!?! We are having WAY WAY too much fun and I love her so much. We already have such a connection and it is fun to talk about people and we both know who they are. We were super happy when we got that announcement! Now for the crazy part. We are serving in the Helix YSA Ward. That is the YSA area right under Santee. It is the biggest area in the mission besides the missionaries that cover the chinese/ ASL. So there are usually 2 sets of missionaries there because there are 2 stakes. Well we found out at transfers that they took the elders out because the work is so slow and just Sister Baker and I are whitewashing that area! Ya wow It has been a huge crazy week!! There is so much work there too and we have already seen so many miracles. Helix is struggling right now with leadership. It feels almost like everyone has given up on the work and given up on their callings. There were less than 20 people at church on Sunday and everyone was super spread apart and no one knew who each other were. There is a lot of chaos right now. We have decided to meet with every single member of the ward and to get their insight and help remind them of their ultimate responsibility being a missionary to everyone! We met with two last night right before FHE and they were awesome. They came up with so many great ideas and all 4 of us implemented them that night. I cannot tell you the amazing feeling it was to see everyone get to know each other! They came up and thanked us after and it was so sweet. They are all excited now and They want to come teach with us. It will still be a huge process, but we know that with their help and especially with the Lord's Helix is about to grow so fast. I am so thankful that Sister Baker is my companion too because she works so hard and is so obedient and ready to do what the Lord wants of her. We also teach in unity and we love this work! It is such a blessing and we cannot wait to see the miracles here!!! PLease keep Helix in your prayers. Now some amazing miracles, remember when I was in Santee and we passed of about 8 referrals?! Well half of them were to Helix! So I am now teaching my old investigators! We have 8 investigators right now and 4 with a date! We know this is going to help the ward get fired up! Kim and David are two that I was working with for weeks in Santee so I am excited for them!
This week we are starting MTE's or Missionary training experience. That is when each companionship is coached by another missionary for a day according to the teachings that President Clayton gives us at our meetings. I feel super humbled and excited, but I was asked to be a coach and I am very excited because I get to be with another YSA companionships for 2 days and help them with their needs, of course I am sure that I will learn more than I could every teach, but I am so excited! Miracles always come from MTE's! There are two of us coaching so we just drive together and then stay with the companionship we are working with for those two days. It will be great! We added a new investigator Lara yesterday! She is amazing! She is so ready for the gospel. We are so happy for her. The Family that I met last week that knew the Bells and McDermotts was Cynthia and Sayth Stone and their son Gonzalo Villarreal who served with Brennan. So if you see the Bells or Brock tell them! I also got a cute visit from some friends this week. I got a cute note from Heather Shirley who I knew at BYU-Idaho. I also received some money and a note from my friend Haylee DAy. That was so nice!!! It is the best feeling to know I have such great friends and I great family! Mom- Greg and Cindy Montgomery came a while ago and said she was your room mate at BYU! So many crazy things. Also there is an Elder in the mission from Nashvile who knew you and a nice couple that came from Spring Hills! Super fun! Oh and Chantell from Nashville came too!! I hadnt seen her in so long!!! I will attach a picture!
I have been down on my knees more then ever this week and I just want to bare my testimony of prayer. Prayer is so powerful. I know that because we put the Lord's will over ours that miracles happen. I know that prayer is here for us and that we are not alone. God gives us challenges to shape us and to make us become the best we can be. That does not mean they will be easy, but they will always be good if we put our trust in the Lord and seek to learn from them. We met a man today on the street and he said that he took all of the missionary lessons, but he was told he could never be mormon because he smokes. He said he believes everything and even knows it to be true. I was so thankful I was able to testify to him about the power of prayer and I told him the story of Kyle Cherry and was able to testify to him that with that same power, he too could stop smoking and continue to progress. He asked to have missionaries come over again and we are so happy that his life will be changed for the better. Thank you for all of your examples to me of faith even in hard times. I think about last year often and the hard times that came as we were told day after day that mom had no chance to live. The world's perspective was that there was no chance and somedays it felt like we were just waiting for her to go. I am so thankful that we have such an amazing Dad who had the faith to help us have that same faith and eternal perspective. I know that if it was not for him and his testimony of prayer I would not have known for myself that everything was going to be okay. Thank you dad and mom for helping me to expect miracles every day. Because of that experience I am who I am and I am the missionary that I am today. I definetly have a long ways to progress in this process, but because of that experience I feel like I have been able to understand so much more. I love you all. I have the best family in the world, and I do not just say that. I pray for you every night and day. I know this church is true and miracles are happening everyday. Keep the faith! Read, Pray and Go to church!
I lOVE YOU!
Love,
Sister McKee:)
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