V O T E

¡Hola Familia y Amigos!

Just stepping in here for two seconds to tell everyone to VOTE! BE A GOOD CITIZEN AND EXERCISE A RIGHT SO MANY PEOPLE FOUGHT FOR YOU TO HAVE. Thank you and amen.

This week was good! I wrote my mission president earlier this week and told him that every week goes by quicker than the last. Serious! Transfers happen next week and I am so sad! Hermana Goold and Hermana Skinner have been so fun and I can't wait for everyone to meet them at my wedding lol

This week we had the opportunity to go teach Alejandro and Angelina in their home!!! We had previously dropped off some copies of the Book of Mormon at their house and this week we finally had the chance to teach them about it! You could immediately feel the Spirit when you walked into their home. It was so beautiful. They were both really receptive and asked a lot of great questions. Man, questions are so important. Ask questions. We invited them to read 3 Nephi 11, when Christ comes to the Americas after his resurrection, and they said they'd do it as a family! We are so excited to follow up with them this week and hear about their experience.

I've been reeeeeaaaallllyyy trying to develop some new talents in the mission. I studied spiritual gifts a few weeks ago and was like "ok I want to use some of my talents to help people" except I have like...very few. Anyways, we know the purpose of spiritual gifts is to help OTHERS so I figure Heavenly Father will help me out if that's my goal. I decided to start with art. I have never been artistic but this week we had an art class from a girl in our ward! Her name is Ash and I love her with my whole heart. I absolutely butchered my sketch of Toad from Mario Kart but then Ash decided to start teaching us some anime techniques and that went a little better. Maybe I'll drop out of college and become an anime artist idk

Hermana Goold went through the TEMPLE TODAY!!! Going through the temple for the first time was the happiest day of my LIFE! A few weeks ago we had the opportunity to go to a temple prep class, for Hermana Goold, and it was the coolest experience ever. We talked about the history of temples in the New and Old Testament, the purpose of temples, and the importance of the covenants or promises we make in them. Going to the temple is one of the most amazing experiences and I cannot wait for COVID to go away so I can go back!

GENERAL CONFERENCE IS THIS WEEKEND! Please take time out of your schedule to listen to God's chosen prophets and apostles. God speaks through them and if you choose not to listen you are choosing to ignore the Lord. Would not recommend. But anyways, I am so so so excited. You can access General Conference pretty much anywhere (for free) so just google it. You will not regret it.

Speaking of which, I studied some awesome talks this week. One of which was called, "I Believe I Can, I Knew I Could" by President James E. Faust. It's from October of 2002 and is the coolest. It was actually given in the Priesthood Session. President Faust talks about the parable of the talents and explains how we will all be accountable for the use of the gifts and opportunities given to us in this life. He shared a poem I really like. I'll throw it down below in the pics. I also read "Willing to Submit" by Elder Neal A. Maxwell from the April 1985 General Conference. Elder Maxwell is sort of like a modern-day Isaiah but I LOVE HIM! He uses so many references to the scriptures it makes me love to dissect his talks. Anyways, basically Elder Maxwell talked about how important it is to align our will with God's. I have been thinking about that a lot this week. It's so easy to give God 10% or 50% or even 75%, the real struggle is giving Him all, all 100%. I have been thinking about how I can be better at giving Him my all 100%. That's what He asks for anyways. And it's once we do, He can bless us. Doctrine and Covenants says it pretty well in Section 130:

20 There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—

21 And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.

It makes me want to be better about giving my all and become not only a more consecrated missionary, but a more consecrated disciple of Christ. We all can become more consecrated disciples of Christ. So that's my invitation to you this week. You can start by listening or watching General Conference ;)

This week I finished the Book of Mormon! I have a goal to read it 6 times in my mission, so every three months, and this week I finished #4! I read it in Spanish this time and it was such a great experience. The Book of Mormon truly is the word of God, along with the Bible (as far as it is translated correctly). I have also started to be more consistent and structured with my study of the New Testament. President and Sister McBeth invited the mission to study the four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) along with 3 Nephi. So basically all the stories that involve Christ on the earth. It has been such a cool experience but I'm not going to lie...the New Testament is hard to understand sometimes. Christ taught in parables so he could meet his listeners where they were, using knowledge they had, but I really don't know a lot about bushels, fish, talents, wheat, tares, OR mustard seeds. I guess it's good though because that's not really what the messages are about. I have absolutely loved learning and studying about the miracles and teachings of our Savior Jesus Christ. I have also gained a much stronger testimony of the Book of Mormon through my study of the Bible. I know that with both, we have the fullness of the everlasting gospel.

I hope everyone has an awesome week! Write me!

Love love loveeeee,

Hermana McKinlay

1. My new fav poem