And Just Like That! 18 Months Later...

- March 22, 2021

Family and Friends!

This is it!

This is the last email you have to see pop up in your inbox from Hermana McKinlay! You have officially survived these last 18 months! Way to go ;)

Well, not sure where to start. This week Hermana Oldroyd and I were able to see two of our most favorite people be baptized and become members of La Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Últimos Días. Maybe you saw me post about it on Facebook or Instagram. Best day of my mission. Best day of my life. Giulianna was someone Hermana Oldroyd actually contacted through Instagram a few months ago. Once I got to the area we started teaching her pretty consistently. She was so prepared. Giulianna is the only member in her family and doesn't have a ton of support, but she knows the Church is true! She knows that God knows that she knows and there ain't no denying it ;) Andres was someone who came to church about a month ago. Previous sister missionaries had taught him, about a year ago, and they reached out to us telling us that we needed to start teaching him again. A month later and he was baptized. I love Giulianna and Andres. I will miss them sooooo much. But I am also SO grateful for technology and social media because I know we will never lose touch......ever.....hahaha. Giulianna made that super clear yesterday at church. We are never losing touch.

Missions are crazy. I can't believe a year and a half ago I was walking into this experience. I had NO idea what was ahead of me. Absolutely no idea. But I am so grateful! I had the chance to share my testimony with the mission this week and all I could think about was how grateful I was that the Lord had blessed me with this opportunity. Grateful. Grateful. Grateful. I am farrrrr from perfect yet the Lord still called me to "feed his sheep." He asks each of us to do that. Grateful! Grateful! Grateful!

I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the only true and living church here upon the face of the earth! I know that through the prophet Joseph Smith, Jesus Christ restored His church. I know that along with the Bible, the Book of Mormon is the word of God. Written by prophets of old, it testifies of Jesus Christ and contains the fullness of the everlasting gospel. I am grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ. I know that He lives. I know that because of His Atonement (His suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane followed by His death on the cross followed by His resurrection) we can change and become better! Because of Him, we can live with our families forever! I know that our Heavenly Father loves each and every one of His children and He wants us to return back to His presence. I know that He sent His son to perform the Atonement so that this would be possible. I know that if we accept the gospel of Jesus Christ, and follow our Savior's example, we will BECOME what He needs us to be as His disciples! The gospel of Jesus Christ, along with God's Plan of Salvation, is about BECOMING! It's about CHANGE! I am so grateful for the change I saw not only in others, but in myself these last 18 months. I know this gospel is true.

Thank you all for the support, love, and letters! I hope you all know how much I love you! Sometimes emails just don't communicate that very well so if you want me to tell it to your face, come find me in 2 days :)

I LOVE YOU ALL!

Hermana McKinlay

1. HAPPY = ME ON MISSION