Lyfe ...And Christmas

Sister Pitchford and I have been having a ball. We're working on building up the teaching pool. Right now, we aren't teaching anyone specific, but there are a lot of recent converts and returning members here! I'm so excited to work with them!

We've had some adventures trying to find people's houses lately. Usually it results in me turning around at least 3 times, although we have made it to 5 or 6 before. Some houses are easier to find than others. This last time, the end result was that we found the house (and no one answered, so we still don't know if the person lives there), and I ended up parking over this phrase (see picture below).

We also had the ward Christmas party! Our ward mission leader was Santa. That was fun. He made a good Santa.

This week, my studies have still consisted of prayer. My parents and my grandma (thank you, family!!!) sent me an AWESOME mini quad. Basically it's a mini version of the Holy Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price put together. The thing is, I didn't have mini scriptures that included the bible dictionary and topical guide, and this set does! So now I can carry everything I need with me and use it for studies. That way everything I mark during studies will be with me when I go out proselyting, instead of in a different set of scriptures. Yay!

So. I got these scriptures. And they are SO clean. No marks. Nothing. I decided to read the Book of Mormon once through without marking it. And it is amazing. Everything that stands out holds significance for me, which makes studies that much more meaningful. I love it. I never realized how much Nephi prays! And the story is amazing. The Book of Mormon makes so much sense when you read it with the understanding that the people in it were real. I love it.

Have the best ever Christmas! There won't be a blog post next week. Our mission president has told us that Skyping our families will replace email time.

Love y'all! Don't forget who the center of Christmas is!

Sister McKay

Statesboro!

New Area, New Comp

So, I actually knew last week that the Tifton sisters area would be closing. But I wasn't allowed to tell anyone. And it was SO. HARD. To keep it a secret. Oh man.

So now I'm in Statesboro with Sister Pitchford! Whoo!

She is from California and loves the color green. She's been out 13 months. She is so so cute and a giant ball of energy! But I'm still taller than her. ;)

Bye-bye, Tifton!

I said goodbye to everyone in Tifton! It's so hard to leave. I've discovered that I get attached to people. Because I love them. And it's hard to leave them behind. I hate leaving people behind. But here's what I learned.

1. I can be grateful for the friendships I made and the love I felt in the Tifton ward. I am SO going back! It's better to be grateful for the time you had than to be sad about having to go.

2. It's better to love and hurt than to not love and therefore not feel. I've experienced both. The former is always better.

3. God loves every single one of His children and wants each of us to love them too, even if it's only for a little while. Because maybe that's why we're there!

Y'all, listen. Statesboro is going to get blasted with Sister McKay love!!! Seriously, this town had better watch out.

Love y'all!! Don't forget to find ways to #LightTheWorld, even if it's after Christmas!

Sister McKay

1. McKay Drive! This is at the Macon stake center (a.k.a. Mission Headquarters)

2. "Got Jesus?" "Yep."

3. Elder Bowler, Elder Snow, and Madison. Elder Snow took the next picture and snuck a selfie while he was at it.

4. Largers

5. Sister Rawlins

6. Sister Mills and Tannesha

7 & 8. Sister Adams. I'm way too tall for her!

9. The Mitchems

10. Sister Miller and kids

11. Grandaddy Catell!

12. The Flanders

13. Sister Thomas

14. Olivia

15. Bishop Spikes and fam

16. The Burns

17. Spikes family

18. Brey family

19. Sister Williams! And investigator who's getting baptized on the 23rd!

20. Vicars family

21 & 22. Elder Cayton, our district leader, "died" yesterday. So at district meeting last week, we put together his funeral. We made do with what we had. (Don't worry- it's just a funny tradition when the missionaries leave to go back home.)

#LightTheWorld

#LightTheWorld

If you haven't watched the #LightTheWorld video yet, go watch it! I've watched it a bunch of times, and it doesn't get old. See how you can show others some love this month.

Because that's what the gospel is all about! The Savior served others out of love for His fellow men. We can do the same.

We have been handing out special #LightTheWorld cards like nobody's business! Everyone is SO open to talking about Christ during the Christmas season, it's a HUGE blessing.

Christ

Lately I've been studying prayer. I printed out about 20 (actually, I counted and it was 20) conference talks about prayer, and I've been studying them intensely. I actually didn't mean to print that many. I just started printing and printing and then I was like, "Um, I think this is enough talks now..."

Sometimes we take prayer for granted. I know I have. I started to realize how much I needed it to get through some of the stressful times I've had on my mission: trying to spread the gospel, being with a companion 24/7 (like, literally, we're never out of sight or hearing distance of each other), working together with said companion, working with and talking to everyone, and also being away from home for Christmas for the first time.

There are lots of other things that are so stressful too, and last week I was starting to feel so overwhelmed. I finally decided that I needed to pray, but I needed to learn how to pray effectively, and I needed to learn quick! Hence the 20 talks.

As I learned and practiced, I felt the strength and comfort I needed. I learned that prayer is literally like having a conversation with a Father who loves me and wants to listen. And He's perfect at listening and understanding.

Please pray. God is our Father. He wants to listen to you, and He hears you. Have a conversation with Him. And go to church!

Love,

Sister McKay

1 & 2. Sister Lanigan and I are 5 days apart (her birthday is the 9th). A member bought us an ice cream cake to share with us and Elder Bowler, whose birthday is the 6th. We had a mini birthday party. And the little one photo-bombed.

3. This tree has asked that we creepily stalk all children at the park. (Or give them Jesus cards. That works, too.)

4. We volunteered at the animal shelter on Monday (washing dog bowls and litter boxes! Yay!). It was on Dog Catcher Blvd, which we thought was hilarious.