Monday, October 13, 2014

OWL Always Love You!!!

Hello All!!!!
Happy FALL!!! I'm still enjoying the CALL to serve:):) haha.... my poem skills are slowly dwindling I think....
 
HAPPY CANADIAN THANKSGIVING!!!!-- Sister Lutz is behind me right now and she's from Canada. So I just wanted to wish y'all a happy thanksgiving!
 
It's been a great week! Hard too... but what weeks aren't? haha
First off, to finish my birthday celebration news..... This branch is the BEST thing ever.... seriously... they did SO MUCH for me it was ridiculous!!!! Miquelle and Nya decorated our room and heart attacked it, then Monday night was FHE and we went to the church as usual. They said that they hadn't really planned anything, so for FHE we were planning our activites for the next month. Nya grabbed us though and said that Sarah, (a LA of ours) broke something of our roommates and needed us to go help her fix it, so we drove with Nya to her apartment to get some gorilla glue, then headed over to Sarah's. Goldsberry quickly put a blindfold around me as we headed up the steps (so naturally I knew SOMETHING was happening... hahah she isn't to great at "surprises" ;)) ) And then when we got in the apartment, she took off the blindfold and the WHOLE branch, and like 6 of our LA and 2 investigators were there yelling SURPISE!!!
The night before they had had an activity and made me a real live owl cake!!! We even played "Pin the tie on the Potter". Sarah had made harry potter and everyone had decorated Ties to pin on him that I got to keep.
THEN they had me open presents..... ohhhhh my gosh they did WAYYYYY too much!!!!! EVERYTHING I got was owl stuff.... I have more owl earings than I know what to do with :):) I cried...
Then we came home and I was overwhelmed with love... and there was a Dominos car sitting outside our apartment. The guy got out and asked if we were in #2. He said "Your mom called and ordered you a pizza. Happy Birthday!!" And I cried again... lol:) THANK YOU EVERYONE for making my 21st birthday a BLAST!!!!! I'll NEVER forget it:):):)
 
The next day, we went out to lunch with a LA of ours and her boyfriend. She said they had another surprise for me after we had taught her a lesson. She pulled out this bib. (She is the one that is pregnant) and on it, it said "My Aunt is a HOOT". She then said "we talked and decided we want to make you the baby's honorable Aunt for your birthday!!" So that was a shock!! haha :) They are sooo funny!
 
I love seeing our LA's come back to church!! this morning, I was thinking about what we had to do today, and I was complaining in my head that I didn't want to pay another $5 for laundry at our apartment again.. one of our members that just recently became active again texted us saying that we could do our laundry at her new place. PRAYER ANSWERED!! So I told her what happened and she said that RIGHT after she had finished praying, she had the prompting to text us and tell us that, so it's SO amazing to see the prayers of those we love being answered. And Heavenly Father blesses us as well:):)
 
I got to talk to sister Muasau this week!!! We were cleaning out our phone making sure all the numbers for the missionaries in there were right and so we had an excuse to call her ;) It was SO GREAT to talk to her!!! AHHH  #BESTIES The movie "Meet the Mormons" was playing in Omaha this week and we didn't get to go.. but we'll see it eventually!! Miquelle, one of our members went thought and she got to see sister muasau so I'm SOOOOO glad they got to see each other. I LOVE seeing Heavenly Father answer the prayers of those I love!!! Have you had any prayers answered lately??? Think about it! I know you have:)
 
Zone Training this week was incredible!! So many in our zone are leaving at the end of this transfer on the 31st. HALLOWEEN. It was SAD because they all bore their testimony and it hit me hard. This is the first GIANT group to go home because of the age change so sooooo many of our dear friends are leaving. We're trying SO HARD to get to departing testimonies!!
 
We actually have a zone activity today! After we're done emailing, we're driving to Grand Island to play softball with our whole zone #stoked! I love this zone!! Grand Island zone... #winners
 
We've had to drop a couple of our investigators, but we're sifting through those we are working with to see who is truly prepared and willing to change! We've been seeing A LOT of success come from trying to place one Book of Mormon a day! Miracles! And we've been tracting into many people who are friends of our members, so it's a plus! We're excited for the appointments we have set this week.

I'm thoroughly enjoying reading the BOM with the mission. (((BTW we should be on page 245)))  We are simply PREPARING the hearts of those who aren't yet prepared. Little by little. The thing about YSA is that sooooo many of them aren't wanting to be committed to any one thing that they see "restricts" them.. so we teach A LOT of the first lesson and go through a lot of investigators.

Our investigator, Jordan is progressing SO WELL!!! He fasted yesterday even while he had to work and said that he felt something good is going to happen. We taught him the law of tithing, and it was a little hard for him see the blessings that can come from sacrificing 10% but because of one of our members bearing testimony to him, he is going to try it out!! :) It's been sooooo great to see! He's on tract to living the gospel fully and then he will do his best to get off of probation!! It's going to happen, he is a spiritual giant and we LOVE teaching him!!!

We taught about REPENTANCE in mission prep this week... oh gosh, I love teaching mission prep!! Marleyna leaves in 3 weeks... I cannot believe it!!!! She is truly an angel of mine. It's sooooo neat to go through those in your area and talk with you companion about those that YOU have been here for. I received a blessing one time that said "You're here at this specific time and place to help not just one, but MANY in this area" It's been a HUGE blessing to see the small things I've been able to do to help my beloved friends.
 
We did A LOT of service this week!! Helped Laurie and Taylor move into their new apartment together. It's SOOOO nice!!!! I may or may not be making plans to move back and live with them ;) hahah I LOVE serving in YSA!!!!
 
We got to serve at the Breast Cancer 5K this week!! That was sooooo fun!! Reminded me of my years in Youth Council!! GO CCYC!!!
 
Golsberry got sick yesterday though so we had to take it easy. And I was EXHAUSTED. Our branch president even pulled us into his office yesterday to ask if we were doing okay. Goldsberry had tried to fast, and she isn't supposed to, so she made herself sick, poor thing! I didn't even realize she hadn't eaten breakfast... I felt so bad. I got to take care of her last night though after she got REAL sick in the parking lot outside our apartment... if ya know what I mean... Ahhh I really felt bad, but she's doing SO MUCH better this morning. Priesthood blessings are real!!! She received a blessing last night at our branch prayer night and we had 2 of our investigators there. Ian, and Jordan. We invited them in to witness the blessing and it was a huge teaching opportunity as well.
 
I got to bear my testimony in testimony meeting yesterday which might be the last time in this branch.... ahhhhh that made me so sad..... But I totally felt the spirit and atonement as I partook of the sacrament and as I sat there listening to the testimonies, Heavenly Father helped me feel at peace that I have done SO MUCH here of what He has asked/expected of me. It's crazy how you can FEEL that!!! In about 4-5 of the testimonies given yesterday, we were mentioned because they bore testimony of something we had talked to them about. It was INCREDIBLE!!! I didn't have a dry eye. I love this branch more than words can express and I HAVE seen it grow MUCH stronger than it was when I got here... so that is the biggest blessing and comfort I could ever receive.
 
I'm really sad that my time here is coming to a close, but I still have a whole other adventure and area to tackle, and my friendships here will NEVER be lost... we've all helped each other through too much. Best YSA ever.
 
Anyway... it's been an exciting week!! I'm not quite sure what adventures are in the week to come, but I'm sure the Lord has plenty in store.
 
I love you all!! Again, thank you so much!! there are some days that a big thing that's keeping me going are your prayers and letters of support. You mean soooooo much to me!!!!!
keep going strong! Just keep pushing, always having that light of hope ahead of you. Don't live in the past, but don't forget what you learned from those experience and make sure that your faith is always pointed towards the future. But I've also been learing a lot about STRESS this week... You'd think I'd have it down of how to deal with it... but nope... But you stress the LEAST when you LIVE IN THE MOMENT!! So that is what I'm working on.
 
Keep goin strong!!!
Check it out-- Checketts' out!!
Love, Sister Megan Checketts

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