Week 66

something's wrong with the keyboard. i don't know how to fix it, haha. anyways...

this week was really crazy! i was really sad to see sister butler leave but i know she was excited and ready to go home, so of course i'm happy for her.  but because she left me on tuesday morning, and transfer meeting wasn't until friday, i didn't have a companion for three whole days.  i was very lucky to have a member work with me so i didn't have to be in a threesome with the other sisters. it would have been fun but i wouldn't have been able to help the investigators in my area!  so this member, sister ilona, is waiting for her mission call and we got it worked out where she could even do studies with me and plan with me and sleep at our house... so she really got to see what missionary life is like. i'm excited for her!  so friday was transfers and i was asked to do a musical number... i did something that i've always wanted to do... haha.  i'm not sure if it was really allowed in a meeting like that, but no one said anything... i got the other sisters in my zone to sing with me and we sang come thou fount... and during part of it i did a little beat boxing... just a nice soft beat, nothing weird... i thought it sounded nice... it got a lot of smiles from the elders :)  hehe.  so my new companion is sister peralta.  she is from manila and is turning 28 this month.  but she looks younger than me, haha.  she is a very skilled missionary and i'm excited to work with her.  she's very sweet and i've enjoyed these last few days with her!

so brother reynaldo... goodness i love him so much. so, shortly after he got a priesthood blessing from our branch president a few weeks ago, he started improving dramatically in his word of wisdom.  every day he was going down... from 10 cigarettes a day to 8 to 6 to 4 and then he got seriously sick. after he got a blessing last week for his sickness, he went to the hospital the next day.  he stayed there for a couple days. when he came home, he was feeling much, much better and he said he's pretty sure he's completely overcome his word of wisdom and it won't be coming back.  it was really hard on his body stopping his addiction all of a sudden, but through the help of priesthood blessings, he was able to do it quickly. once he got sick, he never had another cigarette.  his sickness was actually a blessing! i really admire his faith and his determination to stop, despite how hard it was.  i've had many investigators who have expressed the desire to stop their addiction, but i've never met someone who tried so hard so quickly to stop.  usually the response is amat-amat lang. or it will take some time... and yeah, they really want to stop, but he really put forth action and exercised his faith and we were able to see a miracle.  in just a few weeks, he has completely overcome his addiction. and his sickness is gone. he came to church yesterday with a smile on his face.  i think he'll be ready for baptism on his scheduled date, sept 7. :D  now he and we are all praying that his wife will soften her heart and accept the gospel as well.  she keeps saying that she will someday, but something is holding her back... she's procrastinating... so we would appreciate your prayers as well :D

congratulations mom and dad that you were chosen to extend your mission! that's awesome! i was hoping i would have the opportunity to see you guys as missionaries there in nauvoo. i also will be extending. so i will be coming home in the very beginning of december, i'm not sure the exact date yet. wow how time flies! part of me wishes i could stay here forever... and part of me is starting to feel ready to go home, haha.  i have a feeling that when the time comes, it will feel like the perfect time. :D

i love you all soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much and i pray for you all every day! and i am soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo excited to spend the rest of my life and all eternity with you so make sure you all stay worthy! okay? we are coming into some crazy times with lots and lots of temptations... it's going to become harder and harder to be a member of this church... the work is hastening... on both sides... satan does not want the work to progress... of course we know the work will progress whether he likes it or not, but we can't let him get to us.  we have to stand strong... 'be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works.' that means ALWAYS!  so get up and get to work!!! today! :D love you all!

sister mcclellan