Hello people of the real world!
Sorry it has been so long since you've heard from me... Our Pday got moved last week so that we could go to the temple, which is always a good reason to wait for emails! SO much has happened in the past couple weeks i dont even know where to start... i guess I'll start with the big news: I'M ENGAGED! Jk, Lorenzo wishes. Sister Cooper and I were sitting with one of our investigators at the laundromat when this old man comes and sits by me right as I'm pulling a restoration pamphlet out of my bag. Of course, I see this as a great missionary opportunity! I introduce myself and begin doing the typical missionary thang when I am so caught off guard by the smooching faces and eyebrow raises he is giving me.... He then goes on to say, "Ohhhh Ms. Montgomery chu are so beautiful... wow." The conversation continues as follows- Me: uhhhhh Lorenzo: Ms. Montgomery come with me.... I can buy you big house Me: But I'm a missionary! Lorenzo: Dats ok, you can still be missionary Me: but I have to go home to my family, I miss them very much! Lorenzo: Bring them too.... its big house. One minute i need to go get my laundry.... LOL why he was doing his laundry at a laundromat when he has "such a big house" no one will ever know. But lucky me, looks like I'm set for life ;) For the real news, Last week was the world wide missionary broadcast which was so awesome. In the broadcast they announced that they are changing the missionaries daily schedule! Super wild and a little bit of a weird adjustment, but it's given us a lot more leniency and accountability for when we plan and go out to spread the Good news of Jesus Christ! Sister Cooper and I have been working our little tails off this transfer... white washing we had to start completely from scratch which resulted in lots of finding.... more finding.... a little more finding.... and even more walking. But the more we wore holes into our shoes, the more we saw the Lord's hand in our work. When you see His hand, you see miracles. We now have 12 new investigators, 5 progressing and 1 one on date for baptism! I just know that the Lord is really preparing the people here in White Oak, and I am so happy to be a part of it! It's crazy to me that spending hours upon hours walking around in freezing cold weather, having door after door slammed in your face, shoes wearing out, canceled appointments and flat out hard days.... have brought me so much joy. I often find myself smiling the most on those days and bearing testimony more frequent. How could you not have joy, despite all these things, when you are under the Lord's care and doing His work? How could you not smile when you are bringing His plan of happiness to his children? As hard as days can get, they never outweigh the joy that comes from serving the Lord. No matter how many of his children don't accept the Gospel.... the light and love that comes from simply being His set apart representative with His name over your heart makes every single moment worth it. I love my mission; even good ol Montgomery County and our investigator who talks to her stuffed animals :-) With love always and always, Sister McKayla Montgomery
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What a week!
We had transfers on Wednesday, which means a little piece of my heart was left in Fort Meade... Spending 6 months including Halloween, my 20th birthday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years Eve/Day in one place really makes it become home. I have grown to love that little place and those people so dearly. But good things are going to happen because Heavenly Father sure sent me on an adventure! Sister Cooper and I will be white washing White Oak down here in Silver Spring, so I'm super pumped! To start off the transfer we got to have a once in a lifetime opportunity by having the privilege of meeting and hearing from Elder M. Russell Ballard, Ronald A. Rasband and 6 of both the General Authority Seventy and Area Seventy. Talk about a room filled with The Spirit when you have both the entire Washington, D.C. North AND South Missions gathered together with chosen authorities of the Lord. The minute they walked in, my heart began to swell. They quite literally walk with The Spirit. It fills every room they enter. With The Spirit that is felt with those General Authorities in a room, you cannot deny that they are truly called of God. They hold the exact same priesthood authority that Jesus Christ himself held and performed miracles with. They really, truly, ARE His servants here on earth today; there is no question. I am so grateful to have had such an amazing, testimony building experience like that. To make that day even better, I got to witness a moment I've been waiting for since the first day on the mission field. The look on Sister Braga's face as she walked into the temple doors for the very first time. That moment can only be put into one word; priceless. I will never forget the way my heart felt in that moment. She performed baptisms for the dead, but what made it really special, is she did one of my family names :) She was baptized for Jessie Brown, who has been waiting since 1880 to be washed clean and made whole again. All these years, little did sister Braga know Jessie has been waiting for her. Before she went under the water, she looked at me and in that moment I could feel Jessie saying "thank you." The Spirit was overwhelming; I know that she was there in that room with us, and is waiting with outstretched arms and a gracious heart to one day hold Sister Braga personally, tell her "thank you" for wearing all white on her behalf. I know this gospel is real. I know it is true. These moments on my mission are moments I cannot, and never will deny. I can bare you personal and special witness that The Savior lives! He has given us every opportunity to be with Him again someday. I love my mission more than words can describe. To be given so many moments where The Spirit testifies of God's love for us, is something I will never be able to thank Him enough or repay Him for. I love my Savior; I know He lives. With all my love, Sister McKayla Montgomery ❤ Hi again!
Not a whole lot to report this week.... I'm kind of bad at giving updates on my area and investigators (soweeeee) so I'll give a quick update! + It finally snowed! People weren't kidding when they said Marylanders panic in the snow... I mean panic. There wasn't even an inch on the ground yet and roads got shut down and we were banned to our apartment for the day.... lol I love the east coast + We got put into a TRIO for the last week of the transfer since my sweet friend and first ever companion, Sister Gehlen, had to go home for medical reasons. As sad as it was seeing her go, it has been an absolute blast having Sister Lau join us! She's been in my district my entire mission so it was about time we were companions! + We currently have 9 progressing investigators which has been so awesome! One of the investigators I hold most dear to my heart is Modesty. I have had the blessing and privilege of working with her since day one of being in Fort Meade. Her spirit has grown leaps and bounds, and truly changed my life. She radiates warmth and joy which has been such a blessing to me. If anything I needed HER. Though I may not see her be baptized while in Fort Meade, I got to witness her feeling and acknowledging the spirit for the very first time in her life; that was everything. To watch her touch her heart as she felt something she never had before touched me deeply. She then told us this week that she has not only started to pray, but recognize His hand in her life. That is what this work is about, even if it's just seeing someone's face as they feel the spirit for the first time and nothing else. If that's all I accomplished on my mission, it would be 100% worth it. I love my mission more than anything. I love Fort Meade with my whole heart ❤ I hope everyone is as happy as your little East Coaster! PS.... stop getting married!! Love, Sister McKayla Montgomery HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!
Being a missionary on New Years is kind of weird, especially when you have to be inside by 5:00 and asleep by 10:00, ha ha, but we had a great New Year's Eve and celebrated with puzzles and steak! If you know me at all, you probably know how much I love setting goals (jokes). I am the #1 worst at thinking of goals.... and setting them.... and following through with them.... SO I am not going to give one of those typical January 1 shpeels, However, I would like to leave you with a thought throughout the year: One of my all time favorite chapters in the Book of Mormon is 1 Nephi 17; where Nephi is commanded to build a ship. I love this chapter because it is so very personal and relatable to me. As I read it for the first time I compared 'building a ship' to my trials and self worth; doubting, feeling inadequate, believing I'm broken, all these things that have been heavy on my heart. The storms Heavenly Father has asked me to walk through. I'm going to write some of my favorite verses and how I changed them to represent these things: 6- ".....not withstanding (I) had suffered many afflictions and much difficulty, yea, even so much that (I) cannot write them all" As I was going through my storms I felt so alone; had no idea how I could see the light. 13- "and I will be your light in (your trials) and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments (and trust me); wherefore, in as much as ye shall keep my commandments (and trust in me) ye shall be led towards (happiness); and shall know that it is by me that ye are led." Even though I knew my Heavenly Father was constantly by my side, Satan always found a way to kick me when I was down; put those feelings, thoughts and trials right back in front of me 17- The way I saw myself and my trials: "And when my brethren saw that I was about to (push through and believe in myself; find joy), they began to murmur against me, saying: McKayla is a fool, for she thinketh that she can (be adequate and find joy), yea she also thinketh that she can cross these great waters (in other words, get through these trials) 19- "and it came to pass that I (McKayla) was exceedingly sorrowful because of the hardness of (MY) heart." The adversary rejoices during this verse because I started to believe all these thoughts. Believed that I wasn't adequate or strong enough to get through my trials. "...... the adversary did rejoice over me, saying (I knew you wouldn't be strong enough)" Nephi begins to realize throughout the chapter how WRONG the adversary is; he IS adequate, he IS strong enough. He finally turns to his Savior, puts his trust in Him... THAT is where he gained his strength 50- "If God had commanded me to do all things I could do them. If He should command me that I should say unto this water, be thou earth, it should be earth; and if I should say it, it would be done." 51- "And now, if the Lord has such great power, and has wrought so many miracles among the children of men, how is it that He cannot instruct me that I should build a ship (or lead me through my trials?)." I just want to end my testimony that I KNOW this last verse is true. If the creator of both the heavens and the earth, all living things; the person who created mountains and oceans and every bit of life. If He can do those things, how is it the He can't help me find joy? How is it that He can't help me become strong? I know that He lives. It is through Him we find joy and strength. He HAS and will CONTINUE to help me 'build my ships' and 'cross great waters'. If He can do that for me.... He WILL do it for you. This year look to Him. Be as Nephi and just say ENOUGH to those feelings of inadequacy and worthlessness. Say ENOUGH to those feelings of fear and doubt. This year watch Christ and your living Heavenly Father make you strong. Please look for Him. Please find Him. He is waiting for you, with every tool necessary to build your ships. Sister Montgomery 💛 |