Exciting news... Me and Mini Coop are staying another transfer here in White Oak! Thank goodness- we have so much work to do here this transfer and we could not be more excited to get to work and make miracles happen! The weather here in Maryland has gotten so nice! We didn't even have to wear tights this week! I will admit though, I felt pretty naked without them after having to wear them every day for the past several months. LOL! But man, secretly kind of jealous of all the amazing snow you all are getting down in Springville! Have fun sledding and watching movies all cuddled up for me :)
Things are going super duper great here in White Oak! This week is one I've been looking forward to for some time now; Esther is getting baptized this weekend! My goodness, don't be surprised if you see her called as the next General Relief Society President here in a few years. Esther truly is one of the most amazing women I have ever met. Her spirit radiates, her testimony touches my soul. I will write more about her and her testimony next week, after she enters those waters wearing all white ❤ This weekend we got to take Whitney, our 14 year old investigator to the Visitors Center to watch the Joseph Smith movie. Whitney's mother is a less active who, to keep the story short, won't allow her to be baptized until she is "old enough to understand and actually know". Because of that, Whitney has been trying to gain her own testimony and truly know for herself if it is true. During the First Vision she looked at us and said, "Did that REALLY happen. I mean really literally legit happen?" Sister Cooper and I both smiled and said, "Yes. It really, really did." For the rest of the movie you could feel a different spirit fill the room. It was powerful, sincere and most quiet. I have seen this movie several times. I have rehearsed the First Vision in too many lessons to even count. I have read about Joseph Smith and watched his documentaries, but this time.... it was different. For one of the first times in my life I finally understood why the scriptures say, "your heart will swell and burn" and "The Spirit will fill your whole soul", because as I watched Joseph Smith say goodbye to his children and let go of his cherished wife Emma and ride to Carthage Jail, my heart swelled and burned in a way I haven't felt. My whole soul; every fiber of my being was touched with The Spirit. With silence in the room and tears streaming down my face, I got to bear testimony to Whitney of Joseph Smith in a way I never had before. It was quiet for a moment, and then she said "I want to go on a mission. When can I get baptized so I can prepare. Everyone needs to know Joseph Smith is a Prophet." I bear you my personal and special witness that Joseph Smith did, in reality, see God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ; he knows their voice and has of heard their love. I know, that a man would not have hugged his sweet little children goodbye, and let go of the person he loves more than anyone; his wife, who time after time was there to wipe away his tears. I KNOW, that he would not have said goodbye, suffered day after day after day.... been beaten, tormented, tried and burdened with more sorrow than we can imagine, for a book. Joseph Smith would not have carried the permanent image of his children's face as he walked out the door for the last time, for a book; for something that wasn't as real as this Gospel and our Savior's love is. Every member who died, was persecuted and left every single thing behind willingly would not have done so, brothers and sisters, if they did not know that this was true. Not just good.... True. I know that Jesus is the Christ. This IS in reality his Gospel, once again restored to the earth. With every beat of my heart and breath of my soul I know that it is true. There is not anything on this earth I could ever have that is greater than this knowledge. My testimony of Joseph Smith and this Gospel has grown so much and will only continue to, as can yours if you allow it. With all the love of my heart, Sister McKayla Montgomery
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Well folks the time has come..... my least favorite week of the whole year. Anyone who knows me knows how much I hate Valentine's Day... and have been dreading this day on the mission field.... but all is well because my Valentine just turned TWO WHOLE YEARS OLD (yes, Price! I'm talking to you). Can you all do me a favor and stop living your lives for another 9.5?! Too many of you are growing up and getting married and it's freaking me out. SLOW DOWN AND TAKE A BREATHER.
Ok onto real missionary stuff: this week was so amazing and filled with miracles, just as every week can be if that's how you make it. Last week while we were walking back to our car after a lesson, I saw a man across the way packing his life away and hauling boxes to a moving truck. How I saw him I do not know, but I immediately began walking towards him and told Mini Coop (the most fitting name for my cute companion, considering she is 5'1") that we needed to talk to him. With movers there and all the craziness that goes on with moving, it was a less than ideal situation to walk up and start sharing the gospel. But I've learned the Adversary always puts the hardest contacts to those who need the Gospel most. We talked for a second and learned his family is moving back to Malawi in a few weeks, but he told us we could come back later that week and share our message with his family. Friday came and him and his wife let us in; sweetest people! She speaks very little English, but gladly participated. I had not anticipated how much this Restoration lesson would change my life... The spirit in the room as we shared the first vision and the miracle and blessing of that day was indescribable. I haven't cried while sharing the first vision since I taught Sister Braga. Even without understanding everything that was being said, the wife began to cry with me. I bore testimony in that moment that I KNOW Joseph Smith truly did see God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ that day because of a humble prayer. As she was wiping her tears she got up from the couch and ran upstairs ; next thing you know she came back down with two of her daughters and ushered them see the picture we shared of Joseph in the Sacred Grove. I asked her why she was crying; she looked at me and her daughters and said, "This is true." The Husband then said quietly, "this is a miracle." After sharing the miracle and blessing that because of that humble prayer, we now have the Book of Mormon to know these things, and so much more, are true for ourselves, I invited them to be baptized in Malawi. They all, even the girls, smiled SO big and so sweetly said yes. AH. Even though I won't be there on one of the happiest days of their life, just the fact that a family is now on the path to being sealed for time and all eternity is what missions are all about. That is the reason being on a mission has been the happiest time of my life. One day, I will get to see them again, and thank them for growing my testimony as I look at them filled with the love and spirit of Christ; clean and whole. We don't always see the fruits of our labors... and that is 100% ok. Those missionaries in Malawi are about to meet some of God's most loved and elect children. My heart is so happy it could burst. I love this Gospel; it changes lives. It blesses families and it has blessed me. Sister McKayla Montgomery I have a confession....
I love my mission and I never want to come home! Sorry everybody but I'm staying a missionary for the rest of my life! One of our investigators stopped us in the middle of speaking while talking about missionary work and asked, "What is in it for you? I mean really what do you earn? Why did you leave everything to come here?" The only response that could come out of my mouth before tears came to my eyes was, "What do I not earn?" My mission is everything to me. I have said it before and I will say it again; I am not teaching or giving, I am the one gaining. I am the one coming to know my Savior. I am the one who has the privilege of being in His special care day to day. I am the one who is constantly learning that He has a plan in store for me, even if right now my little mortal eyes are blocked and disheartened. My mission is changing ME. Being here is not a sacrifice... leaving my home was not a trial. Being here is a blessing. Leaving everything was the best thing I have ever done, because I have gained so much in return. This week we got to finally meet Esther, whose husband is a wonderful member. They are from Sierra Leon and have the squishiest little baby (not holding him is the only trial and sacrifice I am making here...). Wednesday we got to go over and hear more of her story. From the minute we met her I could feel the spirit so strong testifying that she is one of God's chosen at this moment in time. We taught the Restoration and bore testimony on the First Vision. When we finished those words, "This is my Beloved Son, hear Him," the spirit flooded the room. She looked at us and said, "Now I KNOW that he is a true prophet." When discussing the Book of Mormon we read a paragraph from the pamphlet which says, "The Book of Mormon is convincing evidence of the Restoration of the gospel through Joseph Smith. You can know for yourself that the Book of Mormon is true. To gain this knowledge, you must read it, ponder its message, and desire to know if it is true. You must ask Heavenly Father to confirm that it is His word. As you do so, He will reveal to you through the Holy Ghost that it is true." She looked at us and said, "Those three word mean everything to me. READ it, actually open those divine pages, DESIRE to love what you are reading and then ASK God. That is how I know the Book is true, and that is why I am going to read it. Every word." She had already shown such great faith, so no surprise when we came back on Friday she had opened those divine pages and prayed about the message they contained. Every minute I spend with her and listen to the words that come from her mouth, my jaw just drops to the floor. She has such a desire to know her Savior and come unto Him. She has such a desire in fact, that she willingly and whole heartedly accepted to be baptized on March 4, if work allows! My heart could burst! She is so prepared and practically teaches herself by her desires! How could being in the presence of a family who now has the opportunity to enter the gates of being sealed for time and all eternity, watching someone feel the truthfulness of the divine words in the Book of Mormon and this Gospel be a sacrifice? Watching Esther's husbands face as she told him she was getting baptized as he walked through the doors coming home from work was everything and more to me. I know this Gospel is real; it changes lives. I could not be more grateful to have that knowledge. The Savior's love is real; I Know it. Love always, Sister McKayla Montgomery |