LETTER HOME

Hello All, 

This week has flown by! There hasn't been any big events just mission work. Which I guess on its own is a big event. But other then that just a lot of knocking on doors, planning, lessons, and such. It has been a great week overall though!

There is a picture in this email it is of 2 elders that are in my district, Elder Dertina and Elder Payne. They bought matching Texas shirts and I thought it was hilarious.

The picture is of my companions and I along with two other elders from my district, Elder Allison and Elder Bues, also Brother and Sister Matoon. We went on a hike Monday morning. And by hike I mean a nature walk. It was quite fun. (:

Two other pictures are from the hike also.

Then I think some of my favorite pictures are of sister Duncan and I with some grasshopper cookies doing grasshopper slams. That is when you take a small bite from two opposite sides of the cookie. Then you use the cookie as a straw to drink hot chocolate. The cookie melts a little as you drink and right before it melts all the way you toss it into your mouth. It's so fun, and really delicious.

There is a picture of Sis. Duncan and I standing with someone being baptized. She wasn't our investigator but we got to see her baptism and it was so amazing and spiritual. I love baptisms!

The last picture I think may be one of my favorites. It is a picture of the Book of Mormom I am currently reading and highlighting. I have not understood the Book of Mormon in this way ever in my life. The spirit is strong every morning. I love reading the Book of Mormon. I

love it. It also has a ring sitting on it. The ring says Frodo. It is from my best friend, my sister. I just love the look of the picture, and the meaning it has to me. (:

Thank you all once again for all your support and love. I couldn't do it without know of all those back at home rooting for me. Thank you all so much. I love you, and will hopefully hear from you soon. (:

Love, Sis. Mckell

LETTER HOME

Hello All,

Sis Duncan and the pizza

Pizza week has been so awesome!!! My mind is totally molding into the missionary mode. Which is a good thing. Every day seems a little shorter, and so amazing. I love it out here.

In the middle of the week one of my companions moms ordered pizza for us, and sent it to our door. It was not gluten free, but that did not stop me from eating some. It was very good, and also quite comforting. I was very happy and thankful for Sis. Duncan's mom. (:

We also had a deaf social that happened this week. Every Friday the deaf people meet at a Starbucks and sit and chat with each other. Sis. Duncan and I decided to go, get to know more deaf people, improve our sign language, and maybe find some investigators. It was awesome. We signed with a lot of people and we were also able to talk with someone who had been to church before but wasn't being taught. We set up a lesson with him and got to know him. Overall it was a great night. (:

Ps I love ASL!

Exchanges

Exchanges

Exchanges

We were also asked to help the Young Women in one of our wards learn Sign Language for a song they we're going to sing and sign in sacrament meeting in a month. Sis. Duncan got sick so I was solo with helping the leaders teach them, while Sis. Golding played the piano. Luckily they had also asked a women in the ward help teach them sign language because she has a deaf brother so she taught while I copied her signs for the girls who couldn't see her. It was really fun, and now I know a song in ASL.

 A home in Dallas

A home in Dallas

This week we also had exchanges. That is where we switch companions with the Sister Training Leaders for a day or two. We do it every transfer. I was really scared before hand, but it ended up being really great. I really enjoyed getting to know them, learning new things, seeing different missionaries and how they do things, and so much more. I really loved them and am very thankful for them. This week has gone by so fast with not many stories to tell. We did a lot of knocking on doors, and contacting referrals. This week has felt so productive and great. I love it out here, I love my mission, and I am so so thankful that Heavenly Father is looking out for me. I have a lot to improve on and a long way to go. It will be hard, but I am, so excited. I love you all, and hope you all have a great week. (:

Love, Sister McKell

LETTER HOME

Hi All, 

This week has been pretty awesome. Very productive. I finally got Facebook set up, and I am very excited to use it to invite others to come unto Christ. I was told to tell those at home that as I post

things on Facebook you can like anything I post if you desire, but try to limit comments only because Facebook is not something to be used to communicate home. But it is fine to like.

 

Last Monday my district and I decided we wanted to try controlling our Chi. That is what the first picture is. We were all focusing and breathing trying to harness our Chi. It was quite funny because none of us took it very seriously. I was surprised we even got a picture of us looking semi serious. We also pulled a prank on some of our elders and stuck sticky notes all over there car. It was really funny. When they came out and saw it all he said was, "Sisters.....". We enjoyed it.

On Tuesday we had our first some conference. It was awesome we talked about sacrifice and what we are willing to do and sacrifice for our Heavenly Father, our mission, etc. it was amazing. We also talked about how you need technology, the Book of Mormon, the Holy Ghost, and missionaries all working together if you want to succeed. That is the picture of the boys elders laughing. They were sitting in a square, then leaned back onto each other and made a table. The chairs that they had been sitting on were taken away and they held each other up. It represented that they all fit together and strengthen each other. It also represented that when one was taken away they all fell. It was an awesome object lesson. We need them all, working together, to succeed. I loved the conference. It really taught a lot, got us thinking, and helped us to become better. I loved it all.

Sister Duncan and I were given the opportunity to go to the temple for the ASL endow meant session. First I must say I love the temple, and the Dallas temple is beautiful. It was a little sad because no deaf people came so it changed into a regular session, but it was still amazing. Very spiritual, and something I really needed.

This week we also met with the Plano 3rd ward ASL group again on Sunday. Can I just say that I really love it there. It feels like home. We got to know the people more and we also shared our testimonies in ASL in sacrament meeting. It was very scary, the ASL came very naturally and I think it went okay. I am so glad I get to work with the ASL group.

This week has been very busy, but doesn't have too many stories to tell. We did teach an investigator and at the end of the lesson I invited her to be baptized, and she said YES! I am very excited. And the spirit was so strong and amazing. I loved this week. I can feel myself becoming a better missionary each and every day. I am so glad I am here. I love you all. More stories to come next week!

Love Sis. Mckell

LETTER HOME

Hello All

This week has flown by! We had lots of lessons, lots of work, and lots of productivity. I am very close to being able to use Facebook. I have almost finished setting it up to be missionary appropriate. (: I am very excited.

One amazing thing about this week is that it rained every day. Not only did I love it because I love rain but it also dropped the Texas heat to a very decent temperature. There was a day where it rained so much that my companions and I decided to go out into the rain and jump in the puddles. Which was crazy by the way. It was like there was a river outside of our apartment. So of course we went and jumped and splashed all around. It was really fun. (Photos attached)

Sis. Golding and I also had the opportunity to serve a lady by having her give us art lessons. There is a picture attached of the first vision. I know it's not professional but I painted it. (:

Another thing I have realized is that the houses here, or at least in Plano, are beautiful. 98% of them, are brick but just amazing. I love them.

On Saturday it was Aug. 20th my Mirthday. Which is a monthly celebration of how long you have been on your mission. I got to the MTC July 20th so Aug. 20th was my 1 month Mirthday. My companions sang to me and made me gluten free rainbow confetti pancakes. I have the best companions ever. (Thats the pic of me with wet hair, while I am eating).

Last but not least, this may have been the best part of my week. My mission president called last week and told us that there was a deaf group in another ward and that he wanted us to work with them and to also be over them. So I am now partly an ASL missionary. On Sunday day Sis. Duncan and I went to church with the deaf group and it was so amazing. I felt so at home there. They were so nice and sooo excited to have ASL Sister missionaries. I also realized that I can understand ASL a lot better then I thought. I really loved it.

Sorry if this email didn't flow. I just have stories that I want to tell. I also hope they all make sense.

This week has been awesome. My companions are great, we did a lot, the spirit was already there, and I can feel myself changing for the better. I love it here and am so glad to be here. I love you all and am so thankful for your support. I will email again next week.

Love, Sister Mckell

TEXT - from a member

Loved having these Sisters for dinner tonight

LETTER HOME

Hello Everyone,

I have completed my first week out in the field and honestly have had home really rough moments, but overall it's been worth it and it's so amazing. I was put into a trio and my companions are so amazing. They teach me so much. My mission just recently became a Facebook mission meaning we can use it as a tool to contact and connect with investigators. But not those at home. (Insert from Russ - the mission contacted all families asking that we, and their friends, do not contact the missionaries using Facebook or Messenger).  Speaking of Facebook you can get on and look up Texas Dallas mission and watch a video of me coming out of the airport from Monday, when we landed.

My first day officially out in the field we went to a lesson and then to street contact. We met a man where half way through the conversation he took out his teeth, and he also said that when he was four he died and saw Jesus.  So that was an interesting conversation. But a great story.

So my new address is:

 6300 roundrock trail

apartment 3602

Plano, Texas 75023

Please write me. I would love to hear from you. Also you can email me anytime (rebekah.mckell@myldsmail.net), I would love to hear from you that way also. Please send me pictures!

It has rained the last few days which has dropped the temperature a lot, and for that I am very thankful.

I thought I should tell a quick story. One of my companions this week had the idea to pop a popcorn kernel in her straightener. So she tried it. And it worked she popped it with her straightener. It was so funny and it surprised all three of us. It was great. Also just an upside there are cute bunnies hopping around everywhere here. It makes me smile ever time I see one. I love it.

So as you know today was pday. We spent two hours of it helping member move even though it was pday. I didn't mind at all. It was actually kind of nice to do something that was helpful but not walking around asking people if they wanted a pass along card. Though that is fun too. We also played some sports with the elders. One of them was called spider ball and I loved it.

Overall I have had some hard times but they only make me better and will continue to do so. I a, so glad to be out in Texas serving me Heavenly Father. I love you all very much. And I hope to hear from you soon. I LOVE YOU!!!!

Talk to you next week.

Love Sister McKell

TEXT - from a member

We received this text from a member a few days ago:

"My name is Victoria. Your sweet missionary is in our ward! She's in a trio and they are over for dinner tonight. If you need to communicate with her during the week, let me know and I can pass the message along.  We had lasagna and I made it gluten free as well!"

It made us so happy to know that members of the church, who have never met our girl, were looking out for her.