Sister McKenna Watts - Chicago Illinois Mission: Week 34

Hey family. :) We had a really special, busy, crazy, fun week. :) Just like all of them are.

We got to spend a lot of time with missionaries this week, which was awesome. We had Zone

Singing! :)

Training Meeting this week which was really incredible. We have an awesome Zone so it was fun to get to meet with them and learn from their examples. Always fun to see President and Sister Woodbury too. We had two zones at this Zone training so for the first part we met together, then we split up, then we came back together at the end. The Zone Leaders had asked Sister Golba-Ingles and I to sing a special musical number, when we split into two zones, with a companionship of Spanish Elders. It was really cool. :) We sang "Savior Reedemer of my Soul" and it went well I think, everyone was very kind. As soon as we started singing Sister Woodbury came into the room (she was with the other Zone) so that she could listen to us sing. :) When we met back with both Zones she had told President that everyone needed to hear our song, so we sang it again for everyone. I was totally nervous, but it was one of the most powerful experiences I have had at a zone training meeting. The spirit was just very powerful and you could just feel it so strong. I love music and I am grateful for the power that it has. The whole Zone Training was about Prayer. It was so powerful, simple and incredible. Just like everything in the gospel is. :) We learned a lot and just had a really awesome experience. I loved it. :)

Decorating cookies with the Sisters

One thing that made this week interesting was that the Sisters who are closest to us got into a car accident this week and totaled their car. President Woodbury called us that night and asked us if we could go and rescue the sisters. So we drove out and found them. :) Thank Heavens they are both totally ok, they just don't have a car now. So we have been able to give them our bikes, and we give them rides to meetings and things like that. They are fun sisters so It has been fun to be with them so much this week. :)

This week Sister Golba-Ingles and I have been trying really hard to go through our Area book and find less actives and former investigators that we can start teaching again. It was been powerful to watch Heavenly Father put us in places that we need to be right when we needed to be there. We stopped by the cutest family in the whole world. :) He was raised in Park City and after they were married they moved to Utah. They lived right down the street from the Salt Lake Temple for about 5 years. All of their best friends are members and they have been really open to the church. :) When we knocked on their door she was so excited to see us, it was awesome. She invited us in and we were able to talk with her for about an hour and we just had a great talk. She has just had a baby a few weeks ago, so she hasn't been feeling up to going to church. We wrote a list of our favorite conference talks and invited her to listen to those. She was so excited about it. :) She invited us over for dinner a few days later so we could meet her husband. They couldn't be more adorable. :) They are such a fun family. We had a ball talking with them and I am so excited to be teaching them again. :) We have an appointment set up to teach them on Wednesday, and I can't even wait. :)

We had exchanges this week which was fun. Sister Johnson came to Gurnee with me and we just had a ball! Oh we had way too much fun. :) I totally love her. She is from Highland and graduated from LonePeak which was fun because she knows Caden and Aubrey. :)

I think one of the most powerful moments from this week was last night. Sister Golba-Ingles had been having a hard day and just really wanted a blessing. So we called the Elders and asked if they could come and give her a blessing they said "of course, we will be right there" 1-that's probably my favorite thing. :) it was very cool to see them be so anxious about serving and jumping on the opportunity to come and give her a blessing. She didn't feel totally comfortable with telling them what she was feeling, so with very little direction we said a prayer together and then they gave her a blessing. EVERY single thing that Elder Johnson said addressed EVERY single one of Sister Golba-Ingles concerns. It was so powerful and really incredible. There is absolutely no way that he could have said what he said had it not been for the priesthood power of God. That blessing worked miracles and was just such a tender mercy to be a part of. :)

Contacting at Walmart

We had the funnest contacting activity ever this week. :) About a month ago we were able to set up a deal with Walmart where we would be able to Proselyte outside the front doors. We set up two tables at each of the doors, stocked them with supplies, our prayer board and had missionaries singing hymns, handing out cards and talking to people. :) it went perfect. I was really stressed that morning because it was raining a little bit and was getting all of our supplies and things wet, but we prayed and prayed and prayed and guess what? The rain stopped. :) it was perfect. We were able to talk to so many people and we found some really solid new investigators for lots of different companionships. It couldn't have been more perfect. :) We had this "prayer board" where we had people write their names, their families names, and just different things that they would want us to pray for. :) it was really tender to see how many people were so willing to come and write on our posters. We are so blessed to have a God who answers our prayers. :)

I absolutely love my mission. :) I can't believe it, but I realized today that exactly one year ago I opened my mission call. It is hard to comprehend that it was over a year ago that my life completely changed forever but I am so grateful that it did. Serving a mission has definitely been one of the most powerful and life changing experiences I have ever had. I thank Heavenly a father every day for calling me to serve. I know that I am right where I need to be and I couldn't be happier about that. :) Thank you for all the support and love you have shown me over the past year. I couldn't have done it without you.

I LOVE YOU.

-Sister Watts