Best week ever!

August 17, 2015

Hey Family,

So this week has been 10 times better than last week. We have 7 people with a Baptismal Dates: Tidd, Janice, Jaleaa (their daughter), Ernest, Ty(a girl) Orlando (The Clark Family kids) and Jaylin. We are excited to be working with these wonderful people and bring them closer to Christ. We have been busy nonstop this week. We have been able to go out with members to visit people and had a lot of appointments. 

Wednesday we went to see Tidd and Janice and brought Julee Steenblik (they just moved into the ward). We talked with them about the Plan of Salvation and you could just feel the spirit. They understood how we were in the pre-moral world and how Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ knew us before coming to the earth. With the Atonement, I got to share how Jesus Christ suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane, died on the cross and rose the third day. He loved us so much that he would do that for us. Being on my mission, I have realized just how important the Atonement is and how it has impacted my life. The Atonement was and is the most important event that has ever happened and it is the greatest love that anyone could show. When we talked about the three Kingdoms of Glory, Tidd was telling us that he wants to be in the Celestial Kingdom and it was good to see that he wants to follow the right path to get there. You could just feel the Spirit so strongly in the home and we just already love this family. When we left, we couldn't stop smiling and was just on a spiritual high!!!!

Colton and Sarah Campbell feed us this week and I drank milk (well Almond milk). It took me a minute to drink but I did and I will never again (I hate milk!!!!) haha

It was so great to be able to see Grandma and Grandpa!!!!!! It was nice to be able to have a part of home with me. It was great being able to talk with them more about the mission and show them around Meridian. I feel blessed being able to share that I know without a shadow of a doubt, that this is Christ church back on the earth today. I know that Joseph Smith helped restore it and through the power of the Holy Ghost, he was able to translate the Book of Mormon. I know that Thomas S. Monson it the modern day Prophet and that he helps direct us closer to our Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Saturday, we had interviews with President Olson. It was great to be able to talk with him more and realize that he is a great man. I have realized in a short time that he has been called to be our mission President now. I am excited to be able to learn a lot from him the last year on my mission.

This week has just been really good and I have been on a spiritual high. I have been able to love the people here in the south more and love the work. Everyday being out here, I have noticed the blessings that our Heavenly Father has given us and how much that He and Jesus Christ love each and every single one of us, even though sometimes we make mistakes. I love this gospel so much!!!!!

Love and miss y'all!!!!!!!!!!!

Sister McKenna O'Connor

 Grandma and Grandpa's special visit to see McKenna in Meridian

Lunch at Mugshots and look at all that food!

Grandma and McKenna pose together!

Sister O'Connor with her sweet grandparents

Sister Demo and O'Connor

Grandma was great to get a few pictures of the girls walking 

for mom back home.

McKenna said in her last letter that the girls get homesick

on Sunday's so we decided to send a little sunshine to

brighten up their Sabbath Day.

Young Women activity. Fashion Show with plastic

table clothes. Let the fashion show begin.

Hottest, Longest and Hardest week of my Mission So Far.....

August 10, 2015

Hey Family,

So this week has probably been the hottest, longest, and hardest week of my mission. This week we didn't have the car so we biked and walked around everywhere. We’ve been trying to get rides from members to meet with people. And this week it has been super hot and humid. 

On Tuesday, it wasn't the best day. We met with Essie, and we have had the feeling that we need to drop her. When we were talking with her, you can tell she has a strong testimony of Joseph Smith, The Book of Mormon, the whole gospel. She just won't commit to coming to church. She has been meeting with the missionaries for over a year and it is just frustrating. So she asked us about meeting with her this next week, and we said it all depends on if she comes to church. She said she will call us when she is ready. It was so hard leaving her house. Sister Demo and I have grown to love her so much and hated that we had to leave. But this might be the best thing for her right now.

The rest of the week hasn’t been good with all our appointments falling through and no one wanting to talk with us. We tracted 8 hours this week and no one wanted to hear our message. We got a few doors slammed in our face and even one lady rose her hand and told us to be gone. Some people in the South.

We were supposed to see Tidd (Ty) and Janice Saturday but they weren't home. They didn't come to church either, which made us really sad. We stopped by yesterday and were able to set an appointment this week. Keep them in your prayers please.

Then the lesson in Relief Society was on the Roles of Fathers and Mothers. Which Sundays are hard for me and Sister Demo because that's when we miss our families. 

After Church, we went out with Connie and tried to visit some people. We got to visit with Miss Eva Jane Walden who is an elderly woman in her 90's in the ward. She is such a sweet lady. Her grand-kids were there this last weekend and they left a huge mess and Miss Eva Jane started to cry. So Sister Demo and I cleaned her dishes and the kitchen. Then after, Demo had the idea to rub her feet and hands, so we grabbed some lotion and massaged her feet and hands. When I was doing her hands, it just reminded me of grandma and oh how I miss holding her hands and being with her. This made me feel really close to grandma.

Even though this week has been rough, I know that it has helped me become stronger and I have been able to feel the Saviors love for me. I loved reading Darricks last letter and how the Atonement is such an important part of our lives. When we visited with the Bryant's this past week, we read from 2 Nephi 9. The Atonement is so important and I have grown to love and appreciate it more on my mission. These last 6 months have gone by super fast and can't believe I have a year left. I know that this Gospel is true and wouldn't be here in the hot and humid south if it wasn't. I love my Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ so much!!!

I love you all so much and am so grateful to have you as my family. On my mission, I have realized how much y'all are a blessing to me and how much you truly do for me. 

Love you and Miss you!!!!

Sister McKenna O'Connor    

Our apartment in Meridian, Mississippi

Happy August

August 3, 2015

 

Hey Family,

Sorry I didn't write last week, it has been kind of crazy. But something we did fun was on the 25th. We went with some members to a Pioneer Day activity in Philly. It was a lot of fun to spend time with the Branch out there and getting to know more members. They welcomed us in and were so nice to us. Then later that day, Fern drove us to Hattiesburg for the Stake Pioneer Activity. When we got there, we were able to hang with the other missionaries there. I got to see Sister Kendall, Sister Scott, and Sister Quilty. It was so much fun! It has been a while since I have seen all of them.

Oh and on Sunday, Sister Demetropolous  and I both gave talks in sacrament meeting. We talked about Reverence and how it welcomes the Holy Spirit into our lives.Then we went out with Connie after and took lots of pictures. She sent them to you. We had a lot of fun doing them.

This past week:

So Monday, we just cleaned the apt up a little bit and hung with the elders a little bit.

Tuesday, was Transfers!!! We went down because we wanted to say goodbye to some of those missionaries that were going home and wanted to hang with everyone. We played Volleyball, soccer and some card games. I have so many bruises on my body. Haha!!! Then I said good-bye to Elder Gray. He's the one that was at the airport. I'm going to miss him. Him and Mobley have helped me a lot on my mission and I can't believe that they are both gone, but I will see them again!!! We got two new-bees, Elder Eells and Elder Eidson who are both training, so we will see how this goes.

Wednesday, We got to help Cindy with setting up clothes for Mutual. She had bags and bags of clothes that we got to go through. Got some shoes, skirt and footie pjs (Tinker bell). It was so much fun but so many clothes!!

Thursday and Friday was just normal trying to visit with people, tracting and service.

Saturday, we had a really busy day. We got to visit a lot of people and they were home, Yay!!! We went and tried to see Tytiana because it has been while since we have met with her. So we knocked on her door, and at first no one answered then her step dad answered and let us in. We met him before and we got to meet her mom Janice. Tidd (Ty) was telling us that he was talking about us a few days before and was saying that the next time we would come by, he would let us in and hear the message we share. So we got to share with them the Restoration and they were so excited!!! They both work on Sunday and they said that they would get off work so that they can come to church next Sunday!!! And then Demo invited them to be baptized and they said YES!!!!! So we set a date for September 5th. We are seeing them next Saturday so keep them in your prayers that we can continue meeting with them and they can be ready for baptism. After meeting with them, I couldn't stop smiling!!! It has been a while since something like this has happened, it was such a great experience something that I wouldn't forget. The Spirit was there and felt so good!!! 

This week has been great and it was a surprise to get a phone call for President Olson about Grandma and Grandpa O'Connor. That will be so much fun. Demo and I are looking forward to it. Oh and about the Cavaliers, we just saw them practicing on the field and I saw the trailer. It was cool to see them practice. I just got to take pictures.

Love you all!!!!!

Sister O'Connor

Fun pictures of the girls taken by Sister Connie Caraway

This is a typical southern home in  Mississippi

Transfer day and also 6 months for Sister McKenna O'Connor

and Sister Alexis Kendall. Sister McKennah Scott 6 weeks. 

It's always great seeing them!

The Cavaliers Band and Bugle Corps were in Meridian to practice.

Pretty cool!