Sean is doing great! He is learning the language quicker and better than he lets on. He has always been a perfectionist and expects so much of himself. We are so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father and an awesome companion for Sean at this time of his mission.
February 18, 2013
Hello McEwan Family!!
Wow! It feels like just yesterday that I was writing you guys and now I am 2 weeks through my mission here in Mechitiw!! Crazzzy!! Oh, I love it here!! The people are great, except they're all of the belief that "every church is true" and yet they still take our lessons and WON'T be baptized. Super confusing, I know, but it's super fun!!!
Elder O'bray has been helping me to learn the language and in fact, he had me write down a testimony (which I shared with an investigator) and a prayer (which I said yesterday to start off branch council:). I feel like I'm slowly starting to learn the language but I almost think it'd be easier if I don't think about it too much and just say what I know.
Right now we have two less active members named Rimano and Sad, and they are super sweet! They know the church is true but just have excuses as to why they're not coming. When we were meeting with them, one of our investigators, Asher, showed up and we had a super sweet lesson on the Restoration, then the role of the prophets, and why we need the priesthood. Elder O'bray asked if I wanted to share my testimony with them. I hesitantly said yes. But a miracle happened then. I opened my mouth . . . and my testimony came out strong and confident, and I surprised everyone (even myself). It was a huge testimony builder for me and I know now that the gift of tongues is real as long as you work and ask for it.
I also found out today from Elder O'bray that Kolby (hereafter called Elder Linford) is heading to Guatemala in June!! I'm super pumped for him and I know that he'll be a great missionary! It's awesome to think of all my friends that are getting ready to leave soon! I found myself thinking about Elder Sorensen this morning and was wondering how he is doing. I'd like to write him and find out, so if you could talk to Sister Sorensen for me and get me that address, that'd be great!!
Oh man, you guys would love the other two Elders in our district. Elder Allen is from Grass Plains, MT and he reminds me a lot of Garrett. Just in that he is way funny and jokes around a ton, but also knows how to work hard and get everyone else to work hard (maybe that's why he's District Leader). He's really good at the guitar, too. He likes to play and sing, and he's just an all-around nice guy. Elder Pita, he's from San Jose, Ca. He is hysterical! He's companions with Elder Allen and the two of them are constantly joking around with each other about "white people and brown people" and it makes me cry I laugh so hard. Elder Pita reminds me a lot of Big Buddah, that could be why I like him so much!
So a little about my "new" family history. Elder O'bray is my "dad", and his last trainee (Elder Rainey from Knoxville, TN) is my "big brother". Elder O'bray's trainer, Elder Jones (from somewhere up north in Utah) is my "grandpa." Elder Allen, also trained by Elder Jones, is my "uncle." I love it out here! We are all having the time of our lives! I love these Elders as if they really are my family.
By the time you get this, I will most likely have given my first talk in Sacrament Meeting on "Manauen Krist", meaning the Life of Christ. Needless to say, I'll be super nervous for it :_, but I know that Heavenly Father will help me to say what the members need to hear.
Also, we're hoping to have one, if not two, baptisms here in Mechitiw on Saturday. The investigator I told you about last week, Boi Boi, is by far the coolest person I've met here that isn't white (other than Sdawe, whom I'll talk about later). The last time we met with him, we talked about how to stay strong in the gospel after we are baptized. Then, he fell this last week, to something that has never been an issue for him. But we met with him on this last weekend, and he is not going to fall again (hopefully :).
Things are going really well here. We're on track to have a huge month of March for baptisms and lessons taught with a member present. I love it here so much!! I realize that I've only been away for a little over one month, but I love being a missionary out here. The experiences I've had so far have really helped my testimony to become stronger.
Now, about Sdawe. He is the most amazing person I think that I could know out here. Elder O'bray said that when he got here, Sdawe was a punk and a gang banger. But he's straightened up to the point that he's going on a mission!! I'm super excited and I can't wait to write him. He's coming to Utah to go to the MTC, and once I talk with President Mecham (and if you guys are okay with it), I'd like to have him stay with my family until he goes in. I know you would all love him, and he speaks really good English :).
I love you all, I miss you all, and I can't wait to tell you more later!!
I tong ngeni kemi!!
Elder McEwan
When you figure that these young men (and young women) have a such a short amount of time to learn a new language, it's a true testimony to us that a loving Heavenly Father is helping them because without Him, this feat would not be possible so quickly.
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