November 10, 2013
Dear Family!!
Things are good here, and I am so glad to hear that you are all having so much fun! Dylan, I'm trying to be better about getting up and exercising, and I try to go outside and shoot some baskets with the little kids at my house. Parker, that's awesome that you got to sing for Veteran's Day. What song(s) did you sing? That's too bad about the football team though, but that's good that they did that well. Also, I'm sending a letter your way for your birthday, hopefully you get it before your birthday.
Me, I'm doing great, even though the work is sort of slow for me right now. We have 2 investigators on baptismal dates, Rico and Benjamin, but we have a TON of people that we have been talking to, but they haven't really expressed any interest in investigating the Church, but I know they will.
Oh my goodness, the Lord has blessed me so much lately, it's hard to find a good place to start. But, I think I will just start with yesterday at Church, and about the new girl in my life . . . ;) a cute little newborn girl named Jaslyna Josef, and yesterday, because her dad was not in attendance at Church, I was given the privilege of blessing her in Sacrament Meeting. Man, most humbling experience of my whole mission, not to mention my whole life, and now that beautiful girl has a very special spot in my heart, along with her family. That's the one thing I've noticed about my life in Romalum, is that my love for the people has deepened and grown to a level that I didn't know that I could go to. There are days when all I want to do is simply just go and spend the whole day with the people, and that's why it's hard for me to have to come in at 6 pm.
Anyways, I've been having some great study sessions as of late, specifically in Alma 5. By far my most favorite chapter in the Book of Mormon that I have never really read until now. The chapter just talks about a series of questions that the prophet Alma developed to determine ones readiness to return to Heaven. The verse I'm studying on right now comes from verse 10, which asks on what conditions are we saved? I'm studying through the footnote for the word "saved", and I'm finding a lot of conditions and things that we need to do in order to be saved. And man, there are so many good verses and passages that it would take up about 2 or 3 more emails just to explain all of them. But, I look back on my time before missionary life and feel sad, because I didn't take advantage of the time to read and really enjoy the Book of Mormon. And now, the Book of Mormon has become my best friend, I read it maybe on average like 10 times during the day, and I can feel like my testimony of it is really growing and deepening as I try to apply what I learn.
Rodney doesn't report to the MTC until next March, the 11th I think, but Keireen leaves this January 28th, the same day I left the MTC. I love serving on Romalum with Elder Telona. With blessing Jaslyna and trying to spend as much time with the people as possible, I know that they love me and I can't imagine what my life would be like without these people, and no offense, but I actually dread the day I have to come home, not even just that I'll no longer be a missionary, but that I'll have to leave these beautiful amazing people. I know that my Father in Heaven has put me here for a purpose and a reason, and I feel like I'm starting to learn what that reason is. I know that this Church is true, because every time I teach to someone about the Restoration or the Book of Mormon, and they don't accept it, it breaks my heart, but at the same time I realize that I still have my own testimony. I pray everyday that my Heavenly Father will help me in His work, and that I can develop myself to become like the Sons of Mosiah (Mosiah 28:3, Alma 17:9). I realized on Saturday that I have just 1 year and 2 months left in this, so it's now or never. I know that this work is true, that at this time the Lord is hastening this work, and I simply pour my heart out in thanks and gratitude for this opportunity to serve among these Chuukese people.
I love you all, I miss you all, and I pray for you all the time!! I'd also love it if you guys would send pictures of what you guys are doing (actual pictures) because I love looking at them, and the people love looking at them too.
Seni ewe aten Romalum, pwan fiti an tong mi fakkun tekia,
Elder McEwan
P.S. Also, if you look on a map, you satiw (drive down) from Weno, and then you run right into Romalum. Kinda far out, but I love riding the boats. Don't know if you guys knew that, but that's the only way that we can get to all the other islands. :)
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