Musical

Musical: It was amazing how it all came together. There were little glitches with sound and what not along the way, but that's what I loved about. All of us amateurs coming together and trying our best. Overall though it was very powerful and emotional. The songs sounded so beautiful, and they will be stuck in my head forever. It was a really cool experience for ward members and everyone who came and saw it. I just love this ward so much, I really feel like I am apart of it. Jasmine, Judy, and Maxie's families all came and a lot of friends and family of members. I love the process of events like these, and the actual performance itself is just a cherry on top. All of it and Maxie and George being apart of it was so inspired and a lot of special moments I will cherish. It is cool to see how these events help bring so many people together, less actives, investigators, and members.

Year Mark: Sister Schmidt is the cutest and got a little candle and sang happy birthday to me. She saw a mermaid little bubble bath thing one p-day and thought that it looked like me and so that was my gift:) It was the best. She is hilarious.

Blur: This week has been such a blur of events of zone conference in Poole, exchanges, musical rehearsals, and the musical. A lot of great things happening here. Teignmouth is just the absolute best. Jasmine is just loving praying and church. Christina feels like she is on the right path, and Judy is getting closer and closer to baptism. There are great things happening, but there not without some trials for them along the way. I just love the optimisim of the prophet's example of how things will work out. They always do, and I am so grateful for that.  

I love this gospel and I love the Book of Momon. It makes more and more sense eveytime I read it. I love you all so much and keep doing doing those small and simple things. They make the biggest difference.

Love,
Sister McLeod

 Sister McMurtey holding Sara McGuiness's baby who was born on Wednesday. So presh, his name is Oscar. 

 Some pictures of the musical rehearsal and year mark.

I Love the Gospel

Musical: So the Newton Abbot ward is putting on this musical and it is going to be so amazing. Sister and Elder McMurtrey, the senior couple missionaries, are very talented and musical and wrote this script about forgiveness. A husband is killed by a drunk driver and it is all about the wife learning to forgive the drunk driver. There are songs about the Atonement, about Alma the younger's conversion, and so on from the Book of Mormon, and they are so beautiful. George and Maxie are the main characters and everything about this is so inspired. She showed me the script and her lines, and it is crazy how her character has the same concerns about the gospel and life in general as she does. Maxie said that playing this character is helping her see that if this woman can do it, so can she. I love Maxie and George so much and there has been a lot of ups and downs, but she is such an amazing and beautiful person and so grateful I could be in their lives.

 

Ben: Ben is the coolest person ever. He was taught by the sisters in Torquay and was baptized on Friday. Both Sister Schmidt and I were able to teach him when we went on exchanges there, and so it was special that we could go. He is around 20 and has had such a difficult life and has just embraced the gospel so much. You could just see it in his eyes how much this day meant to him. Alan, our investigator, was able to come and it got him so excited for his baptism at the end of May. I'll send pics next week.

 

Plan of Salvation: I had a little epiphany today in my personal study. I was reading 1 Nephi 17:20 and 21. Laman, Lemuel, and their families cannot get the concept through their heads that life is about being tested and tried and that we are able to learn and grow from those experiences. That is the purpose of life, and we are also meant to have joy amidst those challenges. Once we understand that fundamental concept, the challenges in life will cease to surprise us and we can prepare more fully for when they come. This is part of the plan of salvation in which I am so grateful I understand. It seems like the common scapegoat I encounter everyday to why God is not real is that He doesn't stop trials or bad things from happening. I love how everything that happens in this life is preparing us for the one to come and it is necessary to have opposition in all things. I love the gospel. I love personal revelation from the scriptures. I love this truth.

 

I love you all and hope you have a lovely week :)