General Conference 2014

This week has been fun. My old companion Sis Entin had emergency transfer and now we are back together! So after only 3 weeks I had to help her move back into my apartment. I also cleaned out my facebook! Or at least started. There was just so much stuff from over the years. It looks better now, but it could probably use a little more work. We should be getting iPads by the end of the year so we have to get everything ready before then. 

Today we got to go rancho market and get tortas or really big Mexican sandwiches. It was really fun especially with my English companion. I'm so full. It's been a while since I had Spanish work sized meals. 

We don't really have a ton of investigators right now. We do have a lot of less active people in the church we've been visiting. I've gotten to know a lot of really cool people. We also got to watch Meet the Mormons! It's a new movie about Mormons. Missionaries got to see it first. Members and nonmembers should go see it! It's really funny and great. 

I loved conference. Twice a year, we get to hear from our prophets and the apostles. One of my favorite things they said was about letting your kids play with everyone. Faith shouldn't be a reason not to be around certain groups of people. He called out all the people in Utah that wouldn't let their kids hang out with nonmembers and told them that was wrong.  God loves all of us and we should try to do the same! I loved my friends that weren't members when I was a kid. I think we should have some variety in our friend groups. 

Till next week!

Hermana Sarah MacKillop

Zone Conference

Life in Paradise Valley, Arizona

These past few weeks have been big pile of crazy. We had transfers  and I'm staying in paradise valley, but I got a new companion. She's the best! Her name is Hermana Brandley. She's Laytin, Utah. I like her a lot. She's a lot of fun. She's way too nice. I've never had this problem before. We'll be at the apartment and I'll walk away for a sec and I'll come and she's done all my dishes. I think she likes service too much.

She's been sheltered for most of her life. I'm teaching her all kinds of fun things like we shouldn't be talking to drunk men at night, it's not safe. Also I taught her what "Ghetto-rigging" was. I've taught her its ok to kill mosquitos. She still feels guilty about it though.

We now work in 3 wards. Sunday was really hard. We were running around like crazy trying to go to all the meetings. We were at church from 9-4. Sometimes we hide in empty classrooms so we can take a few minutes to eat. We cover 2 English wards and one Spanish branch. So have to switch languages all the time. It's really funny to watch.

Arizona has had some super bad flooding! I'll attach pictures. Our parking was 3 feet underwater. We almost lost Wal-Mart. The whole parking lot turned into a lake.

Also everyone here cans. I've been learning how to can and enjoying home raspberry jelly. It's so good. The members here are great and give us there extras.

Well until next week!

Hermana MacKillop

More flooding in Arizona

This week is going to be short but I had my first baptism! A man named Kenny got baptized. He's has been a member for about 30 years and now he's has decided to also get baptized. It was a great day and luckily everything went pretty smoothly.

We've had a lot of flooding problems! Our parking lots was under 2 feet of water for a while. Pictures next week. They have some crazy storms here. Things are going good in english work. We are kept really busy. There is a lot of work here. 

We had a talent show and we got volunteered to sing. I'm always getting volunteered to sing. For some reason people think that all missionaries can sing. That's not true. We sounded kind of terrible. We are called to teach not, to sing. Someone should clarify that. 

President Nelson is coming to our mission and the mesa mission! I'm really excited to taught by an apostle of the Lord. He's coming Sept 20.  The missionaries get a spacial meeting with him. 

Sorry I don't have more time. I've gotta go do the work of the Lord!

Hermana Sarah MacKillop

PS Shoutout to Emilyn and Liz! Happy birthday! I didn't forget about you!

Another week en la obra de Ingles

First to answer a few frequently asked questions.

Q: How is your tan? 

A: Well, I'm not sure how this works, but I have stopped getting burnt, but I have tan very little. I am probably on shade darker. I look very white next to all the other bike missionaries. 

Q: Why are you in English work if you are a Spanish missionary?

A: I have asked myself the same thing. It's where they need to serve right now. 

Q: How do you ride a bike in a skirt?

A: Bike shorts. We wear bike shorts underneath our skirts. They're very comfy. The only hazard is sometimes the brakes eat my skirt which is really annoying. 

Ok well this week has been pretty good. I'm getting to know my new companion. She is so sassy. She's makes laugh all the time. I'm getting used to all the new people. We cover two wards and I do Spanish work one day a week. There's a lot of people to meet and remember. I'm in car now. It's great because I'm the driver. I like being able to drive. It makes me feel more normal. Send in any questions you want answered for the next time I do another Q&A. Till next week! Sorry this is short!

Hermana Sarah MacKillop

I'm sending a picture of all of us in my last branch. I don't have pictures with the new ward, yet.

Sarah's Mission Address

I am posting this here until I find a way to put it on the front page!  Sorry I'm not good at all of this.  Lisa


Hermana Sarah MacKillop

Arizona Scottsdale Mission

6265 N 82nd St.

Scottsdale AZ 85250

Transfers

I did get transferred out of Phoenix, and got transferred to English work in Paradise Valley which is a really nice rich town a little North of Phoenix. I cover two English wards. I also cover "the square." The square is a 1 mile by 1 mile square full of apartments and Hispanic people. I'm going to help my companion street contact and find people in there for other Spanish missionaries to teach. I have a lot of work here. There are so many people in English wards. I used to covering a very small area. Now we have a car and I'm the driver. I like driving. I was almost put into the YSA ward but it got switched last minute.

I took lots of pictures! They'll be up on my blog.  I live in 2 bedroom apartment with my companion. I have my own bathroom and walk in closet. Its pretty nice. Actually its really nice. There were 4 girls but the other sisters area got taken over by elders. Now there are 6 elders in a tiny apartment. I feel really bad for them.

This week will be my first English week in English work wish me luck!

Hermana Sarah MacKillop

(Sarah wasn't the only spanish sister to get moved into english.  Apparently a lot of spanish speaking sisters will be going home soon.  She will be moved back to spanish as soon as that happens.)

All these missionaries are serving in one Spanish Branch.  They were very lucky!

Sarah said she loves riding her bike at night.  Maybe because the sun is down?  

Quoted by Sarah "This Sis Orozco. She's our Relief Society president and takes very good care of us. She used to feed us two or three times a week. She's my mission mom and a beautiful Chilean lady.

She calls inicuas which means wicked. She thinks it is funny. "

Sarah and Sister Knouse are reunited for a day.  They were in the MTC for 6 weeks in Mexico.