Transfer week!

This week has been crazy!  So many things were going on. Yesterday was transfers and we got some awesome news. Our branch got two more sisters, which makes 6 sisters and 2 elders. We have 8 missionaries now! Our area was kinda overwhelming and it beginning to be difficult trying to make visits to our investigators and our less active members. We needed some extra help so our area got split in half. I'm excited to focus in more on the people we teach. We also got a mini van! It's awesome.  

Yesterday at transfer meeting we had to coordinate 10 sisters and their stuff. Let me tell you. Sisters have a lot of stuff. We had to pack everything our in mini van and it was really full. I love having lots of sisters. Our elders feel a little out numbered (because they are). 

Shout out to my brother! He came yesterday. I'm so proud of him and dedication to serve an honorable mission. We have really good investigators and we are hoping to get some baptisms next month. It's wonderful getting to watch people's lives change. I loved being able to be with through everything. We get to help people say their first out loud prayer and answer their questions. 

We had a Father's day activity and another sister got dressed up for it! Have a great week!

Sister Sarah MacKillop

Temple Trip

This week has been really crazy but really awesome. We had so many different things happen. I had first exchange with my sister training leader. I stayed in my area and she came with me for the day. I just got here in Phoenix so it was really hard to try and find my way around. I got lost a few times, too. Sometimes we need to get lost in order to find the people God wants us to find. We ended up running into a guy named Oscar. We talked for an hour about his life and how God has been able to help him. He came to church yesterday and asked if he could get baptized, and of course we said yes! We're going to start teaching him this week and hopefully he will baptized this month. 

We also had the chance to go the temple. It was so amazing. I love the temple. I felt the spirit really strong and learned so much. There were so many missionaries there that day. I feel blessed to be on a mission. If anyone would like to know a little more about what I get to experience everyday, ask the missionaries if you can come to visits with them. I'm sure they would love the help. I love when our members come with us to lessons. Last night I had wonderful member of our ward, Sister Tolado come with us. She is blind, but she is an awesome teacher. We love it when anyone can come and bear their testimonies. I hope everyone has a great week and love and miss all of you! By the way Happy Fathers Day to all the dad's out there!

Hermana Sarah MacKillop

School's out!

I hope everyone's enjoying school being out! Things are starting to slow down. I feel like everyone leaves Arizona as soon as it gets hot. Our investigators are really doing good. I love being able to help people get their questions answered! So many people have questions. We get asked about everything. 

Our new investigators Armando and Ruldulfo. We meet them at a apartment complex while we were going to another appointment. We set a lesson with them, but they didn't seem very excited. We came to the appointment and they were waiting for us! They proved us wrong. I was really glad they wanted to hear more. We were teaching them about the restoration, which is how to Mormon church began, and they were asking how what happens when we die. I was like just hold on, we'll teach that next time, don't worry. They're so curious, we just want to teach all the lessons, but it seems like there is never enough time in the day! That just means we have stop by more often.

I love teaching people, even thought it's super hard teaching in Spanish. My suggestion would be if you know anyone and you think they might interested in the church, ask them if they liked to know more! Who knows maybe that's just what they need. Have a great week, and sorry for the lack of pictures. i'll work on that.

Hermana MacKillop

Summer's Here

This week been really crazy but in a good way. We've been working really hard to strengthen the area and it's been working. We have so many people to visit and teach. It's been taking a toll on me physically. I've found myself really tired all the time. Plus we ride our bikes everywhere. I'm still trying to get used to biking everywhere. I didn't exercise before my mission so it's been difficult. I feel like I'm suffering, but I'm happy about it. Even though it really hot, and I'm always tired, I feel great. I don't feel homesick and I'm really happy here. 

Being a missionary is awesome. I love getting to meet people and talk to them about Jesus Christ. Sometimes when I meet people on the streets and they seem like they're struggling, I'll ask if I can pray with them. It seems to make their days just a little better and give them a little hope. I love being able to serve the people in Phoenix.

We meet so many fun and interesting people. People are very open with missionaries. So many people meet me and then start telling me there life stories and they barely know my name! It's not really what I'm used to. 

It's hot here! I sweat so much. It's kinda gross. I feel like taking like 3 showers everyday. It ok when you're riding on the bikes and you have the wind and then you stop and gets even hotter. Luckily everyone is nice and invites us in and gives us cold water. Arizona is kinda like living in an oven. An oven full of wonderful people.

Hermana Sarah MacKillop

Phoenix!

This week I've had lots of opportunities to serve!  We started out the week on Monday but helping a member build a patio for his house. He asked if two sister would willing to cook breakfast for everyone, so of course I volunteered! Sis Evans (who's from Virgina) and I cooked a huge breakfast for 12 people. It was pretty fun and I didn't even have to get dirty. The on Tuesday and I was on exchanges in the English YSA ward and helped a teacher move out of her classroom. It was really fun and she she took us to in and out after. Wed we helped the nicest lady in the whole world! She's blind but at first I didn't even notice because shes so independent. When I walked in I was wondering why she hadn't asked about me since I'm new, but the I realized she couldn't see me and I'm pretty quiet because it's hard to speak Spanish. She got bed bugs so we cleaning the entire house super well, but we had to throw out so much of her furniture. She's so positive and wonderful and I was really glad I could help her.

I would challenge everyone to go and try to find someone you can serve! Even little things make a big difference. As christians, we try to be like Christ. Christ spent his whole life serving the people so we should try and do the same.

We lots of work to do here. Lots of people to visit and teach. Lots of Spanish and opportunities to practice. It's really good to stay busy because then I don't get so distracted by thinking of home. Thanks for all the love and support I get from everyone back home!

Hermana Sarah MacKillop

I survived Mexico!

I love being in Arizona finally! It's great here. there is sooo much missionary work to do. My flight here was pretty terrible though. We needed to leave at 2:30 in morning on monday. I ended up not going to sleep because I was too excited and I had to pack. Then we had to an hour and half to even check in our luggage. Mexico is always crazy. Then we waited around awhile and talked a very nice cleaning lady in the bathroom. I slept a little on the flight, but that was it. Monday was really long, do to the lack of sleep. We did a lot of training things and I got to staying the mission home overnight. The mission president wife's is an amazing cook and very sweet lady. I like her cooking a lot. American food is a beautiful thing. I love Mexican food, but i also love american food. I don't think I've ever slept so good in my life. Then had the greatest beds. The beds in Mexico

weren't very comfortable.

Leaving my friends at the training center was really hard. I love being here in Arizona and helping people. We talk to everyone. Monday I did my first street contacting, which is where we go and talk to random people about the church. I meet a guy from Guatemala and even ended up giving him a Book of Mormon and invited him to church. His Spanish was really fast, but he spoke English too. I sent to Phoenix. It's a little Ghetto here, but I love it. Our Spanish branch is really good and we're trying to make it into a ward. I definitely got thrown into the pool. No one speaks a lot of English, here. Lots to do and lots of people to teach. I don't have a ton of time to talk but Monday I will be able to write again. 

With love,

Hermana MacKillop

Arizona Scottsdale Mission – Latest Arrivals 5.12.2014 (Including Ukraine Arrivals)

(I copied this from Sarah's Mission Blog)

May 12, 2014

This past Thursday I received an unusual call from Salt Lake City. Our Missionary Department contact, Bro. DeLaMare, indicated that the missionary department was sending 3 missionaries on Friday to our mission. The Ukraine Donetsk Mission was closing due to the ongoing conflict in the region and we were on the receiving end of 2 Sisters and 1 Elder who were being transferred to the Arizona Scottsdale Mission. We hastily devised a plan to put these missionaries infield with a companion through transfers and picked them up on Friday evening – the end of a 22 hour day for them. Elder Bumgarten, Sister Schrecengost and Sister Hopkin (all from the USA) arrived safe and sound and ready for a good night’s rest after a snack of roast beef sandwiches prepared philly style. Between that and the breakfast of Swedish pancakes the next morning, there missionaries were basking in the return to American cooking from their typical meals of borscht (root vegetable and cabbage soup).


Arriving Monday, May 12th from the MTCs in Mexico City and Provo were 5 Sister missionaries: Sister Havea (from Tonga), Sister MacKillop and Sister Knouse (Spanish speaking), Sister Taylor and Sister Hess. The Mission is now about 40% Sisters and we’re loving their “touch” throughout the mission! After a tour of the Mesa Temple Visitors Center where we also did the individual and group pictures, they headed back to the mission office for lunch, orientation and a nap (it’s 2:30 in the morning when the Mexico City MTC awakens the departing missionaries for their trip to Arizona). They each had a great first contacting session where several referrals and Books of Mormon were placed followed by dinner and an early bed time.


Tuesday was the mission-wide transfer meeting where Sister Sweeney and President Sweeney shared thoughts on Faith, followed by the showing of the Church’s recent videos on Mothers and Easter. Soon enough, each new missionary was paired up with their new companions and were off to their new assignments. We love these newly arrived missionaries already!