LAST EMAIL!

well, we have had a busy week with saying good bye to a bunch of people for the sisters. Sister Penrod is also getting transferred to Grand Forks! should be lots of fun. 

Yesterday we went to the temple with some converts for baptisms it was a lot of fun. after Me and Sister Harris had exit interviews with President. it was awesome. such a spiritual day.

 well, this week will be a weird one. I will be getting home Friday and will be released and won't be a missionary anymore. I'm so grateful for the opportunity I have had to SERVE a mission. I'm grateful for everyone I have met and the relationships I built especially with my father in heaven. I know he is always there guiding us helping us a long the way even when we don't want it. I know we all have a Savior who died for us and is always there to support us when we struggle. I know times can be hard but we are never alone.

My homecoming is this Sunday if you would like to come :) 

-- 1 railroad tracks

2  a park in Belfield

3 last District meeting

4 temple yesterday

5 temple!

Sister Haley McDonald

Zone Conference!

well, my week was amazing but kind of boring compared to the last 3 days. so I'm just gonna skip haha

 so this weekend has been the best experience of my life.

  Friday we drove to Bismarck for a youth fireside but they opened it up to everyone so we went. so Elder Cook from the 12 apostles, Elder Parrella a member of the seventy-second counselor in the bishopric Waddell Elder Stacey member of the Seventy and President Soares presidency member of seventy. it was so inspiring the spirit was so strong.

  Saturday was the big day we meet up to take pictures as a whole mission! that doesn't happen here. we sang Elder Cook two songs as we waited for some of the other authorities to come. then we were able to shake all of their hands as we walked inside. there was a choir for this meeting so we sang cast your burden a beautiful number about Christ's atonement. then the conference started! it was amazing we were taught about the importance of The Book of Mormon. and how we need to use it more in our teachings. that is the concern of the Missionary Executive counsel. so amazing. they discussed a lot about how our missions are the best 18 months to 2 years for our lives and how every year after should be getting better and better.we were able to have a question and answer and they taught us more about how calls are issued. and it's never to an area but to our mission president and people inside our mission so cool! they also discussed the difference between Going on a mission and Serving a mission. the Savior served a mission but if you go and don't work you didn't serve. so cool to be able to discuss with them.So Elder Cook is an apostle so in every meeting he bestowed an apostolic blessing on everyone there. it was amazing the spirit was always so strong.

  Sunday we had a multi stake conference with Elder Cook and Elder Parrella it was really good. They talked a lot about Missionary work and Temple work and how those are the things the Lord interferes in. because those are the most important things! how cool is that?

needless to say, it was an exhausting but spiritually uplifting weekend. 

I'm so grateful for the time I have to serve the Lord with all my might and to be able to work with so many amazing missionaries and receive more knowledge from these wonderful men who took time out of their busy day to meet with us. I know the Savior lives and loves us. have a great week Love you!

1 got to see everyone from my group that I came out in minus sister Bennett who is home

2 we got our flight plans

3 car selfies

4 love my comps!

5 so we caught this frog named him elder...

Sister Haley McDonald

To Dickinson

well it was a long week never been so exhausted in my life,

Monday and Tuesday were crazy a lot of packing and then we drove to Bismarck Tuesday it down poured so awesome but I might as well have jumped in the shower in my clothes so wet haha it was fun though I got to see a bunch of other missionaries because we did a choir practice for when we have a conference with 5 general authorities! so excited.

Wednesday was a pretty normal day

Thursday was crazy this man called us and wanted to take us out to breakfast we lost our phone so we missed breakfast but he took us for pie. he knows sister Penrod my new comp! she has only been out for 4 months so green haha. the sisters taught in the prison but I don't have clearance so I get to hang outside its a fun time. it was weird to be alone but I got a lot done. 

Friday we weekly planned so that was good not too much happened that day

 Saturday was a day of miracles! we were supposed to try people all day but instead, people called us and set up lessons we were able to meet this cool semi less active family and they want to go to the temple she just needs to get Sundays off. so many miracles

Sunday was so nice only 3 normal hours of church. and then we tried lots of people it was a good day. 

hope you have a wonderful week love you!

1 we had a water balloon fight it was great

2 the sister made us a cake for 18 months

3 we "killed" this elder meaning he went home

4 18 months

5 Salem sue

6 final picture with sister Bennett

--

Sister Haley McDonald

Only a few weeks left

Well I'm not really sure what happened this past week. we had to prep our place to be shut down so we had a ton of meetings and we had a zone conference. it was a mini one in Sidney again. we drove with 2 other sisters and one elder haha it was approved it was a fun time but i don't have a picture.... sad day 

Saturday we drove up to Crosby with the sisters so they could meet Rita and know her a little bit more so that was fun but man it was exhausting.

 yesterday we taught the burkes and it was so good holy cow i think they are really gonna change this next little bit so im excited to see what happens. 

1 the drive to Crosby

2 the sisters i came out with well some of them

3 Sunday selfies

4 i opened this oyster on Saturday and got a pearl i forgot a picture but it was so much fun! but they smell funny 

5 the family that gave us the oysters 

well not much else to report love you!

-- 

Sister Haley McDonald

transfers...

Okay, so this week has been crazy...

Monday our investigator who got consent for baptism got life lighted to Minot for a stroke

Tuesday she was home didn't actually have a stroke she has some sort of issues that seem like a stroke but actually is fine its confusing but she is home just has a studder. so that was good to hear we did a bunch of trying people but we meet lots of them.

Wednesday  we saw our investigator and she remembers everything so thats good she doesnt need to be retaught anything.we started teaching this less active family and they are super sweet the kids are cute too. we saw the burkes that night it was good he is progressing still and we arent sure why he thinks he cant meet the requirements for baptism.

Thursday we weekly planned and saw some members i have started the good bye process which isn't fun.

Friday was an interesting day.... sister Hess called to tell us whats going on with us.so sister Bennett goes home on the 16th of august so im being moved to Dickinson about 2 hours away im going to be ina trio with sister Harris and sister penrod. i came out with sister Harris so im excited for this last adventure. we had to say good bye to people though also had to plan a last minute trip to the temple.

Saturday we woke up and drove to Bismarck. a 4 hour drive with rain both ways haha. we made it to our session on time and then we went and got some things we cant get in williston and went to olive garden. then we drove back and taught a lesson to the burkes. needless to say we didn't really feel like missionaries that day...

Sunday we had to start telling the ward councils and bishoprics about us leaving so that was fun. kinda long and we have a lot to do this week so everything will be done.

 so if you want to send a letter make sure you send it to the right address if it will get to wiilliston before the 14th then go ahead and send it here but my Dickinson address is 2641 Dakota blvd apartment 302 

hope you have a great week love you!

1 best district 

2 we bought new dresses today 

3 temple trip

4 temple trip

5 sunflowers!

6 more sunflowers!

--

Sister Haley McDonald

Chaos hit Williston!

So we had a crazy week this past week.

So Monday Tuesday and Wednesday were pretty normal days. we got a lot down and we taught a less active family who knows the church is true so that was pretty sweet.

Thursday we picked up sister Bennett in the morning to be in our trio. we went to Crosby and taught Rita we had to tell her she couldn't be baptized until she had permission from her spouse but by the end, she was okay with it so that was good. then we were on our way out to come back to Williston and got a call..... they forgot to call us on Monday to tell sister weeks she was leaving! so we ran home packed her up super fast and then we drove to Stanely so she could go with her new companion. it was crazy so now it's just me and Sister Bennett who goes home in like 2 weeks and I'll be in a trio with the sisters in the other ward so that will be interesting.  So if you are going to send stuff send it before the 11th or 12th. 

The weekend was kinda rough

Saturday we saw the Burkes he doesn't want to be baptized cause he doesn't think he can reach the requirements but his daughter is still able to if she wants and we know one day he will too just not sure when. 

Sunday was long but awesome nothing too crazy happened

But THE BEST THING THIS MORNING! Rita called and she has PERMISSION TO BE BAPTIZED!!!!!!!!!!!!! so we are super excited to start planning all of that. she has come so far in such a short amount of time it's amazing.

1 trio for a day

2 emergency move

3 sun flowers

4 transfer day

5 sisters before things changed

Sister Haley McDonald

1 Transfer left!

 how is it my last transfer only 6 more weeks? today was transfer calls and me and sister weeks are staying. we didn't receive a call but heard we will be in a trio with Sister Bennett. so we will find out for sure on Thursday.

   Monday we saw the Burke's and he committed himself to be baptized on the 5th so that was awesome. he wants to be baptized with his daughter on that day.

   Tuesday we stopped teaching an older lady she wasn't super interested but was really nice. we had dinner with some members and their friends showed up so we got ice cream with them and that was fun.

   Wednesday we went up to Crosby. it's a cute little town but our investigator lives up there and she is so ready for the gospel she already knows what she is going to wear when it happens. it was pretty great. then we saw a less active sister in the ward.she is pretty prepared to come back to church so that's pretty sweet.

   Thursday we taught a family and weekly planned so that was fun. nothing too crazy happened.

   Friday we had district meeting. it was good. that we saw the Burkes and taught them about the word of wisdom. it was good they accepted it and want to work on it so that's sweet. 

  Saturday we helped the Clarks move out. it was good we got a ton of food so that was sweet. we taught the Burkes again ad then went to a baptism it was sweet. after wards we put our other investigator on date she is so ready and we can't wait.

   Sunday good not too much happened but there were some great lessons.

  

1 p day selfies

2 I drew on the mirror

3 best district

4 Sunday selfies

--

Sister Haley McDonald