Quick Visit to the Mission Home

Sister Yerkes, Sister Rosa, Sister Long, Sister McShane, Sister Dennis and President MillerA visit to the Mission office (Most likely to pick up mail considering Sister McShane was suppose to be getting something from home quickly sent overnight!)

Last one, Maybe

Dear Family!

How is everyone! I can't believe that this just might be the last time I ever email you as Sister McShane (you know what I mean). Its been hard to think about and very emotionally draining.

But my watch is breaking and my shoes are falling apart. Not to mention my purse as well. And I really don't know what to say. Except one of the biggest rules. And y'all got to listen to this one. NO ONE GETS TO HUG ME BEFORE MOM. Okay? Sounds perfect. oh and Dad, Orange chicken sounds awesome!

I really can't believe this may be the last email to you. I love y'all soo much. and I love Heavenly Father. I almost can't believe all that he has had planned for me and my life. Here I am and I've accomplished the impossible. Serving a mission has been the hardest thing I've ever had to do. It is the refiners fire. It is holding nothing back, putting my entire self into the work and into the Lord all the while risking every thing, but really risking nothing at the same time. I know that Our Redeemer lives. I know He loves us I know I am important. I know that each of us have specific experiences for multiple reasons. One of the greatest is to share the gospel to others and invite all to come unto Christ regardless if it is at a supermarket or with a weeping single mother. I know that this gospel will bless the lives of many, one way or another. I feel like when I came out, my testimony was a deep puddle. but now it has grown into a swimming pool. I know this Gospel needed to be restored through a prophet. I know the plan of salvation is Gods plan for us and he gives us church, prayer, temple, Book of Mormon, scriptures, and more that we may live again with him one day. I know that faith, repentance, baptism, and the holy ghost are principles and ordinances that make enduring to the end enjoyable. And I know this will impact my life and so many others forever

Mi'-me is getting baptized this Saturday and she passed her interview with flying colors. I love her soooo much! I even hope to call her next week. I'm going to be her best fellow shipper ever. We even started to teach her husband and son this last week. its amazing how God works and how she has been prepared for years. I am soo excited to be there at it. She is a blessing. and an answer to my prayer as well. We went over the questions with her and her answers are outstanding.

I love serving in the YSA branch. I feel like Heavenly Father has really sent me here to help many people, but has even made it a blessing in my own life to prepare me for when I go home (and to see examples of RMs I do and do NOT want to be like :)

I love y'all and I don't know what to say more. So much has happened. How can you summarize a testimony that has been tried and strengthened so intensely for so long

Love you all


Sister McShane

Dinner picture

From left to right:
Elders Humpherys, Elder Jenson, Elder and Sister Ellis,
Sister McShane, Sister Dennis, Sister Long and Sister Rosa

Happy Birthday Daddy and More Miracles!!

Dear Family!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!!!!!!!! CANT BELIEVE THIS BIRTHDAY IS HAPPENING! SO ODD RIGHT! I HAVE A CARD ABOUT TO BE IN THE MAIL FOR YOU TONIGHT! I HOPE ITS GOOD CAUSE ITS WHAT YOU ARE GETTING! I LOVE YOU SOOOOOOOOO MUCH!

So, :) This has been a great week with so many little miracles I don't even know where to begin. With Dads millions of little letters I have in my bag, with realizing how God has changed me in 18 months with this Saturday being my 18 month mark or what. So many good things are going on.

One amazing miracle is that Mi-me is getting baptized on Feb 15th. And that is such a huge miracle. This week we taught her about prophets and she just said of course we need a prophet. And the word of wisdom does not even phase her. She is soo strong and just has this glow about her now. I'm so excited for y'all to meet her via skype one day! You will love her. I could go on and on about her and how I love her. She is one of the biggest reasons I have served in Academy Heights.

Another miracle is just how great our district is. Because our District Leader will not be at my last district meeting, my companions decided they would "kill me" a few weeks ago when I had to give an impromptu training and they pulled out the Nerf guns!!!!!! What in the world! haha, it was a lot of fun. We also learned about how the Book of Mormon is the key stone of our religion using human props. You may have to ask me about that one in a few weeks.

We also came up with district roles. We have nanny, stylist (of course both elders) scribe, activity leader, environmental control, and more. haha. Its a lot of fun. We have the biggest district of the mission.

This week, I experienced some of the most powerful spiritual experiences of my life, and I don't understand why, only that they were.

One came in teaching Anna- a new investigator in the YSA branch. She first listened because of curiosity but now almost seems confused. She acts like she knows what she believes, but when what we say makes sense she kind of tries to hide from the spirit by getting defensive. This last lesson with her was amazing though because we let her know we were not there to argue or whatever but let her feel the spirit and give her enough information to help her find the answers on her own. its so interesting. At the beginning of the lesson, she brought up a scripture about how in Proverbs it says our hearts are evil. But we had continued the lesson talking about how God speaks to us through our hearts and by the spirit. A little way in, I felt overwhelmingly prompted to share a scripture in Mosiah about the natural man and how we need to cast that off for things of the spirit. I was able to relate that to what her scripture in Proverbs said about our hearts being evil. I don't know if that made sense typed out but that doesn't necessarily matter. When this scripture popped in my head i knew that Heavenly Father wanted me to share it. The spirit was so strong that I was shaking and trying to keep my voice steady and calm. I don't know exactly why that Scripture was THAT important but i know that it was and that Heavenly Father asked me to share that with Anna at that time.

Another powerful moment came in teaching a less active who is returning to church. She has come for the last many weeks and asked us to talk about missionary work. you have to understand she is amazing. And the lesson was powerful as we bore testimony about asking God what is right for us and about some of the realities of missionary work. aka its hard but more rewarding. We showed her the clip from General Conference when the age change happened and i again felt the spirit soooo strongly that i needed to bare my testimony about the importance of missionary work and how it has already started to change my life. i know it was meant to be me to say those things at that time.

We have had snow! happy days!

I feel like there was more i was suppose to say. oh well. I love you all!!!! Happy Feb. And Happy Birthday Daddy! I love you so much! love everyone!!!!!!!!

Love Sister Elizabeth K McShane

So Happy!!

Dear Family,

How are all y'all doing?

This week has been emotionally stressful in so many ways. Sister Murphy is officially home. I am now serving in the YSA Branch by the university with Sister Long and Sister Rosa. They are amazing and very consecrated missionaries and I love serving with them. Having been in a trio before, I know how to make this one better and we just have a lot of fun. The last few nights we have just been laughing hysterically. I feel like we are always laughing or crying. At least its not yelling!  I am also teaching Memi in the Academy Heights ward. And that is a blessing because I'm still able to work with the family ward.

So, The best thing about our companionship is that we need each other. One of my comps is having health issues and being trained. The other comp is a trainer and has the stress with that. With the 3 of us, we are able to support each other and take off stress. I'm thankful that I am needed in this trio. Not to mention we are great friends and President told me to play practical jokes on them. I've got to be obedient to president!

This week, My comps worked in the YSA area and I went with the Senior couple to teach Memi. And it was amazing. It was so odd not teaching a lesson with a companion.  But I love her soooooo much. We taught the plan of salvation. Some miracles there is that she knows the Book of Mormon is true because of how she feels with it. She knows she wants to get baptized and is waiting for a direct answer from God about it, The Book of Mormon is how she found greater peace over the death. It was amazing how strong the spirit was. It helped remind me that I am a good teacher and that I have much self worth. It was a needed reminder after the weeks events.

Another blessing was at church in the family ward. I love that ward and usually I am the one going up to everyone because I love them and wanting to talk and get to know all. Well, this week, it was odd because I'm in the ward but not and all so I talked with a few people but then everyone came up to me. That was amazing! Everyone was so kind and it wasn't even because of the changes. Some people didn't even know and wanted to come and talk to me. it was an amazing blessing. President Miller was at church and gave me a high compliment as he saw this happening. It was incredible. The ward also made me feel so needed when I talked with bishop about how him and his first councilor were really worried when they heard sisters were leaving. They know that one investigator needs sisters. They just made me feel like they really did appreciate my work and really depend on me for the people we teach.

I know that this letter is all about me, but its been interesting to see how God has had a plan for me, even when i get mad or frustrated with Him. I'm loving the YSA branch even though it is so different. We now cover the whole stake, just the YSA women, including the war zone of Albuquerque. FUN! Last night we ate with a poor college student on mismatched plates and I loved how giving he was. The branch is so small and I love how everyone reaches out to each other and how everyone (rms and not) are so missionary minded. I love how everyone has odd crazy schedules of work and school vs the norm of a family ward.

One miracle is that my first day, we visited a less active woman, who lived with a less active friend. That night, they came to a CFYA dinner and on Sunday one was at church. WOW! YSA are sooo diff in how we can teach them. And in many ways more open. Its also been interesting to teach the nonmembers because they are sooo smart. Even in a week I have seen how proud our generation is, especially the ones in college. And they don't call it pride, but maybe intelligence or a way to survive when things get hard. its so interesting and I love the challenge of it.

I love you all!!!! Happy Day!

New Companions

Sister McShane, Sister Rosa, and Sister Long
These are Elizabeth's New Companions
She is now serving in the Nob Hill area in a Single Adult Ward.
We are so happy to hear that she was placed with these beautiful sisters.
I need to add how thankful I am to the wonderful missionaries serving in the mission office!  They are incredible and are such a wonderful blessing to all the missionaries serving there!! It was a wonderful blessing to get online today and find these pictures!  How blessed we are!

Fun times in the Mission office!

Sister McShane & Sister Rosa about to fill out a missionary complaint form.

Rough Day

Hey family!

So I'm sure that bad news always spreads fast. I was told maybe an hour ago that my companion decided on Sunday to go home. She flies out tomorrow morning at 11am. President told me that he has a companionship nearby that I will be in a trio in. And that I will be close enough that I will still be able to work in my area. Of course I have no idea where that will be, and will find out more tonight. As of now, my address is the same, but if it changes, I will have the mission office call and let y'all update everything for me. 

I'm struggling with it, but i don't really know what to say or what to add to that that I haven't already told my mom and dad.

Despite everything, no one can deny that we have had lots of miracles this last week. It is amazing how god works

To begin with, Memis brother/Pasy's son passed away Monday night. It has been so hard to watch them. and what they are going through, but it has also been amazing to see how the ward has jumped into help with arrangements and food and just visiting. I love them sooo much and my heart goes out to them. Its amazing to see how they are changing and becoming better people. I love them so much. They invited us to a lunch on Saturday in his honor, but I had been praying about it and felt strongly that I needed to keep our planed exchange. When I told them sis. Murphy would be there but i wouldn't be, they both about cried and i almost cried. it was hard to leave them. They were both at church and I hope they found more comfort there.

Another miracle was that I went on my last exchange with Sister Tompkins!!!!!!!!!!! How fun was that! bad part was i had to eat 2 dinners because one of the teaching appointments was at Village Inn. First time teaching the restoration. at a restaurant. :) It was really good. And I just woke up in the morning with a feeling of complete peace. I am soooo proud of her. She really is an amazing missionary. And it was fun to see how she has fully grasped things that i taught her. Most important was that there is joy in the work. When you have a bad day, go find joy in the work cause that is what will make you truly happy. Its also amazing to have a best friend to talk to. All mission, besides my comps, Heavenly Father takes my best friends away, but now he has given me one. What a huge blessing!!!!! I loved being with a missionary who loves the work and is determined to improve and work hard. I cant believe I trained her!!!!

We have this family that has a goal to have the elders and sisters over on different FHE nights with less active, nonmembers, recent converts and have an fhe. Last night we had one with a recent convert we have been trying to get a hold of forever!!! And it was sooo awesome. We learned alot as he taught the first lesson. And they set up another one for next week. He is a great missionary. and was a previous bishop.

We also have a new family who moved in for Orlando. Having them here helps me see I know nothing about Orlando and just everything about Disney :) But they are so sweet. We asked them about missionary work and it turns out they had a friend just baptized, and the kids do all kinds of missionary work. we are excited to work with them. They invited us to stay for FHE and it was a lot of fun. the kids are between 2-15 and it was fun and simple. Just a great place to be and a great way to get to know the ward better.

More good news is that a less active family we have been working with just got callings on Sunday and i really believe that they will start coming back to church because of it. And then another less active and her 8yr old were at church :)

i love y'all!!!!! talk to you soon!

ps dad my milk expires on your bday. random

Miracles all around

My dear great family!!! How are all of you doing! I miss you a lot. Every day is an eternity, but the weeks are flying. I can't wait until I get to talk to you and explain even more about the miracles we see. Many of which i dont have time to write.

I am doing great. healthy and happy.  and really trying to think about what to tell yall about.

It feel like it have been a great week in many ways. In one, SISTER TOMPKINS MY BABY IS NOW MY STL) and we are going on exchanges with her on Friday! I will go with her to their area! I am soooo excited! We have already had them over and I feel like the 2 of us could have talked forever. I am sooo incredibly proud of her. Not because she is stl, but because of the missionary she is. I am so happy for her.

Also, we had an appointment with Memi today and were able to invite her to be baptized on Feb 8th. It was a good lesson, although too many distractions in the background. I got a pic with her! I love her a lot. I know that I am meant to teach her and its funny how she has told us each this. In some of our lessons I tell her, sometimes I feel like God has forgotten me or sometimes I don't feel like I am worth anything and its incredible to see her expression as she slowly realized that none of us, even missionaries are perfect. Then she starts to teach me in which she also teaches herself. Sorry, hard to explain. I hope that made sense.

Yesterday at church, we also talked about God's love in 2nd and 3rd hour. And in part of it she wrote a list of characteristics of God. including all knowing, all wisdom, loving, and so forth. But I realized that the ones that stood out to me are infinite and unchanging. This gives me so much comfort knowing that God won't die. There is no end to his existence and no need to ever say good bye. and with that he never changes. I can always rely on him and trust in him to the fullest. How incredible is that, That he loves me knows exactly who I am. Sometimes, Satan tries to make me believe I am on my own  or that God doesn't want to give me a priesthood blessing, but it is not so. He loves me more than I can imagine.

This week. we stopped by a woman who hasn't been to church in a long time and is now coming back but doesn't know alot about the church. I love being with her (she signed up to feed us every week until I leave :) But when we were with her, she shared part of her testimony informally with us. It was a blessing for me to hear that she has a testimony of the temple without ever being there and that although she is not sure about somethings, the spirit has truly touched her life. I know that one reason that I am dying in this area is so that, a few days after I last see her, I will be able to call her and always be her friend and sister in the gospel.

I love y'all sooo very much! And I'm thankful for your needed prayers and help as well.

Love Sister Elizabeth K McShane

Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year Everyone! I cant believe it is 2014 already and I especially cant believe that I have an entire calendar year that I haven't been home for! It is insane!

Well, its been a very difficult beginning of the year and end of the last one. But that is okay. Things will be better.

I don't know where to begin, but I guess I will start with the interview I had with President last night. It was funny. We got the text asking us to come to the mission office, but we already had appointments. Within 5 min. after his text, both of our appointments canceled or changed their times. We had to text president back saying" actually, everything just canceled. we would love to meet with you." We were each with him for like 45 min. and I received some very needed council about the missionary that I am. Some of it I already knew, but most of it was things that Heavenly Father had revealed to me, but I had doubted until I had someone I trusted tell me so. I am so thankful for my meeting with him.

We talked about my current companionship's and my past ones. As well as my future and things that I struggle with now. Its incredible how sly Satan is. That he would take a truth and twist just enough that you think the truth is a lie.  And then it eats you up. But what joy it is, when you can finally see again.

This last year our baptism goal was 710 and we reached 540. our 2014 goal is 825

Yesterday, church was just amazing. I felt the spirit so much. It started in a missionary meeting when a ward missionary said that his goal was to have the missionaries over 2 times a month for a FHE and each time they would commit to having at least 1 less active or nonmember present.  Then sacrament meeting was so powerful. One woman went up and talked about how she is the "feisty" girl but always wanted to be something else and it seemed to shape the rest of the day. I also felt like I should go up and when I did, the spirit just took over and words came out of my mouth that I never could have put together so eloquently. I talked about the Savior's love and through him we never have to be alone. He is always here beside us and I talked about Faith and how it is the opposite of fear. God does not want us to be afraid. He wants us to love him and trust in his words. and then our GP class was about how we know that God lives. and it was so powerful to hear how we each need God and how we can rely upon him.  Church was so great yesterday I didn't know I was hungry.

Y'all are so mean. YES I ate the peas. But I did hide the taste. I went shopping on New Years Eve to buy the ingredients for a yummy salsa and it is sooooooo good! But you can't taste the peas. plus the recipe called for 2 cans of peas. I put like 2 Tbs. maybe a bit more but that was it! okay! and for the record I so did not eat them last year.

Do you remember Mike? I taught him one amazing lesson about the restoration and how the Book of Mormon fit in and it was amazing! And since then, he won't meet with us and we don't know why. Sis. Murphy has only just met him. Well, I was on fire yesterday so I called him up after church to see how he was doing. And he said he was just busy and gave us the reasoning that he has a lot going on but will call us back when he can meet. His last meeting was over 1 month ago and he was about to be dropped :( So I just asked him, are you still interested in learning more? and he said YES! he really wants to. And I said, we just don't want to be annoying and we want to make sure this is something you really want. he said yes and it gave me comfort to know he still wants more. I am so happy that I just boldly asked him are you interested. and that I did not shy away from it. It was not overbearing, but instead showed that I have a great concern and love for him, and don't want to be a pest.

I love you all. Things are mostly the same with my comp, but i am much better. I love you tons!

I love you all!

Love Sister Elizabeth K McShane

Happy New Years Eve

Hey family!

Happy New Year! Its funny that I wrote you on New Years Eve of 2012 too! It was great to get to talk to you and so funny that it is about to be transfers again. I don't know when I will get to email you but the whole mission is guessing that it will be on Monday cause of transfers

So one of the crazy miracles of the week happened on Saturday. The old folk home was having  a holiday social that we went to and when we came out of it, we were trying to decide what to do. We decided that we would stop over at a family that we had recently helped reactivate. When we got there, her friend Brenda was visiting. from Rio Rancho.  We chatted and asked her if she wanted to take the missionary lessons. she avoided the question by saying her husband is currently working in Oregon while she prepares the house for the next month.  and we just chat on. Her friend, the member, jokingly said that If she didn't get baptized, the member would do it for her when she was dead :) it was fun. they talk about the church a lot. and she sat on the lessons in the past.  She went to the bathroom and when she came out, she went to the member and said "ill get baptized" wow! talk about all of us sitting there in shock!!!!!! and the spirit in the room changed so much as she said those words. it was surely exactly where we were meant to be. the spirit did the rest.

Another miracle from the week was when we stopped by to see a man named Gilbert. I'm not exactly sure how the missionaries met him, but we decided to knock on his door. and wow, is he a talker!!!!! in our first appointment he began by saying that God doesn't answer prayers. And then ended by telling a story about how he prayed and how he felt Gods help in raising his son after his wife passed. It was awesome! He totally taught himself the truth!!!!

We also had a lesson with a less active part member family (Acton's) that told us we could come back and teach them the lessons. They were listening in the past and we had tried them over and over again but they had gotten busy. I finally decided to stop when our Ward Mission Leader invited us to go back again. So I humble myself and we go and end up making an appointment. Then our elders quorum president that has never ever come with us, asks if he can. YES and the lesson went great. the 2 of them were really able to connect well. and now he knows who to call when there is service needed or anything else.

no time

love you all! Happy 2014

Love Sister McShane

Christmas Day Skype with Elizabeth!!

Christmas Day Skype with Elizabeth
Merry Christmas from the McShane Family!!

Merry Christmas Eve!!

Its almost hard to know what to write, when I know that I will be talking to y'all in person tomorrow!!!!

This has been a really good and stressful week, but that is missionary life :)

This week we had another lesson with Memi and mom, it reminded me a lot of your RS lesson. We went into the lesson with the plan of teaching the first half of the restoration about God is loving, dispensations, and Christ, and I just had this icky feeling that it just wasn't right. It wasn't what we were meant to teach her and I didn't really know what to do. We had 30 min, and I couldn't just lean over to my comp and say Hey, this is all wrong. But I just kept praying that I would know what to do and that my comp would to. So I start reading the scripture we had planed on in 1st James about how God is love. And the entire lesson we just talked about how God loves us even though we are so undeserving and about everything Heavenly Father allowed Jesus Christ to do for us. It felt like we would open our mouth to speak because we knew we had to and God somehow gave us the right words and phrases to say. It was  powerful lesson with a woman that I love a lot. It wasn't us doing the teaching.

But that is something I've also been thinking about. Is how God NEEDs us to do His great work. kind of of an awe-inspiring thing.

It seems that love is a theme for the week. We were trying to see one of our investigators that hasn't met with us in about a month. and we were at the end of trying her when we stopped to see Nicole and the family of 5. and She is very honest and just told us about how she doesn't feel Gods love. She feels like she has done too much wrong and has so much guilt. its great to know that through the atonement we can lose that guilt and we will never lose gods love.

We had an early Christmas dinner with the Taylors and it was the best ever!!!! It was a combined traditional/new Mexican Christmas with turkey, ham, and all the sides as well as enchiladas, green chili, homemade tamales, and more. And they gave us a cute ornament that has a picture of a new Mexican snowman in the desert. its half a head and a carrot :) I love them sooo much!

The surprise package was wonderful! We got home at about 8:20 and saw a note on the door saying Sister McShane I have a package for you from Katy from Sister D... So I called, but I couldn't remember who sister D. was. But when I opened the door for her I almost screamed and I knew exactly who it was! IT was sooo cool! And I loved the hugs and it was just sooo much fun! didn't want to say goodbye I just keep staring at the packages and letter and other fun stuff. love it so much. Sorry dad for just saying hi mom. she said that she was just going to send it to mom soo.... you know I was thinking of you. We had dinner last night with the lady who served in your same mission. So cool. but she did tons of tracking

I love yall!!!! Merry Christmas Eve!!! Have fun!

Christmas Package Surprise!

Christmas Surprise for Sister McShane!!
We had some special friends of ours in our ward who were traveling to Albuquerque for Christmas and offerered to take Elizabeth her Christmas presents for us and to deliver special hugs from Mom.  What a wonderful surprise it was for her and a wonderful blessing for us!!  We added lots of extra goodies we were not planning to the package and were so blessed with this sweet connection!  We love and miss our girl so much!!
This picture was taken by our sweet friends!

December half Way gone

So much to say I can't fit it all in. Good thing I'm talking to you... wait, is it next week! wow! no, wow.

First, I will be emailing on Christmas Eve
Second, I've asked Audra Horschel if we can skype from her home sometime in the evening but honestly don't have more details than that. I'm hoping for the evening time because its hard to work after calling home. And this will be my comps first call home.

Mission party was tons and tons of fun! We even drove the long way to get there so that I could go through Bernalillo and Rio Rancho! First area! It was sooo much fun to be there and know exactly how to get to church and exactly where people lived in the area. So much fun! Felt like home. Then we go and of course half of the missionaries in the mission are there including the 2 sisters I was at the MTC with.  We talked and talked and talked. Then I saw Brother Biggs from Enchanted Hills and I find out that my first ward was having a Christmas Breakfast that had just ended so I got to go in and see some of my fav members (all were like, oh, you must be going home soon :/) The food was amazing! A huge feast and they gave us little ornaments with the names of Christ and were sooo sweet. Then the conference was sooo good. I have so many fav parts of it. The first made me cry was when Elder Foster of the 70 said that as we kneel down every night, think about that last prayer you will ever say (on mission) and what you want to be able to say to your Heavenly Father. That was good and I didn't cry from regret more from sorrow as to when that prayer will be. Another part was when he talked about missionary work and the responsibility of it. There is a difference between the work being for

1 the missionaries

2 members helping missionaries

3 missionaries helping members_____ and that is where we want to be. The members own the work we are meant to help teach the people they are finding. Not the other way around. But it is a life style adjustment.  We will see.

Ward party was a lot of fun too. We even had a less active family come and that was great! Its incredible how a great party was turned into something amazing when I saw them come it. Santa was fun and it was very simple. Sad thing about being a missionary is they made us sing Christmas songs Karaoke style in a microphone as everyone else was SUPPOSE to be singing too. gah. haha

Remember last week when I told you about teaching someone named Mimi? She was a former investigator and also the daughter of a less active member that we have been teaching. Well, we finally got to meet with her 2 times and it was amazing! It was on her lunch break both times and when we sat down, you could just see on her face the expectation to be spiritually fed. She was sooo open and ready to hear that she didn't want us to leave and set the next appointment for the very next day. It was a miracle. Her life has changed so much since she last met with the missionaries as she had to learn hard lessons. But now I truly believe that she is ready to embrace the gospel whole heartedly.

This really has been a great week and I'll have to tell you more about it tomorrow. Ask me about

senior couple and Luis

Delgados blessing

I love you all and Merry Christmas!!!! I love you mom, dad, Eyn, Trent, And Amberly!!

PS thanks for the the candy chain, gal! Its sooo much fun to do!

Christmas all around

Dear Family! Merry Christmas! How are all of you doing today????

This week has been good. And not as crazy as last week, although now we just laugh about that story :)

Last night was great. It started with dinner at the Jake/Adorno familys home and it was just a lot of fun. We had pizza and zeps and felt very good and comfortable there. After that, we went to home of a less active woman's named Patsy. We have stopped by her home before and we see her a lot at the assisted living home that we do service for. The moment we saw her we just knew that not all was okay and she was struggling. (but she is not one to ask for help) We just talked with her for a little bit. And shared a scripture about the Christ takes upon himself the sting of death. It meant a lot to the both of us. With her we found out that one of the men at the old folks home I knew had also passed away unexpectedly. While there, another miracle happened in which her daughter stopped by to pick up a pan. She had been a former investigator and we had been trying to see her for some time but couldn't. We were able to set up an appointment to meet at the old folks home. That was a huge miracle.

Sometimes it is funny how being in the right place at the right time makes you late for the next place that you are "suppose"to be at. Next we had a meeting with a returning member and her family. Because of some contention at home, she asked us if we could meet at Starbucks instead and brought a neighbor along. It was really good. We were able to talk about how missionary work is going and about how she has been reading the scriptures. I really loved how she was so comfortable inviting her friends to get hot chocolate with the missionaries. To her, this is just how she lives her life. She jokes about baptizing her friend in the coffee and so forth. I love her and I am thankful for her trust.

Another miracle was that Ruth and Fredrick got baptized on Saturday!!!! Yippee! She is hispanic and he native American from Canada. They are the couple that we started teaching, but then had to pass over to the Elder for boundary purposes. It was really really cool. And I know that I was meant to be here to start that process for them, although I don't think I'll ever understand exactly what I did do. They asked me to give one of the talks and I was more than happy to. I love them so much and I am so excited for there little family. On the way to the baptism, we got a phone call from the WML asking if we were nearby. We were just around the corner. he also asked if I had prepared a talk and what it was on. I told him I was asked to give the talk on baptism. Pause. And he tells me that he had messed up the program and 2 people had been asked to give a talk on baptism. I'm literally 3 min. away from the chapel at this point. And I say, oh.... well... I can try to wing a talk on the spirit if you want me too. he replies and says I don't really care, but that would be great.... haha. So we get to the baptism and I quickly think of a few points I'd really been thinking and feeling and gave a 5 min. talk on it. And it went really well. And I want to say that that is because of 2 reasons. 1 is because Giving talks like that if I know something to say don't freak me out too much and I'm able to just go and look perfectly calm and the other more important reason is because the spirit and my love did the work. It was very nice.

This week we did service in a home without a heater. We were trying to put boards and insulation up. and there was no heat. We were freezing and I couldn't imagine how cold this family must be at night. It was crazy . I love them so much and I was very grateful to be there in there circumstances and do some good. later that night we ate with a single woman who fed us simple sandwiches for dinner. We felt very fortunate to be there and be able to feel heavenly fathers love in there home and there great humility.

Another great event this week was the Messiah and nativity showing that the stake put on. We went to both nights of it hoping to see someone we invited. Although we didn't, it was still a great night and very spiritual. \

I love you all!!!!

Crazy!

Hello my family!!! How are you? So the RS made these countdowns to Christmas and let us make one too. Its not my fav one, but I like it. Problem is that yesterday I realized it was a countdown to when I get to talk to y'all too. :)

The last few weeks have been incredible. I don't know how but I have changed a lot. I've been thinking a lot about change since I got Amberly's great poster that says "Elizabeth    Don't ever change" And really everything she sent to me meant a lot. I've thought about how I am still the same person, but that I have changed, in some ways I can't quite tell yet. But first I have a really long story to tell.

My new comp is Sister Murphy. She just finished training, been out 3 months, and this is her second area. Lets just say that she freaked out a bit from the change. I love her a lot!!! but this change has been really hard on her. As a result, we received priesthood blessings from great Zone Leaders on Friday. But on Sunday we called the STLs and they came over to help. I think the biggest problem was that the trial wasn't going to just go away. On Monday, we called them again and just asked for a hug and it was good for me, but the day had just started out as a downer with a bad dream and so forth. But afterword everything was good and we contacted a few new people, got a potential. it was great! Dinner at the Taylors was a lot of fun, taught 2 people, great day right!!!!!

So we were driving out of a neighbor hood, and at a stop sign when I saw a teenage girl walking toward us waving us down. She looked really panicky. I rolled down the window just enough to talk with her. She said that she needed a ride down to Smiths parking lot and that her dad was going to commit suicide and she had called the cops. ... .... ..... yeah.    We told her no. We couldn't give her a ride and she ran away, but we called the cops any way and reported it. Little did I realize that we were a block from Smiths and that was exactly where I was headed. So when we saw about 10 cop cars and a squad of cops walking with guns towards Smiths, you can just imagine what we were feeling.

We drove away and went to a parking lot just to sit. and recoup. and pray. We called the DL and ZLs but no answer. So we just waited. but of course, we again were not as far as we thought. And the DLS called right as we saw an ambulance leaving from the Smiths area. So at that point Sis. Murphy asked for a blessing. And we were able to set it up for the ZLs to come with another companionship. Of course they show up when I am in the middle of a melt down. I also got one. An incredible one and more on that later. But that is also not the end of the drama...

During dinner, we had gotten a lot of calls from an unknown number as well as a curse word in a text. As we were coming for blessings, It happened again and had a odd conversation that just didn't make sense. And since the ZLs were asking what was up, we told them about the phone calls. They told us to text president. Who quickly asked for the number and then sent this reply

"I have called and texted the number. I informed the caller that his number had been turned over to the authorities and any further calls would result in his immediate arrest. I immediately got a reply of "okay, I'm sorry". I believe you'll be safe."

yeah, you don't mess with President's girls :) I love him

Alright, soo drama done and over. or so we really hope.

But I want to go back to the amazing blessings we got last night. I love our zone leaders. They just really care and never make us feel like "dumb sisters" The blessing was a huge answer to many many prayers. I think the biggest one was when Heavenly Father told me that I am now the missionary that he wanted me to become. And that was a huge thing. I remember a year ago getting blessings about how one day I would be able to become the missionary I want to be and the one that Heavenly Father wants me to be. How when in Cruces, God told me I was a wonderful missionary and President said then I had a glow and how now pres says its even greater. I have gone through a lot and worked so hard. We read 1 Nephi 3:7 today and I thought, hey I am doing this and it is doing good. It is well. And another incredibly special point was when Heavenly Father told me that the greatest and most important part of my mission has been saved for the end. It made me feel so special to just know again that Heavenly father hasn't forgotten me. That it has all worked up to this and many more great and important things. That I'm still here for many important reasons and that it is good. I'm sooo happy to know that I am fulfilling Heavenly Father's expectations. That is all that I ever wanted. That's why I am here and now it is just so much grater and expanded. I know now that coming home is going to be really really hard for me. I am so grateful to make Heavenly Father happy.

I know this is a crazy letter, but i am thankful for it. I love my mission. I love everything we do. I love it. I am happy

I love you all So very much. Thank you for the cards and more!

Love Sister McShane,

Elizabeth

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Hey family!
So much to say so little time!

First off, you are all wondering about me and transfers. But the truth is, I am not surprised. On Wednesday, Sis. Rager was having a bad day and called Mission Pres for an interview. So we went over there a few hours before and everything went smoothly and well. They were out in like 10 min. In the mean time, I was talking with Sis. Miller and I just couldn't help it, I started to cry. So then President asked to interview me...  and in the interview he told me that Sis. Rager and I would not be companions this coming transfer. I have huge mixed feelings about this. A part of me hopes that Its not just because of me and that this is how it is suppose to be for both her and these areas and people. And I try to not let doubts linger. But I do have trust that Pres. Miller asks the Lord about where each of us go and that God won't let him screw up His work. These have been hard transfers, but I have loved them nevertheless, and honestly, the knee issues were not an issue in my mind at all. I love her and She needed to be here for herself and for me and for this area. She has been a strength and I am thankful for her as well as I have learned a lot. I can see how change needed to happen, because we have no one to visit and had no other ways to find new investigators and so forth. I pray for her and I pray for my next companion.

No, I do not know if I will have to get a bike, which, please look at my bank account and make sure that is okay. But it probably will be my last area, seeing my track record, we will see. I would be happy with that. I think either way right now I would be happy.

Ok, so internet, Talked with Bro. Horschel (WML) and he said we could email at his house. he says its Comcast, said something about he has about 50mpg downloading speed but it is consistently at 70pmg...? didn't understand but he said it was good and ask if we wanted Skype or some odd strange new thing called Google hang out??? yeah. Oh, and I will be having one of my thanksgivings at the first phone calls house!

So today was sooo much fun! Last night the ZLs texted and said because of transfers pday would be on Monday(of course messing us all up!) so we went to the tram! It was sooooo beautiful! The top of the Sandias is covered in snow!!!! you remember the winter wonderland trees with snow packed on them! So amazing! We wore Santa hats and hope to get Christmas cards out of them. So much fun! We walked around the closed ski lift with a few skiers and just had a fun time. snowball fights! angles! it was sooo gorgeous and white! We even saw our area! thanks to a very large casino we cover. haha. It was a huge answer to our prayers in so many ways! 1. to come at all! 2, Sis. Ragers snow 3. to find our area even though a fog blocked our way 4 that the sky would clear and in the few hours before, it did! 5 no storm!  and just more. it was a huge blessing!

So Amberly, what is this with sending Sis. Rager a 3 page letter (which she did open) and not me!!!! huh????? haha, we both loved the construction paper letter! It was way cute! And Sis. Rager will write you. She has seen Merlin 5 and supposedly is excited to write you although I refused to read your spoilers :)

Hmm thanksgiving plans, So far we have 2 dinners we are for sure going to and we really hope to find more members to stop by and see but besides that, I'm not really sure. The members said we could request anything, but when I asked for pumpkin pie they said that was the one thing their family does not do.  :( but that's okay. others will of course have it!

Haha, so y'all saw our pics up on the NMAM Facebook page? that is cool. And yeah, Sis. Dennis doesn't think we get enough mail from our ENTIRE family so she wanted to send out a loud message :) I love her! she is soo funny!

This last Saturday was a lot of fun, as we were invited to go to 2 thanksgiving parties at the Beehive house(the assisted living home and it was sooo much fun! When we were invited, the staff told us that we were a part of these peoples lives and they love to have you there and to introduce you to there family and friends, who they tell about you to. And you know what, its true and we were so thankful for that opportunity to really see that. They were so funny and just happy to see us! Including the staff. Its funny to feel at home there. I really do love it a lot. 

Okay, so the member squealed and told you I was trunkie. Shameful. haha, so as I told Sis. Rager last night, I'm really trunkie to like see my family, get to watch movies, and sing whatever songs I want, but I'm not homesick. I'm not longing for these things so bad that I can't function or push these thoughts away. I am happy here and if I could come up with some way to extend my mission, with getting to talk and see y'all all the time, i'd be perfectly good. Nah, i'm not trunkie. In fact, I don't even want to think about the Christmas call home cause that may make me homesick. But I am happy and content here, and as President promised me this week, I will find even more contentment with where my mission is by the end of next transfer.

i love you!!!!! i love you happy thanksgiving!

Short Letter

Hey family,

How are you today?
To start off, Sister Rager had her doctor's appointment yesterday and she really thought that she was going to be sent home. But the doctor gave her a cortisone shot and said that that was the last possible thing that they could do before surgery so if it doesn't work, she will be going home at the end of next transfer. Hopefully it will, even just enough to get her through. Thank you my family for all of your sweet prayers for her. She really does need a miracle.

Something cool this week was being able to teach a family of 5. Amberly you are going to love this! One of the girl's name's is Emrise, just like Merlin's magical name! How awesome is that! They are a great family, just really busy and forgetful. And they have a strong religious background of the past. The mom and one kid grew up very catholic and stopped attending when they said that the "catholic guilt" was too much. I think that was very sad and we tried to teach they about how God is loving and although he wants them to be better, but doesn't want guilt to make us feel worthless. The lesson was hectic and we even got to teach a Jehovah's Witness for a while.

You keep asking me about my Christmas wish list, and most of it is stuff I want when I get home besides stuff I will just need like deodorant and blah, there is a massage ( i needed that 14 months ago!)  car, laptop, hmmm money for clothes,... umm I know I have a big list on the whiteboard...

Last week we went to the Aquarium and it was sooo much fun! we got to touch stingray (my fav fish) and see lots and lots of cool fish. we even stayed to see them feed the turtles and stingrays and that stuff. it was a lot more fun that an aquarium sounds. I still think I prefer the zoos but I really liked this. there was also a really big nature bio park with the ticket and that was beautiful. we went in the green house and it was actually humid! and green! felt like a spring at home.

We are just trying to stay busy and find new things to do. Sometimes I feel like Sis. Ragers mom telling her we need to go home and ice her knee. its odd and I don't like doing it.

Sorry this is short today! I love y'all! have an awesome day! we have stake conference this Sunday :)

Love love love! Elizabeth! Sister McShane

Pdays now on Tuesdays

Dear Family!

How are you! Okay, so confession, my comp added up how many days I have left. That is all I will say about that :(

This week has been good. As I've told you, Pdays are now on Tuesdays so that is really weird. and Weekly planning days are now on Mondays. So our weeks are very different. As many missionaries have said, on Monday we will be planning what we will be doing on Tuesday. :) but that is just how it goes!

My comp is still in tons of pain. On the pain scale of 1-10 she is regularly at a 7-10+. But she doesn't just tell me that so I have to ask her how she is doing a lot. I'm afraid we may be inside much of this week. :( But I am very thankful to be here with her. The other night was really had, and I was very thankful that I was just able to make her smile as I just did Silly little things. and Trent! She drew me my warrior cat! Her name is Foxlight of Thunderclan. Soo awesome! She is way pretty black and white. We also checked out the old testament dvds at the church library and have been watching them. Some are really good and some are SOOOO 90s.

This week, we had exchanges, and I HATE exchanges. I was going to another area (canyon heights) with sis. Chatwin and sis. Johnson and then my comp stayed here with someone else. But I def. know this exchange was inspired. For some reason, Sis. Johnson was able to open up to me and the three of us were just really able to help each other. It was great knowing that I was needed to be with them that day. They are amazing missionaries.

It has been great reading your letters this week. I love the work and it is really fun to hear about what is going on at home. I'm super happy you loved the picture Amberly, I knew you would! hahaha. The house sounds great. And its incredible to hear how people can truly be inspired as they teach RS and priesthood. I cant believe that I have been readmitted into BYUI for the Spring semester. that is truly crazy!

A sad thing that happened, is that we finally had to pass off Ruth and Fredrick over to the elders in the ward. And it happened on exchanges too! Its funny though, because in gospel principles, we usually sit on the opposite side of the room (and are forbidden to make comments :( ) But The teacher will ask a question and Ruth will raise her hand and answer it better than half the people in the class would have. So you have the elders on one side of the room gloating that they get to teach these amazing people and us glaring and shaking our heads that they took the people we love. haha, its just fun, Its been great serving in the same ward as the elders.

Transfers come up 2 days before thanksgiving and we are not sure what to expect. Any guesses?

I love you all! Love Sister McShane

Elizabeth

Have a fun happy day
!

Special Letter

Hey family,

Well, I am going to start this off on a spiritual note. This last week, I fought all week, but through the strength of the spirit I finally texted the Elders and asked for a blessing.  But with where people live, and who I wanted to give it, I didn't know how to set it up and asked for suggestions. Heavenly Father worked miracles as the next text from the Elders was a perfect plan to set it all up.

In the blessing, I was told and blessed with things that I did not expect and things I did not even realize I was thinking about. The first that I will say is that I was told that I was being watched from the other side of the veil. I was specifically told that My grandparents love me. And then I was even more specifically told that my grandpa loves me. It is just a sort of warm comfort to me to know that they still live and that they still love me. We are never as a lone as we feel that we are.

Now, I have seen that many of my blessings come in advance of when I need them. And another part I wanted to share was about my family, aka. you. I was told that the affairs back home would be okay. That my family and friends are safe and that all is well at home. That I don't need to worry. Of course, when you hear "don't worry" you instantly ask "why? Do I need to worry? what is up? I didn't think I was worrying before" But it is okay. I do not know what each of you at home are going through. I don't know everything that is hard, but I do know that everything is going to be okay and that is enough. I love and trust each one of you. I know that you will make the right choices, and will have bumps in the road. but that is okay. Things may be coming up soon at home, but Heavenly Father has promised me that you will be okay. I know you will be okay. I have that trust in God.

I miss each of you like crazy. Especially as the holiday season creeps in. I'm torn between I want it to come and I don't ever want it to come. But that is okay. All is good. And I am happy.

I don't know when "the moment" happened when I finally loved my mission. When I think about teaching the plan of salvation to Mike tonight and I get sooo excited and have such a love for it, but I do. And it is the greatest feeling ever.

I'm glad y'all had an awesome Halloween, minus the sick parts. Amberly and Trent y'all look great! so does the yard!  our president changed the rule of going in early, so we were required to be careful what we did, but make it productive. we were told the best time to catch people at home is on holidays when families are together... yeah... We tried to see a few active families but of course they were out so we gave candy and mormon.org cards away and finished weekly planning.

This week, we went into the mission office to look for mail, and the president was there and called us in his office to ask us a question about if we were new missionaries, what would we be most afraid of in contacting. ugh. I love president. but I sure love him a lot more from a distance.

hahaha. (that was off due to Elder Brisco. had to give him the credit)

This week has been full of little miracles. Like a woman named Ruth, who after our first lesson, read 20+ pages of the BoM,  found the 1hr long Joseph Smith movie and watched it, and taught us about the tablets and how Moroni came to Joseph Smith and more. wow! She was amazing! And then getting to teach her husband who grew up Native American and hearing him speak of the great spirit. Wow! I got to give him chapters in the BoM with Ammon teaching King Lamonhi about how that Great Spirit is God. That was cool! When ever we get to teach someone with that history I just marvel at it! it is incredible!

Another one was how we had no money, no food in our pantry (we had had it for lunch), and no dinner. we had prayed for a meal or for just something and 2 hours before dinner at 5, we had a member out with us who randomly asked us if she could feed us. It was great! I love her sooo much! It was the best spaghetti we had ever had.  And that same member, Sister Lee, I love her sooo much! She is incredible and we just had a lot of fun as we worked. It was her first time with the missionaries and we got to answer those silly "can missionaries get haircuts" questions and it was just fun. It really does brighten our day when we get members out with us!

I love you all! Be happy and Smile! God is watching over you!