Inspirations to See Us Through

 

What a Month!

 

The Sky Turns Orange at Night in Ohio

Happy Happy memorial day!! Doing anything fun today?? :):) 

How are you all doing this week and today? :) How did the week go? anything fun or exciting happen? It's officially summer vacation for everyone!! 😀 That's super exciting! Any fun things planned for the summer? It's so awesome how fast time is flying.

I have officially made it to day 70 of quarantine, so I guess if we were comparing it to me being able to retire, then I would have made it! 😉 And I realized this week that I have now spent over 1/12 of my mission in quarantine, so that was a fun fact of the day for me. We were told this last week that the North America Northeast area presidency doesn't feel that it is time to allow missionaries back outside yet over here on the east coast and such, so we will still be in our apts this week. Governor Dewine (Ohio) says he will re evaluate this Friday, May 29th to either extend the stay at home order or to relax it a little. We will keep our fingers crossed for the best 🤞

So this week was exciting, and I was able to find some new parts of the apt I hadn't yet checked out and discovered, so that was quite the find. And we saw a black squirrel and a vulcher, that was even more adrenaline filled! :) 

Tuesday and Wednesday we were able to have a Nepali zoom call with all of the Nepali members in our mission (Talmadge, Reynoldsburg, and Columbus). That was super fun! They are all doing great, and have such bright and happy smiles on their faces every time we call them!! Wednesday we had district council and I was able to give a training at it. I gave the training on, 'Why it's important to master our teaching skills', which is out of Chapter 10 of preach my Gospel. Everyone loved the training and I think we all got a lot out of it, and reminded ourselves how to talk to people in person, and not just in a video call 😉. I think we are all a little rusty on the talking to people IN PERSON thing . . . 🤔

Friday night to Saturday night, we went to the Akron elders apt, who is the district leader here. We had a fun time with them! They had a baptism scheduled for Saturday morning, so we went with them to the church and filled up the font, and then we watched the baptism over a zoom call (which is how they're doing all baptisms churchwide right now). You can only have a maximum of 5 people at the baptism i.e. the person being baptized, bishopric member, 2 witnesses, and a confirmer. But hey, baptizing is still going on and that is so so cool and awesome!

Sunday was a good day. We took the sacrament, had 2 lessons with Regan and with a member family (Krishna is the wife's name). They're all so cool! Regan lives down in Columbus and wants to be baptized as soon as Quarantine is over, please keep him in your prayers. He is 11 yrs old and so funny and fun to talk to.

Here are some fun  things we did this week:

- I made a WAY GOOD DELICIOUS pudding parfet on thursday 🙌

- We went on a sunset drive on Sunday night and the sky was orange, which was pretty awesome to see, and made it feel and seem a lot warmer outside 

- Played basketball and chair soccer with Akron elders on Saturday (I lost at both 😁).

- Got chick fil a on Saturday night and Elder Borden (DL) had his mom order us Buffalo wild wings on Friday, so much food I know

- It was Elder Pakwal"s one year mark on Friday, so we went and got Chapatae (Nepali rice and peppers, and so so spicy . . . at least for me it is spicy 😉).

I wanted to share an experience I had this week that was way cool and helped me to see the love that our Savior and Heavenly Father have for us. On Sunday night (last night), I was asking myself why I felt like my language abilities to speak Nepali in lessons was not as good as I was hoping they might be by this point. I said a prayer after one lesson yesterday, and immediately I was overcome with the Spirit! And you all know I get emotional about 11 times out of 10. I felt the still small voice impress upon me this feeling and thought: "Be mindful of what I have already given you, use it to bless lives. And be prayerful and patient for me to work miracles." The 'be mindful and use what I have given you' stood out to me. Sometimes it is so so hard to not just jump to the finish line, but to take every step gracefully or maybe even a little wobbly and awkward. But I know, that as you and WE, take each step with our Hearts and our minds turned to the Savior, He endows us with power. He doesn't expect us to do the work by ourselves . He expects us put forth effort time and time again, because He loves effort. 😁

During the 70 days now, that I've been in quarantine, I have learned a lot. 10 months ago, I did not think that I would be having a mission experience such as the one I'm having. I was reminded this week of something that you guys told me before I left 😉 "Its not your mission, it's the Lords". And so I have been reflecting a lot on that thought this week, and how I have been living my life over the last few months. Days come and they go, and I have realized lately that you never get the same day back, so you have to make the most of it. A new day comes and we have to make the choice to decide how we we'll live it. Will we get up and make our beds? Will we learn something new? Will we make good one degree choices? Will we keep our heads up and go to work, whatever that may intel everyday. Because we only live each day once, we must not have any regrets when we go to sleep at night. I miss going outside, I miss talking with people in person, I miss all of it . . . But I know that the Lord is in charge. And because He is in charge, we need not ever fear. He loves us, every one of us. 😁 "Why does He take us through troubled waters?"  . . . . "Because your enemies can't swim". If we ever feel that we can't do something, always remember that we aren't the first to ask if there is no other way, the first being the Savior. "Father, wilt thou take this cup from me? Nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done". Trust Him, everyday everyday everyday."

I know this Gospel of Jesus Christ is true. He lives, and because He died and rose again the 3rd day, we too will be resurrected and live with Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father for eternity. Believe and Conceive, and we will achieve. Never stop hoping and believing, because when we believe, that's when the blessings come, and that's when the Lord works through us, to bless the lives of people around us. 

येशू ख्रीष्टमा विश्वास र विश्वास राख्नुहोस्।  उहाँ त्यहाँ हुनुहुन्छ, र प्रत्येक चोटि जवाफ दिनुहुन्छ कि तपाईंले उहाँलाई बोलाउनुभयो।  उहाँ तपाईंलाई प्रेम गर्नुहुन्छ, र हाम्रो लागि बाँच्न परिवारहरू प्रदान गर्नुभयो ताकि हामी यस जीवनमा प्रेम गर्न र बढ्न सक्दछौं।

Translation: Have faith and trust in Jesus Christ.  He is there, and will answer everytime that you call out to Him.  He loves you, and has provided families for us to live with so that we can love and grow in this life.

A fun fact too that I learned this week about Ohio. When it's summertime like it is now, and you go outside at 8 pm at night, the sky is illuminated in orange and pink colors. And you can smell the pine off of the trees and it smells like campfire, and you can see the skyline of bldgs and you can see FOREVER in the distance. It's quite the sight 🧡🧡

The challenge I wanted to do this week and "always" is: Pray for strength to make it through life's challenges each day. Ask Heavenly Father to bless you with power and the ability to take on the world each day, because when we do, then we really will Change the World, One Step at a Time. 😉😁

So cool about church being started back up at church bldgs here pretty soon! Any details as to what Salem West Stake is doing with that yet and timing on everything? Mom, I bet you're happy school is over so now you have summer break too! 😉👍Been good weather there lately?? :) Its so hot and humid here, but it's cool, it just makes my hair super red and my hands super slippery hah :) 

I miss you all so so so much, and I pray for you guys and think about you daily. I'm so very happy you're all doing well and staying healthy and safe! Keep working hard, and doing and being your very very best everyday. You guys are so awesome! I'm so excited to talk to everyone today!

I love you ALL forever and always! 💛❤

Elder Dylan McEwan

Hot, Humid, and Sticky

I have had a wonderful last few days, made it through the week with only a few pulled muscles and a broken watch, but we will get to that in just a few min :)

So on Thursday, I woke up and finished getting all of my bags packed and everything, Elder Sirrine made me a breakfast burrito (which was really good). We left Reynoldsburg, and I waved goodbye in the rearview mirror. It's crazy to think that my heart had such a strong hold on that area, and I didnt go out in it for 7 weeks. The Lord knows where you should be, and He will change you through that time. :) We got to Dublin, and I met up with Elder Pakwal, and we started the 120 min road trip to Talmadge, Ohio. Not going to lie, I had my drinks and snacks in the car with me, so I was pretty set to go 😉 We got some Nepali food when we got here, its called: Chapati, and it is the most spicy, delicious, most interesting food you will ever taste, made my eyes get just a little "watery", but it was so so good :) We had 2 lessons that night, one with a lady named Bunu, and the other with 2 people named Dowa and Regan. Super cool to talk with all of them! 

Friday, and the moment we have all been waiting for 😉 So, we got asked to help a nonmember lady move on Friday here in Talmadge. We were told it would only take about 2 hrs. We showed up at 7:45 am, and I took one look and knew it was going to be a little longer than anticipated. Come to find out, this lady lives all by herself, she is disabled, and she had so much love and care for us all day while we were there. We got to about 1 pm, and I put a box down in the moving truck, and for some reason i just got this really warm feeling inside of me. I had never met this lady before, but I had so much compassion for her and wanted to help her out in anyway I could. We proceeded to move box after box, bookshelf after bookshelf, couch after couch, until about 7:15 pm. So all in all, about a 12 hr move. And I couldn't have been more happier and satisfied with my day that i was able to help this lady out. I got back to the apt, and all of a sudden my whole back just went stiff and numb, and I couldnt move it in any which direction. I layed on the couch the rest of the night, trying to get any sort of comfort to moving. I'm feeling a little better today. It had made me realize just a little, what President Nelson as a 95 year old, goes through when he travels and does all the things he does at his age; although, I'm only 20 and still have a little while before I get to his age, so I guess I gotta stay healthy and strong til then, and just make sure I dont hurt my back too bad 👌

Also, my new fit bit watch that I bought 5 days ago, hah it broke 2 days ago . . . I was speechless when it fell off my wrist; I decided I had either maybe just flexed my wrist too hard and made it fall off, or it had gotten caught on something . . . I'm going with the first one 😉 I got a new watch the next day at Walmart though, so that was good :) 

Saturday we didn't really do too much. We went shopping, because I showed up at the apt on Thursday afternoon and there was hardly any food, so we did our shopping a little early this week. It was a really great day though! And very very cool to drive around Akron a little, I also saw a Lebron James sign on Friday that I was going to get a picture of, but it was raining the Atlantic ocean that day, so decided I would save myself the effort of building a boat and just stay in the car :) 

Sunday was super great! We did come follow me, took the sacrament, and had a zoom call with the English Talmadge ward which was super fun and were able to talk about the different gifts that we receive in the Gospel, and how they can bless our lives. I also inherited some new boots from the closet in this apt that I am absolutely loving, so that was awesome to find those! We went on a walk in the night, and ah it felt so so good to be outside and moving! :) 

Which leads me into my next thing, which is: Ohio weather is so odd, like extremely odd. You may as well take all 4 seasons of clothing to wear because you will probably wear them all in the span of 8 hrs in this state of Ohio. Haha, it makes my brain think everyday what I should wear; even though my options are either: Short white sleeve with slacks, or long white sleeve with slacks: it makes for a tough decision everyday 😉 But the last few days, it has gotten so so hot and humid and sticky here, but I'm not complaining about it, it actually feels really good and has made my red hair get really thick and really dark red, so that's been pretty cool to watch happen :) On Friday, it rained so so much for about an hour straight at 7 pm, and I thought we might need to build a boat because it was that much water, hah, it was quite spectacular if I do say so myself. Also, remember when I said that Ohio had a tornado in April, and that it was in the city of Medina, Ohio?? I found out that Medina is about 45 min away from Talmadge/Akron areas, hah so I may be seeing some tornadoes in the coming weeks👌I have heard they're really cool, so I'm going to keep my eye out for them 😉 

For the quarantine duration: Today is day 63, and we have at least 11 more days left. May 29th is the "target" date that Governor Dewine is shooting for. For me, it's just crazy that it's already been 9 weeks. Where did the time go?! I have learned so much in these 63 days, haha and had some good memories of forgetting what day it was, what my name was (hah okay maybe not that one, but pretty close 😁), and just this whole time has really made me think and learn who I need to be and who I want to be in my life. It has been super good and I have loved this time to prepare my mind as well as be able to still help and serve people in anyway that I can :) 

We will be getting the first load of re-assigned missionaries today, the 18th. And then over the next 3 or 4 weeks will get 40 more missionaries. And then by August/September time, we will have gotten 115 re assigned missionaries  :) 

सुसमाचार सत्य हो, र मलाई थाहा छ कि परमेश्वर बाँचिरहनुभएको छ।  उहाँ हाम्रो प्रतिभाको प्रयोग हाम्रो जीवनलाई अझ राम्रो बनाउन को लागी, र साथै दैनिक जीवनको आशिष् दिन चाहनुहुन्छ।  आफ्नो प्रतिभा प्रयोग गर्नुहोस्, र संसारमा तपाईं को हुनुहुन्छ देखाउनुहोस्।  परमेश्वरमा भरोसा राख्नुहोस्, किनकि उहाँ तपाईंलाई माया गर्नुहुन्छ र उहाँले तपाईंको धेरै हेरचाह गर्नुहुन्छ।

Translation: The Gospel is true, and I know God lives.  He wants us to use our talents to better our lives, as well as bless the lives of people everyday.  Use your talents, and show the world who you are.  Trust in God, because He loves you and He cares for you so much.

The invite I wanted to share with everyone this week is: Tell your loved and ones and family members this week how much you love them, and are grateful for them. And ask Heavenly Father how you can show love to someone this week. It truly will bless all of everyone, and the happiness will be insurmountable 💛❤

How is everything going this week?? High school graduation is this week? :) Maddie, Derrick, and Avery are graduating which is super cool and I'm so excited for them and so proud of them! :) Such fun times!! :) How is work and church callings going? :) 

I miss you guys so much, and pray for you daily :) Thank you for your examples to me and for your constant love and support of me! :) So so excited to talk to everyone today! :) 

I love YOU Forever and Always ❤

Elder Dylan

More Nepali Adventures

My suitcase has seen better days :)