Merry Christmas!

Hello Everyone!

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas! I loved Christmas! It was so great to skype home and see my family! 

We had a pretty long week! We had our Mission Christmas Conference in Belmont, Mass on Wednesday. It was so much fun to be with all the other missionaries and celebrate the Birth of our Savior together.

On Christmas Eve we made sure that we handed out all our "A Savior Is Born" pass along cards! We went to a little shopping strip and we talked to EVERYBODY! It was a lot of fun! And then that night we went to the Pulley's house for dinner along with a couple other families from the ward. It was so much fun! We all sang Christmas carols and had a good spiritual thought! When we got home, before we went to bed Sister Allen and I took pictures by the tree in our new Christmas jammies! And we ate some exotic fruit! 

Christmas morning we went to the Armistead's house for breakfast! And then we skyped home!!! This was the greatest Christmas gift ever! I have missed my family so much and it was great to see them all. It's amazing how much they grow up in 5 months! The rest of the day was filled with the Spirit. I loved it! 

I cannot believe that I have been out for nearly 5 months. In the last 5 months I have grown a lot. I have learned to love and appreciate so many different things around me. I absolutely love this area! I love my companion. I love this gospel. In my skype home, I bore my testimony on change. Change is at the center of this gospel and without the Atonement we wouldn't be able to change. It is amazing what we each can become through the power of the Atonement. Through God's plan for us we can BECOME the person he wants and needs us to BECOME in order to live with him again someday. 

Thank you for all the love and support! I miss you all!

Love, Sister Egan

Wearing our Christmas PJ's.

Christmas Morning.

Christmas Miracles!

Is it already December 21st? Wow! Time flies! This week was crazy! There was so much going on! It was also kind of a hard week for me. "Killing" Sister Zickella was difficult. She is one of my best friends and I have learned SO much from her over the last 6 weeks. It was hard to say goodbye! She was a fabulous missionary and touched the lives of so many people, including myself. 

But the good news is- Sister Allen is here in Avon! She is awesome! I love her! We are going to have so much fun together! She has been out for a year and is an awesome missionary. The ward already loves her.

On Wednesday we headed out to Weston, Mass. for transfer meeting. I really do enjoy transfer meeting, but because I knew a lot of the departing missionaries, my eyes were full of tears as they gave their departing testimonies. They are all spiritual giants! I really hope that I can become a missionary like them! We had a late night- the 2 hour drive home to Avon seemed a little longer than usual, but Sister Allen and I had a great time getting to know each other! 

On Thursday we had to go to our District Meeting and then we were swamped with different appointments we had to go to. The Zone Leaders called and asked if we could meet with them to go over different things for the zone. Sister Allen and I need all the help and direction we can get after being called as STL's. (Sister Training Leaders). This new call will be busy... but I am also really excited for it! I am excited to work more closely with the zone. So we met with the ZL's and figured a couple things out- the meeting really made me feel a lot better about a lot of things. So the next day we drove with the ZL's to another District Meeting in the Zone so we can get to know everybody. The Zone Leaders challenged us that day to find 1 new investigator.... So we tried! We talked to EVERYONE! We stopped our car and went and talked to random people on the street... and nothing. That night we got home and I was a little sad that nothing really happened despite our efforts.

On Saturday the Zone Leaders challenged us once more to find a new investigator. We were planning on doing everything we could to find that new investigator! So we went over to a couple's house- They also have a house in Orem and their daughter is baptized and attends BYU. I had heard about this couple but hadn't met them yet... We stopped by with a little Christmas gift. They happily invited us in and said that they were just talking about the church and missionaries and not even a minute later we knocked on the door. Talk about the Lord's timing! We talked and discussed their concerns and we set up a return appointment- picking up 2 new investigators! 

After that appointment we stopped by a part member less active family that I hadn't met yet. They invited us in and you could tell they wanted us to leave. But we kept talking and we asked if there was anything we could help them with... They needed help putting of the Christmas Tree. So we helped set up and decorate the tree while listening to Christmas music. And then they offered to feed us dinner. We had a really nice time with them. The spirit in their home completely changed from the time we got there and they weren't very welcoming, to a warm spirit. It was truly a Christmas miracle.

That night we stopped by another couple's house to drop by a Christmas gift. We came across this couple a few weeks ago. We had given them a Book of Mormon a couple weeks ago and Saturday night we just wanted to stop by to see how they were doing. They welcomed us in and we had a very long discussion and they invited us to come again. We left with huge smiles on our faces. 2 new investigators. Making it a total of 4 new investigators in one day. Talk about Miracles. 

I am so thankful for this Christmas Season. It is a wonderful time of year to take a step back and to remember our Savior and all he has done for us. I know that Jesus Christ lives and that her loves each a every one of us. I know that he has suffered for me individually and that He has made it possible to return and live with my Heavenly Father again someday. I love this gospel. It has brought me true happiness! I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas! I am so excited to skype my family! Iove you all!

Love, Sister Kellie Egan

Saying good-bye to Sister Zickella.

Mom made these adorable stocking for Sister Zickella and I.

New companion - Sister Allen!

I Love the PVC!

Hello Everyone! I hope everyone is doing well!

This week was really good! Everything was kind of pushed back because we had Pday on Tuesday last week, but we were able to get everything sorted out. We had an awesome lesson with Mikele on Wednesday. We talked a lot about receiving answers to prayers through reading the Book of Mormon and praying. Her kids were all able to sit in and they all go really into it. Luckily I brought a children's Book of Mormon and we were able to give that to the kids. Later in the week we stopped by and one of the daughters came to the door reading it! She is almost half way done with it and she told us that she has been bringing it to read at school. 

On Thursday we had a good morning and we did some weekly planning. And then it was off to HARTFORD!!!! We had the monthly PVC tour downtown. It was SO much fun! A lot of the missionaries in the Zone came and we all had a blast talking to everyone on the streets and inviting them to take a church tour. Two companionships set dates!! I really have a testimony of the PVC and how it CAN change lives!

On Friday we went to Zone Meeting. We were part of a musical number- I played the piano while Sister Zickella and Sister Thompson sang. It was really beautiful. Especially because both Sister Thompson and Sister Zickella are going home this week. I am going to miss them both like crazy! Zone meeting was really good! They focused on Christlike Attributes. Each companionship gave a little training on a different attribute. They spirit was really strong! Right after Zone Meeting ended, Transfer Texts came!! I had been really anxious for t-texts this transfer because I knew that I would be getting a new companion. I am staying in Avon!!! And Sister Allen, from Layton, UT is coming to be my new comp. I am so excited! 

On our way home from Zone Meeting we were driving by the temple.... ANGEL MORONI IS UP!!! It was huge news! I am so excited! It is huge and the temple looks magnificent!

On Sunday we had a really good church meeting! And right after church we headed to the Holbrook's for a quick dinner and then we all headed out to Warwick, RI for a special musical fireside put on by the missionaries in our mission. We got there a little late, but it was SO GOOD! I love that music brings the spirit. It was also great to see my missionary friends from around the mission! 

I cannot believe that Christmas is next week! It doesn't really feel like Christmas- especially because of the unusually warm weather we are having here in Connecticut. I hope everyone has a really good week! I am doing so well! I miss you all!

Love, Sister Egan

PVC

BECOMING

This last week has been really good! I love this time of year to remember our Savior!

On Saturday morning we had our ward Christmas Brunch. We had a really good time and we had a good Christmas Program. After the Ward function the neighboring ward was having a baptism. A man in the Canton ward was getting baptized after investigating the church for quite some time. His wife was baptized about 7 years ago and he was finally baptized on Saturday and received the Priesthood on Sunday. The baptism was really good! The spirit was so strong. We had a really good dinner appointment that night with the Pulley Family! They have 7 children and it is always so much fun when we go over there. I think she sent a picture home! 

On Sunday after church we went to the Collin's home for dinner. There was another family there and we all had a family night. One of the moms gave a lesson and they talked about Christmas. We all had to write down what we want for Christmas. I really had to think about this one. There isn't any material item that I want for Christmas. I really just want to be happy! I am so grateful I get to skype my family too! I am really looking forward to this Christmas Season! We went to the Armistead's to watch the First Presidency Message. I really liked Elder Bednar's talk about the LIGHT of Christ. It was a good reminder remember the reason for the season, and that even the lights are a sign pointing to Christ.

On Monday morning we woke up pretty early to go to Zone Conference in Groton, CT. Elder Allen Packer of the Seventy was there. Wow. This meeting was so good! The spirit was so strong and the questions I had were answered during all the talks. Sister Miller likes to talk about BECOMING. And yesterday she focused on becoming examples of word, faith and purity. FAITH has been a huge focus in our mission these last few weeks. I have been pondering a lot about having the Faith necessary to do the Lord's work. At times it is hard, but it will all work out. This is what Elder Packer talked about. He talked about how sometimes we need to take a step into the dark. We can't expect the Lord to tell us everything we are supposed to do, we need faith that it will all work out. 

I have a testimony of our Savior. I know that He loves me. He loves each and every one of us. I am so thankful for the Holy Ghost. I am so thankful for the priesthood, I know it is real. 

I hope everyone continues to have a good holiday season! I love you all! Thank you for all the support and love you give me!

Love, Sister Kellie Egan

PVC Display

Sister Zickella and I