Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Everyone! 

I hope everyone had a great day. The highlight of my day was definitely talking with my family! It's crazy how much everyone has grown up and changed. 

This week was a lot of fun! 

For P-day last week we went to Boston Science Museum! That was so much fun! They had a special exhibit on Leonardo Da Vinci. It was so cool! So we spent a few hours there at the museum and learned a lot. My favorite was definitely the Da Vinci exhibit. He was a very talented man and so accomplished. There was a lot of information on the Mona Lisa. That was pretty cool too! 

Also this week we did some Christmas Caroling! On Tuesday we went to a nursing home with our district. We all wore Santa Hats and had a good time! Then on Friday we went to Cambridge- to Harvard Square and caroled there. We went with the Cambridge zone and had our ipads there showing the Light the World video. We handed out over 200 cards and candy canes that night. It was a lot of fun being there and seeing people! 

For Christmas this year the Relief Society in our ward gave a hymnbook to every Woman on the ward list. They had a bunch left to deliver, so we volunteered to deliver the remaining hymnbooks. So we kept busy driving everywhere to deliver them! We met some great people doing it too! One lady hasn't been to church in a few years, but she was SO happy to see us. She was feeling very lonely and needed some company. And she was so happy to get that hymnbook- She thought it was so special! 

Also this week, we "heart- attacked" Maureen's door. She is one of our investigators and she has been going through a difficult time lately. She is absolutely amazing. She always makes me feel at home and always makes me smile. We also gave her a hymnbook because she is very well integrated in the ward. She was so thankful and said that it was exactly what she needed that day. 

For Christmas Eve, we spent it with some senior couples in our mission. We had a big waffle dinner and played some games. It was a lot of fun! And then for Christmas we had a huge Breakfast at a family's house and then we went to church. Church was great! Haha everyone was in the Christmas spirit. We even had Cinnamon bread for the Sacrament and someone switched some of the lights to red and green. Haha very festive. After Church I got to talk to my family which is always a good time. It felt strange saying goodbye because it won't be too much longer until I can talk to them again- this time in person. After we talked, Sister Bassett and I went to a family's house for Christmas dinner and we played games with them! So that was a good time! Christmas was a success! 

I love you all! Have a wonderful week! 

Love, Sister Egan

It's Getting Cold

Hello Everyone! 

It's been a while since I've written! I first want to say how thankful I am for Jesus Christ. I have loved being able to watch the new "Light the World" video because it shows us how we can do Christlike service in everyday experiences. I LOVE IT! 

This week went really well! It went by really fast. On Tuesday I was on exchanges with Sister Pegram- one of the Portuguese  sisters in our zone. We had a good time! We had a lesson with one of our Potential Investigators and that went really well. Her name is Nora! She's definitely in need of the Gospel in her life. She has a really hard life, so it was good to talk to her and to teach her how Jesus Christ can help us in our lives. 

On Wednesday we had MLC. That was SO fun! I love being able to see other missionaries! I got to see Sister Demuth! I love her! MLC was really good. We talked about having love and charity for our investigators (and for those around us). Christ was the perfect example of this. He lived a perfect life! I am so thankful for His example. We also learned about repentance. What a great gift repentace is. Where would we be without it? It gives us the ability to change and become better through Christ. I loved that in the 1st Presidency Christmas Devotional, one of the speakers said, "Without Easter there would be no Christmas". I think this is really profound. We celebrate new life through Christ during Easter. And because we celebrate Christ's Atonement and Resurrection we celebrate HIS birth. I love this time of year! 

On Thursday and Friday we were busy with planning and Zone Meeting. All went really well! 

On Saturday we drove up to New Hampshire for a couple events. It was really fun! They were having a Live Nativity in Nashua and a baptism in Keene. I love being able to meet people from around the mission! 

On Sunday we had an event in Central Falls, RI. That went really well. The ward had up the display for Sunday School and also for a baptism following church. A lot of nonmembers were able to see it and watch the videos. We also had interviews with President Miller! That went well. I feel so blessed to be serving under his direction. He is so inspired and has helped me SO much! 

Well, I hope everyone has a great week! I love being a missionary and I love my Savior. It's hard for me to believe that it's already December 12th. This year has gone by so fast! It's unbelievable. I love you all! 

Love, Sister Egan

The set for the live nativity in New Hampshire! 

It's getting Cold!

Sister Bassett and Me

This is the group of elders and sisters that came out with me that are in MLC

PVC

Here are some pictures of the PVC - Portable Visitor Center

Sabbath Day Display

The Nativity Display

Happy Thanksgiving

Hello Everyone! 

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving! I sure did! 

This week has been crazy! We have been really busy. 

So early last week was mostly just Sister Demuth preparing to leave. But on Tuesday we got to go to the mission home and meet the new missionaries that just came from the MTC. That night we went to the Woodworth's house for dinner and we had THANKSGIVING. They really wanted to have Sister Demuth over for Thanksgiving before she got transferred. Wow, this food was amazing. I think it was the closest thing I will be able to get to Grandma's cooking out here in NE. They went all out and it definitely reminded me of home. I wish I took a picture of the whole spread! After Dinner we picked up the new sisters and took them to our apartment to stay the night. 

On Wednesday we were in charge of bringing the new missionaries into Boston to go street contacting which is always fun. This was a fun group of missionaries! Then I got my new companion! Her name is Sister Bassett! She has been out for a year. She is a really good missionary and I really like how focused she is on the work. She knows her purpose and does work! I'm looking forward to learning from her this transfer! 

On Thursday we had breakfast at the mission home with the departing missionaries and then we went to Maureen's house (she is one of our investigators) to help her cook. We just went over and helped for a bit and hung out. It felt so much like home (from what I can remember of home haha). I just felt so comfortable and I was having so much fun! After Maureen's we went to another families house for dinner. It was a lot of fun to be with them! Their whole family was there! One of their daughters served her mission in Spokane (spanish speaking). I asked her where she served and she said that she spent most of her mission in Wenatchee- so obviously this was before there were so many missions in WA. So we had a good thanksgiving. I think I ate my fair share of turkey this year! 

On Friday we had to wake up bright and early to bring the sisters that were going home to the mission home. This group was hard to say goodbye too! A lot of my friends and people I have served with went home! We also had district meeting. That was fun with our new district! 

On Saturday I was able to go back to Glastonbury to go to Will Giard's baptism. He asked me to say the closing prayer and I was honored to go. I was serving in the area when his sister got baptized and it was so special to be there for his baptism. This family means so much to me and I love seeing them whenever I get the chance. It was also a lot of fun to see some members that I got pretty close to while I was serving there. I have so much love for that ward! 

It's hard to believe that it is nearly December. I want you all to know that I love my mission. I am so thankful for the opportunity I have to be out here in New England serving as a missionary. I never thought that I would be doing this, but now I can't even imagine being home. I am so grateful for this time of year to reflect on my many blessings. I love this life!

Have a wonderful week everyone! 

Love, Sister Egan

In the Elevator

                                                   Woodworth Thanksgiving- minus Sister Woodworth

Mission Office Pics

Going Preaching

Hello Everyone! 

This week was really good! We were really busy which is always nice. 

Last week we were invited to go to a Born Again Baptist Church to "preach" to them. This is not a very common request, so we got permission from President Miller to go. We brought the elders with us because everyone was really afraid for us to go by ourselves. We went and it was more of just a bible study. It was a lot of fun though! We were able to share scriptures from The Doctrine and Covenants as well as from the Book of Mormon. They all loved it! It was a great experience and we will be going back! 

On Tuesday we went on exchanges with the Marlborough Sisters. I stayed in Weston with Sister Blood and we had a lesson with one of our potential investigators. It was kind of all over the place and it was hard for Nora to stay focused. But she was really interested in our message and being baptized. She really wants the Holy Ghost. She says she's been baptized a few times but has never received the gift of the Holy Ghost. And she is searching for it! Well, we have it! So we hope to meet with her again soon! Sister Blood and I had a lot of fun together! She came into the mission in July and Sister Demuth and I took her into Boston to go street contacting. So it was fun to spend the day with her. She is a rock star missionary. Sister Blood is a hard worker and she loves being a missionary. 

On Thursday we had our Zone Conference. This was a lot of fun, as always! I love seeing so many missionaries and saying "hello" to people I've served around. Sister Miller talked at the beginning about our missions and that our missions should change us. That we need to LET the mission go through us. It's one thing serving for 18 months or 2 years and just going through the motions, but it's another thing to serve whole-heartedly that you are truly changed by your service to the Lord. During this time on our missions (and in life) we should be focusing on striving to Become like our Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ. I really liked what she said! She is amazing and I feel so blessed to have her as my "mission mom".

On Friday we had district meeting and then T-texts!  So I'm getting a new companion! Her name is Sister Bassett! I don't know much about her, but I am so excited for her to come to Weston! It will be really fun! Sister Demuth is getting transferred to Bloomfield, CT. I am definitely going to miss her! 

On Saturday we had a lot of PVC stuff to get done before Sister Demuth leaves, so we've had a busy/ crazy couple days trying to organize things and prepare things for the upcoming weeks. We have a lot of events in December and will be traveling around the mission a lot! So that will be fun! 

I love you all so much! I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving. I am so grateful for my mission and for the experiences I'm having here in NE. I am so grateful for my loving family back home and all the support they give me. And I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father that has a plan for ME. I know He knows me and I'm so grateful for that. Remember the reason for the season! xoxo

Love,

Sister Egan

Our District

At Margarita's

Possible

Hello Everyone! 

This week was really good! We are seeing so many miracles in our mission! And her in Weston as well! 

On tuesday we had our webex and our mission introduced a really cool challenge for the last 2 months of the year. It's called 50/50. So in January of this year we had our MLC and we set goals for 2016. In the meeting when we were trying to decide on the number of baptism we wanted to strive for, everyone was really indecisive and we couldn't agree on a number. An elder suggested that we kneel down and pray about it. So we did. Afterwards, a couple of people really felt inspired that 465 was the right number. When there were many people that felt comfortable we decided that 465 was the number of baptisms our mission wanted to work towards. At the end of october we were just under 100 away from reaching this goal. Our mission has been really consistent this year of getting an average of 42 baptisms each month, And for November and December our mission has challenged us to get 50 baptisms each month. This is totally POSSIBLE! We are all really excited for this goal. We know that everything is possible with the help of the Lord. And as we strive hard and work together we will be able to accomplish this goal! Now I would ask all of you that you would pray specifically for our mission that we will be able to do this. We are already seeing so many miracles and we know there is a great work to be done here in the MBM! 

One of the amazing miracles that happened in our area this week was at our dinner appointment. A less active woman invited us over for dinner and while we were over there her daughter out of the blue said, "I'm not baptized yet, and I really want to get baptized." How amazing is that? She is 9 years old and such a sweetheart. So we taught her the restoration and we are working on getting her baptized. Another one of our investigators really wants to get baptized as well. So we can see that God truly is blessing us as we work hard and are diligent in this work. 

This week we had MLC and that was a really good meeting. We received a training on how to be better teachers and to help our investigators know our purpose as missionaries. So Sister Demuth and I gave this same training to our zone on friday at our Zone Meeting. We also had a special guest come to our Zone Meeting. We had Clayton Christensen come! If any of you have read, "Power of Everyday Missionaries" then you are familiar with this amazing man. He is such a good member missionary! He is also a professor at Harvard. We contacted him a couple months ago, and he was so willing to come and talk to our zone. He talked on the importance of knowing and using members in missionary work. He also said that many people want to serve and help people, they just don't know how or where to go to do it. He told us to encourage our members to ask nonmembers if they need help with something. Of course he went into much greater detail, but that was the gist of what he was saying. It was really interesting and definitely something new. 

We had some really great lessons this week with our different investigators. They are all progressing and doing well! Sister Demuth and I are doing well. The fall is in full swing and it is getting cold out here! It's crazy to me that the Holiday's are upon us! 

I hope everyone has a great week! 

Love you all! 

Sister Egan

Life Is Good!

Hello Everyone!! 

Life is good here in Boston! We had a good week! It's crazy that today is Halloween! Where is the time going?

Some highlights from the week:

So we have a new investigator! Her name is Sharon- she is from Uganda! So we got a media referral from some elders in Ohio. They taught Sharon for a few weeks before moving here. She went to church a few times and loved it! So we were finally able to meet her this week. She is amazing! She has a little 3 year old, who is the cutest little thing! Sharon came to our Fall Festival ward activity. Our ward is SO good at fellowshipping and everything went really well! Sharon has a sincere desire to learn and she is so genuine! We are really excited to teach her more! 

This weekend we also had a mini-missionary with us! She is 16 and from one of the stakes in our mission. We picked her up on Friday night and dropped her off on Sunday afternoon! It was so much fun to have her with us! She has such a strong testimony and I loved that she was able to share it with us! So we had an event in West Bridgewater for PVC, so she came with us. It was a baptism and it was really cool. The spirit was really strong at the baptism and it made me so thankful that we can feel the spirit!- to have that confirmation that God really does love us and that He is truly looking out for us! 

Nothing else too exciting happened this week! We have a pretty busy week ahead of us, so that will be fun! 

I love you all! 

Love, Sister Egan

                                                                      Our Mini Missionary - literally!

A sad excuse for a birthday cake. So many things went wrong in the making of this cake! But it works! 

Finished at the Temple

Hello Everyone! 

So I'm officially back from the temple open house. It really was one of the greatest and fulfilling experiences of my life! I loved just being able to be at the temple all day, and I loved being able to talk to so many people and answer so many questions. On saturday (the last day of the open house) we were in the reception tent and a woman came up to me and told me that she was really interested in our religion. I got talking with her and I was able to bear my testimony on how the community of church is such a blessing and that when we come together we are able to learn from one another and strengthen our own faith. This woman is golden. She is going to be meeting with the missionaries soon! The temple really touches the hearts of those that enter! It will be really interesting to see how the work will progress in that area! Over 51,000 people went to the temple during the open house! 

Another favorite part of being at the temple was seeing people from my previous areas! I saw so many people that I absolutely LOVE! I am so grateful for everyone that I have met since being on my mission. There are people that I have met that I can't imagine living the rest of my life without knowing. I also believe that people come in our paths for specific reasons- and that makes me so happy! 

So on Sunday we drove back to Weston! As fun as the temple was, it is great to be back! Back in our own beds, our own car. ... but not a key to our apartment. So we had to give our key to the AP's so the new sisters coming into the mission could stay at our apartment a couple weeks ago while we were at the temple. Last week, we met one of the new sisters that stayed in our apartment at the temple and she asked if we had found our key yet. Umm, what? Haha then she told us that the APs couldn't find our key. We then proceeded to call the AP's and sure enough- they lost our keys. So when we came back yesterday we had to break into our apartment. That was fun! Oh the adventures of missionary life. We are still working on getting one haha.

Today for Pday we went to Boston! We went to the aquarium! It was really fun! 

Life is good! 

Love you all! 

Sister Egan