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

Reason for the Season

Hello Everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I missed being at home, but we had a great Thanksgiving.

This week we went on Exchanges. I went to Glastonbury with Sister Lind. Wow. She is such a great missionary! We had a great day! I felt like everyone we saw, touched my heart in one way or another. I felt the spirit so strongly that day! I needed to go to Glastonbury! I learned so much on that exchange. All the people we saw were so positive, despite their situations. I have been feeling very discouraged lately, and these people helped me realize how important a positive attitude is and how I can rely more wholly on the Savior. 

On Thanksgiving we went to our members house. They are hispanic and they were throwing a huge party! There were so many people! They were all speaking spanish and then it was time for dinner. We had a huge dinner! So many new foods, that I have never eaten on Thanksgiving! We ate a lot of rice, pork, and yucca! Don't worry- we had some turkey and sweet potatoes as well. Man, we were so full after that! It turned out to be a pretty good Thanksgiving! I have so much to be grateful for. I have a wonderful family and I have this marvelous opportunity to share the gospel with the people in Avon, CT. I love this church. I love my Savior. I am looking forward to this holiday season to celebrate his birth!

This week, I realized how grateful I am for the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. I think I have taken that for granted since being on my mission. We stopped by an inactive member's home, and she kindly invited us in. We got to know her a little bit and not to far into the conversation the spirit was completely gone. I honestly didn't know what to do. I wanted to get out of there. I felt really uncomfortable and I knew that that is why we need to have the spirit with us. We need to live worthily of the companionship of the Holy Ghost. When we have the spirit we can feel God's love and be happy!

Sister Z and I gave the training at District Meeting on Talking with Everyone. In PMG is talks about teaching the Restoration briefly and simply. And then it promises us that if we do that, we will be able to get a new investigator. So we challenged our district to implement the 1min restoration we practiced on someone that day. I was so nervous as I was issuing this challenge. I was nervous that we wouldn't be able to do it. We went about our day and it got be dark. We were in a little apartment complex and we decided to knock on a few doors. We knocked on this door and a woman came to the door. She and her family are from India. She graciously invited us in! We were so surprised. We went in and shared our 1 min restoration. We talked about the Book of Mormon and gave them a copy. Before we knew it, they brought us out glasses of Lemonade (probably the most delicious lemonade I've ever tasted) and some Indian cookie type things. These people were so sweet! This family is moving to India tomorrow, so we won't be able to see them again. But we got their information and their email address. We are going to try to stay in contact. It was a really neat experience! I know that because we were diligent in seeking out someone to share the restoration with, we were able to plant a seed in that family's hearts. 

Last night we went to a Fireside that President Miller was speaking at. He spoke on the Restoration in the New England area. I learned so much! There have been many accounts of spiritual experiences in New England. I love that I have this opportunity to serve where "it all started". I know that we have a prophet on the earth today to lead and guide us. I know that Joseph Smith knelt in a grove of trees and God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him. And because of that, we now have the fullness of the gospel on the earth today. I feel so blessed to have been able to stand in that same grove of trees and to have the spirit testify to me of the truthfulness of Joseph Smith's account. 

Now as we begin this Holiday season, let us remember the REASON FOR THE SEASON. Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World, was born that each and every one of us might be perfected in Him so we can return and live with our Heavenly Father again someday. I invite you all to go watch the new church initiative that just came out. #ASaviorIsBorn  christmas.mormon.org

I love you all so much! Thank you for all the support you give me!

Love, Sister Kellie Egan

Sister Lind and I.

I thought this was hilarious!

Our Thanksgiving Feast

It's that time of year!

We found a Christmas Tree in our cottage and decided to decorate it. Safe to say it is probably the tackiest Christmas tree I have ever seen... sorry mom!

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's crazy to me that Thanksgiving is this week! Time is flying! 

It sounds like you all had an eventful week with the storm and all. I wish I could have seen it! What is with Spokane and these wind storms? 

So let's see... This week was good. I am having a really good time, but I am also feeling really discouraged. I feel like I am working so hard and absolutely nothing is coming from it. I feel like I am doing the same thing everyday and there isn't much making me too excited. I am however looking forward to this upcoming Sunday because President Miller is giving a fireside in our stake. 

So some highlights of this week. On Tuesday we had dinner at this MANSION. So one of our members is a nanny for this super wealthy family and they had us over for dinner. They had a friend from India over as well and we had some authentic indian food. So lamb, and a bunch of other things that I don’t really know. We had a really good discussion with Mr. L ( he has money coming out of his ears).  He casually brought up his yacht that stays in Florida for most of the year but comes up to New England during the summer because you know, we are really close to a beach here in Avon  - haha)  Anyway, he has a lot of respect for the church and how it is family based. He loves his family! He asked a lot of questions about missions and such. It went pretty well, but I don’t think he’s interested.

On Wednesday we went and stopped by a members house because she has been helping us a lot with our investigator, Mikele. We asked Sister Hart what she thought Mikele needs. She told us that she had been praying a lot for Mikele and how to help her. She didn't give us any specific things to do, but she did say that she would continue to pray for her. We found out later that day that Sister Hart had sent out a text to some of the women in the ward asking them to pray for Mikele. I thought it was so sweet of her to do that. And it's great because we are getting more members involved in our work.

Also on Wednesday we stopped by Mikele's house. We answered a lot of her questions.... but she still has a way to go. I just don't know what direction to go anymore. She is pretty set on her opinion on a couple things and I think it's keeping her from seeing the bigger picture and how Jesus Christ really did suffer for her and how through him we are all saved. 

Later that day we met with the Sister Training Leaders in our Zone (kind of like zone leaders) we asked them how we could better help this area and get things going. We were all brainstorming for a long while and nothing really came from it. It was super discouraging.... I honestly don't know what to do. We have visited almost every LA on the list and we aren't having any luck finding anyone new to teach. 

We have been teaching Niko, from Finland, online and this week we were able to skype him a few times. And on Thursday we were able to get a hold of the Sister Missionaries in Helsinki! I love that I am a part of the digital mission that we can skype and teach people from all around the world! Niko went to a ward activity on Friday night and then went to Stake Conference on Sunday! He has read all of 1st Nephi and he has amazing questions and really wants to learn! 

On Friday we had our District Meeting, which went really well. As for Sister Z and I- we are doing great! I love her! She is such an incredible human being! She is teaching me how to cook super yummy and healthy things and we just get along really well! I am so sad that she is going home in 3 weeks... That means I get a new comp.... and I will probably be staying in Avon for another transfer.... 6 months in Avon, wow. 

On Saturday we went and skyped Niko again and then went and dropped off a thank you note at the Loree family's house... excuse me, mansion. Haha and then we went to the temple site so Sister Zickella could see the trailer and some of the renderings of what the temple will look like on the inside. 

Church was really good on Sunday. I was just super happy during church and I felt the spirit so strong. As the choir was singing I couldn't help but smile. I love that all these saints were singing their hearts out because they Love the savior so much. The music was incredible and I just felt the spirit so strong. It's a testimony to me of the power of music. Music can really bring the spirit!

Thank you so much for all the love and support! If you guys could pray for Mikele that she would come to church that would be so great! 

I love this gospel. I love that I get to devote my time to serving Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. There is so much to be thankful for! 

I hope you all have a wonderful thanksgiving! 

Love, Kellie

Connecticut Sky 

I'm So Happy!

This week has been so good. I love Sister Zickella. She is the best!  Just super sweet and always happy. Of course I am going to miss Sister Barrett, but I think it was time for a change. 

This email is going to be pretty short. We had a lot to do this morning and later we are going to play volleyball with the zone!

On Tuesday we were super busy. We had a lot of appointments and were going going going. So we went to see this LA women. She is the one that told us about how she is really considering committing suicide. It is so sad. Iris broke down and just started crying to us. She told us that God sent us there for her. We were sent to save her because she is on the edge. She wanted me to tell you that I am here for a reason and that by being on my mission I am saving people. I thought that was really sweet of her to say.

On Wednesday we left at 1 to get to Weston. We drove alongside 3 other missionary cars and because we have the things that monitor our speed, we all stuck together. We stopped at Chik Fil A and then went to get our cars their safety inspections and then we went to Transfer Meeting. I love hearing the testimonies of the departing missionaries. It makes me even wonder if I will ever get to that point. Someday. So I said goodbye to Sister Barrett and then Sister Zickella and I made the 2 hour trek back home. The GPS wasn’t working and so I got super lost.  Needless to say it was a late night. 

The rest of the week we had a few appointments and just stayed super busy. I’m just super happy and I love the work that I’m doing.

I love you all!

Kellie

Sister Demuth and I with President Miller's daughter.

Hartford Temple Site

Sister Zickella and I

Our Cottage Door