Week 84: 🤒🤧

Good morning everyone! This morning I have a bit more time to write you all than I have the past few weeks. This is where you fall under the false impression that you will finally have more to read about the mysteries and adventures of Elder McKinley. Why? 

I got sick. 

Wednesday morning came and I was feeling a bit meh. I did not think too much of it and we went about our normal business. We visited one family and ended up staying for a good amount of time talking about some personal challenges they were facing, reading the scriptures together and ultimately trying to understand God's opinion on the matter. After this appointment, I felt like I had been hit by a bus. I felt so weak and had a fever of 102 and couldn't really eat anything and so from about 3-8pm I slept. After a priesthood blessing and the heaven sent gift of lemsip max, the fever broke in the night. Other symptoms have been lingering since Wednesday and the week has been up and down because of it, but today I am feeling so much better and ready to have a nice, full, normal, healthy week of missionary work. 

Considering I was sick, I do not really have many stories from the week, but I wanted to tell one and then I will leave you with some thoughts. 

Saturday morning the sun was shining and Elder de Carlo and I were both feeling really great. We felt that we should go by a local park and talk to people there. We walked by the basketball court and saw a guy shooting hoops all by his lonesome, so naturally we asked if we could join in. We had an amazing time and we learned he doesn't know which religion is true, but he knows that God is real. We told him we had a full size court in our chapel and invited him to come play with us and some friends there some time and then have a chat about God and he agreed. The whole entire exchange was so natural. Everything about it felt right. This is being a missionary. Taking moments to meet people where they are and to let them see who we are. The beauty of this work I do is found in the doctrine of who we are: spirit children of a Heavenly Father. When we see everyone as our spiritual brothers and sisters, our tendencies to judge are replaced with tendencies to love. 

British Word of the Week: programme - it's just program, I know, but I can't get over how they spell it. As an aside, I have registered for classes at BYU this fall and most of them are writing based. I am praying my professors give me so leeway as I transition my British English writing to American English writing, because otherwise I'm doomed. 

British Food of the Week: lemsip max - medicinal tea; imagine hot lemonade (american lemonade) that relieves all pain

Scripture of the Week: Mosiah 7:3-10

Companion Comic: So I have too many...honestly, I can't narrow it down. Elder de Carlo is too great haha

I am learning and growing so much. I feel like I am where the Lord wants me to be, doing what the Lord wants me to do. I love you all and hope you have an amazing week!

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