Hermana McKay Hadley: "On the Lord's Errand"

Hey everyone! This week has been awesome as always! I have been soaking up every single minute of my mission. This week we got sick again, it has been so bad. There is a Flu epidemic that has been going around LA and almost all the missionaries, members, and investigators have gotten it! It has been all over the news! But we got better from it very fast, thanks to many bottles of DayQuil and Doterra. Thanks mom:) hahaha.

This week we were not able to meet with our investigator Jorge, the one who will be getting baptized, because his whole family has been sick. We decided to be a little creative and “soccer attack” their door since he loves soccer a TON. We didn’t think that he would like to be "heart attacked" and we knew that the soccer balls were the best way to go.

We drew a lot of soccer balls, colored them and put scriptures on some of them. We even had a "Goal" up at the top of the door, his family loved it so much! Hna. Dunn and I were very proud of our work! All of our other investigators are doing pretty great, they have just been having a hard time coming to church. :(

This week we had a pretty cool miracle happen. Hermana Dunn and I had decided to bike for the morning work. As we were biking down the street a man was pushing his shopping cart filled with plastic bottles. He stopped us and said, "Hi" and we started to talk to him, we could tell that he had special needs.

He told us that he wanted us to come over to his house around the corner and talk to him about God, we said that we could and he had us follow him to his house. As we were walking down the street with our bikes following him he was saying hi to all of his neighbors and telling them all that we were his new friends, it was very sweet.

We sat outside his house where he lives with a few other special needs people that are family to him. He loved hearing our message and even made the return appointment for us ;). It was a very tender moment for Hna. Dunn and me. I loved being able to talk with him and notice how close he was to the Spirit, and he recognized us as servants of God.

Now, I want to share a little story that a member shared with us this week that I thought was a great story. Once upon a time there was a man and his wife, they were traveling to another town with all of their belongings and a little "Burrito" or Donkey :). As they traveled the wife sat on the donkey and the man walked on the side. People started saying, oh that poor man who has to walk by his donkey while his wife just sits on top.

So, they switched and the husband sat on the donkey and the wife walked. When they did that then everyone started talking about how that was terrible for the husband to sit and have his wife walk. They switched again and this time they were both sitting on the donkey, but then everyone started talking about the poor little donkey and how sad it was that he had to carry both of them. So yet again they switched and this time they both walked and the donkey didn't have to carry either of them... but all the people were talking about how they were not wise and how they should have used their donkey.

The point of this story is that sometimes we need to do what we need to do, there will always be people against us or that do not agree with the choices we make, but what is important is that we do what we know and follow what God wants and not care about what others think :). Just a little fable for you to ponder about!

To end my letter, I want to express my love to the family of President Monson’s passing. Wednesday was a difficult day for me as I heard the news. I know that he is very happy and looking out for me here. The mission has been praying for the whole Monson family. We have been so blessed to personally know President Monson.

On my mission, we are only allowed to watch church videos. There is a video that is called “On the Lord’s Errand” and is a biography of President’s Monson’s life. Whenever I felt homesick or needed a pick me up I would watch that video and listen to the stories from my relatives and see pictures of the family. “On the Lord’s Errand” has been a great comfort to me and I have watched it a lot ;).

For his 90th Birthday this year our family was asked to write letters of memories we have had with President Monson. I am so glad that I wrote my memories of him for him to have before he passed away. I have asked my mom to attach a copy of my letter to him at the end of my letter.

President Monson had served to the very end and was truly on the Lord’s Errand. I know that I am also on the Lord’s Errand and serving with all my might to the very end. I will always remember that we both finished our different journeys during the same month.

It has been a blessing to have him apart of our lives. On my mission, I have felt the presence of both of my Grandpa’s by my side and now I am very excited, and have no doubt, that I will have President Monson by my side to help me finish my mission!

Love,

Hermana Hadley

August 21, 2017

President Monson,

Over the years I have had the privilege of having many sweet little tender moments of learning more about your growing up years and how you gained your testimony.

One of my favorite memories was when I was younger and we would see you and your sweet wife Frances pull up at the cabin. I would run to my Grandma’s pantry to grab your wife’s favorite treat, watermelon licorice.

I cherish some very tender moments that I spent with Sister Monson as a young girl. While others were visiting with you, Sister Monson and I walked around her yard there at the cabin.

The two of us would talk about the different things growing and I was able to help her by pulling some weeds and trimming some branches. I will always remember how special it was for me to be able to serve her in any way I could and enjoy those quiet moments with her.

I wanted to thank you for always being an example to me growing up. I always looked forward to the times when I was able to talk with you and you would always ask me if I was planning to go on a mission.

Currently as a missionary, I am so grateful that I have chosen to serve our Heavenly Father! It is the biggest blessing I have received in my life!

Thank you and I love you so much!

Hermana McKay Hadley

Missionary in the California San Fernando Mission

Spanish Speaking