Moving Forward & Making Some Decisions

At the MTC Training Resource Center with Sestra Pelton & Sestra Menjevar (both heading to the Adriatic North Mission)

Here's what's up with McKenzie:

The last couple of weeks have been filled with some emotional decisions as well as some sweet blessings.  McKenzie has continued to feel better physically and has been getting some of her energy back. She still had some days with headaches, but overall she has been feeling so much better. Her foot bath last week was black, which meant she was detoxifying her liver. Yay!!! haha.

The last week or so we have been working on the emotional part of all of this for McKenzie. As we have mentioned before, it is hard to have to come home from your mission because your body doesn't cooperate. Your spirit and mind are ready to do whatever the Lord needs you to do, but your body just won't:( McKenzie is a positive person, therefore she doesn't like to think about sad things or things that are hard. This experience has been very sad and hard for her. We have spent a lot of time talking about it and have tried to help her know that it is something she can't just jump over, or pass by. She has to deal with what has happened to be able to move forward.  That is the hard part. We have told her that even when it's hard to talk about or do certain things she still needs to do them to be able to heal from this experience and be able to move forward (I have learned a few things through the years being a psychologist's wife:) haha.

That's what McKenzie has been trying to do the last week or so. There have been some amazing blessings that have come from this. She even called me one night when she was out and said,  "Mom! I can tell that I am getting better!!!" She was so excited and happy. Sometimes all of this has felt so hopeless and frustrating to her. Here are a few things that have happened this week:

1-McKenzie decided to move back to Provo for the spring and summer. She wants to see how her body will do if she is living on her own and with a little more stress. She has her job back at the Monte L. Bean Museum at BYU, so she will working there. She is nervous about moving out, but feels like she needs to see how she does:)

2-She went to the TRC (Training Resource Center) at the MTC to be an investigator for the Croatian speaking missionaries. She has wanted to do that since she got home, but it was a hard emotional thing for her to make herself do, since it reminded her of where she was wanting to be. The blessings poured out on her as she entered the MTC. As she was walking in the door, she came upon  two sweet couples who were in her branch presidency there at the MTC,  the Hendersons and the Briscoes. She was so grateful to see them.  Next she headed to the TRC and met up with one of her MTC teachers, Sister Carter. Another amazing blessing:) Then she was able to be an investigator for two sisters going to her mission that she had been able to talk to before they had left for the MTC. (Sestra Pelton & Sestra Menjavar) It was an amazing experience! Now she wants to go every week:) (It was after visiting the MTC that she called me to say that she knew she was getting better:)

McKenzie with the Hendersons at the MTC.

McKenzie & the Briscoes when she was in the MTC:)

3-Also her mission president's wife (Sister Rowe) and son (Colton) called her the other day. It was so wonderful for her to talk with them. McKenzie loves Colton who is like a little brother to her and Sister Rowe is such a great friend and example to her.  Sister Rowe caught McKenzie up on everything that was going on in the mission and told McKenzie to make sure that she was finding ways to serve, no matter what they were so that she would feel useful. She thought it would be great for McKenzie to move to Provo and be able to serve in her student ward:)

4-On Sunday McKenzie was also finally able to share her mission experiences with our extended family. We had a little FHE and she was able to tell them about her experiences as a missionary.

5-Also Elder Bell came over to visit McKenzie. He just got home from the Adriatic North Mission 6 days ago. It was great for her to visit with him about the mission. He plays the piano beautifully. They were able to do a musical number at the Chirstmas Conference last December. Of course while he was here they had to sit at the piano and play and sing:) It was awesome!!!

Elder Bell and McKenzie

We are so grateful for the progress we are seeing in McKenzie. We are grateful for the ways that the Lord is blessing her and showing her that he knows her and that he loves her.  Thanks again for all your prayers in her behalf:)