LETTER FROM PRESIDENT GRAYSON . . .

How wonderful it was to hear from President Grayson and learn where Elder McEwan will serve in his first area! He is pretty much on the "Florida-Georgia Line" as he is serving in the farthest south area of the mission.

July 27, 2016

Dear Brother and Sister McEwan,

We were so delighted to meet your son as he arrived in our mission on Monday and to be able to spend time orienting him to this new phase of his service. On Tuesday morning we had our transfer meeting which included instructions to the missionaries, inspirational talks, some heartfelt testimonies and assignments to their first companion and area of service. Following the meeting, Elder McEwan and his companion traveled to Valdosta to his first assignment.

We know he will prosper here in the days ahead and assure you that we will do everything in our power to help him find joy in his service and success in his labors. Your weekly emails will do much to support Elder McEwan as he labors in this wonderful work. Elder McEwan will be able to email home on Preparation Day which is each Monday. Just a reminder, when Monday happens to fall on a national holiday, those who use the public libraries will not have access to a computer, therefore, they usually email on Tuesday instead.

Your missionary is about to make an eternal difference in the lives of others. We hope you will be encouraged and comforted by this quote from President Lorenzo Snow. “There is no mortal man that is so much interested in the success of an elder when he is preaching the Gospel as the Lord that sent him to preach to the people who are the Lord’s children” (Millenial Star, July 16, 1894, p. 451)
We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all you have done to prepare Elder McEwan to faithfully serve a mission. We look forward to getting to know him as we serve our Heavenly Father here in the Georgia Macon Mission.

We are extremely pleased to have your son here serving with us.

President Roger Grayson
Georgia Macon Mission

ARRIVAL IN THE "FIELD" . . .

We were so happy to receive a text from Elder McEwan when he arrived in Georgia (from President Fussell's, Counselor in the Presidency, phone) . . .

Hi Momma! It's Elder McEwan. We landed and are going to the mission home right now. Love Everyone

Shortly after, President Fussell himself texted . . .

This is President Fussell. Thank you for your sacrifice in lending your son to us for 2 years!! May our Heavenly Father richly bless you for it.

Later an email from Sister Jensen, Mission Secretary . . .

This is just a short note to let you know that your missionary arrived in the Georgia Macon Mission safely.  Today is such a long day for them that I will be sending out only a group photo today.  You will receive an individual photo of your missionary with President and Sister Grayson.  Everyone was in good spirits and anxious for dinner since they had been up since about 2 am already.  Tomorrow they will find out where they are assigned and who their first companion in the field will be.

FINAL WEEK IN THE MTC . . .

July 20, 2016

Dear Family,

The food is good here but I really just want to make my own food because this food has been giving everyone in the zone stomach problems since day one.

Well, so we have had a fun time here at the MTC with learning how to help investigators and teach them.

Me and Elder Bowler had a fun time last night (really afternoon). We were teaching one of our teachers as like mock lessons and it did not go very good and we ended the lesson early. Our teacher called us back in to evaluate what happened and he said very bluntly and firmly "WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT?" Let’ just say we went and had a companion study about that and our lesson with our TRC investigator went amazing. We are going to thank our teacher for that talk :).

I have been reading in the Book of Mormon and highlighting words and phrases like crazy. Something I have realized now is that there is a lot of” Lord” or “God” in the scriptures and it makes sense because this is His church and we are just the messengers teaching like HEAVEN :) I write in my journal nightly and have also purchased another triple so that I can highlight more stuff that I can’t in the other set of scriptures.

We had the greatest day on Sunday. We got to watch the Character of Christ by Elder Bednar because they like to show this to all the new missionaries, which by the way, the total that came in with me was 640 missionaries and close to 750 last week. But anyway, we were watching that as our devotional on Sunday and after it was done we see the MTC 1st councilor stand and make the stand-up motion and GUESS what!!!! Elder Bednar came in and we had a Q and A with him and we had the spirit speak to us so strong that night. :)

Elder McEwan & Elder Graham (Salem Hills Buddies)

I got a Sunday calling and it’s the sacrament coordinator. Basically I'm the Deacons President, the Teachers President, and the Priest Assistant. Glad I had a little bit of training in my youth :). Also we went to the Provo Temple today and last week and did an endowment session which was pretty cool.

Thank you for the package you sent me! All of the Elders were pretty impressed with the homemade Oreo cookies :). I bought a calling card so that I will be able to call home from the airport before I leave. I was able to see Elder Carson Hill and Sister Mckensie while here at the MTC as well as all my other friends from high school. :)

We are having fun and loving the work we do. We are ready to leave the MTC and go to the world and bring them HEAVEN ( haha see what I did there). Speaking of my flight, it is on Monday at about 836, weird time, and we will be leaving here about 4:50 or 5:00. I will try to from the airport. I love you guys so much and want to hear everything that’s going on back home.

Love Elder McEwan
--
2 Nephi 31:20

WEEK 2 IN THE MTC . . .

So grateful to loving leaders who help us to see the big picture when Mom and Dad aren't there. Already seeing the tender mercies of a loving Heavenly Father in Elder McEwan's mission.

July 13, 2016

Hi Everyone,



So today is the start of week two and I just have to say that I never want to come home because I love teaching the gospel and I love the people I have been teaching in my TRC training.

Elder McEwan & Elder Bowler

So what’s been going on with everyone? How was the reunion and the family? I saw that Dylan passed drivers ed and that he won’t be getting pulled over or else I’ll come home to teach him a lesson ;) but how is work stuff and the basement and my garden !?:)

So last week was a blast. I met my comp and he is from Enterprise, Utah and plays baseball. His name is Elder Bowler and he is super awesome. In my district there are only 4 of us going to Macon but in my zone it’s about 12 or 14 with 3 sisters going as well.

Elder McEwan & Elder Christensen (Salem Hills Buddies)

So recently people have been questioning me and my age because everyone thinks I’m too young and that I don’t look like a missionary. The first time I was questioned, I didn’t really feel anything but then some other missionaries, even senior couples were saying, “Elder, really you can’t be in here because this is only for missionary work not to look for brothers.  I thought, “Well I don’t know any more if I can do this when other members are telling me that I don’t look like a missionary. I was super down on myself and was really set on talking to my district president to send me home because it was too hard to have people tell me this. I was really crying because I wanted to be a great missionary but then my people I live with and talk to (all mtc) were being this way. So I talked to my district president and his wife and his wife said, "Who says they get to question if you’re a missionary when a servant of the Lord called you to serve?" She was also telling me that if I didn’t have my name tag that would be different. I thought about Elder Bednard’s Christmas devotional a few years back when he talked to the MTC and said, "This is not about you. There is no "I" . This is about the Lord and his work." And I just thought that is so true that we are never on our time (I am feeling this is going by so fast) but that this is the work of the Lord and we are just the messengers and voices for him to help his brothers and sisters come unto Him and live His teachings.

Elder McEwan & Elder Watson (Salem Hills Buddies)

I love each and every one of you and hope you are having fun :)

Love Elder McEwan

PS Send me letters! I am getting lonely out here. Also we have been told that our departure is the 25th of July but we haven’t had that confirmed.
--
2 Nephi 31:20

DAY 1 IN THE MTC . . .

July 6, 2016

Hey guys, this is Elder McEwan!

Today has been a very fun and exciting day.  I have met all the Elders so far from Salem Hills. Elder Morley came in today as well. We have been having a lot of lessons and mock teaching moments, which really open up your eyes when you see that not everyone has the same understanding as you. I met a guy from the DR and he said he didn’t feel like the Lord loved him because of a few things but that he really wants to know and try his hardest.

I Love you guys and will write a letter soon and tell you all about today. This day has been very, very busy.
Love Elder McEwan
--
2 Nephi 31:20

AND HE'S OFF TO NEW ADVENTURES . . .

Tradition of M-T-C-! Picture

. . . And he never looked back!

FINAL SEE YA'ALL LATERS . . .

All the brothers 

The Family 

Former Elder McEwan #2 & Current Elder McEwan

Former Elder McEwan #1 & Current Elder McEwan

Future Elder McEwan & Current Elder McEwan

Mom & Elder McEwan 

Dad & Elder McEwan

Grandpa Losee & Elder McEwan

Grandma Losee & Elder McEwan

GETTING PREPARED TO LEAVE . . .

Ordination to an Elder in the Priesthood 

I'm going to the temple . . . to then go on a mission!

Elder McEwan with Sean, Garrett, Dylan, and his
"Elder Parker" bear from us all!