Week 103 – Two Years. 2 John 1:12

"Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full." I thought about sending just this for the week, but then I figured I have written you nice, long emails for two years, why stop now?

You know how cliché it is to say that it has been the best two years, right? I won't say it then, I will say this has been the most incredible two years of my life. For my life. I wouldn't trade anything that has transpired for a thing in the world. I have been so filled with gratitude as I have reflected on the many experiences that I have been able to have. The many moments I have been able to share with others. I know without a doubt this is where the Lord has needed me to be. I know that there were a people here that I was called to. I am going to miss these people more than I think I can properly describe in words. But I know there have been others that I have been able to help, and vice versa, to helping to have that reunion in the heavens. 

My mission has just been, amazing. It has been the most challenging two years of my life. That is without a doubt. But I know that I have been aided and helped through it all. The scripture in D&C 84:88. "And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up." Really focusing on "going before your face" aspect of it. What a testimony I have obtained that truly the Lord prepares that way. Nothing I have been able to accomplish is out of my own power or my own sophistry. But I know that as I have done everything to be that instrument in the Lords hands, that the Spirit has been able to work through me to effect and change the lives of others, but that includes myself. I think all I can really do at this point is, well it comes from another scripture in Alma 32:43. "Then, my brethren, ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit unto you." I know I have done everything that I could in these two years. I know there are blessings that came to me immediately, but others that have had to wait and some that won't come for years. What a blessing. I am so grateful for the people here. For the call I have had for two years to serve my Savior and help our Father's children return to Him. 

I know there are a lot of things that I want to tell you, but I think I will just make you wait so I have something left to tell you! Just thank you for everything you all have done for me throughout these two years. You have helped me to really make this the best two years it ever could have been. I know there have been moments where I wasn't sure what to do, but in an email or something someone has said to me I had inspiration. I knew more of what to do. I have been able to see each of your lives be filled with greater blessings and you come closer to the Lord, I couldn't ask for anything else. I will see you all soon. Thank you for everything. It has really been the most incredible two years that anyone could have ever asked for. 

Love, 

Elder McFall

Week 102 – Count 'em on your toes

I guess that would only work if you have 10 toes, if you have more or less, then ask a friend. I have no idea where time has gone my friends! This week, how to explain it. Something that has really stuck out to me and I have gained a testimony of on my mission is the principle of accountability. As I near the end of my mission, the end of my time here in my area, I have really been reflecting on the lessons I have learned and the time I have spent. There was an experience this week that has really caused to just have an overwhelming spirit of gratitude. Since I got here in the area we have been working with the Fisher family, mostly brother Fisher to reactivate him. Throughout this process there has been a constant focus on the temple and covenants that need to be made there. It has been one of those experiences working with him that has had moments of just pure frustration, glimmers of hope, but just an overall feeling of we haven't made it that far until recently. We have been pushing and pushing, trying to help him. There have been so many roadblocks come, but there was a huge step this week. We had a great meeting with him and our bishop and really got everything put where it needs to be. I mean the work that it even took to have that meeting, what a trip. As we sat in that meeting, I had such an overwhelming love for this individual, I really see him the way our Father must see him, well really just a glimpse I imagine. Brother Fisher has been coming to church much more regularly and consistently, his whole attitude changing. The Atonement is beginning to transform an individual; this is why I am on my mission.  Sure there are many reasons why, but really to allow others to have the Atonement transform their life, this is what the gospel is there for. 

Had an opportunity to teach a guy named Colin this week, definitely a really great guy. He is a very devout Christian, but willing to talk with us and see what we are all about. I love being able to testify of these truths, to explain how we got to where we are. I look forward to the next time we get to teach him and get into more details about the restoration and Joseph Smith. I am so grateful for the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Lord restoring His church through him with all the necessary priesthood keys to enable the human family to reach exaltation. It has been good. 

We had a great member referral this week from Sister Santiago, guy named Andy. What a prepared individual. Just to be able to testify with absolute confidence that we do know the purpose of why we are here, to know what we are supposed to be doing with our lives and know where we are going. We focused on teaching him about Joseph Smith and about the Book of Mormon, and it just clicked with him. Only struggle now will be the teaching because he does shift work, what a struggle! He will definitely move forward though and I see good things coming his way.

This weekend there was a couple Filipino families that kind of gave me a farewell party/belated birthday party! It was a ton of fun! I really hope this week to just get everything done that I need before heading home this next week! Lots of people I need to talk with and see before I head out of here, but there is so much work to be done! I just can't believe this is my last full week as a missionary. These two years have been amazing. I hope it will all come around now at this point and come together. What a blessing it has been. I'll see you soon!

Love, Elder McFall

Week 101 – It's a great day to be alive.

I love life. With that in mind, I am not really sure how to describe the week that we had. It was good, definitely one of those goods where you have to really take a look from the outside and determine that by what the Lord tells you. We made some great progress with Jessi, and that would be for one specific reason. Well for this to make sense I will tell you a story. So we went over to Jessi's this week to just get something put in order, we haven't really been able to meet her, she has been real dodgy, just not really showing commitment. We really have been looking to figure out what is going. Well we go over and you can tell something is a bit off, but nothing serious. Well she opens right up and just explains her concern and what really has been keeping her back. Just a lot about feeling inadequate and not wanting to be a hypocrite by going to church when she is still making all of these mistakes. We explained more fully the doctrine of going to church and helped her to recognize that she isn't doing this for us, we don't invite her to do anything out of obligation towards either of us, but all in an effort to help her have greater blessings in her life. The part that helped all of this come together and she opened up, she was just a little drunk, enough to take that edge off. Looks like there are blessings to alcohol sometimes... Okay not really! But hopefully when we see her again, which is tomorrow, she won't be too embarrassed about all of that. 

Saw Kennedy this week. He has been struggling that is for sure. He now moved again, but once again in just a terrible environment. We start teaching him and then his roommates are smoking weed in the other room. I just want to help this guy, I really do. He has such a good heart and a desire to do good, just needs a helping hand. The members are absolutely key as there are things that we just simply can't do as missionaries to help others out. We talked about a few ideas to help him to feel the power of his conversion to the Lord once more, to rekindle that flame of testimony of the restored church of Jesus Christ, and he really does want to get things going. I think the thing that will make the most difference at this point is just going to be helping him develop those daily patterns. There is much to be learned from the Lord's Prayer, but the part I want to just mention is how it says, "Give us this day our DAILY bread." Just like the children of Israel, we can't store up a bunch of manna and hope that it will keep and we will be alright. We need a daily habit of scriptures and prayer, those are a bare minimum, for us to experience true conversion and really receive all of the Lord's intended blessings. Kennedy came up to the stake Halloween party though, that was great. We dressed up as missionaries, pretty original! 

There is a good brother that lives in the area that I just don't know what more I can do for him. I met him when I first got to the area and have seen him all through different times since I have been here, his name is Eric, by the way. He keeps his faith burning bright, regardless of the many challenged that have come his way. He extends a helping hand, just for that person to turn around and burn him in the end. Yet all through this, he knows that God has a plan for all things. Well we stopped by this week when prompted by the Spirit, to find him cleaning as they got evicted from the place they are living. They are now homeless. He can't work due to medical reasons, doctors order, and his wife is doing her absolute best but still just need to catch a break. We just got talking on his porch as we usually do and I just felt such a love for this man. He is a rough guy, wears like Black Sabbath t shirts, beard, smokes, listens to heavy rock music, yet I simply see him as a son of our Heavenly Father, who is doing his best in his situation. It just gave me such a testimony that God will put us through trials, this we know, but really the test is how we respond. That is what defines Character, I believe. When things are tough, when the pressure is there, what choices are you going to make? Of course, Eric isn't perfect, but he maintains a faith and a desire to follow the Lord. Now if we could just get him to follow the teachings of Christ the way we know it. Every time we see him he talks about what a blessing it is and what a the breath of fresh air we are. The day I met him, gosh I still will never forget that. I am going to miss these people up here so much. So many connections with people, not even investigators, but just the people you run into in your daily activities.

Things with Brother Fisher, our less active we have been working with since I got here, well they are coming. I have been pushing so hard to get things in order for that family. They need the blessings of the temple, I know this without a doubt. There is no sacrifice for the temple that isn't worth making. The sealing blessings that have come through the restoration are absolutely real. This is a life of covenant keeping and making. I am grateful for that. I know I won't be here for that great step, but I can do my very best to support them even when I return home. 

Not too much else. Lots of thing to do I tell you! Two weeks my friends. Got to get this all in order! I love you all! I'll talk to you soon.

Love, Elder McFall

Week 100 – Thanksgiving, birthdays, baptisms

It has been pretty stellar since I last wrote you. Epic would probably be a good way to put it. I love missionary work, I love being a missionary, I love Canada. Definitely going to miss this. I will start with a good man named Ramez Habbash. A less active that I got a hold of a month back or so, he was just about to go back to Jordan-the country. He is from Jordan and has been a member of our church since 1995, but has been less active for a while due to family circumstance. He reads and prays but couldn't attend church. Well, I called him and we had the chance to go over there and meet him, he had asked for a blessing. As we got talking it was yet another absolute witness of God's love and his knowledge of His children. He knows us perfectly and when we listen to the spirit, we are then able to go on His errand. He talked about how when I called, it was the exact moment he needed it. So grateful to have met him and helped his progression back into the gospel. He is in Londonderry ward, so not my ward, but the elders there will do great with him.

We were able to teach Jessie this week, and it went well! We more or less just had a good heart to heart and just reestablished those expectations and what she is going to need to do for this to change her life and she wants it to. Still struggling to get her to church, everything is in place, but then she hurt like her ankle and that got in the way. Frustrating? Absolutely. We will keep going though and see what we can do. I really do see so much potential in her and I know she knows this is a good path to follow, now we just need a little more commitment. 

Taught a new fella named Ryan. I think in my old age, as a missionary, I have become a much more bold missionary, and just laid it out on the line. He had a lot of things that came from, well bad sources and set that straight with pure doctrine. He just soaked it up. Absolutely what he needed. Now we just need to keep things regular and it will be well. I am excited to see where that will go with him. He used to work for a Mormon guy so that has been helpful as well though. When I say he had false info it was because he had info from his friend, which was good, then through time and the internet it became a little blurred. 

This last week I was able to give a talk in Sacrament meeting. I loved it! I seriously love talking so much, just being able to teach others the things I have come to know, I love it. It was all about faith. Interesting, my first talk-my farewell, and then one of the last talks I give is on faith. A principle that has carried me through my entire mission and something I have worked to cultivate and really develop. I gave examples from the scriptures, Abinadi, Joseph Smith, and Peter, then Josephine the lady I taught. Definitely loved that. 

Had my birthday this last weekend on Sunday, so we made it into a celebration weekend, it was a good time. I have eaten lots of cake, which is a good thing though! Yesterday, Canadian Thanksgiving, we went to the Edmonton Eskimos game! They are in the CFL, and it was so much fun! We sat Row 11. Great seats! How did we get our tickets? Well we went to go buy them, started talking to one of those like ticket peddlers, got a good deal. Had to go get money from an ATM in a bar... haha that was kinda funny... then we went. It was a blast though! Absolutely loved it! Then had two big ol suppers for Thanksgiving! I was stuffed! 

Last but definitely not least. The baptism of Patrick Kemle went super well! He loved it. And just seeing him be able to make that change and come closer to our Savior, it was incredible. He has changed so much in such a short amount of time. You can see the desire and his want to just improve his life. To see how the gospel of Jesus Christ can transform an individual, I loved it. Just seeing his face, his spirit. What a day. 

LIFE IS GOOD. I love my mission. I have loved every moment of it. Thank you all so much for the birthday wishes! I love you all! I'll talk to you soon!

Love, Elder McFall

Patrick’s baptism!

Birthday Fun

Canadian Thanksgiving - Filipino Style

P-Day fun at the Edmonton Eskimo's Game

Week 99 – FORE

If you can't tell, I went golfing today. I LOVED IT! If you haven't gone recently, you should really consider it and get out there quick. Even though it was like a mini hurricane out there, we had blue skies and open fairways. Had to definitely shake off that rust, you can tell it's been more than a year! But I think the highlight of the day was an almost hole out from about 65 yards, put it to about 8 inches! It was just great to be out there again and enjoy the day with my comp! The great creations of the Lord I tell you! I am just trying to make these last few pdays count. Next Monday we have an Edmonton Eskimos game on slate for Canadian Thanksgiving. Hopefully that all works out! 

I absolutely loved General Conference. I loved every minute of it. It came so quickly and left so quickly, kinda like Christmas does! If I had to choose some highlights or talks that really stuck out would be the always Elder Holland, just the way he can express his thoughts and give us the doctrine so clearly. I think one that I absolutely loved was Jorg Klebingat of the Seventy. He was so plain with his speech, yet it was just such a call to action. One of the greatest lessons I have learned of my mission, that I truly hope to apply, is simply by never becoming stagnant in life, especially the life of discipleship. There is so much to do to be able to continue to move forward and move closer to the Lord. That is what I need. That is in fact what we all need. I took a few questions in to conference, and I was richly blessed. I am grateful for that. It just further gave me witness of the absolute truth of the restoration. I know it is true, I know it without a doubt in my heart. Nobody, absolutely nobody can take that knowledge from me. We NEED this gospel. We NEED our savior. Knowing about Him, is good. Now work to emulate his example and this is best. 

We taught a fella named Tony this week. He has gone through some difficulty, it being capped by losing his 8 year old daughter last January. He made a promise to her he would start going to church, well it never happened. I feel to just say, if you have made a goal or promise to yourself, get going and make it happen. Too often we let things slip and too much of life is spent missing out on our true potential. But anyways, He really is such a good guy and we are hoping to be able to really help him make that connection, we will see what we can do.

We had a guy I taught a while back and just been keeping in touch over texts the last while, he came out to General Conference and really enjoyed it. We gave him a church tour after and will be meeting with him tomorrow morning. Things are coming around, I can't deny that. I think one of the biggest difficulties of my mission is just wanting things to happen faster! We will see what we can do though.

I had the chance to be able to go see Patrick and those he lives with, three of them are now taking the lessons as well. He is so excited for his baptism this Saturday, and I am so excited for him as well. He has changed so quickly, the spirit has just been transforming him. I am grateful to have met him while serving here. 

Gotta jet my friends. I love you all! I'll talk to you soon. 

Love, Elder McFall

Miss a talk in conference? Click here to watch.

 Golfing!

Week 98 – Where to even begin

I will start with Josephine, what an experience. It was just one of those moments as I sat there at her baptismal service and just let the spirit work. To explain how I felt is difficult. She has come so far and she has really overcome so much to be where she is at right now. She has really seen the blessings of the gospel and she has come to see the progression she herself needs to make. She has come to a point where she is following the answers she receives from the spirit solely on the basis that she knows that is what is best for her. On Sunday I was able to do the confirmation for her, what a blessing in my own life that was as well. I gave a talk about the Gift of the Holy Ghost at her baptism as well and then offering her that gift really just made me reflect on what a blessing the spirit really is in our own lives. What a blessing it is that helps us to stay on that path that leads to exaltation. I really just never want to take that for granted. In the confirmation and bestowing that gift of the holy ghost, you have to say very specific words, that being, "receive the Holy Ghost", that phrase has been on my mind. It takes effort to receive the spirit, then more effort to maintain that spirit in our lives, but any sacrifice you make is nothing in comparison to the blessings that will immediately flow into your heart, mind, and spirit. What a blessing we have in this church!

Patrick, a fella I found and started teaching, then passed over to the YSA sisters, has really been progressing well and will get baptized in a couple weeks, well that is the plan. He bore his testimony in church on Sunday, I wasn't there obviously since he is YSA, but then he came to our church to find me and tell me all about it! We had a good conversation and he asked me very specifically to be at his baptism. It just made me so grateful for the lives that we can be blessing by simply being who we are and always being willing to be on the Lord's errand. The Lord has called each of us as individuals, not just full time missionaries, to be who we are for a very specific reason. We have lives to bless, don't hold anything in. 

What an experience this last week, which has really helped me to further build my testimony for the power of the priesthood. I feel to preface this story with saying that this is nothing about me, nothing about who I am or anything, but a way that I have been able to bless someone's life by being worthy and able to use the Priesthood in its intended way. There was a sister here that the sister missionaries have been helping to reactivate, she has come so far. Well we got a call on Wednesday night I believe it was from the sisters asking if we could come give this sister in the ward a blessing. She had been sick for 3 days, doctors don't really have a real idea of what's going on, she has no voice, just dog sick. I was able to give her a blessing that night, she wakes up the next day, sickness is gone. She is fully healthy. Isn't that a miracle? Isn't that the stories that we read about in the scriptures? This is the same Priesthood Christ and His apostles raised people with, it is fully in use and active now. It has been restored and that I know without a doubt.  I think sometimes we overlook the power that we have in our own lives by holding the Priesthood and the blessing it is in the lives of those around us. It is there to bless the human family, I am grateful for that. 

Before finishing off with the Londonderry Elders-Elder Winnie and Elder Nelson, we were able to teach a girl named Victoria. Truly so prepared for the gospel and it was a blessing to help her in her progression. It is just neat to see someone when they are so prepared to hear the gospel. The work is hastening, it really is.

Another tender mercy of the Lord would have been with the family that Josephine has been living with. She is living with a member family, not the same one she has always been with. Well this family she is with now, after all these turn of events, has a son who is very less active in the church and hasn't come out to anything churchy in a real long time! He came out to Josephine's baptism. Do you see how the Lord works? Do you see how He reaches out to His children in often mysterious ways to us? I am confident that God's love does not ebb and flow with our decisions, His course sometimes is difficult to understand, but when we allow the spirit to continue to guide and allow His will to unveil itself, truly miracles occur. 

Got a real solid new investigator! Kennedy, our Recent Convert, has this girl friend named Natasha and turns out her family is a bunch of Mormons as well. We started teaching her this week after she came to church and everything. Taught her in a member's home at that point and things are really starting to pick up pace. She wants to get baptized, but doesn't want to rush things. As much as I wish she would just fast track this thing and get baptized before I go home, I am grateful for her desires and looking into how this gospel will bless her own life. 

As a District Leader, I love giving trainings in District Meeting each week. I pretty much just write down a few ideas and then just let 'em fly and see where the Spirit takes us. So far so good. The areas I help out are the sisters here in the Castledowns ward, and the Spanish missionaries here for the North stake. So it has been a lot of fun. I went to the temple today, hence the Tuesday email. If you have a temple recommend, go. If you don't, work towards it. Having that blessing of the temple is something that I will cherish and I hope never take for granted. 

I love you all. The days are numbered. I'll talk to you soon!

Love, Elder McFall

My new companion from Palm Desert. His name is Braden Bateman. Been out 9 months - came out last January.

The district at the temple

Week 97 – Last Transfer

Holy smokes people! I am running out of time. Today my last transfer of my mission started, that is too weird! I really don't feel like I should be at this point already, I just am going to do absolutely everything in my power to finish strong and get everything I need to done. I have been so blessed so be here in Alberta and be serving these great people. Over these next weeks, I really am going to be doing absolutely everything I can to cherish them and bless as many lives as possible. This week we definitely had some highlights though! One that I will start with would have to be what I talked about with having Elder James B. Martino of the second quorum of the seventy come and tour our mission and provide training. Through that we had a lot of discussion on a few different topics. The trainings also came from President and Sister Manion, as well as Sister Martino. The ones I think I will share with you though, well my thoughts from it are first from President Manion and Joy in missionary work. He revolved this all around Charity and how if we truly possess Charity, we will be willing to sacrifice in our lives. Joy, comes from absolute obedience and desire to follow the Lord. Joy, comes from us giving of ourselves freely to this great cause. Joy, comes from us following with our heart and mind committed to a single cause and goal. He contrasted Joy, to happiness, and how Joy is greater and is a feeling our Heavenly Father has for each of us. Elder Martino talked a lot about how we can work with the members of the church, so I hope you all perk up for this one! He brought the story from Alma 8-12 really about how Alma went about teaching the people, and although he was in incredible missionary, he didn't see success, until he involved Amulek., From my understanding, Amulek is like unto a less-active member of the church, or someone who had previously been involved with the church but who had fallen away. Alma, was so disheartened that he left the city of Ammonihah after attempting to call them to repentance but getting rejected. Goes back, Amulek receives him, Alma then blesses his house, his family, his friends, and teaches Amulek. They later go on to preach to the people, the people enjoy Alma's teaching, but they aren't converted until later when Amulek preaches, at this point the people are "astonished". It really just hit home how valuable the members of the church are, the other ways we can use them through this whole process of finding, teaching, and fellowshipping investigators and returning members into the church. It is a pattern that works, as simple as that. The other would just be the life of Peter, the chief apostle! This one I could go on and on about. But I am pretty sure Peter is my hero, that is all you get out of me today! 

I saw and taught Kennedy Mukebezi again this week! Since he moved back into the ward we are working to continue to help him in his progression in the gospel. He said something at the end I thought to share with you though. We talked about the blessings of the gospel to wrap things up, and then he said, you know Elder McFall, you said the day you met me and gave me the Book of Mormon I would never regret it and you promised me that my life would be blessed. I really have seen that so much, I have seen so much good come into my life ever since I joined this church. It kinda just hit at that moment how real this work truly is! The blessings are absolutely real, this is the Lord's church, this is all a huge reality. He is a good man, I love him dearly! 

So remember Josephine Morondoz, the Filipino lady I was teaching and got onto a baptismal date? Well this upcoming weekend she will be baptized and confirmed a member of the church! She has asked me to do the confirmation next Sunday, I am so excited! I really am! It is going to be the coolest! She has come so far and done so well. This is definitely a great step for her and one that I know she knows she needs to make. I'll send pictures next week!

We had our Stake Conference this last weekend, it was the best! I love stake conferences! Just to hear inspired words from leaders that are absolutely called of God, and just the spirit that you can feel there. I think we take for granted all the opportunities we do have to receive revelation. I think we only really sit down and listen to the words at General Conference with the intent of receiving revelation, but what about Stake Conference, what about each week at church? These are choice opportunities. The answers don't just come from the words that are spoken, in fact probably most the time it isn't what someone says, but what you actually hear. Something to think about! 

We had transfers today, I will no longer be with Elder Winnie and Elder Nelson, but my new companion will be Elder Bateman from California! He is a good guy, I have known him since he came out. We should be able to just do the good things up here! I am really excited! 6 weeks though, really weird starting my last transfer today! I can't believe how fast time has gone. I mean I am super excited to see you all again, truly. But man, I love this place. I absolutely love my mission so much. Got to make every last second count. I'll talk to you all very soon!

Love, Elder McFall

Mission Tour with Elder and Sister Martino