Week 4

Hi Everyone!

This week was overall pretty successful. Number wise we didn't kill it, but we have seen a lot of good things happening. This week we were able to get two less active families back to church, which was awesome! But also we had a ward Christmas party where we got even more less actives to show up for! One of the families we are teaching had two of their nieces move in, and one is 9 and we have begun to teach her the lessons! So fingers crossed that should be a baptism very soon! We have almost ran through our ward list and area book, there is not much to come from because the missionaries before us didn't really do all too much. They lost the trust of the members and the bishop pretty badly. So the first thing I did when I got here was to try and mend those relationships. We have already had people begging us practically to come over for dinner (supper) and the bishop gave me a great compliment after my talk on Sunday! Slowly but surely we are making our way back in! I even had one member invite me to come back up after the mission and get me on a whitetail hunt, and moose hunt! He has a guide license, and said he would love to take me out, all I have to do is buy a special tag through him and its super cheap!

Some more strange things about Canada though. First it's always frozen. Boo on that. Two, everyone thinks I am a hick cause I have a funny accent to them...they all think I am so southern. It's funny though! I mean lets be serious, I really am in a giant redneck town, yet I am the hick? haha oh well. Oh, we use the backdoors to like all the houses!! Well like 90% of houses use the back door! It’s too weird. So be aware when I am back in the U.S. and you hear a knocking at your back door! Oh we go to the old folks home and talk to some older members right, they have walker parking! It’s hilarious! The ward is split; it's either really old people, or young families. But they are all nice and enjoy the missionaries; now they do at least! So that's been good. The biggest struggle for people up here seems to be Word of Wisdom. And inactivity is usually because we have them as members but they haven't gone to church in years. Also because nobody seems to care if they are married to live together in Canada, so that is a big problem too.

My companion and I do get along quite well! He is into computers and enjoys that stuff. He comes from a small town in Washington. Not really an outdoors guy, but I am slowly corrupting him! Haa. I am my usual positive self and that is really seeming to help. I know I am notorious for being the positive person all the time and I like to sugarcoat things. Our district only has four of us in it, two companionships. Our area just has Elder Johnson and me. His first name is Ace. ha it's a good time! Okay here it is. The work is tough. The finding is very difficult. Not a lot of people seem to want to hear the gospel. There is so much negative propaganda on the internet that even though I pass out mormon.org pass-along cards, they seem to find all the wrong sites...People have such a wrong idea about the LDS Church still! It's been really awesome though to see the Spirit in our lives as we teach. Basically everything we do we feel is guided by the spirit! Last week we were on blitzes down in Spruce Grove, and we decided to just randomly go talk to this Elderly Woman. We got talking and she told us her conversion story, it was so powerful. But at the end she broke down into tears and just said I know you were sent here today for a reason. "I have been struggling heavily with my testimony, and you coming here was a blessing!" How cool is that? And that seems to happen all the time! I really can't even explain to you how wonderful it is to see others, like less active families, come back to church and see the blessings of the gospel in their families. It’s tough being up here and seeing so many broken homes. There are so many single mothers. The things we teach are centered around Jesus Christ first and foremost, but the family is central to God's plan. We see that with a strong belief in the church people can build their families and strengthen those relationships within families. I just want to yell at people and tell them to not be stupid and listen to us! We know how to help! AH! The blessings of the gospel reach far beyond that. So many people struggle with things, and seem so lost. Yet they don't see that the church could help them...it's so tough. I definitely have times where I do miss the family, but I always remember how the gospel has blessed our family immensely over the years. What a blessing we have had to have grown up in the gospel and be able to experience homes that were uplifting and the gospel was a priority. Don't ever forget that. The gospel is an opportunity to find happiness we have never known. Conversion is a never ending process. Always strive to align your will with God's and I can promise you that you will see blessings and happiness in your life you did not know possible...Okay enough missionary mumbo jumbo. :)

I think my accent has gotten stronger since I’ve been up here? uhm...I work out every morning, I think I've continued to lose weight even though the members feed us every night! I am keeping warm, I bought a real nice jacket up here, which helps a whole lot! And my companion gave me a pair of nice mittens that don't fit him. I came highly prepared! My beanie is great! or as they say here my "touque"...yea I refuse to say that! I have some confessions though. 1. I love the markings we sewed into my clothes (to tell my clothes apart from my companions).. haha 2. the high shoes were the greatest idea ever. 3. the electric shaver is the best, I use it every day and stay away from the blade haha.  Oh also I already used the wooden Plan of Salvation teaching aide thing, it was awesome!!

Anyways wish me luck this week! You are all in my prayers every single day! I look back to the letters I have received and at times they are like personal scripture in themselves. I read things that I didn't think would help as much in the moment, but when I read them now I see how I look to those things for so much inspiration. Keep the letters and emails coming. You never know how much they can help! Have a great week everyone!!!

Love, Elder McFall