Week 59 - Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I hope you all had a real Merry Christmas, didn't get fed too much like I did, and just enjoyed the season and the spirit that it brings. My second Christmas out as a missionary was a good one, one that I won't soon forget. I'll be honest, it terrifies me not knowing if I will truly be able to have Christ at the center of the season as I have. Yes, it is in my control, but as a missionary so many of those variables are taken away and you can just simply focus on what really matters. I hope you were all able to remember the true meaning of Christmas this year and be able to feel yourselves drawing closer to our Savior. We always talk about New Years Resolutions.. well I hope you all can make a new years resolution this year of a more spiritual sense. I think the whole, "Lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven" has brought on a new meaning. Think about it, when was the last time you set a goal to "Be more Healthy", "Manage Finances Better", "Take a Family Vacation", etc. etc. etc... I mean these are all righteous goals I think, they are going to help you become better, to do better, will probably even improve the quality of life you are living.. but think about that on an eternal perspective. When was the last time you set a goal to "Read my scriptures every day", "Be a full-tithe payer with the right attitude", "Come to really know my Savior", etc. etc. etc.. Which is better? This isn't tough to see on paper, but why is it then so difficult to apply this in our lives? 

This week was honestly a bit of a patience developer.. once again I think it is because I am holding myself to such a high standard..I just know that there are so many things to still accomplish, running out of time to do that though! We did find a new investigator, well technically two this week. They were a mother, son combo.. they are real nice. Jerome and Yolanda.. more Filipinos. Basically the mom, Yolanda, wants her son to understand Christ and believe in God.. but he won't listen to her so hopefully he will listen to us. So far so good.. we have started right from the start.. currently he is atheist, because in his mind he believes that way is easier. We are working on that, and it all starts with prayer.. we will get it. 

Ah. Abner.. too frustrating.. I am REALLY working on patience with this one. We had a solid lesson with him, ended up being able to get him on a solid commitment with his baptism for Feb. 22.. but here is the kicker.. we can't get him to actually come out to church. He says he wants to come to bad, and knows that is the missing piece.. he commits, we get him a ride.. then he has something come up each week right before. It has been mildly frustrating.. we are doing our best though! We are just trying to figure it of where he really is and how we can help him from where he is at. 

We, okay I say we but really is is the Spirit and Jesus Christ, got S. Lopez to come out to church this week.. she is the LA we have been just recently in touch with.. it was honestly a miracle of sorts how that has all occurred. The most neat part about it all, there is a Filipino family that is real solid that lives just around the block from her that can give her a ride to church every week.. I am just so happy we have been able to help her get back onto that path.. definitely helped me realize how important this gospel can be for our lives.. and just as Christ left the 99 to find the one.. that that one you can find that great joy when they return. So while we may have had a bit of a trying week when it comes to the ministry.. it is those moments where you are just filled with joy.. no other way to put that. 

I love you all! Have a real nice New Years! 2014.. Here we come! 

Love, Elder McFall

Week 58 - Maligayan Pasko!

Merry Christmas to you all!! I unfortunately won't be able to see you all via Skype on Wednesday, so I will just get you a little early! I hope you are all having a great holiday season and enjoying the Spirit of Christ that emanates through the activities we enjoy. It is definitely weird to be thinking that we are going to be together in a year from now for Christmas, even more strange to me to think this is my second Christmas away from home. This Christmas for me is definitely been different already.. just the whole season has felt different than it did last year. I think last year I was feeling of more of what it was going to be like my first Christmas away.. I had a lot of fears, anxiety, amongst the other feelings surrounding the season in its entirety. This year a lot of those feelings are gone, it is more along the lines of focusing on our Savior, focusing on the glad message that it allows us to enjoy in our lives. Lately my thoughts have been focused on what came because of the birth, rather than the birth itself.. even had a thought while teaching a lesson this week on the birth and life of our savior.. we look around us and we see how we need to be serving, we hear it over and over, but often times those opportunities to serve are never in a convenient or comfortable situation.. it was then that I realized this connection all the way to the Babe being born in the manger.. I don't imagine it was very comfortable for Mary to give birth among the sheep, goats, and cows. And then fast forward to all of Christ's life that he lived, ending (well at least his mortal ministry) on the cross near Golgotha, can you imagine that service to us being very comfortable and convenient? Now I realize that is easily answered, so then why is it so hard for us to realize that and act on it? 

This week was a lot more busy than I had anticipated! We were able to meet with Taylor twice.. so that was really good. We are going to hand him over to the YSA soon though and try to get him going to that, get him wifed up hopefully! Okay and get a testimony...

We had our Christmas Conference this week, that was a great experience also. So we were there with about 130 other missionaries, and then Pres. and Sister Manion.. I love those two! They areally do become like your parents while you are out on your mission. It isn't something that you really begin to notice develop, until it's already done. Don't worry Mom & Dad you are not being replaced, just a substitute for a little while. No, in all seriousness the conference was real good.. had a few different trainings on somethings and ideas that I have been thinking about lately, but I think that extends to the whole zone.. inspired maybe? 

We met with Abner this week again right? man, too frustrating sometimes. We have this great lesson it seemed on the Restoration, he says you know I really do believe this.. It seems that you do have the prooff.. sometimes it feels like I am selling the gospel, but don't worry we always make sure they have a spiritual confirmation over anything else.. and he says, I know what you are saying is true. I just need to prove it to myself before I can be baptized. And to prove it I need to be going to church... Great! Wonderful! Super! Except, then he doesn't come to church even when he says he will be there no matter what! AH! We will work on it. 

One miracle that I feel needs to be told.. so when we started doing all this Filipino work we met this SUPER nice Filipina over at the Walmart while shopping on p-day.. she says come find me at my house here is my address.. so we have been trying every week for 2 months now.. and nothing. Finally this week we find her home and get to talk to her.. One thing leads to another and she starts crying and telling us how much she has been praying we will find her home and be able to talk to her.. her family doesn't really like the church and won't answer the door so she just needs to be home. She told us how much she has missed the church, that she doesn't have family support, she doesn't even know what ward she belongs to anymore. But because we were able to find her, we now have things on track, she just expressed her gratitude and love for the gospel and how much she misses it and how glad and grateful she was for us.. now call that a humbling experience. It definitely made me very aware of the real power of this gospel, and as Christ said.. "Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd".

Last but not least, we sang in Sacrament meeting! You missed out a real nice experience.. let's just say we had some angels singing with us because it got waaaay better than our practices before!!

Well, I hope you have a real Merry Christmas! I love you all!!!

Love, 

Elder McFall

Week 57 - Well, here it goes

To say this week was frustrating would probably not even do it justice. Good way to start right? You are all excited and full of energy now! But for some reason people refuse to answer the phone or the door.. they need to just slow down or something. it seems right now that people are all so caught up in the season, they are slowly pushing Christ further and further out of their everyday lives. The problem we are having right now is mostly coming from the time that is spent at work by the Filipinos.. they are picking up the pace with more and more expectations from back home. They are pretty much expected to supply for the family back home, the more they make, the more they send home. Kinda of  a vicious cycle. But because of that, they are picking up more shifts and in some cases more jobs to just cover their basics. We will see what happens in the future, hopefully it will improve once Christmas passes. 

Now to bring light to this email, we are seeing miracles with the Less-Actives we have been working with.. honestly they are feeling the love of our Savior more and more and beginning to understand the love our Heavenly Father has for them. We have been working with Rolando still, he has just come from a life of close depression, to now a life that he appears to be at greater peace and happiness, even though the things in life financially and physically may not be necessarily improving. He is seeing the Holy Ghost more evident and becoming more aware of those promptings. But also he is seeing that this gospel is not so much about being perfect, as obtaining perfection. This is a trial that many go through that I have come across, they feel either they aren't good enough to pray, or not free from sin so they cannot go to church, the list go on and on. It breaks my heart in all honesty. But it does not have to be so! Another lady we are working with is named Nora, she is so sweet to us and honestly just super nice. She has gone from great activity in the church, to what appeared to be complacency and acceptance of a lack thereof. Recently we have been seeing her weekly, and she said in our last visit how much she has been thinking about the gospel, how much she misses the blessings of weekly attendance and the temple.. we went on to talk about the Love of our Savior, to the divinity of his mission, and ultimately the opportunity we each have to turn a new leaf of sorts and begin wherever we are and commence on our path to discipleship.. I love being able to help these people, seems like they are helping me a lot more than I could ever do for them though! 

Met with Lisa and Allen! A miracle! Okay that is a bit aggressive, but it had been too long. We talked about the Plan of Salvation, they had so many good questions. They know this is the right path, but things have just been hard for them as of late.. mostly due to the pressures of the season unfortunately. It has still been so rewarding to see someone who knows this will improve their family's lives, that this is a path that will lead to greater unity.. once again it feels that my testimony of this gospel just flourishes when I am teaching these type of prepared individuals. They are working on just making this a part of their everyday lives.. they are getting so close to just having things fall into place, hopefully it will continue to work out for them.. The problems have been real, the trials have been troubling, but seriously Satan oughta just back off.. Why do the hard things come to those who are trying so hard to do and be good?!

Well, we have Christmas Conference this week, it should be good! Definitely a good time of year to be representing the Lord. Hopefully you all will do all that you can to bring Christ into your Christmas.. What will you give Christ this year?

Love, Elder McFall

Week 56 – Well, here it is

Yikes, so bad news everyone, this week was sort of non-eventful. On the bright side enough happened that I decided to still write.. There were and are miracles occurring with our work.. I think often I just don't focus on those as much as I should. Patience is one of our biggest trials honestly, but really it is because these people do want the gospel and they are willing to learn that makes it so hard in my mind to accept the fact they aren't meeting with us regularly. We have seen some things develop over the last little while though, one of those miracles being with Rolando, he is a less-active guy. He has had a super difficult life, gone through a lot. He was in the military all throughout his time back in the Philippines, and since he got here he has gone through a divorce, etc. etc.. so we got to see him this week and it was one of those things where you can just feel how much he needs the gospel in his life again, and that he knows that for himself too. He has a testimony of the gospel, it is more like a small bush then a great oak though.. We got talking this last week and really he just wants us to spend as much time as we can with him, whenever we are in the area to come and share a message with him. He is really beginning on those steps of having that in his life, strangely you can even visibly see a difference. He is a good man!

We saw Roy this week, and it went well. Fortunately because of his accident he is at home rather than work, that is a blessing! We can see him as much as possible... but that isn't as much as we would hope just because of our schedule.. he is reading the Book of Mormon, which is good, however he isn't understanding it that well. His questions are actually really great, but what helps the situation move forward is he is willing to accept and act on our invitations and he does have an open heart and willing mind. The biggest thing with him is simply just understanding when we are not there... tried to give him the Book of Mormon in his native tongue, but he was having none of that! Looks like we just have to spend more time explaining stuff, I guess really that isn't the worst problem to have! 

Met with Abner.. still going there. Tough draw though. I mean he has this great desire to learn, feels that he has found the truth in the Baptist church though, not sure what happened there. Basically his real concern is just coming to church. he wants to be baptized, he wants this spiritual confirmation of the church and our teachings, just hasn't had that yet. In his mind, it is because he hasn't come to church regularly.. he must be a "regular" to know if it is true.. Well we will see what we can do.. The missionaries we are working with to get him there seem to be slightly incompetent...But we need the help because he is on the other side of the city.. we are on the very south end.. he is way north.. like a 30 minute drive.. don't worry though, the Lord will help us along. 

Still just spending time finding more of those Filipinos that are all over this city.. even if it is just Less actives and what not. We are doing what we can. It proves to be a wild time.. we have been working with Pres. Manion on this cause so we will see. Couple weeks back we got approval from SLC to get 4 Tagalog Speakers sent to the mish.. we will see what happens there! I could train in some foreign tongue.. or Elder Laceste will be Momma Hen!! Well I guess Papa Hen? We went up to St. Albert, which is just north of the city and if you remember the Uwazny family from back in Barrhead, they live there now.. so we stopped in there for lunch, it was a good time. So nice to see a familiar faces and to see those kids again! 

All in all, it is cold. Soooo I will try not to freeze. This week shouldn't be too bad though, today we are at like -12 or something with the wind chill, maybe a bit colder.. feels real nice though. Things are lookin sad! We will hopefully meet with more investigators this week!! I'll do my best. Go do something Christmas'y! Love you all!

Love, Elder McFall

Notice the new suit -   let's say it was a killer deal... $400 dollar suit or so for $70.. I had to do it! ha I need to move away from all these stores here.. I think my shopping has gotten worse..

Week 55 – Hearts Full of Thanksgiving

Sounds like that could be on some Hallmark card. I am really getting good with those subject lines. Not really, but hopefully you all had a great Thanksgiving. When I really got thinking of things and what I was grateful for, now the list could go on for days it seems. I tried to decide on one thing that I could write again this week and tell you all I am grateful for. I could pull the cliché and say the gospel, or my mission, or my testimony, my family!, friends, the list goes on… but when it comes down to it, I think one of the things I am most grateful for is probably my trials. Trials come with all of the other things I am grateful for also, but really I decided trials simply because without them I would not be anywhere near where I am now in my life. Whatever the trials I went through to get onto my mission or trials on my mission here or there, they have taught me valuable lessons. Let us broaden our look on this, if it weren't for the trials the Savior went through, we wouldn't understand the lessons he has taught us. The whole Atonement was a trial, and the world has learned numerous, if not countless, lessons from that infinite act. So to cut things off there, Trials are what I am grateful for this year. Hopefully we all can do better about showing our gratitude by our actions rather than simply word.

The work is a bit frustrating at times. Simply put, we just cannot meet consistently with our investigators; that is our whole problem right now. I have said it, but I don't think it is so much the lack of desire, in fact I couldn't say that is much of the problem at all, it is just a huge culture thing. Filipinos all work 2-3 jobs and send most of that money back home to the family and stuff back home. So it isn't that they don't want to meet, simply they just don't have the time. On the ones we did meet though we have really been working hard on getting them fellowship and getting members at every lesson possible. That has been a huge push here in the mission. The investigators really do progress so much better with a solid person doing some fellowship, and it allows us to get things truly developing into something more. This week we were able to see Lorie. She is still looking into things, but we aren't sure if it is just because she is bored. Her situation is better with not working though, her husband works either oil or gas and is a Canadian so she doesn't have to work.. so she is home. We are really pushing to figure out if she has that real desire; looking for that broken heart and contrite spirit. The lessons do go well though and she has still just been trying to take things as a factual experience rather than go to the ultimate source and ask our Father in Heaven.. we will see. Her big question this week was, "if there is a prophet on the earth, why doesn't everyone know about this??" Pretty much it came down to us saying, we are working on it!!! So we shall see! 

Ivy is still going really well. We brought her a fellowshipper and everything which should also help. She is still very accepting of things and seems to want to know for herself.. she just needs to come to church! The lesson was a one that the spirit definitely attended. She really has been curious about the Prophet Joseph and it seems to be going well there though. She doesn't deny the occurrence, well at least the probability, so that is a step in the right direction.. just needs the spirit to confirm that truth. 

Picked up a couple new investigators this week.. one is Perlyn, and she has been taught in the past and lives with a member up near downtown. She is also looking at this as more of a learning experience to "understand your religion" but we are working on getting that to be more of a I want to know the truth type of experience.. we don't shy away from boldness with these people though! A big problem with our work is they look at this as just a change of religions rather than the whole coming from false doctrine to the truth, to put it bluntly, so we just try to get them to change their outlook and understand our purpose.. we will see how that develops.. the other new investigator is a man named Abner.. he sure is a nice guy.. has met with the missionaries for about a year.. and has been loving it but honestly it seems like his biggest concern is not having a solid ride to church each week.. he feels the "Baptist is truth" so we are working on that one.. ha we will see what happens. We are still kinda team teaching him with the elders that have been teaching him as he is on the complete opposite side of the city.. so about 30 minutes or so with no traffic.. working on it! 

Couple thoughts I would just like to share with ya from Sacrament yesterday and church really.. It was a good one I tell ya. It just got me thinking, especially since the Thanksgiving time of the year for me it was a lot just how grateful I am for the Savior in my life. For his teachings, for his ever perfect example. A couple of His names that have stuck out to me lately have been the Great Physician and the Good Shepherd, simply because I have felt his awareness, his infinite and personal love me for, but also his ability to lift up and help me overcome those trials I have been experiencing, however great or small. I am so grateful for the scriptures that so eloquently describe his selfless act of the Atonement. In the last while I have been studying the Life of Christ, the way he taught, the way he interacted with the people, and the way he spoke to the people. It has been eye opening to say the least. You may think you know the Savior, however that journey is one that I believe is endless. It excites me to be able to still have the time to study His life more and understand Him more.. to become very well acquainted with my Redeemer. Hopefully you are all doing the same! 

Well, I'll be honest.. I am not wanting to type anymore today.. haha but know I love you all! Have a real nice week! It is gonna be a blizzard again this week no big deal.  Life is good. Love ya!

Love, Elder McFall

Week 54 - Happy Thanksgiving

Okay so last week I said I would give you a little more to read this week, well I am going to try to keep up with that promise  but surely I can't tell at this point. Let's just start off by saying this week was full of crazy disappointments that made me just a bit bitter.. trial of my faith you might say! All in all, things weren't that bad, I just feel that lately I have set the bar so high for myself and my companion, mostly because I know we can do it. The other reason mostly due to the fact is we have this culture in our zone now, because of things we have now done, that we cannot expect more from those within our zone if we are not first doing it. We want them to find new investigators? We better be finding new investigators! We want them teaching more lessons with members, you better hope we are teaching those members! So on so forth! All in all, it was a good week, but not as good as we would hope.. more of the routine type. 

Good news though! Found another investigator this week, another one of those Filipinos! It was pretty good though. We were going through some potentials we had and we tried this one lady on there. It has been snowing like crazy (surprise right?) So while she answered and Elder Laceste talked I just shoveled the walkway and everything.. good plan eh? So we ended up getting invited in and shared most of the first part of the first lesson. Her name is Ivy p.s.... but anyways, she seems interested and wants to really learn more of why we had a restoration of a church. She goes to some Christian church.. that isn't true.. she doesn't necessarily know that yet though. She feels there should be a prophet and apostles here today, how wonderful it was to bear testimony that there is a living prophet, who has been called by a loving God who is very aware of the problems we face. To testify that our message is true, and that it truly will bring her lasting happiness. To feel that spirit enter the room.. now let's just hope she felt that same thing and recognized it as such. 

Saw our pal Roy this week.. still recovering from that real bad concussion. He is doing really well though. We only saw him the one time and just read the Book of Mormon with him, which he enjoyed. We have been hesitant about a Baptismal date just due to the fact he is recovering.. we are going to get him on that soon though so he will really begin to take things more seriously. I do think he would be farther along if it weren't for his wifey.. We just haven't really had the chance to meet with her and get her interested in the message.. we are working hard on that one though! 

One of the other really great lessons we were able to have was with a less-active fellow I have mentioned before.. named Rolando. He is a super nice guy, but man has life been tough. He was a military man back in old country (Philippines) and then he came here and since he has gotten divorced and so on.. But basically he just needs more hope! He is a really funny guy and loves our visits but hasn't really been coming to church, yesterday we just got talking and really figured out why.. he feels as though we need to be perfect to be there. This got me thinking, and this is really such a dilemma for so many people! They feel as though we must be perfect, but they just do not understand the purpose of the gospel. I love one of the titles given to Christ, that is The Great Physician, for truly He is just that. When we turn to him, surely we will be healed. No matter our circumstance, no matter our level of spirituality, when we turn to Him, and follow his call to "Follow thou me" or the call to "Come unto Christ" to name just two phrases we can say.. The whole point of this is to say we can be forgiven, how grateful I am for a Heavenly Father who wants to forgive me, and for a savior who has provided the way, for he literally is The Way. I just wish everyone I ever saw not just read this, not just agreed, but took this to heart and found the true application and found true healing we seek in our Savior.

Well family and friends.. Have a real nice Thanksgiving! Watch some football for me! Hopefully the cowboys win... if they are even playing? Enjoy the holiday spirit that comes with it! Go buy something cool at black Friday! I love you all! Talk to you soon!

Love, Elder McFall

Just last week in front of the temple here.. good stuff. Honestly so cold though! 

The weather outside is frightful.

Week 53 - Okay Okay this is a surprise!

Well I guess the surprise is you get emailed on Tuesday again, exciting eh?! We changed our p-day this week to have a temple p-day.. meaning I got to go attend the temple this morning for just the second time since I have been on my mission! Okay I will just come out and say this, whoever is reading this I hope you are doing all that you can to find your way to the temple. Whatever age you may be, the spirit you feel as you enter into the House of our Lord is simply incredible. There is a spirit that obviously pervades that edifice and it is something I wish I could experience more. If you aren't going consistently, do all you can to adjust your lives and get there. It will never be something you regret! So in a nutshell, it was a nice morning! 

Man, this week was crazy hectic though. So many different people and places calling for us.. at the same time I wish there were more people and places calling for us. The work is still picking up, which is nice! But not fast enough.. jeez. We saw Lisa & Allen 2x this last week, I loved it. I seriously love that family so much! It is the most rewarding thing to see a family begin to take hold of this pearl beyond price (the gospel).. it is something I definitely have taken for granted in my life, but when you are part of a family who begins to change their opinions and are doing this simply because they KNOW it will help their family grow closer, you can't help but think back and realize all the blessings you have received in your own family because of the gospel. The blessings are not often easy to spot and realize, but the more you study the doctrines, the more you realize the applications of such in actions. Although we may not be perfect in our families, as much as we wish we were, we know that because Christ has performed the Atonement to forgive us, we too must live in a pattern that reflects his life within our families, and when we fall short.. we just do better the next time! It is a beautiful cycle that the life of Christ teaches us.. which is also what I have been studying lately.. I would also recommend that!

We found a new investigator this week in the Tagalog work.. we will go back tomorrow.. her name is Lorie! Hopefully things will go well! She is open and it was funny because in our meeting with her it came down to her just saying, "okay so what is different about your church?" As a missionary we love that question.. makes life easy! Well easier..

We saw our good friend Roy this week! WHat a guy! He is still recovering but when we saw him he was like okay so I read that whole Restoration pamphlet, they talked about some book , where is this book?! So we talked about the Book of Mormon, he is excited so that is sweet! Gotta love the gospel! uhhh what else.. we saw this less active fellow and his wife.. I don't know why he is LA because his mission was sweet! But we were talking to him and had a super nice visit, at the end I even said the closing prayer, this was all in Tagalog though, it was pretty cool! My prayers are short and sweet, but It was a really cool feeling to say a prayer for someone in their native tongue. Definitely an experience you don't forget. I gotta keep getting better at that Tagalog stuff though..

As a follow up to some of the people that I taught in past areas, remember Madi up in Barrhead? She is now baptized. Remember Michael in Rocky Mountain House? Also now baptized. And another one in Barrhead is close.. it is cool to see those types of things happen. Right now as a missionary, I would say I do feel confident I have done what I can.. Our baptism averages are maybe 20 a month or so in the mission.. not super high. it is actually the lowest mission in regards to the averages for the rest of the region. One or two things I am most proud of would be what I have been able to obtain in regards to scriptural knowledge and testimony. The other off the top of my head is I feel I have become much more Christlike in my dealings with others, especially with other missionaries. There is a greenie missionary from Orem who I see myself in, and it has helped me to really see where I was to where I am now. I still have soo many things to learn, but honestly some of my greatest successes at this point have been personal, maybe that's selfish? ha I mean I haven't baptized many, but I have been a huge part it feels in fixing relations and attitudes in both Barrhead and Rocky in regards to the missionaries. I feel I was an integral part of helping them realize their role in this work of salvation. My struggles..., well they are many! I wish I did more of baptizing obviously.. I am still looking for that family! Looks like we might have one, we will just have to see! And I really want to be better about being Christlike. Interesting how strengths can also be some of your weaknesses.. 

My dear friends! I must go.. I am outta time today. But I will write more next week. I love you all very much! I am loving life right now. We have had like a couple blizzards this last couple week... haha that is okay though! Let the snow begin(: I'll talk to you all soon!!

 Love, Elder McFall

Week 52 - The Weather Outside is Frightful

Okay it (the weather) isn't that bad, but it sure is lookin' a few shades whiter this last week. The air has gotten a bit chillier, but we are blessed and have a car and things to do so we aren't in the snow and cold too much. Well besides doing exchanges like every week which seem to always be to walking areas.. It is so nice to be able to work with these young missionaries and really see how we can help them and how I can influence them to truly achieve their potential. I remember when I first came out, the way that I looked at my mission leaders, how much I thought they knew, makes me think, do these young missionaries think the same things about me?! Jeez, hopefully I can make 'em proud and help them all out.

There are miracles in Edmonton I tell you. Especially miracles amongst these Filipinos. I will start there, and this week we in total found 4 new investigators that are Filipino. One individual who has a family, and another mom and two kids. The one individual, Bayani, is definitely more prepared than the others and seems to be more willing to act on the message and accept it, but who am I to make that judgment. It is all in the Lord's hands at that point. We met with him and he really likes the message we have. He isn't super religious, has a faith, but not doing much about it. So this looks like one that we should be able to really step in and help. The other small family is Ana, Aileen and Vicky. They are more of trying to get questions about religion all settled in their minds. They are a member referral, which helps, and the member basically spent the whole night following our meeting just answering questions and basically teaching another lesson. Hopefully that is one that will also pan out.

Another miracle that happened this week, Lisa and Allen (the family here in Bearspaw) came to church for the 2nd week in row. We didn't have a chance to meet with them, our one appt got cancelled late in the week but they came to church and this time even stayed for Sunday School. The ward has been doing really well of fellowshipping them and getting them involved as much as possible. It is the most rewarding experience to see a family that truly is seeking the gospel find something and not just look into it as a factual experience, but rather, put it to the test and then they have already began to see the blessings flow from it. We are hoping to meet with them this week, and hopefully get them on a baptismal date before Christmas. You know there are so many things that this gospel truly brings into our lives, especially in our family's lives, and this is something that can make all the difference if we but simply allow it to. I can't wait for it to continue to progress. The Lord is definitely interning at all the right times here, who woulda thought?!

One other really neat experience this week was with Taylor one of our investigators and his dad who is less-active. We went over there and shared the message on the Plan of Salvation. We have really been able to develop a good relationship with these two and things have been moving forward, not as quickly as we would hope but they are moving in the right direction. Okay little side note, that is probably one of the hardest things as a missionary, trying to be patient with progress. We just want these people to accept now now now! Okay and we are back.. so upon leaving and then seeing Pete at church(that is the dad) he was talking to a couple different fellas at church and I overheard him talking about how much he loved having us over and how much it has helped him. The less-active dad even stayed for the 2nd hour of church, something I haven't seen since I have been here.. He has been to church just a couple times in the last while but usually leaves right after they pass the sacrament, but it was different this time. Definitely a blessing of bringing the spirit into someone’s home and helping someone really relight the flame of their testimony.

All is well right now it does seem. Things are picking up in our zone in some regards. Hopefully it can stay that way before it really starts to get cold! We have been working really hard to get things between members and missionaries clicking and working hand in hand over the next while, it seems as though that is beginning to happen. Slowly but surely things will come together.

I hope all is well for you all! Have a great week!! I'll talk to you soon!

Love, Elder McFall

My 1 year mark!

Came out with 14.. now 45.. not too bad eh?  It accumulates. Gotta love it.

Week 51 – To Whom It May Concern

This week some of the most amazing things have happened! I am not really sure where to start but I guess I can start with something that will catch you a bit off guard.. well maybe. So I forgot to mention last week.. We are pretty much going to some sort of Filipino gathering every weekend now.. it has been so good to meet people and see what we can do for them. Last week though we went to one and I had some real exotic foods, that is no real surprise though. Are you ready? Okay so I had pig ears.. Pig intestine.. cow tongue.. and pig or beef lungs.. not sure! Sounds pretty good eh? Don't worry I will try and send some home next time that delectable meal is prepared. Okay honestly I have to admit.. the intestine wasn't that bad.. ha ha it was bbq'd.. so that makes just about anything good. I am gettin' a little more Filipino each day. I guess to add to that list I have no had Pig skin the other day.. that wasn't too shabby either.. cooked up real nice. Pretty much there are some Filipino dishes that I love, some that I never want to eat in my life again.. but either way, I am getting quite the culture experience up here! 


Okay now to some really great spiritual updates! So first, we got a new investigator this week! Her name is Eunilyn. We followed with her after we stopped in last week. She was a referral from some other missionaries who tracted in to her. She is 19 and Filipino. So we went over and she invited us right in. Now here is where things get crazy.. we are invited in to some house party.. probably 25-30 high school age kids music going down stairs, ball game on the tv.. people in and out.. We are just thinking to ourselves, what on earth is happening!!! But we got in we need to make this some sort of good experience. Ended up actually teaching her part of the first lesson! Yes, we taught a lesson including a prayer in the middle of the party. She was actually really responded to our questions though. Her mom and dad were on the couch nearby watching tv.. but the mom would just pipe in with questions and comments.. so this could turn into a bit more! We have a return appointment this week, so hopefully this environment will be a bit more conducive to the spirit. 
Elder McFall

So that was the Tagalog, but we really have some great things going on here in the Bearspaw Ward! Okay so we finally met and had another lesson with Lisa and Allen, you all remember them, right? It had been about a month at that point. Well basically we went and had a super spiritual lesson with her. Usually she is all over the place with her questions, but we went in prepared and just kept the discussion going in a way that allowed for us to really just state our purpose, give our message, and allow the spirit to bear witness to her heart. In the end, Allen who we have been struggling to really get to open up, just started talking and basically said he thinks this may be exactly what the family is missing.. he really thinks this is what will bind them together. Lisa is now speaking in terms of, "so when I am baptized..." I can't tell you how great this lesson was! The spirit was so strong! And then to top that all off, the whole family, so Lisa & Allen and the 3 kids were all at church the next day! This was the first time! It was the most amazing thing! It has been too long since that has happened, and it was just a really gratifying feeling. Things are lookin' bright for that family! They said they would be there next week again, so this should be good. 

This last one is something that strengthened my testimony on the power of the spirit like nothing else has for quite some time. We were up in the Coronation Park area.. so that means West Ed.. and we were trying first our investigator for a drop by, wasn't home. So we tried this super less-active Filipino fellow who lives with some members in their basement. He has had a tough life for sure, gone through a lot. So to cut to the chase, we ended up sharing a message out of 3 Nephi 14:7-11.. talking about prayer. To begin with this was a lesson that we hadn't planned on sharing because initially we had not planned on seeing him. This man was not just a Filipino though, he also speaks a different dialect.. he speaks Ilokano.. so I have no idea what he is saying unless he decided to speak english. In the lesson, Elder Laceste knows Ilokano so they would communicate in that language and I was lost to be honest, well at least I thought I was lost. Elder Laceste would share a piece of the message and while doing that I would just pray and try to listen to the spirit as closely as I could. It would then transition and it would be my turn to speak, and I would speak what I felt was in my heart at that moment and what I felt needed to be said. Fast forward, we get to the car, I tell Elder Laceste just like well I hope what I said made sense with what you were saying because I had no idea what was going on! Turns out, everything I said fit perfectly with what he said. Every word I said was fitting to what the individual needed to hear from his perspective. He said it was one of the most smooth lessons we have given and it flowed perfectly. So moral of the story.. LISTEN TO THE SPIRIT!

Well my friends, I hope you all have an amazing week! Things up here are now all white, but they are looking good! I am loving life right now! This week I will hit the year mark, can you believe that? Hopefully I can get work to continually pick up and continue to be an instrument in the Lord's hands. I hope you all can do the same.  I love you all!

Love, 

Week 50 - Happy Halloween!

Well it isn't quite Halloween but this is as close as you will get from me! Hopefully you all will be able to have all sorts of fun on that day, we are going to be throwing a party for the missionaries in our zone, don't get too jealous. We really are blessed you could see with some great elders and sister who like to have a good time, so the future is looking bright. 

Okay I am going to save the really cool story for later, but I can start with another just real cool story.. We were up working in Coronation Park.. basically it's West Ed.. (so much lingo you all need to learn) and we had decided to just do some street contacting around this busy intersection to try and find some more of those Filipinos.. they are all over in the area so we went for it. Well okay they were supposed to be all over. We didn't see a soul. I don't know where they went! So we looped back up into this neighborhood and just started walking, kinda doing what we call a "walk & feel" I'm sure you can figure out what that is. And so we go and we run into this lady..She is white but we talked to her anyways.. (really I am not trying to sound racist here!!) well we get talking to her and one thing leads to another, we keep probing her and getting info, she ends up telling us that she is actually a member of the church.. baptized back in '07 and went less-active immediately. The church has her number, but no idea where she lives because she doesn't list it and when they call she just tells them no.. Anyway, we talked to this lady for like an hour figuring out why on earth she went less-active. To sum it up, bunch of anti stuff.. nothing really doctrinal, all just standpoints on issues. what rubbish.. anyways, by the end of the conversation, she was once again open to the missionaries going to her home and at least doing service. To sum everything up of why this was a very cool experience for me, because for one, we have almost no reason to be up in that area.. except it were guided and directed by the spirit. And really a lesson that it helped me learn, is how aware our Father in Heaven is of his Children, and as we are out doing what is according to his will, doing His work, we will surely be put in paths of those lives he has prepared to receive the missionaries, even if it is just once more. Honestly, it just helped me to see that as we go about our lives, if we are on the path that He would have us walk, we surely will be the answer to prayers that are prayed on the individuals behalf. We will be put into walks of life that allow us to be an influence for good. 

Other really cool story.. okay are you ready? Elder Holland came to Edmonton! Okay so this was for the Riverbend Stake conference, he and his traveling companion from the 70 made the trip. It was so sweet! So really it is out of our zone and stake when it comes to English, but then comes the perk of being a language missionary for the city. We even had a nonmember there that was Filipino. Okay so I thought maybe I would share a few lessons that were both shared and learned from that.. 

1. Peter in the New Testament in the Book of Acts is going to the temple with John. On the steps there is a man who is lame from birth, has been for over 40 years. When he is on the temple steps he is asking for alms from temple goers.. (Good place to ask for money since it is usually going to be some good people at the temple!) anyways, when Peter sees the man, instead of giving him money,  he says, "silver and gold have I none, but such as I have I give thee, In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Rise up and Walk." That is from memory so hopefully that is super close.. anyways the man that is lame of birth for 40 years rises and then jumps and shouts for joy. Exclaims his gratitude for what miracle hath been done. Following this he goes into the temple in and out just shouting for joy.. Okay just go read the rest of the story in Acts 3 and 4.. but really the lesson is one that made me think. Peter talks to the Sadducees about how it was by the same power that Christ was performing miracles for 3 years, where were you then? They are all marveling now at this great power that was shown by Peter, but they couldn't have cared less beforehand. Do we realize we hold that same power as holders of the Melchizedek Priesthood? It wasn't just because Peter was the chief apostle, it wasn't because Peter had walked, worked, and testified with Christ (however, that may have helped) that he was able to perform this miracle.. it was because of the Priesthood. Later on in the script it talks about how the opposers of Peter tell the people, "A notable miracle hath been done, and we cannot deny it" or something in that regard.. And that leads me into the second portion of what Elder Holland talked about, or really I guess what I was able to learn. 

2. The Evidence of the Restoration is surely "a notable miracle", but do we look at it as just that? When we are in the courts of law we are looking for evidence, something that can withstand the jury, if you will. The Book of Mormon is surely a notable miracle, and we cannot deny that. We can hold it in our hands, feel of its divine authenticity as we read the pages and surely feel of its truthfulness as we prayer about the truth. For what man trying to prove a book is true, would try to trick everyone into believing something by asking them to pray to God about it? Simply that does not make sense. We also have the evidence of millions of Latter Day Saints who have taken that same promise and are living evidence of what miracle hath been done. 

3. We have not seen anything yet. Simply the things we have experienced thus far within the gospel are forever going to be trumped by the promises to those who live righteously and obtain "all that the father hath". He later went on to say, and reiterate the point that we just have not seen anything that we have no idea what we truly have in store for being members of this restored church. 
4. We will never see a complete apostasy again on the earth. We will forever have the Authority of God held within the prophet and apostles on the earth. That authority will remain until the Lord is made Lord of Lords and King of Kings.. For this is God's truth. He will forever protect what he sees fit. We will never have to worry about that authority taken. No power or influence of man can trump that of our Father in Heaven. 

Okay I will be honest.. I got a little lazy on the recap.. There is more in my head.. but you probably are sick of reading it anyways! Just know this, it was definitely a powerful experience for me! Just imagine an apostle of the Lord speaking in a General Conference giving one of his most spirited talks that I have ever heard.. And trust me I have listened to just about every one of them from the last 8 years... haha 

The last thing that he mentioned was how he loves the previous Prophets.. Pres. Hunter.. Pres. Hinckley.. and currently Pres. Monson. They truly have influenced his life and he has such a deep love for them. However, he said the greatest, most influential person in his life has been his wife of 50 years. For that, I want to thank whoever is reading this that is either a wife, mother, or grandmother. I would even extend that to sisters and aunts. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for what you have done for your families, for me, and ultimately for the Lord and our Father in Heaven. I am so grateful for the each and every one of you who has been around me and helped me become who I am at this point in my life. I love you all dearly, but more than that I hope and pray you can feel of our Heavenly Father's love. 

Okay, gotta jet. I love you all! I hope you have an amazing week! We had some snow this week.. pretty sure this is the beginning of the end one could say! The Tagalog is still a work in progress, I am working on it though!  Maybe it'll just click one of these days you know? I said my first Tagalog prayer with a family the other day.. that was honestly terrifying ha it wasn't in complete Tagalog.. which is okay. We are still using that taglish stuff, but my comp said I used all the right words and my grammar was all correct just threw in the English words instead Tagalog on everything. Pretty cool though if I will be able to come home and pray and everything for you in a native tongue. I'll talk to you all very soon!

Love, Elder McFall

Week 49 - Kamusta Kaibigans?!

Life is real good right now up here in Edmonton! It has been soo busy lately with all of the different things we have had to do. This last week was mostly just proselyting though, so we really got to hit the streets hard to find those who are prepared. Probably one of the more difficult things though, is the only real way we can find those who are going to listen to us is through the members or what other missionaries do to find. There is no purpose in tracting for us.. we might get lucky! Just whenever we drive around, we look for signs of the Filipinos.. we are getting pretty good. Good news though everyone, this week we found two new investigators.. so life is peachy! I can tell you how this all happened...

Okay so the first is named Nikko, we found him through some of our old former investigators in an area pretty close to ours. We went over there and we actually found him home. He is in his 20's for sure, and we just talked about the B of M and how it will be able to answer our questions. It is pretty funny to teach because right now I will throw in some Tagalog words that I know, but it is like Elder Laceste will go off for a little, I do my best to understand what is said, and then add my own words in mostly English.  It has been working so far though. He really seems to be interested; his family are all hardcore catholic, no surprise there, so that may get in the way. We will see how it develops though.

The other one was a member referral up in Coronation Park, when I say areas I realize you have NO idea what I mean by that, but this just helps me explain the story. It is probably a 15 minute drive or so for us to the NW if that helps. Okay so we stopped in at this guy’s place, pretty sure he is house sitting or something because it was just him and another Filipino guy who are like contract workers living in a multimillion dollar house... Maybe I am wrong, they might be rich! Anywho, we go and he invites us in and we spent like 15 minutes with him. One thing led to another, and he just started talking about how there is one God, one Jesus Christ, but why are there so many different churches who teach in such different ways--why is it this way? Now can you say he is prepared?! We love that question. We explained a little bit, but really we just invited him to learn for himself. Gave him a resto (restoration) pamphlet, told him to read it and pray and we will come back and talk about it. I think that is the biggest thing I have learned recently.. however easy it may be for me to just give someone the answer they are seeking immediately, I need to help them develop the skills to know how to obtain truths from our Father in Heaven. Truths that will be revealed to them through the Holy Ghost. So that is what we do. Giving someone the answer may be what they need, but just give them a portion, and continually let that desire work within them and they will truly see the need to seek and receive their own personal revelation. It is such a rich experience to be able to watch someone who yearns for the truth not just get an answer to their questions, but also be able to know how to obtain more truths in the future. 

The Filipino work we do is hugely revolving around the work we can accomplish through the members. So we have this member family up in the Riverbend Stake.. (That means nothing to you once again!) Okay so they are the Serafica family. So what happened is we went over there and had supper, and then after they just started calling these less-active part member families and would just say okay we are coming over!! ha so we would grab some food and just head over there.. That is the secret to missionary work, bring food. It is like a peace offering or something to Filipinos.. Anyways we met two families who we will probably go back to this week! it was awesome! Just put things into action immediately, people just need to be more like that! Only sad part, he is going to be in the Philippines for the next month with his wife!! But there are a lot of other members who are very willing to introduce us to their friends and get us in homes. It is a huge thing for the Filipino culture to stay close and at least listen. That is the opportunity we need though, that is when they will be able to feel of the spirit and be able to have that desire to learn more. Just leave it to the Lord and miracles will be accomplished!

Elder Laceste and I will be together for another transfer at least as transfer calls were today, but no worries we are still together. There are not too many changes in our zone this transfer, just a few different companionship, one area opening..So hopefully we can continue on with our work. It has been pretty wild driving all over the city of Edmonton. Not often does a missionary get an opportunity like that! We are definitely starting some sort of new legacy here in the Canada Edmonton Mission! The language is coming! I hope this week I can spend more time studying it. It really just keeps coming back to the amount of exposure to the language. The members all love it though. The big white guy who speaks, or tries to speak, Tagalog! We have a good time with it! We even decided I should just say I am from Ilongapo.. A US military base in the Philippines, so nobody has any idea what is happening anymore. Life is good. I hope life is great for each of you! Until next week!

Love, Elder McFall

Week 48 - Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!

Now I can officially say I am a Canadian! Okay not really. Canadian Thanksgiving is not like what we do down there in the US of A. They have been trying to tell me that their Thanksgiving was the first, therefore more valid, but I am not so sure about that. Let's put it this way, I didn't even get any turkey.. ha I think that is mostly due to people just deciding to have chicken and we didn't luck out, but still! It was still a blast! My Thanksgiving was actually spent with other missionaries for the most part as we just played basketball, some Turkey bowl (football) and volleyball. We had the whole day "off" so we just got together in our zone and went for it. It was pretty fun, but definitely not the same. I also had my birthday this last week and that was pretty fun! Different having a birthday in the mission, as you would imagine, but with that it brought its own of set of fun and games.. minus the fun and games. Me and the comp went out for a nice lunch and then I had a bunch of birthday texts and calls from the zone so that was pretty nice! All in all it was a fun day! Thanks to everyone who wished me a happy birthday. Iif I missed ya, I am getting old now so the memory is starting to go on me!

This week in Bearspaw, we had our investigator lesson with Taylor and that came with a pretty cool story. So we went over and basically talked about our Heavenly Father's love and his plan for each of us (plan of salvation type stuff). We had a real nice chat and visit, he seems to be liking everything. It has been hard teaching him exactly what we want because his dad is there and he is a talker! He is a sorta active member, real cool fella. Well we left that lesson thinking it was okay, didn't get exactly the message we had hoped. But probably 45 minutes later, around 9:45 or so, we get this text from Taylor talking about how much he appreciated what we talked about and what he felt while we were there. This led to him talking to a friend that he had a "feeling' he should talk. He just said how much he was able to help his friend because we allowed him to see his Father in Heaven's love for him. So that was pretty neat!

This week we held our Zone training meeting, it was pretty good. It was my first one where I had to give trainings to the whole zone, but it went well! I like talking, a lot. haha so that kinda helps! It really is the most rewarding position to be in where you can just help all of these other missionaries out in the way that you feel inspired to. You really begin to understand the role you are in as a leader, where really everything is not about you at all.

The Tagalog is coming along! We got this book from the library which has been helping! Hopefully we can keep that up and get things going even more. I love the Filipino community though, and every time you go to their house they make you food. So I have eaten so much food in the last two weeks.. unreal. But it is so delicious! Hopefully this week we will be able to find a couple new investigators. We have a few who are close and some members who are thinking they have someone this week we can try, so we will see how things come together!

Other than that, we are actually getting a nice fall! Kinda cold, but you just take every day without snow to be a victory. Gotta love that fall fashion you know! Things are going well though. I am really enjoying where I am. Time has been flying though, it seems weird to think I am already this far into the mission.. So many things yet to be accomplished. Hopefully this week we can really find those people who are gonna want to hear the gospel, it has been to long since we have really been teaching and helping people really come closer to Christ.

Love you all! I will talk to you soon!

Love, Elder McFall

Week 47 - Magadang Hapon!

I can tell you this much, life has been busy! Not as busy with teaching appointments like I would imagine, but nonetheless, busy! Which is good! I can't believe it is already Monday, maybe you can? This last week was pretty nice though. We had all sorts of different things going on. Did some more exchanges, had meetings with the rest of the leaders in the mission (mission leadership conference MLC), and of course General Conference. The mini missionary Superbowl, it was phenomenal. Really though, there were so many talks and highlights I could go on for days. I loved how each talk was so direct and addressed a problem that is more than just "have more faith" it was more along the lines of an anecdote. It was more of how we can improve and allow things to move forward at a higher pace. All of which done so directly. There were a lot of things that were calling us to action in a way, as members of this restored church. To look forward with greater faith. I think a huge thing too was for us to have more excitement in regards sharing the restored gospel that brings us such happiness. I know it did that for me! Some of my favorites were Elder Uchtdorf (Come, Join with Us)  and Elder Nielsen (Hastening the Lords Game Plan) on Saturday Afternoon. It was the coolest thing. So much excitement from the brethren towards this gospel it seems like from this conference, hopefully everyone will catch on. And really how we are just needing to be more firm and steadfast in our testimonies and don't let the world take that away from us. Don't let the "man mingled with scripture" prevail over the pure doctrine of Christ we have within the Church.

I am so happy to be a missionary right now. Yes, things are hard. Yes, there are a lot of trials. But the Lord is just as aware of His children in this portion of the Vineyard as anywhere else. Just because the work has been slow, does not mean he has stopped "Preparing the hearts of the children of men" this does not mean that he doesn't love them just as much as he always have. Moroni taught that miracles cease only with our unbelief. And it is by faith that angels and miracles do occur. How true it is!! I know I have a deeper more burning desire to put my faith in Him as I serve, now hopefully everyone else will catch this and we will see miracles more abundantly in our mission. We are looking for a "paradigm shift" within our mission. To change the whole culture within our mission. It will happen.

The work for us is still not necessarily moving the fastest. There are a lot of potentials we still have to get going on. They are all over in the mission, so we are starting to pick up that. We just made it from the meeting we had last week, so now everyone is aware of what we are doing, so hopefully it will get things going. It has been hard just trying to get scheduling down, Filipinos are busy people! So are the rest of us, but it is all about priorities. Satan uses that tool over and over for us to just fill our lives with good things, rather than the best things. The language is coming along slowly but surely! I feel like I am gettin' it faster than I thought I would at this point. When we are in homes of people, I am able to follow a little bit because of the words that I do know. I am hoping to just keep getting involved with it more. To immerse myself more fully in the language. It is hard, since I am in Canada after all! But it can still be done! There are that many Filipinos!

Things for me have been really good this last week. Things have just been coming together in the work. We found a new investigator, English speaking, in our area. Might have to pass him off to the YSA but we will see. Hopefully we can just begin to teach more. All this finding is not as fun as teaching! Feel like I might be gettin' a little rusty on the teaching skills! Hopefully not though! We really are having a blast just going about the work. Just talking to everyone. Hopefully we can hold onto this weather without snow for as long as possible... It has been gettin' colder and colder. Had to scrape the windows of the car the other day! The work will still move on! This week is my birthday week too! I can't believe I will be 20… too weird.

I hope to have awe inspiring stories to tell you all next week! Things are sort of slow, but that doesn't mean they have to be that way! I love you all! Have a great week!

Love, Elder McFall

Drake.mcfall@myldsmail.net

Eldermcfall.blogspot.com

Mission Leadership Conference – Group photos

Week 46 - kamusta po kayo?

Madangdang Hapon! Not a single one of you understands what that means, but it is evidence that my Tagalog is coming along! It is official we are now the Tagalog missionaries for the Canada Edmonton Mission-while we are still the Zone Leaders and assigned to our area! Not sure what will happen in the future, until then we will just keep pluggin' along and doing the Lord's work! It has been a little overwhelming at times, but that is okay! I am slowly getting things. Actually quicker than I thought I would. I could not do this, nor would I even want to do this, without the help of the Spirit. It really is such a miracle in learning languages on a mission, now I get to experience that a little bit for myself.

To start I will go with our area…the work in our originally assigned area is sort of slow.. We do have the one investigator and her family, but nothing is really moving along with that. Hopefully it will pick up. It has been hard because she is pregnant, and her body does not respond well to that.  She always seems to be sick or tired; not seeming to be like a lack of desire, she just really doesn't feel well.  But good news, pregnancies end! So we will see what happens. The finding we have done in our area has been a little discouraging, well at least among the white people... haha I say that with all respect possible, it seems like I just look for Filipinos now wherever I go! But it will come around!! I know it will. We will continue to work at it. The ward just announced and implemented the new ward mission plan, which we had a role in creating, and I think it really will excite the people. It is a really well put together plan, and I think the ward will all get in line with it and the work will move forward. The work will hasten! I think with the maybe "less likely candidates" in our eyes, it really will come down to the members and us coming together not just in teaching, but in finding. It can be challenging in the more wealthy areas as their priorities seem to have a different focus, but I hope to never hold anything back from them or the opportunity from them because I think they are not ready or willing to accept the gospel. They deserve the same chance that anyone else does. They just simply have different problems, or different trials they go through, all of which the "cure" is the same--the gospel of Jesus Christ. I hope I can keep that in mind in all situations.

The work as a Tagalog missionary is actually been pretty fun!! I love the Filipino people--especially the food! ha They are just really fun to be around, and from what I have seen they are some of the strongest members. We have just been trying to go around trying to find the different families and then work with them and who they know. Also we have then gone around and tried the potentials and formers from the areas surrounding us. We have gotten a few people we can then try; hopefully we can find a family who is willing to accept the message. It is a little difficult not knowing really where to start. In a way, we are starting like our own mission; it is just us two out there trying to find these Filipino people. The mission president is on board though, even texted us yesterday of a family we should try in another ward on the other side of the city! ha it is pretty nice to have him on our side. It has been discouraging at times when we go into these "filipino interractions" and I have no idea what is going on! BUT! they speak English too, so I will always still be involved if it comes down to it! That kinda takes the pressure off in a way, but  I want to learn the language so bad!

This last week we had exchanges and things like that, except it was with the other elders in our ward, so  I didn't leave the area...which was weird sort of! ha It is fun being a Zone Leader though because we get to work with so many different missionaries and be an influence to them--hopefully it is the right influence! It is a very spiritual experience to help another missionary become what your Father in Heaven would have them be.

No crazy things happened this week up here! The weather is cooling down, the days are a lot shorter, but the people are the same! We will keep on keepin' on! I love the people up here! I can't believe how fast time has gone already.. Conference is already around the corner and upon us! We will see if there are any wild announcements this time. This time last year in the world, there were about 40,000 fewer missionaries, who woulda thought we would be in this situation! I love you all! I'll talk to you soon!

Love, Elder McFall

Sorry it took so long to get you this picture! I just haven't really thought about it! But now you see how "new age" we are! 

In front of our good 'ol apartment complex.