Week 28 - Okay I am back!

This week was wild! We had our regular old p-day last week, okay not really. We were scouting for bear with a member, Brother Swan, who is a guide! It was so cool! I saw 3 pretty good size black bears. Definitely took pictures, I will send them so you can all see them too and know that Canada does have some pretty cool things to see! It was so much fun to see some actual bears out in the wild! The only other time I did that was in Yellowstone, so it was cool. And it wasn't just any old "moo-bear" either so that was good! ha The trick to scouting/hunting really depends on the weather patterns up here. When we went out he wasn't sure if they would be out in the afternoons yet since we had such a late spring this year. If it is cold, the bears will just sleep, so they didn't come out of their dens for quite some time. But we got them at the right time. Really if they are up and moving they will wander around like all day. You don't really do a morning hunt with bears. If you get it at the right time you can get them from like afternoon and stuff, but hot times are the evenings. And up here that extends 'til about 10 pm! It was fun though! 

Other than that we had our interviews with President and Sister Campbell on Tuesday. It will be hard to see them go this next month. It seems like I was just beginning my mission thinking that June was so far off before we got a new mission president, but here we are and it is happening so quickly! After that we went to the Edmonton Temple, which was the first time I have been able to go since I have been up here. Let me tell you, 6 months is far too long to go between visits to the temple. It really did provide such a boost!! I was so spiritually edified! I was so glad we got the opportunity. I hope each and every one of you take advantage of the great opportunity it is to attend the temple. It is easily one of the most spiritual experiences you could have. I can promise you, you will see your testimony and faith grow and know feel the presence of our Heavenly Father more abundantly in your lives. It doesn't matter if it is doing sessions, doing baptisms for the dead, or simply being on the temple grounds. They truly are buildings and sights that are there for us, take advantage of it! No matter where you are in the world, the sights, scenes, agenda, etc., in the temple is familiar, and for me it brought me home. I felt so at home while I was in the temple. I truly felt that God's influence is ever stretching into the world. I felt so at comfort to know that no matter where I was, or what was happening, I have that “rock” of the Temple that I can fall back on and know I am at home. 

Tuesday-Wednesday we stayed in the city in the Clareview area, really just somewhere we could sleep. I got to spend time with my old MTC companion Elder Leyerle though, which was awesome! What a guy! He is doing good for all those that are curious. That day we had our Zone Conference though, with the Ed North Zone and the Bonnie Doon Zone. It was a good time. It is really nice to be able to really be taught for a change, not something that I often get it seems like. Maybe that is why I love church so much now! Let's see, then we got back to Barrhead Wednesday night after a full day over in Westlock. Thursday we had our District meeting up in Athabasca, which then I exchanged and stayed up there until Friday. It was a lot of fun though! I have a story about that too. So Athabasca didn't budget their clicks (mileage) too well, so currently they have to walk every single place they want to go while in their area... So I was up there walking. In all we walked like...15 miles. No big deal. But we just walked and street contacted; no real direction or destination, just going where we felt like we should go. We went up this big hill, (Athabasca reminds me of San Francisco it has so many hills) and just kept going and going. We got all the way up in this far corner, and we see this guy coming up. So at first you are like "sweet!! Someone to talk to!!" the guy gets closer and closer and then says, "Long time no see!" Now this is where I will back up to the beginning of Thursday morning, in my studies. I reached into my drawer in our apartment and pulled out my old journal. Not really sure why, I was in the middle of reading the Book of Mormon, anyways, I flip open to a random page and read an entry from back in February, when I was actually on an exchange up in Slave Lake. On this exchange we went on this teaching appointment and met this guy named Kyle who was super interested in the gospel. Okay! Now fast forward back to Athabasca! We see this guy and it clicks! I am like, it’s Kyle!! Well about a month after he was there with the missionaries he moved to Toronto, but things fell through there so he just came back like a week ago. While there he lost contact with missionaries, and everything just fell kinda stopped. He has been in the city living, but then his parents live in Athabasca, so he is shacking up with them. He was there actually a couple days earlier then he was supposed to. He was walking to work when he saw them, something that he wasn't supposed to do for a couple days. But sure enough, he was there, we were there, and now Kyle was seeing missionaries once more! I started to talk to him, and he is still super interested in the gospel! So to fast forward more, Kyle is back in contact with the missionaries. Things are back on track. Crazy how the Holy Ghost can work in our lives!

Other than that on Saturday, we tracted in the rain for like 3 hours. We got out of the car, and the rain had stopped, so mighty us, decided “no chance it would rain again”..now let me tell you we were starting on this loop of about 3 miles, at least, back on a range road type area. We get 3 houses in and it just starts to pour! We just went with it though! Good times. That night there was a ward party which was a ton of fun! It was the country celebration. Bunch of Rednecks up here! It was a blast though, the atmosphere was incredible! Just fun, food, laughter! Even got some less-actives to come out for that which was awesome! 

The mosquito are awful up here. Last week I counted on my arms..I had 50 bites. It was torture. They are so thick up here! Don't worry though; I always have my repellent on now! Okay that is a lie, just most the time! 

We also had one really cool experience while teaching this week. We were with Shirley Mischuck again this week. We talked about and taught her the Plan of Salvation. What a joy it is to have that in our lives! Being able to teach her all about our purpose and let her know why we were here was so neat. She is a member, but it's been starting from the ground up. She voiced at the end of the lesson how much our meetings have helped her, and how much it has helped her in her life already. It was pretty cool!

Well, I hope you are all doing really good! Things up here are all sorts of exciting! Really staying positive no matter what! We weren't able to teach as much as we had hoped last week with our current investigators, but we did have chats with every single one of them, and are staying in touch as much as possible. Hopefully something happens soon! I hope to hear from you all! I love you all! Have a great week!

Love, Elder McFall

The Edmonton Temple!

You can't really tell, but right across the street on the right side of the picture, it's the stake center for Riverbend!

We found a 7-11 in the city..Barrhead doesn't have one of these!!

Scouting for bears -

Not a great picture, I know. It was from farr off. Camera focused wrong!

This is where we find em (bears). Right on the cut blocks. That is Bro Swan.

 We smoked (hit) this grouse with the car on the way back!



Even in the wild we must wear our missionary tags!



Land 0 Barrhead

             

Not a great picture. I know. It was from far off. Camera focused wrong!

This is where we find em (bears). Right on the cut blocks. That is Bro Swan.

Week 27 - Happy Victoria Day

Up here in Canada, they always have all these random holidays..who knows why! I don't really know what on earth Victoria day is! But it was a fun day!  I don't have a lot of time to write as I have to get down to the city before 1:40 today. We have been go go goin all morning trying to get more things done that were impossible to do yesterday and then we won't even be back in Barrhead til Wednesday night...but then on Thursday we are up in Athabasca right away. Today will be Interviews with president campbell, then we will blitz an area in the city, and then we have some stake missionary meeting in the city tonight, then stay overnight, then off to zone conference in the morning! Oh the life and joys of missionary work! Kinda stinks though that our area will have to sort of suffer in a way over the next week due to all the meetings we will be at. I know what we will hear will help us in the area.

Anyways! It is really nice to have all that we do in regards to the media and web. We use a lot of the mormon messages with people! Please check these out if you have not already!

Of Things That Matter Most - http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2010/10/of-things-that-matter-most?lang=eng

In the Strength of the Lord - http://www.lds.org/liahona/2004/11/in-the-strength-of-the-lord?lang=eng

It would be nice if we had an Ipad that we could just have everything preloaded on there and share them more since some people don't quite have the resources we hope for, but that will probably happen someday! I do have an "I'm a Mormon" profile! You could look it up! You could always do one! It is an easy way to share your testimony, and really you never know who might come across it and it'll spark the interest!

Scouting for bear yesterday was sooo much fun! I wish I would have gotten more pictures!! But that is just how it goes sometimes! I will send them off next week when I get more time on the computer. We really just like drove around in the truck down different oil field roads and would spot em. We saw 3 yesterday in about an hour span! We were out looking for really about 4 hours or so.. It was so sweet though to actually see one! We talked to them again and they really want me to come back up after the mission and come get myself a bear!

No real news with any of our investigators. Last week we did find a new investigator! Guy named Merlin! No he doesn't have a beard or staff, but he is a pretty good guy. He didn't seem all into it, but he really wants to read the Book of Mormon. I hope that he does feel the spirit as he does that and it allows him to want to know more. I know that can happen! A lot of the rest of our investigators either we couldn't find a time to meet, or they had to cancel for some reason. Which is really frustrating when that type of stuff happens. This week seems like it could be more of the same with scheduling issues...but we will try and get something going with each of them.

I still haven't been able to go to the temple in Edmonton...and it is really frustrating. The "temple p-day" was last week but we didn't even know about it and probably couldn't have gone anyway because of appointments. I am going to ask President today when the next closest time is that I could go. I miss being able to attend..6 months is a rather long time it seems like. I know the blessings of the temple are so real, I want so many of these people to attend and get their lives into the order where they will be worthy to go...it just takes so much change for some people. Or in most cases, get rid of the lazy...

Well, like I said, I don’t have much time to write today but wanted to let you know that I am alive and well!  I'll talk to you next week!

Love you!

Elder McFall

Week 26 - Hello Family!

I hope all the mothers all had the greatest mother's day ever! It was a great thing being able to talk to  my mom and dad! Definitely recharges the battery a bit and helps you work harder and harder! I love it though! I wish I had more to report this week on the work, but I will see what I can do! It was definitely hard missin my sister's wedding this week. It is just one of those things you wish you could be around for. But I know this is where I am supposed to be. I am doing the right thing. It did comfort me to hear that it went well and now that they are happily honeymooning off in Ireland!

We had 4 of our investigators at church this week, which was really good news! The Lunger family was able to make it, which is good since it has really been a while. We have been talking to them every time we are in Westlock, and I really do think it helps. Showing them you care about them no matter what they may be doing. Showing them that you really do love them and want the best for them. Definitely something that I have come to know recently. I have a strong testimony of always being there for people regardless of what they are doing. Continue to stand strong and show your testimony through your example, and it will affect people's lives. 

We got in touch with almost all of our investigators again this week, but a lot of cancellations. It really is the most frustrating thing. When someone tells you one thing, does the other. We stay persistent though! You can't take anything personally. Just keep trying to help them. It takes a lot of patience with some people, we definitely think about just giving up on them, but can't be doing that!

We once again offered a bunch of service this last week! Last Monday we poured the frost walls for the Huff's. It was a ton of hard work!! I loved it though! For some reason I am really loving the service we have been able to do! I have learned how to do many things since I have been up here. And then this last Saturday we were up the the Swan's helping them finish their cabin and get everything worked out so they could do his bear guiding next week that he guides and outfits out. It was a lot of fun! I loved being out in the bush again. I love it! Service is definitely the key to members. Plus it gives you the opportunity to really build solid friendships with them. 

This week should hold many more adventures! I will let you all know how it goes! Sorry for the short email! I love you all! 

Love, Elder McFall

p.s. I will be doing emails next Tuesday due to Victoria Day, whatever that is, next Monday. Just thought I would give you a heads up!

Week 25 - Hello to the family!

What a week! We have been so busy lately I have hardly had time to think! It seemed like there wasn't a moment that wasn't filled! We got to talk to so many different people though this week! Got to teach so many different individuals! The only problem is that even with having great lessons with our investigators this week, and them committing to be to church and things like that, we only had one investigator attend church! Now I am very, very happy with that! Don't get me wrong, but so many others are failing to reach their potential! They are so close to taking that leap of faith, just something still holding them back, which is quite the shame. We will continue to work on that and see how we can help them overcome their fears. 

We have such a sweet new member up here though. His name is Brother Gibbert! Well anyways, he is the only member in his family. He is moving up from B.C.. The reason why? In his words, "I have a work to do, none of my family are members." This was said right in front of his parents and cousin. Pretty bold though, eh? (I had to sound Canadian there). He invited his cousin over to join us for dinner this week and we had an awesome opportunity to teach her more about what we really do believe. It's cool though because every question she does have we seem to always have the answer to it. Just another blessing of this gospel! 

Our dinner last week on Monday was with another new member family, the Petersons. They are ranching up here. They have to calve out about 300 head, but for him that is nothing. He is used to running like 40,000 acre plots down in Southern Alberta and runnin about 2000 head! It's wild! It was cool though because while we were there they had a little baby cow in the garage that almost died because of the snowstorm we had on Monday(no that isn't the cool part) but while we were there they went and fed it so we could see how you have to feed the baby cows and everything! They taught me so much about how to be a cowboy! It's wild up here!

We had a great lesson with Susan this week! We got over there and really just dig into why we need to go to church and how our commitment and our works are what will allow us to know the truthfulness of the message we are bringing. She has always been so scared to make this commitment because she is afraid if she makes a choice to join a church and everything then doesn't like it, people will judge her. We had such a spiritual lesson with her though. I bore one of the most heartfelt testimonies I have shared since being on my mission. I truly hope that it does continue to sink in and she will make that decision to get serious about investigating the church. 

The Schallock family we have been working with, which includes our one investigator Madi, has now been to church every week except once in the last like 2 months! It's been so cool to see this family make the choices for themselves and how they have seen the gospel bless their lives once again. I hope they will continue to improve each week! 

I will try and do more cool things this week! And really just try to remember more about the week! It is so hard to remember what happened this week and not the last-everything seems to mesh together! I love you all though! I hope all is going well! Tell your Momma's you love em on Sunday! Megan's wedding is on Wednesday! That is too wild! What exciting times back at home!

I'll talk to you soon!

Love, Elder McFall

Another great Barrhead Sunset...I am real good at taking photos.

Wildlife photo! Taken from like 1/2 mile away...thank goodness for 18x zoom!

It's finally warm! 6 months out! so bright outside.