Week 35 - Okay, this week's email for everyone!

Okay, this week's email for everyone!

I wanna apologize that you all thought I didn't love you anymore last week! I don't know what happened and why the email didn't go through, but this week you get double the reading material! So buckle down!

This week was good, a little more frustrating, but it has truly made me realize that this is the Lord's work more than anything. Reading an Ensign article this morning, something clicked. There are quotes from some General Authorities saying things to the effect of, this is the Lord's work and we need to actually let him be a part of it. Or things like, let the Lord do the heavy lifting; or other phrases of similar effect. It made me realize that as long as I do what I am asked, He will be there; the miracles will pour out upon me, my companionship, and ultimately my area. The area needs it right now! I got thinking about the area and really came to the conclusion that the ward, esp. the leadership isn't behind us too much right now. I know there have been things in the past with other missionaries that kinda caused that, but it seems like the companionships previous to me being here didn't decide to do much about it to get that fixed. This week, I decided that it really did have to change. I have only been here a few weeks, but from the things I hear from some of the ward members I have gotten to know, it isn't working as smoothly up top as we would hope. I am working hard to improve what they see from our end. We need them, as much as they need us. We set up appts with the EQ pres, HP pres, RS president and trying to get things in order. It is a lot of work, but already we have seen improvements after the meeting with the Elders Quorum president talking about things! I think we are onto something!

This week we had a sweet opportunity that came from service. We went through the ward list trying to identify some of the less-active people in the ward whom we might be able to contact and spend some time with. I felt like we should call this Carl fellow, and we did and he said yea we could come over, but we would have to talk to him while he worked on his deck. We offered to help, we went over, helped for a couple hours had a great conversation with him and his wife and went on our merry way thinking life was just dandy! We get to church this Sunday to find that nobody has really been able to talk to him and that the church has almost no contact with him. But the good news is they were so happy we got over there and had that experience!!! Turns out, sometimes it really is just a matter of timing and who is involved. They invited us back over so we are going to try and get there this upcoming week again for a bbq or something.

This week with Kambo was intense I tell ya. The missionaries have been houndin on the Spirit world for the longest time, I have felt like it just wasn't right, but I wasn't sure which direction to really take it yet. We went in there, I had a scripture prepared, Mosiah 15 that was on the atonement, trying to avoid the spirit world topic, it came up, but as we got talking and everything he said something that finally had it click in my head. Basically like, wouldn't it be better in a way if I didn't believe in the spirit world, then I would just have to do everything right on earth. It made me realize and I was like, YES! not to disregard the spirit world or avoid his problem, but it gives us something that will help his testimony even more. We immediately went into the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the steps we must take while here on earth. We are going to be talking about priesthood and the restoration this week. It will be a long process, but I know if he gets a testimony of the restoration, naturally he will have a testimony of Joseph Smith and that means it will be much easier to accept revelation on the spirit world...I'll let you know how it all goes!

We had our lesson with Alannah this week, it was super solid. We taught the importance of baptism, the baptismal covenant, and then sacrament. It surprised me she hadn't been taught the covenant of baptism yet she was committed to baptism. So we did that and she said how much she learned in that lesson, which was so cool! She is still on date for the 24 of August so that is lum.

Anyways, I am not sure if I will be able to get much of an email off next week. I am trying to get it figured out. A member is taking us out to the Colombian ice fields, it will be too cool! I will hopefully talk to you all soon though!

I love you all!

Elder McFall

Pictures of the week:

Our zone training meeting was Christmas in July. I am kinda hidden in the back!

Good old Canola Field. They are all over! This was taken off the back of our car.