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