Week 89 – The sun is still shining people

Yep, definitely another week of a mission roller coaster. Things have been going good lately though. WE have been able to get a lot of things done. The only bad part is, we still have so much to get done! This week we have really been on that pavement trying to find those people to teach. Our schedule pretty much just goes all week of teaching at night, finding during the day. I love it! I love being able to talk to so many different people and be led to those that are willing to listen. One of those ways we have used lately with all the festivals Edmonton has is just to ride the train and talk to people. Sometimes you kinda feel like you are on a soap box, but we have a good time with it. I can just imagine what it would have been like back as Christ was teaching and the multitudes would gather to hear his message. I want those multitudes! Or in the early days of the church where they really would get up on a box and just start preaching! If we did that we would probably get a lot of stuff thrown at us!

We were able to really work with Josephine again this week. She really is receptive to the spirit and she knows how to receive answers to her prayers. We just need to have that be where she will always stay true to that revelation she receives and not try to justify and find a way around these commandments. That part has been hard, but she is getting there. Commandments are given to us by a loving Father who sees things in an eternal perspective. He gives commandments to us to protect us and allow us to live a life that is worthy to return to his presence. We can't look at commandments as do's and don'ts. They are guidelines to lead us to eternal life. I look at commandments compass in our gospel journey. We have the scriptures to be our map as they show us the route, but the commandments help us stay on that route and not to miss the scenery along the way. 

A neat experience with a guy we talked with probably 2 months ago now. We have tried by this guy named Eric repeatedly, but no luck. I remember the day we met him we knocked his door and we had a good conversation, no doubt, but nothing happened. But as we went down the row of houses and continued to knock there was something we said that stuck with him. On our way back down the street he came out from the house to the street to talk more. This week as we saw him again he just said how grateful he was for that but how lately he has been struggling a bit spiritually with the different things that are happening. It provided yet another opportunity to testify of God's love and the power that the Book of Mormon can have in our lives as we immerse ourselves in those pages. He was so grateful for what we had given him. One of the big lessons I learned from this was you really won't know who will accept your message because just by looking at the guy, you would never expect him to be open to religion at all! 

We were able to continue to work with a bunch of these members who haven't been able to make it out to church as much. We have a few that are returning to full activity and that we are able to help them really set their sights on the temple. That is what this work is all about. Elder Neal A. Maxwell said, “Clearly, when we baptize, our eyes should gaze beyond the baptismal font to the holy temple. The great garner into which the sheaves should be gathered is the holy temple” That also comes from the scripture in Alma 26:5 "Behold, the field was ripe, and blessed are ye, for ye did thrust in the sickle, and did reap with your might, yea, all the day long did ye labor; and behold the number of your sheaves! And they shall be gathered into the garners, that they are not wasted." I tell you, this plan is a beautiful thing! There is nothing that can replace the blessings of the temple in this life. It is absolutely essential, I am sure of it. 

Had some more exchanges with Elder Winnie from back home and that was a blast as always! Every time I do anything with him it still blows my mind that we are serving together! Never in a million years do you imagine some of these things that happen! He is a great elder though with a firm desire to work, but really is himself as he does it. It is just fun to be around him and have that friendship! Gosh, life is good! I need to go do some fun things though! I love you all! I'll talk to you all soon! 

Love, Elder McFall

Out for Lunch

Elder Winnie and I

Week 88 – Oh Happy Day!

Let's get down the the nitty gritty here folks. Things up north are rolling forward, that is pretty good eh? Sure we have tons of disappointment and things that are so frustrating, but we are doing well! This week we were able to find a few new investigators, we talked to what seems like a million people(which still wasn't enough), and just got work done. I'll start with that fella named Steve that we helped move. He didn't come to church, which was a huge bummer. But we were able to teach him this last week and he has expressed great interest in our message and really wants to get into the pages of the Book of Mormon. There are two channels of revelation and signs of conversion that in my experience thus far as a missionary are what separate the boys from the men... First would be if they are prayerfully reading from the Book of Mormon.This would be essential because they have to "consider the evidence". First and foremost in our conversion should always be a firm belief and testimony of Jesus Christ and God the Father, but in the Church, we must also gain a great conviction towards the Prophet Joseph Smith and his divine calling. Without that we will simply have a conversion with no foundation. The other channel would be church attendance. In some ways, this is almost more important because this is showing to others that you are willing to sacrifice and truly change. You can read privately and secretly and you receive little public scrutiny compared to what you do to go to church. With that in mind, I am always trying to get those investigators, and less active that are returning to activity out to church! 

We were able to see Josephine up at church. Last week turns out she was at church, so that makes it every week since she has been in Canada she has been at church. Not bad eh?! We had a great lesson yesterday with her. Still rolling around the topic of tithing. We talked about obedience, and the purpose behind the commandments we are given. I love the promises we have in Mosiah 2:22, D&C 130:20-21, D&C 82:10. We are told, in fact promised that IF we obey what the Lord has asked, He is absolutely bound to bless us and prosper us. We will be blessed and prospered perfectly according to our needs. We have a Heavenly Father who knows us perfectly, that loves us infinitely. So then what really holds us back from obeying him? She admits that she knows that what we share is absolutely a commandment; she knows the importance of obeying. She has a tear of where to place her priorities. We can say just have faith, have faith, but that is tough! Her baptism date is now September 26, she is excited about that and set it herself. Yeah, it is a ways off but no need to rush. 

I was able to go on a little exchange with Elder Laceste, you should all remember him! I served with him back in Bearspaw for 4 1/2 months. It was the greatest! It was just like old times. It was really fun to be with him and teach with him again. Crazy to think, he goes home in like 2 1/2 weeks. Who would have thought. Time has been flying by lately, July will be over before we know it. 

We had a language missionary training this last week for all the language missionaries here. I remember when I came out on my mission the only language we had was Spanish, and about 6-8 missionaries. Now we have Tagalog, Spanish, Mandarin. Our total is about 24 now and growing. It is just crazy to me! The lord needs to hasten the work and hasten the way he reaches to his children. It makes me think of the beginning of Acts, where the apostles just after the day of Pentecost. They are filled with the spirit first, this is what then enables them to "speak in cloven tongues" and began to teach and testify as guided by the spirit. I love the reaction of, as it says, the devout men of every nation. At this point they speak in the tongue of each present and they marvel. This is exactly what we are seeing. The gift of tongues is real! Now you probably expect me to say I can speak Tagalog and life is just great, not quite! I am working on it though! What I do know is that regardless of our language abilities, it is the spirit that allows each hearer to hear the words that sound familiar. If we trust solely in ourselves, we will reach but a portion of our full potential, if we trust in the Lord and rely on the spirit, they are miracles just waiting to happen.

Thanks for everything! I hope you all have a great 24th of July! I'll have to do something wild!

Love, Elder McFall

Week 87 – Hidden Miracles

We are really starting to see some neat things happen up here! But that is all in the light of having appointment after appointment cancel. Seems to be the new trend up here, okay no it is an old trend! But the last couple weeks I tell you this has been absolutely outrageous! I am not sure what is going on any why it is happening! Okay I do, it is because we are needed elsewhere. It isn't to say that those we have scheduled with don't need us, they do. But we are needed to be put in the paths of others whom our Father has prepared at this time. Each day we pray to be lead to those who are seeking the restored gospel and to who would accept and have a desire to act on the message. We have had the blessing of talking with many, many people. Placing lots of copies of the Book of Mormon and other resources to help others learn more about the restoration and what we believe in. Although, nothing has really come to the surface, I am confident we are doing what the Lord needs. Like I mentioned last week, Jack (Jacquin) is one of those miracles though. He came out to church yesterday and stayed for all 3 hours, it was incredible! He loved the whole thing. The ward did a great job about reaching out to him and making him feel welcome and loved. He made mention to how much he enjoyed it and wants to continue to come back. We will be going over tonight to really get into teaching. Pretty wild, we haven't had the opportunity to formally teach him yet, but as we have extended that love and showed a sincere interest in him, alongside consistent follow up, he had that desire to come to church. If they are willing to come to church, that is a sure sign of progression. He is a great guy, great faith, and just a good man to talk with! 

One real neat thing is we had a media referral come in this week for a guy that needed help moving. He referred himself from mormon.org, but also talked with sister missionaries back in Utah and they referred him up to us as well. We got a big old Uhaul packed, moved, and unpacked in two hours and he was just so grateful! He has a great desire to learn. His name is Steve, solid fella. He really wants to learn so that will be great! I also challenged him to tennis, so we will see how that goes! 

This week we were also able to teach Josephine again this week. It has been frustrating to really get down to the root of her problem that is holding her back from baptism. Not that it is all about baptism, but it is pretty important! We have been praying and fasting, really trying to figure it out. This week we made some great headway. The lesson basically ended with her saying, "You know that I know this is true. I just need to get some things figured out." Now I know this doesn't sound super promising, but trust me, it is! Her baptism is looking like it'll be in September. I am really hoping to baptize in both the transfers I have left, along with helping some others come back to church as well. 

In that regard, we got our good old Brother Fisher out to church this last week. Okay pause, it wasn't us that got him out to church, it was nothing that we specifically did, but it is the spirit. That is one thing I am grateful for when working with a returning member, they already have the gift of the holy ghost, they know what they should be doing! You just help them resolve concerns and really find that motivation again. It was so great to see him there! You have no idea! 

Well, we are working hard to talk with absolutely everyone! There are so many of our Heavenly Father's children that need this gospel! Whether or not they realize it, we do! I am so grateful to be serving right now and to be able to sacrifice more and more each day for this great work! As we are obedient and diligent, we will be blessed. I am absolutely confident of that. In fact we are promised by the Lord, "I the Lord am bound when ye do what I say, but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise." I'll talk to you all very soon!! Love you!

Love, Elder McFall

Week 86 – God Bless America!

First confession, I miss America. The real America. There is just something different about Canada and the day that they celebrate their version of the 4th-Canada Day! I missed out on some real 4th of July celebrations, but that is alright! Did get to enjoy a nice bbq on the 1st and then to a bunch of different gatherings and then this big art festival downtown, it was pretty cool! Lots of people out here and doing their thing, great opportunity to get out there and chat with people in a little bit different way. People are more open when you are in those types of situations! It was a great day also to really think about the blessings of my freedoms and all that I have been blessed with. One thing I have noticed with Edmonton is it really is gathering from all over the world, these people can now come to a free country where we can enjoy that which makes us most happy. Definitely a blessing from a loving heavenly father!

The miracles are everywhere! We have things coming around with Josephine, our Pinoy investigator. We have been struggling to really get in to figure out what her real concern is to holding her back from baptism. We have been praying and fasting for answers, we feel that our lessons are incredibly spiritual and motivating. She leaves those lessons with more understanding and renewed determination, but something was missing. But now we know, and now we more fully understand how we can help her overcome such a difficulty. Basically, her difficulty is something, well we don't have the answer for, but I am confident our Heavenly Father will provide. 

We have been really looking to find some new investigators, as our pool right now is kinda full of others who don't have that real intent that is necessary. As much as I wish I could just keep visiting some and hoping that something will click, sometimes we have to area book them and have trust that the Lord will continue to prepare them for missionaries in the future. I know there are others that are prepared for the gospel and that are willing to act on the message. Yesterday we did have a really neat experience though. Probably about a month ago we tracted into this fella named Jack. He is a war vet from England, in about his 50's. Last time we talked to him he talked to us about how he was incredibly sick, a sickness he got while in Afghanistan on deployment. It was unknown, and you could tell he was down. At that time we talked about the Book of Mormon, and testified that regardless of what is going on in our lives, the Book of Mormon contains answers and direction we can really benefit from. Yesterday, after one of our investigators didn't pan out, and we rescheduled, I had the impression to try by Jack. We have been trying him consistently for the last few weeks, but nothing. Yesterday we go and he invites us back into his garage, and we get chatting. He then talks about the Book of Mormon, and is talking like this book is amazing! These stories about people who are able to respond to their trials so well, it has helped me so much! It brings me a lot of peace and helps me really relax every time I have a tough day. (oh, he isn't deathly ill anymore by the way). Keep talking, asks about what our church is like, then says, "I should come there!" He is such a good man! Definitely a blessing in our lives! We will be seeing him next week at church. Double bonus, he was actually born in the Philippines, but grew up in England, and then his wife is a Filipina, so we got two birds with one stone!

Still a lot of less active work and working on some real solid reactivation right now. We have one sister who has now come to church the last 3 weeks in a row and has every intention to keep on going and keep on improving. She is dating one of our investigators. She is the same one we met at the library a few weeks back. Interesting that is all it takes sometimes. The Lord will place you in someone's life who is truly prepared to receive the gospel again. It was just an invitation we extended that reignited that desire she had lost after years. 

Things have been great! Teaching with Elder Ustare has been a lot of fun. Neat to see a young missionary with such a desire to do what is right and a hunger after righteousness! I have been helping him get to know his scriptures and it has been a lot of fun! Gosh, missionary work is just a good time! Got the 20 months today, now that is weird. Time has been absolutely flying by. I am grateful for all that you have done for me! Keep it up back there! Read those scriptures!

Love, Elder McFall

It's the "pogi" pose... basically means i'm handsome!

Oh Canada! As Canadian as I can get!

Canada Day

Good Ole times on the mission