Week 98 – Where to even begin

I will start with Josephine, what an experience. It was just one of those moments as I sat there at her baptismal service and just let the spirit work. To explain how I felt is difficult. She has come so far and she has really overcome so much to be where she is at right now. She has really seen the blessings of the gospel and she has come to see the progression she herself needs to make. She has come to a point where she is following the answers she receives from the spirit solely on the basis that she knows that is what is best for her. On Sunday I was able to do the confirmation for her, what a blessing in my own life that was as well. I gave a talk about the Gift of the Holy Ghost at her baptism as well and then offering her that gift really just made me reflect on what a blessing the spirit really is in our own lives. What a blessing it is that helps us to stay on that path that leads to exaltation. I really just never want to take that for granted. In the confirmation and bestowing that gift of the holy ghost, you have to say very specific words, that being, "receive the Holy Ghost", that phrase has been on my mind. It takes effort to receive the spirit, then more effort to maintain that spirit in our lives, but any sacrifice you make is nothing in comparison to the blessings that will immediately flow into your heart, mind, and spirit. What a blessing we have in this church!

Patrick, a fella I found and started teaching, then passed over to the YSA sisters, has really been progressing well and will get baptized in a couple weeks, well that is the plan. He bore his testimony in church on Sunday, I wasn't there obviously since he is YSA, but then he came to our church to find me and tell me all about it! We had a good conversation and he asked me very specifically to be at his baptism. It just made me so grateful for the lives that we can be blessing by simply being who we are and always being willing to be on the Lord's errand. The Lord has called each of us as individuals, not just full time missionaries, to be who we are for a very specific reason. We have lives to bless, don't hold anything in. 

What an experience this last week, which has really helped me to further build my testimony for the power of the priesthood. I feel to preface this story with saying that this is nothing about me, nothing about who I am or anything, but a way that I have been able to bless someone's life by being worthy and able to use the Priesthood in its intended way. There was a sister here that the sister missionaries have been helping to reactivate, she has come so far. Well we got a call on Wednesday night I believe it was from the sisters asking if we could come give this sister in the ward a blessing. She had been sick for 3 days, doctors don't really have a real idea of what's going on, she has no voice, just dog sick. I was able to give her a blessing that night, she wakes up the next day, sickness is gone. She is fully healthy. Isn't that a miracle? Isn't that the stories that we read about in the scriptures? This is the same Priesthood Christ and His apostles raised people with, it is fully in use and active now. It has been restored and that I know without a doubt.  I think sometimes we overlook the power that we have in our own lives by holding the Priesthood and the blessing it is in the lives of those around us. It is there to bless the human family, I am grateful for that. 

Before finishing off with the Londonderry Elders-Elder Winnie and Elder Nelson, we were able to teach a girl named Victoria. Truly so prepared for the gospel and it was a blessing to help her in her progression. It is just neat to see someone when they are so prepared to hear the gospel. The work is hastening, it really is.

Another tender mercy of the Lord would have been with the family that Josephine has been living with. She is living with a member family, not the same one she has always been with. Well this family she is with now, after all these turn of events, has a son who is very less active in the church and hasn't come out to anything churchy in a real long time! He came out to Josephine's baptism. Do you see how the Lord works? Do you see how He reaches out to His children in often mysterious ways to us? I am confident that God's love does not ebb and flow with our decisions, His course sometimes is difficult to understand, but when we allow the spirit to continue to guide and allow His will to unveil itself, truly miracles occur. 

Got a real solid new investigator! Kennedy, our Recent Convert, has this girl friend named Natasha and turns out her family is a bunch of Mormons as well. We started teaching her this week after she came to church and everything. Taught her in a member's home at that point and things are really starting to pick up pace. She wants to get baptized, but doesn't want to rush things. As much as I wish she would just fast track this thing and get baptized before I go home, I am grateful for her desires and looking into how this gospel will bless her own life. 

As a District Leader, I love giving trainings in District Meeting each week. I pretty much just write down a few ideas and then just let 'em fly and see where the Spirit takes us. So far so good. The areas I help out are the sisters here in the Castledowns ward, and the Spanish missionaries here for the North stake. So it has been a lot of fun. I went to the temple today, hence the Tuesday email. If you have a temple recommend, go. If you don't, work towards it. Having that blessing of the temple is something that I will cherish and I hope never take for granted. 

I love you all. The days are numbered. I'll talk to you soon!

Love, Elder McFall

My new companion from Palm Desert. His name is Braden Bateman. Been out 9 months - came out last January.

The district at the temple

Week 97 – Last Transfer

Holy smokes people! I am running out of time. Today my last transfer of my mission started, that is too weird! I really don't feel like I should be at this point already, I just am going to do absolutely everything in my power to finish strong and get everything I need to done. I have been so blessed so be here in Alberta and be serving these great people. Over these next weeks, I really am going to be doing absolutely everything I can to cherish them and bless as many lives as possible. This week we definitely had some highlights though! One that I will start with would have to be what I talked about with having Elder James B. Martino of the second quorum of the seventy come and tour our mission and provide training. Through that we had a lot of discussion on a few different topics. The trainings also came from President and Sister Manion, as well as Sister Martino. The ones I think I will share with you though, well my thoughts from it are first from President Manion and Joy in missionary work. He revolved this all around Charity and how if we truly possess Charity, we will be willing to sacrifice in our lives. Joy, comes from absolute obedience and desire to follow the Lord. Joy, comes from us giving of ourselves freely to this great cause. Joy, comes from us following with our heart and mind committed to a single cause and goal. He contrasted Joy, to happiness, and how Joy is greater and is a feeling our Heavenly Father has for each of us. Elder Martino talked a lot about how we can work with the members of the church, so I hope you all perk up for this one! He brought the story from Alma 8-12 really about how Alma went about teaching the people, and although he was in incredible missionary, he didn't see success, until he involved Amulek., From my understanding, Amulek is like unto a less-active member of the church, or someone who had previously been involved with the church but who had fallen away. Alma, was so disheartened that he left the city of Ammonihah after attempting to call them to repentance but getting rejected. Goes back, Amulek receives him, Alma then blesses his house, his family, his friends, and teaches Amulek. They later go on to preach to the people, the people enjoy Alma's teaching, but they aren't converted until later when Amulek preaches, at this point the people are "astonished". It really just hit home how valuable the members of the church are, the other ways we can use them through this whole process of finding, teaching, and fellowshipping investigators and returning members into the church. It is a pattern that works, as simple as that. The other would just be the life of Peter, the chief apostle! This one I could go on and on about. But I am pretty sure Peter is my hero, that is all you get out of me today! 

I saw and taught Kennedy Mukebezi again this week! Since he moved back into the ward we are working to continue to help him in his progression in the gospel. He said something at the end I thought to share with you though. We talked about the blessings of the gospel to wrap things up, and then he said, you know Elder McFall, you said the day you met me and gave me the Book of Mormon I would never regret it and you promised me that my life would be blessed. I really have seen that so much, I have seen so much good come into my life ever since I joined this church. It kinda just hit at that moment how real this work truly is! The blessings are absolutely real, this is the Lord's church, this is all a huge reality. He is a good man, I love him dearly! 

So remember Josephine Morondoz, the Filipino lady I was teaching and got onto a baptismal date? Well this upcoming weekend she will be baptized and confirmed a member of the church! She has asked me to do the confirmation next Sunday, I am so excited! I really am! It is going to be the coolest! She has come so far and done so well. This is definitely a great step for her and one that I know she knows she needs to make. I'll send pictures next week!

We had our Stake Conference this last weekend, it was the best! I love stake conferences! Just to hear inspired words from leaders that are absolutely called of God, and just the spirit that you can feel there. I think we take for granted all the opportunities we do have to receive revelation. I think we only really sit down and listen to the words at General Conference with the intent of receiving revelation, but what about Stake Conference, what about each week at church? These are choice opportunities. The answers don't just come from the words that are spoken, in fact probably most the time it isn't what someone says, but what you actually hear. Something to think about! 

We had transfers today, I will no longer be with Elder Winnie and Elder Nelson, but my new companion will be Elder Bateman from California! He is a good guy, I have known him since he came out. We should be able to just do the good things up here! I am really excited! 6 weeks though, really weird starting my last transfer today! I can't believe how fast time has gone. I mean I am super excited to see you all again, truly. But man, I love this place. I absolutely love my mission so much. Got to make every last second count. I'll talk to you all very soon!

Love, Elder McFall

Mission Tour with Elder and Sister Martino 

Week 96 – I went to the woods…

I'll start with telling you about something a little different we got a chance to do this last week! Our ward had a campout, and the determining factor was we could go if we could have an investigator there! Well, that turned out to be a lot easier than we thought it was going to be, so we got to go out and spend the evening around the campfire, singing songs, playing games, and just having a really good time with the members and those that were invited! It was a blast! It was out at a place called Wabamun Lake, super cool. It is just great to be able to connect on a different level with those who are investigating the church and help them see that although there is a lot to this gospel and we do have a culture that may seem different, we are all just people who love to be with one another, and you know we aren't that much different. I think it helps them really begin to have the thought of, "I could see myself being a member of this church" type of idea. Isaac, one of our investigators was there, and he really enjoyed himself.

Another highlight would have been teaching Jessie this week. We taught her the beginning of the Plan of Salvation. It basically ended with her telling us this is essentially everything she has thought growing up and has wanted to believe. She never really had any religion, but what she believes is things she gets from here or there, or simply felt right. What we have been teaching, has felt right and she wants more. The baptismal date she had, we won't be able to make due to church attendance. But hopefully before I go home, I'll be able to see her make that great step in her gospel progression. She is a great lady though!

We also got a call from some other elders who had this guy that previously dated a member call them and asked to be taught the lessons. From there, we jumped right on that because he is in our area. Super humble, great desire to learn and to change. Tough life right now though! His name is Patrick. He will get passed to YSA later on this week though. He came to church yesterday and just loved it. I would ask him after each block what he thought, and basically it was just like well it all just makes sense. He talked about how the spirit hit him that morning in Sacrament meeting, which was really cool. We will be teaching him tonight.

Kennedy Mukebezi, the good brother I taught awhile back and then Elder Winnie and his companion finished the teaching with in Londonderry prior to his baptism, moved back to Castledowns ward recently. Due to work, he hasn't been to church in a while. But this last week he came out to church, had a less active family we have been working with bring him out to church, (that has been a really cool experience in itself), and he just loved it. I loved being able to take the sacrament with a brother that I have seen come so far and change so much. I just love him! Definitely got to now help him set those sights on the temple!

That then brings me to the Sherman family. I got a text from Brother Sherman this last week after we had another one of those real heart to hearts over texts! haha but it ended with him thanking me for coming out on a mission because I have helped him change his life. It was just a moment that I am not really sure how to describe. It came at a time where that was definitely needed. I love the people up here so much. I wish I could do more for them, that I will have more time with them. I just always need to make the most of the time I have to serve!

I love you all! Keep up that scripture reading! Talk to you soon!

Love, Elder McFall

Out at the camp!

Week 95 – I looked out the window and what did I see? Snow.

I woke up to snow today, pretty sure a part of me died. The leaves on the trees are all still mostly green, which gives me hope though! But on the bright side we went right from there and we were able to help our investigator Jessie out. So she is like the kingpin of making Bannock for this one company that does a lot of catering. Bannock is basically Indian fry bread, or in other words, delicious. But she got a huge order to do today, 400, so we said we would go over and help her. So Elder Winnie and I were outside with this big fryer just standing under a tent, freezing in the snow, and frying up bannock for about 3 hours! It was a blast! It was good to be able to help her and help her to recognize that we are more than just some missionaries who come knockin at your door trying to convert you to a religion. That we do care, that we do want to help. It was great as well because we were able to work with her husband for a bit who hasn't shown much interest. Now while he may not yet be interested in the message, he knows a lot more about us and really supports his wife in looking into the church. It was pretty funny though, he would keep just referring to us as the "mormonites", good times! They are definitely a super cool native family!

This last week we were also able to have some good experiences with some members. Since we cover the two wards, I have been able to go on splits with my ward mission leader and his assistant. The WML is Brother Eveillard, and the other is Bro Jamieson. Both are super cool guys. But we got out and tried by a bunch of less actives and we were blessed for sure. We finally got a hold of this family we have been trying, well I have been trying since I got here! And then this other Brother, who then started to really open up, so that was great! Miracles have happened this last week though with who came out to church! Isaac was out at church again, which was great. He may not be able to be baptized until he gets permission, but he is basically going to be our "dry Mormon" investigator. Not bad! But we also had great progress with others we are working to reactivate. Brother Fisher, Brother Sherman, and Sister Santiago all made it out to church, it was so cool! Just to see how the spirit then touches them there, that then motivates them to continue on and really help them to rediscover their testimonies. I just love having the opportunity to not just tend to people because it is my duty as a missionary, but lately I truly feel that I have seen that I just love these people so much and I will do absolutely whatever I can for them to help them in their lives. Sometimes I wish there was more I could do, but in other ways you need to help others to learn to fish, rather than give them the fish. Just exciting to see them progress in that way. 

We had a member invite a non-member friend out to supper the other day. We shared a great lesson on the Plan of Salvation, and it really hit home for him. He loved it and I know that in the future he will accept the invitation to learn more.

I had the opportunity to talk with a couple families from back up in Barrhead this last week. The Woodcocks and the Williams. It was good to reconnect there. Unfortunately, I am the last missionary to be in either of their homes. I am working on it so see what I can do to help the missionaries get back in again though. Just such incredible families up there, I miss them! But grateful I was able to have an impact on their lives. It is neat to see some things come back in full circle on your mission.

Not much else for now, gotta get running. Go find somethin fun to do today! I love you all! Pray for the sun to shine! I'll talk to you soon!

Love, Elder McFall

Fun with Bannock

This morning...

Week 94 – BIG FISH LITTLE LAKE

Honestly I am not sure why I have that as the subject, it has nothing to do with what I did this week. I am going to go from the back to the front. Yesterday, I went to Jasper! I went with the Olsen families down from the Bearspaw ward. Pretty sure they are family to me. They really are just the salt of the earth! It was a blast though. I went with them, then all the Bearspaw elders, we had a blast. Got some good hikes, sightseeing, you name it. I miss the mountains for sure though! It was good to get out in the fresh air and just enjoy some of God's beautiful creations! A nice change of pace as well as a missionary to be able to go do that as this last week had some epic moments for sure! 

Things in the investigator category are going pretty well with all things considered. We had a great lesson with Jessie this last week. It was especially great cause she made us Bannock (Indian fry bread), and it was delicious. Okay, no it was actually incredible because the way the spirit has been working on here as of late. She has come around so quickly. At the beginning of teaching her she made mention that she doesn't want to join a church, but is just looking into this. We left there this last week with her saying how she told her husband she wants to join, how she has seen the blessings flow into her life ever since she let us in, and how much she is enjoying our visits. When it comes to just the learning and keeping commitments to read and different things, she is doing great, but we need to help her get out to church! The other great experience this week was with Jane. We finally got to see her and teach her again. She really does want this, it is evident, we just need her to make that connection and help her to sacrifice, easier said than done there. We focused on Revelation through the Book of Mormon and church. As we continue to work on finding that right match with fellowship, I think things will take off. We will see her again tomorrow morning. 

Brother Fisher came to church this week, so that was incredible! I have worked so hard to help him to get reactivated. Nothing that I have done, but just help him to feel the spirit and allow the spirit to change his heart. But as well when he fully understands doctrine, quite simply that changes people. It has been neat to be a part of.

We also taught Maxwell and Rebecca. A lot of testifying, a lot of scripture, but in the end it went pretty well. I just love being able to feel so confident as we teach knowing that in the restored gospel we do have the answer, but to testify with humility and see the spirit work is incredible. 

The big change this week though was that Elder Silver unfortunately had to go home. He will be alright, no worries there. The fun news though is I am with Elder Winnie from back home and his greenie Elder Nelson! Elder Winnie and I have too much fun! Elder Nelson is a quiet guy from Northern Ireland, no accent though, but we get him going! We have just been working things out as we cover two wards now, but so far so good. Excited to see what is going to happen! 

In the end, life is good! Then again, why wouldn't it be? I feel that I have been so blessed recently with opportunities to really help others to feel of God's love and be able to truly feel as a representative of Jesus Christ. It has been incredible, there are miracles absolutely every day. I am just so grateful to be a part of all this work! I love you all! I will talk to you soon!

Love, Elder McFall

I'm so artsy it hurts!

Adventures in Jasper