Elder Drake McFall: Week 100 – Thanksgiving, birthdays, baptisms

It has been pretty stellar since I last wrote you. Epic would probably be a good way to put it. I love missionary work, I love being a missionary, I love Canada. Definitely going to miss this. I will start with a good man named Ramez Habbash. A less active that I got a hold of a month back or so, he was just about to go back to Jordan-the country. He is from Jordan and has been a member of our church since 1995, but has been less active for a while due to family circumstance. He reads and prays but couldn't attend church. Well, I called him and we had the chance to go over there and meet him, he had asked for a blessing. As we got talking it was yet another absolute witness of God's love and his knowledge of His children. He knows us perfectly and when we listen to the spirit, we are then able to go on His errand. He talked about how when I called, it was the exact moment he needed it. So grateful to have met him and helped his progression back into the gospel. He is in Londonderry ward, so not my ward, but the elders there will do great with him.

We were able to teach Jessie this week, and it went well! We more or less just had a good heart to heart and just reestablished those expectations and what she is going to need to do for this to change her life and she wants it to. Still struggling to get her to church, everything is in place, but then she hurt like her ankle and that got in the way. Frustrating? Absolutely. We will keep going though and see what we can do. I really do see so much potential in her and I know she knows this is a good path to follow, now we just need a little more commitment.

Taught a new fella named Ryan. I think in my old age, as a missionary, I have become a much more bold missionary, and just laid it out on the line. He had a lot of things that came from, well bad sources and set that straight with pure doctrine. He just soaked it up. Absolutely what he needed. Now we just need to keep things regular and it will be well. I am excited to see where that will go with him. He used to work for a Mormon guy so that has been helpful as well though. When I say he had false info it was because he had info from his friend, which was good, then through time and the internet it became a little blurred.

This last week I was able to give a talk in Sacrament meeting. I loved it! I seriously love talking so much, just being able to teach others the things I have come to know, I love it. It was all about faith. Interesting, my first talk-my farewell, and then one of the last talks I give is on faith. A principle that has carried me through my entire mission and something I have worked to cultivate and really develop. I gave examples from the scriptures, Abinadi, Joseph Smith, and Peter, then Josephine the lady I taught. Definitely loved that.

Had my birthday this last weekend on Sunday, so we made it into a celebration weekend, it was a good time. I have eaten lots of cake, which is a good thing though! Yesterday, Canadian Thanksgiving, we went to the Edmonton Eskimos game! They are in the CFL, and it was so much fun! We sat Row 11. Great seats! How did we get our tickets? Well we went to go buy them, started talking to one of those like ticket peddlers, got a good deal. Had to go get money from an ATM in a bar... haha that was kinda funny... then we went. It was a blast though! Absolutely loved it! Then had two big ol suppers for Thanksgiving! I was stuffed!

Last but definitely not least. The baptism of Patrick Kemle went super well! He loved it. And just seeing him be able to make that change and come closer to our Savior, it was incredible. He has changed so much in such a short amount of time. You can see the desire and his want to just improve his life. To see how the gospel of Jesus Christ can transform an individual, I loved it. Just seeing his face, his spirit. What a day.

LIFE IS GOOD. I love my mission. I have loved every moment of it. Thank you all so much for the birthday wishes! I love you all! I'll talk to you soon!

Love, Elder McFall

Patrick’s baptism!