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

Week 85 – Happy Canada Day!

I can't believe it, time has been flying by and the weeks are getting shorter and shorter. Not sure what to do about that though, so I just keep the head down and plow through! We have had some really neat experiences lately. As of late, we have really been looking for that understanding of how we can really internalize our purpose, and by doing so how we can truly be purpose driven to find those that need to feel of our Savior's Atonement into their lives. There are two stories I feel impressed to share!

First was with Sister Santiago, she is a member returning to activity the last little while. We got in there and we really started to discuss what we do in our lives that hold us back from truly and fully partaking of the Atonement and the gospel of Jesus Christ. We had a really good discussion of what things hold her back in her life. But things led to another, scriptures really started to come to my mind about what she needs and my companion did the same. I absolutely love being able to testify, with absolute surety, that God loves us. That as a son or daughter of our Heavenly Father, we are entitled to blessings and experiences that we all desire in our lives. I love being able to then help them feel that love. Each time I get a glimpse of what it must be like for our Father. 

The next was just yesterday with Brother Tagabuan. He is such a good man. We shared our thoughts feelings about the Book of Mormon. He as well has not been able to attend church for a while now. As we got talking, he started opening to us about how he felt we were the answer to his prayers and he needed us there. That what we can bring to him was an absolute necessity in his life. But it made me think, regardless of our circumstance, there is always something we should be able to do, that is read from the scriptures and pray to our Father in Heaven, nobody can take those two blessings away from us except ourselves. He asked us to come over every week now and help him as he has been struggling spiritually. Well consider it done, even if it is a 30 minute drive! 

Do you remember the time I talked about a guy named Cedric? Well our bishop, Bishop Dorado, invited him over again and we had a nice get together this last weekend as well. We were able to get to know one another a lot better, and ended with a good message and discussion about the Book of Mormon. It is great to be working alongside the bishop while we move forward each and every day with him. He has a desire to learn, now we just have to do everything we can to give him those opportunities! 

Did some finding and teaching this week, the usual things. Things are coming around. I wish I had more of an update on Josephine. We taught her again this week and she is still accepting of the doctrine, I know she knows it is true. But she is just getting a real catch on some of the doctrines. Yes, membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is hard; we are required to give much, in fact all. We have so many tasks we may feel burdened with. But when we consider what we have been asked, and compare that to what our Savior went through to bring us the gift of salvation, I guess things don't seem so bad. Yes, we have to sacrifice, we must be obedient, but so did He. Salvation was not easy; neither should membership and activity in the only church that brings salvation and eternal life either.

I love you all! I'll talk to you soon! Oh and transfers call were today.. I am starting my 3rd to last transfer. Still up here with Elder Ustare... no surprise there! Should be good to finish off this training.

Love, Elder McFall

There are some real sights up in Chinatown.

The District

Week 84 - The sun is shrinking!

Probably isn't the most accurate I realize, but the days are already getting shorter again! It has been weird the last while as we really haven't seen the darkness at all! When we wake up, the sun is already up, when we go to sleep, the sun is still setting. The life of living even just this far up north is a little different! I love it though! Well I love it because it isn't winter where it is dark all the time! This week was eventful for sure! Where to begin...

We picked up a couple new investigators this week, some that the Lord has really prepared to hear the message of the Restoration. I think what I am realizing more and more is that our Father's children are truly being gathered and it is simply up to us. Not just us as full-time missionaries, because simply the work will not move forward in its intended way unless we work together. We have been getting some good support from our ward in helping us as we work with the people in our teaching pools. The new investigator that I am pretty excited for is Jane. She is from Ghana, she is here with her entire family so her husband and four kids, very Christian as well. The only difficulty is apparently in Ghana, is is a profession to be a prophet, so when we began teaching about prophets it was just a, "absolutely there are prophets, I have seen tons back home!" well, I think we missed the boat a little bit on that one. We are working on that though! Another investigator who is willing to act is a girl named Penny. She has been reading the Book of Mormon with her daughter ever since she got it and she really just wants to find that faith again and feels this could be it in her life. We just started teaching, so nothing to new yet!

The Lord really does place us into the paths of those that have sought him in prayer. Each week we have our hour where we can go to Mormon.org. lds.org, etc. to just check things out. This last week I went in and sat down at my computer when the girl next to me just gives us a "hey elders" well hmm, okay let's see where this goes! She turns out to be a member, who hasn't attended in years. She has really been thinking about church lately, has actually wanted to come back, but didn't really know where or any details that were needed for that. The other really cool thing was a little while back the elders, I guess just before I got here, helped them move into their apartment. (You think I would have heard about this before...) but anyways, her boyfriend she is living with agreed for every swear word he would take a discussion. Well, he had 5 discussions to take still! She calls him while we are sitting there and he readily accepts and then we get into how his 3 kids he wants to find a church to have them baptized! Well looks like we have a winner! They were all there this last Sunday at church, and now the ball is going to start rollin' forward! 

Update with Josephine. We taught her 3 times this last week, which was good. She has just been soaking it up. We have been going through the last few commandments to prepare her for her baptism. We covered tithing this week; well that is when everything changed. She understands the commandment, agrees we should pay it. But not yet. I know she has felt the spirit, I feel that we have had two of the most powerful lessons with her over this last weekend, but something is still missing. It is this principle of sacrifice. I casually asked her the baptismal interview questions; she would pass the interview for understanding and testimony of the Book of Mormon and the Prophet Joseph. We are really praying to know how else we can help her see that this sacrifice is something she can do. So this was Saturday and Sunday, so as of now she is seeking and praying for a baptismal date and the next step she is going to take. She is ready, she just needs to realize that! 

We had our zone conference this last week, it was really neat. We went all over the Abrahamic Covenant, which is something I have been studying, and really got into who we are. But not just that, we got into the gathering of Israel and the work that we are doing and its connection to that same Abrahamic Covenant. Something that stuck out was how the Covenant was first introduced to Abraham, then renewed with Isaac and Jacob. But there is one more, with Joseph Smith and the complete Restoration of Christ's church on the earth. It was a neat time! Or in the words of someone I know, it was real lum. 

A scripture I thought to share was in Doctrine and Covenants 25:10, "And verily I say unto thee that thou shalt lay aside the things of this world, and seek for the things of a better." We think that everything that we may achieve and obtain in the world is of great value and worth, but simply it will pass and go. For everyone who has made a covenant with our Father in Heaven, this is what you covenanted to, amongst other things. Hopefully we all can live up to these covenants which bind us to the Lord and our Father! I love you all! 

Talk to you soon!

Love, Elder McFall

Week 83 – araw ng mga ama!

Kamusta Kayo?

I think first is to say thanks to each one of you who is a father! Never underestimate your role and ability to change the lives of those around you and the impact you have already made on countless individuals. To stay on that for a second, I also just think to say that don't think that your role as a father is just to those that are your own children, but there are many people to whom you can be  father figure to that need your positive influence and righteousness. 

If I told you we are still having miracles would you believe me? You have to, so I am not worried. I think Josephine is still our miracle with just how well she is doing. As we taught her this week we were able to really answer some good questions as we finished teaching lesson 2-Ang plano ng Kaligtasan at tapos nagtuturo kami sa Lesson 3-ang Ebanghelyo ni Jesucristo. Okay that is all the Tagalog you get. It is probably off a little anyways... haha I am working on it though! She is really just absorbing the teaching and she is understanding how this will change and affect her life. She has been sharing the gospel to all her friends and family back in the Philippines because she wants them to experience what she is going through. She is witnessing her life change, and she wants that for others. Pretty excited for her to say the least. Still just helping her work towards the 5th of July for her Baptism! 

Another miracle would be we are really just starting to find some of those elect that are being prepared to hear the gospel. Remember in 1 Nephi 22:25 "And he gathereth his children from the four quarters of the earth; and he numbereth his sheep , and they know him; and there shall be one fold and one shepherd; and he shall feed his sheep, and in him they shall find pasture." Right now there is such a hastening from all corners of the earth for others to hear the message of the restoration and be given the opportunity to accept and act on the message. We are now teaching one family that is from Sierra Leone that have great faith and are willing to experiment upon the word. We will be going over there again tonight to teach more. We are giving a big focus on just allowing them to receive that witness and answer directly from our loving Father in Heaven. Although we can reason things out in the scriptures, that will not bring the same conviction to those truths as would a whispering from the Spirit. The other one, which we have set up for tonight, is a lady and her 4 kids from Ghana. We don't know too much more yet, but tonight we will! One more that I will mention is a brother named Laurent, from Cameroon. He met good old Elder Laceste, my old companion, downtown and they got talking and he wanted to learn more. We gave him a call and he wanted us to come over. We taught him the first lesson, man that spirit was strong. He wanted to come to church, but had to go up to work. But we gave him the address and he wants to go to church up in Dawson Creek where he will be working the next 3 weeks. We will see where it goes! Although it may not seem like much, we are being blessed with opportunities to testify and teach these truths, what more could we really ask! When we are given a chance to testify, the Spirit will then be able to help each and every person to know and understand these truths for themselves. 

This last Saturday was really neat, we were able to attend this Filipino Independence day celebration that was held at the City hall in Edmonton. It was a bunch of just little speeches, dances, and other things. It was a great event for us to be out there and meeting a lot of different people. We were able to get some good contacts that hopefully will pan out in the future. I have really grown to find when you can find something that you can just enjoy with someone you are able to instantly connect and you then sharing your feelings and testimony of the Restoration is one that will flow so naturally, even with a stranger. That was a neat! That night we had our long awaited city wide Filipino Fireside that we had put together. It was held on the south side back in Millwoods. We had between 150-200 people come, a good chunk of non members as well. It was a fun night, tons of food(what do you expect with Filipinos), and just a good opportunity to make friendships. Another side note on that though, right before that started when we got down to the stake center it was a child of record baptism for the Olsen family back in Bearspaw, who I loved! Tons of the ward down there were at the church and so I got to chat with a bunch of them and catch up! It was amazing! I miss those people! They were like family to me, well when you are in an area like that it is kinda bound to happen! It was just so nice to see some old familiar faces and see how they were doing. I guess with that it was nearly the same with The Filipino fireside because it was city wide, so going back to when I was with Elder Laceste covering the entire city I was then able to see a lot of those Filipinos I haven't seen in a while and we were all able to catch up as well! It was just the greatest day!!

Life is good. I have nothing to complain about. I love you all! I was reading more of the general conference talks from this last conference and one that continues to stick out to me is the talk of Elder Richard G. Scott, entitled "I have given you an example". He talks all about how we can love others and by doing so that then allows us to be a part of their live, to change their lives. That coupled with the talk from Pres. Thomas S. Monson, "Love, the Essence of the Gospel", really just helped me think all about how we need to show an increase of love to those around us and allow that love to be given freely to others with no expectation of anything in return. We do things for others simply because that is what our perfect example would do. We do this because this is how we allow others to feel that love that God has for them. If you feel others have wronged you, think back to how many times you have wronged our Father in Heaven and yet he still continues to forgive you. We all need to be filled with a greater measure of mercy to those around us. I say this because of the experiences I am having with those I am working with here on my mission and something I am personally working on. If we can master this principle, we will be able to help multitudes of people in their lives and help them on their way back to their Heavenly Home. I am grateful for all of you back at my earthly home! Love you! Talk to you soon!

Love, Elder McFall

The Tags and flags!

Filiipino fireside. can you see me? haha that is what is funny because I am sooo much taller! that is life...

Filipino Independence Day – at City Hall

Lunch in the park - in between our two wards where we attend sacrament we eat at the park! It's nice!