Week 93 – Fall might be coming…

The weather this last week has really been starting to cool down, that isn't a good thing! I am just hoping that snow doesn't come until the day I go home! Which won't happen, I just don't wanna deal with it for extended periods of time anymore! You have no idea! The nice cool weather we have right now is similar to what it is typically first week of October back home. Reminds me a lot of the weather we get on the Elk hunt, on the good years! It has made work really nice though as it killed off a lot of the mosquitoes. People are trying to tell me the mosquitoes are the worst they have been in a decade. I don't know if I believe them though. Seems like every season and every moment we have up here is the "worst we have seen in a decade" all the time. Maybe this is just a real bad time to be around! I don't think so though, I am loving it up here!

This week we did a lot of finding, and we were blessed. It is as simple as that. We were able to find 8 people this week that wanted us to come back and teach them more. We will follow up with them this week and see where things go from there. We have a good brother, named Keelan, who has right form the get go had this connection with me and my companion and said he really does want to change, and trust me, he has some changing to do. It is crazy, anyone who has served a mission will know this feeling, but the second you meet someone you can just love them and want what is very best for them. That is what I have seen over and over! These people need my help, I cannot be shy or apprehensive about extending that assistance. I love being a missionary and really helping people to change their own situations through understanding these beautiful doctrines.

Another great experience was this last week with a good man named Thomas. We found him actually while trying by a potential in our area book. We got buzzed into this apartment complex and usually after we try the person we will sometimes knock a door or two, but not the whole complex. Well we decided to knock this bad boy and we talk to this Thomas fellow and have a great conversation and leave him with a copy of the Book of Mormon and set up a return appointment. From there we go back and turns out, he is the son of the old potential that we had initially tried and wasn't interested. The Lord leads you to those who are prepared and willing to hear your message. He will lead us if we allow him to. If we pay attention to the spirit, we will see miracles. We went and have another appointment this week, we will see how it goes!

Had a cool experience tracting. We knock this door and this guy answers and initially he isn't very interested, but he lets us in with the whole, "well I am not the owner of the house I am just working on it." So we don't care, we step right in. He was a real upright man, he was doing cabinets for the house. Just in his twenties, but has a wife and a little kid. Get talking and we were able to teach him so many truths. "mine elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts"(D&C 29:7), this is a perfect scripture for Adair. He lives way out in the boonies, but accepted a Book of Mormon and the invitation to read. Now he is a little bit in the Lord's hands though, as he wasn't quite ready to receive any missionary visits due to his schedule. We will see!

So many great experiences lately that I wish I could share with you all. Just read my journal when I am home! I am sure there is a lot that I leave out every week! Thanks for everything! Stay diligent, keep praying, expect miracles! Talk to you soon!
Love, Elder McFall

My companion, Elder Silver

Week 92 – New comp, new gators, new perspective.

Okay so basically this week was full of these miracles and moments where I have really begun, once again, to see how our Father is just waiting to bless us and hasten this work. Early on in the week we taught 7 lessons on one day, which was just a powerful way to send out Elder Ustare from the ward and really get things going to hit the pavement with Elder Silver, so that was great! The first day while I was with Elder Silver we went tracting, I LOVE tracting. A lot of missionaries think I have lost it, but I just love being able to talk to so many people even when they aren't interested because it further helps me to know how true this church really is and the purity of Christ's teachings and the clarity we have in the restored church. But anyway that first day we were able to knock on a potentials door, she wasn't home, her bro in law was, named Taiwo, and he immediately let us in after we said who we were. We were able to introduce our message and share with him a copy of the Book of Mormon and bear testimony of the truthfulness of our message. He wants to know more and we are going back this week. The next would be with Maxwell and Rebecca, a sweet couple from Ghana. They know a Mormon fellow so that helped our relationship from the beginning, but from there we just stared at the door with no real desire for him to hear our message. As we kept sharing, his desire was increasing, and you could see the spirit working with this brother. He ended up inviting us in and we were able to teach a bit of the first lesson and they too are willing to have us back to learn more of this great message. I am just so grateful for these experiences because it is truly allowing me to develop that life of teaching in the Savior's way. I have really been focusing on and trying to teach through His pattern and I can see a noticeable difference. I also have really understood my purpose as a missionary more fully and the power and authority of our calling as missionaries. We are the ones who have the gospel that brings salvation, it is as simple as that. I just never want these experiences to end.

We also began teaching this lady named Jessie, she has been looking for a church and has previously studied with the JW, but it just didn't work out the way she had wanted. As we share our message I love the trust that I can extend into any part of what we share with others, this gospel and church are transparent. I am just helping others to come and see the divinity contained. I am helping them to see the blessings that can flow into their lives as they take this gospel and make it a part of their everyday living. This gospel, ultimately the Atonement, will only change so far as we allow it to. The small actions we make and the decisions we make as well are ones that transform us. And in both the Book of Mormon and NT, first in Mosiah 27:26 "And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God." and in 2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." A lot of the same, but it is each of us putting away that old, becoming a new creature in Christ, and from there we then are candidates for Eternal Life as we stay true to the gospel teachings.

New updates with some less actives and returning members which is good, we will just have to see how things continue to develop and hope that it will develop into some good progression and conversion. I am absolutely loving my mission right now! I will miss it so much!

I will talk to you all so very soon! Thanks for everything!

Love, Elder McFall

Elder Stewart and Elder Jolley. Elder Jolley is from back home, just returned last week.

  

The sign means the "pogi pose" which is a thing in the Philippines to mean handsome! Turns out we didnt' take a picture with Elder Silver... I will get it to you next week! MY BAD!

Out to lunch! That is bro DeGuzman!

Week 91 – Transfers!

This week we had a lot of experiences where I am absolutely sure that we have been able to be instruments in the Hands of the Lord. We have been able to have many opportunities where simply we are loving others and just being who we are, that those moments turn into powerful experiences. We had one with our new friend Chris. He came over and we talked in the parking lot of our apartment, well the grass beside it, for about an hour and just answered different questions and helped him to learn more about the gospel. He saw how we lived the gospel and that was what really sparked interest. He began asking more and more questions about baptism and how he could do this type of missionary work down the road. Hoping we will really be able to teach him. Another was an experience we had with a couple by the names of Allen and Linda. We were about to go to our supper and we saw a car with a Filipino sticker, that is a big thing we look for when we are out and about. We knocked this house and found a fella that was interested in our message and said we could come back the next day. (I tell you this because it all comes together in the end.)Then as we came back from supper that same night we talked to Allen and Linda and had a good chat. The next morning as we tried by that new potential again, Allen came out and had this smokehouse thing on his porch, then invited us over to his place for BBQ that night. Of course we accepted! We went over that night and turns out this guy is even a chef! So we had some delicious food, and were able to really tell them so much about what our church believes and bear simple testimony of the gospel. It was just a huge blessing that I know was also us being put in the path of others.

We have had so many experiences this last week where we would receive a prompting to do this or do that and it always led to us finding someone who was ready for the gospel and willing to have us back to teach more. It is just so powerful to really feel you being led by the hand of the Lord and seeing Him use you the way He would be ministering to others. I think that is one of the great lessons I have been learning; we need to minister to others in the same pattern of our Savior. That whole "I am trying to be like Jesus" has taken upon a different form lately as it has been not just trying to develop his characteristics, but allowing those characteristics to then transform the way you act and minister to others. To teach in the Savior's way is something I have really set my goals on. So many lessons to be learned!

I wish I could read some other books more. I am loving the scriptures though! I have developed the biggest love for the scriptures on my mission. As we look into the gospel, all things are made possible through the Atonement. Everything we do is because of that great and last sacrifice, which is eternal. That is the most incredible gift that we do not understand the way we should. As we understand the Atonement we more fully understand the need to help others to delve into and allow that power to change them. We can change because he atoned for us. The redeeming, exalting, and enabling powers are each able to stand on their own and I could take forever it seems like. Yet, I still have just an infancy of knowledge when it comes to the Atonement and what is truly made possible because of it. Another thing that I love about the restored gospel is that with the Plan of Salvation we don’t just have a "hope" of seeing others. Hope is transformed into surety and knowledge. I absolutely know surety that what we have in knowledge of the Plan of Salvation is real. We will be with our loved ones as we are obedient to the words of Christ and take upon ourselves through covenant promises of eternity. I know others want this, I know they need this, we just need to offer it continually. They may reject our invitation, but if we invite, it may leave a feeling of wonder and desire to then look into things deeper. That is the beauty, we then are entitled, I use entitled deliberately, to revelation. It is a grand promise.

We had a great turn out this week at church! Josephine was there! And Isaac, a new investigator in our ward, was at church. Then for less actives and returning members we had Brother Paghubasan, Brother Tagabuan, Brother Roche, Silagiora Family. I know it isn't because of anything we have done and we are just great missionaries. I know it is because the spirit of the Lord is working with them and helping them to make those necessary changes in their lives. If we can simply teach in a way that the spirit will bear truth, they will feel that and want to be different, ultimately to repent.

There is so much to say! We had transfers, and sadly I will no longer be doing Tagalog work. I love the Filipino people, I really do. I will miss them so much! It is like a chapter of my mission has come to a close, I guess that is what happens the closer you get to going home. I will be with Elder Sliver, he is a great elder. It caught me by surprise, I'll be honest. I didn't see this one coming. Pres. Manion got quite emotional though as he explained my assignment and how I am an answer to many prayers from him and just how grateful he is. It will be a good experience I am sure. I really feel we will be able to do a great work here in the Castledowns ward. Excited to see what the future holds!
Thanks for everything! I love you all!
Love, Elder McFall

Morning sports!

Week 90 – Heritage Festival!

This week was a blast! We had our emails today because this last weekend we had Heritage Festival, which is the biggest festival of its kind in all of North America! That is what they say at least. I believe them though because there were so many people there! It really was crazy! We were able to volunteer there at the Filipino Tent serving food. Oh, this festival is pretty much just countries from the entire world, having foods and different things that you can buy. So back to it, we were in the Filipino tent just serving food like crazy! It was definitely a great time and a great way to talk to tons of people and get the church's name out there. I think that is the biggest thing, helping others to just see the Church in action and helping them on their way to opening their heart and mind to the message. I was talking with the mission president at lunch and we got talking about this festival that we were all at and how there are so many good people around us, but how can we help them to have that desire to hear our message? We were with the mission president at lunch because we had a special time to go to the temple as just the Tagalog missionaries.

We had a great experience this last Sunday! We were up at one of the wards where Josephine goes to church but there is another one of the Filipino members there and she brought two friends to church! We were able to have them stay for the first two hours, which was great and then change around our schedule and see them later on again at the member’s house that we usually teach Josephine at every Sunday. Out of the two, one is really interested and we started teaching her that night and she is excited to read from the Book of Mormon! Miracles without a doubt! When we have the members actively involved with the work, I am confident we will see miracles take place consistently. The members are the key to missionary success. This lady's name is Ruby, and she is seriously so prepared for the gospel. We are hoping to then have Ruby's and Josephine's baptisms on the same day in September! I really am loving serving here right now. I don't want this to end. Just seeing others starting to take the gospel into their lives and seeing the changes it makes and will make is so empowering. 

We helped a bunch of people move this last week and the one that we helped the previous week, Chris, stopped by this week and since we helped him and chatted with him a ton he then went on to look all into the church and why we do things the way we do as missionaries. He was talking all about how he was interested and wanted to chat more. We are hoping to go out to supper with him this week as we had to reschedule last week. Such a good guy. I will have to do my best to stay in touch with him! Just those simple acts of service, just doing the right thing honestly, changes people's perspectives and softens hearts to our message. Got to always follow that perfect example of Christ. 

Chatted with our new friend Eric this week and had a real nice discussion. He got talking about the day that we met and he was just like, you know usually I just kinda brush people off, I mean I am comfortable, but when you two came to my door that day and we talked it was different. I don't know what it was, but it was different. I wanted to talk more. I mean that day he went back into his house and then we just kept on going. He came back out hoping we would be close, and sure enough that exact time we walked back around the corner and talked more. I know without a doubt that God is at work in his life and doing all He can to gather him in. I know that God is perfectly loving and knows the hearts and minds of His children, that is the beauty of this work. So long as we are instruments we are able to do all things. We need to always live that way so we can go on His errand. 

"Nevertheless, ye are blessed , for the testimony which ye have borne is recorded in heaven for the angels to look upon; and they rejoice over you, and your sins are forgiven you. " This scripture from D&C 62:3 has really stuck out to me this week. I am just so grateful to be a missionary at this time and to have that authority to bear testimony of my Savior being His authorized representative. Hit the 21 months, got to give it everything the next 3!

Thanks for everything. I'll talk to you soon!

Love, Elder McFall

Heritage Festival

Tagalog missionaries at the temple

Tagalog missionaries and president and sister Manion

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