A crazy week

Hey guys! Thank you so much for the emails that you have sent me. It was a joy reading them! It is so nice to hear about the things happening at home. I want to make another big SHOUT OUT to my little sister, Maddie, for FOURTEENTH birthday! Wow, you're getting old! haha. just kidding.

I do have unfortunate news. My companion, Elder Kelley decided to do some terrible things that I shouldn't speak of and he got sent home. I am now transferred to the city of Ogden as an APB (AP buddy. Meaning that I am companions with an AP). Haha, it's been a blast and so much fun! Well, I do have to tell you one thing, APRIL FOOLS!!!!!!! Elder Kelley is a super obedient missionary and would never do a thing like that. I hope I could see your first reaction upon reading my joke.

Haha, anyways, this week has been a fantastic week in the Utah Ogden mission. Clinton is just awesome! The weather was super crazy! One day this past week, it was super sunny in the morning and then as the day progressively went on, the weather went from sunny to rain to hail to snow to rain to sunny. All in a span of one hour! haha. You gotta love Utah weather. In fact, Elder Kelley and I were visiting this old LA man named Avery and we got to talking about the weather. He said that if you want the weather to change in Utah, just wait five minutes and it will change. Haha, how true is that statement! 

The work this week has been pretty slow. We have been getting burned out again. 10 lessons cancelled. If all of our lessons went through, our numbers would have been amazing! 16 lessons with a member, 4 inv with a date. But our numbers are 6 lessons with a member and 0 inv with a date. :( The majority of the 10 lessons are with an investigator that we would be inviting to be baptized.). But we were able to do a bunch of contacting. Elder Kelley and I made a goal to talk to EVERYONE we see and we have seen so many blessings come out of it. It seems like Heavenly Father has been placing people in our paths. We have met so many Less Active (LA) and potential investigators this past week! It's so crazy awesome!

So this weekend is General Conference and pH (a nickname that President Hiers has) announced that we have to go GC with our investigators or we have to stay in our areas. That came from a General Authority. So Elder Kelley and I have been trying super hard to find an investigator to bring and we found one. We are bringing the CEFALO familia. Both parents are less active. The father is a returned missionary from Alabama. Sister Cefalo is from Alabama and guess what?! They both met on Brother Cefalo's mission! Anyways, they fed us twice and we found out that they have two unbaptized kids so in our first lesson with them which is tonight, we will be inviting them both to be baptized. Then General Conference will definitely solidify the baptismal date!! :D

A couple days ago, Elder Kelley and I were able to go see Heather Butler (an investigator who is terrified of water because she had a near death experience with it about 20 years ago). It turned out that they just got back from the hospital because their baby got a RSV virus and is now on oxygen. They requested for a blessing and they wanted me to seal the anointing. I never gave a blessing to a 8 months old baby. It was nerve wracking but when I put my hands on her tiny head, I felt instant peace that swept my body. The Spirit was able to help me what to say and I don't remember a single thing I said. My comp said I did a pretty good job with it. So I'm happy! :) 

Oh, before I finish, I want to add something really cool! Last FHE, I gave some training on setting S.M.A.R.T...E.R. goals (S - specific, M - measurable, A - Achievable, R - Realistic, T - Time Frame... E - Evaluate, R - Re-set) and it was really good. The Zone Leaders used my training for their training for Zone Study (where we set goals for baptisms as a zone) and they gave me credit. Also, because of that, Elder Kelley recommended me to pH that I should go District Leader next transfer. I hope that happens. It would be so awesome to train some awesome missionaries. It might not happen. It depends on what Heavenly Father wants for me. 

I love you guys! Have a great week and I love you guys! Stay strong and have fun. The Church is true! I know it! Love, Elder McGrath