Hello guys! It was awesome to be able to read your letters! It was awesome to hear about the events that is going on at home! Today
marks my fifth month out in the mission. I still can't believe how fast
the time flew by. It's scary knowing that I'll be home before I know
it!
Day 1 (New Years Eve, Tuesday) - We had to be back
at home by 6pm because President Hiers didn't want people to assume that
the missionaries are doing bad things on New Years Eve so he told us to
be back in our apartments by 6pm. It allows him to be able to say that
it wasn't his missionaries when the people call and complain. Elder
Barnes and I just played Monopoly and went to bed early.
Day 2 (New Years, Wednesday) - It was really weird because we woke up in a different year. ;)
I
got to do exchanges with the DL. His name is Elder Wilkey and he is
from Manchester, England. I told him that I have been to London and we
talked a lot about England in general and he is a big fan of MLS. He
loves Manchester United and he hates Barca! Bad combination ;)
Elder Wilkey and I got to go see Kevin and he is
doing really well. He told us that a lot of things are going wrong this
week and it was because he went to church. He said it was a sign from
God that he went to the wrong church. I immediately asked him if
anything changed when he went to the Catholic church. He replied with
no. After that, I said that it was because he went to the right church.
Satan is trying to stop him from going back. He looked down and said,
"yeah... you're right".
We also got to see the Glover family! The father was
telling us so many cop stories (he worked during Christmas break) and
it was so funny/cool! After hearing tons of cop stories, we got to talk a
little bit about setting goals and we set a goal for them to do CPR! It
was cool!
Day 3 (Jan 2, Thursday) - Elder Barnes and I got a
chance to go see Max Bateman and he told us that he has been reading the
scriptures. It was SO awesome hearing that! We got to teach him a
little bit about prayer and how it helps us develop a relationship with
Heavenly Father!
We got to eat dinner with part member family (father
is nonmember and the rest of family is super active) and it was so
awesome! The WML of the ward warned us about the father and how he has a
distaste for missionaries. We wanted to change that! So we went in with
huge smiles on our face and trying to crack a bunch of jokes. I looked
over the father after I finished telling a deaf joke and he was
laughing. He also cracked some jokes too! It was awesome! We were able
to share a spiritual thought with him in the room! Mission accomplished!
Day 4 (Jan 3, Friday) - We got to see Robert Hall
and he is SO solid! We talked a little bit about his marriage with Lori
(they are getting married on February 1st and they invited us!) and his
baptism on February 8th (which falls in the next transfer and everybody
is telling me that I will get transferred after this transfer is over.
:(.) We told him about the baptismal interview and he told us that he is
a little nervous and he wants to know the questions in advance so he
can prepare. What? No investigators that I know of has ever done that.
Elder Barnes (who has been out 20 months) was a little surprised. We
were excited though! It means that he has a really big desire to get
baptized! We tore off the baptismal interview question in our planner
and gave it to him. He thanked us and told us that he will prepare. We
also told him that we will be doing a baptismal review before the
interview. He is so SOLID!
Elder Barnes and I got to teach a girl on Skype.
Elder Barnes is the one who set it up. She spoke so quietly and it was
super hard for me to hear. I just smiled whiled Elder Barnes was talking
the whole time. I helped out a little by explaining a few things from
the GoJC! (3rd lesson in PMG)
Day 5 (Jan 4, Saturday) - Elder Barnes and I got to
see Kevin today and he told us more about MORE things are falling apart
for him. He had a tough week (please keep him in your prayers! Thanks!).
We also got to teach the Misrasi family and we
talked a little about the Gospel of Jesus Christ using the paper object
lesson! We have so many object lessons! I love it! It makes teaching
1000000x more easier!
Day 6 (Jan 5, Sunday) - Elder Barnes and I were SO
busy last Sunday with all of the meetings we had to go to. Stake
council, ward council, ward correlation meetings, 2 sacrament meetings
and teaching the high priest group in the 3rd ward about fellowshipping.
It was an exhausting day!
Elder Barnes and I got to break our fast by eating
dinner at the WML Skinner's (Bothwell ward) house and guess what? He
invited Robert Hall and his future family (:D) over too! It was an
awesome dinner appointment! I highly enjoyed it!
Day 7 (Jan 6, Monday) - Elder Barnes and I made a
list of all of the referrals we have gotten and made a route so that we
can contact all of them. It was awesome! The day went by really fast!
We had a neat experience. Elder Barnes and I had a goal
to visit 2 WMLs or bishops every single night to help build member
trust. We stopped by the 8th ward WML, Brother Zundel. He had some
family over and he opened the door and said, "HEY! Come on in!". (Btw,
he loves us! Partly because he has a kid on a mission. He's been out 4
months in the Mexico Tijuana mission) and they were watching the SEC
championship involving the Auburn and Florida State(?). We were talking
and somehow we talked about popcorn and the Zundel family told us that
they don't have any popcorn. We were shocked! Elder Barnes remembered
that the South Stake elders got a bunch of popcorn that they don't want
and are willing to give away. Elder Wilkey is one of the Elders in the
South stake and he told us in last district meeting to go the extra
mile! So we decided to do just that. We "broke" (their door was
unlocked!) in and stole all of their popcorn and gave it to the WML! He
was so happy! Boom, mission accomplished! We sent a text to the South
stake elders and Wilkey was proud of us! :D
It was definitely a great week in the Utah Ogden mission. I love being a missionary! I love you guys and be safe! Don't
forget to do CPR! I promise you that you will be blessed! I know that
Heavenly Father loves each one of us and that we are His children. He
cares deeply for us and wants us to be happy. He has provided the gospel
so we can find true happiness. I know that is true! I love you guys! Love, Elder McGrath
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