Hola

Hey guys, Thank you for all of the emails that you have sent. It was so good reading about the things that is going on back at home. I can't believe that Jake and Maddie are in Dhahran High School. It is so crazy. I remember asking Jake and Maddie if they wanted to attend DHS but they said that they will never go there. It is crazy how life changes. 

This week in North Ogden was a little crazy awesome! :D Elder Reinhart and I have been doing a lot of service for the potential investigators as well as less-actives. I am becoming pretty good at weeding. haha. some people here just let their weeds grow super tall and it becomes crazy difficult to pull out the big ones and the small ones that intertwines with the flowers/garden. It is a good challenge that will help me in the future. :) 

I got to see the Cefalo family this last Friday! Elder Reinhart and I were able to go to the Ogden Temple open house with them. Elder Simbeck was there too! It was SO cool to see some of my previous companions at the Ogden temple open house. The Cefalo family is doing really good. They are still planning on being sealed in the SLC temple in February. They want me to go. I AM SO PUMPED! The sad news is that they are moving south, closer to SLC. They won't be in the mission anymore but I know I will see them eventually. They even made some of their mac and cheese and brought it to North Ogden. I know.. They are so awesome!

Elder Reinhart and I were able to take the Bowden family (was a PM family and Liz (the NM) was baptized right before I came into the area) to the temple yesterday morning and it was awesome. They are moving in the right direction. They are doing family history and making plans to get sealed in the temple. They are doing very well, which makes me happy!

Elder Reinhart and I also took a solid potential investigator named Cassie Fessler and her NM friend, Abby to the Open House yesterday afternoon. Yes, I went to the open house TWICE yesterday. It was so awesome! Cassie and Abby were stunned by how beautiful the temple was yesterday. They kept saying, "oh my gosh.." in every room. It was getting really funny. I think that the open house really helped them a lot and I am hoping to be able to get into the house and start teaching them. haha. It will be amazing!

I have a crazy funny story that happened a few days ago. We were knocking on a potential investigator's door and a six years old kid answered the door. He saw us and immediately turned around to start walking up the stairs. He shouted, "Daaaaaaaad.. The probation officers are here..". Elder Reinhart and I were laughing so hard. The potential, Anthony, didn't come out for like two minutes. When we first saw him, he had a really scared look on his face but when he realized who we really were, he started making a very nervous laugh. It was funny!

So, a miracle happened this past Sunday. A little background first, Elder Reinhart and I knocked on this one super small log cabin that is secluded (I have no idea how we found it) and this big, fat guy answered. He wasn't wearing a shirt. He had a bunch of tattoos all over. We started talking to him and it turned out that he served in the Military. He has been all over the Middle East and he has been in Saudi Arabia. I was able to connect with him on that and it was really good. It turns out that he is a less active and he has a brother in the bishopric. We then talked about how church really helps us deal with hard times. I was able to invite him to church and guess what?! Two weeks later, he came. We were greeting everyone at the door to the chapel and this same exact guy came up to us and asked us if we remembered him. We didn't, we were getting really confused and then he started to describe his house. We quickly realized and man, it was awesome seeing him. We are planning to stop by the house today and see how church went for him. 

I want to share something with you all. Matthew (my eldest cousin) wrote this part in his email to me and I thought I would include it. He served in the Denmark Copenhagen mission. He said: "It really is cool to go back and see people you met earlier, and realize that you had an eternal impact on their lives.  I would certainly say that that’s part of what got me through the hard times in Denmark – knowing that even if we dropped them, we’d hopefully impacted the lives of our investigators in a positive manner forever. " 

That part is SO true and fitting. No matter who we talk to, it will always impact them in one way or another. The same thing goes for members too. David O. McKay said that every member a missionary. All of the members, including you, ARE missionaries! You can invite your friend to meet with the missionaries or other various church activities. If they turn it down, don't be sad. Inviting is success and that is what is important. It is important that you take that first step and invite. The Lord will see that you are doing your part as a member missionary and will put prepared people to hear the gospel in your path. I have seen this happen countless times on my mission and I am forever grateful for that. Don't be afraid. Be bold for the fold! Remember D&C 100:5-6!

I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. I know that Jesus Christ restored his church through Joseph Smith and we are all part of the one true church of Christ today. I know that Jesus Christ lives and that He loves each one of us. I know that God is our loving Heavenly Father. I know that Heavenly Father knows each one of us personally. Jeremiah 1:5. We are all his children and He desires that each one of us is to be happy. That is why He sent his own begotten son. John 3:16. I know that by following God and Jesus Christ, we can find that pure happiness that all of us are seeking. The more effort we make in following the gospel, the more happiness the gospel brings into our lives. I know this to be true because of the confirmation from the Holy Ghost. Moroni 10:4-5. Galatians 5:22-23. I love the Gospel with all of my heart. It is the biggest source of my happiness. I know it can be yours. If you have any question, ask the missionaries! ;) 

I love you all so much and have an awesome week! Stay strong and close to the Gospel! Love, Elder McGrath

Panorama view of Central Ogden and North Ogden. It was taken on the overpass on the mountain to get to Huntsville. I was going on exchanges with one of the Huntsville elders.

Elder Simbeck and me

Cefalo family, Elder Simbeck and I