Love My Mission---Too Little Time

Familia!

I love you all so so so much. Quick rundown of my week

Tuesday we went out for about 7 hours. It was snowing like mad. It was cold, and we only got into one door, and that was the presidente of our branch. We knocked 22 doors. 0 answered.

Wednesday we had our district meeting (which is normally on tues but b/c of the snow it was canceled). After that I went on exchange with one of our zoneleaders. Elder Nielsen. Holy cow. He is AWESOME. He taught me so much

Thursday we switched back. Me and Murray had little success.

Friday Same story. 

Saturday Same story.

Sunday i got up at 5:40 to go to a Priesthood Meeting. The best part was the nourishment (physical and spiritual). SO uh... there are ghosts here. Havent seen them yet but some missionaries have. I probably will never. My prayer was answered (tell you more about that next week). Ate some wonderful food like colombia chocolate (it's hot chocolate... just colombian and its so good), then I had some empenadas, but then I had something nasty.... elder murray said it was cow stomach. It was in a delicious soup... but it was not good. It had hair on it I swear. Like hair that grows on a chin... black and short and prickly... ew. But I ate it. It didnt taste too bad. Just the texture. And the big chunks weren't my favorite. Then to end my Sunday I saw a fox. A cute, wild fox. It seriously was the best.

Though I am not having nearly as much success as I pray for, I know that I am doing what God wants me to be doing. I guess I have some stuff to learn before I am ready to convert NJ. Anyways. Life is good. I love Nj and I love my mission.

Be safe family. I pray for you every day. I think about you a lot. Please stay safe. Please do all that the Lord asks of you so we can be together forever. I can't stand the thought of me spending time saving other families when my family may be struggling. So promise me you will go to church, read your scriptures, pray everyday and every night, and be worthy to be in the presence of our father.

I love you all. 

Elder McFarland

P.s. Dad... you are going through a mid life crisis.... and I couldn't be happier that you are! Motorcycles are sweet. You really are the coolest. I am already bragging about you. You better take good care of that thing so I can drive it when I get home. I love you. :) :)

Week 2 in NJ

Familia.

The people here are crazy. CRAZY. I have had so many great opportunities and stories this past week. I am seriously in the hood. There is so much drugs and garbage and filth here. Surprisingly though, I love being out there contacting and talking to so many people. Our apartment is huge (biggest in the mish), but I would much rather be talking to some homeless lady who had seen demons. Sometimes it gets pretty chilly out there, but the thermals and coat I have keep me so warm. The cold doesn't really get to me through my layers. My feet though hurt so bad sometimes. I don't know why, but I am guessing it is because I walk for days. 

So three different times this week people have yelled at us to go talk to them. Leraine was he first. She is the best. She is in her sixties and is full of energy. She has no filter. We showed her around the chapel last week (I think I mentioned that in my last letter), then this week we have had opportunities to see how her life has changed already. She is so funny and sometimes really crude. Just one of those sassy young at heart fireball. Another person yelled at us from across the street so we went over and talked to him. He was so high. He started talking to us about his beliefs and stuff, told us about his life, said he needed change. We helped him best we could ( i gave him a pack of fruit snacks). I am leaving out some details, but we talked and listened to him for 2 hours. He then drove away and we haven't talked to him since.

Another lady stopped us and went on about how she has seen demons and her sister is out to get her. It could all be true, I dont know... It is just so foreign to me.

I met with a scholar this week on the street (we stopped him). He tore Christianity apart with all his science and "facts" and stuff. He was once a minister, but couldn't preach what he didn't know. My companion got pretty riled up. He did not have the spirit... but I tried my best to stay level headed, hear what the man had to say, then thank him for the stuff he taught me. I struggled that day, wondering if God is really there, if I really did believe in Jesus Christ. It is scary to me that a missionary could struggle with such things. It really bothered me that I couldn't answer this guys questions. I couldn't tell him I know because I don't know according to his definition. My companion said he knew that God was there, but his definition (knowing by seeing) of knowing is different than ours. It really shook me. The next day I read Alma 32. I challenge you guys to read it. I don't need to see. I believe, and I will continue to believe because I believe this gospel is true. I believe that Jesus came to the earth. The spirit has testified to me that He is my Savior and Redeemer. I believe that God answers prayers. And the Spirit will take that belief into the hearts of others and testify of its truthfulness. My beliefs and my honesty about those beliefs will bring others into the gospel. It's too bad that I don't know all the things I should know. But I don't. And I am working on it. And God will bless me with the truth.

NJ is SO foreign to me. The people, the smells, the streets, the everything. I like it. Everything about it. I can't think about anything I don't like here besides the drugs and crimes (I tend to try to be oblivious). I am really enjoying my mission. Last week was hard, but my homesickness has subsided to a dull pain that can easily be treated by hard work. Thank you for all the prayers, love, and support. I have never felt the prayers of others strengthening me before, but this is surreal. Really amazing.

Jesus Christ makes everything right. He makes me happy and he helps me everyday. I would not be out here if it wasn't for him, for he truly strengthen me when I felt I couldn't do it. I love him so very much and I want to serve him diligently (which I now find is very hard to do).

I love you all... so very much and I am happy that we have eternity together. I can't wait to come home and go out to dinner with you guys, watch movies with you guys, go to church with you guys, hot tub with you guys. It will be fun. But because God has given me you, he has asked for a small favor of two years. He also promised me you would be blessed for it. So for you and for Him I am out here serving the people of NJ. I love Him

Uhm... no uke yet. But I did get that cool water clock and stuff! Thanks.

Love you

Elder McFarland

P.s. Hope you liked your gifts

1st week in Jersey

So uh.... Hey

I miss the CCM. It was so sad to leave some of my friends. Although we hadn't been together for a long time, I miss them so much. 

I know here in Jersey I will make lots of friends.

So Monday morning I got up at 1:50 in the morning, showered, said a few quick goodbyes, and I was off to NJ. The airport in the morning was a little stressful. I couldn't really communicate, but there was a man there from the CCM to get us through customs. We got through and had to wait for two hours. I slept for about twenty minutes of that. Then we got on the plane and me and sister Monsen talked practically the whole time since we were seated by each other. We are pretty close I guess. Anyways we got to Dallas where we waited for a long time to get into a gate. Then miraculously I got to call you guys. That was wonderful. I wish I could have stayed on a little bit longer. But our plane left and me and Hermana Monsen talked for a while until I fell asleep. I talked a little bit to the guy on my left about the church... but nothing really came of it. 

I arrived in Jersey. We walked for a while and then out of the blue I saw President and his wife. They greeted us, helped us get all our bags, introduced us to the cool assistants, then we all left. Elder Bellavance and I rode with the assistants to the cool mission home. It was way cold that night so it felt nice to have a wonderful dinner and a cozy environment. I got to meet with President Jepson. He is phenomenal. That night I was feeling really nervous. I couldn't really sleep, so I was thinking about my day and I noticed I hadn't read my scriptures. Sluggishly I grabbed my scripts and went out and read. Immediately I was calmed and received the Spirit. I went back to bed and slept decently.

The next morning was good. I woke up late due to a malfunctioning alarm clock so no shower for me.... But we had a great breakfast. We went through some training, such as car stuff (which by the way they have nothing of mine for that so I need help). We then packed up all our stuff from the night out in the sunny but freezing weather. Sister Jeppson told us it hit a record that day of an all time low, after a few minutes in the freezing cold, we left to transfer conference. There I met E. Murray. Yes... This is the brother of the kid I gave a blessing to in the CCM. Crazy right. Well for some reason, he and I knew we would be companions... and guess what. We are. He is very energetic and good at being excited. He has been a great trainer, and I am learning a lot. We then went into a very long meeting where I introduced myself, where I would be serving, and my companion. I am in Paterson Walking Spanish. I walk everywhere except to the store on P-days. It is actually pretty good for me and hasnt been too bad yet. We walk a lot, but its refreshing sometimes. Luckily our church is not far from our apartment... actually we are right across the street from it. We are in a Spanish branch with very few members. All the people I teach here are Dominican or Peruvian. The Dominicans cut off there "s" so its como ta instead of como esta. Its weird, but I am slowly getting the hang of it. On the other hand, the peruvians' accents are very clear, but they talk super fast. So sometimes I know what they say, and other times I just guess. 

Wednesday was zone conference, and then I have to do four hours of study, so our day started at like six. My first lesson was in English/Spanish, with Milagros. She is a Dominican/Puertorican. She is big. She is very sassy and has some sort of brain damage. She is less active and snooty to her husband. she fed us and is a child of God so I love her. I am Slim Goodie to her. We then walked forever to get to Miguel. Miguel is a genius in history, but lets it get in the way of him finding out if this is true. He doesnt want to know spiritually, so he was dropped a while ago. I was hopin' that I would get to say something, but he talked about his research until we had to leave. That was a hard night. 

The next day we visited with Lissette. She spoke in English with us. In this lesson the spirit really took over and guided my words to Jac 2:8 and my experience with the scriptures in the mission home. I shared that with her, with the de la cruz familia, and with this girl named zule. Each time the spirit has taken over and led me to say certain things. Its amazing how the Lord can touch others through the Spirit. He truly does put the words in our mouth. 

So I have been preaching and keeping warm. NJ is good... but I am super homesick. Keep me in your prayers, because I get so much needed strength from them and they are felt. Thanks for your love.

Until next week. I love you all.

Elder McFarty 

Bye CCM, Hola NJ

Hey! Sadly I cannot call you... but I love you guys extremely. I am safe and sound in the mission home. Tomorrow, I will be directed to my new companero and home. This is gonna be great. I love you guys. So so so so very much. Talk to you guys next Monday.

-Elder McFarland

Last Week in Mexico

Feliz Año Nuevo Mi Familia

So... I tried to send the best email I have written yet this morning... but the power went out and it didnt save to the drafts... so I lost it. Hopefully this email will be just as good.

I love to hear about all your stories. I laughed so hard (out loud) when I read some of your emails. I took pics of the parts that I thought were cool. I think I will send a pic home with the presents I have for you guys. I am so excited for you guys to see what I got you. 

This is crazy. It is 2014. Wanna know what is even crazier!? This is the only year I will be a missionary for all the months of a year. That makes it sound like it is almost over! It is going to go by so fast. After this year, it is almost another year before I come home, but it is going to fly by. Already the first month is over. I leave the CCM in 4 days. That is kind of sad. The week of Christmas I repented and decided I love the CCM. I would tell you all the bad times that I have had here... but there aren't really any. I cant remember them. Sure there are times where it is hard and there are times where I don't like my district, but those times are very few, and the good times outweigh the bad times. I am sad to be leaving the CCM. I have made great friends here. The environment is safe and forgiving as we practice spanish... I don't think it will be that way in NJ. The food is... actually the food is not that good, but I don't have to make it so that´s happy.

Although these things do make me happy and have help make my CCM experience good, they are only small treasures compared to the friends I have made and the spirit I have felt.  I have made some friends that will last long past my mission, and I find myself smiling all the time whenever they are around. I cant wait for you to meet them. Me and my companion get along great, I think you guys would think he is funny. E. Nicholas and E. Moore are probably my closest friends though. They are my casamates and we spend almost every night doing who knows what. They both enjoy soccer so whenever they have a p-day they come and play with me. Today was our last day playing in the cage (where we play soccer most of the time) forever. They are so fun and way good. Sometimes at night we go into our cute lil cold-a-sac and mess around with the fútbol. I think I would be crying if E. Moore and I weren´t starting an indoor soccer team when we get back. I seriously love these kids so much.

One of my favorite things here is the chance I get to feel the spirit. On Tuesday my casamates and my district combined because one of our teachers just left. Sadly, we don't get to see her before we leave, but that´s beside the point. We combined and my good buddies taught my companion while I observed and wrote down good things they did. I could tell one of them was having a hard time and looked really sad. Their teacher then told each person of my district that we would teach a companionship. I dibbed my casamates. We went and shared our testimonies and helped each other feel stronger, happier, and more confident in our abilities to do this. One thing the spirit taught me while I was sharing my testimony comes from D&C 101:16. God is a big word, not in length, but in significance. God can mean so much. Instead of always reading god, put things in there that describe god or the things he has. For example, "Be still and know that I love you," or "be still and know I have a perfect plan." It was wonderful to teach and be taught by the spirit in the lesson with my good buddies. They are strong kids... I look up to them a lot.

Every Sunday, we have a gospel movie night. It is super relaxing, yet empowering at the same time. This last Sunday we watched the testaments. Its not that great... but it brought the spirit into the room. As Jesus came to the Nephites, he lets them touch Him "one by one." According to Elder Bednar, the phrase one by one is only used 6 times in the Libro de Mormón. I challenge you guys to find them as you read the BoM this year, and David, don't just word search it: president bednar said not to do that. Just kidding dave, but he really did say that we should read it cover to cover to find the answers. Anyways, the spirit did something that it hasn't done yet. I was overcome with an insane want to know my savior, and I am not talking about seeing him. If i saw my savior and the spirit did not testifying to me, not much would change within me, because it is the emotions and the deep feelings that change us. I didn't believe that for the longest time, but now I do. This sudden and powerful desire made me cry. CRY! what?... I never cry. I didn't cry because I felt the spirit... I was crying because I wanted it soooo bad (and because i was a bit tired). I was sad, though, that I didn't know my savior as much as I should. The spirit has born witness many times to me that HE LIVES. Sé que mi salvador vive. Although I do have a knowledge of my savior, I was so sad that I didn't know him more. It has become my deepest desire to know my Savior. 

That is my goal this year - 2014. To become more acquainted with my Savior by doing ALL that he asks of me. I am His this year, and this year is His. Be excited for me, because this might be the best year yet.

Next week, I will be in NJ... but I can talk to you guys on the phone next week. I will maybe hopefully possibly call you at the mission home... but I am for sure calling you around eight or nine (I don't know when I land actually) at the Dallas airport. I can't wait to talk to you!

Please send my uke over asap. We haven't been able to listen to music at ALL here at the CCM. No ipods. It is the worst... so I would love to have my uke whenever you can get it out there. Also... Can you send me my blue vans along with another two or three t shirts? Thanks for taking care of that luggage. That means the world to me. 

I love you familia. Dios Les guarde. Les Amo.

Hasta NJ

Elder McFarland

p.d. are you getting my pics? 

p.d.d. gracias por los regalos... Fueron los mejores partes de mi navidad. Los Amé y Les Amo mucho.

Where Shepherd Lately Knelt

Christmas was great. We got to do so many fun devotionals and sing SOO many songs. I got soooo much candy its not even funny.

So I was feeling a little down this week. I felt like I wasnt following the spirit and I wasnt teaching good. Yesterday we got to watch a live devo at Provo with Elder Bednar. He held a q and a. He told us that if we werent feeling a little inadequate, we didnt understand the meaning of our calling. I feel like I am not up for the challenge, but I have faith that God will sustain me. 

I got angry at one of the members of my district. I lost the spirit and not five minutes later I was asked to give a blessing. It was unfortunate that I had to wait til I could feel the spirit again, but I understand now that I need to ALWAYS be loving and have the spirit. I need to act in a way that will make me ready (siempre) to act in the name of the savior.

Se que este evangelio es el evangelio de dios y jesucristo. Creo que jesucristo es mi salvador. Se que él nos ama. Esta obra continuará. Amo mi salvador para siempre. Creo que familias pueden ser eternas. 

Creo que él vive

I believe He liveth

Les Amo 

Elder McFarland

P.s. Can you send me the lyrics to "Where Shepherds Lately Knelt"?

P.s.s. I am about to send alll my pics one by one because I don't think you are getting them

Christmas Miracle

p.s. we had a wonderful secret santa event on Tuesday in our casa (casa 48 - casa de fiesta y siesta). I love the boys from my casa. They are some of my bestest friends. Any ways... I walk in to see the boys from the other district taking photos (mind you it is 10:20 . . . past quiet time) I stand next to the people taking photos of them while shoving some sugar into my mouth. I turn to see who is to the left of me and I see the face of the CCM´s president, just standing there. I had come up and stood right by him. I quickly zipped up my goodies and moved them into the freezer in the other room. I thought I was doomed because this guy is dead serious. ALWAYS. This time though... he was super kind and told me he liked my sweater and walked out. Every one thought he was gonna chew us out. It was a Christmas miracle. Anyways... sorry this story is the longest part of my email. 

Les Amo

Merry Christmas Family

Merry Christmas my lovely family. I love you muy much. 

I love my mission, but I wish I could see your faces when you saw that Santa came. Santa came here. Holy vaca. You guys gave me so many presents!!! Each time I opened one I about cried. Luckily the Lord has blessed me with peace throughout my vida.. but I especially have been blessed this Christmas with peace.

Mom. I love you. Merry Christmas. Each night I think of you rubbing my back and telling me that you love me. I feel your love and prayers every night. I am so happy and proud to be your son. You gave me more than just tangible gifts. You have taught me lessons throughout life that will stick with me forever. you are my greatest gift.

Dad. I love you. Merry Christmas. Christmas isnt the same when you cant lay under the tree with your dad. You also have given me gifts that no one will ever be able to take away from me, and those gifts make you the best dad in the world. You always knew how to make me laugh even when i wanted to be mad. you are my greatest gift.

Jess. Dear Jessie :) Merry Christmas. I sing mistletoe sometimes and remember all the wonderful times dancing. I miss that, but I miss you more. I miss your hugs, your laugh, and your assurance in the gospel. You have always been there to strengthen me. I love you, jess. you are my greatest gift.

David. Feliz Navidad Hno (<--hermano). Le amo. Le extraño mucho. Extraño sus bromas y humor. It will be a while before we spend navidad together, pero estamos haciendo la obra de nuestro señor. Yo siempre pienso sobre usted. Usted es mi mejor regalo/don.

Hannah. I love you. I am sending you something. I hope you like it. I always think, hannah would love this cat, this bird, this place! you are my greatest gift. Merry Christmas

Adam. I love you. You are the cutest. I always tell my friends about you. I love you. Merry Christmas. Sending you a gift. you are my greatest gift

Les amo mucho y siempre

Elder McFarland