Transfers

I am getting transferred!

No. I am not. I am staying in Paterson! But last night we got the transfer text and it said I was leaving! I couldn't sleep I was so shocked. We woke up and said it couldnt be possible, the people leaving didn't make sense. so we checked, and yes, they had played a joke on us. Blasted Zone Leaders!

This last week was crazy. We worked really hard and it passed by really fast. We worked hard with our investigators and sadly, none of them came to church. So they aren't as close as I thought, but we will work with them. We had a lot of lessons with less actives and recent converts this week. We worked hard all week, andFriday I kind of blew up. I got angry because we had stayed out past 9:30 playing basketball with our investigator and our less actives. We didn't teach them anything and I think I was worn out. I lost the Spirit and expressed my frustration to E. Murray. We made up and had a great day on Saturday. 

It rained three days straight this week. We worked, but we were soaked. I am so grateful for umbrellas.

Yesterday was a hard Sunday, but well worth the miracle. We walked to Lissett's house to pick them up for church. I woke up Alejandro and he took 40 minutes to shower... ugh. We had a ride for them but she canceled on us, so we had to walk. we got there at 10, an hour after it started. Then the classes weren't that great... so I was a lil bit worn out.

But we continued. We went to a baptism and it remotivated me to help my investigators. We then had dinner at Lissett's. It was so good, good costa rica pollo y arroz (everything is named chicken and rice here). Our miracle came as a goodbye lesson with a former investigator. We met with Felix and Yomeira. Yomeira has a ton of q's but is now gonna let us help her with those q's. It was a great lesson and it reminded me of how great this work is. I am lucky to be apart of it.

I love the Book of Mormon. I know its the word of God. I am excited to listen to our living prophet this upcoming weekend.

keep praying! keep reading! 

I love you

Elderty

Jersey Strong

Familia!

I miss you all :)

This last week was crazy! We have been working hard and seeing miracles from it. We had a 2 day training last week, and I feel ready to work. We had trainings and did a lot of role plays. It was very humbling. I have so much to work on, but I feel up to the challenge. I love the missionaries here. They are great examples to me and help me see who I want to be.

 Missionary work can be fun if you love talking and helping people. I have a hard time wanting to go out and work, but I am gaining a love for it. 

Wexlin didn't come to church so we have to change his baptism date. I feel confident that he will be baptized, but I don't know if he will remain faithful to his covenants. We got to help him want to be at church. He believes its true and has a testimony of the Book of Mormon and prayer. He just needs to come to church. We had a great lesson with his mom and dad, and eventually they too will come into the fold. They are willing to learn. They believe the Book of Mormon to be "another testament of Jesus Christ." They are super kind. They are also very fun to joke around with, but know when to be serious. They have felt the Spirit and have recognized it. 

Rosalva also knows the Book of Mormon is true. She has felt the Spirit many times, but has a hard time with the Apostacy. We are praying so hard that she will feel the Spirit and understand more the Apostacy and will come to church. She doesn't understand that she has to be baptized by the proper authority, but she will. I have faith she will. She is humble and recognizes the Spirit. . . better than me sometimes.

We love our investigators. I am so excited for them. I am anxious, though, that they will reject the true gospel. . . and that would hurt me so bad. They are so great and ready. Stinkin agency though. . . :) 

I love my companion. He is a great Elder, and easy to get along with... I don't know why I struggled so hard with that. We are becoming friends in the work and have better unity each day.

Although there is still one week left, I am so excited for next transfer. More miracles are coming, and it always gets better!

Pray for Rosalva, Wexlin, Jose, Wanda, and Wexlin's mom if you can. They need the prayers.

Elder McFarland is doing good. He is having fun and doing work. He loves you. 

I have a testimony of the Book of Mormon. I knelt down this past week and received an answer of it's truthfulness. I love it so much.

Be good, family. Be nice. Help the missionaries. Read your scriptures. Pray. Go to church. Keep going! Life is good in the gospel. 

Stay Jersey Strong!

Love you Jess, Dave, Hannah, and Adam

I love you Mom and Dad

Elder McFarland

What a week!

 Lots of snow!

 Where's the car?

 Cereal Party

 Tyler's papi

 At Shannette's Baptism

 The Llama handshake

 She feeds me well!

On the street!


What a week!

Monday was fun, I played soccer all P-day, then we went and proselyted. The week started off decent, but it turned into a great week. We have a goal to contact ten people a day. We contacted almost 15 people each day and testified of the divinity of that book. The only day we didnt break ten was yesterday, but we tried everyone.

We have been having some problems with our branch mission leader. He kept us in a meeting until 9:30... that is the limit of when we can be out with INVESTIGATORS. He tries to apply things from his mission forever ago, but we cant do stuff like he did. but its getting better. Anyways, he kept us out late so I went to bed late, then I didn't get much sleep the last part of the week due to other things, so I am going to take a nap.

We keep getting funny contacts. Last week we talked to a prophetess, this week I contacted someone with a teardrop tattoo, meaning they killed someone in jail. He put his arm around me and thanked me for sharing the word. He told me he had my back. It is great to see how all these gangster hood men would take a bullet for me. 

We had our District Conference this week. President Jeppson, Elder Gerard from the Seventy, and President Bennion from The Manhattan Temple came. It was a good meeting, but the best part was that we had our investigator Wexlin there, Shannette and Lissett, and another couple less actives. It was wonderful. 

I went on an exchange with one of our zone leaders, Elder Leon. He and I worked so hard, but we had fun. For example, one of our lessons we stopped on a road and played basketball in the street. Total hood. He really excited me to work harder and teach everyone. We kept that excitement and we broke 20 lessons for the first time! It isn't the numbers that I like, but the people those numbers represent and the work I put into teaching those people.

God is blessing me with the desire to work. 

I love to help my brothers and sisters.

I love you family. Have a good week!

Shannette was baptized!

Shannette was baptized and confirmed! It was perfect. She was nervous for her baptism and confirmation, but she did so good. It was so exciting to see her be baptized and get the gift of the Holy Ghost. A sister did a talk, then Lissett shared a very powerful testimony. we had the baptism and she had to be dunked 3 times. She is on the path. Now we got to get her to the temple. It is the best to watch others become what God wants them to be.

We have a new goal to contact TEN people a day. I am afraid of rejection so it has been a bit of a challenge. I am improving though. One day we got 17 contacts. I am opening my mouth more and more and I am seeing miracles because of it. God is blessing me with people who are ready to change. I love the people here... They are so weird, but a lot of them are ready to change.

We got a call this week from a companionship telling us there was a bunch of kids playing football in our church parking lot. We went down and played a nice game of football (made me think of our times playing football in the park, dad). We then got to share a message about the Book of Mormon. Although not much has come out of that interaction with them, something will. 

We have a new goal as a zone to carry a Book of Mormon with us wherever we go. I have been doing pretty well. I have given a few away and each time I do, the person seems to treasure it. The divinity of the book is real. People feel it. The Book of Mormon is a great book... I love it.

Miracles are abundant over here. I feel the Lord protecting me. I feel your prayers and you love. I am praying that each of you will continue to do what is right. We know what it is. We have what we need. Lets just do it. 

This next week is going to be great and I will make sure to keep notes on what to tell you guys.

I love you, family

Elder McFarland

March is Here

Family. I love you all so much.

I miss you all so much, but it is March. It feels like it should still be January. 

This mission will go by fast.

March is here! Woot woot. Even better, Shannette's baptism is this week! This Saturday (March 8). It changed because of a meeting we have the next week, so we are doing it Saturday so she can receive the Holy Ghost sooner. I feel good about it, but I am not putting my guard down until she is in the waters. It just seems too perfect to be true... but that is why this gospel is great. It is so perfect.

A miracle I saw this week started on Tuesday. We were walking in the cold (it was really cold), and we passed by this women. I started talking to her in English, then switched to Spanish. We walked and talked for a bit. We asked her for her number address and everything. She said she was excited, but I thought it was going to be another lame juke. We went to her house and couldn't go in because we need 3 men who are over 16 in the home. We took Hermano Gonzalez yesterday with us to her house. We sat down and the Spirit took over. She already  knew the Book of Mormon is true. She told me how when I started talking to her, she felt warm. She felt warm and excited and interested. She committed to be baptized, and I hope she will be converted to this gospel. She asked great questions and feels the spirit.

I love times like that. God gave me the strength to contact her, then he prepared her, and then he will lead her into his arms once again. It is all his work

I like getting to work with the missionaries here. They are so great. Elder Tanner and I went on an exchange to pass a less active member (Milagros) from the Spanish branch to the English branch because she speaks fluently and her husband only speaks English. He is a great Elder and helps me to be confident in what I do. Elder Flores is my papa. He is from Mexico and is bien chevrolota (very cool). My zone is great. My companion is great. The mission is great :)

I love this monthly focus we are having on the Book Of Mormon. It is the best book ever.

This week is gonna be a good week for us all. I love you. Each and everyone of you. I love you. Keep writing me family :) I miss your letters.

Pray for me, my companion, and my investigators. 

I LOVE YOU. I cannot say it enough. I LOVE YOU

Elder McFarland