Work Hard/Play Hard

It rained. And when it rains... it pours.

Meeting Elder L Tom Perry was sweet. I got to shake his hand. He asked me where I was from and stuff and was super personable. I felt the Spirit in the meeting and it was a good time.

Being a missionary is fun. Elder Jefferies and I have some pretty good times. We work hard and play hard. 

I ripped my running shoes. We have been playing soccer every Saturday and I get pretty into it. Keeps me somewhat skinny. But we play indoors and my shoes get thrashed. So i bought new ones. no worries. 

These shoes came with me to our service project on Saturday. We cleaned up Dundee park. It is amazing how much garbage is out here in NJ. It is more amazing though that there are so many great missionaries here. They are very hard working and loving.

But that isn't why I like being a missionary. I love being a missionary because of the people I get to meet and help.

This last week was really good! We have made sure to contact at least 10 people everyday. We have not missed one! I love to contact and meet knew people. I have met one of the best people I have ever come in contact with. His name is Elmo. He is the best. He is about 40. He is an alcoholic. I don't know why, but I love him so much. It is one of the best feelings to be around him and share my testimony with him. Not only is he great, but everyone in the house (his friends amado and cesar, his son bryan) are all so great! Each one of them is so real and honest and loving. Every time I leave that house I feel loved. They are so great. Elmo didn't come to church so we are moving his baptismal date, but I am confident in him and his decisions. 

Something happened to Shannette. She seems super sad all the time but won't tell me what it is. I figure if she wants to talk about it, she will. I love her a lot. I want her to be happy, and I want to help if I can.

Life's good. Missin you all, but I am happy :)

Keep praying for my investigators and Shannette.

Love you

Zero Time Today

I have zero time today because we are having an all mission conference with Elder L Tom Perry. We get to meet him and hear him speak. I am so excited!

This week was good. Just a normal week really. Adalberto has dropped off the face of the planet, so that stinks. Danny actually lives out of our area so we are giving him to my Papi (Elder Flores y Elder Leon). Leonardo came to church! He is such a sweet man. He is like thirty, but loves missionaries and loves to learn. He is prepared. His baptism is May 11 and he is on schedule. Please keep him in your prayers. Bryan... is a weirdo :) I love him so much. He is from puerto rico and his spanish is horrible. I can't understand him a lot (spanish has been really hard for me lately). He also needs your prayers. We had a lesson with Rosalva. She isn't progressing and seems to have lost interest. It is so sad to me, because I thought she was prepared to be baptized. Eric will be baptized on May 11. Please pray for him.

I had one of those tender moments as a missionary.  Last Sunday we shared Ether 12:27 with Eric.  He was so upset at himself because he wasn't doing well in school or in his favorite activity(skateboarding).  We shared our testimony of God's love for him.  He started crying and felt the spirit, but it seemed like he was still worn out. The next day (last Monday) we were walking and saw him with a group of his friends.  He ran over to us and said with a huge smile on his face, "I read that scripture 4 times.  I have decided to never give up." I am so grateful that God has a purpose for us.  I would love to see Eric baptized but even if I don't, I will know that we helped him in one of his trials.  These are the moments that I like about missionary work.  These moments are what I crave.

Being a missionary has its perks.

May 11 MOMMY! I get to call you. I am not sure what time it will be, but I will get to skype you :) That day will be crazy. Hopefully we will have 3 baptisms, our calls with our families, then I will find out if I stay or leave the next transfer. So excited!

Family, your missionary who still wears little boy socks is doing well. 

Family, I know God loves us. He knows us. He answers our prayers.

I love you family.

Party on

Wow Week

Family,

We have taught those who are ready to receive us. We taught and invited people we had only known for 20 minutes to be baptized. We have had many miracles because we started contacting at least ten people a day. We have been so blessed with new investigators to teach.

Danny is a referral we got when we visited a less active (oscar- who came to church and has been trying to change his life around) and he wants to be baptized May 4.

Bryan is a 16 year old from Puerto Rico. His family still lives there so he is living with his aunt. He doesn't have much knowledge about the bible and about religion in general. He wants to be baptized May 11.

Adalberto committed to being baptized on May 25. He is a father of two kids, the daughter is 11 and his son is 19. We have only met with him, so we don't know how interested his wife and children are, but we are praying that they will come to the gospel as a family.

Leonardo is a friend of another less active we are visiting. He wants to be baptized May 11. The less active man came to church, but Leonardo didn't. 

Rosalva will not be baptized on April 27, the day we set her with last week, so that's sad news, but I am sure she will come when she is ready.

Wexlin went to the hospital for five days. He is struggling with depression and hasn't come to church or had a lesson with us in a while.

We are confident that those that are ready will be baptized, and that as we contact, the Lord will continue to put people like these in our paths. Will you please pray for these people above? They need all the support they can get.

Elder Jeffries and I are working so hard. I am always tired, but it is a fulfilling tired. I am excited to start this week and have many more miracles. 

I had a wonderful opportunity to share my testimony of the Book of Mormon with someone who was bashing on Joseph Smith. He called us over and started to point out faults. I shared my experience and the man then told me, "well alright, if God told you, I am not gonna go against him." He kindly rejected the card and the invitation to learn more, but what started out as a discussion that might have left me feeling doubtful, turned into me walking away with more confidence that the Book of Mormon is true, and that the Spirit will tell us what to say. 

I love this work. It is so fun :) 

I love you family. I talk about you a lot, and I want each and everyone of you to know I think about you everyday.

Elder L Tom Perry will be here next Monday. WHAT. He just called President Jeppson and decided to come.

I love you

Elder McFarland

Transfer #3

The mission is flying by!

I got a new companion on Tuesday! His name is Elder Jeffries. He is awesome. We are gonna have a blast! Seriously, I am so pumped for this transfer! We make a lot of hispanic food and talk a lot. We get along really well. He is from Sandy, Utah. He is awesome, and he loves animals! He has been out for 14 months! 

We have been working hard and playing hard. We invited Rosalva to have a goal to be baptized on April 27, and she accepted! Please pray for her that she will have another answer that this is true and that she will come to church. 

Wexlin has been hard to get a hold of so we have not yet set a date that he will be baptized, but there is always hope! I hope his family will soon start progressing again and will be able to do all that they need to do to be an eternal family unit.

Conference was amazing! We watched the meetings in the chapel with the English branch. We heard the voice of the Lord this last weekend and it was awesome! I got to sit by Shannette for the Saturday morning (afternoon here because it starts at 12) and we played tic tac toe and that box game while taking notes. It was fun :) I love it when me and my investigators get the chance to act like family. Thanks for praying for her. She is doing so well. Lissett also came, but she only came to watch it at the church twice, and I didn't get to talk to her much. She is awesome. We also had a less active come to church. Our goal with him is to get him the priesthood and to the temple as soon as we can. He came and had an interview with the Presidente of our branch. He is looking for a job, so if you can pray that he will find one that will not make him work on Sunday, please do.

I love Paterson. That harsh joke the zone leaders played on me realized how much I love it here. It is so hood and all the garbage is very gross, but it is a place I love.

I believe this is the only true church on the face of the Earth. I know the Book of Mormon is another Testament of Jesus Christ and is a divine book. I know my Father loves me and listens to me.

I love you family.

Elder McFarland

Pictures from the Jeppsons in Jersey Morristown Mission Blog.  Thanks!