Did Someone Say "Baptism"?

 

February 23, 2015

Hey, hey, hey, we had a baptism!!   What a wonderful experience it was!   Might I say a few words about this incredible hermana who, in just 7ish weeks, has gained the most incredible testimony of this gospel and also of her Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ!  She’s incredible!  She has instantly fit in with the people of this ward and is probably one of the happiest people I have ever met! Her mother wasn’t quite ready to join her in baptism this week, but my comp and I are confident that in just a few weeks she will follow her daughter’s example and go into the waters of baptism and make the first of many covenants with her Father in Heaven!  The baptismal service was incredible in just about every way.  I convinced my comp to sing a duet with me for the service and he, Elder Davis that is, baptized Hermana Rebecca in some freezing cold water!  We were blessed with a full room of members, of the room joining us, for this very, very special occasion!  The best part of the service for me though was hearing Hermana Rebecca bare her testimony at the very end.   Even though I don’t know half of what she said, the Spirit was so strong and it was clear that she has an extremely firm testimony!  I am so grateful for this experience that I was able to participate in!

As with me, I’m doing well!  I apologize if I seemed a little grumpy last week when I wrote ... if I did seem that way … it’s because I was.  The past Monday was not the most ideal Preparation day, but still good non-the-less, and I should have been more positive about the whole thing! 

This week I have experienced, many times, the gift of tongues as I speak the Spanish language!  That’s not to say I was fluent in the moments, but I truly was able to speak with confidence and use words I have never used before while testifying of my Savior Jesus Christ and His Gospel!  I have felt so extremely blessed to have this blessing from the Lord because I am in dire need of His help--especially at this time in my mission!

This week I have also had the opportunity to try some new foods!  One of which is called chicharron, or however you might spell it.  Basically what it is is pig skin that you wrap in a tortilla, to put it simply ... it didn’t go down very easily!  When the hermana asked if I wanted seconds ... I politely said no.   I truly love most the food here, but there’s just some things that you wonder how on earth it ever became a dish.

I was almost killed 2 different times with two different dogs.   Both were small and black and it took all I had to run as fast as I could away from them while screaming!  I also was bit by a hamster this week ... never thought I’d have to worry about that one in Mexcio!

So, supposedly there are scorpions here ... yep.  I don’t know what I’m going to do about that except pray a lot, but supposedly they like to hide between your bed sheets and get ya while you’re trying to sleep.  I’m totally freaked.   Haven’t seen one in real life yet, but I’m really not looking forward to that moment.

We have 2 investigators named Pedro & Sacnite.  I think I’ve mentioned them before. They are truly the coolest couple in the whole wide world!  They have already gained testimonies of this gospel and yesterday we got to take them around the church and give them a tour!  It was probably one of the most spiritual times that I have had so far!  It was incredible!  Anyways, I’m totally in love with them and I can’t wait to see them progress even more over the next few weeks!  We don’t have a baptism scheduled for this week, but I believe we do for the next.  So I’ll of course keep you updated.

I’m still healthy as can be!  I’ve truly been blessed!  Every now and then my stomach has a hard time with the beans, but besides that I’m doing good! 

Random Mexican fact of the week:

When it’s cold out the cold goes straight to your bones and never leaves.  After many, many years of cold there’s so much cold built up in your bones that it starts to hurt and that’s why old people hurt so much ... it’s all because of the cold.

I’m doing well and loving the work!  This is truly the work of God!  I’m so grateful to be a part of it!

Stay strong!

Love,

Elder McClure

 

 

 

 

 

Watch out, Fort Collins!!

Riley's Tie Tack - Photo taken at DIA on the morning he left home.

February 16, 2015

Hey Y’all,

How be the Great North?  Here in Mexico people ask if we are from the USA or Germany.   They never say are you American ... because technically they are American too so it’s offensive or something ... I don’t know.   All I know is, we have America in our name so ha we win.   But for now... soy chilango. 

This week we have again worked our bums off!   I think bum in Spanish is Pompa ... not sure though ... hope that it’s not a bad word!   We have a mother and daughter set for baptism this week!!!   I’m super excited and we’ve worked so hard, so it’s going to be so rewarding to see them make this covenant with God!   I’ll of course send pics of that next Monday if it takes place!

My Spanish is about the same, it seems.   I’m very much not liking Spanish, but it’s kinda necessary to know and have while living here, so I’m really trying so hard to learn it!   I’ve  had a couple moments that were awkward with Mexicans talking to me and I think I know what they say, so I respond and then I clearly didn’t understand right cuz everyone, including my comp, is then laughing at me for like 5 minutes ... but it’s all good ... part of growing right?  The heat has been miserable, but this week we were blessed with one day where it rained and was cool and, oh man, I was in heaven!    I’m always wet ... either with sweat or rain ... so that kinda stinks-- literally.

My comp had a bit of the flu or something and after we ate goat tacos with a recent convert, he let it all back up and out.   It was pretty bad, but at least he somewhat made it to the toilet in time!  haha   I feel very blessed to be so healthy!   It’s truly a miracle.  I haven’t been hit yet with a bad bug!

So yes, I’m getting fat, but this week we set goals for working out and so now I’m gonna be huge, but with muscles!!!   Every other day we do Marine work-outs and I’ve been so sore that I almost cry each morning when I roll out of bed!   Man it’s rough!   But I’m totally going to be looking good when I get back in 22 months, so watch out Fort Collins!

Talk about months ... this week I hit my 2 month mark in the mission and man I can’t believe it!   Time flies!   Each week goes by so fast;  I just try to hold on and enjoy the ride!   Everyday I’m beat and it’s a good kind of beat-- the best kind of beat there is!   At night, sometimes, I have a hard time falling asleep ... my mind likes to think about home ... and I don’t have homesickness, thank goodness... I just think about home and all my many, many past years.  I feel so old.  But I have so many good memories that keep my mind going and, honestly, I can’t complain!

I’ve almost been eaten by a few dogs, but going strong in that category!  I totally step in dog poop like every day.  It’s so annoying.  Someone needs to train these dogs that the sidewalk isn’t the place to do it! 

Also this week I was trying to get on a bus that probably holds 40 people normally ... but there was like 140 on it and as I was stepping on the doors closed and I almost got chopped in half!   But somehow I squoze through!   Squoze -- is that a word?   Even though I’m not really learning Spanish ... I’m totally forgetting English!   Is that a good sign?   I don’t know.   I think we are getting Big Macs today for lunch, so I’m pretty jacked!   Gotta log off now!   Hope all is well.   Stay strong America.   I miss you so much!

Love, 

Elder McClure 

 

A Dose of Patience

Elder McClure and Elder Holt (zone leader)

Ukulele - a new interest

Elder Davis and Elder McClure

February 9, 2015

Hello,

This week has been a week of patience and trying to learn patience and not being very patient while trying to learn patience!  (Patience with the language that is.)  It’s very discouraging and very frustrating!  I just wanna teach these people how they can be happy for eternity and I can’t find the words!!  Ahhhhh!  This week has been a hard one ... but I’ve also grown a ton!

We had a zone conference this week and it was super good!  I actually learned stuff in it.  I was so jacked!  I learned all about the importance of the Holy Ghost in conversion and also in our lessons!  Man it was good and something that every missionary desperately needs to know! 

We still are working extremely hard!  We have so many investigators and we teach constantly! (Well my comp does and I sit there and look confused!)   But it’s still awesome!  No baptisms yet but we have like a bunch set for five people who actually go to church!  It’ll come.  Patience.

Every morning we have half an hour to work out and I’m sad to say that I’m not the best at this ... I usually get a few pushups and crunches in and then I get lazy ... so that’s something I’m definitely gonna work on ... especially since I’m getting way fat!  Everything here is fried!  I hate it!  I want a salad but no ... not an option.  All we eat is junk and fried junk and my body hates it but that’s all there is here.  There is fruit ... but we never have time to buy any!  So that’s something else I’m gonna work on this week!  We did buy mangos this week and holy cow, my oh my--Mexican mangos are literally off the tree in Lehi’s dream!  My world has been changed! I now don’t see anything the same!  Seriously ... mangos ... wow!  Also I had the opportunity to try Tacos de Pastor with Elder Holt this week.  Elder Holt is the jolliest elder in the whole wide world and I love him to death!  We had intercombios (exchanges??) so I spent a day and night with him and we laughed the whole time.  He taught me how to play the ukulele and eat the best tacos in the whole world!  I have pics to prove both these points! So pretty much my world has been changed by 3 things this week ... 1) mangos  2) tacos de pastor and 3) the ukulele.

Today is my comp’s birthday so we are going to break a piñata and eat cake and celebrate it up! He’s 19 .... yes, I’m older than him.  It’s real strange cuz I look up to him as a seasoned (3 months in the mission) missionary!  Hahaha.  He’s pretty immature. 

My favorite investigators are named Pedro and Sacnite!  I probably mentioned them last week.  I don’t remember!  But they are progressing so fast and what I love about them is when we walk into their house ... I feel the Spirit.  It’s so amazing!  They are divine!  I love them to death. They are the ones that gave us a piñata for my comp’s birthday.   They own a toy store and live above it-- totally cool!  They are also missionaries and have invited their best friends (a couple) to join in on the lessons.  They are also divine and all 4 will be baptized next month! 

This week has been hard.  It’s been trying.  I have more than ever needed my Heavenly Father’s support and love and truly I have been blessed to feel that love throughout the week.  My favorite scripture this week is in D&C 103 verse 36, “All victory and glory is brought to pass unto you through your diligence, faithfulness, and prayers of faith.”  That says it all.  It’s exactly what I needed to hear this week and maybe someone else who’s reading this can benefit from it too!

Stay strong!

Love you, 

Elder McClure 

"Happiest 19-year-old White Boy in Mexico"

Elder McClure and Elder Davis

February 2, 2015

Heya Folks!

Today I went to the land of Walmart and it was AWESOME!   It totally felt like home!!!!  Except there’s tons of Mexicans and Nutella is wayyyy over priced and the lines for check-out felt like I was back at Disneyland! But I totally loaded up on cereal and I’m gonna be eating good this month!

My mouth is all better--3 trips to the dentist who is a counselor in the stake presidency and I’m all better!  It’d take an hour by hot sweaty bus and he’d squirt my mouth with water for 1 minute and then send me on my way-- another hour to get home!   It’s nice that the mission does take care of me, though!

We had a zone conference this week and I got absolutely nothing out of it, except 2 things!  1) we got burgers after;  and 2)  I got like 10 letters and I was the happiest 19 year-old white boy in Mexico ever!  I got quite a few from Dad and a few from Mom, one from Hanks, one from Schlosses, one from Johnsons, one from Kacie, which was the best of them all and I can’t remember who else!  They were like all Christmas cards and man...even a month late and I’m happy!   It was the best!   So I guess I get mail from the zone leaders like every couple weeks...? maybe.  Anyway DearElder does work so keep it up parents!  I love it!  If you wanna love me a little more and send like some more...I could use pics... I have like 6 from you Mom from Christmas, but like man the more pics the better...but it’s ok too if not ... I love the letters and post cards and all.  Man you guys are the best parents in the whole world and really I do appreciate it so so so much! 

We’ve continued to stay busy in the work!  We teach CONSTANTLY and man I love the people here!  They are so kind!  And they make really good food-- holy cow!  We had 3 investigators show up for Church so I’m feeling higher than a kite!  Only 4 more times to Church each and then they can be baptized!   Again, I’ll get into who these investigators are later on, once I can remember their names and all.  Right now my brain is fried!  Spanish is an awful language -- at least at the moment!  Oh man, I gotta say we have the best ward mission leader in the world!  He’s been a member for a year and totally solid!  But the best part about him is that he is the same size, build, has the same face, talks the same, and has the same sense of humor as Rolando Santos!!!!   I swear it’s his twin!   But man it’s so great because it’s like a little piece of home...Oh how I miss Rolando Santos!  Church is good!  I don’t understand much, but I actually get to sit and just enjoy; and of course the best part -- taking the sacrament. or in Spanish … tomar la santa cena.

The smell of sewer now smells kinda good to me and half dead dogs kinda look cute!!!  Oh man!   Mexican babies are the cutest babies in the entire world! (except Joely of course!)  Since I can’t speak the language I just let my comp talk and then I make faces at our investigators’ babies.  haha   It’s the best.  Anyway, life is good.   I’m a neat freak, I’ve found. (Yes Mom.. don’t act so surprised) and so that’s fun.  I get to clean a lot!  I’ve just found it’s hard to feel the Spirit so I clean a lot-- organize and wash and take care of things. Oh and I try to show my comp how grateful I am for him by cooking him dishes at night!  I love cooking and all we have is one little pan and an electric stove and eggs... so yeah... I’m a good cook!   Our hot water doesn’t really work so I’m getting used to ice cold showers.   Gotta love feelin’ fresh!  Anyways all is well!

Hope all is well!

Love,

Elder McClure