Wow, It’s Been a Much Better Week!

Elder McClure and Sister Mecham . . . muffins after the meeting.

Javier providing the haircut.

We worked real hard all week long and got some sweet lessons in and my body feels fine, even my bum-bum, and man I love working.

The heat is finally kicking in and every day at about 2pm it’s the worst.  I’m so sweaty and I walk like Mom when she does her speed walking and man I cruise!

We taught a bunch of lessons with a member present and had some great results!  4 investigadors went to church and the members helped out and took them to the classes and it was just like heaven.  I love Sundays when everyone helps and people actually show up.  We actually had such a good attendance at church that they filled the overflow and were having to open the gym too.  I love it!

I got my hair cut again and I sure look good!  Javier really knows how to cut hair, but that is probably because he’s cut hair for almost 60 years!  PRO!  The members have really treated us well lately and man we are so grateful!

Yesterday night our whole zone got together to hang out with all the single young adults of the stake and talk about missionary work and how they can help.  We did a presentation on the spirit world and it was actually really fun.   Of course, afterward we ate Costco muffins, so really my Sunday was perfect!   And oh, I almost forgot, but at the activity Prez Mecham sang and we were all crying.  I love him.  He’s the best.

So much happened this week and, oh wait, yes I know what else--so we were in sacrament meeting and my comp told me to turn and look at a man sitting on the back row.  It was his DAD!  So yeah, my comp’s dad was totally there and then afterward gave him a bunch a money and winter coats for when he goes to Utah.  It was really weird. I wasn’t expecting it.  Mom and Dad, please don’t do that.

Anywho, lots of stuff going on and people are progressing and we are hopeful for a baptism in the next little bit!  AHHHH, I sure hope!

All be well.  I’m healthy at this moment.  Let’s hope it lasts!

Elder McClure

Samantha and Javier take good care of Elders McClure and Gomez!!

Fruit roll-up tongue tattoo.

I Hate Shots!!!

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Mission Meeting Outside

Hey Folks,

This week is gonna be a real shot post.  Oops did I just say shot?  I meant short.  But there’s a reason my fingers typed out shot.  I don’t like shots--never have and never will.  I know it’s not good to hate, but yes, I hate shots.  Let me explain:

Last Monday I wrote and I was super happy because I thought I was all better and I was happy and motivated and super enthusiastic and just like 3 weeks ago…I went to bed feeling horrible and had a high fever all Monday night.  It was beautiful.  So after much disagreement between me and ward members I finally gave in and let them take me to the doctor.  The doc was nice but gave me like 7 medications and 1 of those being a series of 5 shots in the bum-bum--one per day.  I hate the doctor. Long story short I wasn’t allowed to bathe for 3 days.  I got shots.  I took so many medications my liver doesn’t exist anymore, but I believe I’m now all better!  Really we only worked like one day last week,  haha.  It was terrible!  I was sooo bored, but the rest was really exactly what I needed!

The awesome part of my week though is that we totally had 3 investigators at church on Sunday! 

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-- so yeah by Sunday night I was smiling from ear to ear and said to myself, “Now that was a successful week!"

Really, all is well now.  I pray that after writing this I don’t get sick.  That would stink.  My rear and I are doing just fine and I’m ready to keep preachin’ the word!

Love,

Healthy Elder McClure

Silliness!!

Wazz Up World?!

Elder McClure with his zone leader,  Elder Valdez.

A sister in his district drew this pic of Riley's pet rabbit at home - Baby-Girl Muffins!

Giant Baby-Girl Bunny . . .

Howdy friends! 

Life was much better this week--thankfully.

I’ve still had a cold and allergies, but I can work without any problem and I’ve been going good.

We had a Zone Conference this week that lasted 6 hours!  SIX hours!  It was long, but it was good.

Now we are allowed to play sports like basketball, as long as we don’t keep score so I’m pretty JACKED right now.  After writing we are going to have a BBQ with the other elders and then go shoot hoops!  It’s our celebration for Valentine’s Day yesterday.  About V-day… I hate V-day.   In the mission, in Mexico, Valentine’s Day is the absolute worst.  On every corner there are couples just making out like crazy locos and no one is home and so we just walk around all day watching people make out and oh man—gross, gross, gross.  I’m very glad that’s over.  The one fun part about yesterday was that I was remembering what happened a year ago on the last V-day when I was with my trainer Elder Davis and we had pretty much the same experiences (haha, Mexico never changes). 

This week we found new people to teach and dropped some people that weren’t progressing and taught some pretty awesome lessons.  Last night we were teaching a family about charity and stuff like that and the little 13-year-old daughter was super mad for some reason and didn’t want to participate or anything.  But by the end of the lesson the parents were sharing their testimonies on how much they love their children and everyone was crying and it was just great.  I love when everyone cries in a lesson.  We have 2 ladies who are progressing really quickly.  They are both like hooked on the Book of Mormon and just want to keep learning more and more and they ask really, really good questions.  The only thing is they haven’t attended church.  We are praying really hard that they do because if they don’t attend, we will have to drop them.

The sisters in my district have also been sick and had problems with sprained ankles and eye problems and it’s been really rough.  But right now it’s looking like things are shaping up and we are all getting back to being focused, happy missionaries. 

The best part about this week was getting to hold a giant baby girl bunny that weighed a TON!   AND receiving a gift from one of the missionaries in my district.  She drew me a picture of my Baby Girl Muffins chillin’ in my hammock, and oh man it’s so awesome.   I’m gonna frame it.  Anywho, I love bunnies. 

Things are going good.  I’m really enjoying the work right now and the people we have to teach.  People are receptive and hungry to learn more--just how it should be!

All be well,

Love,

Elder McClure

Skull Kissing

Elders Quorum President Miguel.  He's my friend!

Zone Conference

Week-long Trial!!

Shawn made this Skylinyl for Riley!!

Shawn's Skylinyl on display in Riley's apartment.

This week was a week-long trial!  Wait … the trial is still on so maybe it’s more than a week long.  Either way, it lasted all last week.  I love me some trials.

Last Monday was a great, great day until I wrote home and then I realized I was sick with an instant fever.  I ended my P-day at 6pm and then taught the district meeting.  It was a terrible meeting.  I was so sick.  Everyone wanted to say goodbye to my comp and so we were hugging people and laughing and we got invited to tacos and my comp wanted to go so we went, but I didn’t eat anything.  I just sat there moaning until we got home and then I slept all night and got up early to go to transfers still sick.  It was rough. 

As we arrived at transfers, the assistant came up to me and told me that I would be receiving an elder that was with his family on Sunday, had spent the night at the Mexican MTC and was now on his way to our mission.  They didn’t know his name, where he was from, which mission was his real mission or anything.  Still sick as a dog, all I managed to say was "yay".  Anywho, Elder Gomez got to the transfers quicker than they had thought, so I didn’t have to wait long (even though I had already sent my ride home because I thought I’d be waiting many hours for my new comp to arrive).  Elder Gomez is from the north part of Mexico City and his mission is Salt Lake City, Utah.  He is currently waiting for his visa and so, in the meantime, he’s in our mission with me.  We figure he will be here with me 3-5 months before his visa comes.  That’s a long time!  Anywho, we went from transfers back to our area in a taxi and got super lost.  I was sick and couldn’t do anything.  By a miracle we got back to the house where I crashed on my bed for a few hours.

I didn’t want my comp to be stuck at the house, all thinking about home and so this week even though I was super sick, we worked our tails off.  Thursday and Friday I didn’t even have a voice, which was really funny because I got us to the lesson, but then my comp was left alone to teach.  It’s been a long week but I’m getting better and feel decent today.  We found new people to teach and taught some really good lessons and just hope that this week is better.  The first week with a new comp is always hard, so now we got that over with and also the sickness also almost over with, so we are looking good for this week.  But let me tell you, it’s been a week!  Not much more to say.  Just li’l ol’ me living the life in Mexico.  All is más o menos well!

Love, 

Elder McClure

District Meeting last Monday night.  Last night with Elder Cumbe.

Petita turned 100 and Elder Gomez and I celebrataed with her!!

It was really cold out and we were returning home after a long day of work.

Hey Y'all

What’s up my friends?

This week has been full of grunt work trying to build up the area.  I love me some grunt work. 

For some reason we never give only one blessing.  If someone asks us for a blessing we can always count on 3 or 4 more that day.  It’s super weird.  It’s kinda like deaths … how they always come in 3s.  But, yeah this week I gave a lot of blessings. 

Some sad, sad, sad news--my comp is oooout of here!  Tomorrow he’s getting transferred to who knows where and I’m getting a new comp.  I’m so sad.  We’ve had so much fun.  We get along so well.  He’s like my Ecuadorian brother.  I’m gonna miss the chap.  I’m just praying I get another awesome comp who helps me in the work and jokes around with me.  This is probably the biggest news of the week and it’s sad, so I do apologize.

You know the lady I mentioned who I contacted and it was like a miracle and super cool and yeah, yeah, yeah?  Well she is totally AWESOME and one of the best investigators I’ve ever had!  She still hasn’t been to church because of some problems in the home, but man she actually does her homework and thinks about things and wow, I want more people like her.  She’s also really smart and is a math tutor and does a bunch of other stuff.  And she lives RIGHT next to the chapel, which is right next to my house, so yeah she’s a neighbor.  Anywho, I’m pretty excited about it.  Even though today is P-day, we still went and taught her and wow--super awesome experiences all around.

With my comp leaving we’ve had a lot of fun taking pictures with people and hanging out with the young single adults of the ward.  They are super chill and our very good friends!

I really can’t think of anything else interesting this week.  We met a lady who lived in Nauvoo for 2 years as a Catholic nun ... that’s cool.  Hmmm, yeah no that’s all I got. 

Keep it rocking,

Elder McClure

Riley's 19-year-old friend, and ward mission leader, Donavan (far right), who knows English.

With Elder Cumbe and some friends.