"Just Laughing the Whole Way."

Somebody spelled my name wrong.  With Elder Stout.

With Elder Stout (comp) and Elder Jarrett

HeYYYYYYYYYYYYY

So turns out Elder Stout’s parents are stalking me on Facebook and my blog.  So I just wanna throw out Hey Parents of Elder Stout!  You guys must be awesome, because your son is the BEST!!!  We’ve had WAY too much fun this week!  Toooo much.  It’s been a killer week with 43 lessons and a zone training and running from place to place, always way too busy to get everything done.  So, parents of Elder Stout ... don’t worry, I’m taking good care of him and he will be with you soon.  Just 3 weeks.  Until then ... we gonna work!

This week has been so chill.  Actually not chill, I really would say FUN is the best word to say it. We just run, run, run from one place to the other, teaching and going on fun assignments and just laughing the whole way.  So, more info on where I’m at.  Churubusco is actually IN Iztapalapa ... but not in the Iztapalapa Stake ... so I lied in my last email. But, it’s much prettier here than where I’ve previously been. There’s lots of work in our area ... we had 5 at church on Sunday ... and lots of work in the zone to do.  Tomorrow we will be giving a 45 minute training to like 300 youth from 3 neighboring stakes and that’s gonna be rough.  We have no idea what to do.  Then we have to do another training with our zone, all the young single adults, and a zone conference, which is much bigger and more formal, in just a few weeks.  On top of that, each Monday we are in the offices reporting with the assistants and Prez and getting counsel from them.  Our zone is 25 missionaries and 12 of those are sisters. Our area is on a big hill and we are constantly running up and down it trying to fit in as many lessons as we can and I’m sweating more than ever before ... lately it’s felt much hotter here.  On Sunday I gave a talk in sacrament meeting and got to meet the ward. It’s a great ward that is really united and loves the missionaries. I’d say half the ward that attends church are recent converts who have been baptized in this past year. There’s been lots of success here recently.  I love my comp. When I was in Ajusco he was in the neighboring mountain town so we got to know each other well and had plenty of crazy stories to share about our mountain branches.  We are going like crazy and never have a spare moment. We usually don’t ever get to bed on time for all the reporting and planning that we have to do.  But it’s fun.  We have lots of fun.  And I’m very, very, very happy to be here. 

So, I heard Logan gets home on Wednesday. I wanna shout out to him, too.  He’s been a best friend and hero of mine for many years now.  I can’t believe his mission is at an end, but I’m so excited to see what he does next.  I’m sure he will be successful in whatever he does and I hope he knows I love him!  So, Logan, stay strong buddy.  I’ll see you soon. Make every day count and don’t forget to go out and work with the missionaries every now and then! :P

Loves to all.  All be well.

Elder McClure

With the Office staff.

Coming on Tuesdays from Now On!

Elder Stout (Riley's new companion) and Elder Jarrett, who wrote the brief comment below..

Hello Parents of Elder McClure!

Hey, I'm Elder Jarrett.  I'm just writing because your son is my new Zone Leader!  Your son is an Amazing missionary and I really look up to him a lot.  He's practically been with me throughout my whole mission, in Jardines de Iztapalapa, in Ajusco, and now in Churubusco!   I'm so happy to be able to be with him again!  :D  Anyway, he just asked me to tell you that he will be writing on Tuesdays now that he is a Zone Leader.  He didn't want you guys to have to worry if you didn't get an email from him on Monday.  That's all!  Thanks!  Have a great weekend!

Elder Jarrett

Elder McClure's new companion, Elder Stout.

Yup! I'm in a New Area!!!!

Leaving Elder Carillo.

Saying good-bye.

More good-byes.

Hello!!!  No time, no time, no time!!!  I have absolutely no time!  Lots to do.  Well, we had changes and . . .  I’m out of Estacion.  That was a quick stop.  But I’m very excited to be where I’m at.  My new area is Churubusco--Ward Churubusco and Stake Churubusco.  It’s pretty cool here.  It’s real close to Iztapalapa and Meyehualco, just on the other side of the hill.  But yeah, it’s pretty cool.  We just got back from cambios and my new comp is Elder Stout!  He’s a friend from way back when!  So, I’m sooo excited to be with him in this new area.  This is also one of the best wards in the mission supposedly and the ward is supposedly fantastic!  Elder Stout goes home in one month.  He goes home 2 weeks early so he can start school and so I have a lot of pressure to learn the area in this month.  We also will be having lots going on in the zone, like zone conferences and training and stuff, so really we are never going to have time for anything.  Elder Davis, who trained me and was just barely my district leader is now assistant (to the president) for this change before he goes home.  WooHoo!  That’s fun too.  Lots of pressure right now.  I’m nervous but excited.

All is well.  I promise to write more next week. 

Loves, Elder McClure

Transfers

Mimi, my grandma.

Time'z a Flyin'!!!!

Another week has come and gone.  Time’z a flyin'!!!!  Things are going really well here in Estacion.  This week was very successful—44 lessons and 9 new investigators.  Gotta love it! 

Also this week was a solid week concerning lessons guided by the Spirit.  That’s what my comp and I really worked on and we really participated in some amazing lessons. 

One of my most favorite investigators of all time is Sister Patricia Urbano.  Her son is actually on a mission, but her husband, daughter and she aren’t members.  My old comp actually found them by a contact in the street.  This week has been a turning point for her and her family.  We stopped by many times this week and she actually fed us on Friday.  She’s very giving and always happy even though she’s so busy with work and her family that she only sleeps 2 hours every day.  After one of the lessons we had, we all said a prayer asking for the Spirit to testify to us of the truthfulness of Joseph Smith.  After that prayer she got up off her knees, looked me in the eye and said, "Now I know the church is true."  After that we had another incredible lesson andddddd she was going to go to church yesterday, but totally got stomach sick and couldn’t go.  But that’s ok.  That’s just Satan working on her.  She knows it’s true and she’ll be there next week.  The other amazing thing about Sister Urbano is that she shares what we are teaching her with EVERYONE!   Thanks to her we are teaching like 8 of her neighbors and many of them look very promising and perhaps golden investigators, too.  I love members (or investigators) that help us FIND people to teach.  They are true disciples of Jesus Christ.

We taught tons this week, felt good, and used every moment doing something to help someone else.

It was a great week.  All be well.

Loves to all,

Elder McClure

Patricia Urbano and her older daughter. 

This is Mexico.

Water . . . the Mexican way.

Good Ol' Fourth!!!!

Add caption

My friends!!

My neighbor.

Hey y’all!

Happy 4th of July!  The best day everrrrrrrrrrrr!

 Today has been a darn good day.  We washed clothes and had haircuts and then spent the day with most of the zone cooking burgers and playing corn hole!   And yes… I’m still the corn hole champ.  Ain’t no one gonna beat me.  Last night the light storm counted as fireworks for us and so really … I’m feeling like pretty much at home.  Good ol’ Fourth!

This week was a good one!  The highlight was an interview with president I had.  Let’s just say I love the man and he helps a whole darn lot.  Can’t say much more than that, but really he’s such a blessing to my life.

We taught fewer lessons this week because we went on intercambios with Elder Davis and we also had other little activities throughout the week that took up time, but in the end we still taught plenty and helped lots of people!   We had 4 people at church.  Yay!  And lots of rain. 

It’s already July.  This week I took lots of pics just for you guys.  I actually carried my camera around in my area and it’s safe to say I’m a big risk taker.   Not much new going on-- just teaching and fun.

Have a  WONDERFUL  4th y’all.  Life is good!

Elder Davis, my first comp and now my district leader.

Waiting for interviews with the President.

Gotta Love Mexico!!

My bud. At first he was scared of me when I tried to shake his hand. But now we are good friends.

The two other elders serving in my ward.

We celebrated 1/2 Christmas this year by eating delicious burritos which really aren't a thing here - only in Northern Mexico and in the States.  I ate 1 and 1/2  and was stufffffffffed.  My comp ate 8.  

This is my white Mexican compl, Elder Carillo.

Well, well, well … another greaattt week in our small ward.

We got a bishop!!!!  WOOOOOO!  He was the 1st counselor before, but now he holds keys (of priesthood authority as an ordained bishop) so we are excited to see some progress and decision making take place!

This week was super bomb with lessons just like last week.  We only taught 40 lessons, but that’s ok because Tuesday I got to take a field trip to the policlinica and get my ear checked out. It had been hurting for some time.  Turns out I had a throat and ear infection.  Now, 400 pills later I feel amazing.  And while I was there I also was able to get my foot checked out.  Turns out it wasn’t like fungus or nothin’ but just an allergy of some sort. Gotta love feet problems. But ... now I’m good as new--so no worries about Elder McClure!

One of the pills I have been taking for the infection reminds me a lot of Dramamine and I was having to take 3 a day.  Well, it works like Dramamine as in it makes me reallllly tired.  I think I fell asleep during a few lessons, but that’s ok.  That’s what comps are for.

We also got the chance to work on exchanges with our zone leaders for a day.  I really love my zone leaders and they are always so fun to be around.  We worked hard and learned a lot from them.  Sadly I don’t think I took a picture of our intercambios.

We had some really great lessons this week and the highlight was finding a family of 7 to teach. Actually, it was last Sunday when the dad pulled over (almost hitting us) and got out to ask us what we were all about.  Long story short we wrote down his directions and he lives right behind us!  We are neighbors!  And his family is very interested in our message so we are really hoping for some awesomeness there.

It’s rained a lot.  It’s hot.   Life’s good.   There’s lots of work.  What more can I ask for? 

Oh, interesting fact for the day ...

My front door neighbors are ostriches--like for reals.  It’s an ostrich farm.

Gotta love Mexico!

Elder McClure

P.S. I’m writing right now and an earthquake alarm just went off.  I didn’t feel anything but it’s pretty exciting. The alarm is super loud and out in the street.  Gotta love Mexico!

These chairs are amazing!

Eatin' good!

Looking out our window.

A Stellar Week!!!

This is from my window.  Sorry it’s not too attractive.  But it’s the only pic I have for the week, haha, because in this area I’m not carrying around my camera each day.  It would be stolen if I did.  

Another wonderful week in Meyehualco.  It’s been good--too good.  I like too good. :)

It’s raining right now.  Why the rain?  Good thing I got my clothes off the line in time.

So, this week was pretty chill--but not chillax.  We totally rocked 46 lessons this week and found a BUNCH of new people to teach.  So yeah, I’d say it was one of the best weeks I’ve had in my mission concerning the missionary work.  We also had a sweet training where we learned lots of the importance of them less active members and how we can help them to come home.  Also we had the chance to visit one of my most favorite families in the whole world.  They are the family Canton.  I ate dinner at their house last Christmas Eve.  They lived in my old area, Hidalgo, but just moved and now are here with me in Estacion.  It’s pretty awesome.  Bro. Canton told me that when I get changed again … they are gonna move again and just follow me whereever I go.  Hahaha.

Really it was a stellar week--lots and lots of lessons and lots of investigators and I’m just praying that I don’t get transferred in a month from now cuz I wanna keep working with what we are building up.  The realization that I go home in just a few short months keeps slapping me in the face.  Crazy.  But I kinda like how it slaps me … because it keeps me even more motivated to really make these months count.

All is well.

Loves from Mexico,

Elder McClure