9-30-13

hey everyone hows it going, im pretty sure that nothing that went down this week can compare to the awesomeness of the fact that connor got his mission call....and to add to it that hes going to korea!! that seriously is so stinking crazy, i cant believe it. but im way stoked for him, its so cool. never thought id be serving in the mission field together with connor. 

it does kind of stink though that we wont be seeing eachother for 4 yrs but its nothing to take away from the excitement of his mission call. so connor if youre reading this....i love you bud and im super happy for you, im going to miss you a ton to be honest but dont worry this is when the Lord needs us more than ever. love you tons buddy and once again, much congratulations for your mission call. go tear it up in korea. i have to admit also that its amazing how the Lords timing is perfect and how he totally is concious of us and our needs. the last week was pretty rough, to be straight up i was hating life once friday rolled around. we hadnt taught a lesson the whole entire week, nobody was home or didnt have time for us and i was bumming. it was to the point where i was doubting and really wondering if i made the right decision of going home in january, and that maybe i should just go home in november if things are going to be like they are. 

but anyways i was just kind of having some rough days, but as things seemed to get overwhelming i had some experiences that pumped me up. the first was a text message that one of our converts sent us, he had waved to us in the street earlier in the street as he drove by, and that evening he sent me this text "elder mccarty, lo vi un pocquito extraño, pense triste por su semblante, ojala este bien, animo! reciba 1 abrazo". to be honest it totally shocked me reading the message, he had no idea what was going on in my head and how i was feeling, but without a doubt im sure that he had some feeling that told him to send me that message and it made me feel alot better. and then later on that same night was when a member in my ward sent me a message to tell me about connors mission call, and these two experiences just recharged my batteries and im feeling alot more dedicated and excited to live up these last months and not let things bum me out. 

also  i had the opportunity to talk with some of my mission buddies about it and they helped me see the importance of the example that ive put for your younger brother and for the example i need to continue putting for him. i know for a fact that connor is going to face alot of trials in his mission, the culture, language, and just everything shock that he will face is at best going to be harder than what i lived here in mexico. however i feel as though the hard times ive had to go through will allow me to help him out in his mission. eventhough things havent necesarilly gotten better since last friday, ive now got a better attitude and feeling about everything and that makes all the difference. 

in addition this upcoming week is going to allow me to be able to rest becuase we have mission leadership councils tuesday and wednesday, zone meeting on friday, and then conference on saturday and sunday. im sure that in this upcoming week im going to be able to receive even more advice and help to be more animated. im extremely appreciative for all of you back home that pray for me daily. have the surety that your prayers are answered and that they get to me. i miss you all tons and i wish i could have been there with you connor when you opened your call, i miss you tons buddy and im going to keep missing you which is the part that stinks haha. but i love you tons connor and i cant stop saying how happy i am for you. youre going to love and youre exactly who the people of korea need right now. i think your new nickname is going to have to be godzilla haha.

 have a great week everyone and a little quote id like to share to wrap up this letter by michaelangelo "i saw an angel in the marble, so i scuplted to set him free" we likewise come to this world as unshappen and unformed beings but through the transcourse of our lives the Lord scuplts and forms us to set us free and make us mor like him. the trials we have are simply put in our live to make us better. if the rough marble could talk im sure it would say that it didnt appreciate all the hits from the hammer and chisels but that in the end admits that it is happy with how he turned out. i cant help but imagine that it will be like that for us also when we one day get the chance to look back on our lives and see how we turned out. like my. love you all and ill talk to you next week.

with much love from mexico,

Elder Maccarthy