Happy Birthday to Me? August 27,2008

Yes yes I know that was a little while ago. So what if I like to let my birthday turn to birthmonth? I'm on a mission I can celebrate how I please in the small amount of self time we seem to find! :D In actuality that's not the case.I got some VERY special packages from home the past few weeks. I'm SO grateful for the time and effort that all who did, put into it. I LOVE the things you sent. Elder Hill loves the Candy especially. Don't you worry I'm pretty good at sharing (despite the fact that I might hide the Cheese its!) Today the picture attached is of my requested, nevertheless unpleasant, rendition of the popular song... Happy Birthday... to me. Elder Hill helped. Yes those are 20 mini muffins. Yes i'm old. No I don't need a walker yet. Maybe I'll attach another picture too... let us see... hmmm...OK, so the other picture (they should be easily discernable when you open them) is of me assisting (unnecessarily) Elder Stewart with an extremely heavy box in the basement of the salvation army where we give service. This is the room they stockpile all the out of season clothes. Elder Stewart is built like a stripling warrior so he clearly doesn't need any help from my boyish muscles. In whatever case I lended my assistance after strategically placing the camera and accidentily (or purposefully) setting the timer and pushing the button. If you zoom in beware. I think my face is a bit of a mixture between smiling and looking like I'm struggling with the weight of the box. If you have a weak stomach I don't recommend zooming in. :D Oh side note, Elder Stewart is down in Edmonton now a days. He's the man! I told him he was going to train a new missionary about 2 weeks before the call came telling him he indeed was! I have it documented in my little spiritual whispers book. It was cool.Transfer calls came monday. Any guesses? Ok I'm sure the suspense is killing you! I don't know why I pause when I mean for the reader to pause but I always do. Yes Indeed I'm staying in Fort Mcmurray. It's likely I'll be here a bare minimum of another three months. I'm really liking it here and I'm learning a lot. Elder Hill and I are the only two up here still so the work load can be heavy.OH! Last night we met with Dan Huget. He was a former investegator. He's a super bright fella. He reminds me a lot of my macho big brother (sorry josiah not this time) named Kyler. Well I guess he's kind of like Josiah too. Anyhow, Dan wants to get baptized! He'll be entering those sacred waters on September 13th. What a solid guy he is. It doesn't count for Fort Mcmurray since he'll technically be in the Kingsway ward. (yes the very same that I served in previously... Ironic?) No matter to us though because he is a stellar fellar. Lately Elder Hill and I have been talking with a bit of a southern accent and I think it's starting to sneak its way into my usual speech. It's kind of strange. I'm getting more and more comments like "You must be american." How strange that I would go north and obtain a southern accent! You figure it out because I sure can't. I think we should try the British accent more often because that one I'd love to have! I'm McCarty... Elder Mccarty. (lame James bond joke?)Well family and friends I love you all very much.Spiritual thought of the week:Preach my gospel in chapter 6 states "Obedience is the first law of heaven." Why? Obedience shows supreme trust. When we obey God and his commands we submit our agency. Our agency is the only thing in this life we can freely give. Far better to submit freely to Gods will than to ,by default, submit ourselves to the will of our foe down under. (not australia)In Helaman 12:7-17 there's an interesting comparison. Man vs. Dust. Think of the exact obedience that the earth renders. If God desires to flatten mountains or raise valleys it is done by His command. He can even part a sea if He wants to (which you may recall has happened.) Verse 17 ends simply and powerfully, "Behold, it is done." Is that our attitude? Our loving Heavenly Father will lead us ever into greener pastures. He will forever desire that which is best for us. His command to us is an act of supreme love. His chastisement unto us is the same. These two acts from God are ALWAYS out of the most pure motives. How great the wisdom and the love of that Eternal Heavenly Being who seeks ever for our immortality and eternal life. Indulge His will and all that is good about existance can and WILL be yours.Exact and simple obedience is a gateway to finding the happiness this gospel proffers us.I love you all and I pray for you. I feel the prayers from you each day bearing me up. The prayers of faith and love, I am certain, reach far deeper with far greater power than either I or you may realize in this life. May you be blessed!With tidings of peace,Elder McCarty (jr)

Hiya. 08-20-2008

Well everyone, the time has once again come. I hope all is going well for ya'll.This week has been LOADED with stress. It seems that we go literally from appointment to appointment. It's hard to see how many of those appointments don't happen. I wish I could help people realize immediately how important this gospel is. Far too many take it as a side note and recognize it only as (and limit it by so believing) religious discussion. They simply don't understand the power that the Book of Mormon has. Helaman 3:29-30 really jumped out to me this last week. How powerful is the Book of Mormon? Read those scriptures and you'll see.As for our foremost investegators:Matthew had a baptismal date for August 30. Well we are quite close to being there and he still hasn't been to church. We've met with him twice. The first time was when we talked with him and he expressed the desire to be baptized. I don't think He sees how different and truly significant this baptism is. He talks about "the last time [he] was baptized." We set his date for later and told him that if we can't meet with him more than he can't be baptized. His desires are good but his understanding is limited by the fact that he's always working and busy. Luckily this is the true meaning of the gospel. All men no matter their circumstance can be elevated. New heights are attainable through the peace and joy and strength of Jesus Christ's atonement. Matthew can and will learn and grow as long as he acts on his righteous desires.Gordon has been flaky lately. His baptismal date was for August 23. As you may recognize that is in three days. We had to drop his date since we haven't been able to meet with him. Regardless of his commitments to come to church and to meet with us he hasn't shown since the first time we met with him.It's hard to see people plant the best seed they can deep in their heart and when it starts to grow they simply walk away. We must always remember and never forget that Almas parable of the seed includes work and nourishment. (see alma 32)Well we have much to do today and 3 hours before we need to be on the road to edmonton. Elder Jones is speaking to us on Thursday. As an added bonus we also get the truck back! Woot.The work is hard but I cling to the fact that there is no effort wasted. I'll press my shoulder to the wheel until I can no longer. With the strength God offers that day will NEVER come. I will be able through His might to press forward.I love you!Elder McCarty (Jr)P.s. Elder McCarty (the paraguay one) is now in the MTC and writing weekly. If any of you would like to read this letter we'd love to add you to the list. If you get the chance go to DearElder.com and shoot a quick email to my Brother! He'd love it I promise. They'll print it out and give it to him in the MTC How cool would it be if he suddenly got 70 letters? Do it. It won't take long. :D

Picture commentary by Drew:
Alrighty! So description!
1- This is Elder Ford (my previous companion) and myself on a little dirt road. This is why we need a truck. Now a days we have a car but later today we're supposed to be given the truck. During winter cars don't survive long enough to get out of the driveway here. Yes I think I'm doing the Fans pose.
2-This is dear old Elder Winn. He's now home and goes by the alias Bryan. He's a good man. It was my last time seeing him before he took the big transfer in the sky! The mission has been built on the shoulders of fellas like that one!
3- No your eyes don't deceive you. No it wasn't an accident. This is a dog. Ya It's standing on top of the fence. It's got a leash on and everything but it was just hanging out up there! We parked across the street and noticed him. It was about an hour later that we returned to the car to find that... HE WAS STILL THERE! I think he's protesting something. Maybe he's sick of getting only the bones rather than the ribs! Hey don't be so quick to presume that just because he has no signs to march around with it makes him an ineffective protester. Have you ever tried holding a poorly crafted sign without apposable thumbs? I reckon it'd be difficult.Wow I sound kind of like the cheezy and not really funny talk show host on Americas Funniest home videos. Cue laughter.Love you all!Elder McCarty (jr)

Short time, Elder Hill awaits 08-13-08

Well everybody I'm very pleased! It's bittersweet with emails this week! I have a lot of them. I really have enjoyed reading and responding! Please forgive me that I've struggled to answer all the questions and such I am trying my best! Don't let any of that stop you from writing. I look forward to and always enjoy the emails I get even if they're a sentence or two! Thank you!This last week has been a pretty stressful one. We've got a lot on our plate. All things will be sorted out in time.Matthew and Gordon, our investegators with baptismal dates are nowhere to be found. We can't seem to track them down. It's possible that they've just been busy and that's why our appointments fell through but I can't help but wonder if something has happened.We met an interesting fella at the "Best Canadian Hotel" this last sunday. We were looking to meet with Matthew who works and stays there.As we walked up to the hotel there was a man sitting on the curb. His hair was long, I'd say 3 inches past his shoulders. Hair covered most of his face and he was looking down as we passed. I noticed a tattoo on his arm and proceeded to say "Hey how are you doing?" I'm afraid before my mission I wouldn't have done the same. At first he was uninterested. After we found Matthew wasn't around this long haired man came back down stairs and said, "Tell me your story." We talked for about 20 minutes and he told us the story of his tattoo. He has had a rough life and said he felt like a jerk blowing us off. Kurt took a book of mormon and we set up a return appointment.It was a profound lesson to me that I need to let no outside appearence regulate my tendancies. I do alright and not judging people by their looks but sometimes it's hard to not be affected by some of the extreme people there are. It's interesting to see how nice even some of the most scary people are.It's true that people are a very interesting creation of God. I started thinking about that from Patti she mentioned it in her email.Well I need to be going.I love you all and hope the best for you!Elder McCartyP.s. I'm attaching a picture... we'll see which one it ends up being.

WOW! Wonder Of wonder Aug 06, 2008

Miracles of Miracles!This week has been very neat.Last Thursday as we walked to the car from emails we passed a man. He was leaning against the with his ear to a phone. As usual on the College campus we didn't attempt proselyting. As we passed however I looked up, smiled and said "Hello!"He returned the classic head nod (very suave for those looking to impress.) We continued walking and five or six steps later heard "Hey! Are you guys Christians?"Matthew is a 25 year old software engineer. He was borne in Tofield Alberta and moved to Fort Mcmurray to get away from his families money. He says he was spoiled all his life. Now he is technically homeless. He got hired after being in town for 2 weeks with Suncore. He's been given a supervising position which will bring him plenty of money. Matthews father is a Christian of another faith. He said that he felt there were some falsehoods that needed correcting. We talked, or rather listened, for twenty minutes or so. We set an appointment for the next day in the courtyard of the school.We taught The Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I had previously (upon meeting him) felt the impression to extend a baptismal date. I missed the opportunity on Thursday but by doing so the following evening we made up for it. August 30, 2008. Matthew now says he feels like we've come to save him. He says he's now feeling converted to Christianity. ONE MEETING! TWO DAYS! How amazing that he is preparing now to recieve baptism.NEXT MIRACLEGordon Mcammond is a young man who recently came home to Fort Mcmurray. He's now living with his mother. He lives a block from the church and came last sunday! We taught him at church and set an appointment which we had last night. He has almost as many dinner appointments in the ward as we do! How marvelous that the ward is already pulling together.As we taught the restoration I felt the spirit in the room. We asked "How do these things make you feel Gordon?" He replied "Well... I can feel truth." Unsure how else to describe it he said, "I think more people need to read the Book of Mormon."... I was near speechless. We committed him to baptism on August 23. He turned it down at first. We told him we are only committing him to prepare for baptism by that day. After resolving concerns he accepted the date."THE FIELD IS WHITE, ALREADY TO HARVEST." That is SO true. Family, Friends, the Gospel of Jesus Christ as it restored in it's fulness is PRECISELY what this world needs. It is what people the world over are knowingly or unknowingly crying out for. They need help. Help Christ can give.I am a fireball of excitement and enthusiasm and I hope you catch some of my happiness. Our lives are or can be tremendously blessed by the principles of the Gospel. Let us entrench ourselves in it, and as Moroni did in Alma 49 defend against the forces of evil. Then let us take it to every needy soul.I know that Christ LIVES. God speaks to man today.I love you all and I want you to know I'm being taken good care of.Best wishes and kindest farewells,Elder McCarty (JR.)