Today is another packed preparation day! One of the members in the Timberlee ward wants to take us golfing so we got ourselves some wicked cool golfing polos and we're gonna go see how terrible we really are. It'll be fun I'm sure :DLast week I realize my email was a little boring... I wrote myself a note or two so that I will be better this week at writing some good experiences I've been having!There's a woman named Daniella down in Edmonton. She's a very kind french girl. She has a baby girl (4 months or so) and a boyfriend. Elder Winn (my companion before last) and I tracted into her. We continued trying her and finally the last sunday before I got transferred to Fort Mcmurray she came to church and we set up an appointment with her! She really loved church and told us she would be coming back regularly.That's all I knew about it until just recently. I was told by our Zone Leader that Daniella has a baptismal date! That's the first one in the Clareview ward for some time now.
I was so excited when I heard! She's dedicated to it. The day is August 30th. She needs time to either move out from her boyfriends house or marry him (she's fine with either.) I'm sure she'd prefer to marry him. That was VERY fun for me to hear so I'm sharing it.Also Bobby Lasseter from the Kingsway ward (which I served in also with Elder Winn) recently was baptized. We worked with him and he told us he was ready for baptism after our second appointment. He was most certainly humbled. We were in the process of helping him prepare for baptism just before I left and now he's a member! It's neat to see the success going around! It's especially fun to hear about the people that I actually taught and found.This last week we had a humerous/sad experience. It's funny by nature but sad because of what it really means. Let me explain by telling you the story.Elder Hill and I walked up to Krista's house to see if she was home. We heard from across the street where there sat 6 or so young people some snickers. Along with the giggles came questions I don't think they knew we could hear like "Who are they?" and as we opened Kristas gate "What are they doing?"We continued to discover that Krista was indeed not home. Now due to the nature of combining the wards it has become easier to convince ourselves that we have to be to the people we planned and so we sometimes pass by people on the streets. It's something I'm committed to distinguishing! It's important to talk to EVERYONE.This particular incident as we started to walk away we heard more giggles. Now there's some sense as a missionary that I've gained when it seems we just know when people are giggling about us. What added to our suspicion were the repeated, slightly hushed, calls "I wanna be saved." Well I seem to have a voice inside of me whenever mocking is afoot that says "GO." So I spun around and said Elder Hill we need to go talk to those people. He spun around also and we walked up their sidewalk."Hey" came the shout from the porch, "sorry about my friends, they're a little drunk." The man speaking we later found is named Alex. Alex wasn't exaggerating by any means. His friends were indeed intoxicated. I think it's safe to say he had at that point had a beer or two also. Well they invited us up to the porch to talk. Happily we did so. They asked us a few questions about who we were. We answered but decided we would let them steer the conversation. They offered us each a beer with a smile that said "I know you won't take it," and we didn't.A slight pause ensued and we stood smiling a little. They asked... "Ok what are you here for?" We told them all about the restoration and the remarkable experience Joseph Smith had. We explained we were Christian.Here comes the comment
from Alex's friend that is funny and a little saddening. "Hey man, I'm cool with being a catholic. I go to church on Easter and for Christmas. Maybe you can answer a question for me... What is the difference between being catholic and being christian?"Well we answered him and told him that in fact Catholics believe in Christ. We discussed a few differences between his beliefs and ours.We set a return appointment (to which they didn't show) and said our farewells. On the walk back to the car I pondered on what this man had said. How is it that a person can say "I am happy with my beliefs and then in the same breath ask us what those beliefs are."How truly sad it is that Satan binds the children of God by complacency and neglect. I think these people have great potential to learn more and to grow. I hope we can get our schedule in line with theirs. I desire so much to see the soothing power of the atonement applied to the hurt souls that know not where to turn.The worth of every soul is great in the sight of God. That includes these mis directed people we met. It includes each person on this plentiful earth. AND equally important... it includes me and it includes YOU. No matter who you are. Let's rise up and be happy for the kingdom of God is indeed at hand.I love you all and pray for you to have amazing experiences! Elder McCarty (JR)
from Alex's friend that is funny and a little saddening. "Hey man, I'm cool with being a catholic. I go to church on Easter and for Christmas. Maybe you can answer a question for me... What is the difference between being catholic and being christian?"Well we answered him and told him that in fact Catholics believe in Christ. We discussed a few differences between his beliefs and ours.We set a return appointment (to which they didn't show) and said our farewells. On the walk back to the car I pondered on what this man had said. How is it that a person can say "I am happy with my beliefs and then in the same breath ask us what those beliefs are."How truly sad it is that Satan binds the children of God by complacency and neglect. I think these people have great potential to learn more and to grow. I hope we can get our schedule in line with theirs. I desire so much to see the soothing power of the atonement applied to the hurt souls that know not where to turn.The worth of every soul is great in the sight of God. That includes these mis directed people we met. It includes each person on this plentiful earth. AND equally important... it includes me and it includes YOU. No matter who you are. Let's rise up and be happy for the kingdom of God is indeed at hand.I love you all and pray for you to have amazing experiences! Elder McCarty (JR) Here is a little of the local entertainment !
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