Beautiful day! 11-26-08‏

Today is truly a gorgeous day! The temperature is a mild -1 C and there is STILL no snow to speak of here in Edmonton. The blizzards had begun when I was in Fort Mcmurray but winter hasn't yet caught up to me. I'm afraid that the lead I've gained will be short lived.We had an amazing meeting with our Mission President. He invited President Holt who is the temple president to com speak with us. He taught us what it means to be endowed with power from on high. WOW. My mind was sent for a spin and I now more understand the calling I have and the power our Father offers us when we act in faith and righteousness.Sunday we met with Johan! Talk about an amazing man. He is from Shrie lanka (if you know how to spell it please correct me.) It's an island off the coast of india. The majority of the population are buddhist and hindu. He is from the catholic church. 5000 men rose up to commit genocide to the people with christian belief.The bishop of his church told him to turn the other cheek but he said "If their cause was just I would turn the other cheek, but because it is not I will stand and fight." We expained that although Jesus submitted when he needed to he also cleansed the temple! Johan has a wife and kids that are still stuck in the country of persecution. They're working on getting them to come here but are having difficulty. The faith he has is evident in his expression that his family will join him for Christmas in Canada. As we taught him his concern was that his family is right now his priority. We taught the Plan of Salvation. Near the end we committed him to baptism and he continued that his family needed to remain top priority. We explained that his baptism is FOR his family. We talked about his family being eternal IF they go to the celestial kingdom. The catholic doctrine contradicts eternal families. As you may imagine his distance from his dear family makes being with them eternally quite a sweet thought. We bore testimony that the gate of baptism leads him and his family to being together forever and living in the presence of our exalted heavenly father!He accepted and will be baptized on Dec 27th 2008. I am SO excited for the miracles that have and DO happen each day. I love the fact that as Johan does we can and ought to all have faith to make changes to help us return with our God and our Families as is explained in Helaman 3:30 "to go no more out."Also some exciting things, I get to go up to Fort Mcmurray to see Ashleys baptism this weekend! I'm so stoked. She is an amazing girl and has faith to be like a lion even through her nature to be lamb-like. She's a great example also. Her family doesn't particularly support her but they don't oppose her either. She's acting with a lot of faith and I'm so excited for her to be blessed!I love this work. It is of God. Thomas S. Monson is a prophet OF GOD. We often accept ownership and say he is our prophet but let us not forget that primarily he is God's prophet ordained, sent and set apart from evil for you and I and all our brothers and sisters.I love and miss you. Take the best of care of yourself.Elder McCartyof canada

Nice marnin dis marnin‏ 11-19-08

But it mightn't be sa nice a marnin nex marnin.
Yes It's true the newfy language still lingers.Big news! Transfer calls came and I am now down in Londenderry. It's in the same Zone/stake as Fort Mac but it's in Edmonton.
I'm now covering one of the family wards that comprises the singles ward I served in before Fort Mac! Pretty spiffy.
This is a fantastic area. The Elders that have previously been here are hard working and obedient. In fact the reputation is so high for Londenderry that it has been the contributor this year to around 1/7th of the baptisms for the whole mission. That's some quick in the head not specific math but I think it's pretty close. Out of 130 Missionaries it's significant that an area with only two would be so high!
Elder Sean Mitchell Kipp and I are seeking earnestly to maintain and press further the work here. It's a big Job but the Lord wills it and we will do all in our power.
MIRACLE: As I walked in to the bedroom this morning to get socks on (yes it's getting chilly up here) the phone rang. I ran to pick it up and the voice asked for some organization. I explained who we were and she was confused. I elaborated that sometimes people call us "The mormons." She gasped! "Oh I've been trying to contact you for so long. The only mormon I know moved to calgary and we lost contact but I need the Lord in my life so badly. Can you come and give me some of your materials?".... I said "yes."
Barb is going through a hard time. Her ex husband struggles with drugs and alcohol and the divorce is taking it's toll on her. She said she will be at church and we'll be attempting to contact her immediately after we email!
Angels have gone forth and prepared Gods children to recieve this message. I encourage each of you to pray and consider who you know that needs peace, consolation, strength, and love in their life. Decide today that you will be a servant worthy of being called an angel who prepares the way for future or present missionaries. Today is the day.
I love you all and my soul is rejuvenated. I'm eager and ready to serve even through my fears and weaknesses. Take the best of care and have a happy thanksgiving down in the good ol' U. S. of Eh?
Love,Elder McCarty
P.s. the address that is best to send packages is now:
Elder Andrew McCarty
Canada Edmonton Mission Office
8925 51st Avenue Suite 305
Edmonton, AB T6E 5J3
Canada
The office wanted us to warn you all that in will take a minimum of 3-4 weeks for packages from home to arrive. Please send me lots of letters! :D
I love you!

LIfe is great! 11-12-08‏ (and pictures too!)

Well it's now week six. That means it's the end of the road for Elder David Woodruff Hill! He'll be flying home one week from today. Mom and Glen or Dad and Patti, You'll have to have him over for supper and he can share with you a lot of the experiences we're having that I never think of when I'm finally sitting down at the computer. Trust me he'll need to have some people cooking for him when he get's down there. I'll get you his information probably next week. I gave him yours too but who knows how soon he'll contact you!As for me I'm not sure what's going to happen. Logic says I'll probably be stickin around in Fort Mac but logic submits to revelation.

Who knows what's on the plans?Last Thursday we met with Ashley again! She's getting baptized on November 29th. I'm so excited for her! She's absolutely golden. She was so worried about the fact that her parents weren't interested and apologized profusely. We told her that her example of faith and willingness to submit to Gods will would inspire her family. When she broke the news to her Mum that she's planning to be baptized her mom decided that she is more interested in learning and should be at our next meeting! How amazing. I have adoration for the valiant souls God has prepared and that are willing to act without stubbornness of heart. I'm extremely encouraged.

My hair is getting long! I know Dad you'll never believe that I now consider the length at which my hair is now to be long but it's true. I need to get a hair cut. I'll hopefully attach some pictures this week of a lot of the folks we've been meeting with!I want you all to know that I Love the Lord. I also love truth. It's simplicity and power motivates me. I so look forward to each day when I get to learn more about the truths that we've been given. I also look forward to each opportunity to open the eyes of our brothers and sisters to see the salvation of God.

I've been realizing more and more the kind of love I've gained for so many families and individuals here in Fort Mcmurray. It's a great place to be.I have a testimony of the active role of our Heavenly Father in our lives. He is near. He loves you! Happiness is a gift from him available to all who will draw nearer and nearer unto Him. I so pray that this will be all of our determination. Love, Elder McCarty


Pictures Explanations:

This Is Bruce. He is The King of the Newfs. We think it's a conspiracy but our stradegy is if we can teach and baptize Bruce than all of the Newfoundlanders will follow! He's a great man and has been the source of the Newfy meals the salvation army has cooked for us. If you ever meet him think twice before you speak with him. He's hard to understand with a mile a minute mumble!



This is the Davis Family. These are some of the greatest people! I love the whole family. Steve is next to me with Iaasac on his back. Steves wife is Laurel with Elijah in her lap. Their neice is visiting from Calgary with her soon to be missionary boyfriend. Elder hill is on the left. The had us over for Elder hills last supper with them. Supper was Abel Skivers! They were delicious and completely a mystery to me.



The date on the picture is goofy. I thought I was setting it for 10-17-2008 but it ended differently. This was my anniversery of the day I entered the MTC. Hence the tie on head with the belt as a sash and the half tucked shirt. My tie got in the cake frosting so I had to get it off somehow. Notice the single candle! ha ha I call this my mid life crisis.




418 Pierette Coomb and Marsha Fay Pittman are far left. They're the two newfy girls who work at the hospital where we do weekly service. Alaina King is between Elder Hill and I (not recommended for a close companionship.) They're a fun bunch to be with. Only Marsha has been interested in the gospel and struggles with living arrangements. She had a baptismal date but it fell through on account of her still living with her boyfriend.

Ok I love you all! Take care of yourselves!

Note: You can turn off the music

Just scroll down to the ipod icon and press the pause button to stop the music for this viewing session. Then you can heard the sound on the videos.

Familia and Friends! 11-05-08

Well hello there!
This week has been super.
Upon my mind and soul lately has been impressed the peace available when we do our best.
Sunday November 2nd we met with Ashley O'neil. We now have her phone number so we no longer rely upon Ben Galenzoski a great young man in our ward. I have great respect for him but he's not getting a career in careful diligent planning just yet. That's a huge thing my mission has done for me and I'm certain it will do the same for him.
We told Ashley that we wanted to meet with her whole family. Don (dad) Nikki (mom) Dana (sister) and Ashley all were prepared to watch a movie with us. We sat down and introduced in by teaching the first principles of lesson one.
As we watched the movie the spirit was strong. I felt impressed that after we should challenge them to prayerfully discuss as a family if the will investegate. This evening was based more around our friendship with the family than their interest in the gospel. So we hoped to get them learning and eager.
As we talked about the movie and committed them they turned down our offer to take the lessons. We still managed to commit them to talk and pray about it. I was disappointed but less downspirited as I expected. I bore my testimony to them and told them of a few of the blessings they would recieve from the restored gospel. We closed with prayer and left.
Ashley walked us to the door. At the landing while we were putting on our shoes she said with a tremor in her voice and tears in her eyes "I still want to learn." I smiled and told her we still want to teach her. I could see the emotion as she expressed her desire to continue in the lessons.
Walking to the truck I looked up in the night sky. Just as our Father aligns planets, stars and galaxies, He aligns His children. If we act in obedience to His will harmony is the inevitable result. I felt that I had done our Fathers will and that Ashley will progress and be a brightly lit example to her family and perhaps after years, the O'neil family will accept the gospel.
I love God. I know the living Christ and His living Father have their living church. I rejoice in the glory of our great and eternal head. I know, in part, the blessings that come to us from obedience.
May you be blessed and lifted up. I pray for your spiritual experiences.
Love,
Elder McCarty
Mom (Becky) with the Elder McCarty Standup earlier this year