9/24/08

Hello family and friends! Well today i'm in kind of a loopy mood. My head is a little bit light for some reason! ha ha I'm not sure why. In fact it hasn't been this way most of the morning but no all of a sudden it hits!We had a great experience last saturday with one of our investegators! Brian is a fantastic guy. He's our only investegator from the Jehovahs witness faith. He announced to us last saturday that he is starting his investegation over. He feels like he needs to go from an entirely unbiased viewpoint. I'm SO excited for him. He has been trying to bring the two beliefs together which ultimately would have resulted in him giving up and likely going back to what he was used to. He's reading and praying! He was supposed to be at church on sunday. Unfortunately he didn't make it. In any case it's the open and diligent investegator that really finds him or herself recieving a testimony.We have had a pretty slow week actually so far. It's a little frustrating because there is so much that needs to be done and it just feels like we're running on a treadmill some days.I've lately pondered a lot on the importance of submission. In mosiah 3:19 there is a scripture about the natural man. It also talks about becoming "submissive as a child." I think it's important that we recognize the submission of our will is the only real thing we have to give. We either give it to the Lord and find ourselves increasing in happiness and understanding or by default submit ourselves to he who would destroy us. In either case our will becomes increasingly like that of whomever we submit to. In either case we continue to have some resistance. The key difference is the end result. THAT is which we must focus upon. It is not so much the means by which we get there but the place we end up! In Doctrine and covenants 14:7 we learn that Eternal life is the greatest gift we can attain!I know that God lives and desires happiness for us. It is available and I have the hope and faith that it will come to those who diligently seek it!
Love,Elder McCarty

So much sitting! 09-17-08

Yes it is true. We happened to sit a lot this last weekend. On thursday we drove down to Edmonton. Friday we sat in our Zone Conference and saturday we had Dan's baptism and then drove back! Sunday we went to our 8 hours of church! My back is just about recovered though so don't worry! I'll tell you right now it was all worth it!
Zone conference is always powerful. It's a time when I'm able to reflect on how I can improve learn SO much! We talked a lot about our personal relationship with our heavenly father and I felt the spirit confirm again and again how well my Father in Heaven knows and loves me and you! Dan was baptized and confirmed this last week. He is so excited and knows that his baptism was right! He is excited to share the gift he has recieved from the atonement. It's powerful to see the light in his eyes. The picture attached is right after he was baptized. Elder Hill is next to me and Elder Boulton performed the baptism. What a good day that was!
We returned to Fort Mcmurray and had one of our investegators come to church. Barb Moberly is her name and she is really starting to seem promising. The down side is that she is all out busy all the time. We almost had another appointment with her but she had to cancel because she got a ton of homework. She's got 2 kids and is divorced and wants to have a better relationship with God and is well on the path.
Ashley was unable to come to church because she was sick. We'll be visiting her today with Ben her fellowshipper. She is in the hospital because she's malnourished. She has a rare condition where her stomach has been half paralyzed. We'll be teaching her about the priesthood and letting her know the availability of a priesthood blessing. I still have extremely high hopes for her. She will progress quickly. Her sickness is constant and it flares up from time to time, but there is no real danger that it will be fatal. She's a great girl and I look forward to being able to meet with her again.
Marsha Pittman is a little Newfy girl. She's got a thick accent and is one of the kindest people ever. We met with her at the church and gave her a tour. We taught the plan of salvation and she committed to prepare for baptism on october 25th. She's still nervous and a little hesitant but we informed her that if the day comes and she isn't prepared that we'll adjust. In the same breath we promised her that if she comes to church, reads the scriptures and prays about what we teach that she will be prepared. She's a great investegator and despite her shyness we have come to be pretty good friends with her.
My week has been stellar! I have felt day in and day out that this work is SO marvelous. I'm seeking to learn and improve and I feel it coming. Thank you all for your support and your love!
Love,
Elder Drew McCarty

Maids and bais! 09-10-08

Well it's week three of the transfer which means ZONE CONFERENCE! Yes that usually means that Wednesday isn't my email day but this transfer is different. They had to scoot the Z

one Conference until Friday so we head down tomorrow. As an added bonus to that we'll be able to go to Dan Hugets baptism! He's all set and ready to go. We went over the Baptismal Interview Questions with him and he's done the preparation to be baptized. He's going to be such a solid member!Ashley O'neil is still progressing quickly. She wasn't able to make it to church last week since she had to work and do homework. We may have to pull some strings and get Sundays off for her. The owner of the Pizza Hut she is a manager at happens to be a member. In general the owner is very kind to us even though she happens to be a less active member. Ashley and now possibly her mother and sister will progress quickly. We met Nicole who is her Mother last night. She's very nice to us and seemed semi interested and said that she would know before long what Ashley is being taught.I want to talk breifly about the importance of Charity. I think I've written on it before but it is SO important. In Moroni 4:47-48 we are told that if we obtain charity "we shall be like him." What a promise!!In the book of 3 Nephi we are able to read the account of Jesus Christ as our risen Lord ministering to some of his "other sheep" (john 10:16 cross referenced with 3 Nephi 15:21.)In chapter 12 of 3 Nephi there is a powerful scripture. It is our Savior directly quoting his own sermon on the Mount to a whole new audience.Therefore we can read the same scripture in Matthew 6. The verses that strikes me are 43-45. THIS is the higher law! Love EVERYONE, not only our friends, "for [God] maketh His sun (or maybe Son?) to rise on the evil and on the good." How POWERFUL! Consider the comparison of our testimony to a seed. Any and all who plant that seed SHALL see it grow (so long as the seed is good or the testimony is in a good principle) as they water and nourish it.I bear my testimony to you we will partake of the fruit that Lehi tasted, that Nephi witnessed, and that all our holy fathers from everlasting to everlasting have and will continue to partake of. Brothers and Sisters, that fruit is Life Everlasting.I love you all. I think it's evident but I'll still point out, I am growing. I'm learning. The Lord is helping me to be worthy of his hire.Thanks for the emails you've sent! I love to read them and when the pictures come through the bless my soul! I hope that you have spiritual experiences and I know they are available to you! Seek them (matthew 7:7+8)Love,Elder McCarty

Hey all! 09-03-08

Shalom! So this week has been good. My neck is starting to relax. Stress was really getting to me last transfer. We're still only two Elders in the booming city of Fort Mcmurray but we're finding better ways to cope with stress. We had a girl come to church on sunday. She really seemed to enjoy it but is not yet investegating. She is interested and I think she'll likely progress quickly but the young man who brought her to church is a little hesitant I think. We're supposed to hear from him today to find out if we'll be meeting tonight. We've got another appointment, this one is with with Barb Moberly. She's a little bit older lady who is divorced and has two kids. She's a nice lady and seems pretty sincere. I think there is a lot of potential with her.There is a man up here named Brother Jeff Fitzner. He is the CEO of Casman construction. They are currently developing 30 percent of the new construction in Fort Mcmurray and currently have built about 20 percent of the city. He's an extremely rich man. Filling out a survey he was unable to fill out his salary because there weren't enough boxes! It was a neat experience to have him take us around for an hour or so and learn from him. We were in the ghetto of the town and he didn't seem at all uncomfortable. I looked back as we walked and noticed him bend over to pick up a shiny penny. I told him I thought it was Ironic.In retrospect I really appreciated this display of humility. His house isn't outrageous and his attitude is fantastic.During our time together our appointment was delayed. Walking away from talking to our investegator there was a man coming around the corner. I had a spare book of mormon and decided to talk to the guy. He seemed interested and said to come back another time. It was a testimony to me that God has all things planned. We just have to step up and open the doors He's unlocked.I love Jesus Christ and I know He is the way the truth and the light. When His light graces us we find more holiness and strength.I pray for you all!


With all my love,Elder McCarty