John said it well‏ 10-14-09

I must have played something right because this year looks like a whole lot of thanksgiving! Bring on the turkey.Sunday we had one thanksgiving dinner, Then monday the ACTUAL thanksgiving we had another. It was all delicious and I even played a member on his ping pong table! He was pretty good and started with "I've never been beat on my own table!" That game was ON. I'm a bit rusty but I held my own. I'm all warmed up for the inter-brother championship!

Vanny Wang is converted. She is the 50 something chinese woman we've been sharing english with. She read all Gospel Principles manual in Chinese and attended a baptism last week. She told us "I want to be baptized after coming back from china."Magdi Abbas is a muslim man who sincerely desires baptism. He has lots of questions (most from Islam do.) We will tonight find out if there is any danger to his life if he converts.Achol Amon is amother of 4 kids who is studying with us and has also decided for baptism. They are great and came to church! They also met President Rhodes at a baptism.Conversion is SWEET and the joy is full.

I love and appreciate all of you! Please inform everyone that Sunday October 25th is NOT my homecoming. There were some difficulties with the booking and a primary program flew under the radar a little. We hope to hold a gathering before the homecoming talk to see you all but the sunday meeting will be November 29th 8:30AM. 3 John 1:13-14

I had many things to write but I will not with [keyboard] or [pixels] write unto thee.

But I trust I shall Shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.

My best regards!

Elder A. A. McCArty

0529 October Snow

My last picture to you! Elder Christensen, Van Dyke, me and Elder Judd.

Surreal 7 October 2009‏

A few weeks ago I wrote explaining that I was feeling impressed to write a poem. Finally it's to a point I feel comfortable sending it. I felt inspired for such because I have witnessed so many heroes battling daily with a lack of deserved recognition.

Hero?

In life's careful web of refined tapestry my mind molds an image of what I want me to be.

Shaped by perception it's become quite a dream

yet made truly a goal by my lifes constant theme.

Ironman, Batman, Superman are a few of my childhood heroes by the world brought to view.

Perhaps more to they the title hero belongs,

who in limelightless silence have endured all along.

Whether home with children or battling at a desk let's reform in our minds what makes heroes Hero-esque.

Neither glamour nor fame can truly define

what makes out of you a hero of mine.

To a fair virgin maiden a baby was born. Grown into a perfect man yet the object of scorn.

By his wounds we're healed and in armor we're shod,

yea, He is the only begotten Son of God.

None more worthy the title of hero than he,but they judged him as naught by their iniquity.

Redeemer of all, accepted by some

yet limlight or not, he bids all men come.

My lifes greatest model superheroes are not. By the course of experience I have been taught,

Heroes are found where I offer you my plea,

They come unto the carpenter who walked Galilee.

This week has been full.Vanny Wang a chinese woman we teach english has become enthralled with the gospel truths contained in the book Gospel Principles. She has told us she will join the church but not this year. She has been taught relatively little but has read almost the entire book of Gospel Principles!We anticipate her conversion will deepen as she learns and grows.

We visited with a sister named Ella Pittman. Ella is 84 years old and as frail as a piece of straw. She's a sweet old lady who told us many stories. It was outrageous how funny she is but a sure blessing to spend some time with her! Elder Judd and I are still laughing about how funny she is.

I love the work and Lifes been good to me!

Love you!

Eldre McCarty

I hope you all got my moms email about the 25th!

0522 This is Elder Judd, Van Dyke, Christensen and I. SO NEAT. Since Elder Judd is from Arizona we went and climbed in a freeze chamber at a local Clothing store and the fans bring it down to -25 degrees celsius. We decided to take pictures :D

Time is a figment of imagination 30 Sep 2009‏

Well this week was great. Have you heard that for almost two years straight?! Well you know I have the responsibility to reassure ENDLESSLY my dear mom!There will be a few baptisms coming soon and I'm pleased to see the conversion process happening. It's wonderful to be in the work of the Lord.

Update: Sacrament meeting starts at 8:30 AM in Kaysville. I'm finding myself trying to decide what to do for our gathering. Do we wait until after the classes? It would make me feel much more comfortable! Maybe it's a small thing but the last 1 percent of obedience may just be the last 25 percent of the spirit! Tell me would YOU be willing to come and either attend the classes or wait for me to get to the house? I treasure each of you and want to be able to enjoy our reunion but I would like to know how you feel. If you are able to notify me it would be nice to be made aware of what you each feel.

After the week of a great deal of effort poured into the work we had nights of unconsciousness. You could call it sleep but I think our bodies and spirits collapsed. This week we've been able to keep up mostly. The ward is mobilizing and starting to work on helping more! I'm excited to see what will be once they do because they'll do wonders!

GENERAL CONFERENCE HERE WE COME! This is like the superbowl for the amateur but TOTALLY committed football players. Here come the all-stars of what we love to do! Let's soak it in and feast!

I love and miss you all

Eldre McCarty

505 Elder Judd, Elder McCarty and AKOBA! He's a great fella. 6 years old and a break dancing maniac. He just needs some lessons to go with his enthusiasm and effort! I got video of his dancing though so it's all good! :D

The windows of Heaven 24 September 2009

0503 These are the Rentaria, Trejo and Vazquez Family. I am adopting them as part of my family! I love them all.

We preach Heavenly Father. The true nature of He and His Beloved have been revealed. Yesterday I experienced the windows of heaven pouring out and I testify there was "not... room enough to recieve it" (Malachi 3).

Things that must be written by constraint of the spirit and things that may never leave the cavity of my mind came to pass. My cup runs over. The truth restored was born witness again to me.
Last Thursday at a chili cook-off two families came unanounced. These dear families were led by the hand of the Lord (through their GPS) to the church with perfect timing! They were trying to get to the Menonite center for new comers but the GPS brought them to us.
The spirit spoke to me and told me we needed to speak to them. We did and found they were poor in spirit. They are a delightful family originally from mexico.
The Vazquez family (also from mexico) invited the Rentarias and Trejos to come to their home and be taught and fed. As we taught the spirit directed that we commit them to baptism. They will be baptized on the day I entered the MTC 2 years ago.
I rejoice in the great things the Lord has prepared for us. A simple question can't do justice but HOW MERCIFUL IS HE?
I am finding that coming unto Christ I can walk on water. I'm witnessing others doing likewise! (matthew 14:26-31).
I love you.
Eldre McCarty

Home away from all of you! ... 16 September 2009‏

(sigh) First of all it's hard to imagine that 23 months ago I was getting packed to go to the MTC. Time is a liar sometimes I think... ok maybe not really.

Last night I had what I subject lined home away from all of you. Sister Suzanna Bezooyen and her kids Sariah, Benjamin, Daniel, and Joseph Raymant are in the picture I sent. First of all Sister Bezooyen resembles some my Mom. That's something that makes it really nice to see them often. The Boys are the same that last week I wrote about my companion wrestling with. They're like brothers and the family really feels like the adopt us.

Last night we had supper there. My companion and one of their boys quoted pages of the script for The princess bride. Roaring with laughter for the entirety of our supper appointment our side aches eventually set in and the time for the message had come.

It was powerful to me to witness the spirit flood into our hearts despite and perhaps encouraged by the joy we had in our more secular discussions over the meal. I think that a spirit of brotherhood came from the secular discussion and a spirit of God complimented nicely to it as we taught and testified of the gospel and church. We taught about revelation and the importance of our prayers. I could see in each of the childrens eyes the real desire to know the way we explained. Sister Bezooyen reminded me again of my mom as she looked at my companion and I with deep gratitude for the impact the spirit had on her children.

One experience like a drop in the ocean of my mission. I would if I had the power and time pour into each of you the Love and Joy that entertwines this great work.

I miss and love you but the day will come soon enough that we'll greet.

love,

Eldre McCarty

483 Bezooyen/Raymant family pre- Elder Judd. Elder Williamsen and Myself.

Dan Jones 9 September 2009‏

Irony is threaded throughout the fresh beginning of the dying transfer. Yes it's true, believe it or not (and sometimes I do not) this is the last of my transfers as a full time missionary in my youth. Elder Williamsen has been called to other pastures and is now serving in Red Deer 1st ward. He'll be good for the area and his new companion.

This very transfer brought about Elder Samuel Judd from Mesa Arizona. He's a great missionary full testimony and the fire which we now endearingly call "Dan jones Fire." Greenie is no longer a word here in the CEM (canada edmonton mission.) Herein lies the Irony and the genius of Heavenly Fathers plan. Elder Judd Flew into the mission monday and came to River Valley ward yesterday. Amazing that in order for there to be NO winding down as a reminder and assistance I'm now serving with someone for whom I have partial responsibility to WIND UP.

I'm thrilled about the opportunity and humbled by the task. The Lord will make it happen.

President Rhodes gave a profound reminder tuesday at the Trainer meeting. He called a young Elder up who had just arrived. He asked him some questions. "Who's hands were laid on your head prior your mission? What very special place did you go to prepare you to come? Probably your Fathers but what happened when someone laid their hands upon your head to ordain you?" The answer to these is simple and almost directed. HOWEVER the point is profound.EVERY missionary has been SET APART, ENDOWED, and males ORDAINED to the holy priesthood. How than could anyone reasonably say a more experienced missionary is in any way more capable of doing the Lords will than the "dan jones's" that arrived this week.Dan Jones.... He was a man in the early days of the church. Considered and proclaimed one of the greatest missionaries of this dispensation. The night before the prophet Joseph Smith was martyred Dan Jones was informed by the prophet "You will yet see Wales." Wales was in part where he thrusted in the sickle and laid up great things in store. THOUSANDS of people were converted by his preaching.

This is the way I am viewing Elder Judd. He's a pretty humble guy and a little quiet but he will be Dan Jones.

This week things have been great. I wrestled (very briefly) with a young man in the ward. He wanted to wrestle to submission.

I saw Ryan Moore a young man from Rocky Mountain House (my first area) who is now waiting on a Visa to go to Utah for the MTC and eventually to California to serve his full time mission! It was AMAZING to see him in our trainers meeting. He'll be serving with Elder Wright until he is able to cross the border.

Leerena is coming along. She's a single mother and has a lot on her plate. As we rode the bus to go to an appointment with her we saw a young woman and a young man that seemed familiar on the bus. They were kissing about every 5 seconds and so I found it a little strange. In any case we paid as little attention to it as we could. We hopped off the bus and walked to our bikes from which we rode to Leerenas home. We walked in and started talking with her and a knock came at the door. Ironically it was Leerena's little sister and her sisters boyfriend! ha ha we had the opportunity to testify and teach a little despite that Leerena's sister doesn't believe in and is mad at God. Yes... She said both of those things in the same breath too. ha ha I asked how can you be mad at someone you don't believe in? A bit of a smart alic remark but I was really confused. I then apologized for my rude question and testified that he's there and loves her. Yep missionaries still make silly mistakes but the atonement is still there!

I love the Lord and the work.

Eldre McCarty

90 This is Elder Judd and I playing a little game this afternoon while we waited for the churches email server to get back online.

91 Here's Elder Sandstrom and I for the last time together doing our translation pose. In Red Deer when we were both brand new everyone teased us about how much we wanted to be obedient and work hard so they said we were going to be taken up like the city of enoch so we decided this is the pose we'd be in if we ever did! He's home as of today!

Meek 2 September 2009‏

In Zone Conference recently President Rhodes taught "Most of what you call deep doctrine really isn't. It's side speculation. If you want deep find the answer to 'how can I be meek like the Father is?' that's doctrine worth knowing."Meekness is part of a wide array of Christ-like attributes that we as missionaries need to obtain.When persecutions rage, when mobs combine, when armies assemble and calumny defames meekness yet triumphs.When the guy at the door is not interested, when weekly planning seems to hit a wall, when someone turns down a commitment meekness keeps us going.When the car doesn't start, when the economy flops, the structure of society seems collapsing, meekness will unify us to our Lord of Hosts.So what does it mean to be meek? I think true meekness flourishes from a condition of the heart. If our whole soul is full of charity we must needs be meek.This week we've had blessings which overflow. The Lord provided the way for Sa ada to be baptized despite a language obstacle.A woman married to a member of the church agreed to investigate again.The Dugarte family (a family from venazuela) came to church. Our district and another got together for a combined district meeting at which a RM spake helping us to desire to light within us something more.I love the gospel of Jesus Christ. I love the fact that happiness is the Plan.

I miss you all.

Eldre McCarty

0475 Here's our combined district meeting! We ALL put our cameras on a car and pushed the timer. Surprisingly the picture turned out pretty nice. In the back row Elder Saunderson is experiencing what we call the pocket puke. Perfect timing for the picture!