New Pictures from the MTC just received

Rolla Holla 10/27/08

The Rolla Holla!! Monday, October 28

Sadly, the movies and music have turned it into a somewhat meaningless cliche, but REALLY, with LOVE, anything is possible! In the thick of challenging and strength sapping struggles, the clarity obscures and simple principles somehow get lost...always to be found again! But I´ve seen the power of that Truth. Now, if I couldn´t only get consistent with it, my companionship, my investigators, and everybody in my life from now until eternity would be blessed by it! Well, looks like we´re in for another sadly short Holla. So, my plan for email, from now on, is to do 2 thourough e'mail response, in the order I recieved them, and then to briefly let everybody else know when I got their emails. So, I´ve recieved emails from Awna, Shylo, Josiah, Calley, and, of course, my Mom, and Dad, and now Alyson. Just so you all know. Thank you so much. If there was anybody else, feel free to resend and I´ll respond. But I can´t say how much I love your letters! So little time. The week has been wonderful! Spanish is coming along faster than I can believe. I´m getting to know the area, and the fun is starting to come along. I´m learning more lessons than I can get my head around, and it is exciting. For any of you that have thought of serving a mission and have thereafter doubted, this is my advice....no, my PLEA, to you: DO IT! What an opportunity it is to set the precedent for your life. Rather than start of adulthood with a choice to take the easy route, you get to jump RIGHT into the refiners fire of novel experiences, foreign lands and people, and the pure and ispiring work of helping other people. But, here´s the biggest secret that nobody ever told you: there is greater happiness to be found in doing the hard thing, than in doing the easier one. I love a quote from Jack Christensen that when you´re falling off a cliff, it seems like a lot of fun....until you meet again with the reality that is the cold, hard, ground. There is a lot to be lost by having too much ¨fun.¨ And there are untold blessings in persevering through difficult times. I can testify of that! I´m going to include 6 new pictures, so, that should be about 6000 words worth (heheh, I kill myself). Hopefully it´ll make up for what else I lack. Lots of fun stuff this week. Doesn´t feel right just to tell one story of 100 great ones, but I will anyway. We´re teaching a young man named Ramon that reminds me of my friend Andy Torres back home: super cool guy, who´s just fun to be around, and really wants to find the truth (somewhat of a rarity here in Paraguay where some are baptized for the wrong reasons). He runs a little Despensa, as they call the little stores that are found on every Cuadra (or block). Anyhow, as we tought him one day, my companion wanted to buy a popsicle, so I did to. I gave him a ¨mil¨ or 1000 Guarani, the equivelent of about 25 cents, and he said something I couldn´t quite understand. So, I knodded, and he brought out 10 popsicles in a huge bag, for me, laughing becuase he could tell I had just said ¨si¨ not really knowing to what. Anyhow, we all laughed, at me, an object of laughter with which I am perfectly ok. And now, he likes to make jokes about that almost every time we see him. As our friendship grows, so does his testimony. He made it to church this week, and we hope to baptize him in November. Anyhow, the work is great, and I am extremely happy! No time for too much commentary on the pictures, but included is a beautiful Paraguayan Sunset (My companion wonders when I´m going to stop taking pictures of them, and so do I), two Guarango old ladies we´re teaching (which means they speak very little Spanish, which is hard since even my comp knows only VERY little Guarani), me standing next to a sign which says no peeing, at the Cathedral at Caacupe, and a few others...oh, a member family where we did a Noche De Hogar.

I love you all and thank you SO much for everything.

Have a great week!

Elder McCarty

THE ROLLA HOLLA! Mon 10-20-08

Leaping Forward today, as a zone, we went to the beautiful city of Caacupe, where there is a giant cathedral of the Virgin Mary. What a beautiful place it was. I was overwhelmed, as we laughed and joked and enjoyed a free day with some of the other Elders in the zone, at the ABSOLUTE sacrifice made by these missionaries to be out here. These are all young men with GREAT potential and with excellent prospects back at home, and they chose to DEFY the secular wisdom of the world, to FLY in the face of popular consensus, and GIVE during a period of life when most people are grasping to get there fair share. I hope this doesn´t sound like I´m boasting. I, for one, am BLESSED with a loving foundation of friends and family who make it all possible. Thank you all so much! THANK YOU, to my Mother and Father, who raised me, and are now, with the help of so many others (Grandma and Bud) raising the money to support me. I´m humbled EVERY single minute of this mission by their sacrifice.Well, the time started to fly again, and here I am, another P'day later, another week older. I must have reached the stage of succesful readjustment because now I´m starting to be able to clearly think of ways to improve a situation that before seemed impossible. We are now working with triple the effectiveness, double the fun, and a much closer, more functionable companionship relationship. Things are GREAT!I promised myself I´d tell you a little more about the work this week. Our area is HUGE, and very poor. We alternate and spend one day in one half and the next in the other, working with different less active members, faithful saints, and investigators. Each morning, we´re up at 6:30 am, and I´ve resolved to let Elder Portales shower first, since when I go first he is always waiting outside the door, holding shower supplies and his towel. So, I begin the day by reading out loud in my Spanish Book of Mormon and doing a pronuncation excercise called the monkey drill, to practice vowels. Then, it´s on to vocab, reviewing from the day before, and writing new words, mostly that I picked up along the way the day previous. I study the Book of Mormon and Preach My Gospel each for 30 minutes, then we have Comp Study, then we go out!At 11 the day begins. We had a rainy week this week, but usually it is BURNING hot! 5 of 6 work days we have meals with the members. And...wow, my time is really short. In fact, I have to end now. Sometimes obedience is a sacrifice. I´ll send more next week, I promise! Sorry the above ended up being a boring synopsis.

I love you all!

Thank you SO much for all you do!

Elder McCarty

Pics:

Me outside a members house.

Me outside my apartment with a sunset.

My companion and I outside the Cathedral.My Zone, ¨the Holy Zone¨, outside the Cathdral.

Note: If you click on the pictures they will open up larger in another window!

The Holla this week 10-13-08

The Rolla HollaAs they say around here, ´Hace muuuuuuuuuucho calor´ (it makes muuuuuuuuuuch heat...lol)! The work and the air are on fire here in San Jorge, just 20 minutes from down town Asuncion. Sadly, I forgot my cable and my companion is in no mood to go back for it, so the pictures are going to have to wait for next week, but MAN I have some good ones!Some big news family! They changed the rule and I have an hour now to write you all. Furthermore, I can now send mail to or receive it from ANYONE as long as it is through my parents. What a blessing! I´m so excited for that. I wrote Josiah, Awna, Mom, and it seems like someone else, personal letters by hand last week, so you´ll have to let me know when they show up. I think as a general practice, I´m going to print off emails for the present week, and then write responses for them the following week. That way I don´t eat up half my hour reading.Today as I looked through my pictures of you all and of my beloved friends in the MTC I realized how quickly things go from real and present, to distant memories. I realized that ONCE too often this week, the stifling heat, long walks, and, for me, what is more tiring than anything, the inefficiencies, caused me to long for this wonderful, relaxing day of preparation. BUT, I had to remind myself that I can´t live from P-day to P-day (insert whatever day in YOUR life you are always waiting for), because the Joy that can be found in each day passes too soon, and the P-days, which never last, really aren´t that great in the first place. I find it sad that I often waste away the days of substance hoping for the time when I´ll be able to do....well, nothing. But, of course, that is all a little TOO dramatic: because, for the great majority of the time, I have LOVED this week!I love the darkness that comes at 7 PM and brings with it a chorus of singing Cururus (giant frogs), or the florescent purple sunsets every night, followed by the brilliant glow of florescent lights which flicker on, one by one, in every persons shack, shanty, or mansion (comparatively). I love the way the people invite you to sit and talk, no matter when or for how long (and trust me, sometimes it´s TOO long). Most of the lessons are in people´s front yards, often because the house isn´t big enough to fit us. And even with the booming latin music that is almost constantly playing (sometimes at 5 in the morning outside our apartment), I LOVE the fact that we can still fill the Spirit as we sing, or pray, or teach.I love the days when we get to meet with other missionaries and I get to speak English or make jokes, or remember what it feels like to laugh until I cry (somehow, that kind of comedy, also, gets lost in translation). I enjoyed watching a Senior Sister Missionary try to direct our Zone Choir, which is preparing to sing for Christmas (somehow we got lucky enough to be chosen...certainly not because of our voices) and seeing the non-compliant missionaries fluster her to her wits end. Still more, I love hearing the final product...that we actually don´t sound half bad.I love the sacrament meetings where parent have their kids in headlocks, to keep them from moving, but not from screaming, or the unexpected opportunities to bear testimony or share thoughts....in SPANISH! I´m learning to love my companion, and to pick VERY carefully, only the most important of things to suggest as changes, while giving loving support and encouragement during the rest of the time. I´m learning that people like to drive as CLOSE to us as possible when we have to walk in the street (I think they´re trying to read our name tags...lol). I´m learning to use an umbrella while I clean up cob webs because of all the spiders that fall (I know, what a change from the Fly Frenzy of just 2 or 3 weeks past).I am TRYING to learn to be motivated by a desire to SERVE and not to BE. I have always been very ambitious and wanted to achieve and become something great: now the achievements have to fade and the LOVE has to come out in force. The people here see us as Spiritual Authorities...scary eh? But at the same time, humbling. It strengthens my need to speak well and to be guided by the spirit, always. I am loving this work. YES, it is difficult. Nothing worth doing isn´t. I am so grateful for this opportunity. I love you all, and wish you the best!
Siempre Luchando, Elder McCarty

Rolla Holla! 10-6-08 A Week in Paradise :-)

I'm not sure what I expected, but I am pleasantly surprised to find that, although I might be living in a distant country, with an entirely different language and culture, the things that matter are pretty much the same: just farther away from home. Aside from the fact that I can't find 20% of the keyboard buttons that I need, or that I'm typing this in a corner grocery-phone-internet shop, or that my companion, who doesn't understand English, is sitting right next to me, I could just as well be back there with you all, in the good ol' U.S. of A. And the work is WONDERFUL! Here in Paraguay, the people are infinitely willing to listen to our message. Their Faith is deep-seated, and their hearts are wide-open. Our only challenge is helping them and motivating them to take the necessary steps to come unto Christ! The language is coming along well. I'm starting to understand the close-mouthed Spanish that they speak here, and I have vocabulary sufficient to reply and be relevant. I pray and thank God EVERY night for the gift of tongues. In my former life, I loved the sentiment that ''Every Man is My Superior,'' and I always worked hard to learn from everyone. But here, that statement comes to life in a VERY real sense. NO MATTER how much I may know about ANY given subject, almost EVERYONE around me is more cabaple of communicating it. And so it's humbling. I've grown to feel comfortable not knowing what's going on around me, sometimes a little TOO comfortable, and I have to refocus and try to pick up the meaning and a few words I didn't know before. I hope I can keep this humility even when I actually CAN express my point of view and understand that of others. It's funny, I'm still working on all of the greetings in Spanish and Guarani, since I hear maybe 5-6 different ones every day. I have seen more pain, sickness, poverty, and trials in the last week than maybe in the rest of my life: but the Paraguayan spirit is a beautiful one! And my favorite response of so many people that we pass on the street, when we ask, ''How are you doing'' is ''Estoy Luchando,'' (I'm Fighting). And the people fight on. I feel blessed to be in this land where so many people have been so humbled and prepared by God. Wherever we are, though, it is our challenge to feel blessed there. That said, I'm learning A LOT from this companionship, with it's language barrier and SHARPLY contrasted cultural differences (My companion is a Native peruvian who's only English word is ''Fetch!''). Most of all, I'm learning to love even when I don't quite feel like it. I'm learning to put my FULL capacity behind a plan with which I may not totally (or even partially) agree, often simply because I can't communicate why I DON'T agree. BUT, that has taught me the importance of being a SUPPORTIVE, devoted follower. Really, it's a lesson about Faith. Oh that I had more time! But this is where this weeks Holla has to come to an end. I had hoped to tell you so much more. They give us 30 minutes to use e-mail, which isn't regulated, and I have already gone over (and obedience is so KEY). Thank you again for your love and support! I want you all to remember that no matter WHERE you go, or what you have, or who you're with, the keys to happiness never change. And they are found here within this Gospel! That's why the adjustment to Paraguay isn't too difficult: because, while I'm still searching them out every day, I know where they are to be found. I hope you all will do the same. Whatever you do, KEEP FIGHTING!

With all my love,

Always fighting, Elder Kyler James Rolla McCarty

Narative for pics:

1. My companion and I on the way to an appointment.

2. Studying at my desk in the somewhat run-down but nonetheless beautiful apartment.

The Rolla Holla- Mon 9/29/08

For just a brief moment, I am made equal with the clouds. And like them, I have a BirdsEye view of the beauty of this world. It's amazing to watch the tiny cars, thousands strong, & to think that inside EACH one is a world all its own: Complete with concerns & reasons to rejoice, with pain & love that makes it all OK. The "Iron Horse", Man's 19th century triumph creeps slowly painstakingly over its iron path. Within my view are THOUSANDS, maybe millions of souls. From here I feel like I could reach out & touch EACH of them, as if I were, an angel for a moment.
I arrived this morning at the travel office to find 4 other missionaries, from the beginner group for Spanish, all heading to my mission. I'm getting to know them, & although we'll all be in different areas, I like them a lot. We're forming relationships & all of us are learning to love.
Now I am in Atlanta & just watched a BEAUTIFUL 2 hour sunset (Anthonie was right). From Brilliant, glowing orange globe to subtle purple skies, a picture from a camera NEVER can quite do the slightest justice; just like the movies are no substitute for reality, & fun is no substitute for real & lasting peace. I thank God for those moments when I brush with the REAL stuff of life.
I keep thinking what a POWERFUL gift we have - & what heavy responsibility. To THINK that, for whatever reason, I've been given to know, from God himself, that His church is again on the earth, as when Christ Himself established it. In times of old, prophets testified on the streets, calling people to repentance - NOW, it is ours to teach them what true repentance really is. Our exemplar, Jesus Christ, served the people, taught the gospel, & entered into the waters of baptism - Ours is to let him continue His work, through OUR hands.
I am excited, Frankly, it's an interesting phenomenon: to think that I'm now on a plane that will take me to a distant land. CONVENTION tells me that I SHOULD be nervous, or anxious, or feeling unsure - but I am not. Freedom is a beautiful & frightening thing. Beautiful because we never have a reason to be SURPRISED about where we find ourselves; frightening because we also never have an excuse.
Well here I am. And I don't plan to be surprised or make excuses. I don't PLAN to let anything diminish my WELL-founded faith that people are waiting for me. God has prepared them. Sure, my journey will come to an end. Both this plane and this passionate missionary will AGAIN touch ground. But I pray that my faith wont. That I will be able to remember how I felt when I glimpsed, even if just for a moment, how God must feel about us: clammering about, TOO often without direction, while He & the clouds can see what' is REALLY important. I testify that this gospel: the families we raise, the people we help, the LOVE we share! I know it is TRUE, and I cant WAIT to take it to the humble people of Asuncion.

Elder McCarty

This was a hand-written letter. I scanned it in and added as a picture (below). Click on it to open it and see his pictures he drew along the top.