The Rolla Holla! Monday 11-24-2008

The Rolla Holla! Monday 11-24-2008 A Week in the Life of a Paraguayan Missionary In the mission, the experiences and the opportunities to grow come faster than I can use them. So I try to record them and stow them away so that when I´m ready, they´ll be there for me. It feels a little bit like this: A crazy P-day last week running from here to there, taking a collectivo (oops, a bus) to recover a forgotten guitar, or backtracking because of poor directions. Having been asked to play the guitar with the zone choir - thinking it sounds terrible but being told it sounds great. Singing in our visits, getting terribly off key, out of rhythym and behind time, and then laughing in an uncontrollable chain because of it. Tears streaming. Elder Agudelo praying in Spanglish, and me feeling the spirit...feeling humbled. being wished happy birthday by members and investigators and all of you...feeling loved. Teaching a 16 year old girl who looks WAY older and also looks TOO much at my eyes. Praying she4´ll find SINCERE desires to follow Christ. Teaching a pregnant mother of 9 the plan of salvation. Asking her to pray to know the truth...a cracked voice and wetted cheeks: she knows. Asking a man if he lived in the house with his Marida (I figured it was the feminine form of Marido, for husband). Finding out ¨Marida¨ would mean he was gay. Wondering why Elder Agudelo picked up an abandoned tube of lipstick from the ground, being shocked when he stuck his hand through the next fence where their was a vicious, barking dog, and the dog ATTACKED. Then, laughing to tears when he pulled back his hand, holding the now-empty tube of lipstick, and seeing the nicely made-up dog, ready for a night out on the town, and with a belly full of cherry-red. ZONE CONFERENCE!! Remembering what it´s all for. Seing a clip about Jesus Christ to the hymn ¨Come Thou Fount.¨ Thinking of Drew, the other Elder McCarty, and of Josiah, the Elder McCarty from years past. My examples. Then, of my other brother - the one who gave His life to be my example, and so that I might live, Jesus Christ. Thinking how would I feel had it been Drew or Josiah, who I love as much as ANYBODY else in this world, that gave his life for me? What am I doing to make that sacrifice worth while? The real heat of summer setting in. Walking side by side with our Sombrerro Pidi, as they call them, shading our faces. Finding out that the Paraguayan folklore is that this type of sombrerro is worn by a man who´s woman is unfaithful...so, woman, I might not know who you are or where you live, but come on, that´s just plain rude. Doing practices every morning and teaching to imaginary people. Ending up one day, with a laughter-filled attempt at teaching the Plan of Salvation, in Spanish, to the smooth sounds of the guitar. Being asked to give a blessing of health...to a cat! Flipping the pages of the Missionary Manual, finding no rules against it (surprisingly, they didn´t find it necessary to write, ¨may not bless cats¨), but luckily not having to make a decision either way since, by the time we arrived for the urgent situation, it was ¨too late.¨ Seeing the youth of the church here practice their Salsa type dance for a talent show and thinking that the ability to dance might be a gift that just comes with latin blood. Getting challenged to an arm-wrestling match by an 18 year old member. Everybody being surprised when skinny Elder McCarty actually WON! (Yeah, I had to brag a little). A mango tree in every yard. Eating mangos for breakfast, and lunch, and dinner, and while walking or visiting or....doing anything. And I love them! i´m grateful to have been called to the land of the mango and the lime, and the orange, and every fruit in great abundance. So, there is a lightning storm of some of my experiences. Still, it´s just the tip of the iceberg. I had the privilidge of helping 2 other Mitai´s (Guarani for Children) enter the waters of baptism. They are so sweet and angelic and pray more sincerely than most adults I know. It is an inspiration to me to be more like them. We all know that, such is the kingdom of heaven. I´m starting to realize too, that better is the life here on earth when we can see it through a child´s eyes. With wonder and excitement, every day is a new adventure. I´m grateful for the examples I have right now, and have had throughout my life, that help me to really ENJOY it while it lasts! Lately I´ve been struck by a quote by Mark Twain: ¨20 years from now, you´ll be more dissapointed by the things you DID do, than by the things you DIDN´T do. So throw off the bow lines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, dream discover!¨

I love you all! Elder McCarty

Rolla Holla! Monday 11-17-2008 Thank YOU!

All!

I´m blown away by the outpouring of love and support on my Birthday! I feel sadly incapable of expressing through the medium of words, the feelings and impact wrought by your kindness and faith. I struggle every day to express powerful, life-changing, sometimes nuanced thoughts in a very LIMITED Spanish vocabulary. Sometimes, it seems that the people listening just don´t see the power or the depth in what I´m trying to communicate. But, I´m starting to realize that, often in this life, we just have to take people´s word for it that,really, they DO have something important that they are trying to say. Then, with that Trust, we can use the uniquely human emotion of compassion to imagine how WE might feel if we were the ones being touched or moved by whatever it is they are trying to express. I love the thought that, even if the words people use don´t express anything profound, IT IS PROFOUND to them, and therefore, can be in my life as well. All that said, I hope you can imagine how I feel, somewhat isolated here in a distant land, brought to tears by the closeness I feel to each one of you: friends, mentores,...whatever the title might be, TODAY, you are my family! To quote a beloved friend of mine regarding the subject of work: ¨Anything can be turned into it and anything can be turned out of it.¨ This has been a week of ¨turning out.¨ You know that happiness that you feel starting in your heart, that slowly moves through your entire body and eventually manifests itself in the form of an uncontrollable smile? Yeah, that´s pretty much how this week´s been. With my new companion we are working hard, and smart, and most importantly, TOGETHER. We are equal. Though sometimes our roles are different, the input of the other is always important. And, from that foundation of respect, love, good will, and hard work, we have built a friendship of fun and exciting times. I come home every night DEAD, but with the flame still burning brightly enough that I can´t wait for tomorrow. This week we also saw the fruits of some of my labors with Elder Portales in weeks past. We helped a family and a boy covenant with God, and forge a bond with Jesus Christ that will hopefully last their life time. Anyhow, I want to just do a blitz of the experiences of the week (with some, maybe from before), so you can get a feel for it. Meeting up with my new companion at the temple, where missionaries waited, conversing and getting to know one another. One by one, taxis pulled up and missionaries spilled out with suitcases in hand. Suddenly one would yell a name, another would look up in response and the two would meet up, embrace, take the bags to a separate taxi and be off. This was how I first met Elder Agudelo. We rode to our tiny apartment, conversing about the area. Ever since the conversation hasn´t stopped. We make sandwiches and homemade juice every night. Jugo de Banana, Jugo de Naranga, you name it. He´s trying SO hard to learn English and his humility is inspiring to me. He´s from Columbia. This week at the Marriage and Baptism we rushed around a little, to accomodate a bride that, for whatever reason, wanted to have everything her way. We got a cake, and arranged for a dress, and sandwiches, and for the funds necessary - a surprisingly luxurious wedding for a family that couldn´t have ever done so on their own. But, I was glad to see that after all, even though the requested ribbons, and balloons, didn´t show up (while, because of confusion, 2 cakes did...and yes, I ate until my stomach ached), the bride was ebulliently happy to be wedded to the love of her life. Afterwards at the baptism, as we sang and heard a lesson from my companion, I feverishly read the Baptismal record, trying to get the 4 or 5 names, typical of the people down here. I was nervous, but everything went well. Roberto was confident and happy, and smiled as we entered the font, and hugged me after, with the help of my Father in Heaven, everything went smoothly. Laura, was gripped by fear. I led her down, the ordinance went smoothly, but she walked back as I led her down into the water. So, I just did a classic, lift and sweep - I had a hunch I´d have to use my wrestling moves at some point in my mission, I just didn´t think it´d be in the Baptismal Font. Anyhow, one of my FAVORITE things about the mission so far is asking about people´s feelings after making this life-changing covenant. Roberto said he felt pure, and like he had a clear vision of his life ahead of him. Laura said she felt the fear just melt away, and as though she left a heavy weight behind in the water. What a beautiful work this is, and SO True! Another of my favorite moments is hearing people pray for the first time. From tiny, angelic 9 year old children, to old, weathered men, beer in hand, yet sincerely desiring to change. And really, that is something that can unite us all: each and every one of us has some kind of desire. Each and every one of us has the capacity to FEEL deeply. How great would the world be if we could focus on that? If we could focus on what we DO have in common instead of what divides us! That is my challenge to you this week. Talk to somebody on a level a little deeper this week. Ask them about how their HEART feels. And then...LISTEN! Listen, and understand, and FEEL what they feel. I love you all and feel deeply grateful for your support. My mission is a gift from God, and I´m out there using it. Find your gift, and use it too!

With Love, Elder McCarty

More birthday wishes from Josiah's family

Pictures and letters by Aspen & Brindley McCarty.

Cake by Josiah! :)

A birthday poem for Kyler from Mom

Journey to a Man

By Becky Lane Warner

Three-year-old Kyler wanting to know; asking questions, anxious to grow.

Always reasoning, deep in thought, questioning every thing he is taught.

Wondering about the world all around, trying to stand, on oft shifting ground.

So smart and inquisitive for such a young pup, never willing to ever give up!

Then as a teen, much stronger still, pushing the limits, coasting up hill.

Making a statement, “see this is ME!” Sacrificing approval to rarely agree.

Stomping around in tough army boots; of self reliance unfettered by roots.

Making his way, truth is his quest, struggling to find which focus is best.

Becoming a young man, freedom to choose, knowledge or faith, which one to use?

Testing dark waters, struggle to swim, happiness promised through desire and whim.

Excitement fleeting, heights anew, seeking of pleasure from a world’s point of view.

Seeking success, reward effort sought; placid contentment and masking of thought.

Occasionally sensing a missing piece, harrowed-up emptiness seeks for release.

Finds inside the courage he needs to challenge temptation; a drive to succeed.

Faith, a decision, a new kind of passion, digging out habits in warrior-like fashion.

Searching for truth in a life well seeded, finding his peace as conscience is heeded.




Taking a challenge that few could endure, his well tilled soil is rich, if not pure.

Well fertilized by choices past, tilled under pleasures that do not long last.

Pulling up buried forgotten truth, digging up wisdom learned in his youth.

Pruning, trimming and hacking the tree, amending his statement “No, this is ME!”

Off to foreign lands he does travel, treasures to find, and mysteries unravel.

Teaching a people, from whom he will learn, loving them, finding love in return.

A little bit older, still anxious to grow. Asking, seeking, and still wielding the hoe.

Sharing the secret of how to find joy, such a man springs from my little boy.

Happy Birthday Kyler!

I Love YOU, Mom

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The Rolla Holla! 11-10-08

The Rolla Holla! Monday, November 10, 2008 Para'na'way Para'na Way Para'na (from some song...it´s Brazilian I think, but sorta sounds like Paraguay, lol).With the doors to the Despensa where I use the internet wide open, I sit here looking out on another powerful Paraguayan storm. The weather here always manifests itself in extremes, and every morning, waking up at 630, I don´t know whether it´ll be rain or sweat, bu I know I´ll be dripping as we walk from one appointment to the other...lol, of that much I can be sure. But I love the storms the most. They remind me of how little I am. Really, it´s a love-hate relationship, because it just so happens that nobody wants to listen while being rained on.Anyhow, this morning as I prepared for P-day (ha, preparing for the day of preparation...anywho), I read some of your letters to me and some of the HFL forms you filled out and was struck with a deep love and gratitude for each of you. Thank you so much for providing me with a token deeper than keepsakes of even pictures. I feel like you´re here with me each time I read your words of advice or reminisce with you about some of our favorite memories together.Here in Paraguay, the food is delicious! I´m not sure what it is that is constantly doing a number on my stomach since I came here, because almost everything I eat seems very natural and delicious. Most commonly, it is rice, with some kind of sauce and a big ol´ chunk of meet in the middle. Only 2 times have I wished there was a fence nearby over which I could throw the strange collaboration of food on my plate. One was called something like Fay-Shau, and is Brazilian. I asked what it was and they told me Pork. I didn´t want to inquire any further, since it was rubbery and wierd, and if it wasn´t a pigs foot or something gross like that, it could only have been something grosser (a word?). The other time was Mandongo...yep, I got lucky enough to try this rubbery, unchewable, ribbed concoction made from, I´m told, a cows stomach. But we eat EVERY lunch at a members house, they are VERY supportive of the missionary work here!There are some funny differences in culture that I´m noticing as well. The other day, for example, the two of us sat there, shirts and ties, with a man wearing nothing but shorts, and short ones at that. He was sipping Tay-day-day as it´s pernounced, which is the Ma-tay like drink, but cold, that EVERYBODY is constantly drinking down here (except us, because it´s prohibited). Elder Portales was sharing a scripture and I was watching him intently when suddenly, the hugest, scariest looking bug I´ve EVER seen landed right smack dab in the middle of the page he was reading. We all paused, and looked at it´s giant scaley legs and red stripes, with long extending wings. Then, without hesitation, I went over, grabbed it be the wings and threw it to the ground to stomp on it....ok, that didn´t really happen. It flew towards me and I dove away, probably screaming but I can´t remember through the fear. Then the lesson continued as if nothing had happened.We also visit a few old, arthritic, yet amazingly faithful widows in the ward. I love these visits. They are always so kind and considerate, and often moved to tears by the hymns that we sing to them or the scriptures that we share. Casimira, a recent convert, has a bad knee but walks every Sunday to the bus stop to get to church. Last time we met with her, she was fanning us to give us a little respite from the heat, with her little woven hand fan, as we read her some scripture to help her out in her life. Gosh I love this place.I sure wish I had more time. It´s starting to look like I´m not going to be able to write you individual emails each, but I PRAY you´ll forgive that. Also, the pouch mail doesn´t seem to work from me to you so I can´t send letters without paying more than I have. I have recieved 2 letters from Kiley and from Kara through DearElder, from October 15 or something like that, as well as a letter from Patti, and Glen that I forgot to mention. If there were others, I apologize. But, I start off every internet session intending to write at least a few of you, and after attaching pictures, writing the President, printing off your emails and writing this Holla, the hour is gone.Oh, big news: CHANGES happen Wednesday. I found out I´m staying here but Elder Portales is going far away and I´m getting a new companion. I´m excited to meet him, even though I´ll miss Elder Portales, who i´ve come to love. Well, you are all wonderful. Enjoy the pictures. I´m guessing my lovely, wonderful, beyond-the-expression-of-words mother will include the descriptions and the pictures on the blog. Until next Monday, have a great week...make it one!Elder McCarty

New pictures from Kyler 11-10-08

Forgive my lack of clarity. The cameras battery died while I was here at the Despensa doing internet. It still works.

This is our bathroom. It´s cool, you can use the bathroom and the shower at the same time. I don´t know why I never thought of this. I´m also told, some of the apartments down here have Budays (no idea how to spell that, but)....AWESOME!

Me in our tiny apartment. Look close enough and you can see the watch tan line. I did that on purpose.

Me with Elder Portales, waiting while he had some pictures developed. I know, interesting, eh?

Me standing in a tree by the Polo Field, where the few rich people play Polo...on HORSES! Crazy. Anyhow I jumped up there and Elder Portales reluctantly took the picture for me, all disheveled as I was. In fact, my shirt makes me look fat, but I´m loosing lots of weight from walking so much, I think. Last week I was at 77 Kgs, and I don´t know how many pounds that is. But now I´m at 75

Me with a young man we are teaching named Jose E (the E in Guarani means little, lol), with some boats he made out of styrofoam he found in the piles of trash that accumulate

At Caacupe by the drawings of the miracle of Caacupe, or some Native that was saved from the enemy in a war by praying to the Vergin Mary, and later carved her figure into a tree...interesting




Me out walking on a misty, rainy day with some palm trees behind me!

The Rolla Holla! 11-3-08 A Little Bit ´O Joy

Walking home last night, joking with my companion in Spanish, and thinking of the people of Paraguay who are finding themselves somewhere deep down within my heart, it hit me: I´m a MISSIONARY! Wow. I´m a Spanish-Speakin, Speed-Walkin, Gospel-Sharin, People-Servin machine! Every day I have the priviledge of being empowered by the spirit, excited for the work, and enabled by my God. What an exciting time. I feel like so many of my good friends said I would: it´s almost unbelievable - this is my MISSION! Not sure why, but I didn´t really feel the culture-shock that so many others told me they felt. Maybe it´s a result of living the so-called ¨poor¨ college life for 3 years. More likely, it is because, even though they live in dirt floor, tin-roofed, road side sign walled houses, and leave the house every day hoping they can find work to bring home a bag of rolls for the family, the most common disposition of their sun-tanned, often toothless faces is a smile. it reminds me of one of my favorite sayings: Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional. And through their pain and trials, these people, without fail, smile, and explain how their life is going. Always...Tranquilo. I´m also being humbled a great deal by the specific trials that I have to overcome. Heavenly Father is helping me to shift my focus from external measurements of success to internal ones. It´s interesting to see that with that shift in focus, there is a LOT to learn about how to achieve success accordingly. Now I have to ask, am I doing God´s will rather than, are we achieving our goals, or, am I loving my companion, rather than, are we effectively bringing souls unto Christ. I spent the last few years of my life learning about the rules and laws of that other perspective: how do you set and achieve a goal? What actions lead to success? Or, What can be done to make the situation acceptable to people with different needs? It seems, that the things I´m learning now follow a different set of rules. The two perspectives, like everything in life, have to be balanced. And so, I have the opportunity to level myself out a little bit. At any rate, the work that we ARE doing gives me hope. And I am excited to be able, once I learn that balance and apply it, to improve and enhance the external results as well. Anyhow, life is SO good. I am so happy. Not many details this week, and the camera died, so no pictures. But, just know how much I love you all! I think of you often...not too often. But when I do, I am filled with joy, and have to remember to STOP the thoughts before they turn into nostalgia and then outright homesickness. But I sure hope you are all doing well. Love, YOUR missionary. Elder McCarty