Wedding Bells Changing Lives, The Rolla Holla, Saturday, 8.29.09

Our ward came out in multitudes for the harvest season. The long hours weeding out corrupting doubts, overcoming halting obstacles (a barrage of friends criticizing the decision, a gravely sick mother, and financial difficulties), and sewing seeds of faith and happiness have finally paid off. Marcial and Saide were married last Thursday, at 7 pm, and baptized together, as they will remain for eternity.
The ceremony, the talks, and the celebration afterwards were beautiful and well prepared, thanks to a responsive and supporting ward—an essential part of keeping the fruits of all of our labors when we go and they don’t. Seeing the power of effective coordination for a wedding and baptismal service has lit the fire inside of me to coordinate more effectively throughout the conversion process. The work of building God’s kingdom is a great one indeed.
Meanwhile, I made important breakthroughs in my personal organization in the office (I know, exciting, huh?). Planning every day out thoroughly with the top 10 things I need to do to move the work forward planned into specific time slots and carrying forward those I don’t finish has alleviated the stress and doubled my productivity. Small and simple things, eh.
Today we played soccer at our chapel with the south mission again. The heat is back in full force and I got a healthy sun burn. When I came home I gave myself a haircut and sat down here to write you all. This week we do changes, so it will be a crazy one. I love you all! Carry on! Find out who the missionaries are visiting and make friends with them. Maybe even visit them. Even better, make a list of 100 people you know that aren’t members and start taking steps to invite them to develop a testimony (start small, gaining trust, then share your testimony or gift them a Book of Mormon…the possibilities are ENDLESS!). Onward family! I love you.
Elder McCarty

Pics
New Haircut: This is the haircut I gave myself minutes ago. I took this pic between typing letters. I have a sweet picture of the Paraguayan temple on my computer desktop.

Soccer Today: You are probably tired of soccer pics, but I like em. Here is one of me looking huge because I am way closer to the camera.

American BF: President took us out since we worked so hard on the leadership conference through the nights the previous weekend.

Elevator: All of us crammed into a little elevator going down the 15 floors of American Breakfast, the fanciest restaurant/hotel in all of Paraguay, in my opinion. So different from life 3 months ago.

Jump Start: A few weeks ago, the cars battery was having problems and so this was a common scene.

Popcorn Robbery: Elder Polatis’s birthday party and I was eatin some serious popcorn. That is one thing Paraguayans do better than Americans since they eat so much of it!
Vatata Azul: The blue potato (Vatata), is what we call the big blue van. Here we all are crammed in it one Pday going out to play.

Wade House: A going away dinner for Elder Polatis and Elder Davis (who left the office a while back). Hermana Wade always makes us breakfast for dinner with her famous cinnamon syrup!