The Rolla Holla! Monday, March 29, 2010

It was the first time outside of the office that I woke up at 3 am in the morning. As I finished showering I heard a knock at the door. I saw a missed call on my cell-phone from Edson, an investigator who had his baptismal date set for that day, though he was unsure he wanted to follow through. I let him into the chapel and went to continue preparing for the 5 hour trip to Concepción.
The conference was incredible. Even the day before, on Saturday, Pres. Wade stopped through San Pedro on his way to the conference to meet the new members and some investigators. It was AMAZING to teach with him and to learn from his complete comprehension of the purpose, mission, and best way to organize the Lord’s true church on the earth. He was also amazed at how the Lord has prepared leaders and pillars for the church here in San Pedro.
We had set the goal last week in District Meeting to take 30 investigators to conference between the 2 companionships. We prayed about it all week and worked like crazy, in the Lord’s way, and saw the miracles. Together we took 41 investigators. The bus we rented was packed full, with the total of 39 people that attended the conference from San Pedro. It was truly an experience never to be forgotten.
After the incredible spiritual experience of the conference, Edson was convinced that he wanted to wait and our other 2 baptisms were still uncertain. They had all received witnesses from the Spirit and knew the church was true, but had to overcome that end-of-the-road obstacle, fear. As the other 35 that came with us to the conference prepared the baptismal room, I talked with Blanca, accompanied by her stud of a husband, and member of one month Joel. He boar powerful testimony and invited her to take the step. He said, finally, “if you get baptized today, we get sealed in the temple in one year.” Wow. As I talked with them, and afterwards with Pabla, nothing I said to either of them seemed to be working. That is, until the Spirit touched their hearts in the right moment, and they made the decision. The baptismal service was beautiful and brought to an end one of the best days of my mission.
It was sure fun taking the long trip with all of my great friends and converts, but was also stressful trying to satisfy all of their needs. We took breakfast to eat on the way (yogurt and crackers) and ate lunch at the conference (ham and cheese sandwiches). I learned a lot about how to entertain and administer to such a large group and we had lots of fun and made great memories. Every week is full of those. I’m excited for another one!
Elder McCarty


PICS

11 Walker and I and Blanca and Pabla that got baptized.

010 Our whole group in front of the chapel

008 ½ if our little group on the way to the conference.

006 Before the conference, Juan wanted me to cut his hair. Hahah.

003 Me at the top of the Catholic Cathedral bell tower.

001 A breakfast at our convert families house.

The Rolla Holla, Monday, March 22, 2010-03-22

I am amazed every week with the progress of our little group here in San Pedro. Joel, in whom I have absolute trust and who only lacks maybe a LITTLE training to be prepared as a branch President, gave a talk, along with Dionicia, an excellent convert and probable future Relief Society President. She accompanies to visit references from her or other people 4 or 5 times a week, bears powerful testimony, and loves every minute of it. Their talks were excellent and I learned a lot. It is incredible to watch them progress. Joel and Juan blessed the sacrament and Patricio and Elder Walker passed it. The group is functioning great and, while we are preparing for a District Conference next week (renting a charter bus, arranging for Breakfast and Lunch and other necessities for the 5 hour bus trip, on which we are hoping to take 40 people), we will be preparing Joel to conduct the meeting the following Sunday.
This week, the 11 investigators we had in church were mostly unexpected. Those that we thought were certain to come, didn’t, and people we thought wouldn’t come, did, including an 80 year old grandma, Sebastiana, and her 14 year old grand daughter. After the meeting Sebastiana asked for a blessing because here whole body hurt. Anyhow, after seeing my best efforts fail, to be replaced by miraculous and merciful results, I felt the gentle reminder that it’s not me, Elder McCarty, who does this work, but my Father in Heaven.
Some crazy experiences this week as well. After Joel’s wife who was sternly opposed to his baptism, set a goal herself to be baptized, she mentioned her greatest doubt: the same opposition in her family that she herself had been to Joel. Well, we couldn’t exactly use her OWN example to convince her, so we marked Lehi’s vision of the Tree of Life and the Iron Rod to take her focus off the mocking crowds. As wer were about to mark and explain it, we heard a creeking sound and a large tree next door fell in Joel’s yard about 10 feet away from us. It seemed like it had been cle an cut with a giant axe. We all sat there amazed. Who knows if it was a miracle, but it sure was a crazy experience.
If I had more time I’d tell you about all the little kids that follow us around and ask us questions, or the drunk ex-husband of one of our converts that we had to kindly escort out of her yard, or a thousand other experiences. The mission is incredible! Love you all. Have a great week!
Elder McCarty


005 THe family of Juan the grizzly bear Villalba. I gave him and Patricio ties when they got baptized and they used them to bless and pass the sacrement. I also gave Juan a haircut with the little hair he has left (mostly in his ears, hahaha).

004 Patricio, my ompanion, and Juan, Patriio’s dad, the Grizzly Bear.

003 WE did a big birthday party for Patricio and I made him cake and led Happy Birthday in 3 languages, and then we went around and all said something we liked about him.

002 Gloria and I just after her Baptism.

001 The baptism of Gloria (15) and Sandra (10). They are awesome young women and their families will surely follow their example some day soon.

The Rolla Holla, Monday, 15.Mar.2010

We sat in counsel with the future foundation of God’s church here in San Pedro. We were two young missionaries, two members we had found here both by miracles, and 5 other incredible converts. The 9 of us formed the 9 person adult population of what will one day be the San Pedro Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It was the first weekly leadership training meeting.

We taught simply. The basic, yet perfect, organization of the church, with it’s loud and clear focus on the family was drawn on a large piece of card-stock, for lack of a white-board. As we taught and explained how leaders of the church EXIST to help out the families, memories flooded my mind of the people in this small town that I have come to love so much.

Last Saturday, in the rush to invite people for church and ensure a good attendence the following day, we took a moment to help the Villalba family learn about the habits of family prayer and scripture study. We had invited them to do it, given them a checklist to mark each day, and even helped them set up a rotation for who would say the prayer each night, but they hadn’t followed through...yet.

That night, Elder Walker and I played the part of Laman and Lemuel, and Patricio (age 12) and Cristina (age 10) played the part of Nephi and Sam, with Juan, their father, as Lehi. We read 1 Nephi chapter 3. We felt the spirit strongly as we each read a verse and paused so that each could read verse 7: “I will go and do.” The magic words. They felt the spirit as well, and were inspired to promise us that they would form and maintain these VITALLY important habits every day.

Sunday Elder Walker and I got a break. Joel blessed and Juan passed the sacrament. Victorina, one of the members we found here, who had not been to church in over 10 years, gave a great talk about Missionary Work. Next week Joel and Dionicia will be giving talks. Once again, this week we were blessed to have 30 people in the meeting and the spirit was felt strongly. We are striving to prepare them for that day when other missionaries come to fulfill the normal misisonary role and it will be THEIRS to lead, direct, and help this family of believers grow. The miracles from Heavenly Father are brought to pass in order to achieve HIS purposes. We are blessed to be along for the ride.

Elder McCarty

Rolla Holla, Monday, March 8, 2010

By last Thursday morning with all of the preparation for our 4 planned baptisms this week, the fact that Sunday was Fast Sunday had, at that moment, completely slipped my mind. The night before had been a discouraging one, but we never lost faith. Elida, the wife of one of our converts, Juan Villalba, and their 2 children were set to be baptized. Elida had told us while sobbing that she didn’t think she could go through with it. Joel, another incredible man and future leader in the church had told us that he wouldn’t be baptized without the presence of his wife, and she was firmly set against it. 4 planned baptisms was starting to look like 4 of God’s children side-tracked by Satan’s tricks and tactics.
Well, Thursday morning I woke up with the distinct impression: “Fast until the Baptsism.” I told my companion about it and we began a fast, trusting in the great power of our Father in Heaven. Twenty minutes later the phone rang and I picked it up to hear Joel’s voice: “Estaremos ahí,” he told me, “we’ll be there.” As the day progressed, we made it to the house of the family Villalba to find them gathered together as a family, waiting for our visit. The wife told us, simply: “I’m going to be baptized,” in her half Spanish, half Guarani, and her kids smiled, since they’d wanted to be baptized all along but didn’t have the courage without their Mom. As if to add to the already miraculous nature of the day, we received a phone call from Dionicia, another recent convert, telling us that her daughter was back in town early (she always comes on the weekends and attends church with us) and wanted to be baptized along with the Villalba family, since one of the daughters is her age.
As we continued the fast and had one of the most spiritual baptismal services of my mission, I stood in wonder at the goodness and love of God. I know that He can and will work miracles, if we simply believe that he can, expect that He will, and listen to His voice!
This, and countless other experiences made this one of the most memorable weeks of my life. After the miraculous baptisms, we were went by to visit Elida to prepare her to receive the Holy Ghost. After chatting for a few minutes, she said something in Guarani, and Juan told us, she wants to offer a prayer. We listened as she said one of the most simple, child-like prayers, thanking God for showing her the way, and for giving her strength to enter into His true church. I felt the spirit deeply and powerfully, and KNEW that she did too: the universal human language.
After teaching the family, they invited us to a game of soccer, and we couldn’t refuse. In our big, awkward church shoes, we tried not to flatten the toes of the little kids. Turns out Elida is terrible at soccer but excellent at cheating and wouldn’t let us stop playing until we said that she won...haha. The family is united an happy. When we ordained his 12 year old son to the Priesthood, Juan pulled me in from the hand shake, and gave me a giant bear hug as he wept. I am so thankful to my Heavenly Father for giving me these experiences. I love you all and miss you!
Elder McCarty

PICS

005 Our soccer game with the Villalba family. Ok, maybe a little faked. I love Juan's pose...hahaha, cracks me up.

004 This week in Sacrament meeting: we reached the goal of a total of 30 souls in the meeting!

003 On Ronalds birthday. He'll be receiving the priesthood this week.

002 Elder Walker and I, Patricio, Elida, Joel, Sandi, and Cristina. 5 incredible people who will be the great pioneers of the church.

001 The whole group and the baptism this week! ANother beautiful day at the river!

The Rolla Holla! Monday, 1st of March, 2010

A mist-like rain fell Sunday morning as we prepared to leave our apartment to invite investigators to church. The dirt roads in all directions had been transformed into pools of mud. Rainy Sunday mornings on the mission: something I will always remember.

As we invited people whose commitments were “unwavering” just a day before, we got a lot of the usual Paraguayan responses: “Yeah, we’ll go...if it stops raining.” We made a quick decision and after inviting one of our most commited investigators, Joel, we bought some plastic bags from his little store to the side of his house. “We don’t usually like to make purchases on Sunday,” we told him, “but this is a special situation.” We ripped holes in them, put them on and, looking pretty goofy ourselves, began handing them out to investigators as they laughed at how ridiculous the idea was. Meanwhile, we laughed and just promised them blessings. 8 of them came, for a total of 15 people in our little Sacrament Meeting room and it was one of the most spiritual meetings of my mission.

Joel, happened to be in Asunción this week on the same day that we were for Zone conference. President Wade invited him to come, but he couldn’t make it. Yesterday, in our lesson with Joel, he mentioned with a chuckle that people were telling him that we got paid for every baptism. We laughed with him and assured him that it wasn’t true. Just another one of the many lies he has seen in opposition to this important step he will take. One of the obstacles he has, with incredible grace and continually strengthening conviction, simply overcome.

On the flip side, in once sense, yesterday was one of the “pay days” of the mission that make it all worth it. He told us, after a moment of silence and with a tremble in his voice that he is ready and willing to be baptized this Thursday. He only wants to make sure that it won’t cause friction in his marriage, or between him and his parents. He seems to be thouroughly converted and is a capable, intelligent man, who is a professor in the local university of Agriculture. I am very excited for him and feel he will be a great leader for the church here in San Pedro.

San Pedro is progressing GREAT. Despite the rain and other discouraging obstacles this week, we are excited to keep moving forward. Our little group is growing both spiritually and in numbers. The spiritual growth is most exciting. Juan received the Priesthood this week and will be able to baptize his wife and 2 children this week. Though they are humble and simple, they understand the basics and desire to serve. Those are the kind of people the Lord uses to work miracles!

Elder McCarty


Pics
001 We brought a bunch of supplies and books back from Asunciòn. We also needed a shelf, so we decided it would be easier to carry them all by putting them in it and taping it shut. Worked pretty well, even though they charged us an extra bus fare to stow it beneath, haha.