The Rolla Holla! Monday, May 03, 2010

Friday morning the cell phone range and showed the ominous name: “Pte Wade.” In the history of my mission outside the office, this has usually meant some big change. Apparently it came down from the area Presidency that they don’t want missionaries living in the same building as the chapel any longer. So, we’ve been searching for a new house since the morning he called. There are a few options, though they are pretty far from the chapel. San Pedro is largely populated by students and since school is in session, most houses are being rented to them. Of course, I’m sure we’ll find something before this week ends and have commited to being in a different house by next Monday.

To be honest, this was a faith-trying week. It would have been easy to get discouraged as 2 excited and intelligent men we were working with (Jimmy and Edison) left town for what seemed like no good reason before their baptisms, and Raquel, who has been baptized but not confirmed, was basically grounded by her husband, deprived of her cell phone, and forbidden to talk to us. The hardest blow came when she herself told us that she wasn’t sure she wanted to continue, and felt that she had been confused, and that we should not try to contact her anymore. To top it all off, ALL of the 4 wonderful families we were blessed to find and begin teaching fell to some obstacle or set-back and weren’t able to make it to church (though the wife and 3 kids of one family came).

But the work must go on. Most of all, it was a lesson in “counting your blessings.” We were able to have 12 investigators for a total of 36 of Heavenly Father’s children in Sacrament Meeting, and will be praying and working our hearts out to have at least 1 of 3 possible baptisms this week. The members took charge of the meetings, once again, and it was another beautiful testimony meeting, followed by well-taught classes. Though perhaps not exactly the results we had hoped for, Elder Walker and I decided to kneel and return thanks at the end of the two meetings. We are cheerfully doing all that is our power and have the utmost assurance that His arm will be revealed.

Elder McCarty