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