The Rolla Holla! Sarambi Pa´ite! (Extreme Crazyness)

A crazy week, a special change, days of uncertainty, and at the end of it all, I landed in the office.  Yikes.  As missionaries, we don´t always have the privilege of knowing what is going on around us.  All I know is that now, for the rest of this change, I have been called to serve…as the Cartero.  It will be my job to take care of the mail, the packages, the cell phones, the marriages, the cars…and the list continues to grow.  To be honest, I never really imagined myself an office Elder, but here I am. I´m grateful for the confidence that assures me that a loving Father in Heaven knows what He is doing and has something important for me to learn and do here in this new calling.

The week, despite the unpredictability, has been a good one.  Having to work out divisions and find Hermanos from the ward to work with me (and by Hermanos, I mean the ever-dedicated, always-smiling, Lucio), and I got to see a little bit of what it´s like to try to guide a companionship.  When the news first arrived, I went from disappointment, to the recognition that it is God´s will, and finally, to a forced changed in my attitude to be happy and excited regardless of where I am called to do this wonderful work.

At any rate, it looks like it could be just for the rest of this change.  And for now, in the nights, after 4 or 5 we´ll still be working in Aratiri.  Once we finish with the people we´re working with there, we´ll move back to the office area here in Mburukuja (I think is how it´s spelled), where the office Elders have always worked in the evenings.  So, I´m excited to make the best of these few weeks and to learn MANY important things that will help me for the rest of my life!

Anyhow, as for the week in Aratiri: The day after the special change we had to scramble a little to baptize thirteen year old, studious, Jessica.  But, with prayer and blessings from our Father in Heaven, everything went according to plan.  Jessica´s Mom, Sandra, also a recent convert, had terrible stomach pains, which let up just in time for her to act on the overwhelming feeling that she should go to the church and follow through with the baptism.  Sandra is now in the hospital.  We are praying that she will be able to recuperate quickly and trusting that God will bless his 2 daughters that have taken such an important and difficult step.

Heavenly Father also blessed us this week to find LOTS of young families that are willing and excited to listen to our message.  This week we found 4 new families and are hoping that they will be able to make it to church tomorrow.  Really, a lot depends on what happens tomorrow.  If some of the people we are teaching make it to church, we´ll continue working with them.  If not, we may be focusing our efforts on the area here near the office.  My new companion is the mission Secretary, Elder Hansen.  He is dedicated and excited to set goals to improve the work here in the office as well as in the field.

Well Family, thank you so much for the love and support.  My Day of Preparation here in the office is Saturday, for the rest of this change. Today no pics, since I´m living out of just 1 suitcase and everything else is in Aratiri.  I´ll be e-mailing and writing your letters on Saturday´s from now on.  I hope that you all have a wonderful week and remember to enjoy this life; we only get one of them.

Elder McCarty