The Rolla Holla! Monday, April 27, 2009

This morning, we got up and ran about 2 miles (judging by how long it takes us), to Hno Delosantos` house to haul buckets of dirts for the house he and the other members of Zion here in our little ward of San Jorge are building for him. He has a gimp leg and an unseemly likeness to Robin Williams if he were brown. His wife is missing one eye, and they are some of the happiest people I have met here in Paraguay. In their very humble hut which is being replaced by a slightly less humble brick and mud house, the Hna prepares fried eggs or ham sandwhiches for us when we arrive to work for the 1 or 2 hours we have before District Meeting on Monday morning. Hard work does the heart and body good, especially in the service of our fellow man and our Father in Heaven.My companion is an expert at using his fancy camera and has taken some strikingly beautiful pictures of Paraguayan sunsets and landscapes (I`m trying to attach some).
I love this country. I am convinced (like all of the other 60 thousand missionaries) that I am in the best mission in the world. The people here are so prepared by God and willing to listen.The other day we were doing contacts, trying to find new people to teach, and I told my companion that we needed a break because I had to see if I could climb a palm tree (that Tongan guy in Hawaii made it look so easy). While we were there, 2 women came over to us (ok, kind of an embarrasing 1st impression) but asked us who we are and what we believe and expressed interest in the church. Patricia and Maria are on hard times and have seen something in the members and the organization of our church that attracts them. We are excited to teach them and help them find a conviction beyond curiosity.Life in the mission is wonderful. I am very happy and the people we are working with are progressing, and a loving Heavenly Father is giving them, and me, the ability to change and grow through our Savior`s atonement.

Use it, please.

I love you all!

Elder McCarty

The face of determination

A sweet volleyball game with a stand-on-your shoulder net adjustment.

783 A guy with the most overworked wheelbarrel in the history of man!
779 Posing by a sweet Paraguayan Pond and tree in the middle of the road (instead of cutting down trees they just build the roads around them)

796 Looking serious in front of a Port and Sunset picture.

764 A nice park setting in the middle of our area
910 A sweet sunset over Poerto Fenix 862 Big Zone picture.989 This is how they mix cement here. They let me try my hand at it.