The Rolla Holla! Saturday, November 28, 2009

Frantic Week, Calm Finish
Yesterday President Wade came down the stairs a little frustrated and said, in a voice loud enough for everybody to hear, “What are we, BRAND NEW at this!” He had just received a phone call that Elder Goodwin, who stayed in the MTC 3 extra days for surgery was wandering around aimlessly at the airport. Miraculously, Elder Rodriguez and Elder Vail went there to send off letters (which they NEVER do) and they saw a scared, lost looking missionary all alone. He only waited 5 minutes there before we found him, and it wouldn’t have been so bad except that somehow all of the Latin missionaries showed up unexpectedly just 3 days before. None of them had the warm, welcoming reception that we always try to give them. Other than those flight plan difficulties, changes went relatively smoothly and we have scheduled back into the relative calm of daily office life.
President Wade rented us a fancy practice field (which he has only done a few times while I’ve been here) and we played with his 2 sons, who are incredibly good. The big surprise this time was that President showed up, not to play, but to watch and bring us ice cold water and oranges to eat during the breaks. It was HOT and after an hour or so I felt like I couldn’t really breath. Between games we would go into the showers and just sit under the cold water that felt SO refreshing. For the first time in history, the office team lost. We played against the 2 Wade boys and the assistants. The new assistant, Elder Curtis play really well and so while we won the first game, we were so tired by the last 2, we lost.
I guess this has been a week of cool priviledges after the frantic work of change week, because on Thursday, for Thanksgiving, Hermana Wade invited us over for a homestyle thanksgiving lunch. We ate stuffing and turkey and cranberry sauce, and at the end we all said something we were thankful for. Since Elder Haskell, our great friend and assistant to the President was leaving, we also all said something we love about him. It was a great experience and I felt strongly the love and unity of the office—things I will definitely miss when my time here comes to an end.
Ramon and Mirta are progressing. Ramon set a goal to go 1 week without smoking and I am calling him often to check in. While he hasn’t said it out specifically, I have a feeling that he has fallen and that we will need to give him loving, supporting, encouragement to get him on the path again. Sometimes I think of how these people we help are the PIONEERS in their family. So many of them will be the first person or the first generation to accept the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. How incredible that in 30-50 years they will be strong families in the church whose children will go on missions and the cycle will begin again. It is such a beautiful process. I love every minute of it. I love you all!
Elder McCarty
Pics
PB250222 We stuffed like 5 mattresses and bed frames into this tiny van. I know.


.PB210365 Sitting in the captains seat, lookin like a captain.

112809 044 Cool Boat picture, under the bridge, me, Elder Rodriguez, and Elder Vail