A new month! This week we’ll be seeing a few of the first baptisms here in San Pedro. We are so excited and feel confident that God is preparing these people to be strong members and future pillars of his church. Today is a very special pday...well, it just feels that way, I guess, because I got a package AS WELL as pictures in emails from you. Those of you that may not have been far from home would be AMAZED at how much happiness the little things bring.
It was incredible. Especially being out here in San Pedro for a while now, I forgot about the luxuries and joys of American candy (since one can find it in Asuncion if he’s willing to pay the price), new socks, souvenirs from your adventures (thanks for the sand from Hawaiis green beach, Mom :-). Thanks to those packages these last few weeks, I was just OVERCOME with gratitude and excited to eat Peanut M&Ms, American gum, and PB and J sandwiches and to see the pictures and read letters of the family. The pictures and letters more than anything else make me smile and rememeber why I am out here doing all of this.
I got letters this week from my nieces, Aspen and Brindley, as well as an account from Drew (to accompany many I’ve had from their Dad, Josiah) about what it is like to participate in a prayer from them where they pray for me by name as a missionary in Paraguay. Drew said, “I have knelt in family prayers several times and heard Aspen and Brindley pray for you while your far away! A child's prayer in it's simplicity and purity for you. Something about it just makes me take courage and faith.” I feel the same way and am amazed every time I think of all of you and how much I love you and miss you. If the time weren’t flying by so fast, it might be discouraging, but the most overwhelming feeling I have now is this: SPRINT to the finish. When I get there, as exhausted as I might be, I’ll be overcome with joy to see all of you!
Anyhow, in Aspen’s letter, she asked some questions that you all might also like to hear the answer to: “It is SO hot! I have to wear a goofy looking sombrero so the sun doesn’t burn me during the day. We have lots of fun and play games sometimes with my companion with the mangos that fall off of the trees. You have to kick it through the companions legs to score 1 point, as we are walking down the streets.”
“The food is pretty good. We have to cook for ourselves and eat LOTS of noodles and Mango or banana milk shakes. I learned this week how to make “tortilla”, which is just 2 cups of flower, 2 eggs, salt, and milk until its like cake batter, then deep fried in oil. It’s delicious. I’ll make you some with a milk shake when I get home!”
Anyhow, lots of incredible experiences this week in San Pedro. Last Friday as we were in a hurry to get to an appointment, I felt strongly to contact a family that was gathered outside on their porch. Like most people here in San Pedro, they received us warmly with lots of questions about who we are and why we’re here. We happily answered and got to know them, and shared a message about the family, prayed and left. The next visit, the father of the family hurriedely invited us in and said he had a question for us. He deeply wanted to know if a man REALLY could change himself. The question was music to our ears and we answered YES! He took confidence in us and told us of some difficulties he was having, asking if it were possible that God was humbling him and sent us in order to help him find a better way. WOW. This week we are going to have a family home evening with his family, and try to help them unite in their efforts as a family to find God and start a new life.
One of the questions we get a lot is, “Are you sure there are only 2 of you.” The people are amazed at how often they see us out walking and working among the people, and think there must be at least 10 different people. They always say, “no, we didn’t talk with you, we talked with other missionaries like you that were out working in my neighbors yard.” We always have to assure them that it was us and we are the only two. The other day I got a funny question from a 4 year old boy in a family we are teaching. He asked us, “Do you guys sleep in those clothes?”
Another day we were teaching a family with an 8 year old boy. While we were there, the Evangelical preacher showed up to ask why they hadn’t been going to church and to condemn our church and doctrine to them, in front of us. After he left, we quietly expressed our love for the family, reiterated our invitation that they could know for themselves by listening to God instead of man, and left with a prayer. The next visit, the boys mother told us that her son commented afterwards about us, “that’s how God’s servants should really be,” mentioning the way we dressed in shirt and tie, and even how we sang. Haha, so many incredible experiences and so little time to tell it all! Sorry this email is so long. I love you all and thank you for everything! Have a great week!
Elder McCarty
019 Me in front of cool yellow flower tree and paraguayan house.
018 Cool yellow flowers and blue sky.
011 After painting outside one afternoon, I got FRIED. My comp says I look like a white and read candy they have in Argentina.
5 Here we are with Liz, the single mom of 2 daughters in her cousins house. Her cousin Gladis, along with her husband Juan, and the whole family are preparing for baptism.
023 Another pic in front of a sweet Paragauyan house.
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