The Rolla Holla: The Rolla Holla, Monday, March 22, 2010-03-22

I am amazed every week with the progress of our little group here in San Pedro. Joel, in whom I have absolute trust and who only lacks maybe a LITTLE training to be prepared as a branch President, gave a talk, along with Dionicia, an excellent convert and probable future Relief Society President. She accompanies to visit references from her or other people 4 or 5 times a week, bears powerful testimony, and loves every minute of it. Their talks were excellent and I learned a lot. It is incredible to watch them progress. Joel and Juan blessed the sacrament and Patricio and Elder Walker passed it. The group is functioning great and, while we are preparing for a District Conference next week (renting a charter bus, arranging for Breakfast and Lunch and other necessities for the 5 hour bus trip, on which we are hoping to take 40 people), we will be preparing Joel to conduct the meeting the following Sunday.
This week, the 11 investigators we had in church were mostly unexpected. Those that we thought were certain to come, didn’t, and people we thought wouldn’t come, did, including an 80 year old grandma, Sebastiana, and her 14 year old grand daughter. After the meeting Sebastiana asked for a blessing because here whole body hurt. Anyhow, after seeing my best efforts fail, to be replaced by miraculous and merciful results, I felt the gentle reminder that it’s not me, Elder McCarty, who does this work, but my Father in Heaven.
Some crazy experiences this week as well. After Joel’s wife who was sternly opposed to his baptism, set a goal herself to be baptized, she mentioned her greatest doubt: the same opposition in her family that she herself had been to Joel. Well, we couldn’t exactly use her OWN example to convince her, so we marked Lehi’s vision of the Tree of Life and the Iron Rod to take her focus off the mocking crowds. As wer were about to mark and explain it, we heard a creeking sound and a large tree next door fell in Joel’s yard about 10 feet away from us. It seemed like it had been cle an cut with a giant axe. We all sat there amazed. Who knows if it was a miracle, but it sure was a crazy experience.
If I had more time I’d tell you about all the little kids that follow us around and ask us questions, or the drunk ex-husband of one of our converts that we had to kindly escort out of her yard, or a thousand other experiences. The mission is incredible! Love you all. Have a great week!
Elder McCarty

005 THe family of Juan the grizzly bear Villalba. I gave him and Patricio ties when they got baptized and they used them to bless and pass the sacrement. I also gave Juan a haircut with the little hair he has left (mostly in his ears, hahaha).

004 Patricio, my ompanion, and Juan, Patriio’s dad, the Grizzly Bear.

003 WE did a big birthday party for Patricio and I made him cake and led Happy Birthday in 3 languages, and then we went around and all said something we liked about him.