From helping established wards in downtown Asunción stay organized and do things in the Lord´s way, to watching the Lord prepare, help progress, and organize the church from the nothingness that was San Pedro. Now I´ve been sent to help sound the call of repentance in a Branch of the church with over 500 members. This week 49 of them went, and things are looking up. Patient, consistent work from dedicated Elders is starting to pay off, and I´m excited to do my part in that effort.
Here in Pedro Juan Caballero, there are 5 branches. One of them has a total of between 10 and 15 people in church each week. I imagine the church here started much as it started back in San Pedro, with lots of excitement and solid, prepared converts from the beginning. In the excitement, 5 chapels were built, and the growth continued. For whatever reason it may have suffered set backs, the beauty is that these people have testimonies, and have them deeply. Now we´ve just got to help them remember.
We´ve been doing our best to find quality men and families to strengthen the church. One night, a man passed by on his motorcycle whistling some familiar tune. Five minutes later we came to a house and decided to get to know the family. Out came 45 year old Elisha, happy to be living, and curious about our message. He offered us coffee, or if not tea, and we settled for hot chocolate. We had a good talk about how he could be with his family that he loved so much for the eternities. As we left and continued chatting, I took my eyes for a moment off of his giant german shephard. 2 minutes later I heard him growling and felt something bruch my leg and jumped. He grabbed my pants and tore them, but somehow, maybe miraculously, my flesh escaped the jaws of death. Yikes. But don´t worry, I´m ok.
Today with the whole zone, which is very spread out, we met in our chapel with the rain pouring down on the cement outside. After an inspiring meeting and feeling our vision being raised together, we went as a zone to play soccer in a nearby field. As the rain poured down and we got soaked, I looked up at the blowing palm trees and realized how much I love this place. Pedro Juan Caballero is on the very border of Brazil and we see brazil almost everyday from our area. Lots of people speak Portuguese so I may get to learn it a little myself. I´m loving the mission and excited about the new challenges and opportunities to learn of the mission!
Elder McCarty
Monday, May 17, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
The Rolla Holla! Monday, May 10, 2010
Hugo and Fernando are the grandsons of Elida Garcia Villalba, the wife the humble and always incredibly happy bread salesman Juan. They live about 20 minutes walking from San Pedro, but come to visit grandma almost every weekend, and that is how we found, taught, and baptized them.
From the beginning they loved the church and felt the spirit clearly and powerfully as little children so often do. When there baptismal date approached the path to their house was blocked by giant puddles, 2 or 3 inches deep from the previous day’s rain. We went barefoot so our shoes didn’t get wet. We were on a mission to their little village of Curupayty, where we’d help their parents overcome doubts about their sons’ baptisms. They both consented and their home filled with excitement to see them take this important step towards bringing the blessings of the gospel into both their own and their family’s life.
The next day, the famous day-of-the-baptism-phone-call came and I figured something must have been wrong. As I’d suspected, the Father’s doubts had returned, and, as usual, because of negative comments from his neighbors. We prayed about it and took the leap of faith to rent a truck to take us to their house and then afterwards to the river for the baptism.
We arrived in Curupayty and talked with their father for almost 2 hours, determined not to return without his consent to allow these blessings into his family’s life. All of that talk seemed to get…nowhere. The truck we’d rented kept the clock running as he waited for us. But suddenly, as if by some unseen power, the father consented, signed the Baptismal Record, and we were off. The next day, their mother, Graciela, attended church to see their confirmation and is excited to prepare for her own baptism. Their father continues to open up to us little by little, and even invited us over for a Barbeque next weekend.
We found a new house and moved into it today. It will be a bit of an inconvenience since it is about 10 blocks from the chapel, but is otherwise a great house, with plenty of space, low rent, meets the conditions of the mission, and is owned by the father of my good friend and great convert Joel Caballero.
I was amazed by the members this week and their strength. Though only about 6 women and 7 men stay for the classes after Sacrament Meeting, they have solid testimonies and support each other through visits, encouragement, and magnifying their church callings. This is a great and a marvelous work. Love you all, especially my mom. HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!
Elder McCarty
001 Anahí, Joel’s little girl, wearing my hat and name tag.
002 Me lookin chubby with a sweet old grandma. The great grandma of Hugo and Fernando that were baptized this week.
003 Hugo’s baptism, it was a cold day, so they were especially courageous to follow the answer they’d felt from God, despite the obstacles
004 Fernando’s baptism. Little Fernando threw himself into the current after his baptism, diving headfirst into the water, and everybody laughed. He was just so excited Lol.
006 Here I am in my old room. Those brown lines, we didn’t know what they were at first, but afterwards discovered that they were tunnels made by some strange bug that made holes in the wall and tunneled to the roof. Weird.
From the beginning they loved the church and felt the spirit clearly and powerfully as little children so often do. When there baptismal date approached the path to their house was blocked by giant puddles, 2 or 3 inches deep from the previous day’s rain. We went barefoot so our shoes didn’t get wet. We were on a mission to their little village of Curupayty, where we’d help their parents overcome doubts about their sons’ baptisms. They both consented and their home filled with excitement to see them take this important step towards bringing the blessings of the gospel into both their own and their family’s life.
The next day, the famous day-of-the-baptism-phone-call came and I figured something must have been wrong. As I’d suspected, the Father’s doubts had returned, and, as usual, because of negative comments from his neighbors. We prayed about it and took the leap of faith to rent a truck to take us to their house and then afterwards to the river for the baptism.
We arrived in Curupayty and talked with their father for almost 2 hours, determined not to return without his consent to allow these blessings into his family’s life. All of that talk seemed to get…nowhere. The truck we’d rented kept the clock running as he waited for us. But suddenly, as if by some unseen power, the father consented, signed the Baptismal Record, and we were off. The next day, their mother, Graciela, attended church to see their confirmation and is excited to prepare for her own baptism. Their father continues to open up to us little by little, and even invited us over for a Barbeque next weekend.
We found a new house and moved into it today. It will be a bit of an inconvenience since it is about 10 blocks from the chapel, but is otherwise a great house, with plenty of space, low rent, meets the conditions of the mission, and is owned by the father of my good friend and great convert Joel Caballero.
I was amazed by the members this week and their strength. Though only about 6 women and 7 men stay for the classes after Sacrament Meeting, they have solid testimonies and support each other through visits, encouragement, and magnifying their church callings. This is a great and a marvelous work. Love you all, especially my mom. HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!
Elder McCarty
001 Anahí, Joel’s little girl, wearing my hat and name tag.
002 Me lookin chubby with a sweet old grandma. The great grandma of Hugo and Fernando that were baptized this week.
003 Hugo’s baptism, it was a cold day, so they were especially courageous to follow the answer they’d felt from God, despite the obstacles
004 Fernando’s baptism. Little Fernando threw himself into the current after his baptism, diving headfirst into the water, and everybody laughed. He was just so excited Lol.
006 Here I am in my old room. Those brown lines, we didn’t know what they were at first, but afterwards discovered that they were tunnels made by some strange bug that made holes in the wall and tunneled to the roof. Weird.
Monday, May 3, 2010
The Rolla Holla! Monday, May 03, 2010
Friday morning the cell phone range and showed the ominous name: “Pte Wade.” In the history of my mission outside the office, this has usually meant some big change. Apparently it came down from the area Presidency that they don’t want missionaries living in the same building as the chapel any longer. So, we’ve been searching for a new house since the morning he called. There are a few options, though they are pretty far from the chapel. San Pedro is largely populated by students and since school is in session, most houses are being rented to them. Of course, I’m sure we’ll find something before this week ends and have commited to being in a different house by next Monday.
To be honest, this was a faith-trying week. It would have been easy to get discouraged as 2 excited and intelligent men we were working with (Jimmy and Edison) left town for what seemed like no good reason before their baptisms, and Raquel, who has been baptized but not confirmed, was basically grounded by her husband, deprived of her cell phone, and forbidden to talk to us. The hardest blow came when she herself told us that she wasn’t sure she wanted to continue, and felt that she had been confused, and that we should not try to contact her anymore. To top it all off, ALL of the 4 wonderful families we were blessed to find and begin teaching fell to some obstacle or set-back and weren’t able to make it to church (though the wife and 3 kids of one family came).
But the work must go on. Most of all, it was a lesson in “counting your blessings.” We were able to have 12 investigators for a total of 36 of Heavenly Father’s children in Sacrament Meeting, and will be praying and working our hearts out to have at least 1 of 3 possible baptisms this week. The members took charge of the meetings, once again, and it was another beautiful testimony meeting, followed by well-taught classes. Though perhaps not exactly the results we had hoped for, Elder Walker and I decided to kneel and return thanks at the end of the two meetings. We are cheerfully doing all that is our power and have the utmost assurance that His arm will be revealed.
Elder McCarty
To be honest, this was a faith-trying week. It would have been easy to get discouraged as 2 excited and intelligent men we were working with (Jimmy and Edison) left town for what seemed like no good reason before their baptisms, and Raquel, who has been baptized but not confirmed, was basically grounded by her husband, deprived of her cell phone, and forbidden to talk to us. The hardest blow came when she herself told us that she wasn’t sure she wanted to continue, and felt that she had been confused, and that we should not try to contact her anymore. To top it all off, ALL of the 4 wonderful families we were blessed to find and begin teaching fell to some obstacle or set-back and weren’t able to make it to church (though the wife and 3 kids of one family came).
But the work must go on. Most of all, it was a lesson in “counting your blessings.” We were able to have 12 investigators for a total of 36 of Heavenly Father’s children in Sacrament Meeting, and will be praying and working our hearts out to have at least 1 of 3 possible baptisms this week. The members took charge of the meetings, once again, and it was another beautiful testimony meeting, followed by well-taught classes. Though perhaps not exactly the results we had hoped for, Elder Walker and I decided to kneel and return thanks at the end of the two meetings. We are cheerfully doing all that is our power and have the utmost assurance that His arm will be revealed.
Elder McCarty
Monday, April 26, 2010
The Rolla Holla, Monday, April 26, 2010
The rain, persecution in San Pedro, discouragement, our own personal weakness, and so many other things had us gritting our teeth to carry on this week. Yet, we kept our hopes up and bore down in consecration in specific areas we had each chosen to stop holding back from the Lord. Though each day I felt that our work was unworthy and unfit of the lofty goal and specific miracle we were asking for, I strived to focus on my love of the people, believing that our loving Heavenly Father could concede us the miracle regardless.
As Elder Walker and I counted our Attendance in church, the people just kept coming. 10 minutes into the meeting, there weren’t enough chairs for everybody. As I counted and recounted the investigators, I could hardly believe it: 18. It was one of those tender mercies of God. Not 17, not 19, but 18 investigators in Sacrament Meeting, the exact number we had as a goal for several weeks but hadn’t until this week prayed consistently and fervently, and desired for exactly the right reasons: in order to help 18 of our brothers and sisters that we love and sincerely want to progress take the next, important step. They did and we were overjoyed. As we finished the 2 ordinations and the group filed out of our little chapel after 2 hours of meetings, Elder Walker and I just sat in awe. After some moments of silence, we decided to kneel and offer a prayer to return thanks.
Well, now we are striving to remain humble, re-calibrate and not leave ANY of what we had learned behind. The work progresses great. Elder Frutos from the office called me this week with some questions about the branch formation form, so we are excited, though willing to patiently wait for the members to have the blessing of an official branch here in San Pedro.
I have felt in these last two weeks a greater urgency to prepare the members here for the possibility of me leaving. Our little group is functioning well, and all members have, or will have by the end of the week, specific, written goal certificates (temple, mission, personal Progress, etc.) that they can display in their homes to keep them excited to progress, as well as callings or assignments, and finally, friends and nourishment by the good word of God through the visiting program we have been striving to set up. In our twice-weekly activities, we’ve been talking about important topics like pride, not taking offense, unity, and creating Zion. I honestly feel like they are ready and will be able to continue with Elder Walker’s able, consistent guidance if I am called to leave this place. Of course,
I am MORE than happy and willing to continue WHEREVER the Lord needs me most, and am confident that wherever I go, it will be where He needs me.
Elder McCarty
005 The baptism of Juan's brother, Froilan Villalba, a great man and will be a great strength to the church.
As Elder Walker and I counted our Attendance in church, the people just kept coming. 10 minutes into the meeting, there weren’t enough chairs for everybody. As I counted and recounted the investigators, I could hardly believe it: 18. It was one of those tender mercies of God. Not 17, not 19, but 18 investigators in Sacrament Meeting, the exact number we had as a goal for several weeks but hadn’t until this week prayed consistently and fervently, and desired for exactly the right reasons: in order to help 18 of our brothers and sisters that we love and sincerely want to progress take the next, important step. They did and we were overjoyed. As we finished the 2 ordinations and the group filed out of our little chapel after 2 hours of meetings, Elder Walker and I just sat in awe. After some moments of silence, we decided to kneel and offer a prayer to return thanks.
Well, now we are striving to remain humble, re-calibrate and not leave ANY of what we had learned behind. The work progresses great. Elder Frutos from the office called me this week with some questions about the branch formation form, so we are excited, though willing to patiently wait for the members to have the blessing of an official branch here in San Pedro.
I have felt in these last two weeks a greater urgency to prepare the members here for the possibility of me leaving. Our little group is functioning well, and all members have, or will have by the end of the week, specific, written goal certificates (temple, mission, personal Progress, etc.) that they can display in their homes to keep them excited to progress, as well as callings or assignments, and finally, friends and nourishment by the good word of God through the visiting program we have been striving to set up. In our twice-weekly activities, we’ve been talking about important topics like pride, not taking offense, unity, and creating Zion. I honestly feel like they are ready and will be able to continue with Elder Walker’s able, consistent guidance if I am called to leave this place. Of course,
I am MORE than happy and willing to continue WHEREVER the Lord needs me most, and am confident that wherever I go, it will be where He needs me.
Elder McCarty
001 Did a division this week with Juan and it was GREAT. He speaks a lot of Guarani and little Spanish but was a great missionary and is even learning to SING!
005 The baptism of Juan's brother, Froilan Villalba, a great man and will be a great strength to the church.
Monday, April 19, 2010
The Rolla Holla! Monday, 19 of April, 2010
Today we played 2 games of 2 on 2 soccer under the pounding Paraguayan sun. We were in Santa Rosa. It stuck me as I road in the 3 hour bus ride to give District Meeting the importance of love in this work. I realized that one of the reasons God hasn’t conceded me a specific miracle I’ve been praying for, is that my motives aren’t as centered in love as they ought to be. I invited my district to set a goal as a district for Attendance in church. We had set one for the conference in Concepciòn of 30 investigators between the two companionships, and saw miracles to be able to take 41, something I KNOW I could never have done on my own. We decided we would (1) Pray daily about our specific district goal, (2) Desire it out of LOVE for those people, and for that reason only, and (3) listening to the voice of the Spirit to find those that are chosen and prepared.
My awesome Mother wrote me this week and told me this story: “a sister in the ward told of her niece who was being baptized in a swimming pool and then confirmed right afterwards. When the Elder giving the blessing said "Receive the Holy Ghost" she piped up excitedly "OH, I Got it!!" during the blessing. I thought what a joy and simplicity children have in their testimony of the gospel and their communications and interactions with spiritual things.” It made me laugh, and feel the love towards little children that I have grown to cherish so much here on the mission. It reminded me of a story from a confirmation we had this week, though interestingly different. As we confirmed the man of a family that was baptized this week, with the door open to our little meeting house (since we don’t ever want anybody to be turned away), somebody passed by and yelled out “false prophets.” That’s just one of the many different attacks we get here in San Pedro where the persecution is almost, but not quite, as great as the many mighty miracles.
An indescribable outpouring of the Spirit this Sunday. We prepared Joel to conduct the meeting, which he did, along with very clear explanations of what the meeting is, the importance of the sacrament, and how to sing the hymns for all of the new members and investigators. Wow.
Our only 2 Deacons passed the sacrament, and our only 2 Priests blessed it. Then we listened to the testimonies of the family that was baptized and confirmed this week (an elderly couple with 10 children who will be an excellent adition to our growing family here in San Pedro). Elder Walker and I sang a special musical unmber of “I Stand All Amazed” in Guarani, and I gave the last talk. It was incredible the power of the spirit that we all felt, and the number of comments after the meeting from members and investigators alike about the special feeling of the meeting (especially an excellent family who was in church for the first time and is already excited about coming again next week).
We were then able to begin having the second hour of meetings, with the men in one class and the women and children in another. We are beginning to implement Home and Visiting Teaching and have already seen some incredible results. Truly “God has given the increase” as each individual and our small group continues to progress in miraculous ways. I love this work and look forward to a lifetime of it! With love,
Elder Kyler McCarty
Pics
003: The baptism this week with the members that went as well. WOW, it was beautiful, as always here at the edge of the Rio Jejui.
004 Elder Walker and the 3 that got baptized this week: Raquel (who had to go out of town and so wasn’t confirmed yet), then Victoria, and Concepciòn. 
006 The family that was baptized this week always invites us for lunch and she is a GREAT cook. Then there is always fresh squeezed, seweetened grapefruit juice. Heterei (delish).
010 Tired of soccer pics, lol. These games I had to wear my classic, foldable sombrero to protect myself from the sun. 
My awesome Mother wrote me this week and told me this story: “a sister in the ward told of her niece who was being baptized in a swimming pool and then confirmed right afterwards. When the Elder giving the blessing said "Receive the Holy Ghost" she piped up excitedly "OH, I Got it!!" during the blessing. I thought what a joy and simplicity children have in their testimony of the gospel and their communications and interactions with spiritual things.” It made me laugh, and feel the love towards little children that I have grown to cherish so much here on the mission. It reminded me of a story from a confirmation we had this week, though interestingly different. As we confirmed the man of a family that was baptized this week, with the door open to our little meeting house (since we don’t ever want anybody to be turned away), somebody passed by and yelled out “false prophets.” That’s just one of the many different attacks we get here in San Pedro where the persecution is almost, but not quite, as great as the many mighty miracles.
An indescribable outpouring of the Spirit this Sunday. We prepared Joel to conduct the meeting, which he did, along with very clear explanations of what the meeting is, the importance of the sacrament, and how to sing the hymns for all of the new members and investigators. Wow.
Our only 2 Deacons passed the sacrament, and our only 2 Priests blessed it. Then we listened to the testimonies of the family that was baptized and confirmed this week (an elderly couple with 10 children who will be an excellent adition to our growing family here in San Pedro). Elder Walker and I sang a special musical unmber of “I Stand All Amazed” in Guarani, and I gave the last talk. It was incredible the power of the spirit that we all felt, and the number of comments after the meeting from members and investigators alike about the special feeling of the meeting (especially an excellent family who was in church for the first time and is already excited about coming again next week).
We were then able to begin having the second hour of meetings, with the men in one class and the women and children in another. We are beginning to implement Home and Visiting Teaching and have already seen some incredible results. Truly “God has given the increase” as each individual and our small group continues to progress in miraculous ways. I love this work and look forward to a lifetime of it! With love,
Elder Kyler McCarty
Pics
003: The baptism this week with the members that went as well. WOW, it was beautiful, as always here at the edge of the Rio Jejui.
004 Elder Walker and the 3 that got baptized this week: Raquel (who had to go out of town and so wasn’t confirmed yet), then Victoria, and Concepciòn. 006 The family that was baptized this week always invites us for lunch and she is a GREAT cook. Then there is always fresh squeezed, seweetened grapefruit juice. Heterei (delish).010 Tired of soccer pics, lol. These games I had to wear my classic, foldable sombrero to protect myself from the sun.
Monday, April 12, 2010
The Rolla Holla! Monday, April 12, 2010
It’s cooling down a little in this half of the world. Even when the beating sun is out, a pleasant breeze keeps us cools as we sit under the thick shade of giant mango trees. “If I told you that this tree had the most delicious mangos in the whole world, how would you find out if it’s true?” The convenient example we use several times a day to invite people to just try it out and take one bite by sincerely reading, praying, and attending church to taste the sweetness of the truth.
Twenty-eight year old Jimi tasted it. And now, 4 days before his baptism he carries his Book of Mormon around on his old beat up motorcycle to share scriptures he’s found with his friends. His place is marked with a red pencil that we gave him as a gift and a tool to search for truth. He keeps finding more of it. However, many are called and few chose to be chosen. Even Jimi has some doubts and obstacles to overcome in these last few days before him baptism.
We watched conference one week after all of you. Though the recording skipped and the kids laughed and screamed as they played, we felt and knew that those men are called of God. The TV sat on a table made by one of our investigators, a carpenter, accompanied by a 2 liter soda bottle cut in half, full of beautiful Paraguayan flowers assembled by Blanca, who was called to be our flower coordinator.
The flowers were beautifully selected and arranged, but perhaps the most beautiful part was what they represented by simply BEING there. Immediately after her baptism, Blanca’s parents, brothers, and sisters began an unbelievable onslaught of insults, criticism, and what is often most painful – the cold shoulder. Deeply grieved by their rejection, yet sustained in her belief by a deeply seated testimony and continued nourishment and reassurance from the scriptures and the Holy Ghost, Blanca found herself torn between worlds.
She expressed to us that she wanted to stop attending church until the persecution came to an end and then she would then come back. We immediately felt that Blanca was at a cross roads and asked if we could stop by to visit her. As we talked, she bore solemn witness of God’s one true church, and that it was His will for her to continue on, but that she didn’t feel she could. We encouraged her, prayed with her, and invited her to pray for strength to do God’s will regardless of the consequences. She did, and she received. The flowers she brought will forever stand in my mind as a beautiful display of what it means to overcome opposition to humbly do God’s will.
For the first Sunday in our time here, the members took charge of preparing the chapel. Joel and Juan came early and opened the building, swept, set up the chairs, and prepared for the conference. Next week we hope to have Joel conduct and we can sit peacefully among the congregation. Progress like this is only possible with the help of a loving Heavenly Father whose work WILL be done. I feel humbled as I strive to do it in His way, and awestruck as I feel guidance from His sure and powerful hand. All my love,
Elder Kyler McCarty
Twenty-eight year old Jimi tasted it. And now, 4 days before his baptism he carries his Book of Mormon around on his old beat up motorcycle to share scriptures he’s found with his friends. His place is marked with a red pencil that we gave him as a gift and a tool to search for truth. He keeps finding more of it. However, many are called and few chose to be chosen. Even Jimi has some doubts and obstacles to overcome in these last few days before him baptism.
We watched conference one week after all of you. Though the recording skipped and the kids laughed and screamed as they played, we felt and knew that those men are called of God. The TV sat on a table made by one of our investigators, a carpenter, accompanied by a 2 liter soda bottle cut in half, full of beautiful Paraguayan flowers assembled by Blanca, who was called to be our flower coordinator.
The flowers were beautifully selected and arranged, but perhaps the most beautiful part was what they represented by simply BEING there. Immediately after her baptism, Blanca’s parents, brothers, and sisters began an unbelievable onslaught of insults, criticism, and what is often most painful – the cold shoulder. Deeply grieved by their rejection, yet sustained in her belief by a deeply seated testimony and continued nourishment and reassurance from the scriptures and the Holy Ghost, Blanca found herself torn between worlds.
She expressed to us that she wanted to stop attending church until the persecution came to an end and then she would then come back. We immediately felt that Blanca was at a cross roads and asked if we could stop by to visit her. As we talked, she bore solemn witness of God’s one true church, and that it was His will for her to continue on, but that she didn’t feel she could. We encouraged her, prayed with her, and invited her to pray for strength to do God’s will regardless of the consequences. She did, and she received. The flowers she brought will forever stand in my mind as a beautiful display of what it means to overcome opposition to humbly do God’s will.
For the first Sunday in our time here, the members took charge of preparing the chapel. Joel and Juan came early and opened the building, swept, set up the chairs, and prepared for the conference. Next week we hope to have Joel conduct and we can sit peacefully among the congregation. Progress like this is only possible with the help of a loving Heavenly Father whose work WILL be done. I feel humbled as I strive to do it in His way, and awestruck as I feel guidance from His sure and powerful hand. All my love,
Elder Kyler McCarty
Monday, April 5, 2010
The Rolla Holla! Monday, April 5, 2010
From the beginning of the week we put our focus and faith in our goal of investigators in church, with a special emphasis on the men and families. We saw many mighty miracles from the Lord, including unexpected people we had invited from just the night before. I know it was done by a power greater than my own, and we were able to participate in seeing these valiant investigators form the determination and then overcome the obstactles to get to church. After all, we had 6 men, a complete family, and many others of our Heavenly Father’s children in church, and with the members and children, almost didn’t fit in our small chapel. I know it was only possible by His loving kindness and mercy.
Together with the members and investigators, we are also very excited to see the conference this week. We don’t have access to a satellite and so will watch in 1 week after all of you, on a DVD they will send us from the office of the mission. We have invited the members and investigators to become even MORE consistent in their personal and family prayer and scripture study, and to prepare a few questions that they would like to have answered by the Prophet, General Authorities, and above all, the Holy Ghost. I know that as they do that (something I should strive to do every Sunday, lol), they will feel the Spirit and receive the answers they need.
Some funny experiences? The other day we were in an investigators house: 85 year old Sebastiana and her 14 year old grandaughter Guadalupe. They have been incredible example of faith, walking the 15 blocks to church each week, the first week having only been invited the night before. As we taught in half Guarani half Spanish (my Guarani is getting a lot better, though still lacks a lot), a lady cam in and sat by us. We asked her her name but she didn’t want to tell us. We resumed teaching, and 3 minutes later, she got up and began screaming and pulling her own hair. She ran out of the house yelling that she was Catolico-Apostolico-Romano. It sure surprised us, and was the first time I’ve been rejected in exactly THAT way.
We’d been wanting to clean the yard up to make a volley ball court for the activies we have each Tuesday night with Members and Investigators (we usually share some lesson, play some game to demonstrate it and then eat jello or cake that I prepare). Well, we would go out with the machete and cut part of the grass every day. The problem was that the first part we cut was grown over again by the time we got to the last part. Well, one day as we passed by on the way to a lesson, we saw 5 little boys going at our lawn with kitchen knives, some with machetes, or whatever they had. WE were surprised and asked them why. They said they wanted to make a bicycle track. So we arranged for them to have their part and to clean up our part for our volleyball court as well….hahaha! Looks like somebody’s watching over us even in the small things!
I love being a missionary!
Elder McCarty
001 This dog is not hers (that’s Cristina, one of our 10 year old converts), but she nevertheless loves to swing it around by its legs. Hahah, it cracks me up. The funniest part is that the dog keeps coming back to their house regardless.
002 Here I am with the hardest working, most clothe washing grandma of 85 years that I know, Sebastiana. 
003 Me and Juan, after his wife made a whole bunch of home made bread. Delish!
004 Elder Walker got the Famous Pee-Kay (as it’s pronounced), a bug that enters into your foot if you walk around barefoot (I’ve never got it yet, knock on wood). Here our convert Dionicia acts as nurse and she skilfully removed it, despite the odor of having walked around all day, haha. We’ll take a little more precaution in the future, who knows what the neighbors may have thought, lol. 
006 EVERYBODY gave us Chipa, the Paraguayan cheese bread, and also the homemade bread they make on Easter week. WE have TONS, and won’t be able to eat it all. But it is delicious. 
Together with the members and investigators, we are also very excited to see the conference this week. We don’t have access to a satellite and so will watch in 1 week after all of you, on a DVD they will send us from the office of the mission. We have invited the members and investigators to become even MORE consistent in their personal and family prayer and scripture study, and to prepare a few questions that they would like to have answered by the Prophet, General Authorities, and above all, the Holy Ghost. I know that as they do that (something I should strive to do every Sunday, lol), they will feel the Spirit and receive the answers they need.
Some funny experiences? The other day we were in an investigators house: 85 year old Sebastiana and her 14 year old grandaughter Guadalupe. They have been incredible example of faith, walking the 15 blocks to church each week, the first week having only been invited the night before. As we taught in half Guarani half Spanish (my Guarani is getting a lot better, though still lacks a lot), a lady cam in and sat by us. We asked her her name but she didn’t want to tell us. We resumed teaching, and 3 minutes later, she got up and began screaming and pulling her own hair. She ran out of the house yelling that she was Catolico-Apostolico-Romano. It sure surprised us, and was the first time I’ve been rejected in exactly THAT way.
We’d been wanting to clean the yard up to make a volley ball court for the activies we have each Tuesday night with Members and Investigators (we usually share some lesson, play some game to demonstrate it and then eat jello or cake that I prepare). Well, we would go out with the machete and cut part of the grass every day. The problem was that the first part we cut was grown over again by the time we got to the last part. Well, one day as we passed by on the way to a lesson, we saw 5 little boys going at our lawn with kitchen knives, some with machetes, or whatever they had. WE were surprised and asked them why. They said they wanted to make a bicycle track. So we arranged for them to have their part and to clean up our part for our volleyball court as well….hahaha! Looks like somebody’s watching over us even in the small things!
I love being a missionary!
Elder McCarty
001 This dog is not hers (that’s Cristina, one of our 10 year old converts), but she nevertheless loves to swing it around by its legs. Hahah, it cracks me up. The funniest part is that the dog keeps coming back to their house regardless.
002 Here I am with the hardest working, most clothe washing grandma of 85 years that I know, Sebastiana. 003 Me and Juan, after his wife made a whole bunch of home made bread. Delish!004 Elder Walker got the Famous Pee-Kay (as it’s pronounced), a bug that enters into your foot if you walk around barefoot (I’ve never got it yet, knock on wood). Here our convert Dionicia acts as nurse and she skilfully removed it, despite the odor of having walked around all day, haha. We’ll take a little more precaution in the future, who knows what the neighbors may have thought, lol. 006 EVERYBODY gave us Chipa, the Paraguayan cheese bread, and also the homemade bread they make on Easter week. WE have TONS, and won’t be able to eat it all. But it is delicious.
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