Week 32

Airport.. cold morning!

We (Elders Quinn, Brown, Torres) went to the airport twice to pick up two new missionaries and drop off one that had surgery.

Hey W____ didn't get baptized :( sad, 

We are coming along well with the map project.

I am not taking all the pictures, we have a married couple talking the pictures and sending them to us!

I will send some pics and write more!

Send everyone my love!

Mission Map! Marking the Mission boundaries. Elder Brailsford and I

 

Park City Stake Young Men and Young Women Youth Committee have expressed an interest in having a missionary fireside.  They have many questions and would love to hear your answers.  

 

 

The following is McKay's response to the Park City Youth about how his choice to serve a mission has affected him.

2) How has this choice affected you?

When I first heard this question I immediately thought of the physical impacts that have affected me. I now live 1655 miles away from my home in a foreign country where 90% of the population speaks Spanish in a city with a population more that 15 million. One could respond to the question and say that the most dramatic affects of serving a mission are physical affects, but as a missionary that is not what has affected me. Sure it is physically different, and challenging, but the things that have affected me most are the spiritual things.

 As a high school student, just like all of you,  I felt very self centered, basically every decision that I made was for my benefit. I never found myself thinking of others or taking into account the feelings or needs of others. That is something I regret now as a missionary. 

 When I entered into the MTC it was like culture shock. Everyone was dressed the same, the only expression of character being the choice of tie. I quickly learned that the playing field was leveled, and we were all there for the same purpose. That purpose was not for our personal benefit. The purpose was to learn how to love, and invite others to come unto Christ.

 The first thing to learn was how to love your companion and show compassion towards him through your actions. This attribute is charity, something that Christ taught perfectly with his example. I would have loved to learn this principle in High School so that the transition to mission life would have been smoother.

After the MTC I was assigned to my first area in Mexico! There the patience, love and charity learned in the MTC continued to serve me well. As I continued to be positive the adjustment was made easier each day. The love for the people grew stronger and deeper every hour of the day. The transition was not easy, but was made light while I relied on the Savior. Through the difficult times the Savior was their to support me. In my first area I learned to rely on the Lord in all that I did. He guided me through every moment. As a new missionary I had no idea what to do, where to go, or what to say. I relied on the Lord like I had never done before. Now I have a testimony of the Savior and I trust him in all that I do. Reliance on the Lord Jesus Christ is key to our success here in this life and eternity.

After six weeks in the mission field I received a call from the Mission President to be the Financial Secretary for the Mission. I had no Idea how I would do it, I had six weeks in the mission field, barely spoke Spanish, and was a mission secretary. How would I do it? I felt overwhelmed with anxiety and stress. In this moment I had to rely on the Lord even more. I prayed for comfort and guidance in my new assignment. The Lord has guided me every step of the way and has never left me alone. 

 I believe the Lord has prepared me so that I can fulfill the assignments he has given me. The experiences that you are having right now in your lives are preparing you to be successful servants of the Lord. I didn´t know everything before I came out here, and I for sure still lack knowledge and ability, but the Lord is always by my side to support me. 

 

I could say that the physical effects have been the most dramatic for me in the mission, but that wouldn't be true. The spiritual experiences have changed me. I have grown to know my Savior, Jesus Christ. I have learned to trust him in all that I do. This confidence in the Savior had helped me get through the hardest of times. I know that the Savior is always by my side, and always will be. He has a perfect plan for each and every one of us. He knows you perfectly, and will never leave you alone. I have grown to love my Savior dearly, and would invite you all to ´´Come unto Christ´´ just as the 2014 mutual theme invites us to do. Through him and his perfect plan you will find peace and happiness throughout this live and the eternities.  

Elder Quinn

 

We got this email from McKay at 6 pm last night:

Yeah, I just finished the fin de mes finances! WHOOO!!!! Time for P day! !!! oh wait, p day is over... :) Time to sleep :)

I love this work! It is so busy!

 PS Elder Oaks is coming on February 8 to talk to the missions here in the city! SO stoked! 

Love you all.

Elder Quinn

 

Excerpt from McKay's companion, Elder Brown's letter home:

Its been another great week in Mexico and in the mission.  We had a little upset Saturday finding out that W____  couldn't get baptised.  She had a special interview Saturday and President decided he wanted her to wait a little bit so she could be more prepared for the covenants she will be making!  We are going to continue teaching her and keeping her spirits up cause she was way sad that she has to wait even longer.  The ward is supporting her and she will be fine!  Our other investigators are kinda just there and not fully progressing so we are gonna have to work extra hard to get them going. 

This week we had our zone conference which was awesome and spiritual as always.  Our mission president seriously has such a strong testimony and I feel blessed to be able to learn from his counsel. 

Me and Elder Torres have been in the migration place all day today with the new missionaries taking care of all there visa stuff which went well but took up like all my p day.