2/19/18

If anyone knows Raising Canes, the absolutely phenomenal chicken wings restaurant then I love you. They have one in downtown Knoxville.......I partook:) So good. This was a crazy week...full of exchanges and tons of fun. I got to go in the sunisphere for the first time my whole mission in the great TKM. So many memories I made this week but I think pictures will suffice. Sounds like everyone had a great time at Alex and Madi’s wedding:) 

Trying y bets and forgetting the rest and I strive to fulfill the responsibilities the Lord has given me. I though a lot today about Isaiah Ch 6 this week: 

1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.

6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:

7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.

10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

11 Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate,

12 And the Lord have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.

13 But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof.

Love y’all 

Elder Mac 

2/12/2018

Oh man what an awesome week. Packed full of insane action and staying busy/grindin for the Lord. 

Real sincere and quick Shout out to my big bro Alex and his fiancé Madi getting married in St. George this weekend!!! Catch me there in spirit muchachos! 

We are working SO HARD. I am so happy out here just werkin’ for the Lord! He is blessing us so much and also the other companionship in our ward! Elder Stockinger and Elder Adams! I love it here. 

Goldie Vela, a little 8 year old who has just lit up my world, was baptized this week. Jake the Snake is her Dad there in the pic. We had the opportunity to teach her and to help prepare her for baptism. It was amazing. The spirit was so strong there and Goldie even gave us shout outs for stuff she had learned. 

We ate at like the richest neighborhood in East Tennessee on Super Bowl Sunday. It as unreal. Member’s name is Brother Jones and he is also a chriopractor so we got to teach them about the Book of Mormon and get our backs cracked. Legit. To legit to quit. Brother Jones is kinda less active and he wants to play a round of golf together. So stoked. 

We went on two power ups this week. I went with Elder Farnsworth from Peoria AZ up in Kingsport and it was so fun hahaha. He is a funny dude. I also went with Elder Gohr from Idaho and for both of these power ups we went finding all day. Elder Gohr is the man. We played basketball against two black kids in the streets. Balled out. Got called an A-hole that day, classic. Just super fun days. I really enjoy helping out other missionaries and their areas! Kingsport Zone is doing really well!!!

We got smart phones and they’re amazing for the work. They make everything so much more efficient and also have great accessories such as a wifi hotspot. Still and IPhone guy but these Samsungs are sweet. 

Alberto Castro is doing so well. He is probably going to propose to his girlfriend this week and he has no concerns whatsoever. Our Bishop thinks he will become a general authority!! Haha he also is teaching Institute!! I have seriously never taught a guy like this. He is so prepared and the Lord is blessing his life as he progresses in the Gospel. 

Brandyn is finally going to move out. He hit a stand still in his progression. But he’s taking a critical step in his life. His home just doesn’t have the Spirit. Too stressful for their family financially, spiritually, and relationship-wise. 

Angela is still up in the air. She is doing fine, just baptismal date has not been decided. The Lord’s Time isn’t our time. 

We met some Awesome new investigators this week. Charlie Hopson is this super prepared homie in the ghetto and Rosa is a Hispanic girl (25 años) that I met at Golden Corral! People are everywhere. More updates on them later. 

I have been reading the BOM everyday and committed to read a chapter everyday for the next 20 years. LETS GO! I love 2 Nephi 2 and what it teaches us about the Plan of Salvation and how their is an opposition in all things! If we are on the right path it will always be Uphill. 

Just such a great week and our schedule looks fantastic for this week. Everyone going to Alex’s wedding I want to take pictures with yall hahaha (prop). 

Love yunz 

2/05/18

Hola familia btw I am absolutely cashed right now hahaha. We did an insane workout this morning with Jake the Snake Vela. Long story short we are alive and well. This guy is infamous in the mission. We had an insane week I hope I can fit it all in. Love yall so mucho.

Anyways so Tuesday was Zone Conference and the Spirit there was absolutely amazing. President Pickett laid down the hammer and used one of my favorite talks 
Called the 4th Missionary. I remember my cousin Steve sent me that so shout out to him. Our mission is making a huge push for obedience and accessing more into the spiritual power that the Lord can empower us with. In our zone, we are completely focusing on the BOOK of MORMON. We had a wonderful break out session and everyone is pumped to use the BOM with higher intensity. 

I had a wonderful exchange with Elder Lovell this week. We hit the streets hard and he also opened up to me about some of his personal struggles. I always try to point people back to the Lord and his amazing grace. 

Alma 32 has been an absolutely unreal chapter in my teaching and everyday life this week. Highly recommend that everyone reads it. Contacted Danielle Redmon from Lebanon this week and that made my day. Meeting with Sister missionaries this week.

Edna Omigie and her husband Oduwa are stoked for the temple and are attending Temple Prep. Im definitely going to their sealing. 

Everyone is amazing right now. Brandyn came up to me on Sunday and talked about how he’s already starting to pay tithes, reads everyday, fasts, and is looking fr an apartment to live in so he can get baptized. Such a legend.

Angela is finally back in town. Since she was gone for so long we will have to reschedule her baptism. All goodie. 

Alberto is an absolute legend. Best Law of Chastity lesson of my entire mission easily. He’s progressing well. 

Elder Rosengren and I had the opportunity to teach in Young Men’s on Sunday and the most important message that we feel would have benefited them the most was the Book of Mormon. Super powerful. Love the Youth. 

Love yall:) 

Elder Mac 

1/29/18

This week was one for the books. I am loving my time here in Johnson City so much. I have to take a few moments to talk about the climate changes here. It went from snow, to sleet, to rain, to pure sunshine all in one week. AYÚDAME. Read this whole email plz:) 

Starting off the week strong with Mission Leadership Conference in Knoxville this past Tuesday. We picked up the STLs and road tripped down so that is always a party. I had the opportunity to give a training in the meeting on Sacrifice and I alluded to Genesis 22 and talked about the effects of sacrificing not only bad habits, thoughts, actions, etc, but also the good things that us missionaries have to momentarily abstain from such as family. In the conference we had great trainings by Elder Hatch one of my last companions and also Sister Kite and Monty on becoming a consecrated missionary. Elder Leavitt (my dude) and Elder Hancock introduced Smart Phones to our mission which will start tomorrow at Zone Conference. I am STOKED for this. President Pickett is absolutely amazing. He is such a great leader. He is cracking down hard on disobedience and laziness in the mission and he’s doing it the right way. He is a great teacher and powerful. We made a mission goal to have 300 baptisms this next year and he also implemented new rules to reinforce the White Handbook. I am really excited to create new goals and plans for the zone this transfer. 

We are having fun teaching for sure. Our pool is fantastic. This transfer we are shifting from focusing so much on our “model area” to more of helping out individual companionships and ministering to their needs. We already have 8 exchanges planned for this transfer and for the most part we will be going to their areas. 

I will write more about my investigators next week. We are continuing to try to build their faith in the Lord, especially using the Book of Mormon. Angela might get baptized this week. She has been out of town this whole week and will be this week so that might change. All is well:) 

Two experiences from this week that really opened my eyes. We got a call on Friday from a less active member in Bristol who had a few friends that were in the hospital and the ICU for a new born child, named Casey Watters. This family, the mother had just had Casey 10 days earlier on January 16. She was born was some rare genetic disease that was deteriorating her lungs and other things. Approaching the family and feeling the spirit of the room it was apparent that Doctors and nurses knew that this baby was to pass away. Nonetheless, this family desired a priesthood blessing of God. As it says in James 5: 13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.

14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. 

I saw this little girl. She was about 3 lbs. Her head was about the size of a grapefruit. I was able to give her blessing and in the blessing it promised partial restoration of health. We left. I then remember getting in the car and Elder Rosengren earlier in our visit had read the scriptures found in Moroni 8: And I am filled with charity, which is everlasting love; wherefore, all children are alike unto me; wherefore, I love little children with a perfect love; and they are all alike and partakers of salvation.

18 For I know that God is not a partial God, neither a changeable being; but he is unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity. 

I broke down in the car as I thought about holding that child. I am so grateful for the Gospel that gives us strength through times like these. I know God loves little children. 

Brandyn Myers, one of my favorite guys out here is progressing really well. Last week he had said he wasn’t too willing to move out to get ready for his baptism. He called us on Friday night for 45 minutes talking about how he had slipped into some old habits. I recall some of the things that he told me as he was quoting to us the feelings of guilt, emptiness, and dissatisfaction he has been feeling. These feelings are very common for those who do not follow the Savior or aren’t doing what God would have them do. I remember similar feelings in my past life. He said he was tired of letting God down and he just wants to be right with him. The words of my favorite scripture were shared with him: 41 And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. 

He is ready for change. I seriously love repentance and the Atonement. I have changed so much and I have seen those changed in others. The Savior really does live and wants to forgive us! 

That’s all I got, les amo mucho :) Ciao 

Elder Mac