Week 7 Complete: Letter from David

Dear Family and Friends,

Welp! These past couple of days have been pretty awesome and interesting!

On Sunday we got new zone leaders, which was 2 elders in my district. Then a new district leader in my district, my comp. Then I was made Senior companion. Nothing special but cool I guess.

Then on Tuesday was really awesome!! So we have devotionals every tuesday and for some reason my comps and I wanted to go do choir for the devotional. So we got in and practiced with everyone and stuff. And we did it becuase we knew someone big was coming to speak. During choir practice the were setting up the chairs and stuff and this guy went around the chairs with a mirrior and was checking underneath each one making sure there wasn't a bomb! So I was thinking the prophet was coming or something.  And the MTC presidency were all changing so we got a new presidency and 3 new buildings had to be dedicated.

So we go back in the GYM, where they have devotionals, and are waiting until the speaker comes out. And guess who it was?.......Elder Jeffery R. Holland!!!!!.  I was so excited haha So his talk was so good! He was yelling at us pretty much and it was awesome! haha

Its cool, he could just focus his talk on us missionaries instead of everyone in the church. He was talking about his mission and how he still cherishes his mission to this day. And that he is jealous of us that we get to be on our missions in January 2013 and how its just the most exciting time to be a missionary. More exciting than any other time in History of the World.

Then he went on talking about Preach My Gospel and how it came about. But before he starting talking about that he stop. Looked at all of us and Pointed and commanded us that we better come home with one convert. AND IT BETTER BE YOU! he yelled that at us.

He remembered when president Hinckley was the prophet and they were in a meeting and President Hinckely asked all the aposotles, Why are there missionaries that come home and become in active? Why is that happening?  Holland started crying and said "how can you teach about all of this, baptize people, and see all the changes in peoples lives and how the gospel blesses them and come home and become in active?"

Then he said "I don't care about anything, the background story, what happened in your life, in your mission, I dont care about the situation, But how can you possible say Im done with this! after 24 months of this?!" Then he said that why they came up with Preach My Gospel. It is meant to convert the missionary and then the missionary convert the investigator.

And then He said the turning point in his life was when he got his call. His mission has helped him all through his life and he still looks back at all the moments in his mission. The mission is the greatest thing in the world! Then he dedicated 3 buildings. So he gave the dedicatory prayer.

I have never felt the spirit so strong in a prayer before! IT was so cool. In the prayer he said that let the very angels from heaven guard the doors and windows from any evil thing in the world. That there will be NO violence and harm come to the missionaries. It was so cool! It made me cry haha.

Then he said that everyone loves the missionaries. And at every alter in the temples they're all praying for the missionaries! that made me feel better!

Then yesterday I got to Host the new missionaries! The first missionary I hosted was this 19 year old sister from Georgia. She was cool. Well I didn't really host her I just took her bags all the way to the main building then another sister missionary took her from there. But being a Host was kinda hard. Because I got to see everyone drop of their son or daughter and say goodbye for 2 years. I was trying so hard not to cry!

This one Elder I host was from Idaho. His mom, dad, brother, and 2 sisters came down with him to drop him off. They got out and I greeted them and got his suitcases and stuff. Then they said goodbye. The mom just started bawling. I was just standing in the back watching all of this happen. I was so heart broken! Then the dad started bawling and the sisters starting cry along with the Elder. I just had to look away so I wouldn't cry.

Then the dad look at me while crying and said "is it supposed to be this hard?" And i said "He's doing the right thing, serving the Lord." I started crying but I was hiding it. Oh my gosh it killed me! Then I took the elder around, showed him his room and class and stuff. I liked hosting besides the part of watching everyone say goodbye! Seeing all the mom just bawl killed me! Oh man. I dont want to do that again. haha

Im glad Katie sent you guys my pictures! Isn't she the best! Yeah she is!

The word for lets go is vamos. Oh and I should get my travel plans tomorrow. But I probably wont go to mexico right away. Because I dont have my visa and I haven't even been to the consolate, The guy you talked to and sign this paper to get your visa, so I'll probably get re assigned somewhere.

Some elder in my zone got re assigned to Nashville and another to Salt Lake City South. Uhm yeah if I get re assigned to somewhere in Utah for a month. Im going to die to be that close to Kaite! But hopefully I will get re assigned to somewhere cool! haha

Thanks everyone for all your letters I love you all so much!
Til next time, Nos Vemos!

ps. mom.. Kaite's birthday is Feb. 19. I dont know my wells fargo username and password. I never knew it! And I work out by doing push up and sit ups every night and just play vollleyball at gym or basketball!
I love you!

If you wish to send David a letter, he prefers you write him via "Dear Elder.Com"  (please, no direct emails while in the MTC.)

We suggest you get a free account at:  www.dearelder.com and send a letter to him ALL FREE while in the MTC.

His Mail Box (105), and Mission Code: Mex-Tamp.  
His Estimated Leaving Date is Jan 28, 2013.

or write him via snail mail:

Elder David McNamara
MTC Mailbox #105
Mex-Tamp 0128
2005 N 1900 E
Provo, UT 84604