Week 43: Semi-Annual General Conference from SLC to Mexico

Hey guys! 

Well sounds like you all had a good time in Utah! Both you guys and the christensens. Im a little sad that i couldnt be there but that time will come soon. Just a matter of time. 

But hey! What about that general conference huh? I thought it was so awesome! I tried to look for you all when the congeration sang together...but i didnt see you. ha but hey we sang together.  Well my 2 favorite talks were from the Sunday morning session. Henry B. Eryings talk, the first one. and President Monsons talk. those were the ones i felt the spirit the strongest. 

Hopefully you guys had a chance to see those talks but im going to sum them up real quick. So Erying talked about the atonement and how we can recieve strength even when we dont think we have any. He told a story about a grandma whose grandchild was really rebellious. That he got into really bad things, drugs, violonce, girls, and ended up in jail. Then the grandma couldnt take it and was walking back and forth crying asking why if she has done everything she could have done. and always tried her best to live the gospel, why does she have a grandson like that? Then she recieved an answer that [I gave him to you because i knew you were the one who would always love him no matter what he said or did[ then Presidnet Erying compared it to the savior and how much he loves us. He got pretty emoitional. It was a really good talk.

Then the talk from Prsident Monson. He started out talking about his wife. How last conference she was in the hospital because she had suffered a fall. then in May she pasted away. Then he talked about his love he has for her. That she was the love of his live, best friend and that he misses her so much. When he said that he about started to cry. That was the first time i have ever seen him cry. You could tell how much he really did love her. Thats the kind of love i want AND im going to have that love for my future wife (everyone knows who:)) 

Then he explain how he has gotten through this hard time because he is based in his testimony and the promise of his sealling has kept him going. It was pretty powerful! I started tearing up! I loved it. You all should watch it on LDS.org. 

Well besides conference this week wasnt too good. On tuesday our investigator dropped us. the one that had a date for her baptism! She sent us a message saying that she is not going to be able to meet up with us anymore and that she is going to congregate at the church she went to before! OH MY GOSH! 

It broke my heart to read that, i felt like if a girlfreind broke up with me! I was kinda down that day. I felt bad because we had no idea why she sent that and doesnt want to meet up with us anymore. She seemed like she was a golden investigator. And the rest of the day EVERY SINGLE lession we had planned fell through. We taught one lesson thats it. It was the worst day. The rest of the week was better though dont worry! 

Right now we are just having a hard time in our area. We dont have any investigaotrs and we only have like 10 less active families we are teaching. Our area is tough! We need help from the branch here but they dont do much. Hopefully the conference opened there eyes a bit to see that the WARD and MIssionaries need to work together to get the work going! 

This week i have grown my testimony a ton for Christ and his atonement. I have had some really cool personal experiences but i dont want to share them here ha. Lets just say that im feeling his love more and his hand in my life more. Its something incredible and i still dont understand it fully. 

The mission is definately one of the biggest blessings in my life.Its changing my life and looks like you all are seeing the blessing in your lifes too. Which is awesome. i love you all so much. I cant say that enough. 

Mom one lesson we had this week we were teaching a single mom and she has 2 little girls. She was saying how hard it is on her to raise them because she has to do everything. SHe works everyday and her family doesnt support her at all. So i was sitting there listening to her wondering what i could say to her to help her. 

Then i started to explain just how important it is for the mom to be an example to thier kids. And how hard of a job it is to be a mom. then i started to tell her about you mom. About how hard it has been on you in the past and how much i look up to you.  Im not going to lie, i started crying talking about you. I couldnt say anything for a couple seconds then i said that My mom means so much to me. 

Then i said that being a mom is the MOST important role that each women has. and how improtant it is to teach their kids about the gospel. It was good lesson. It made me realize how much i miss you mom!! 

And the rest of the family too! I love you all. 

Love,

Elder McNamara

PS:  Dad,

Looks like the meeting for usana was a hit!  With the christensens loving it especailly barry  haha he is a good guy.  I cant believe how good looking katie is now. She has gotten more beautiful since i have left. 

Im definately down for doing usana. Im pumped for it. I would love to do it and want to do it. Reserve a spot for me. because i am going to need money to buy a car and a ring when i get back!

thats good that michael is doing with you and doing it seriously. looks good up there on stage. 

I love you dad and glad that you watched conference. Look for the talk of Jefferry R. Holland, he spoke on saturday but the whole time i was thinking about brandon. He talked about deep depresion, and its an awesome talk. It will be on the church website this week sometime