Week 58: Transferred: Left Huejutla Hills and now in a SMALL PUEBLO!

Hey familia!

How are you guys doing? I hope really well!

So your probably wondering why i didnt write you yesterday. Thats because i got changed to a new area! Thats right it was transfers.

So i left good ol Huejutla. I loved that area so much, even though we had to climb up those mountains all day long. And i loved my comp Elder Santeliz. He is a stud and a great friend. He is like my brother.

I was a little hard to say good bye to Alfonso.  I figured out that i was leaving after the first class on sunday and i didnt tell him until church was over. But guess what??? Alfonso recieved the Aaronic Preisthood on sunday!!!!!!!! And i got to participate in the ordenation. How awesome is that, I got to find, teach, baptize, and see him recieve the preisrhood. I feel so blessed to have been apart of his life and see that miracle. Miracles do exist! I gave him a picture of his baptism with us in it and wrote some things on the back.

I also said goodbye to other members, just a few because i didnt want everyone to come up to me saying oh wow where are you going, blah blah haha things like that.  I went to say goodbye to the hermana taly and her family, the lady that i shared that how you have been an example to me mom! She reminds me so much of aunt kelly, just her personality haha

So your probably wondering where im writing from, Im in Tanquian, San Luis, Mexico!  Its a REALLY small town. I thought Soto La Marina was a small town, i thought wrong. This area is even smaller.

They just barely opened it up like 6 months ago, they closed it in 2011 because the missionaries couldnt teach anyone! No one wanted to listen to them. But every thing is changing for the better, from at least what i have been told. Im the District Leader of the district with 4 elders. I have us two here in Tanquin, and another 2 elders in another small town an hour away! We are in the middle of nowhere! Its so cool!

My compa is Elder Soto from Chile! And im his step father, or in other words im his 2nd companion. He just finished his in field training so he's a greeny haha.  He is cool, his got a girlfriend waiting for him, likes cool music, he's a ballerina haha, likes to dance and things like that.  Honestly if he didnt tell me that he was a ballerina i would have never guessed he was.  And he seems like a hard worker so thats always  good.

Im really excited for this change here in this small town.  Wish me luck and pray for me with EXITO (success).   I love you all.  :)

Love,
Elder McNamara

Huejutla!!!!!! WWWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Week 57: Letting Go of the Unwilling and Moving On ... All is Well

Hey family! 

Well this week was alright.  Not as awesome as the week before but that's all good!  

I got pretty sick tuesday night and all wednesday.  We ate some wierd food for lunch tuesday and after i was feeling pretty bad the rest of the day. Then when we got home i told my comp, im going to throw up in one hour. And i was right!  haha  i was throwing up like crazy then again at like 5 in the morning.  I was feeling like poop.

Then wednesday was the district meeting and for some reason we combined the 2 districts here together and the other leader taught.  I was alright with that because i wasnt feeling good at all.  But before the meeting we all met together to practice contacting people in the street. And we all left to go contact for 10 minutes. It was really cool. 

We were walking out of the church and there were people right there but my comp and i got nervous and then we kept walking haha but it turns out that the sister missionaries contacted them and they are in our area.  So we visited those people last night and now they are our new investigators! haha.  But we went and contacted this guy and taught him real quick the restauration and stuff.  It was a cool experience.

 

After the district meeting we went to the food and i only ate one plate and started to feel like poop and we went home.  And i fell on my bed with my missionary clothes on and just passed out for 4 hours haha but im feeling good now.

This week with lessons and teaching people was a little difficult.  Some less actives dont want us to visit them anymore. And we dropped our other investigators because they werent doing anything, reading, praying or going to church.  So we have been focusing on finding new people.  A little difficult at times!!  A lot of times getting rejected by a lot of people.  But everyone has their own time for every thing right?  We are just there to give them the opportunity to choose if they want it or not. 

Saturday night was really good and funny!  So we taught Alfonso that night and that lesson was really spiritual. That morning we were thinking about what we could teach him to help him and at the same time repass the missionary lessons with him.  So i was thinking and then i opened the Liahona with the general conference talks in it.  And i opened to the talk of Russell M. Nelson (Decisions of Eternity) I LOVED THAT TALK.  And it was perfect for alfonso. 

It talks about how the everyday decisions determine our destiny. Our decisions with our body and how it effects our spirit. With drugs, alcohol, tobacco and even swearing, treating people badly and sexual stuff. Then it also talks about marriage and all that. 

We used that to teach the principle the gospel blesses the families. Alfonso really liked the talk and expressed how he felt and stuff.  That how he did all that stuff before but then made a decision to change and he did!  And he told us how all his friends and family have noticed this change that has happened in him. And it makes them interested in the church!  Actually he already has taught them a little what he has been learning and stuff!  Alfonso is a true convert to the gospel!  He also told us that he has been thinking a lot about it and that he now wants to get married!  He just has to find someone...It was a really good lesson. 

Then after that we were walking home. Coming down from the mountain. And we passed a house that was playing music really really loud and we pass it and oh my gosh hahaha i about peed my pants i was laughing so hard. There were 3 drunks dancing in a circle with beers in their hands really uncoordinated haha and then they called us over like ¨HERMANOOOSS¨ then we started talking to them and the main guy was asking about Jonas and how long he was in the desert then i told him that was Moses and then he asked me how long did moses fast and what did he eat when he was fasting hahah then the other yelled from where he was sitting and said ¨The bible says......that when one talks.....the boss wakes up¨ It was really funny. 

Well theres my week for you all.  Im really happy that im here on my mission and serving the Lord.  Best thing in the world to do!  I only have 10 months left and ill be home...WOW.  The time has really flown by.  I have learned a lot in these 14 months about the gospel and myself but more importantly about the savior and his sacrifice.  Im grateful for my Savior.  Everything about the church is true! Word.  I love you all :) 

Love,

Elder McNamara 

p.s  Shout out to Michael my bro.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAN!!!!

Week 56: Starting 2014 with the Baptism of Alfonso!

Hey family!

Thanks mom and dad and Brandon for your emails.  I really liked them a lot.  Made me feel good.  So, thanks for that.  :)

Well well well...this week was pretty awesome!  I had fun and felt good.  This week we prepared Alfonso for his baptism. What an amazing experience.  But I'm going to save that for the end of this email.

We were teaching Alfonso last monday and all of the sudden he started telling us a story about how he was talking with his amiga about the church, that she had some questions and stuff.  And Alfonso answered them perfectly and he said that he felt really good sharing the gospel.  And also he told us that he saw ¨the other side of heaven,¨ the movie where the girlfriend faithfully waits for her missionary, and he said that when he saw it he wanted to do something like that, ...being a missionary.  A future missionary???  Maybe, who knows; but that would be so cool and awesome.

One day my comp and i where contacting people because all our citas fell through. So we go to this one house and this grandma came out and said she was catholic but it was okay to pass in. So we go in and meet her son in law. Who turns out to be christian. So we start talking to him about the bible and christ and stuff. He had a ton of knowledge of christ and the bible. It actually surprised me!  While we were talking i was thinking to myself, how or what can i teach him right now to help him or bring him to church.

So, literally right after the scripture in the bible, Ï have other sheep which are not of the fold, one fold and one sheperd¨ So i pulled that out and we read it. and i explained it a little and BOOOMM pulled out the book of mormon and we started talking about the book of mormon and joseph smith and how to gain a testimony about it.  Then we read a few parts in the book of mormon to show him that it says the same things as the bible. That God is always the same.  He wont say one thing to a nation and say a different thing to another. He understood really well and said that he was going to read it. It was a really cool lesson.

After all that he shared something with us that i believe he was inspired to say it for me.  He started talking about the story when the apostles saw Jesus walking on the water.  That they thought he was a ghost.  But Jesus said, Peace, it is me.  Then peter asked the lord if he could walk on water as well.  And Jesus let him. So, peter stepped out of the boat and started to walk!!

He had his sight set on the Lord.  He didn't look to the left or the right or behind him, completely set on the Lord.  But, then he noticed the wind and the waves and started to look around him and got scared.  He took his sight off the Lord and started to sink in the water, and called for the Lord after.

Hearing that from him touched me.  I needed to hear that in that moment.  I was having a little hard time.  But that story comforted me and i felt the spirit.  It made me realize a lot of things.  I was thinking about that story all that day after.

I am here to serve the Lord.  I am his servant.  There isn't anything better than this work.  Nothing better in the world.  I only have these 2 years to be apart of this great work all day every day.  What an amazing blessing I have!  The mission is honestly the best thing that has ever happened to me.  Changed and is changing my life for the better and I'm really grateful for that.  That night my comp and i talked about that for about an hour!  It was a cool spiritual talk.

I did divisions this week with the new elder in my distrito, Elder Norblad.  He's from Plamdale, California, and hes 18!   Isn't that crazy, haha, and he graduated in 2013, thats wierd!   I'm old...I decided to do the divisones because he is having a hard time with spanish and teaching.  So i helped him out the best i could and gave him some pointers and stuff.  It was a fun divison with him.

And now for the best part of my week....Drum roll please bum bum bum bumb bubm bumbum aiahfdghdghdihgfdhgf    El servicio bautismal de Alfonso!!!!!!!!!!

I was so nervous and so excited at the same time.  One of the sister missionaries asked me ¨Your nervous huh?¨ I told her no then she told me ¨ Then why do you keep walking back and forth checking everything?hahaha   My comp and i filled up the font, (I got picture ill send you)  Then the baptism.  It was so spiritual!

When he entered the water my heart was full of joy (like the scripture in alma) Then the brother that did the ordinance said it perfectly and everything.  Then he was baptized!!  After we were singing hymns waiting for them to change and i had tears in my eyes i was just so grateful to be able to bring a soul unto christ.

My comp and i just gave each other a huge hug haha Because its pretty rare to find someone and start teaching them and see their baptism without changing an elder out.  Then after it was all over and everyone left we gave our gift to Alfonso.  I gave him a tie and my comp also, and we also gave him the book of mormon, the D and C and pearl of great price and the bible!

Then he asked me how it was when we first met him, because he doesn't remember because he was really really intoxicated. So i told him and then he started thanking us for finding him.  For helping him come unto his savior and helping him through this experience.  That was the best feeling in the world, to have your convert thank you for everything. What an amazing experience!

I know this church is true, and that I'm in the place that i should and need to be at this moment in my life. Thanks for all the support; and i love you all!

Love,
Elder McNamara

Week 55: Christmas 2013 and Soon to Baptize Alfonso

Well this week was alright!  It was really good to talk to the family and katie (via Skype on Christmas Day).  All you guys look the same.  haha and you all sound wierd now.  Or im just used to the mexicans and I speak like one now apparently!  I think thats cool.

After we all talked, we went home and just went to bed.  Fun christmas right?  ha no not that much. Talking with you guys was like a bitter sweet experience.  It was awesome and all but after i missed everyone so much.  I couldnt focus for a couple days.  It was a little difficult thats for sure. But saturday night and sunday made it all better!

So saturday night was the interview for Alfonso. The sister missionaries were there as well because their investigator was being interview too.  So we were in the hall way talking and stuff then their investigator came out and passed but alfonso and the zone leader were still talking.  The sisters left and my comp and I were waiting and Alfonso finally came out.  He was all quiet and looked all down and stuff. Then he told us in a low soft voice.  Hey guys, i dont know....what day i can be baptized, firday or saturday?

My comp and I thought that he didnt pass by the way he looked so we were all feeling down then we realized what he said then we jumped out of our sits and gave him a hug. It was so good to hear that news. That took away my homesickness a little bit.

Then on sunday i was still feeling down and all. So in sacrament meeting one of the elders talked.  He talked about the work of salvation. Of the members working with the missionaries.  He is a convert and he told his story about his mom and how she was baptized. That she rejected the missionaries for years but the missionaries kept trying with her until she finally let them in the door and they taught her. She was later baptized along with her two sons.  The thing that touch me was when he said he is eternally gratefull for those two missionaries. That they completely changed his life.

I started to think about that and how my investigator, ALfonso will feel the same about me. That he will be eternally grateful for me finding him and changing his life through the gospel.  He didnt believe in God or christ, he drank, didnt have self confidince but he changed everything.  I honestly saw a miracle through my own eyes.

Thinking about that i was full of joy.  Just like the scripture in Doctrine and Convenants 18 thats says if you bring save it one soul unto me, how great will be your joy with him in the kingdom of my father.  I felt that joy and casted out all my homesickness.

Im so grateful to be here as a missionary.  Even if its really difficult at times.  Im here to bring souls unto chirst and i will have brought one to him on saturday at 6.  I will be okay if thats the only one i baptized my whole mission.  What an amazing feeling to see someone change and be part of it!

Well i love you all.  Write you next week.

Love,
Elder McNamara

we found a new part in our area. Las Chacas

"showering" Christmas Eve

washing my clothes.  We didnt have power so i washed them in our washer we made

Christmas Day

Week 53: First Baptism Coming Up: Alfonso this Saturday; Then Christmas Skype!

Hey Guys!  

How was all your guys week?   Well my was pretty good.  My first week as a district leader.  I loved it! Wednesday was the district meeting and I gave the class, obviously. haha   I prepared everything tuesday and gave it wednesday.   It was really good!   I felt like i taught really well so thats good! 

then thursday I went to tampico for a meeting with all the leaders in the misison.  It was really good. We took a 4 hour bus ride to Tampico and stayed in the house of the assistents.  8 missionaries in a small appartment haha    I didnt go to bed until like 1 in the morning and woke up at 6 30.   Then the meeting there in the institute building. 

The president is changing things up in the mission because 12 x zone leaders finished there missions and he needs new leaders in the mission.  So he called like 25 new district leaders!  Its pretty sweet. The meeting lastest 7 hours and it was all about how to be a good leader and what we need to do as leaders in the mission.  I learned alot!

Alfonso is doing awesome. He is for sure one of those prepared by the lord.  The last monday we had a family home evening with him and another family.  It was good we talked about the life of christ and everything.  And we walked with Alfonso back to his house and he started asking us questiones about the temple and other things and then we started talkiing about normal life and he opened up to us and we were joking around!  It was good because before he was a little shy with us and stuff by now he just jokes around and all. 

Then my comp and another missionary taught him, because i was in tampico, but he told me all about it and Alfonso told them that he had finally recieved his answer.  That he was praying for several things and he felt a warm feeling inside and that he just knew that the book of mormon is true and that the church is true and that everything that we have taught him is true.  And he feels ready for his baptism and he is ready! 

What an amazing feeling to bring someone to the knowledge of thier redemer!  He will be having his interview friday and baptism next saturday!   OH man.   Im SO EXCITED!! 

Speaking about being excited. I CANT WAIT TO TALK WITH EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!      Next week (on Christmas Day) i get to skype with you all.   Im so happy to be able to talk and see everyone. I'm going to cry but hey, who wouldnt at this time?  haha

In this mission arrived 7 sister missionaries, but the difference is, is that they are american!  The first time in forever that american sister missionaries have been in Mexico.  And theres 2 here in this town. BUt they arent in my district haha 

Hey! I will probably be call skyping on Christmas around 4 PM here so that will be 3 in utah and 2 in california. I might be calling a little earlier than that so be ready please. And come with questions and stuff that you want to ask me and things to talk about!!!    Please dont forget that!   Questions and things to talk about!!!!!!!!

I hope everyone will have a good week this week!   Love every single one of you. 

Love, 

Elder McNamara 

Week 52: David is Now a District Leader! Leading the Elders!

Hey guys!!!...well im still in my area, Huejutla B!!

I'm excited and glad that my compa and i will still be together. Like i said before we are like brothers haha oh and Im the new district leader! Woohoo.

Im excited to serve the other missionaries and be able to gain some experience as a leader.  Im a little nervous though because i dont really know how to be a district leader..oh well i will learn on the way!

This week was good. We taught Alfonso monday and thursday, we taught him the Law of Chastity and the other time of repentance. They were awesome leasons. I swear every lesson we have with him is so spiritual. And he understands about everything we teach him. He is for sure prepared 100 percent by the lord. I feel so grateful to be able to bring him unto his savior.

On friday the zone leaders, they are in our district, had a baptism. Their investigator was 100 percent prepared also and Alfonso came too!  It was good and helped alfonso clear up his doubts he had and when David (the person that got baptized) shared his testimony. OH YEAH it was perfect and exactly what Alfonso needed to hear.

He talked about how he would go to many different churches looking for something to fill the openness he had inside him. That each church he went to there was something that he didnt like and that none of them would fill that emptiness he had, until he came to our church. The feelings he had when the missionaries were teaching him and going to the church and all would fill the emptiness he had inside him. Thats when he knew he had to keep going and get baptized!

It was an awesome story and testimony! I actually taught David for the first time when i did divisiones with the zone leader Elder Stokard. My comp and i are thinking that David should baptize Alfonso in these next few weeks. How awesome would that be!

Elder stockard finished his mission today. He left during church yesterday, he passed behind me and put his hand on my shoulder and said I love you man and then left! Oh my gosh just thinking about when that time will come for me makes me a little sad! Thats going to be so hard for me. I love the mission, its so fun!  Well only 11 months until i finish my mission. That time is going to fly by!!

One day we were walking in the street and we didnt know where to go because all of our citas fell through. I was thinking to myself like this stinks, what the heck are we going to do now...i was kinda mad but then we see a old lady in front of us pulling this cart thing packed full of wood and straw!

When i say packed full i mean its coming out of the edges like 2 feet on all sides haha so we help her pull it to her house which was like 2 miles away. I pull it the whole way and oh man!! I was sweating like a pig!

But we get to their house and turns out they were going to use the wood and straw to make their mudd house. They already had the mudd they just needed to add the straw! We ended up talking to her son and her sons wife. We talked a little bit then we brought up religion and they go to a christian church and are liking it and all.

So we talk to them about the book of mormon and profets and stuff. they seemed pretty interested.  We are going to visit them this week so we will see how it goes!   That was pretty much my week for you. I love you all so much! I miss you guys like crazy, but the time will go by.  Have a good week!

Love,
Elder McNamara

the hermana taly was cooking some chicken and out her dirty hand on my face!! hahha

For Dad, a somewhat sad Mexican Festivus 2013 (it was the best pole I could find)

For everyone, instead of the Festivus Pole, a Christmas Tree in el pueblo

"Only 11 months to go .... hmmmm?"

Week 51: Dreaming "I'm Thirsty for Water ..." in SPANISH

Hey family!  How are you all?

Im doing good.  It was a good and fast week.  Im just still thinking about the OSU game that mom told me. HOW SWEET IS THAT!  I wish i could have saw it.  Thats my team right there killing it like they should. GO BUCKS!!!

Those pictures that you sent me mom brought back so many memories from nags head and good old deseret!  What awesome times those were.  Such a blessing to have lived in a place like we did.

I cant believe that Bryan O´conner ("Brian O'Conner" was Paul Walker's character) died in a car accident.  Now i wont get to see anymore fast and furiious movies!!

Today has been a really good day.  So in the center palaza a ton of people from all around has put their tents and stuff to sell.  Its so cool and lets just say i bought some really cool stuff.  I had to get out of there before i bought more things haha but hey...YOLO.

So i get to talk to you all in 23 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Im so excited to get to talk with you all again. Its been 7 months since i have talked to you all in person, well kind of.  Im going to say right now im going to cry when we talk haha.  Its all good.

So i have been on my mission for a year now.  WOW where has the time gone? Really it has gone by really fast. And ill be home in 11 months!  One missionary has told me that the mission is 1 year and 1 second. Im sure thats true!  I have learned so much in all areas, Living on my own, getting alog with people, talking with people, and especially about my savior! The best thing that i can grow here is my testimony that will help me for the rest of my life!

Want to hear some thing funny that happened this week? So like tuesday morning at like 3 in the morning. My compa was awake because he couldnt sleep and then all of the sudden he heard me say ¨Tengo sed....agua....ahhhhhh!!¨ haha the thing is, is that i said it in spanish while i was asleep. Looks like im dream in spanish now! Im becoming mexican.

So our investigator, Alfonso esta con ganas todavia!!. He is for sure one of those people that are prepared by the Lord to hear the gospel. I am 100 percent sure about that. Every lesson that we have with him is so spiritual and he is progressing so much. Guess what?  He stopped drinking since we taught him the first time!

Alcoholism is something that is really dificult to break but the gospel and the desire changes everything and makes everything possible. And guess what else. We found out that he plays xbox 360, AND he plays Halo and Call of Duty!!!  What person is not more perfect for me to teach on the mish?

We talked about Halo for like 10 minutes after a lesson we had last week haha.  He always invites us to play with him after but we got to say no...:( He came to church for the 3rd time in a row yesterday.  And he is in 1 Nephi 17 in the book of mormon. I cant wait to see him baptized the 28th. That will make my whole mission worth it.  My first real baptism in my whole mission.  Not only the fact of having a baptism, seeing someone coming to the knowledge of their savior and seeing that light grow in their eyes.  (Took that from a scripture in mosiah)

That was my week for ya.  This week is the last week of the change. so i might get changed out this next monday but who knows.  I dont want to be changed.  I want to stay here because we are raising this area and my comp and I get along really well, and for alfonso!   Pray for me that i stay.

I love you all so much.  Have a good week   :)

Love,
Elder McNamara

                                                       

"I am the Stig"