This week was interesting. Because all the new missionaries arrived this week, we didn’t get to go out on Saturday to proselyte. This made Friday seem longer because there was nothing to look forward to on Saturday and Saturday felt like an eternity in the classroom. We also fasted on Sunday because we always fast the first week the new missionaries arrive. So I spent the whole week in the classroom studying. It is easier to work your hardest in the class because the time goes by so much faster. And when you can see yourself making progress you feel a lot better as well. So, I don’t have too many spiritual or humbling experiences this week- just that my Spanish is getting better and better. It would be hard to talk with a native but whenever there is a gospel discussion in Spanish, I feel like I would understand it all and be able to say what I wanted. When we have firesides in Spanish, I can just pay attention and understand what is being said. It is such a weird feeling when you almost can’t tell which language someone is speaking because they both sound so familiar now. I have the Temple today and I get to take my new companion through. That will be a good experience to share next week.On Wednesday this week, we went on our tour of Lima. It was great!!!!! I took a lot of pictures (which I don’t know how I will get them to you but I will find out). We saw some really cool things: Huge catholic cathedrals, a tank, swat members, and much more. Me and my district bought ¨Link hats¨ (hat´s that Link from Zelda wears). Ask Cameron and Gavin… they will know what I’m talking about and can explain it. Mine is blue and I will wear it every P Day. My new companion is Elder Nunton. He doesn’t like soccer, which is funny. He kicks the football with me or we play basketball at Gym… or he will play volleyball while I play soccer. He LOVES Taylor Swift. He is a funny kid.
Sunday, I consecrated oil for the first time. It was a great experience to use my priesthood authority. I feel like I am going to possibly have to use it more pretty soon. The other night I gave another elder a blessing of comfort. Again, I got to use my priesthood authority. It was a humbling experience for me. Listening to the spirit is the difference between a good and bad missionary. I tried my hardest to say what the spirit wanted me to say. I blessed him that he would be able to be comforted and see the progress he was making in learning the Spanish language. I blessed him that he would feel the affects of the atonement and know that Christ feels his frustration and through prayer he can be helped. He was thankful for the blessing and I was thankful for the opportunity.
We had a rat in our classroom the other night and it caused quite a riot. Everyone jumped on their desk as it frantically ran around. We finally led it outside with no damage done.
Hopefully, I have more to talk about next week, since we will be tracting on Saturday and going to the temple today.
Love,
Elder McRae
I just got back from the Temple. It was great. I put names down on the prayer roll. This was the first time I had ever done anything like this. My favorite part of the temple was hearing the prayer, ¨Por favor, bendiceles las familias en la iglesia¨ (Please bless the families of the church) The workers giving the prayers always say exactly what is on my mind. They are truly inspired and it proves the trueness and divineness of the Temple. I also got to see my companion walk through the doors of the celestial room with a huge smile. It was just as great as the first time I went through, and the first time my first companion went through.
I have an interesting story about getting to the temple however. I was actually a little hesitant to tell it but I will anyway. Me and my American companion, Elder Curtis, were running a little late to catch the bus for the temple. As we left the MTC, the bus drove off leaving us behind. We were waiting for another bus to come by when a man called out to us and pulled over. He had the little family sticker on the back of his car and we felt good about accepting his offer, so we got in his car as he drove us to the temple. We thanked him and in our best Spanish, asked how he was and if he was a member. We were shocked to hear him say no. We were only in the car for about 5 minutes but managed to tell him that our church blesses families and God would bless him for his generous action. We also mentioned that maybe God prompted him to stop to pick up two white boys off the side of the road because we had an important message for him. We left him with a Plan of Salvation pamphlet since it was all we had. We both wished we had a Book of Mormon or something, but we didn’t. Anyways, point is, God puts people in your path for a reason. We have no idea if he will come to church on Sunday or even give us a second thought, but at least we did our part and just maybe planted a seed that will grow. I am not even in the field, but am seeing the miracles the Lord is allowing us to experience.
I am going to go play soccer on a beautiful turf field now for 4 hours on a beautiful sunny day. (first time we have seen the sun in about 5 days)
Love,
Elder McRae
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