Borrowed this from Elder Hillstead's pictures.

Oh man so much going on! The mission home is so nice, and it was great getting to stay in there the first night and everything because Sister Anderson cooked for us, and it was super good, and there was us and some more elders and sisters that all stayed there, and it was good getting to talk to everyone and getting to know them. So I was either going to the heart of Philly or in New Jersey, but I got Philly! So we are right in here and loving it.

The weather has been pretty good and just talking to so many people, and it is a walking area that we are in and well we take the bus a lot so I have a pass they gave me for that.

President is great and so is his wife and all the people that work with him. I know I am going to love it here, well I already do. We have lots of great investigators as well. Too many to say but we are lucky because this area has been struggling for a while but starting to pick up.

It is a little sketchy here in north Philly, but I love it and really it is so many Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, Colombians.  They talk super fast though, but I am surprised at how much I really understand now and if I don't then Elder Newbold will ask me if I need to know what to say so I know like where we are in a lesson or something like that. No English at all pretty much ah but that is what I wanted.

Oh! So we have these great investigators who's names are Awilda and Roy and so last night we went over and taught a great lesson on reading and praying about the Book of Mormon. And so they were super nice and she is just about done with the Book of Mormon. They have three little kids but some struggles. So she had a bad marriage before so like next month she is signing papers to finalize the divorce so then she can get baptized and I was the one who gave them the invitation, and they both said yes! Super excited for them and we have two more who are just about ready as well and so I am super excited for that and we just teach so many lessons every day. We taught 15 lessons this week and also had 7 investigators that came to church yesterday which was like way crazy. I am loving it here and learning more and just having lots going on and lots of appointments. Also, we just meet people on the street and bus and it goes real well actually, and we do service actually at this Ronald McDonald house every Friday.  It is a place where families stay whose kids have like bad disabilities and stuff, and there is a ton of free food, and we can have as much as we want. One of the ladies at church said that I will for sure gain weight out here which will be good, but I gotta stay in shape. It is awesome out here and oh! so today Brother Lopez who is in the bishopric went with us last night and so he was asking me questions well in Spanish and found out I haven't had a cheesesteak yet so he took me and Elder Newbold today and oh it is soooooooo good and I got bacon on it and everything, but next week we are going downtown to see everything and going to a real famous place down there. It is weird taking a subway also.

I am so excited for Courtney, and ah yeah I gotta hear from Sam!

I can't believe that school is starting.

Oh man I can not believe that everyone is gone.

I can not believe he (Michael Moon) will be home then like that is so crazy that he will be home then already! Goes way too fast honestly.

I like hearing about all that is going on and so glad Sam is home but that is crazy. Just keep me updated on everything and that is so crazy (talking about the sister missionary that died in the car wreck in Oklahoma), but I mean things happen and you just gotta stay careful. Our mission president said The Lord protects you but as long as your being smart.

Well I'll send pictures in and I love you so much mom and so happy to be out here and hearing from y'all! It was great to give you a call and get to speak some Spanish.

Love you mom!

The group that went in the field the same day as Adam.  He and his CCM companion, Elder Hillstead, were the only 2 Spanish speaking missionaries who arrived that day. 

Adam with his mission president, President and Sister Anderson.

I can not believe we are about ready to head out of here. We are all so excited but sad because we will not see each other everyday and hang out and all that good stuff. Me and Elder Hillstead were talking about that last night and were like dude we are only companions for a few more days. Pretty sad cause he is super great and we get along very well. I have actually learned a lot more than I learned in school and I find myself just reading a lot more and just studying a lot. I am so excited for them(talking about Sam A. and Blake A.)! Can not believe that everyone is getting on their way and going to college, missions, or coming home. I just had a dream the other night that I actually saw Sam (Morell) somehow and it was so weird but cool. And yeah Emma can sing veryyyyy well but I can see her just crying up there cause Sam is leaving. I just love seeing all my friends heading out. That picture of Dave is crazy hah but that is so cool! I forgot that he was down here. Oh I am sure they did a great job and uh oh (talking about Shelley and Alex speaking on Sunday)! She (Lizzy) is gonna be so nervous I know and that is sooooo weird that she is giving a talk like that is not right. I forget blake (Midgely) leaves so soon! well that butt better email me. And no! Still got out of talking again this week but probably will speak for sure this week since it is our last week so we shall see. It is on the atonement so that is not too hard. I find myself being able just to write stuff out in spanish instead of having to look everything up all the time. So that is real nice. I will speak some spanish when I call yall on tuesday so be ready. And oh goodness!! (telling him about Bishop Baker's unfortunate accident with Nick)That made me cringe just thinking about that. Poor guy! I know that had to kill bad. Well I hope that gets all fixed up and he recovers quick!  I can not believe he (Sam Morell) will be home so soon! That is just so crazy how fast it went and I talk with his trainer a lot cause he helps us out with out spanish also. Sam had to help him with English though cause he spoke next to none. Oh yeah Hermana Aunaud who is our morning teacher told us a story like that (like what Brother White shared Sunday in his talk) and she just said she bore her testimony and then just walked off but she cried cause she was just so upset for them and everything cause this priest actually set her up and was acting like an investigator and invited them to come teach him but they did not know he was a priest so they went. Then they got there and he had like three others and all they wanted to do was fight about the gospel but they were not going to do that. So that was a good story to hear though if something like that happened. She was in Jersey so she said look our for it in Philly also. Just a pretty good spiritual week. I am really going to miss my night teacher Hermano Sainz cause he is like one of the best teachers and guys I have met. We talk a lot and he has shared lots of experiences from his mission and the other night when it was dark he took us out in a field to have a spiritual experience and he talked about seeing us made him have flash backs of his mission and he bore his testimony and started crying as did the rest of us. That was probably the best thing about this week. I have learned a lot and I have loved reading the scriptures in Spanish and in English cause I learn so much from both. Just excited to go teach the people in Philly and everything. I did get a little sick this week with a stomach bug but it was going around the whole CCM. HIllstead got it too and lots of people. We fasted sunday for everyone that had it which was nice. And thank you so much for the last package here! Really appreciated for sure. It has been such a great experience to be in the CCM but it will be even greater in the field I know. I love you very much! And oh yeah I forgot Max (Sultan, a friend back in Georgia) was heading out!

Love, Elder McArthur

A few pictures from the last 2 weeks

Here's the letter from last week 07/30/14

 

 While you guys are there the Andrus' are in California:p lol. Well I hope it has been a fun trip so far and honestly the weeks are flying by like it is crazy. Me and Elder Hillstead are so excited to get to Philly and oh! His Dad served in London as well! We thought that was crazy and that we are companions. I can't believe that Ryan left today! That is awesome for him and I know he will enjoy it. We basically have the same routine of getting up, breakfast, language class, practice teaching, lunch, study time, gym time, dinner, then night class. It is pretty fun but I just can not wait to go to Philly. And no talk on Sunday! Would have been scary too cause President and Sister Pratt were in our sacrament meeting. I actually always am getting up easy like I normally wake up before the alarm. The spanish is coming great actually like I will be praying in English in my head but I will find myself like saying it in spanish instead so that is weird actually. It is funny cause i find my prayers being really long cause of all the things that I pray for out here. (this is when I told him about his Aunt Kara's niece going to Philly as well)Oh wow! Well that is super cool. I will be looking out for her for sure then and also excited to see Jake! That is going to be great. I cannot believe Spencer is already coming home and Sam will be in two weeks! Crazy story so we were studying right and this guy comes in and was like, "is there an elder McArthur?" I said what's up? Then he was like Sam Morrell wanted me to tell you what's up and everything! Turns out the guy was Sam's trainer and he works here now! So cool! I have had lots of stuff happen like there was also this one guy who I kept having to take a double take cause he looks just like Uncle Brian it is crazyyyy. Just been some boosts this week and oh so we got to go to the temple today! Couldn't go in cause the foundation is all messed up but it was cool cause we toured the visitors center and guess who I found on the I am a mormon thing? Nomdi! idk how to spell it but it was super cool! He told all about himself and his sculpting. It has been a great week. Everything else has been routine but just some cool things that happened this week! Well send pictures and I hope yall have a fun time in Florida! I love you! 

Love, Elder McArthur

 

 

 

 

 

 This is from this week 08/06/14:

 

I can not believe everyone that is leaving every week like that is just crazy. When all of them leave it will be very quiet. Yeah and then Courtney! Oh it started to hit me pretty good but now that I am out here I would hate to have to come home or anything like some of these Elders have had to. We taught our first lesson with no notes at all the other day and it went real well. I find myself understanding things a lot better now also which helps a ton. Yeah plenty of things that I have learned that I did not know language wise. I am learning so much more though since I am reading the Book of Mormon and also Jesus the Christ which is great. Just felt the spirit a lot here which has really been helping me if I am having a tough day. I will not because I just do not have enough time in the day to read as much as I would need to for both english and spanish. But I am getting into it for sure.  Also my district has been wanting me and hermana walton in our district to teach them to actually play volleyball because we play a lot here. It is fun. So all the other guys like elder wrigley are going to Panama. But one is going to El Salvador and Belize. The Hermanas are going to Dallas and Tampa so I am getting there emails so they can send me pictures of where they are. (talking about the guy that Sam Morell knew here) Yeah that was so cool that I just randomly ran into him like that. but it was super cool. He has also helped me. I can not believe he comes home so soon! Hate that I had to miss him but I can not wait to visit with him when I get back. I remember when Spencer was just leaving also and now he comes home. Lol that is great. I am sure he had an awesome mission there. Then he can talk to his mom. (talking about Nnamdi Okonkwo here)Yeah that was so cool to see! Good to see him in that and see his story.

(talking about his testimony) Yeah I can tell that mine has grown since being here and remembering things that Thurgood said and everyone else. Well i love you too mom!! I am having a great time being out here more and more every day. (talking about my e-mails because his dad made fun of me for writing such a long one) No i like that they are long cause it keeps me up on everything! Nope! No talk! Oh one cool thing this week was actually elder taylor in our district had an itch and then we got to the casa and he took off his shirt and had completely broken out in hives. It was so bad so he asked if we could give him a blessing so we all got to the casa and elder halls gave the blessing and right after it was about completely gone. It was such a cool experience. Well I will send more pictures and i love you again so much mom!

Love, 

Elder McArthur