January 11, 2016

 

Hey Momma! 

Yeah so I had an ear infection in both ears, throat and nose. So he gave me some antibiotics. It hit me real hard but I'm feeling much better now.

We are right by the King of Prussia mall which is technically the largest mall in America. It's giant! We are going to today actually. There is so much history here for sure. I love it here. So my new comp is Elder Beebe. He is a Spanish elder and he is from Casa Grande, Arizona! Super close to us I think. So how funny is that. He is a great Elder for sure and we get along great. He is huge in to cars but I mean he can literally do anything to a car. It's crazy. He is a hunter and mountain biker. He is pretty tall cause I think he might be barely taller than me? Or about the exact height. I enjoy being a district leader again and guess what?! Elder Weisler is my zone leader again! Lol. So I will be going on exchanges with him again. He was super excited. We definitely have people to teach here and are working hard. 

 

I'm so pumped Bama is going all the way! I have been enjoying my stuff for sure. 

 

Oh and yeah those fireworks were awesome and such a great view. Luckily I'm still really close to Philly and actually part of our area is over in Philly. We are just on the outskirts. We also will hopefully be having a baptism soon. His name is J, and he is so prepared and awesome! So I'm excited. They all like my Spanish haha. I had to translate for a Spanish girl yesterday in church. Spanish to English. There are some awesome members here too, and it is the biggest ward I have been in. Our Elders quorum president speaks Spanish but has a different accent cause he served in Spain. We already helped with a move also. So things are good! 

That's so awesome (President Wilding becoming a mission president)! So he was really one of a select few. I mean that's a lot but there are many members in the church. You'll have to keep me updated on that. 

I did not have anything really big this week but I guess one of my favorite scriptures is Alma 26:12 I believe it is. I'll be finishing the BOM for about the 3rd time soon.

 

Hard to believe I have hit over 18 months! It really does not feel like it at all. This could be my last area. I did not realize that Elder Newbold actually served here. I'm going to be emailing him today. It's passing too quickly. I don't know what to think. But I will continue to enjoy myself! Well I love ya momma! Send me some pictures if you got em!

Love, 

Elder McArthur

January 4, 2016

 

Hey Momma! 

Sadly I am! It has been 4 transfers which is how long I was in my first area. We will definitely be visiting here for a bit.

So we did! I'll have to get all the pictures but T was baptized. The whole stake presidency was able to be there too! So that was very awesome. His parents came and it was funny cause his dad is a huge eagles fan and he knew exactly who President Sikahema was. They got to talk after and he told him how the church is and how he still works and has his job but does this voluntarily. It was super cool. Very spiritual baptism. Now they are going to be helping him prepare for a mission. He wants to do it! We have 1 new investigator and his name is M. On the Spanish side of course. He is family of some members here and I think he wants to be baptized. So we will see what happens though! It was a great week. So I was wearing my Alabama hoodie last P-day and this guy had on a bunch of Alabama stuff and just came up to me and started talking to us. First he said Roll tide and then asked where I was from and all of that. It was funny. Older gentleman. We also went to the Drinkwaters for New Year's Eve. That was super fun and I got to see the fireworks over the Delaware river from Camden. I'll have to send a video or something. So definitely a great week for us. It has definitely been sad saying bye to everyone but I know I'll love my next area. I think I will be strictly Spanish again. 

We ate a ton. We could actually be out till 10 if we were with members so we were at the Drinkwaters. 

 

Sounds like it was a long haul!  Sounds like a huge ward! Lots of new people coming in.

I will let you know where I am going! Well I love ya momma and hope everything goes well out there! Tell the family I love them and say hello! 

Love, 

Elder McArthur 

December 28, 2015

 

Hey Mom! 

It felt like everything just went by so fast (our SKYPE)! I just did not realize how little time I have. It's definitely sad. I have enjoyed my mission a ton so far and I still have time to continue to enjoy it! 

Yeah! So we took Bishop Zmuda with us last night and they were all three (T and his family) there. He told us he felt prompted to see if they would all like to be baptized as a family or what he thought of is having T baptized and help him receive the priesthood so then he could baptize his sister and mom. It was a very powerful lesson and Bishop Zmuda is a great man. Very inspired. They are going to let us know tonight. That was probably the most spiritual thing about the week and also I definitely received an answer to a prayer in Elders quorum. It was really cool because we did not know what to share with a less active here who is struggling but the answer came in that lesson. I felt prompted to write it down so I did. Just lots of good things happening. We have not seen D, and I think one of the biggest ways is just really being able to care for anyone. I definitely love everyone out here no matter their circumstances. I see everything in a different prospective. I would say that. Just grown a ton spiritually cause I have read so much and prayed. It has been really great. So it was a pretty solid week for us and T actually just told us that now his Dad and Grandma are interested! That is a miracle in its own. So we are so excited! I love this area. We had 4 dinners on Christmas and got a couple Christmas cards from people.

I can tell just by the way everything has worked out. I guess nothing has really hit me just because I'm so into my mission that when I hear these things it's so weird and I guess I don't feel it's happening if that makes sense? But I trust the Lord. 

Well I hope the move goes well and send me pictures if you have some too! When you get there. 

Thank you again for the Christmas presents! Love ya momma! 

Love, 

Elder McArthur

December 21, 2015

 

I know! So weird that it is this week. I just wish it was even colder. This is definitely a warm Christmas. I can't believe he (Jacob Crandall) is home! I remember when he was leaving. Annie was telling me how excited she was for him to come home. So crazy how many people are going out and coming back still.

 

Yeah so we have a new investigator D. She is like our age and family of a family that are members in our Spanish group. It is all really new to her but she is progressing well. Yeah we just taught T last night and he is doing really well. His mom came to the Christmas party with him so she is doing well. We are going to meet with all three of them really soon so we will see how they are doing. D is doing pretty well. We are seeing him on Tuesday I believe. Also lots of people brought some friends to us yesterday. Spanish and English so will see how that goes with all of them. I love this area a lot. 

 

Oh we also had a Christmas party on Saturday. It was really good! Like I said T and his mom came. We are going to have an awesome Christmas! We have lots of people who have signed up. We will have breakfast and dinner. We also helped the sisters with a baptism. The guy in that ward that plays for the Eagles baptized him. He was 9 and he was like as big as his leg. He's huge! His name is Bro. Bair. He served in Jacksonville, Florida. We also did an awesome finding thing in Camden. We handed out hot chocolate and showed people the new video "A Savior is Born." It went really good! We talked to so many people and it was very effective. So good stuff this week! 

Not anything on K right now but we will see. We are going to be going to the temple soon actually! Like a week or two up in Manhattan. I'm super excited to go with them but he is doing awesome!

Well I am excited to skype home on Friday! I'm looking so forward to seeing everyone for sure. I love ya momma and let me know the time and everything and if you have some more pictures! Talk to ya again soon! 

Love, 

Elder McArthur

December 14, 2015

 

Hey Mom! 

Yeah he is super excited (Elder Weisler, aka Jake about us moving to Arizona too)! He said it'll be just like old times haha. That will be nice to have them out there! Haha Stephen will definitely be happy. Yeah I definitely have to get back (to Plano) for a while. I hope I'll be able to speak there! I would love to. Just cause that is where I left from. Yeah the house is beautiful. I'm excited to actually see it and everything. Just crazy that we will be out there! It will be nice to be by family. Especially for all the holidays. 

 

Yeah so we had a great week!  We also found another new family who are Puerto Rican that we are working with. Great family. We just talked to her and showed her the new Christmas initiative while she was outside setting up decorations. So we will see what happens! This would be my third baptism. Remember E? Him and Tu. But I'll probably have 5 here because I know we can get T, his mom and his Sister. Our Bishop is going to come with us to see them so we are super excited for that! So it was a great week for us. They all came to church and things are progressing very well. We also went on an exchange and I went to Camden again. It is interesting as always but it was a really good exchange. I went with Elder DeLand. He is from South Jordan like Elder Newbold(Jeffrey) haha.  He is a great Spanish elder so we had a good time. Oh! So Elder Bowman also kind of pulled me in to singing in the choir for Christmas at church. Sister Westman is in charge and asked us while I was on an exchange. But hopefully it'll go well! Haha. We have just been having lots of good things happen. I love this area a lot! So we did not get to teach K but we picked back up with D! If you remember him. He has been swamped with work cause he works the night shift and then sleeps during the day. But he should be at the Christmas program this coming Sunday. Now we are working on getting Tu to the temple! If we go we will go to Manhattan! We already mentioned it so we just have to plan a date. Tu just met with Bishop yesterday about the priesthood so everything should be good to go! I've never been to New York so that'd be awesome. 

Me and Elder Bowman have definitely enjoyed all the goodies. I'm eating them a little slower. I find when I eat too much of that stuff it makes me just feel tired. His mom sent him some good fudge so we have been eating that too. Yeah so the Westmans are going to have us over so we can skype at their house. They are excited. They will be skyping with their daughter also! They have 5 daughters I believe? So big family. So we will be skyping from there and you can meet them. 

I'm excited for Dad as well. I know it is a big blessing for him. Sounds like it will be a great opportunity. I bet the girls are sad and I know there friends are. But I know they will see them again! And keep in contact for sure. But I know it is hard. But I look at all the great friends I made in Dallas after the move. We will all stay friends for a very long time I know.

Well if you have any more pictures from out there or anything send them my way. I'll try to get more out today also. Love ya momma! 

Love, 

Elder McArthur

December 7, 2015

 

Hey Mom! 

So it was a great week for us. We did find a couple new gators! One named K. His mom is a member though. He is 26 and we are going to start teaching him. Also! T's mom! She wanted to sit in and it was so cool because she talked about how happy it has been making her son. Anyways! So everything really started clicking for her when we taught her and she really felt the spirit. She said she was very impressed and so we can hopefully get her baptized also! Very exciting week for us. Tu is doing great. We are helping him get the Priesthood very soon. We also had some exchanges this week. One with the assistants and one with some elders in our zone. They were great. I went to Philly with Elder Hansen who I have been with before. He is super awesome and then the other, Elder Hunter, came here with Elder Bowman. It was interesting cause we put some lights on for the relief society president. She is from Gilbert and actually looking at moving back there! How funny is that. She ordered us a whole pizza. I also did a baptismal interview for them cause he was Hispanic so I did it in Spanish of course. So it was great. I was able to be there for the conference call we do every Wednesday so I was there with President as well. He is so funny. I left my wallet in the assistants car and so they told me President would bring it to stake conference because we had stake conference this weekend, which was great, and so I go up to him and ask him if he brought it. He said, "No, they didn't tell me anything." And so I was like dang it! He just laughs and said, "nah! I'm kidding, I have it right here." Lol. Him and Sister Anderson spoke at the Saturday session and then the Sunday session was wonderful. The presidency out here is wonderful and gave excellent talks. I also saw Elder Kelley, Elder Hopkin and Riley as well since they are all serving in the stake. So a really great week for us over here! I'm going to be so sad to leave this area. This will be a must to visit. Oh! And T does have a date for the 3rd of January! He is super excited. Good things happening and lots of blessing. 

I am really shocked honestly cause it (the move) was kind of the last thing I was expecting. I feel pretty calm about it but still of course very sad. It's bitter sweet because I know we have family there, I have friends there, but at the same time I'm going to miss Dallas SO much cause all my very close friends are there. I'll have to be visiting often for sure. It will be different. I am also very happy for Dad though and that opportunity. I know the girls have to be so bummed and their friends. I am trying to look at the positives. I emailed Blake cause I guess he knows now. He is happy and sad too. He said he will help me adjust though. And I'll totally visit the Johnstun's!

 

I think I just love the Plano 8th ward so much I mean I consider it home for me at least because I would like to see everyone's homecomings. I'll figure it all out and definitely be praying. At least Elder Bowman can empathize with me. I am going to email Elder Weisler today actually and see what he thinks. Whoever thought we would end up out there? I didn't at least. 

I did not get to see it (Christmas devotional) cause we were in an appointment but I am going to watch the rerun cause I know it should be on Lds.org. It was great last year. I just love Christmas time a lot! 

I definitely have felt them there and know that they are there. The Holy Ghost lets me know and I can really see it work it other people. Like T's mother. She is a great lady and she just really felt it so strong. We pointed it out to her. She just said everything really makes sense when you break it down the way we do. So I know it's real but people just have to know and learn how to recognize it. 

Love ya mom and talk to you soon! I'll get some pictures out today! 

Love, 

Elder McArthur