Hey Mom! 

I know! It is coming up quick. I will! I have an idea a a thing or two. That is so weird that it is here again. Doesn't feel like it. This time last year I was just being finished training by Elder Newbolf(Jeffrey) haha. She (Megan) is too young to be getting that (learners permit). Just doesn't seem right! 

 

Luckily we get fed basically every single night here haha. The calendar is completely full for this week. 

It (trip up to the Restoration site in Susquehanna) was super awesome! You can just really feel the spirit so strong there and it was so beautiful because of the time of year it is. I got to catch up a ton with Elder Hillstead and Elder Hopkin. We sat next to each other. It was just so much fun. We talked for forever but gosh were we tired when we got back home. The sisters do a great job with the tours up there. I learned a few things that I did not know before so that was cool. The chapel is beautiful. The carpet that is in it is the carpet they use in the temples. We will definitely have to visit it all when we all come. We really thanked president a lot cause he has to get permission from like the Presiding Bishopric or something like that. I think one of best parts was honestly the river. Just knowing that is where they were baptized and being in sites where there were angels. You really feel the spirit. 

So T is doing great! Still just got to get to church but they are coming to the Trunk or Treat. We are seeing S and G Friday but as far as we know they are great and still reading. We are trying to see D but his new job is keeping him pretty busy so we will see what happens there. We found some new people this past week for the up coming week that seem like they could be solid. Some Hispanics! Also we are about to start teaching a guy who just got out of prison for I believe a DUI or something. He did not pay that tickets or something like that. I am not really sure but he is a very good guy. We have dinner with him and his wife tonight so we will see how it goes. Things are going good though. The week was a little rough just with things that got cancelled but it happens. We have such a busy week though cause we go to Philly on Friday again for MLC. That's the  meeting we have for the ZL's and Sister training leaders. Also an exchange and then all the trunk or treats haha. 

(asked him if they were trunk or treating) Nah we are just helping handing out candy and all of that. We have invited some people so hopefully it is a good turn out. It should be. I'm excited for the holidays!  This area though is turning into one of my favorites by far. Time just keeps flying. I think it goes faster when you are in leadership. At least to me it does.

Today is in the 50's. I can live with that. Hopefully I do not go back up north for the winter! Haha but who knows. 

(Responding to Bama's win this weekend against Tennessee) Good good! I wore by Bama shirt today. I will be seeing him Friday so I know he will give me crap about it. We better win or I'll never live it down. 

I get Kendall's emails now. So crazy she is gone too! So many of us out it is crazy. Yeah I just heard from Annie recently. That's so weird! I feel like I was just with him (Jacob Crandall) before he was leaving. 

(about his Christmas list) I'm really trying to think. I'm going to make it my goal to write a list cause I'm not 100% sure on everything. But I will do it I promise! Well I love ya mom and I'll send some pictures! 

Love, 

Elder McArthur 

 

 

                                                               Restoration site

                                                          Restoration Site

                                                                  Restoration site

 

Hey Mom! 

Yeah so my new companion is Elder Bowman. He is from Alpine, Utah. He was a wrestler and is one of 7. The 3rd youngest. He also was in drama and played only football. He isn't really in to watching sports and all of that but he is a cool elder! Good hard worker.  Elder Riley stayed in the stake. So we are the Cherry Hill North zone and then there is a Cherry Hill South. So now he is down there and I will also see Elder Hopkin more often because he just became a zone leader in Cherry Hill South! Transfers were great! Got to see lots of elders I have not seen in a while. I was really hoping to serve with Elder Weisler but he said don't worry, next time lol. So that is transfers! We had a really great week honestly. Found some new people and an awesome couple. Their names are S and G. Really open and she is already reading a lot of the Book of Mormon. They should be at church next week! T is doing well. We will have to move his date back a little though and also D. We had lost contact with D for a little bit but just went by the other day and set up an appointment for tonight actually so we will see how it goes. So lots of good stuff going on for sure! Hopefully we can get a few baptisms soon. Oh! So tomorrow as a mission we are going up to a The restoration site! So tomorrow is our P-day and today was like a half p-day. So we are super excited! But we have to leave super early. At 4:15 a.m. 

 

I think it has just really grown from the Book of Mormon. I have read it all the way through a couple times now that I have been out and have a much bigger and stronger testimony of that for sure. And the power of the priesthood. Miracles still do happen. We have a great gospel principals teacher. His name is Bro. Tuvell and he speaks Spanish also. He served in the Arcadia mission like Sam. I really love this area though cause the Ward is awesome. We have a really good relationship with the ward here. We have two trunk or treats coming up next week which is weird that it is here! Hard to believe that next month is Thanksgiving! All of my last holidays in the mission. Bitter sweet for sure. 

Yeah it is getting pretty cold now. We walked outside this morning and I was actually pretty cold haha but I'm kind of glad it is here. There was some snow around! But not here. I don't know how cold it gets here but I don't think as cold as when I was in Hazleton. 

Yeah I'm still praying about it. I still have time but I'll figure it out. I have prayed about baseball and have a good feeling about really trying to pray cause I have prayed about whether I should pursue that or not so we shall see what happens. 

Well after being in a car and then taking the public transportation I prefer that over the car. Just because we have a limit on miles and also for being able to talk with more people. I do like a car but I like just walking outside. This area has got me back into shape for sure. Soccer every Saturday, basketball sometimes and I have done harder workouts in the morning so I'm like slightly under 185. I also cut back on my eating habits and what I eat. I never thought I'd gain weight in my life haha. 

Yeah she did give a great talk. I have been listening to them in Spanish actually. I like listening to Elder Christofferson because he translates some of his own talks. His Spanish is amazing. 

I did! It is super nice cause it's fitted. He measured me and everything before it was ordered. Probably the suit I will wear home cause my other ones are a little bit more worn out. My Mr. Mac one has held up pretty well though. We are going to go to Philly again because a Elder Bowman has never been or served there. 

Well I love ya momma and I will email you some pictures probably tomorrow also since that is our full p-day! Talk to you soon!

Love, 

Elder McArthur

Hey Mom! 

So I am staying but Elder Riley is getting transferred. I'm so bummed! He has been an awesome companion so it's pretty sad. So it will be interesting to see where he goes.

So this week was great too! We ended up setting T with a baptismal date also! So we have 2 for November 1st. He just has to really start coming out to church and reading the BOM though because if not then we will have to push it back. But he really opened up to us about how he is feeling about and just with stuff that has gone on in his life. Crazy stuff happens in Africa. So yeah I'm super excited! He also comes out to play soccer with us on Saturdays and he is super good. We did a training last night also with the 1st counselor I believe in the mission presidency. It was for the mission prep class that they have here so that went really well. It was fun and interesting to think that I was in that position before too. I thought my mission was so far away and now here I am 15 months in. That blows my mind! We also had a great lesson and dinner last night with a less active couple who is going to be reactivated. Just the best couple and they love the missionaries. I don't think they really have a reason for not coming just that they were not coming. It was interesting because she told us that she has been feeling a pull back to church recently because of this one family who are members and then she said, "And you guys showed up." So she knows that was her answer that she needs to come back along with her husband. They are probably both in their 60s I'm guessing. So we are excited because lots of less actives have been coming back that we are working with. Oh! We I also went to Camden this past week on an exchange with Elder Fowers. He is leaving also. It was good! We talked to lots of people and had a lesson or 2. I love going over there because it's a walking area. They also take the busses and a subway. So it reminds me of being in Philly. So those were some of the highlights from my week. 

Having couples go out teaching is the best. Sounds like we have some good missionaries there.

Yeah it was a great general conference. Now it is out so I'll have to go back to some of the talks and just see maybe if I missed anything. 

The weather here is just very inconsistent. Today it is over 70 and also tomorrow. Then it will drop. So idk! Cause when it is over 70 we don't have to wear sweaters. So I saw a belt the other day but it was like 40 bucks so I did not know if I should get it. It was in Philly last week cause we went. I was just looking around at ties, belts, etc. 

Coming up so quick! Last Christmas was so much fun and I imagine it will be another great one as well. But I don't think it can't beat last year just because of the awesome Elders I was with. Me, Elder Park, Bloomfield, Hopkin, Hillstead and Villalba. Too much fun haha. I'm super excited for the holidays because it is just a great time in the mission. But these are the last ones so I will be soaking it all in. 

Me and Elder Riley have been watching things on LDS.org about all of the prophets and it is interesting to see their background. They were all such great men honestly. 

That's exciting. So many missionaries out from our ward! It's so crazy but exciting for lots of families. Especially the Hill's since Alex is the first. She will be speaking some very different Spanish of what I speak though. It has been cool to see my Spanish come so far and I know the Lord has blessed me. Now when me and Elder Hillstead are together all we do is speak Spanish to each other. Rather than when we were in the MTC and could not speak anything! Haha. Exciting times but gosh time just flies. Love you mom! And talk to ya soon. 

Love, 

Elder McArthur

Hey Mom! 

Yeah Conference was definitely awesome. It was cool to see President Durrant up there and having met him before. Gave a great talk! I think I'm going to try to do that whole "Ponderizing." I think Priesthood session was my favorite. Just excellent talks given. I took some notes and one of the talks that really stuck out to me was Elder Larry R. Lawrence on asking ourselves "what is keeping me from progressing?" Just how can I be better and asking the Lord and he will give me that customized answer. So I enjoyed his a lot. Poor President Monson though. I was so scared for him and honestly thought he was going to give out but I just felt that spirit very strong as he testified. He ended up being ok. I don't know what happened to him but I know he is just getting older. The new apostles are awesome. I'm super excited to hear them really speak in the next conference. I really liked Elder Renlund. I don't know if you read how they are called but definitely read it. It was real interesting. We ended up just watching it at the church which was totally fine. I can't believe this is my third one in the mission though. Goes by too quick! 

So D now has a baptismal date for November 1st! He is awesome and really understanding. So he is or was at least a practicing Muslim but ever since he met with us he said he has felt something way different that he has not felt before and that things are really going well for him in his life. We told him it was the spirit and the Lord is pleased that he is taking this step. He said I've always been in with the Muslims but he said when you have a feeling like this you can't deny it and have to go with it. So that was a big boost to me and Elder Riley. T is really turning around also. He is going to teach me how to play soccer better also haha. So things are going good. We dropped a lot of people and are starting off fresh basically because we can't waste our time when people are not ready. So it was a much better week. We had an awesome zone conference. I got to see Elder Hillstead again cause he was there so that was sweet haha. He's such a goof. So lots happened this week and one of the talks that really hit me too was by President Utchdorf on overcoming certain things especially laziness. It has not been easy. It is just that "natural man" inside us that just says come on, lay down and relax. When you know you have things to do that are more important and gosh it's hard but I feel I have been able to overcome it more and be better. I'm not perfect at it no but I try. So we really had a much better week thank goodness. This transfer flew though! I feel me and Elder Riley might stay together one more honestly but ya never know and no one is going home from our zone. So that was that! 

(On asking him about his monthly meetings he has with all the Zone leaders and sister training leaders) Just training on what we are going to be training on and then we have a council also. That is for if there are any issues we are seeing as a mission and what we can do to help them and things like that. President A really gives some excellent training. Him and Sister Anderson both. So Zone training is every 1st Thursday of the month so the way this transfer went we have 2. 

Megan sent me some pictures. I love the fair! Sounds like you had some great food. All that stuff will just clog you arteries.

We did get a ton of rain though the other day. It is definitely cooling off here again. So crazy summer is gone! Fall is here.

Well I love you mom! And hope everyone learned something from conference cause I know I did! I'll let you know if I need anything. Oh! I have a picture of two. So we had dinner with the younger couple from Boise who are just out here while he is going to P.A school and they live is a very nice apartment place. I saw a beautiful Rolls-Royce out front so I'll send that. Love ya momma! 

Love, 

Elder McArthur 

Hey Mom! 

Yeah it is cooling down out this way. It is getting close to sweater season again. The leaves already are changing.

It was good week, just busy. Lots of service and running all over the place honestly. We also had a meeting in Philly again on Friday. That is MLC. It's only for Zone leaders and a Sister training leaders. But it was a good week. Our battery died in our car though on Tuesday after we did service haha so we had to go to Pep boys to get a new one. Oh and I got a haircut. Sister Heal is her name and she did an awesome job. She is very precise. So that got done. I've also changed up my hair style a little which I almost like better. I'll send some pictures. There were also some baptisms but just of kids whose parents are members that we had to help out with. Honestly it was not a super eventful week. Just was good to see Elder Weisler, Kelley and Hillstead on Friday at our meeting. I'm just excited for conference. Hard to believe this is my 3rd one. Every week goes quicker and quicker. I know I say that but it seriously does. I don't know if it goes by fast for all of you but it does for me. Our investigators are doing well but nothing super big to talk about right now. D who was the Muslim had an emergency or something so he had to go into Philly. I think he is back now so we are going to try to meet with him. 

 

That's also a long time since 3 apostles have been vacant.  We also have zone conference coming up on Wednesday so I'm excited about that. 

 

Yeah I can't believe it (Christmas) is coming up so fast. I actually might would like some money to get stuff. Only certain stuff though cause I do like packages also. I wanna maybe buy a candle or two cause that smell in the mall really made me want to get one haha. So I'll still be thinking. I can't believe my mission is almost winding down. Me and Elder Hillstead were talking about that the other day. Just that it is hard to believe me and him were in the MTC together that long ago. We want to serve together or at least around each other again so hopefully that'll happen. 

 

Well let me know how the fair and everything goes and I'll talk to ya again next week! It'll be here so quick! Love ya momma!