The Floods Came.

It´s good to hear that Nathan was home for a week.  I only hope that he didn´t take more of my clothes back to college...

 

Congratulations on the mission call to Washington, Katie!  I´m way excited for you!

 

I quite rewind to last Tuesday, my birthday.  At precisely midnight, my companion was ever so kind as to wake me up in a fairly violent way.  He woke me up to screaming, ¨Happy Birthday, Elder McMurray!¨ with his rubber chicken that makes loud screaming noises, and a head lamp right in my face.  Oh... and don´t worry, he got it all on video.  (Which he proceeded to show to ANYONE that we came across that entire day.  The entire Zone enjoyed it.)  Also beginning at midnight was a rainstorm that continued ALL day.  The Maldonado family, whose youngest son´s name is Gabriel, had his birthday on Tuesday as well.  I definitely partied like a 10 year old for an hour.  They made us homemade pizza, and quite possibly the most delish cake known to man.  It was far better than any other cake that I´ve eaten here.  Highlights of the party were: Sitting in the dark while eating pizza and chatting (the rain knocked out the lights.), as well as declaring that if it rains on your birthday than it means you are a cry baby/whiner. It was determined that Gabriel and I are two of the world´s biggest whiners.  Awesome.  Everyone then sang, ¨Que los cumplas feliz.¨  They even gave me a special mini cake to take home for later. Over all, an amazing Birthday.  I couldn´t be happier.

 

Saturday, we had a little bit of excitement.  Elder Church got really sick and threw up multiple times. I was lucky.  We ate the exact same things, but I didn´t get the same results.  I think the highlight was when we asked our neighbors to use their phone. (We´ve been without a phone for 3 months now...) Elder Church sat in a chair as I tried to make a few calls.  He almost passed out.  Thus, leading to a conversation with the neighbor about how my companion was a little sick.  He then hesitantly suggested that I could call an ambulance.  I told him, ¨No it´s okay, just calling our companions.¨ I´m sure he found that rather random -- of all people to call!

 

Sunday, we were blessed to have Stake Conference.  We had the first ever multi-stake conference.  It was broacasted to all of Argentina (75 stakes, plus 20 odd something districts.)  We listened to amazing talks by Elder Shayne M. Bowen (former area president), Sister Stevens (from the primary, Elder L. Whitney Clayton (also former area president), and Elder Russell M. Nelson.  All but Sister Stevens spoke in spanish.  Elder Bowen gave an amazing talk on personal revelation.  He pointed out a few important parts.  Everyone has their agency.  God cannot force the Holy Ghost over us.  He said that often times, the hardest part about receiving an answer is the question.  We must work to get answers.  Forming the question is the hardest part.  We must search diligently.

 

This morning, I was blessed to finish the Book of Mormon again. Let it be known -- I know that that book is true.  I know it and believe it with all of my heart.  The last chapters of Moroni were an amazing testimony of a man that held true, even until the end.

 

This week, I´ve decided to study the final week of Christ´s life.  Each day I will be reading what happened and what he did on that particular day.  I invite anyone that so wishes to join me in this endeavor.

I love you all,

 

Elder McMurray

Mission picture

The entire mission all together all at once.

Can you find me?  :)

¨Francisco...Francisco...that´s a funny name.¨

For starters, thank you to all that wished me a happy birthday.  I really enjoyed reading all of your emails wishing me a great day, tomorrow.  I will be thinking out that (but not too much ;)) tomorrow during my day.

So... to explain my email Subject.  In Spanish, the pope´s name is Francisco.  I couldn´t resist the ¨Elf¨ pun. :)  But isn´t that crazy that Bergoglio became the first pope, not just from Argentina, but from all of South America??  I´m sure that with the coming weeks there well be plenty of times to share our message of the true church with restored priesthood keys to curious people.  The more Catholic areas in our mission will probably hear more about it in contrast to other areas. (Corrientes, home of the saints: Gauchito Gil, and the Virgin of Itati.)

This week´s weather was amazing.  All week it´s been in the 70s and welcoming breezes.  A few days were a little rainy and overcast, but who´s going to complain about that?

On Sunday, several of the talks were directed towards testimonies and being converted.  It was really cool hearing three different people talking about the same thing.  Testimonies come when we feel and know in our heart that something is true.  Conversion, on the other hand, is a process.  It comes with continuous care and growth of your testimony.  How is your conversion coming?  Could it be better?  What can you do to make it better or continue its growth?

A week or two ago, President Heyman wrote a very intriguing email to us missionaries.  He invited us think of our talents.  He then asked us if we were using our talents here in the mission.  Feel free to do the same inventory of your own life.  Think of your talents.  What are you doing to use your talents to help others?  Try and use a talent this week to help another.  You´ll be blessed.

Well... this is the last time that you will ever hear from your 20 year old son.

One year older (and hopefully wiser too.),

Elder McMurray

PS This week, President Heyman informed us of a new rule.  I really have no idea if it´s worldwide or just my mission...  But we are now allowed to write from our email, ¨family, friends, and our church leaders.¨   Just a heads up...

When the Weather Outside is Frightful.

Family,

 

Daylight Savings was this week?  For some reason I thought it was in another week or two.  I guess it doesn´t really matter.  In Argentina, Daylights Savings doesn´t exist.  You guys (Eastern Time Zone) are now only an hour behind me.  Almost the same!

 

Dad, I can´t believe so many new missions were announced.  Have you gotten any calls lately, reporting a vacancy in a position as mission president?  ;)

 

Hey, anything new you hear about Uruguay, lately?  How´s the preparation going?  I´ve had many chances to tell people proudly that my sister is going to Uruguay. :)

 

This week, we had a Mission Conference.  Other than November 2011, it was first time in forever that we were all together as one mission in the same meeting.  It was amazing seeing all of my friends and companions.  The meeting was one of the most spiritual moments of my mission and my life.  It was the first time we were able to see President and, in particular, Sister Heyman.  Sister Heyman is a woman of incredible faith.  As you recall, she had a stroke recently.  It only happened September 27th.  In just months, she can now walk and use almost all mobility with only minor difficulties.  She spoke to us about all the events that followed.  She told an amazing story about how the Lord prepares the way.  In November 2011, Elder Christofferson came to visit Argentina (and our mission!).  While in Buenos Aires, he had the impression to fly to Salta (northern Argentina, next to our mission boundaries.).  In order to get there when he wanted, the only flight option was an emergency medical plane.  A year and a half passed.  The plane stayed in northern Argentina.  When Sister Heyman had her stroke, she was to be immediately transported to Buenos Aires.  The only from of transportation fast enough that was available was the very same plane that Elder Christofferson used.  Also, her son and daughter-in-law felt impressed to surprise visit their parents by coming to the mission September 24th, instead of a few months down the road.  In the same weekend of her stroke, Elder Bednar was visiting Argentina.  By the end, she was able to receive a priesthood blessing from her son and President Heyman, be flown by the med plane to Buenos Aires, and then receive another blessing from Elder Bednar.  She also gave a powerful testimony about the times when she was down and out, ready to give up in rehabilitation, only to receive strengthen from an unexpected source.  Later in the week, she found out that we, as a mission, had fasted for her that very day.  The Lord truly prepares the way.  When involved in a righteous cause, the Lord will always provide.

 

President Heyman gave an amazing talk on Obedience.  He used King David. In 2 Sam 11, David made a few tiny mistakes that resulted in him committing two of the three worst sins possible.  At first, David stays home instead of going to battle like he should have. (Do we, as missionaries, stay in the apartment or houses of members longer than we should?)  Then, he saw Bath-sheba, bathing.  He should have looked away.  But instead, he watched and then summoned her. (Do we see something offensive to the Spirit and, instead of looking away, we keep looking and thinking about it?)  We then find out that David shed innocent blood as well as committing adultery.  Two very serious sins that started with a few simple mistakes.  That should give you something to think about, this week.

 

This weekend was a weekend of rain.  Last week was the first time in almost three months that it has rained over the weekend.  This weekend made it the second time in three months.  Long story short, I felt like I was in the Belgrano Branch again in church, Sunday.  I was also blessed to give a talk with 5 minutes of warning.  From my studies this week, I decided to talk on obedience.  It turned out very well.  I used Matthew 7 (Wise Man, Foolish Man), the guide for the scriptures, and D&C 130:20-21, if you want to look them up.  The prophet Joseph Smith once said something to the effect that if we can support the law of obedience, we won´t be able to support eternal life either.  That kind of puts things into perspective. 

 

Well, that was my week.

 

Un Abrazo,

Elder McMurray

Fotos

I might have sent you some of these already.  Raul is the blonde kid a little smaller than I am.  The,  ¨Fuera Yanquis del Chaco¨ is basically, ¨Get out of Chaco, North Americans.¨ It´s funny because they spelled Yankees wrong.  That is the Chapel that I go to every week!

Family,

Thanks Michelle for doing my application stuff!  I´m so excited that I got into BYU!  Wooohooo!  Go Cougars!

This week was transfers, as I mentioned in my previous email.  Elder Posadas is officially at home.  I´m going to miss that elder a lot.  He grew to be one of my best friends.  I´m sure he is enjoying himself in El Salvador.  With transfers, I hoped (and kind of expected) to be receiving someone a bit newer in the mission.  (It´s kind of hard to get somebody older than an elder going home this transfer.)  Can I get a ¨famous last words,¨ shout out?  My ¨new¨ companion is Elder Church.  Elder Church is finishing his mission in April.  Yet again, another elder will be finishing his mission with me.  It´ll be very interesting to see how things turn out.  I´ve known Elder Church for sometime, now.  He´s got a pretty cool story.  He´s been a member for just over three years.  He´s from New York. (East coast!)  He´s the only member of his family.  I definitely give him props for all that he has accomplished in the last three years.

Saturday:

Baptism!  Raul Sosa and Mariel Coronel were both baptized on a rainy, but pretty afternoon.  Thank you for all of your prayers and concerns.  We were so blessed.  For those of you that aren´t familiar with Argentine culture, if it rains, it´s canceled.  It doesn´t matter if it´s an indoor activity or not.  It just gets canceled.  At 6 O´clock, it began to pour.  Like drops the size of golf balls.  At 6:20, it stopped and the sun even started to come out; perfect for our 6:30 baptism.  I´m convinced that somebody was looking out for a baptism of two people in Chaco, Argentina.  It was a fairly low key baptism.  We were also lucky to have the attendance of Pres. Heyman.  For Sunday, it rained even harder.  It´s been a while since I´ve seen rain like that.  Never fear, Raul showed up right at 9:00am.  Pretty impressive considering there was a grand total of 28 members in church.

This week I´ve read almost all of Mormon in the Book of Mormon.  It´s incredible just how quickly a chosen people can change from righteousness to being the most wicked of people in all of the history of the children of God.  We can learn a lot from them.  One key factor was pride.  Instead of realizing that all that they had was from their Heavenly Father, they gloried in themselves.  One must always remember that everything that we receive is from a loving Heavenly Father.  Think of some blessing that you have received, recently.  Now think of something you can do to use it or show your thankfulness for it.

I love you all,

Elder McMurray

ps I didn´t really give an update on investigators.  No worries, I´ll give you an update in the next edition.