Pictures from Rezzy.

1.  It´s flat here.  The rain has nowhere to go.

2.  Luis Gorosito.

3.  We sang with ward members at the Senior Citizen Home.

4. Elder Marilaf

5. Pablo Gorosito.

6. Dinner.

 

Love  you!

Do you believe in Miracles?? (Said in a 1980´s USA hockey tone)

Family!

 

I can´t believe that Christmas has come and passed!  The call was amazing.  It was great hearing all of your voices.  Thanks for all of the support that you guys give me.  You guys Rock (somewhere between Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley).  It sounds like Florida was a blast.  I can imagine how fun it must have been, going to Church with a clan that big.  It´s good to hear that BYU basketball is managing alright. (What happened, VT? 26 points...)

 

This week was easily one of the greatest weeks of my mission, if not my life.  Here´s why...

Christmas Eve was spent with the Maldonado family.  We ate ourselves silly.  The highlights were playing Yahtzee (I showed an Argentine and Chilean what´s what with a Yahtzee for the win), making oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, and eating an Asado. 

I got to talk to my family.

After reaching in the 110ish range, Wednesday through Friday was ¨cold.¨  I even pulled out my sweater one day. (Like last Christmas!)

Saturday... a baptism!  Pablo Isaac Gorosito was baptized.  The baptismal service was amazing. (I´ll send pictures)

A Miracle happened.  Saturday afternoon, we passed by the house of a recent convert, Nancy. (She´s about 40).  Nancy has been a great example to her family.  One of her daughters, Maira, almost got baptized four months ago.  For one reason or another, she didn´t get baptized.  As we began talking to her, you could tell something was different.  She told us about all of the blessings that her mom has received (especially with Tithing).  She also recently had a baby. (which I´m sure changes your perspective on life...I wouldn´t know. :))  She practically asked us to be baptized.  This is a person that had been listening to the missionaries for months and months and just wouldn´t budge.  The Spirit, along with a testimony of the truth truly can produce miracles.  Maira´s baptism is scheduled for this Saturday, the 5th.  I can only humbly thank my Heavenly Father for being a part of it all.

 

This week truly was amazing.  If only I had just one more Christmas in the mission...

 

The one downside (and a big downside at that), was a call we received about two hours ago.  Emergancy Transfers.  Elder Marilaf is going to be opening an area next to our´s (in a different ward) and will be training.  Elder Marilaf only has two and a half transfers in the mission.  Though we´ve only been together for three weeks, he´s grown to become one of my best friends.  I´m gonna miss him a lot.  Fortunately, we´ll still be in the same district.  ...did I ever tell you that Elder Marilaf´s sister is in the States?  She´s studying in BYU-I.

 

Oh and.... I´m getting another mini missionary!  What fun, with a capital F.

 

I love you all lots.

 

From Paradise,

 

Elder McMurray

Feliz Fiestas!

I cannot believe that Christmas is already here!  This has been the best Christmas season I´ve ever experienced.  I miss you all terribly, but all the same, there is no other place I would rather be on earth than where I am at right now.  I love the Gospel and I love that I am able to share it with others every day.  It sounds like things are going great for Holidays.  I´m excited for the call!  

 

This week was a dream come true.  I think it´s safe to say that every missionary´s dream is to have a ¨White Christmas¨ (a baptism before or on Christmas day.)  Saturday, we had the privilege to see Luis Gorosito enter into the waters of baptism.  He´s a very excited soon-to-be eleven year.  The service was great.  Maybe it was the air conditioning, but the Spirit could be felt.  Once I figure out my camera´s problems I´ll be sure to send you photos.  Even better news is that his brother is getting baptized next week!

 

Sunday, my companion and I had the opportunity to both give talks.  I gave a talk about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and how if we really begin to understand the Atonement, we will enjoy this Holiday season even more and we will understand the real meaning of Christmas.  In the afternoon, along with several members of the ward, we went to a Senior Citizen Home to sing Christmas carols.  I had many relapse of past experiences.. :)  It was a great experience all the same.

 

I´m sure you´ve heard plenty about the ¨true meaning of Christmas,¨ so I´ll spare the details.  One thing I would like to suggest..  Do something for someone that you weren´t planning on doing.  If it´s a sacrifice that means it was a good one.

 

Guess what, I love you.

 

Elder McMurray

Daddy

3 Generations!

 

Me

Elder Escobedo (my trainer, Papi)

Elder Alcaraz (my son)

 

Elder Escobedo finishes his mission in January.

Rezzy.

Christmas Break!  Sounds like you are doing well.  It´s good to hear from you all.  Thanks Uncle Kevin for the email!  But yeah mom, just let me know what you want me to do for the Christmas Call and what your plans are for the day.

 

So last week I failed to mention that this week was transfers.  With the new program that the Church does with trainers and new elders guarantees two transfers together to finish the training.  I figured it was for sure that I was going to be spending Christmas in Posadas.  Well...  yeah.

We´ll start with Tuesday night.  8:47pm.  Call from the Zone Leaders.  Elder Alcaraz and I both were leaving.  I think I might have mentioned once that the branch had four missionaries... well, now it´s got two.  Our time together was entirely too short.  Elder Alcaraz was sent to Paso de los Libres (Ironically, my second area as well).  Posadas (and Misiones) will always be in my heart.  Misiones is so beautiful.  I´ll dearly miss the Red Dirt.  She was all too kind to my white shirts.  

Now.. What is looking to be my final stop on the tracks...  I´m now in Resistencia.  My area´s name is Güiraldes.  Wait for it... it´s a ward!!!  The blessings are really pouring out now.  But it only gets better...  We´ve got a few baptisms planned for this weekend: a white Christmas!  Oh and Resistencia has Wal-Mart!!!!!!!  Can life get any better?  ...actually, it can.  My first apartment with air conditioning!  I´ve got a sneaking suspicion that paradise is something like this..

My companion is Elder Marilaf.  Elder Marilaf is from Santiago, Chile.  He´s a sick baller when it comes to soccer.  Our morning exercises have been spent at the field, playing soccer.  He started his mission in August, so he´s still fairly new.  We´re getting along great and we´re working hard.

 

This week, I am still reading in Alma.  53:20-21... In two thousand years from now, will people still be able to say the same about us?

 

I love you all lots!

 

Elder McMurray

Pictures 12/10/12

The first one is just a big milanesa sandwich that I ate.  The others are from my trip last week to the ruins of San Ignacio.

End of the World.

It was exciting to read, last week, about all of the new mission calls in the stake.  In the branch that I´m in right now, there are several kids that are receiving their calls, as well.  The mission call is so exciting.  All the excitement makes me want to go on another mission!  Guess I´ve got to wait a few years...

I can´t believe several of you got to meet Elder Nelson this past week!  Way to go Parker!  It reminds me of last year when I shook the hand of Elder Christofferson and he said my name.  Though I wasn´t able to shake the hand of an Apostle this week, I was able to give a Seventy a hug.

This week, I made pancakes.  Topped with some imported syrup and they turned out delish.  The recipe worked perfectly (Thank you, Aunt Tracie.)  My companion had never eaten real pancakes.  They met his approval.  Next up: French Toast.

I am happy to inform you that I have now lost 15 of the 20lbs that I´ve gained in the mission.  A few Fasts and this hot, Argentine sun work wonders. :)

Wednesday, we received a call that Elder Nicolas Di Giovanni, of the Seventy (new mission president) was to be visiting Posadas on Thursday. Thursday, we had the privilege to meet and listen to our new mission president (for the time being).  He and his wife have previously served as a mission president in Peru.  His current assignment is the area of Paraguay.  He really hit it home when he said, ¨You are the best missionary in the world to your mother.  What do you think that she thinks you are doing?  Would she be proud?"  It truly is a testimony builder, knowing that there are willing men that will accept the call to serve (at such short notice).  I know that this Church is led by a prophet that holds all of the keys of the priesthood.

Yesterday, we got to watch the Christmas Devotional. (On a week's delay).  It was inspiring.  I have even more desires to serve my Savior, Jesus Christ.  What better way to celebrate Christmas and thank Christ for His atoning ¨gift¨ than to serve him as a full-time missionary?

This week, I am reading in Alma.  I´m in the war chapters.  Like the Nephites, we too must build our fortifications around us.  If we do so, we will be able to withstand the temptations (the Lamanites) of the world. (Alma 46-50)

I love you all lots. I hope you all know that.  I hope you have a very happy, end of the world, week. (especially Wednesday.)

Elder McMurray