I think my favorite part about writing emails is creating the subject.
I`ll let you stew a while before I tell you why I titled this email how I did.
This week was a really good one. The whole week we were preparing for
conference and so that included inviting everyone to come. At all our
lessons and contacts we told people they could come hear living
prophets. What a great privilege that is that we can listen to the
words of God!
This week was one of the fastest that I`ve had here. Honestly time
flies by here in the mission. Today is the only today we`ll ever have,
so make it count(i think I may go into the cheesy fortune cookie
business) no but really, what I mean is that Today is the only chance
you have to live through the fifth of October in the year 2015. its
the only chance you have to do what you will do today, so why waste
it!?! Something I`ve begun to learn here in the mission is that you
can`t let time control you. You can`t be always haunted by deadlines
and due dates. You have to control the time yourself. You are the boss
of what you are going to do today. Are you going to do that assignment
for English,? are you going to take a nap? are you going to play with
your family? decide and then do it! Just make the choice, and then
enjoy the time you have doing what you are doin. and then when the
time`s up, do something else! be the master of your time and learn to
get everything you need to done AND relax and enjoy yourself.
Here in the mission there`s no time to waste. From 6:30 to 8 we
exercise (haha most of the time...) and get ready for the day,
including breakfast. From 8 to 12? study time, the time of the day I
get to be the Lord`s investigator, and learn what I need to to
mejorarme(sorry sometimes I just... Spanish on accident.) 12 o clock
lunch at our cocinera`s house and then 1 to 8?? You level your head
and get to work!!! 8 to 9 is dinner.9:00-9:30 plan 9:30-10:00 get
ready and go to bed.
So to review. only 7 hours of the day do we have to actually work.
like what? Those 7 hours are the best seven hours though, and what we
need to get the job done. We take control of our day, it doesn`t
control us!!
So ask yourself. Are our hours ours? (haha, say that ten times fast)
are you a slave to time or do you use it as a tool.
For my whole life, Ive been a slave to time. I`m a professional
procrastinator. I'm SO good at it, but...NOT ANYMORE! I feel like I`m
finally learning to control my own time.
I invite you to do the same
Here's where to start. Put God`s things first in your schedule. For me
right now that means putting my life in His hands for two years. What
does that mean for you? Also, every day here in the mission we give
the first hours of the day to the Lord through study. At home you
don`t have to study for 4 hours every day, please don`t, but put God`s
time first. Study for the time you can, pray every morning and night,
and each week give him 1 day to get yourself organized.
From there you can decide. Do what you need to AND what you want to.
Wow I kinda got off on a time tangent there. Is anyone even reading
this still? don`t worry, I did it on purpose, but... still... this
email is long.
Ok I`ll finally tell you why I titled this email the way I did.
So conference, right?
It was SO amazing. I learned so much. Like that the Gospel is really a
lot simpler than we think, just keep getting better and serving God
and others and doing what God tells you to do through the scriptures,
church leaders, and personal revelation.
So I really loved conference
But.
Saturday during the afternoon session I began to get really sick.
REALLY sick. I was trembling, my whole body hurt, including my head,
legs, stomach, and back, and I had a high fever. in between sessions I
tried to take a nap, but I couldn`t. I was in a lot of pain. My
companion gave me a blessing that told me that by Sunday morning I
would have the health I needed to enjoy conference. So I had faith in
that and kept pressing on.
Priesthood session came and went and I don't remember much of it... I
was really not feeling ok. After I had to get a ride from a member
with my comp cuz I couldn't really walk that well. I crashed in bed as
soon as we got home.
That night I was up 5 times in the night, during which times I decided
to see what the bathroom looked like at night(interpret that how you
may) I began to think that I wasn't going to be able to enjoy
conference like my blessing said I would, but I had faith.
At either 3 or 4 in the morning.( I don't remember which of the times
exactly it was.) I woke up to go examine the bathroom and my fever had
broken. My body ached a lot less and I felt a little better.
By the Sunday Morning of General Conference, I was fully able to pay
attention and take notes on what was being spoken. By Sunday night I
was well enough that we went to work after the Sunday Afternoon
session.
I believe in the God of Miracles.
I have a testimony of the power of the priesthood.
I had prayed earlier in the week for a faith building experience. What
I got was what everyone thought was Chikunguye(an African disease
that's like a worse version of Dengue) on Saturday but wrote off as a
simple malestar (sorry I spanished again) on Sunday.
Whichever you believe, it doesn't really matter. the fact of the
matter is that God helped me be healed enough to fulfill my righteous
desires. He healed me by His power through my faith.
He loves all of us.
Well I think this letter may have overstayed its welcome, but I hope
that you at least enjoyed it or learned something or repeated a phrase
ten times.
I love you all
Try a little harder to get a little better
Elder McFarland
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