Elder David McFarland

And since we've got go outside and preach the gospel????

I don't think I will ever be cold here in El Salvador.

So... we did it. We finished the year. like... what? Anyone else still
remember 2010? I still sometimes accidentally write 2008 on my papers.
What is happening to time!!!!!!

Time passes faster in the mission, I am convinced. I mean, I`ve got 5
months already. 5. months. like what? 2015 is kicking the bucket, and
with it comes 2016 ready to party.

So, in tradition of the new year I am busy making goals. But, there
area a couple goals I want you, and your friends, and your neighbors,
and everyone that wants to to make with me.

The first? we are going to read the Book of Mormon 4 times this year.

Six pages a day English, 7 pages a day spanish (number of pages x
4)/365 pages in whatever other language you want to read it.

Now, there are a couple rules that come with this.

These 6 or 7 pages a day cannot take place of your personal daily
study if you are a missionary, or if you have already read the Book of
Mormon. your daily study should be careful, thoughtful reading of the
words to be able to apply them to your life.

 I want everyone(myself included) to be able to say they`ve read the
book of Mormon cover to cover several times, to really get to know it
and its stories, and to come to know our Savior Jesus Christ better.

Which brings me to my second goal for all of us.

Omni 1:26

 26 And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto
Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation,
and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your
whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and
praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be
saved.

This year I want us all to come unto Christ in a very special and personal way.

So that it remains special and personal, you get to decide exactly
what the plans are, but we know what the goal is. To get to know the
Savior this year, so that he is one of our best and most cherished
friends.

Now, these are just the goals, according to Preach my Gospel there are
at least two more steps.

The first is making plans to achieve your goals, you need to decide
when you are going to read your 6 pages every day, what you are going
to do if you miss a day, and how you are going to mark your pages. you
need to make the plan to come unto Christ and write it down.

The second is you need to be accountable! to the Lord and to Yourself.
Also I`d really like it if you`d tell me (pretty pretty please) so I
can hear about your progress and help encourage you on.

So a lot of this is up to you but I`d love it if you would tell
everyone, your friends, enemies, neighbors, bishops, cats, dogs, and
children and invite them to do this with me.

Let me know what you think!!!!!!

Now about this week.

It started really slow because my comp was recovering and I got sick a
little too, but we are full blown healthy ready to go missionaries and
the last couple of days we have worked so hard! We ate a LOT of food
on Christmas and I LOVED talking to my family!!!

I have a really important lesson with the family I talked about a
couple weeks ago called the Sosa Family, I'll tell you more about that
after the lesson tonight, but if you get this now I could really use
your help with some prayers specifically for them!!!

Thank you thank you all

I love you soooooooooo much.

I know that God lives. and that Jesus Christ, though dead, lives and
directs His work here on the earth.

I love Them with all my heart.

Have the best week

Elder McFarland

This is Elder Portillo. one of the APs i got to know pretty well while
Elder Torres was in the hospital! he`s finishing this change, so I
took a photo:)