Life is like Pupusas

You probably don't understand that simile. But let me explain it to you.

When one makes a pupusa, it is done on a burning hot griddle so that it cooks faster and better. Imagine a grill cooking hamburgers. As you would expect, when that pupusa is served, it is kinda insanely hot. However, there is no respectable way to eat a pupusa besides using your fingers. (trust me any other way is almost a sin and doesn't taste as good.)

Regardless of the heat, a pupusa is one of the most delicious and rewarding things a person can eat. That being said, Life is like a pupusa. It hurts a little, but its worth it.

This week has been such a great week!!!! I am learning a lot from my son. He has a lot to learn, but there are somethings you can't teach that he already has. Like desire and work ethic and lame puns(you can imagine I've been thrilled to finally learn lame jokes in Spanish) He got sick this week, which was hard to watch because he got a little discouraged, but I did my best to help him to be happy. I`ve found that free ice cream makes people happy faster than almost anything else:)

Our investigators are doing great. If all works out as I hope that it does. The end of this month Oscar and his wife should be baptized!!! They could use some prayers though to help them to that goal.

We`ve been teaching the cousin of a member named Eduardo Moran, who has come to church a few times, and this week he accepted a baptismal date for the 30th!!!  as always prayers are greatly appreciated!

Also, this week we are going to the beach! So I have a little less time to write today than I would have otherwise. But, I hope you all have the greatest of weeks and that you know that I love you SOOOOOO much.

Be happy:)

Elder McFarland

Single Father Working Full Time

It's a boy!!!
Yes, I am officially a father. (calm down Hannah that's what the call it when you're training a
new Elder.)

This week has been a lot of crazy, and a lot of fun. my son came with so much
vigor and desire to work that I decided to let him hit the ground running. I walked him
around in the El Salvadoranian sun and we talked with everything that moved on the way!
We saw a lot of miracles for our efforts.

The first is a man named Oscar. When we showed up at his house and started our contacting,
he ushered us in, brought us a chair, and was instantly so so friendly. We got talking to him
and it turns out he already has met with the missionaries before, and that he has already
been to church a lot. We were talking to him, and we gave him the invitation to be baptized.
¨you know what?¨ he said. ¨I think its time. but if I'm going to do it, I'm not going to do it
just because, I'm going to do it and stay in it. all in.¨

He`s going to be baptized the 30th of this month.

And his wife.

The second miracle is the sisters in my district. They are working so hard. There are 4 of them
now. Hermana Morales from mexico, Hermana Vega from Ogden(being trained right now),
Hermana Figueroa from El Salvador( a mini missionary serving here because we didn't have
enough sisters.) and Hermana Fuentes from guatemala(she came to the mission at the same
time as me and neither of us have had transfers yet). They get along so well. The Mexicana
has a lot of time in the mission and is like a mother to them all. its really nice because other
than her I have the most time in the mission in the district(we're all super young.) and so she
can help the sisters to adjust We are going to see so many miracles this change.

But the greatest miracle is my son. Elder Perez is a convert of 1 and a half years. He left his
family of only siblings(his mom died and his dad`s never around) to come to the mission
because he wants to help people be happy. Its really inspiring being able to work with him.
I'm lucky to be training him. As a convert, he maybe doesn't know all of the missionary
doctrine and lessons by heart yet, but he has a very strong testimony and he is learning fast
and he is a good missionary.

I believe in miracles. I have seen them. I know that all of us can see them too when we are
worthy and willing to help God's children. Miracles happen every day. We just have to be
spiritually in tune enough to see them.Time passes so fast when we are working so hard.
 I almost have 6 months in the mission.... wow.... when did that happen.

So this week we had interviews with President, and he told me that he wants me if possible
to finish the training of Elder Perez, but as soon as he can he wants to put me on a plane and
ship me off to Belize!! So it looks like in 3 months I'll head out to Belize after 7 and a half
months in my dear Las Delicias. This place has really become my home. I love the people
here and I love the work.

I'm really happy. I know that this happiness can only come through the mercy of our
Savior. I invite all of you to remember that always and choose to be happy. One of my
favorite songs says ¨Come open wide your broken heart and let the Savior in.¨ What a
beautiful invitation for all of us!

That song`s called Behold the Wounds in Jesus Hands and you should all go look it up and
listen to it.

I love you all so so much, and hope you have the greatest of weeks!!!!!

10(6^3)-(12^2)

I`m sorry that title is a little more involved but its all I could come up with.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!

I can`t believe that the year went by so fast. Well, it seems like the
year was divided in 2 main parts. The slower part and my mission. I
don`t know what it is about serving the Lord that makes time fly
faster than... I dunno.... that comparison died... but really really
fast!

I have a lot of great goals this New Year! This week is transfers too,
so its going to be a new year, new transfer, new goals. I`m really
motivated to go out and get things done!!!

This week we worked so hard, it was amazing.

Monday our appointment with the Sosa family fell through, and they
told us to come back Saturday. I took it as more time to prepare for
their questions!

Tuesday we spent a good portion of the day in San Salvador because
Elder Torres had a checkup for his surgery. We ate Taco Bell, which
was fun, its funny because I don`t ever eat anything anywhere close to
what Taco Bell serves. El Savlador`s food is a lot different than
Mexico!

Wednesday was a normal work day. One of our less active families is
the Martinez family. They really have a desire to change, and they`ve
been coming to church this month! it`s been really amazing to see them
progress and overcome some really hard family problems through the
help of the Savior. They haven`t finished yet, but they are preparing
to go to the temple and I`m so proud of them!

Thursday and Friday we made some LPE goals. LPE is what we call our
contacting. I think it stands for Lecciones para encontrar, but no one
has every said difintively if thats what it is. Anyways Thursday we
contacted 20 people besides our normal lessons and work! Then Friday
the goal was 30. we started the day and there were exactly 0 people in
the streets or in their houses. Everyone had gone to the beach for new
years.We worked really hard that day, and we were able to accompish
the goal! we found 5 new potential positive investigators! It was a
really good day.

Saturday and Sunday were SO hot. And it was fast Sunday. 90 degree
weather with who knows what percentage of humidity is a really really
different January than I`m used to!!! so if you`re feeling cold, just
remember the high for today is 96 degrees!!!! haha i`m living an
eternal summer!!!

Yesterday I had the opportunity to spend my 5th testimony meeting in
the Las Delicias ward. As I stood and bore my testimony to the all the
ward members that have become my dearest friends over the last months,
I was humbled by the change that God has made in me these last 5 and a
half months. My testimony has strengthened in ways I never would have
thought.

I know that God lives. I know that He loves us. He loves us SO much,
that He sent His Only Son to the earth to die for us, so that we, if
we serve Him, will be able to overcome whatever challenge, problem,
temptation, sadness, addiction, depression, or darkness that we face.
If we make and keep covenents with Him, and always keep His
commandments. We WILL prosper in the land, and we will be able to have
peace and happiness depite the hardships that we will face. I know
that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is His church,
God`s church. With such good news we can`t help but share it with the
whole world. Thats why I`m here! To tell everyone about the greatness
of Jesus Christ!

I love you all, and hope you have the greatest of weeks!

Happy New Year

Elder McFarland