Sometimes I get in a reflectionary mood.

In the first journal I used here in the mission every once in a while there was a page that said "Reflections" on the top. And I guess I got in the habit, cuz every once and a while I get in the mood to just reflect about things. 

So forgive me if I wander a little today, reflecting isn't always very well organized. 

It's easy to get caught up in the day to day. There is a lot that we need to get done in life. Important things that need to get done. It's easy to let stress grab your mind and worry so much that instead of getting things done you just end up doing nothing. We have to fight against that. 

Today I was reading a bunch of emails from my friends on missions, and I started to notice how much they all have changed. It's amazing how God takes fresh clay in his hands and starts to mold and stretch, and to make his masterpieces. I have really cool friends! I'm glad for their example and for their righteous service as instruments in the hands of God!

I was thinking this week, I really enjoy being with people. I really enjoying doing missionary work.

I decided I want to do this for the rest of my life!

 I want a job where I can go out and help people and get to know them and serve and bless them in some sort of way! Does anyone know of such a job? One preferably outside and not in an office?

If not I guess I'll just have to take the whole "Every member a missionary" thing to heart and always be a missionary anyways :)

This week there is huge group of missionaries who finish. They are the last missionaries that I see as "Old" Missionaries that are still here. They are the ones that trained some of the people from our group, and after them everyone either about the same age as me or younger(as far as missionary time goes) Is that weird to think? I was doing a report for the insurance this week and had to look through a list of all the missionaries that have been in our mission for the last 3 or so years. I saw a lot of people that I know that are already done with the mission. How can time slip through our fingers so quickly?

Ok, To not bore you I guess I'll try to tell you a little about what happened this week. 

Monday was going to be a normal day, but because of some interesting things that happened last week resulting in an emergency change, monday we were all SUPER busy getting things ready for Tuesday when another switch was going to happen. Also when I logged on to IMOS I saw that Finance Countdown had started again. Love the end of the month. We got to the area super late that day.

Tuesday was our first meeting with President after he got back from Belize. All of a sudden a bunch of work fell on us and I swear EVERYONE needed money. Haha, we got to the area at like 6:00 and were invited to a dinner by a recent convert family. We made Pupusas. They turned out really delicious. Afterward we went to the Majano's house and met Veronica's mom and sister(both less actives) and they were super cool! had a great short and sweet lesson with them which was fun, and then it was already time to get the bus at 8

Wednesday was Multizone in Sonzacate. I didn't end up going because of countdown. But because of the dilemma(I'll explain on Thursday) I couldn't actually do much of countdown. So I worked really hard on other things and went out to E. Mayen and E. Cruz's area with them until my companions got back at like 5:30. We had Ward Correlation :) good day. 

Thursday was Multizone. I loved it. President did a really great job and everything went very smoothly!

Here was the dilemma. Next Wednesday is changes. that means if I pay the missionaries their rent money according to their current area(Next Monday money will be in) then they only have ONE day to pay it(Tuesday) and it's a lie that everyone will do it in time. so I have to pay according to where they'll be NEXT transfer, which would be fine if transfers were final, but because of Belize, transfers were just barely being finished up, and so I had to go in 1 by 1 and put in all of the rents and things as they were available. countdown ended yesterday at 8 p.m., amd I finished it all with only 2 minutes to spare. For the win!

So anyways it was a great week. I am learning alot about mental toughness and diligence. Work, Work, WORK. There is no better substitute in missionary work!

I love you all. I know that the church is true. 

Have the greatest of weeks!

Elder McFarland!