El Primer Mez

I am so happy you enjoyed conference because I definetly did!!! Seriously I have never gotten more out of a General Conference than ever before!!! It was so amazing! Like Oh my goodness! all the talks were completely amazing. I especailly like Elder Uchtdorf's, Elder Holland's, and I absolutely LOVED President Monson's talk on Saunday. Oh my goodness. I loved how the entire conference was about missionary work and enduring to the end. It felt like I had just gone to a motivational speaker confernece. Elder Holland's talk especailly pumped me up. I love seeing that tender side of him. He was so sincere and so loving. I think it was really good for all the missionaries to hear. I know a lot of them needed a boost and pep-talk. I loved his quote "If the bitter cup does not pass, drink it, and look to better days." I loved that!!! That is what is all about. Keep hoping for the best. Keep on Keepin On. Or in the words of Dad "Deal With It." During that whole talk I kept thinking about Lord of The Rings when Sam and Frodo are in Mount Doom and Frodo is hanging over the edge and Sam is reaching for him yelling " DON'T YOU LET GO, DON'T YOU LET GO!!!". Lord of The Rings is full of the wisest sentiments. Elder Uchtdorf's talk in Priesthood was also another enduring to the end, motivational talks. Go a watch it because it is so good. His main message was " You can do it, NOW." That was so powerful and I know that so many missionaries were motivated by that. It was so good!!! I also thought of Batman that whole talk too. Thomas Wayne says to Bruce, "Bruce, Why do we fall? So we can learn to pick ourselves up." Another movie that is so very wise.

 

My favorite talk of Conference though was President Monson's Sunday Morning talk. It was so inspired, and so sincere, and you could feel that Spirit for miles. I loved how he talked about his wife and how he knows that he will see her again and that every thing will be alright. It was so tender! I also loved his story about Brother Bramms. It made me realize that no matter how hard thingss get and no matter how many trials are set upon us, If we count our blessings and remember that Jesus Christ knows everything we are going through, we will overcome. I loved the poem that he shared about that trees. The winds will blow and the storm will rage but the tree's will grow ever taller. The last line of the poem says it all, "In trees and men, good timbers GROW." Our trials in life are all for our benefit. They will make us stronger, they will make us wiser, and they will bring us closer to our Savior Jesus Christ if we just remember to lean on his grace. He knows exactly what all of are gong through and are feeling, and he knows exactly how to help us. An awesome scripture my companion shared with Ether 12:27. We are teaching an investigator who's son has a heart problem and is confused on why his son is sick and why he is dying. So we shared that scripture and shared President Monson's talk and it really impacted him and he realized why he is having his trial. The Atonment of Jesus Christ is amazing and through him we can do everything.

 

In other news, Elder U and I are now Zone Leaders!!! Our zone is all of the North American Missionaries in the CCM. We don't really have a lot of responsibilities and really all we do is comfort elders that are having a rough time. But its really good!!! I'm really blessed. We got a new shipment of Missionaries to the CCM today and so far they are great! I can' t wait to get to know them. Also my spanish is really coming along, as always!!!

 

Awkward: Our district got punked into thinking that we had broken a serious rule and that we were all going home. It ended up being this huge joke just to give us this dinky Christmas tree!!!

Awesome: Me and another Elder saved an Elder in my district's life!!! He was choking on his food and I was the first to notice so I hopped up and started giving him the Heimlich and I couldn't get it out so this other elder came in and just gave him the biggest squeeze in the world and sent the meat flying out of his throat. It was insane!!!!!

 

I have been here a month and it feels like it has flown by!!! And I only have like 12 days left!! I leave the CCM on Oct 22nd. I am so excited!!!!!!!!

 

I hope you have an amazing week!!!!!

I love you!!!!

 

Poco a Poco

 

Love,

 

Elder McIff