New Years/ Goals

Dear Family and Friends, This past week has been full of anticipation and excitement and joy. I love the days leading up to Holidays, mostly because they remind me of how I hope to feel all the time. Excitement should carry from day to day because we are truly blessed to have each day as an opportunity to improve and learn. I often get discouraged and forget to look at that perspective though and staying in that place is what leads to deeper longer lasting problems that I am trying so hard to help people overcome. We have the choice, each and every day, to be Happy and experience joy. That doesn't mean that sorrows won't come and circumstances are going to arise that set us back, but the perspective should never change. Keeping an eye single to Happiness is possible because Circumstances Never come to Stay, they Come to Pass. Why else do you think it says that so many times in the scriptures? So to build off of last week if there is one thing to remember it is that. :) Christmas was So wonderful. We had so much love and support and as a result of overcoming doubts and fears of talking to one man, we got another new investigator, Lester. We went back on Saturday and he invited us in to bless his home. Many miracles are so simple but just as beautiful and majestic as all the others. This marks the fourth week in a row that we have had three new investigators. That's 12 this month! How do you keep up with that? Well, the Lord knows, and I'm still trying to figure it out but we are loving the challenges and the accomplishments that are part of our lives. (I noticed this week I always refer to us, being Elder Christensen and I, as we. On the phone in letters, in e-mails. I guess that means we're getting along great and that I consider him to be my other half right now.) The thing that stands out to me most this week is a question that has come up a lot. What do we have to do to gain salvation? Well the the answer is simple right? Have Faith, Repent, be Baptized and covenant with the Lord, Receive the Gift of The Holy Ghost, and Endure to the End. Well that is where the interesting part comes in. Enduring to the end is a different path for me than for anyone else, and it is not the same for any one of us. So what do we do to know? Well the scriptures teach us that we have to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. We have to sell all that we have and give to the poor and follow Christ, or at least have the perfect knowledge that we would be willing to do so if He asked us to even though he may not. So I can't answer this question exactly for anyone but me. For me though I know that I have to want it. I have to want it as much as the King of the Lamanites wanted it, saying "I will [forsake my kingdom and] give away all my sins to receive this great joy" of which Arron had taught him. The Lord asks for a very simple thing, a broken heart (willing to be lead and guided just as we think of a broken horse), and a contrite spirit. The Lord has so much to teach us!! He Can't Do It Though! Unless, we accomplish the things that he has asked us to do right now. Mosiah 4 tells us that we cannot obtain Knowledge unless we repent and ACT on the knowledge we already have. The Lord wants us to be happy, that's why he gives us baby steps. As we act and master our current state then he blesses us with more knowledge and understanding, grace for grace, just like the Savior (our perfect example) and every other person that has come to this earth. I know that the Lord blesses me with great understanding, and I know that there is so much to learn still. Now let us remember, to remember him always and act as he would have us act. Mosiah 4: Whole chapter but in particular verse 30. I love you all very much and I hope that this new year (2015 Already! What?!) will be the best yet. Keep the Perspective of joy and happiness and the Love of the Savior we have felt this season for the whole year through. Happy New Year! Elder McGarry

Christmas Spirit

Dear Family and Friends,

The Lord is good. Elder Christensen and I have been so blessed this week. I don't even know where to start. The Sage Ward is full of excitement. There are miracles and people are really reaching out and sharing the Love of Christ in abundance. We have had the best week of our Mission along with some of the most spiritual days of my life. Hopefully I can put into words my feelings and thoughts.

First of all, I know that the power of the priesthood is real. I have seen many miracles brought to pass, people have been healed, minds have been cleansed, hearts have been changed. It is such a great blessing to be able to serve and bring about the Lord's work in all aspects of life.

The thing that really stands out to me this week, and I've had a inclination to this idea for a while now. The word Remember is used in the scriptures fairly often. I have made a point to highlight it every time I see it and here is why. Remember when we lived in the spirit world with our father in heaven? Wait no we can't because the veil was placed over us so we would have to rely on the spirit and Faith to gain a Hope of Salvation. So every time we are told to remember it is an invitation to bring things to the front of our mind. These things are the most important for us to do, else why would they be preceded with the word remember? So we must remember, to keep ourselves in the world but not of the world we must have thoughts of holiness and virtue. Then we can gain confidence in the presence of God. (D&C 121:45)

By remembrance I want to pose a similar question to the one in Alma chapter 5. Have we sufficiently retained in remembrance the sacrifices that have gone in to the bringing forth of this last dispensation of the fulness of the Everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ? Each of us will have a different idea of what those sacrifices might be and which ones mean the most to us individually. But the important thing is that we remember them. Now if you were called at this time to die, would you be able to stand before our Savior and say that you have been sufficiently humble? Things to ponder. I know that life is busy at this time of year: there is excitement, there is recollection, there is joy, there is peace, and most importantly I surely Hope that each of us can feel that there is Love. For Perfect Love casteth out All fear. (Moroni 7) Through perfect love we are brought to sing the song of redemption and that Christ has risen. We are so frail and simple, but with a touch of the master's hand we can become just like him. Only through his great love. I Love this work.

We have exciting news for the coming month! Four baptisms are coming up, Andrew (Date pending for his father's work schedule), Michelle (Jan 10), Nelly (Jan 24), and Lisa (Jan 31). I can't wait to share the experiences as the time progresses. More will come because the Lord is hastening his work day by day just as it says in Isaiah. Trials are still abundant, but I look at them only with great excitement because I personally Know that the lord giveth no commandment save he shall prepare a way for us to accomplish the things which he does command us. This I testify to be true and I have gain this through diligence and prayer and studying. I hope that we all can take this spirit with us into the coming months and years as we draw closer to the day when our Savior will come again.

I love you all,

 

Merry Christmas!

 

Elder McGarry

P.S. For those of you who want to receive my e-mails directly to your inbox please let me know. I have the blog set up for ease of access but I also want to hear your preference. I'll be making a list of the people that I send this directly to their e-mail every week. Other will still be able to access it at the blog where my messages are uploaded. (Big thanks to My sister Rachel!!)

 

Opening Our Eyes

Dear Family and Friends,

Transfers this week brought a new elder into our apartment. (I am lucky enough to be in one of three mission houses that has two companionships living together). Elder Chamberlain moved in to be companions with Elder Smith, AND they are our new Zone Leaders! So that's exciting, but it's not even the best part. Elders Chamberlain and Smith are both from Holiday Utah and Elder Christensen and I are both from Logan Utah. Needless to say there is a lot of love and we are all so excited to be serving and working our hardest to bring people closer to Christ.

As we went through this week  we had very high goals and standards hoping to keep momentum building from our best week the week before. With that way of saying it you already know where this is going. We felt like we hit a brick wall. Plans did not work out, everything that we thought and prayed to be able to accomplish just seemed to be falling apart. The only thing that we had going for us was that we were both determined to keep working. A couple of times we had to stop and pray that we would end up where we needed to be. If there is one thing that I learned this week, it is that prayers are answered. We may not have had the member involvement that we wanted. But we as a companionship grew closer together through these powerful and trying days. Not only that, but at the end of each day looking back we had great success, just not the way we planned it. Now looking back over the week, we had a great week and thought it seemed like we didn't get a lot done, we had just about as much success as we did the week before! The Lord helped us find three new investigators! And THREE (not all new ones but still) investigators showed up at church this Sunday. That may not sound like a lot, but this ward has not seen that many new faces in a while.

Church was a whole other deal. While Elder Christensen was playing a piano solo, I got called out to give a blessing (the first of three over the course of the next two hours) to a recent convert who has been through a rough week too. He was questioning his testimony and seriously thinking about not coming back. His family kicked him out when he got baptized. The family he lives with is in the Ward and the dad was there to help. We had a good talk and one of the most powerful blessings I've ever heard was given to him. That brings us to Monday. This young man, while still struggling I can only imagine, came out with us to do splits. He went to two investigators who are both in some serious life situations, and even potentially fatal circumstances. This was the eye opener. One is leaving a gang and they are not happy about it. The other is caught up in so much addiction he is slipping into despair and losing a hope for this life. This is what power the adversary has. He will not let up. He will not stop trying to fight against everything that is right and true. This Testimony is what I want to share: I know that the darkest hour comes always before the ray of light. Just as it did when the True Gospel of Jesus Christ was about to be restored in this dispensation, in the moment when despair was ready to overcome and sweep away all hope, a pillar of light came into the grove of trees where a young boy was ready to begin this great work. I know that our Savior will allow us to struggle and despair, only so that we can fully understand and comprehend the fulness of Joy and happiness that only He can give. Everyone has trials. Everyone will be pushed through things that they are not sure that they can bear. This is happening all around us and by listening to the Holy Ghost, our companion in promise, we can all be instruments to help up those that are down. Doctrine and Covenants 76: 22 "And now after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony last of all which we give of him, that HE LIVES." Galations 5:14 "For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Helaman 5:12 "Oh remember, Remember, ..." These scriptures have helped me so much and have pressed on my mind so much this wee and I felt prompted to share them.

I love you all so very much and I hope that you can each find a brighter ray of light in this coming week through the gift that you have the privilege to carry with you. Remember, and open your eyes to the miracle of life and understanding.
I'll look forward to hearing from all of you and I hope that this Christmas Season is Merry and white (OR at least bright for those of us that don't get so much of the white :P) Until next week!

-Elder McGarry

 This is the best. A tumble-weed as big as I AM!

What is this Madness, People have nothing better to do with their time than put shopping carts EVERYWHERE in this city. Or maybe just the South Valley...

Miracle Month Report

Dear Family and Friends,

I have been so tremendously blessed in the work in this area. This past month we have been praying for Miracles, and they have surely been abundant. We have had so many powerful experiences and so many people willing to open up their hearts to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In some small way the Lord always goes about performing Miracles, and if we put forth the effort we can be part of them.

I want to focus mostly on How we can bring Miracles about, not only in our own lives but in the lives of others as well. What we talked about in Zone Conference was what makes things Sacred. We took time to look at Temples, Martin's Cove, The Sacred Grove, and The Garden of Gethsemane. Reflecting on each of these places and the things that happened, or still happen, there was such a powerful spirit that came. Each of these places are Sacred. But what makes them that way. The Presence of God can be felt in each of them, to that I testify because I have been to them all with the exception of Gethsemane, but I still know that the Savior did atone for each and every one of us in that place so the very Son of God gave his all. For you. Words cannot describe what has been done for each of us, but there is one that comes close, and that is Sacrifice. The words Sacrifice and Sacred come from the same root word. It was quoted that Sacrifice is what makes things Sacred. When we give of ourselves in order to help or edify others, that is how we make things sacred. The testimony I have of Sacrifice is truly one of the most sacred things in my life. When I think of my ancestors, some still living, others who have passed on in the midst of tribulation, I can't express enough how grateful I am to them and their sacrifices. I know that I would not be where I am today if I was not willing to sacrifice, but to each of us Sacrifice has a different meaning. Some sacrifices may seem unimportant, or not meaningful when they are taken out of perspective. I would like to invite each of you to think about the sacrifices in your life, and probably even more dear to your hearts, those sacrifices that have been made for you and your life. Then you will see the Miracles that have been brought to pass. Each of us is a miracle, and when we make sacrifices for the Lord and for others then we are able to make miracles happen in the lives of those around us.

Often times it is uncomfortable, or scary, or we don't think that it will make "that big of a difference." But I testify that any sacrifice even the very smallest in our eyes, with a touch of the Masters hand can make a mighty change and a miracle in the world around us and in the eternal perspective of our Father's plan. I am so humbly grateful for all of the sacrifices that have been made on my behalf. I Wish with all of the energy of my heart that I could show to all of you what those sacrifices mean to me, but That is why I invite you to ponder on those sacrifices that have been made for you. Then you will have some feeling of the appreciation that I have for these things. I love each of you and I hope that we can all continue to learn and grow in all areas. With that thought I will close and look forward to the new week and start of another fantastic Transfer here in the Sage area!

-Elder McGarry

Beautiful sunrise this morning. Pictures don't even do it justice!! 

Faces on a tree in our area

Dear family and friends,

I am always torn about what I should write because there is so much that I would like to say. That being said, I'll start with Thanksgiving day. We had a wonderful time with members and ate a ton of food. We started out with traditional thanksgiving turkey dinner, then we went and had Chili Rellenos with green chili(New Mexico specialty), then finished off the night with some amazing homemade Calzones (See Jon, I get a little taste of Italy here even!) We also had some little cards that Elder Christensen and I made to give to people with a little scripture. It was a great day.

We have a very productive week. We are pretty sad that Manuel is not progressing anymore. He is the one that was doing a World Religion class and chose to learn more about our church. On a more positive note, we have a baptismal date with an investigator named Donald Pitts who has been investigating for Nine Years. The Lord has really been working with him and we felt prompted the last couple of times to give him a little push. The power of the Spirit is so amazing and it's a beautiful thing to be a part of. The date is out four months, but it is a step to the right direction. Another amazing thing that has happened is we were out contacting this last week and found an older gentleman named Alex. He is really open minded and when we met with him for the first time last night, he said that he wished that he had more power or authority to act in the name of Jesus Christ. The spirit guided us to him at just the right moment and that is a miracle in itself. We are so excited to learn and grow with him and help him accept the ordinances and principles of the restored gospel. The blessings are so limitless if we rely on the Lord. Another investigator Named Timothy is working to quit smoking. He has been working so hard and even pushing himself more than we would have thought he would. We are going to work toward a baptismal date this week.

My favorite thing I've learned this week, or the thing that sticks out to me the most right now, is D&C 121:45 "Then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God" How do we as imperfect beings gain confidence to be with God? It is only through Faith in Jesus Christ and his atoning sacrifice that we can be cleansed from sin to have that confidence. When Virtue is the garnish of our thoughts we have no desire to do evil, but as Alma 13 talks about we look at sin only with abhorrence. The work is good and not without struggle by any means. Friday last week, we had plans fall through over and over, but we kept a prayer that we would be guided to where we needed to be. Let me tell you, prayers are answered we ended up trying by a family that we have missed the last two weeks and found out that recently the husbands father had passed away. They are a middle aged couple and they were in pain and had a lot going on especially right after Thanksgiving. We were able to teach a beautiful message about the plan of Salvation and bear strong testimony of the plan in it's perfection. The wife has never sat to listen to our messages before now and this time she even accepted an invitation to read Alma 40 which talks about the resurrection and eternal life. My companion and I are so grateful for the area we are in and the people that we are able to serve.

Sorry this one is a little more surface deep I guess I'd say. There is a lot going on and what I'm doing is more in the forefront of my mind so anyway, just like the Moroni, I feel that my written words are insufficient. I love you all very much and continue to pray for you. Scripture for thought 1 John 4:8 "For he that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is Love." This is one of my all time favorites and can be applied to any circumstance. Act in Love and you will not regret or look back wishing for change. This I know to be true.

Have a great week!

Elder McGarry

 The elders from our apartment. We had an epic rubberband fight last night!!! P day shenanagins

Thanksgiving dinner at a members house.