Temple Day

Dear Family and Friends,

Yesterday was Missionary Monday at the New Mexico Albuquerque Temple. That was an amazing experience. It is so refreshing to let go of the world as many of you know already. Even as a missionary it gets hard to be so caught up in the day to day ins and outs of missionary work. It is exhausting but exhilarating. I love this calling. One thing that stood out to me was the individual identity that we each have. Only our father in Heaven knows truly who we are. Or at least for me I find that to be true. I have a hard time understanding myself sometimes. Another thing that we were invited to focus on I truly feeling joy. I know that the Love of our Savior is real. It pierces to the center of a ready heart. I know for me I have to be in the right state to allow it to enter in and when I do I can't even think about anything but doing his will. I feel like I can conquer the World!

The things we learn in the temple are so simple yet so complex. Like the gospel in general. It is all encompassed in the Savior's love yet there is so much that we have to learn, so much to change and refine about ourselves that it takes finite and constant laborious work from day to day. Like Joseph in Egypt, I was reading his story this morning. He was being sought after by Potifer's wife continually. He said no and she didn't let up. It says day to day. then she set a trap and he ran. We all know the story but it is a lot more than just a story. Like all scripture and all God's word it is a path for us to follow. A pattern that we must emulate if we hope to reach the tree of life.

I look at the laws we have been given. The Law of Obedience, of Sacrifice, of Chastity, of Consecration. Any and all of God's commands are of eternal origin. The scriptures say that never at any time has god given a command that is temporal. So we are trying to make decisions that have sway for an eternity from now, of course that can be hard. It's no wonder the Lord wants us to follow his path. We are so silly not to take his advice. I know that he loves all of us. He knows you by name. That is more than just saying that. I know he is there for us. His plan is perfect. Obedience is a joy. Sacrifice is a blessing. Chastity is the virtue of eternity and the only way to have confidence before God. Consecration is recognizing that God created all and we are simply stewards put here for a period of time to prove to ourselves that we can overcome whatever it is God has in store for us. I know this to be true and I have yet much to learn.  

 

Have a great week! I love you all!

 

Elder McGarry

 

Temple Day!

Hot Air balloon on the way to the temple!​

 

Mighty Change of Heart

Dear Family and Freinds,

 

I am so blessed in so many ways. This week I felt it nessecary to talk about this. In the lives of so many people we see a pretty consistant desire to be happy and succesful. Life is a challenge for a reason. If any of us hope to realize true and lasting happiness we have to feel pain.2 Nephi describes in great detail why opposition is required. But to put it to a quick point without opposition in all things we would all be completely ignorant. I think of my own pride. One of my six beautiful sisters mentioned to me this week how she noticed pride can be so so sneaky. It sneaks into aspects of our life wherever and whenever it can. With my pride I have a constant battle. I don't think that I am better than other people, I don't think that I am the best at anything. I try not to boast or become aloof or highminded. I can say after contemplating for a few months that Pride is one of my biggest fears. The Savior said to "Beware of Pride." I think for me the mighty change of heart described in Alma 5 is a result of becoming so humble that we are completely and utterly reliant on the Savior for every moment because we are simple and imperfect. We all need him.

 

The change of heart is not something that comes easily for most. It requires effort. Like rolling a snowball, it gets harder along the way too. Alma had a tremendous experience in his life that helped his change. An Angel came and struck him down for three days. But still later in Alma 37 he is feeling the "growing pains" of conversion. He is seeing the pain of other people and He himself is being tested in patience and tribulation. Why do we see people that have a testimony, or that is to say that they have exercised faith to the point that they have gained a whitness of the truth and therefore a knowledge in part, fall away from that? Their heart has changed and then it has reverted. It is all too common and sad that it happens but it does. I have been trying to help people see this point for six months now, and still it is not getting through in some cases. I have many stories of growth and miracles in people's lives, but the one that really matters for each of us is the one that we make in our lives.

 

I pray for this mighty change in my heart because at any moment even the most elect, like Lucifer, can be lead into diverse and forbidden paths. It is a mighty change to decide to keep trying. It is a mighty change to become cleansed through the atonement of the Savior, and I testify that it is the sweetest joy to be changed and to come line with the Savior's will. It is even better to continue on that path and obtain the gift of eternal life. I love you all and hope you have a great week!

 

Love, 

Elder McGarry

 

Elder Campbell is sad to be leaving Area, I am sad he left too but Hopefully we'll be companions sometime. He's a stud!

 

Enduring

Dear Family and Friends,

Another transfer is over and another begins. I am happy to say that I will be able to stay in the Sage area and my Companion will also be staying. There are a lot of exciting things happening and I am so glad that I get to be part of them. More importantly, I am learning so many important lessons of patience and love for my companion, and revelation in my personal development as well as in missionary work. We are learning together lessons about planning and revelation.

There is a lot to be said about enduring. I means something different or is applied in different ways for everyone. I am probably not the best person to give any type of lesson on enduring. Looking back at my life I have had trials. I have had hard times that in the middle of those times I felt like I was not going to make it through. I felt like it wasn't worth pressing on. I have felt feelings of hopelessness. But all in all I have been blessed with a pretty wonderful life. I find strength in knowing that my Savior has been able to overcome all things, even death and sin and hell which are often thought of as some of the hardest things to overcome. Because of him I live today and for him I choose to live the very best I can. Because of God's plan Adam and Eve had to take upon themselves death, through their agency. It was temporary setback so that each of us  could also choose to follow God's plan. Each day comes and goes as God has planned. I often find myself stressing about what I need to do to do. I have to remember that it's not about what I need to do. I just want to do what God wants me to do and sometimes I really complicate that quite a bit. Especially here in the mission field because I have a responsibility to be in the right place at the right time much more than I would under other circumstances. But each of us have the privilege to make choices. To do what we know is right in whatever circumstance we are in. Our duties are all different. But we all live by the same laws and commandments. The Lord does not ask us to do anything that we can't do. That I know.

I heard again lately that there was an apostle that once said he prays that he will have the strength to continue faithful to the end. If he had need to pray for that then I think of how much more I need to have the strength to do the same. I pray for all of you and hope that you will recognize the hand of the Lord in each moment and each step of your lives.

Have a great week!

Love,

Elder McGarry

After District meeting with Elder Cannon, Campbell and ​Hardy

April Conference

Dear Family and Friends,

I can't even begin to say how much I learned at conference. I prepared a couple of questions and they were all answered in the first session, then expounded upon more and more. I took that and prepared more questions for the next day and received even more revelation. I see in my life that the council of prophets is truly the best way to turn to receive revelation from God. I loved Elder Holland's talk for so many reasons, first of which I felt like he was right back here again and like I had just shook his hand. Secondly I love rock climbing and that story really touched my heart. The Savior will always be the perfect person to rely on. He will be there to catch us before we fall and even any way along the fall if we choose to reach out to him. Another thing that I took away is that I need to walk with much more faith. I often want to see my path before me, but it is not often illuminated. That doesn't mean I should not press forward. As long as I have the Iron Rod in my hand, it doesn't matter how thick the mist of darkness becomes, I can still press forward knowing that I will make it to the destination that I am striving for. I love the peace that that knowledge brings. 

I hope that each of you had the chance to have some of you soul searching questions answered. If not, I urge you to prayerfully ponder those questions and write down some bit to remember them by, then as you listen to the talks that were given I can promise you that the spirit will give you the answers you are in need of. Revelation comes to those who seek it and prepare to receive it. Furthermore, you need a desire to act on the answers that you receive. If not then you lack "real intent" and the Lord knows. I trust that you all have the desire to draw closer to our savior. 

There is one more thing that I find worthy of note. Sometimes in seeking answers to questions we find only more questions. It may be something that we have to be broken down before we can rebuild. I have seen that in many ways in my life too. But I can so testify that as you come to the savior with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, he will build you into SO much more than you ever thought you could be. I know that with such conviction that I would give up everything that I am and that I have to realize that potential. I pray for you all. I love you and wish you the very best week of reflection and revelation. 

Love,

Elder McGarry

Pueblo of Isleta points of interest

'Greenery' of New Mexico :)