Attitude of Grattitude

Dear Family and Friends,

Last night we conducted a family night activity of writing down five things we are grateful for. I know that my list is in reality much longer than five things but I was able to narrow it down for the purpose.  I had a thought (yes yes, proceed jokes of "wow you actually had a thought"). I enjoy writing letters, though I don't always know how they are received. My invitation in this regard is to let me know what things you want to hear more about and I'll try to include them in my e-mails as time goes on. Fair Enough? Deal :)

This week has flown by! I'll be brief because I'm out of time. Things are going well here in Alamo. I'm excited for Thanksgiving as it will be a great opportunity to meet a few new people through family events. Things like that are always great in an area where there is no active proselyting allowed. The biggest update for this week is that I am super excited about the member involvement in the missionary work. We have a couple of members that are now actively participating in going out to teach lessons multiple times each week. That makes such a great transition for people coming into the church. We had some great opportunities this past week and while there is a lot of anguish from investigators that don't want to progress, we are also seeing many miracles of finding people who are prepared to receive the Gospel. One in particular is the mother of a girl that the missionaries use to teach. As we met with her it seemed almost like she had listened to conference talks and was trying to teach her children how to live as was taught. I can't say that she did but that just gives an idea of her preparation to learn the Gospel. 

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! 

 

Ayoo' Aniinishni​​

 

Elder McGarry 

 This tree is about to get washed away in the Arroyo

Exchanges with the Zone Leaders who serve in my last area (Sage) and cover the Spanish ward (Rio Grande South). Plus awkward shadows on our faces... Haha.

Hurricane Force Winds

Dear Family and Friends,

 

This week has been spent all over the place. We have been to Los Lunas 3 times in one week, that is a 2 hour drive one way. That's almost 12 hours on the road!! But is was all for a good cause, stake conference, the last P-day of the transfer, and then Zone Training on Friday. This whole week has been bitter cold with constant winds from the west. I am just glad our trailer hasn't blown away yet!! Haha, ok maybe it's not that bad but I've had to bundle up a Lot. We even got a few inches of snow, which hasn't stuck all over yet, but it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas here! We had a slow week for teaching because of all the traveling and training we had going on, but these next few weeks should be good solid weeks to get some missionary work done.

 

Despite the frequent comings and goings of last week we were able to get everything together for a wonderful Baptismal service for Angela, Marvin and Mylaria. It was a great moment for them and I am so proud of the decision that they have made to follow Jesus Christ and his restored gospel. I have already seen such a light come into their lives and an excitement and vigor that the Gospel has been adding in great abundance. It is great to see how much peace the gospel can bring even in a world where the main news story is about the murder down the street, or the mass bombing in major cities around the world. Where is my Solace? Where can I turn for peace? These words have been churning through my mind all week and I am so grateful for the gospel in my life because that is it. Jesus Christ is the one that changes literally everything. We had a miracle this last week of a member of the Branch who has been inactive for a long time and their mother passed away a few months ago. This person came to church 45 minutes early and talked to me and asked for help. We went to give a blessing to them and a family member who is not a baptized member of the church. So we found a new investigator and had a spiritual lesson that was definitely a highlight of the week. There is so much more than that with  So far we are planning on 2 baptisms on Dec. 5th and another potentially near after that. Updates as things go along.

 

I have personally been aware of the Lord's  mindfulness of each of our needs. He may not jump in a give us solutions and fixes to our problems as we would often hope, but He does know. To me I have to think of the Savior pleading in the Garden "if it be possible, let this cup pass from me..." But that is what needed to happen. That was the only way to make it possible for each one of us to overcome our own trials and suffering and pain. Just as he had to go through it to make it possible for us, we have to go through it in order to understand and learn from these experiences. The only way to truly learn something is to experience it. So let us not get discouraged. Among a week of a month full of bad things, or a year or a million years of the same "there is one which is of more importance than they all." (Alma 7.) I know it and I don't just understand it, I feel it and it is made known unto me by the spirit of revelation. No power of earth or hell can take that from me. (Helaman 5:12) Build upon the Rock of Christ and none else. Here is the beginning (ok second day, but for the purposes at hand) of another great week! I wish you all the best and send my love and prayers.

 

Ayoo Aniinishni

Elder McGarry

 Baptism!

​A glimpse of winter in Alamo.