Baptisms & Changes

Well Hello Everyone! 

     This last week was super crazy here in Chichicastenango, but it was an awesome week. We were really busy trying to get the baptism on Saturday ready. The week flew by really fast! Saturday came and we had the baptism of Sherryl and Ingrid. It was an awesome service and I really felt the spirit. We ended up having about 50 people come, which is more than came to church on Sunday haha. But the whole entire family of Sherry and Ingrid came, so next we will be working with them and teaching them with the help of some members. Besides the baptism I don’t really remember what happened in the week.... Sorry. On Thursday though I did get the call that I will be training again so that should be exciting. My comp is leaving tomorrow and I will be getting a new missionary fresh from the MTC. Also, I’m super excited for conference this coming weekend. We have some investigators that are going to come with us and more than anything I’m just super excited to listen and learn,. It’s going to be awesome! I encourage all of you to watch conference and take notes. We can all learn something new. 

Love you! CTR and stuff.

Elder McLain

Also Austin is too humble to write it in his group letter but he will be training a new missionary starting tomorrow and he was called to be the new District leader in Quiche. He says he has a lot on his plate but he is excited for the opportunities J

Sherryl and Ingrid's baptism

We can become BETTER or BITTER.

Hey Everyone!

This last week was really good. We taught a lot of lessons even though we had 2 days without working. Unfortunately, we had to change the baptism of Caren which was going to be Friday. However it will be in April now. If you guys could pray for her she really needs it right now. But besides that the week was great.

We had a Zone conference with President in Huehuetenango. So last Thursday we woke up at 4 in the morning to catch a bus for 2 and a half hours. That was exciting. We got there and I learned a ton! It was awesome. We focused a lot on the Restoration and how much it means. It is a message that nobody else can offer. The nice thing about our church is first off that it is the only true church on the earth today, and secondly that it offers every other good thing that other churches can give plus more! Its great hah. Sorry I’m probably sounding like a nerdy missionary but hey maybe that’s what I’ve come to be... 

So after the zone conference I had the chance to ride back in the bus with Elder and Hermana Worthens who just came here as Senior missionaries from Page, Arizona. We got to talk a lot about just Utah and him growing up in Utah. It was a good time. Then they took us to Dominoes so... Yeah totally worth it. Then Friday came and I couldnt get out of bed without throwing up. I was a wee bit sick but I recovered and Saturday we were right back at it.

Sunday was good... We had a lesson with Ingrid and Sherry who are going to get baptized this Saturday and they are super positive and their testimonies are really strong. They have overocme a lot of challenges to get to this point, but now they really are ready to take this step in their lives. Maybe you guys could pray for them so that they can just be alright this week before their baptisim and that Satan won’t work too hard on them. 

Well, I saw a video that said something that I really like. We can either become bitter, or become better. It really is true. We can take advantage of the Atonement and change our lives or we can become bitter and not do anything about it. We all make mistakes and there’s never a reason that we can’t become better. Remember through Christ all is possible. Also, I encourage you guys to all go and watch the video that will be on mormon.org this Saturday It’s called  Because He Lives I think. Thats my translation from spanish. 

Well have a fabulous week and choose the right everybody! Love and miss you all.

Elder McLain

Even missionaries take selfies. 

This is the newborn baby of one of Elder McLain's investigators who passed away. He still visits the rest of the family frequently. 

Chichi is pretty chichilero!

GROUP LETTER FROM MARCH 10th

Hey Everybody!

So this week in chichi has kind of sucked. I didn't get to write Monday because we were in the hospital. My companion has kidney stones...... So we have basically been cooped up in the house which as a missionary is not very fun at all. But we finally got to leave today to write our families and go to a few visits. However, my comp hasn't passed his kidney stone yet. Which means that the worst is yet to come.... Haha. However, work wise everything is going great in the area. We are going to have a baptism this Sunday of Susana who is the daughter of a less active family. She decided to get baptized so we have been working with them and Sunday will be the service. Our investigator Caren really wants to be baptized but she hasn't been able to come to church even when her boss said that she could. So after another Sunday of him not letting her leave, she quit her job. Haha she quit just to come to church so that she can be baptized and raise her kid in the church! SO that was awesome for us to hear. I'm super excited for her. She is awesome and verry very smart. Her baptism is going to the 21st of March. Also we Have another inestigator, Ingrid who has decided to get baptized on the 28th of March! Also her sister is working towards that day so we will see where things go with that. The work is really good here in chichicastenango.... We just need to leave the house more to find others who are prepared to listen to the message of the restored gospel. Well, that's all for this week.

Haz tu lo justo.

Elder McLain

THIS WEEKS GROUP LETTER

Hello Everybody!

So life in Chichi is pretty chichilero. :) I took quite a while to come up with that line so I hope you guys enjoy it. And for those who dont know chilero is just like cool. So.... Life in the mission is pretty great right now! We are working super hard and we are going to be having 4 baptisms in these next two weeks if everything goes as planned. This week a single mom named Caren is going to get baptized, she's really awesome! She has a testimony of the church and of the BOM and is super smart! Shes great and is super excited to raise her child (Ian) in the church. Shes going to be a great member. We totally taught a lesson to a Pastor the other day. We knocked on his door and we went in.... Then we realized that his house was also a church. Haha. But we taught him and he committed to read the Book of Mormon. Imagine that, when he gets his testimony we can baptize his whole congregation! Haha. We will see how things go with that. But, things are going good, I'm sure learning a lot and everyday I'm seeing more and more of the Lord's hand in this work. It's incredible. 

Well, I hope you are all having a wonderful time back home. I love you and I love hearing from you guys and seeing pictures!

Love, 

Elder McLain

First week in Chichicastenango!

Hey Everybody! 

So I had changes and had to leave Toto.... It was pretty hard leaving all of the people whom I had grown so close to. Almost like I was leaving home again. But it’s a part of life and especially a part of the mission. So Tuesday morning I met my new companion Elder Rojas and we left for Chichicastenango which is my new area. The area is great. It’s the biggest area in all of the mission. It’s insane and the church is really small here. But that’s why we are here as missionaries, to change that. The work here is booming and we are going to be having a lot of success soon. I got really sick yesterday so we couldn’t go to church, but regardless we had 7 investigators come to our branch.Thats a record for me considering I wasn’t even there! Ha Ha  The few members here are really nice and friendly. There’s not much to say this week just that I love you all.

Have a good week and Haz lo justo.

Elder McLain

The Past little bit in Toto!

February 9, 2015

Hey everybody! 

This last week was pretty slow! There wasn’t much to do and we had division 3 times. When I was on divisions with the district leader he had like an appendix problem or something like that so I was on the phone with the nurses all night and didn't get much sleep. But turns out he’s fine..... Weird. But this Wednesday Carlos is getting baptized and next week there will be changes. I’m not sure what will happen with changes but I’ll let you all know next Monday! Thanks for all of your support. You are all wonderful and I hope that all is going well at home. I saw a video that I really love and I wanted to share it with all of you. Because I think what it teaches can be applied into every one of our lives. Christ suffered for every single one of us, not just some. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gd30i48a3do

I hope you guys enjoy it and learn something. I know I did. I love you all and I hope that all is going well. 

Con mucho amor,

Elder McLain

Apparently there are walking bushes in Toto

Enjoying Toto! Miss Elder McLain but he looks happy :)

Another Week in Toto!

Hey Everybody! 

Happy holidays and I hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas! Christmas time here in the mission wasn’t anything like it is at home, but I have never spent a christmas so close to the Savior. I just want to tell you guys that I know that this is the true church, heck if I didn't know that I sure would have come home by now. Missionary work isn’t easy, but it’s worth every hard moment. I encourage you all to do something this week to strengthen your own testimony. Help to build someone else’s testimony or just do something that you know is right. Remember when we serve others we are only in the Service of our God!

I miss you all. Make right choices and do something each day that you know you should do. :)

Love you all,

Elder McLain

ELDER SANTA CLAUS: The Adventures continue in ToTo.

Hello Everybody! I don't have much time to write an email today but I just wanted to say Merry Christmas and I hope that you all enjoy this week and remember the true meaning of Christmas! I love and miss every single one of you! Remember how much our Heavenly Father loves us. He has given us His Son so that we can all have eternal life if we only choose to accept this gift. 

Love you all!

Elder McLain

From Austin, “Yeah we are singing in the central park here in Toto as a zone so I only have a little bit of time to write.”

Austin was also Santa at the ward Christmas party. I sure love that boy <3

Santa and his reindeer. Got to love Missionaries!

Who knew dressing up as Santa was part of the mission experience? :)