Elder McKay

Well, things are shaking up again.  It seems like we just barely went through this, but Elder Fuller got the call last night to be a trainer this upcoming transfer which means that I will be moving here in another week - destination unknown.  You may want to hold off on sending that Christmas package unless you know that it will get here before Wednesday (the 21st).  This week had some very good things happen, so I'm not entirely thrilled about leaving the area, but I have been here for 3 transfers and I think that  that is kind of an average time to spend in one place in this mission.

So, on Saturday, the mission office called and told Elder Fuller and I to pack up and be out of the apartment that we've been staying in with the other elders.  They are terminating the lease and found a member for us to move in with, so we spent all of Saturday morning blitz packing all of our stuff and then got everything moved in two loads - beds, mattresses, desks, and all!  I love being a missionary, there's not a lot of extraneous stuffage to haul around.  I'm thinking this is where Dad picked up his trait of traveling lightly. =)

My new address (for the next 10 days):
3607 Peach Dr.
Jacksonville, FL  32246

Which is a much nicer address to type/write on an envelope than the previous one if you ask me!  =)

This Haitian couple that we found has turned out to be really something special!  We left them with French and English copies of the Book of Mormon and then had a couple of appointments drop and figured they were the usual.  However, we finally reconnected on Saturday and it turns out the she's be devouring the book and is already through Mosiah - loves it and feels like "every word is true"!  She anticipates being done by the end of this week and wants to be baptized.  After months of struggling to get people to read, this was very refreshing!  Sometimes the Lord definitely throws happy little surprises in our paths.

I don't know if you remember me mentioning Chris a few months ago, but we reconnected with him after he came through a crazy section of life.  Unfortunately, his girlfriend had moved in with him again and he'd picked up smoking/drinking again and had cooled off a bit, so we were thinking that this would be another dud, especially when his girlfriend, Nicole, seemed hostile the first time we met.  We talked simply of the Atonement though and she became way more interested than he was.  Set an appointment and came back last Friday and talked about the principles of faith, repentance, baptism, and Holy Ghost and the Spirit was there very powerfully.  We hadn't even tried to commit her yet and she asked when se could be baptized!  Chris jumped in and was like "whoa whoa, let them tell you what the requirements are first" and so we explained some of the commandments - chastity, word of wisdom, scripture study, and prayer - and she took it all in and then said, "Is that it?  I'm all in!  We'll get married as soon as we can."  SWWWWWEEEEEEEEEEETTTTT!!  Lol, Fuller and I practically floated on the clouds home that night.  She sent us a text later on telling us that as we talked about the commandments, she felt an overwhelming feeling of security and love and knew that God was telling her this is what she needs.  So, yeah, now Chris and Nicole are back on the top as our Numero Uno familia!

I guess to sum it up, I have definitely found joy in watching others come to repentance (Alma 29:9-10)

I'm glad to hear that the Fife's are doing well - they are a wonderful family!  Perhaps I'll send them a Christmas card as well.  Thanks for the quote, Mom, that was a good one!  Let me know if you reach a conclusion in your studies.

Lovies!
Elder M.