1-31-12

Mackay was supposed to leave the MTC today. Read further to see why he is staying!

Hello (from the mtc still) family,

Maybe we read my call wrong. I think it was supposed to say that you have been called for life in the Provo mtc- hahahaha.  When I went to talk to my district president about my reassignment he came in and just kinda laughed.  He said wow what do we have to do to get you out into that field?  Well I am going to be  called to serve in the younger cebuano class to help train them and to get some private 1 on 1 coaching from one of the teachers for about three hours a day. I am actually pretty excited about that because my cebuano is going to get so much better!  The only thing that I am worried about is this cebuano district is really really immature and three of them don't even want to be here... But who knows maybe that is why I am supposed to stay back to help the teachers motivate them and get them working harder. The district leader is the one that is breaking most of the rules and I have a feeling that he is going to be my comp  because him and his comp are the only two that have room in their room. So I will continue to work hard and to study my scriptures.  It can only come up from here, so it can't be too bad.  haha Thank you everyone for the "this is the last dear elder in the mtc letters I got last night though!"So this is what we think happened, because of how big my callus was on my left ring finger from drumming when I tried to cut that callus off something got into the blood stream from either dirt in the trimmer or the air.  Or a fiber from my blanket could have worked its  way into it and got infected.  Either way my left ring finger is red and swollenfrom the tip down to the first knuckle... hahaha oh the stories I'm going to be able to tell when I get home.  I haven't even gotten to the Philippines lets hope that my infection and sickness gets all out here so that I can have a great 21 months there.  I am so excited. We have spent the last three days looking at our teachers pictures and listening to stories that they told. I was so pumped and set to go. I literally have my entire suit cases packed and ready to leave today, so now the day that I was supposed to leave will be spent unpacking and getting ready to stay. haha The doctor gave me a pretty high dosage of medication to try to kill the infection as fast as possible.  I have a follow up appointment tomorrow to see if the dosage is strong enough to see a difference in a day and if not he may take it up even more.  He really had a hard time telling me that I couldn't go because he saw it in my eyes that I was excited and ready but I felt much better after he told me that if I was his son and I had this he would want the doctor to hold him back until its cleared up. So that is what I will do.  I will be the first cebuano elder to be in the mtc for 12 weeks haha. 

The other elders from my district left last night and that was a lot harder to see them go then I thought. Me and Elder Johnson had become really good friends over the two months.  Yes we were so alike that we had our times of fights and arguments but when it was all said and done he gave me a huge hug and told me that he was going to miss me and that he was praying for me and my finger to make a fast recovery.  It felt good to hear that from him. We are going to keep in touch and maybe even hook up after the mish.  There is also a sister here that I found that was in my ward in Texas.  She is such an awesome sister and we sat together the first day she got here and just kinda caught up because I didn't know that she was even thinking about a mission.  I even got Bishop Stebbings mailing address so I  am going to drop him a line here in the next day or so.  It's fun to see people that you know here.  All with the same purpose and goals serving the same master.  Andrew, my roommate in Texas, leaves next week for Mexico. I got a picture with him on Sunday and it was fun to be able to sit and talk with him for a little.  None of my friends except for Hermana Hill, girl from Texas, have the same lunch as me so I don't get to see them very often if at all. 

Guys I love you so much and am so happy to be a missionary! Yes it is taking a little longer then we thought but something keeps telling me that there is someone being prepared for me after this is all said and done. Who knows maybe someones flight plans changed and there is going to be someone waiting for me in the airport.  I already have two books of Mormon and ten pass along cards that I'm going to be trying to pass out! We will see how that goes.  I finished the book of Mormon last night and as I knelt in prayer asking god if it was true the most peaceful feeling I have ever felt came over me. I have read the book of Mormon many times before but never like this.  I can't remember ever actually kneeling down and asking if it was true either..  I guess I just thought I always knew and so I didn't need to ask.  Well this time I took Moroni's promise and challenge seriously and the second I read amen was on my knees for quite some time begging Heavenly Father to please let me know if it was the word of god.  And boy let me tell you! That book is True!!!  Joseph Smith translated it by the power of God and there is no doubt in my mind  that it is 100% true!!!  God is real! Jesus Christ is our savior and redeemer of the world! Pinaagi sa espiritu santo malimpyo kita.  nasiud Ko nga tinaoud ang basahon ni mormon ug ang ebanhalio ni Jesuskristo.  pinaagi si jesuskristo magkahibalo kanato sa mga gasa ang dios!  I love you guys!  That Cebuano has a long way to go.  The hard part is I know it's not fully right but I'm not at the point where my sentence structure is too strong. I do know that  the vocab was right at least haha. The church is true guys and it will and already has blessed our family so much!  Please always remember who you are and stay close to the savior! There is nothing in this life that matters more.

 

Love always,

Elder Mackay Dale Shelley

1-24-12

 So a little bit about the mtc this week.  Me and Elder Francis kind of had a bad week.. Our lessons suffered because we didn't plan as well as we should have and so the lessons with our four investigators were just lectures rather then lessons taught by the spirit.  I'm glad that I have been able to spend this time in the mtc because it is a great time to learn how to recognize the spirit and to listen to it the second that it witnesses to you!  I talked to Brother Young about my depression with the language and how I feel like I am going to get stomped in the Philippines...  He asked me how often I was praying a day and I told him that I always strove to have a prayer in my heart.  He said that that wasn't what he was talking about.  He asked how many times I actually kneel down and pour out my heart to God.   I told him that I pray every night and have really tried to pray every morning.  He pulled out a scripture that told us that we are to pray morning, afternoon, and evening.  The afternoon is the one that most of us forget.  So he challenged me to pray every morning and afternoon for 10 minutes and then in the evening to give up a half hour of my time and pray to God for 30 minutes max.  I just kinda laughed and told him that there is no way that I could pray for 30 min.  He asked why not and said hasn't God given you at least 30 minutes of blessings each day?  That hit hard and I told him I would try it.  Well the first night was hard I dozed off a few times but made it through it.  But last night as I was praying I didn't get tired at all and made the whole half hour without dozing off. This is a really hard challenge but this is the challenge for the week.  Pray every morning and night and somewhere through out the crazy day, find a quiet room where you can literally kneel down and pray to God for help and for blessings.  Then that night kneel down and pray for a half hour. Pour your soul out to him and tell him how grateful you are for the blessings that you have received that day!  I promise that you will see a change in your day if you will give up that little bit of time to heavenly father.  Just tell him everything! It will be such a blessing to us all!

Family and friends,  please know how strong my testimony of this work is!  There is always going to be those tough times and the times where you just want to quit and live the "Easy" life.  Let me tell you that without God and Jesus Christ in our lives we would not be living the easy life.  We are so blessed to be able to have what we have.  Without it we would not have the spirit to witness to us and tell us where we need to go and what we need to do.  I pray that we will always live our lives in a way that will be worthy of the spirit!  The Book of Mormon is true!  I have felt it's power in my life.  I have felt the spirits of all those who gave their lives willingly for us to have it!  I know that Joseph Smith is a true prophet and the things that he went through are just a testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel.  I believe that through the atonement of Jesus Christ we can be forgiving of anything! i have been blessed to be able to use it and to be able to be washed clean.  There is nothing more important then the work of the Lord so please stay strong and stay worthy so that we can always know that no matter what happens to us in this life that we will live together as a family in the life to come. I love you guys and pray for you every day!  I can not wait to be able to talk to you in a week from today!  Thanks for everything. God speed!

 

Love,

Elder Shelley!

1-17-12

Kamusta pamilya!  How is every one doing?  Well I just got done with a week long English fast with the rest of my class and my mystro.  I think that was the hardest thing I have done yet in the mtc.  We took the promise that we as a class would not speak a word of English for an entire week- have a Cebuano long week.  None of our teachers classes had ever been willing to go for a whole week. So we decided that we were going to do it.  I don't think any of us including the teacher went the whole week without a slip, but the thing that was cool was it wasn't like a "oh dang we spoke English ok I guess I'm done now" no we jumped right back into the Cebuano language and kept going.  This week was hard, frustrating, and really trying because not knowing much Cebuano we either had to try and use a bunch of sign language, look up all these different words or just not speak at all.  haha I found that I started to actually remember some words through out the day because I was forced to remember them.  Pretty crazy week but fun.


Ok so are you ready for the biggest new of the week?!?!  WE HAVE TWO OF OUR FOUR INVESTIGATORS THAT HAVE EXCEPTED BAPTISM!!!!!  Yup you heard right. To-To, and Santiago have both excepted our challenge to be baptized! Neither has set a date just because they want to continue to learn and are just scared of the date.  We are going to keep pushing them and see where that goes.  Yes I know that they are not truly investigators, they are my teachers but still like they told us, they are real people with real problems that need help being resolved. So it is 100% real in my eyes! The best part about it all is I thought I was going to be all proud because we may get a baptism in the mtc but that's not even the thing.  I have grown to truly love these people and their problems and I just love helping them and trying to get them to move forwards.  I have learned through all of this that even with my broken Cebuano, if you have the spirit with you at all times and you listen to the promptings that it gives you you are going to be blessed.


Mom so here is the deal I forgot to bring my notes to the computer lab about all that I have learned from studying faith this week... Sorry. but I have to tell you that holy cow have I learned so much and have gained such a better testimony of having faith and knowing that no matter what you ask for, in his time the lord is going to give it to you.  I loved the talk that you said to read. I had actually read it like 20 minutes before I got your letter.  If you haven't already you need to read the talk called "It's better to look up.''  That talk I think had the most impact on me because it was so true!  How can the lord get into your mind if your looking down and away from him. You may be begging for help and guidance from him but until you look up to heaven and give him the chance to help, he is not going to be able to get into you.  That hit home for me here in the mtc because I have been so discouraged at times.  I always had faith that the lord was going to help me but as I said that I walked with my head down. I was depressed in class because I couldn't understand a word of what was going on, and I just wanted to give up because I wasn't progressing like I wanted to. But as soon as I read that talk the spirit hit me so strong that the Lord had been trying for weeks to talk to me and to answer those prayers that I have been asking for but he couldn't because I had my head down and away from him.  WOW!!! Talk about a slap to the face! hahaha but I didn't take it like that. I took it as, You need to shape up.  You didn't want this experience to be easy or you wouldn't be here!  You wanted to have to work hard and to grow so why are you complaining that its hard? Look up to the Lord and he will bless your life!  Well that next day in the temple I had done some work there and was listening to the blessing really closely and just started tearing up.  The old man that was talking started tearing up too and after wards he gave me a hug and said thank you for letting me feel that with you.  The spirit I truly believe was right in that little square cubical with us and was teaching us both different things at the same time that we needed.  I have never felt the spirit in the temple like I did that day!  I'm going into a session today and literally cannot wait!  It is such a good feeling to truly have a pain in your heart waiting to go to the temple!  I have never had that till now. I always loved the temple but I had never just shook with excitement because of the joy that it brings!  Man its amazing to feel the spirit as strong as you do on your mission!  I bet Kailei understands exactly what I am talking about. I was so proud! On Sunday our speaker for fire side asked all of the missionaries that had a brother or a sister in the field to stand up. I stood up with so much pride that it was almost over whelming!  I looked around and realized that the percentage of people standing was not very high. How blessed is our family to have two missionaries out at the same time!?  Man I know that I receive blessings that I don't even deserve because of Kailei's service and I hope that she feels the same way!


So I am literally 69 pages away from finishing the Book of Mormon!!!!  I have marked that book up so much that I swear there is not a page that doesn't have red on it! I have truly feasted on this book, tearing it apart praying daily to understand and to know again of the truthfulness of it and let me tell you, I don't think this is the same book that I have read so many times before.  I think it has changed!  All of a sudden I am learning principle after principle that I didn't even know where in it!  I just finished up with the chapters of Christ visiting the Americas and teaching the people there and I know that I could have marked every verse on that page and it would have been doctrine! but I forced myself to only mark the things that really stuck out to me so that later in my life I can pull out these scriptures and know that that is what I needed and learned while on my mission!  I cannot wait to start over on the book and learn even more!  Please, I beg you guys to be in the Book of Mormon everyday!  With a marking pencil and a note book ready to mark it up and take notes because without that note book, the lord is not going to be able to witness to you all the things that he could because you won't remember them! There is another challenge from me. Please do it!  I promise that you will see a difference in your studies and that it will be a blessing to you all.


Know that this is the true church of Jesus Christ on the earth!  Nothing that could be said or done could change my knowledge on the topic!  Please everybody stay strong in the church and never let a day pass that your testimony doesn't grow.  We don't have time for that. These are truly the last days and we need to be the ones who are strong and the examples!  Please don't ever let anything tell you other wise!  Thank you again for your love and support and please remember that me and Kailei miss you so much but love you more!  We are serving our God and having the times of our lives! This is the true church and it can change our lives! Will you let it? In the name of Jesus Christ amen.

With so much love,

Elder Mackay Shelley

1-10-12

Hey Family,


The language kinda hit a stand still and it felt like I couldn't learn anything more.  I was really struggling.  I just kept praying asking for help and asking for my trials and problems to be lifted from me. Sunday night one of our district presidents- who by the way is my favorite person in the world asked how I was doing.  I told him that I was at my breaking point.. I started crying which I don't do. I haven't cried here before this.. I told him that I didn't know what else to do. I have received blessings and have prayed for this to leave, but it seemed like nothing was working.  He gave me a hug and told me that he has seen an amazing growth in me since I have been here.  He told me to remember that the language is not the only part of being a missionary. He told me that he has seen me come out of my comfort zone quite a bit lately.  I played piano in church on Sunday and actually did pretty well.  He told me that he knew that that was not an easy thing for me to do, but as the music coordinator he said that I stepped up and played since there isn'tanyone else who can.  I made a few mistakes but kept playing through.  He said now about your language and struggles.  When you pray what do you pray about?  I told him that I thank God for helping me get to this point and I thank him for everything that he has ever given me. I bless my friends and family and then I ask him to release me from these trials.  Then depending on the day there is always more just depends.  He told me that that may be part of my problem.  I have only been praying for myself. I put in 10% others 90% me.  He told me that its totally fine to pray for myself but that I should be praying for my companion, my investigators, my teachers, thanking him for everything and then asking for things, but not making that part the focus. He challenged me to start truly studying the Christlike attributes in preach my gospel. He told me not to just study, but to take a few days per attribute and know literally everything about that attribute and then apply it to my life and gain that attribute.  I told him I would try it and let him know. Well Monday morning I started at the first one and I just have to say WOW! What a difference. There is no way that you can be discouraged when you are studying the attributes of Christ! I sat down with my teachers and told them that I want them to tell me exactly what they think I lack as a missionary and as someone who is learning Cebuano. They are going to put a list together and give it to me tomorrow. I'm really going to try to take those things to heart and apply them so that when I get to the field in three weeks that my mission pres. knows that no matter where in the mission he needs me or what he needs me to do, I could do it! That's my goal. I'm done being down. I don't need to be sad all the time. 


Guys I love you so much! You guys are my rock and are part of the reason that I'm able to keep going! Thank you for your advice and love that you put in your letters!

Going to the temple again today and can not wait! I have truly gained a great love for the temple and spending time in the celestial room! There is literally no other place on this earth that is anything like it!  99% of my revelation as a missionary has come from my time spent in there and I cannot wait until I get to do a session in the Cebu Temple!!! Going to be one amazing time.  The more that we talk about the Philippines the more excited I get! Our teachers have started telling stories about things that have happened and I just want to get out there! I don't even care that I don't know the language very well that will come and I know it will. Thanks for the conference talk mom! That really did help!   

 Also keep me updated on the mission calls and home coming! Zack should be coming home pretty soon. I bet bishop is super excited about that!  I love you guys so much I can't even describe it!

     Ok time for my testimony. I hope that even through the complaints and the struggles that you can still see my testimony growing every week.  I love this gospel! It is true! If you don't believe it then write me a letter.  I'll give you scripture after scripture that will change your life! I have been reading the book of Mormon cover to cover and should be done before I leave here. But I swear it is not the same book that I read for stomp or for seminary. This book is written for ME and for YOU! study it! cross reference it!  Know it more then you know anything else on this earth because without the book of Mormon we are nothing! If you don't believe anything else that I say believe that the book of Mormon is the word of god written for our time and our people! I cannot wait to be able to go and bring this good news to the people of the Philippineswouldn't invite the spirit!  I did that for way to long and it is not worth it!  Here real quick is my new favorite quote from elder Holland! "Come to the edge he said. "No, I will fall."  Come to the edge he said!  "No! I will Fall!"  COME TO THE EDGE!!! he said.  So I came to the edge, AND HE PUSHED ME!!!!!!   And I flew!  end quote.  My friends and family my prayer is that we will all be willing to come to the edge with the savior.  Let him push you! so that you too can fly!  I have been to the edge with the savior.  I stood at breaking point with him.  He pushed me.  I was at boiling point as I fell.. But as he promises, he healed me, and I'm about to fly!  Please go to the edge.  Don't just go through the motions of being an lds person! go to the edge and live your life like our savior Jesus Christ!

I love you guys with all my heart and I know that God loves you too! thanks for everything.

 

With Great love,

Elder Mackay Dale Shelley

1-3-12

Hey Family

       Well, I have to start off by saying that I'm sorry that I haven't written anyone but dad..  This has been the hardest week for me so far.  The language is really kickin my butt and I'm really having a hard time trying to make time for everything that I know I need to get done.  They really ask a lot from us.  I know that we could pull it all off if all the guys in my district would just focus and not mess around every second that they are given "personal study time" which to me should be the time that we really crack down the most.  I want to thank you guys so much for your prayers though because I can truly feel them!  Please keep praying for me because right now I really need it.  I knew the mission was going to be hard but I never thought I would get this discouraged. But hey, I'ma Shelley- I love a good challenge and I know that I can do this!

     Oh by the way mom and dad, Sunday at the fireside Ryan Fisher came running up to me and asked if I had seen him yet? I asked who and he said Kyler! He got here Wednesday!  I said no and started looking all over.  I found him and shook his hand and we got to talk for a little bit. He said he was doing way good and loving the mtc.  I asked how his dad was doing and he said that he hasn't had any signs of cancer for years.  Honestly that was the thing that truly made my week so much better. I didn't realize how much I missed him until I was able to talk to him.

Oh by the way I have to publicly thank my god for this and please please please pass this on the Pres. Johnson because he needs to know about this.  Since I was 8 you all know that I have never had a day where I have had absolutely no pain in my feet.  But after that blessing pres. gave me I can honestly say that for the first time since I was 8 I have gone a full month with a pain level of 0!!!! It is one amazing feeling and I wish I could tell you how thankful I am for this! I didn't realize how bad my feet actually hurt until now because I don't have any pain and looking back I really did have to grin and bare through a lot of pain.  I know that the lord is the one that gave this to me but pres. was the instrument in giving the blessing.  I have really taken advantage of this gift because I can run now! so I have been running over a mile a day and Elder Johnson has me on one of the Marine Corps work out lifting work outs!  I have dropped about 15 pounds since I got here and feel great! We are off soda completely and are eating super super healthy.  It is hard to not drink soda or eat the ice cream every day but I wouldn't give up the way I am feeling right now because of it.  So make sure pres. knows how thankful I am that he was intune enough with the spirit to be able to pass that blessing from my father in heaven on to me!!!

Guys I love you so much and think and pray for you daily if not more then once daily!  Your letters and testimonies keep me going strong and help remind me the reason I came out here.   I know that it is not going to be easy but i know that god will bless me for my service.  Like the song dad used to sing to us as kids.  The test.  "Didn't he say the way would not be sure, but didn't he say we could live with him. For ever more well and whole. If we but patiently endure."  Well I need to be patient and realize all the blessings that god has already given me and just be patient and know that the rest will come in their own due time.  I love this gospel so much and know without a shadow of doubt that it is true.  I was in a lesson with an investigator (who was my teacher) but still thought of him as one, And was teaching repentance and the joys that come from that.  It hit me hard that I went through the struggles that I did for a reason.  I needed to witness the atonement  given unto you! This is my humble prayer in the name of JesuKristo my monunubos! Amen.

 

 

Love always,

Your Missionary,

Elder Mackay Shelley