3-27-12

This has been the most humbling week for me of my entire life.... We had to drop an entire village because they all just fell off the edge of the world.  One of our best investigators who we thought was doing great- we caught gambling with a cig in one hand and a beer in the other...  Then we found out that there are a lot of problems in the area.  We were deep in prayer one evening and both had the feeling that it is time to move on to people who want us there and that want God in their life!  It was really, really hard to leave the area for the last time after working so hard there for the last month or two.  My language has taken like three big jumps backwards also.  I haven't been able to put 2 and 2 together worth anything and have had people laugh at me and others just tell me to stop talking and just let my companion talk... That is really hard to hear because of how much work I have been putting into learning their language. I got a little hurt and sad to say just gave up for the last two days of the week... I am not at all proud to say that I gave up.  Tears welled up in my eyes for the first time on my mission and I hit my knees and told God that I didn't want to do this anymore. Then all of a sudden I heard Dads voice telling me what he always would if I wanted to quit something.  Ha I could almost even see him standing there (looking up at me =P) and he said Mackay, you have never been a quitter! And I'm not going to let you start now.  I had a very peaceful feeling that everyone at home will be taken care of and that Grandpa and Grandma are going to be taken care of till I get home and can start taken care of them again!!!  I'll get to mow the yard and spend time with them again soon enough, but dad told me that two years is a very short time and I better not waste it cause if I quit this I'm going to quit everything else that I ever do in life and that is not me.  I got off my knees and realized that the rain storm had gotten to me and that I was soaked!  haha so worth it.  God really has a plan for us and he knows what he needs to do to get us going!  


 After I got back into the house and took my ice cold shower with a bucket and a bar of soap haha I started praying again and I rededicated myself to my work.  But not even my work to Gods work!  And come Monday and Tuesday I had a great few days.  God challenges his people so that they remember him!  If we will just always remember that we are nothing and that God has control over everything we are going to be fine!  Let God Direct our lives and we will always be safe and protected!  I love this Gospel!  I love the hard times!  I love the fact that God breaks us down and then builds us stronger.  I have gained more knowledge and an even greater testimony then I thought I ever would here in the mission field!  I have no doubt in my mind that the church is true.  I have had conversations with other churches that ask why we don't do this or why our church does that and it feels great to be able to pull out a scripture to back up why we do what we do!  If people would just pray and read their scriptures and ask with real intent if the Book of Mormon is true they would be able to find out for themselves!  They wouldn't even need missionaries.  But I'm so glad that they do because as I look at myself in the mirror every morning I see a difference.  I have yet to wake up and see the same person I saw the morning before.  God is molding me and everyone into the people that he wants us to be. Some times it just takes stepping back and looking.  God will make you who he wants you to be!  He knows exactly where you need to get to in life and he is going to get you there.  There may be obstacles or challenges. There may be worms in your system that make you sick.  There may be physical pain or mental pains.  But he will always get you through it and make you the person that you need to be.  Make it easier on him though.  Do what he asks!  Do what is taught in the scriptures!  And then just sit back and enjoy the journey and watch yourself mold into the man and women that we are all meantcigs or beer.  Give up the music or the movies that are dulling your senses.  Be the God that you have been called to be!  Thank you every single one of you for the lessons and the things you have taught me.  I don't care who is reading this letter, somewhere down the road you have taught me something and you have helped turn me into the man that I have become.  I cannot wait to be able to return home and to hug my sister who is working every day also to become the Women that she has been called to be and for the two of us side by side to be able to share stories and to share testimonies with each and every one of you!  I hope that you can feel of the power and authority that we are able to speak with.  That is because God calls missionaries to be bold and to bring the world his Gospel and to carry his sons name on a badge for two years!  I dread the day when that badge will no longer be on my chest. But I realize that you don't have to be a missionary to bare Christ's name!  We all can have the light of Christ in our eyes and we all can live our lives in a way that he would today! I love you all and pray for you every day.  May God bless your lives and keep you safe. Please continue to pray for the missionaries!  Haha we need it!  God loves you!  God wants the best for you!  Become the people that we want you to be then sit back and enjoy the journey!

Love
Elder Shelley

3-20-12

 Hello family,

Well this is probably going to be a pretty quick email.  Just to answer your question mom- real quick yes I will skype home on all days that we get to call and I get an hour so you can plan for that. Also tell Matt and Mike that they can email me at any time and I will do anything I can to help those two boys out!  The mission is worth every step of the way no matter how hard or long it takes. Also, did you talk to Quamo for me?  Curious to see what he thinks.  Grandmabought a glove and baseball the other day and have been working my arm on pday, so trust me if I have anything to say about it- the glove and cleats will be back on asap from the time I step off that plane!  haha. We joke around that the first thing we are going to do is take a four hour long HOT shower and then just lay on the carpet for the rest of the day. It is so hard to wake up to an ice cold shower every morning and to never see carpet for two years. I have yet to even sit on a couch it's all on the bamboo floors or on dirt or cement.  Good times though good times. 

 Just to explain the pictures real quick- the two baptisms went through and it was such an amazing spiritual experience.  I loved every second of it.  Don't pay attention to the looks on every ones faces in the bap. picture because the sun was terrible.  Everyone was super happy.  Joy2X had asked our district leader to baptize her and so since she was going to be baptized first we just had him do both so we both didn't have to get wet.  It was such an amazing experience though!!!  Both girls were so ready and Julia hasn't touched a cig in over two weeks!  Success! The Lord truly does love his children!  The other picture is of yes- a giant pig!  We are going to be buying a pig for a big party for our zone that the seniors in our area are going to be throwing for us because of the zones success.  So we went to the place in our area that we heard sold pigs.  Well just to put this into perspective this pig that you see was the smallest that they had!!!!!! Crazy right?!  I saw pigs there that day that had heads that were twice the size of a horse and just huge like 1000 pound pigs. We got a great laugh out of that and moved on to another place to try to find our 80 pounder that we would need to put on the pit and cook.  It's going to be a sweet party!  I think its like the 11th of April, so pictures will be on the way then.  Kadon I'm so sorry to hear that you have been sick.... welcome to my life huh?  I still have yet to find the worm pills because it's such a small area here. I have dropped way too much weight though to be healthy so I need to find them.  If I can't the zls are going to pick them up for me in the city end of this week.  I didn't think I would ever see the day when I would be under 200 pounds!!! hahaha. I have been working out really hard every morning though so it's not all from sickness, but I still need to get the pills to see what comes out and what the side affects are.  There is a chance that I may have more then just worms and if that is the case there will be more pills that I go onto! No biggy though, the Lord is mindful of me and is going to help me through it. He wouldn't let me get so sick that I couldn't work, so I will keep pluggin through it!

Oh I almost forgot.  Julia's sister came up to me the day of the baptism and told me that she had gotten an answer and wanted to be baptized too.  She has been to church 4 weeks in a row and so she meets those requirements already and so we are teaching her every day this week and next and should be baptizedon the Saturday after next!  The work is just on fire here and my language is even making progress.  I can almost teach at least a little bit from every topic that we talk about now.  Now if only I could understand the people when they speak I would be golden! hahaha good old Filipinos!  How I love them.  

The other pic is of our branch president with the house that we were asked to help build.  We had been working on it for the past week or so, but I forgot to tell ya.  We got it finished up this week but I forgot my camera to take final pics so next time we go I will take a picture of the first house that I built in the Philippines.  haha it is so funny the way they build things!  They are Old Dale through and through- if it doesn't fit or doesn't work they make it fit and they make it work! hahahahaha I yelled out to him (yes in Cebuano!) and we got a great laugh because he felt so sorry!  

Final story is of the amazingly beautiful temple here in Cebu. I was able to make my first temple trip and I have yet to be inside a temple that was as beautiful as this one is! Tropical art work on the walls and hard dark wood all around!  I had a great experience inside and learned a lot!  The shirts that you rent are amazing too!  They are like the one that Brother Zufelt had and you don't wear a tie or tuck them in!  You just look great in them!  hahaha. I know it's not what the temple is about but it sure did make it cool. 

Well I love you guys so so much and pray for you daily!!!  Please keep reading your scriptures and praying every day because that is the key to receiving revelation for our Father in Heaven who loves us and knows us personally!  Love you guys so much and keep me, my comp, and our investigators in your prayers! 

Love,

Elder Shelley

3-13-12

Hello family!


So nothing much happening here actually other then the fact that...........WE HAVE TWO BAPTISMS THIS SATURDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Joy2x and her mom Julia have passed their baptismal interviews and are on stride to make it!  Julia has been clean from smoking for almost three weeks now and so that is a miracle!  Sister Julia has asked me to baptize her so  that is going to be an awesome experience! Pictures will be on the way next week.

 So a quick story. This is going to have to be a really short email sorry..  We are in Cebu for a temple trip and so that Elder Garver can go to the doctor. He got some weird fungus on his toe and so we are going to get it taken off here in the next few minutes. So I was walking down the street last night and saw an old beat up pick up on the side of the road with this really old tatay (old man) beating the heck out of it with a hammer!!! He was mad at this thing because itwasn't coming off. We asked if we could help him but he kept saying no no I have been doing this for 50 years I know what I'm doing. We stood there for a little while and just watched as he kept wailing on this thing with his hammer doing absolutely nothing for the tire... So finally I asked again and he said sure whatever, it's not going to come off anyways.  Well dad you would be proud I walked around the truck. Kicked the tires and said... HHmmmm interesting! hahaha just kidding.  I took a look and realized that there was a bolt under this cap that he hadn't taken off. So we tried to remove the pin but he had hit the tire so many time that the pin had bent really bad. Got into his tool box and got a few things to get it out.  Got the pin out and the tire off but because of all his pounding he had pushed the piece with the prongs onto the rim and it wouldn't come off. Soooo it was back to the hammer.  We kept beating on it and finally I had gotten it off. By this time it had been about 40 minutes and being in a squat for that long my legs were dead. Plus I was greasy up to my elbows and trying with everything I had not to get my shirt dirty. (Mom,Grandma,Ashely you all know how hard that is for me at times!) So got everything put back on and then came trying to get that stupid little pin in the hole!  After about an hour and 10 I stood up for the first time and I thought my legs were going to fall off! Ha Well I went and washed my arms and helped the man into his truck. He thanked me and told me I was a gift from God!  I told him that he was right missionaries areservants and I think that this was God trying to tell him that its time to come back to church. He said he would be there Sunday for my help and drove off. It was such a fun, Crazy, tiring time but I think he really will be at church Sunday!  The best part about all of this was as I walked away I realized again that I have still had not an ounce of pain in my feet!!! Being in that position for 20 minutes 7 months ago would have killed me and to be in it for and hour and ten minutes and be able to walk away from it still just blows my mind!  I have no idea if this blessing is going to be a life long blessing but what I can tell you is that Heavenly Father is real! The power of the Priesthood is real!  I have had quite a few feelings lately that if I come home with honor and I work hard 100% of the time I may never have a foot pain again!!!!  It brings tears to my eyes to even think about that just because of the pain that I have been in for the past 11 years of my life!  Mr. Quamo if you are reading this this next part is for you! If not mom give him a call and read it to him!  If I come home and I am still pain free, the glove and cleats are coming back on and I want some bullpin work!  I have had an itch like you couldn't believe for the past month to throw the ball hard!  If I don't have any pain I am going to be finding a junior college that has a some what ok team and am going to start working out to walk onto their team!  I have been on a great diet here and have a great work out plan in affect!  I'm down to 210 pounds and am in great shape! So if you're willing to put that glove back on with me I would absolutely love some time with you to see what an old mans arm can still do!

Well this has been one crazy busy week and so sorry I only had time for one story support and told him we will be back this week some time.  Guys satan is real!  I can not tell you enough just how real he is!  I have seen things that would make a grown man cry if he had to see it.  I have seen black magic.. I have seen guys that you just know are not the kind of people you want to be around.  But there is also one thing that I know and that is real. And that my friends and family is the power of God!  I know that some of you are struggling.  I know that some of you are going through some really hard times. Trust me I know what it feels like! I have been there and I understand how hard that is. But I also know just how amazing it is to truly put your trust in the Savior and ask Heavenly Father for help!  He will help you!  He will heal you!  Please put your trust in God and come unto the Savior with a broken heart and a contrite spirit!  He is waiting for you with open arms.  It doesn't matter what you have been in the past. Itdoesn't matter where you are right now. All that matters is where you want to be in the future and what you are willing to do to get there!  I am a living witness of the Savior!  I have not seen him. I have not seen the Golden Plates or seen an angle. But I have seen the power of God in my life and I know that he lives!  His son died on the cross for us and made it possible to live forever!  If you want to live forever with your family and you want to be able to have eternal joy then come unto Christ!  It is that easy!  It is that simple!  All he asks is that we put our trust in him and that we ask for forgiveness of our short comings and we devote our lives to him. After the things he went through for us, to me that is the least we can do!  I know that through the atonement of Christ all men can be saved and return to live with him one day! I look forward to the day that I get to look into his eyes and to feel of the love that he has for me!  To give him a hug and say that I am worthy of all that he has to give me.  The judgment bar doesn't scare me anymore!  I am ready for it!  I cannot wait till the day that I get to stand before God and tell him that I am ready!  Yes I'll have to answer for the mistakes I have made in life. But I also know that he will remember them no more and that he will except me gladly!  May we all live our lives for the Savior and come to know him personally!  I love you all and hope that you have an amazing day!

 

With much love,

Elder Mackay Dale Shelley

3-6-12

Dear Family,

If you have a light stomach this letter may not be for you... Sorry!  To start off this week right after we had gotten done with emails I almost past out from this crazy pain in my stomach. Elder Garver was really worried because I had been sick all week.  So we jumped on the nearest trike and went home.  I ran to the bathroom and was throwing up for quite some time. Then I sat down and started that process.  Well long story short- I found out why I had been so sick. I looked down into the toilet only to find three big worms swimming in the water surrounded by literally about 20 eggs!!!!!  GROSS!!!!  I flushed them down and went back to Elder Garver and told him of my find.  We just kinda laughed it off.  I have dropped even more weight in the past three weeks that I have been here, so we wonder if I have some kind of a bug.  After my worm find though I have felt much better. So I'm not too worry about it. HAHA should be a fun story to tell my kids when I get home.  Haha and to girls I guess.  I probably won't be able to get any if I tell that story!  

Also crazy story for this week is I got some sweet pictures of my craziest meal yet!.......... wait for it wait for it.......... Yes me and Elder Garver ate dog for the first time in both of our lives and I'm sorry molly (the dog next door) but it was so good!!!  Super weird to know what you were eating and also to stand there and help gut it and skin it.  Elder Garver told the guy that I was a hunter and that I could help.  haha I gave him a really dirty look then when the guys was like oh please do, please do I couldn't say no. So we feasted on puppy and got a good laugh out of that one.  Poor little thing.  I guess it bit a kid the other day and so that village got together and shot it.  It was this huge village party as this dog was roasting and then as we skinned it.  Kinda funny.  Kinda sad.  So all you dogs out there in Arizona don't bite me or I will eat you!!!!! Even know how to prepare it now too! haha The grossest thing about it was the best part was the things that were inside the dog.  The brain, the intestines, the heart all that stuff was thrown into a pot and then served in chunks. I know I can never complain about being sick if i am willing to eat the brain and heart of a dog.  With the flies flying around it and the guy cutting it up with his dirty sword.  Haha our out look is to just bless it and leave the rest up to God! 

Thanks for the advice mom,  actually did make me a little home sick.  This week has been a hard week for that.  I am still really bad at the language and so I am really lonely during the day when we only speak cebuano.  My mind wanders home once in a while and I really miss the good times that we had.  I have really learned a lot the last week while in the scriptures about how to raise a family and how to become a better son and then a father and husband.  It is absolutely amazing at what you learn on your mission.  Not only do you learn about the gospel stuff.  I can not wait to be a father because of the things that I have learned from both the scriptures, Jesus the Christ book, Conference talks, and most importantly my parents.  To all the youth out there in the ward or to those that read my blog this is for you so listen up!!! This is coming from a 19 year old kid and so its one kid to another. Listen to you parents!  They truly do know what you are going through and will keep you safe!  If I had just listened to my parents and did what they asked me to do and lived my life in the way that I was raised I could have signed my own mission papers to come out that is how prepared I would have been!  Please listen to your parents!  Please if you are an older sibling please be that big brother or big sister that your sibling deserves.  Again from one kid to another you will truly regret it if you don't do everything you can with them while you are home!  I didn't and I'll tell you what...  you have no idea what I would do right now to be able to have my little brother come up to me and ask me to do something with him.  I can honesty say that after all I have learned here in the field, that I would be off that couch in a heart beat to go spend time with my brother!  I would never tell him I was too tired or that I was busy. (watching tv).  What a lame excuse.  I have and am going to miss 16 years of my brothers life because of the way I treated him!  I gave my parents 17 rough years because I decided that they didn't know what they were talking about.  That I was way smarter then them and they didn't know what I was going through.  What I would do right now to be able to mow my parents yard for them!  What I wouldn't do to be able to give my mom a hug and tell her how much she means to me and that I love her!  Please don't waste time!  Go tell your parents that you love them!  Go thank your dad for the sacrifice that he gives every day to put food on your table.  I had the very best parents in the world and the coolest brother and sister in the world, but because of pride, anger, and some bad choices I have to wait 2 years to start my life with them.  Please, Please, Please do everything that you can to live your life with your family to the best degree. You won't regret it -I promise!!!  Guys I love you so much!  To all my buddies out there please know that I think about you every day! Luis, Matt Filichia, Andrew Gayton, Mike Johnson, all you guys were the reason that I am here right now.  You got me through the tough times of life and I owe you so much!  Luis my friend I owe you my life bro!  You saved me from an awful hell that may not have been returnable.  You are the reason that I have a testimony of God and my lord Jesus Christ!  I would love to be able to have another wing night or black ops, pizza, and drummin! I hope West Mesa is cleanin up!  I know that you have the skill and leadership to take them all the way!  I hope everyone knows that I have a testimony of Jesus Christ!  That he lives.  That he knows and loves us so much!  He suffered for us in the garden and thought of us equally.  He knows our pains.  He can bare our sorrow!  The book of Mormon is the word or God translated by Joseph Smith!  I love that book!  There is power that just flows out of it!  Hold it in your hands and just close your eyes, the power will just flow through your arms and you will feel of its truthfulness!  Again I love this Gospel. I love my family!  I wouldn't be where I am today without the two!  Ha my parents are so smart!  They taught me so much!  They gave me more then they will ever know and even when they didn't think I was listening or through all the "I hate you's"... I was listening!  I am trying to be a mirror image of my dad and I know that if I can be but half of the man that he is I will change the world.  My father is that father that I want to be some day!  My mom is the woman that is the mother to hundreds of kids.  Those band kids love her. She has a mexican son that loves her because of her example. I have a set of Mexican parents that have changed my life forever!  My testimony of love and of Jesus Christ grew every time I was in their home!  From the Philippines to Arizona I hope that you can feel of my love.  If you can't I know that you can feel the love or our Savior and my love is right there with his. He is my Savior and my Redeemer and has carried me through the flames of Hell for 19 years.  Now it is my turn to carry his children. 

 We have four baptisms this month and next month and a family of 5!!!  The work is going strong and the word of God is coming forth!  The fact that this church is the only church that has the power to bind families together for all of eternity is the winner to a lot of the Catholic families here that love their families and never want to be seperated. May you all come closer to your families this week. To my sister in Argentina I hope the dogs have stopped biting you! If not its ok- I ate one for you! hahahaha you have been such an example and our penguin is always on my mind getting me through the hard times!  I love God and I love you all!  God bless and God speed!

Love,
Elder Shelley