5-27-13

Dear friends and family, 

Well really not to much to write about this week. It honestly was a very slow week and we only taught a few lessons. All the families around here are out of town because of the long weekend. We were able to get in with Johanna and Brother Sembrano and that was about it. We had a few less active lessons, but we are really just trying to get hooked up with all the members and to get to know them and to gain their trust! We have been trying to get some referrals, and that is not going to happen if we don't know the members. Our ward mission leader is AMAZING though!  He is so willing to help us and to get us ready to work! 

Zone conference was out of this world!!!! President Meredith has been really focusing on the scripture in D&C 88 about hastening the work! He talked to us about sanctifying ourselves and working to make sure that we are prepared for the call when it comes to hasten the work. We ate pizza for lunch, which didn't make Sister Meredith very happy. She had just given us this HUGE training on how we need to eat better and more healthy. haha she was very nice and thanked them, but mom she would have been so much more happy with your lunch and for your efforts! We as missionaries were pleased, but honestly probably wasn't very healthy! As of June 1st actually President is making it a rule that we are to run for a half hour 3 times a week! He and Sister Meredith have been talking to the other missions in California, and that is what they do. They actually run every day,and there is a huge difference in the health and the doctor bills in those missions! So I am sooo excited to be able to tell the district that they have to run with me in the mornings! I have been running inside the gym of the church while they play basketball, but now we can run outside and up the hills and stuff. My back hasn't been doing to well though. I should be getting an MRI this week and know by next Monday what is going to happen. The other day I couldn't even bend over to tie my shoes... I had to wear my slip ons for the past few days just so that I don't have to bend to tie them. Everything is going to be good though. I told them that I want to try everything to fix it before we even think about surgery if there is something actually wrong with it. The doctor told me that he would try cortisone first and see how that will help if needed. I had that in my feet, and don't even want to think about how bad it would hurt in the back. Grandpa knows and I am sure dad does too.. As long as it takes the pain away for a while I would be fine with it!!! Just keep praying for me. I am so sick of having things wrong with my body! I am now not allowed to eat with members cause of how bad my stomach is, and now have this back problem. I know that it is all for my good, and that its just one of my trials I have to deal with, so we shall see how it all turns out! Love you all so much.

  

Honestly I am about to go destroy in some ping pong and so this is going to be super short.. I love this Gospel with all my heart! I have been fighting trunkiness, but it has gotten soooo much better. I don't deserve to be trunky! I have still got a long time. I took what dad said about retirement to heart and applied it to my mission! I just had to stop thinking about it! Once I threw myself into the work and just refocused and did what was expected and more, it all was so much easier! I love to do missionary work, and the last thing I want is to waste time and to not work as hard as I can! I would regret it if I didn't work hard to the end and so I along with President have changed my mindset, and am ready to help the Lord hasten the work! I challenge all of you all there who read this email to call the missionaries and to ask them what they need you to do to help them hasten the work in your area! I look at the Sudweeks and the Mosers and think how close we were with working with them. They helped us out so much, and I know that I didn't do nearly enough to help the missionary force back at home. Honestly I only remember like two of the sisters names that even served in our area. That is sad! Get close to them! Honestly you will be blessed and feel the spirit a lot more often in your lives if you surround yourself with the missionaries! We love what we do, but we can't do anything without the members! We need people to go on splits with, we need referrals! WE NEED HELP!!!!!! The Lord is hastening the work, and don't allow yourselves to be left behind! The band wagon is leaving, and if you don't hurry and jump on, you are going to be held accountable for that at the last days! Every member a missionary! Remember that and live it! Read D&C 88 again and look at the things that are expected of us, and then look at the blessings that are promised! I promise that it will be a great life style change as we all become more missionary minded! You all out there who are over 18, GO ON SPLITS WITH THE ELDERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They shouldn't have to call for members, you should call them and they should have to tell you next time cause they already have people out with them that day! We need to help Heavenly Father hasten the work NOW! come on! Jump on board and join us missionaries in what is going to be one of the greatest few years of our lives as you witness the beginning of the end! These are the final days! If we don't become converted to the Gospel, we will be one of the Noble and Great ones that it talks about falling at the final day! PLEASE don't be one of those people who fall! We need you, and we need each other! Like President Meredith always says, all of us are smarter then any of us! I love you all so much! I expect to hear responses from everyone on how their missionary work is going! If I don't there will be more emails sent out and more personal invitations! Don't make the Lord call you! Stand up now and call yourself! I love you all so much and love this work! I didn't plan on writing a word of this! I just realized how long this got! I guess it was inspired and someone needed to hear it! Please whoever that is, maybe all of us, stand up and except the call! It is worth it! You will never regret that decision! Love you all so much! This is the true Gospel! It is the only one that has the fullness and will always be the only one! We have the opportunity of a life time here to share what we know to be true! Don't miss it!

Much Love!

Elder Mackay Dale Shelley