Probably the coolest Mormons ever

I think this week was very beneficial to me. During our district meeting we made goals to have at least 2 more people in each of our areas that have a date for baptism. After the district meeting we had exchanges with Elder Eddington and Elder Oaks. We did not accomplish our goal but we got two more people on date yesterday, even though its next week. Right after the district meeting, Elder Sumner and his exchange companion for the next 3 days, got 3 people on date 2 hours after the meeting. The dates that we have set already are really solid and they are set for the 5th and 12th of July.

When Elder Eddington told us that I was going to be staying in my area, I about freaked out! I did not think I was able to take on the role of senior companion for three days. Partially because I did not think I was ready because this is only my second area. I saw myself coming out of my comfort zone and talking with a lot more people than I usually do. It was really neat because I am now somewhat comfortable with being the senior companion. But I am grateful that elder Eddington felt inspired that I should be the senior companion for the exchange.

We were walking down the road to a less actives home and we see these two young people sitting on an island in the middle of the road with a sign that said, "STUPID TRAVLIN' HIPPIES". We decided that we were going to talk to them. We ended up talking for a really long time. There was a guy that was 25 and a girl that was 18. They were pretty cool people. He told us that he was Mormon and that his dad is a really good practicing Mormon and he has been traveling for over 5 years. Somewhere down the line he met this girl that was traveling. All they do is hop onto freight trains and go to wherever it takes them. They stay there for a few days and get some money for food and such. He said he has been to every single state in the USA. (I am guessing he didn't take a train to Hawaii)He had a lot of stories to tell. We were going to see them the next day but they had left that morning on a train. They were both trying to get to the east coast. Who knows! They are probably already in Nebraska now. They both said that we were probably the coolest Mormons that they have ever met. They made like 30 dollars within the hour that we were there talking with them. It’s a rough life but it sounds like it pays pretty well. (Not my idea of how to make a living. (one of McKade's great- grandfathers had been known to travel by train back in the day, so maybe it's in the blood) 

I’ve been asked how big our church building is. Well it is REALLY small. I can walk throughout the whole thing within 15 seconds.

 

Listen. . . . Listen . . . . to the still small voice

The small town life is great, even though the whole town has been tracted twice already by Elder Sumner with his other companions. I am thinking that I would like to get some cowboy boots. I could wear them for service because the only shoes that I have for service now are my basketball shoes. Everyone around here has boots and so I feel left out and weird. We went and looked for some at a store, and the cheap brand of boots in my size are like 190 dollars. That is not what I would call a cheap brand of boots.
I checked our PO box on Saturday and we got a package, but we could not get it because the office was closed. We went to the post office today (Monday June 16th), and it was a package from Grandma Jones full of food.



Miles and miles of wheat fields
 

Each week, we eat with the same families for dinner. Monday's we eat with one family, on Tuesday's we eat with another family and so on.



Zone Training here we come
 

This past week was really cool. First off, we helped out with a youth rodeo all day. It was good because now everyone knows us and we got a lot of lessons from it. We were driving back from zone training, which is 200 miles away, and Elder Sumner got this feeling that he should put his hands on the wheel firmly. He did and not too long after he followed that prompting, our front tire blew out. If he hadn't listened to that prompting we would have crashed because the car jerked really hard. We pulled over, and a short time later a highway patrolman pulled up to check on us. We were fine, and we changed the tire ourselves. We got our tire fixed and then drove to a less active members home. They live on a 5,000 acre wheat farm and there was wheat fields for DAYS!!!!!!  We are anticipating 4 or 5 baptisms in the coming weeks.

 



Service with a smile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . and a cattle prod

We got a call on Friday from the Branch President and he wanted us to speak in church that Sunday. I knew that as a missionary that  would probably happen, but he was nice enough to give us a few days notice instead of right when church is going to start. My talk was on changing our fears to faith when it comes to missionary work.
A lady came up to me  after church and said that I helped her to think about something that she had never thought about before and that I helped her to see the light.

Rodeo grounds service project

We don't have bikes in my new area, because everything is so spread out. Each week for district meeting we have to drive about an hour and a half. This past week we did a number of service activities. We mowed a lawn, planted a garden, and helped out at the rodeo grounds. Prior to the rodeo, we built a desktop in the announcer and scorers booth. During the rodeo, we helped the cattle get moved from the holding pens, into the chutes. I got my first experience using a cattle prod. There are rodeos here about every week, so we may be helping out with some of the other rodeos. I also ran into a fellow WLHS Alumni, Elder Linton. There are a few other people from my graduating class in this mission. I am sure I will run into them sometime in the future.




Elder Linton and I - Go Thunder!

So Long Belgrade

I got a call from the zone leaders about transfers, and they told me that I was going to be staying in Belgrade. The next morning they called back, and I was told that I was not going to be staying in Belgrade after all, and I was leaving the next morning, so I had to pack everything together fairly quickly. After what seemed like an all day ride in the car, I arrived at my new area. It is a small town (aren't they all in Montana) with the nearest town of any size about 100 miles away. I like the people and the branch that I am in is really small with only about 30 members.

My new companion is Elder Sumner, from Highland, Utah and he loves to rodeo. The sunsets are gorgeous here.  We might help out with a rodeo coming up, helping with the chutes or something.  We also might help with some branding.  For my first preparation day in the area we are going to be going golfing with a member, it is going to be fun. (It looks like there is a Country Club not far from town) Since I am in a branch instead of a ward, the work is kind of slow here, but we are going to change that!

First Baptism - Wolf run over

This past Saturday we had a baptism! It was awesome. I was able to confirm her which was scary! She is 11 years old and her family are members but they had been in active. We were able to help them to come back to church. This was the coolest experience that I have had on my mission.

A few days ago, we were riding our bikes and we were going straight and all of the sudden, Elder Wolf turns right in front of me and I had no time to brake, so I t-boned him and flipped off my bike. I landed on the concrete on my back, and skidded across the pavement a few feet. My slacks are all ripped up now and I need to get them patched up. This all happened right when school was getting out and there were a lot of cars. My wrist started to hurt a lot but it was not broken it was just sprained. Luckily I was wearing my backpack and that saved me a lot of hurt, and I was wearing my helmet. To all those kids that don't wear helmets. WEAR THEM!!! They will save your life someday.

Because momma taught me good

First mission haircut

This week I got my first haircut while on my mission. It was also the first haircut in my life that I got from someone other than my mom, or grandma. I got it cut by a member. She did a really good job. She was surprised that I knew what size guard to use for the clippers. I knew,because momma taught me good.

We have 3 baptisms lined up for this Saturday. I know that they are going to get baptized. We shared with one of them that is getting baptized the first vision with Joseph Smith. We asked her how she felt after watching the video, and she told us that she felt warm and fuzzy inside! We asked her if she wanted to get baptized and she said yes and asked how long she was going to get held underwater. we told her that she just had to be completely submerged underwater. We also showed her a video of the prophet Thomas S. Monson speaking. We asked her what she thought about him and what he said in the video. She said that she felt that he was speaking directly to her. We also got to have exchanges with the other missionaries in a nearby town for a few days. When I got to the other town, me and my temporary companion Elder Swenson. went to the food drive place and bagged about 100 bags of Fiber One cereal for 2 hours.

Wonderful evening

Wonderful morning

 

Transfers are here already, and time has gone by really fast. I've looked back at where I came and realized that I have been out as a missionary for almost 2 months!!! I've already come to my first transfer, and to think about it more...I've got 94 more scout camps to go. It's nice to hear from y'all and see how your doing. and you might be wondering if I am having a great time here in Montana. just look up Alma 11:33.

 A week or so ago, we had a Zone conference. My companion was scheduled to play the guitar and sing a song. As luck would have it, his voice was having troubles, and he wasn't able to sing. I said that I could play something in his place. I didn't have any sheet music, so I went to another room to practice a rendition of "I am a child of God" that I had played before my mission.  When it came time to play, it went really well, even without any sheet music.

This past Sunday, Mother's day, my companion and I had the opportunity to talk in church. Being Mother's day you could probably guess, my topic was  on ............. Revelation. I talked about how Joseph Smith received revelation as an answer to his prayers. Prophets in the ancient days received revelation, and how revelation is necessary even today for our salvation. We can all receive revelation. How do we or the people we teach about the gospel come to learn that the Book of Mormon is true? It is by revelation. We can all receive revelation.

Mckade via Facetime

Also on Mother's day I was able to call home. We talked by phone for a little while, then we were able talk using Facetime (video chat through an iPad) similar to Skype. Talked about how things were going, and the good time I was having.

Who really wants to get the prime Facetime location?

From his family's perspective, it was good to see that Mckade is having a good time, and gaining lots of experiences. We were able to see his companion, Elder Wolf. He is from Yucaipa in southern California. When Mckade was asked about having to eat any new or strange foods, he mentioned that he has had elk and deer burgers, and that they were pretty good.