Hi familia!

Hi familia!

This week was great!

My companion and I are having such a blast!!

Who could complain being here at the beach?

This past week consisted of rapping for the zone meeting, about weekly planning and splits with a brand new elder who doesnt speak spanish. I realized alot, how much Ive grown in the language! I also learned there are alot of words I have forgotten in english! haha.

We spent alot of time helping a sister here who is going to BYU in december! Her packet came in english, so we have been helping her get her visa and what not. Fun stuff (:

The family that we are working with are getting closer and closer to their baptism! Its awesome! They are so great!

We have just been having so much fun! We didnt have much success this week, but we had lots of fun as companions, so I felt like it was a good week!!

But everything is going great!

This weekend is general conference and Im so stoked!! This conference will just be me and my buddy Elder Benavides watching it in english as opposed to last conference with like 30 gringos in a room watching a small tv! haha.

I highly advise watching conference and going with some questions in heart. If you really want to absorb the words of the living prophet, go fasting!

My favorite quote from last conference was by Elder Holland:

​"​

I bear witness of that gospel and that Church, with a particular witness of restored priesthood keys which unlock the power and efficacy of saving ordinances. I am more certain that those keys have been restored and that those ordinances are once again available through The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints than I am certain I stand before you at this pulpit and you sit before me in this conference.

​"​

This week we are going on divisones with the Assistants to President, so we are excited to learn alot!

Today we hit up the beach and were enjoying the beuty! I brought my hammock and was just realxing. And then out of nowhere, President and his wife showed up! Their kids are here in Chile, so they brought them to Pichilemu! What a suprise!! haha. It was good to see him again! It was just so random, and funny. We all had a good laugh, and then they headed back home!

Life is good. Do something for someone else today!

​Pray lots, and read the scriptures!

Elder McGee​

Hiiii, Wonderful week!!

Hiiii,

Wonderful week!!

We started off last week on monday traveling up to Santa Cruz which is like 2 hours to stay the night because the next day we had a lidership conference. We rolled into santa cruz monday night, and it was super hot outside. It was like arriving on vacation! haha weird moments in the mission. So tuesday we got up early, and I went to another city called San Fernando. It was good to see president again, and learn lots! So we went back to santa cruz, and I got to do some baptismal interviews. We spent the whole day doing them, because they we ivestigators of the hermanas! What spiritual experiances, can I tell you what. The spirit is always so strong as you look someone in the eyes, and ask them the last question. Do you feel ready to become baptized, and become a member of the church of Jesus Christ? When they say yes, its incrededible. (:

Anywho, we came back home on wednesday after district meeting, and did some good work and what not. The next day, thursday, was the 18th of September where its just like the 4th of July. Everyone comes down here to pichilemu though, so we had to stand on the 2 hour bus ride home, because everyone was on their way to Pichilemu! So it was nuts. Just thousands of people in the downtown area, and evryone was having a good time. So fun to be here and be apart of that! Its weird that a year has already passed, I remember my first 18th here. So we visited members, and we did alot of service that day, we actually helped someone move. haha. Then fridaywas the branch activity. We spent the whole day there, because President gave us permission! It was super fun, Asados(bbq) everywhere! We ate so much meat. Everyone flies kites here too! They have cool ones that are called Volantines. They take alot of skill to fly. So we went and flew kites on the beach. the beach was packed! Normally there is no one here to enjoy it. But a fun couple of days!

Then, yesterday we went to another little village called Cahuil. It was super beautiful and we talked to some great poeople (:

Today we had an asado(bbq) with some of our investigatores. It was a blast to spend time with them and have lots of fun. The work is going great, and advancing very fast!

Elder McGee

This week was a good one.

We didnt get to work for 2 days this past week because of moving and cleaning the old house! The new house we have is awesome. Our study room alone is half the size of the old house. Everything is just better about it and we are very excited to live here. (Its closer to our sector too) It was interesting moving houses here in the mission. Usually we just move from house to house as missionaries. But this time we moved the house intstead of us.

Tuesday rained and rained and rained. I bought my first umbrella in the mission... haha. Its awesome here becuase the streets just turn into water canals!

We are coming up on the 4th of July of Chile. The 18th of September. Its awesome! im excited. Every plays with kites and tops and eats tons of meat!

The owners of our house are members and so on friday to officially welcome house they made us a pizza and we all had a good time.

Yesterday was one of the happiest days I think I have had. A Family we are working with had to leave suddenly a couple of weeks ago and we were so sad because they are our main focus. They went up to santiago. So the past couple of weeks we have been calling them and making sure they are reading and praying and progressing! So they called us yesterday and said, hey come over we just got back! So we went over and they opened the door and it was just full of joy! Everyone was shaking hands, giving hugs and so happy! So we taught like the best lesson ever on the plan of salvation and ended by putting a baptismal date. It was great. My companion really ha a blast as well because it was his first time feeling that!

Today we cleaned the house, and then headed down to buy empanadas and hang out on the beach. We met two people from England, so that was funny. then we just relaxed on the beach. I brought my speaker and we danced and just really enjoyed the best moments in the mission.

So thats my invitation for you this week. No matter where you are or what you are doing, just enjoy it. Come what may and love it. Enjoy the moments, becuase we cant have them again!

I love you.

Elder McGee

Another week here in Paradise!

Hey!

Another week here in Paradise!

We have had lots of rain, which means lots and lots of mud! Like Ive said before there arent many streets here!

I had divisones this week for 3 days! haha I was with an Elder from El Salvador. We had a good time!

One night we got welcomed to the back of a dudes wood shop who was completely drunk. He had us sit down, and he put music on and just danced for like 30 minutes. He was saying funny stuff in english like "my dog is a surf dog" and what not! That was probably one of the funniest nights of my mission so far!

We spent alot of time deep cleaning the house to get ready for today because we are moving, so thats exciting!

I got to meet some australians and canadians thid past week. This town is so cool because people come from all over the world to surf these waves! Cause they are pretty big! haha. Its super weird to just talk in english! Ive had the oppurtunity to meet people from so many countries. haha. Its awesome.

The good news this week is that 2 of our investigators are gonna get baptized! we are super excited to see them progress! We have changes next week so ill see if im with a new comp or not this friday.

Everything is going awesome! 

I love life to the max.

Love Elder McGee

Could I ask for a better life??

Could I ask for a better life??

This week was awesome! I got way into studying the book Jesus the Christ, which is killer! It put me to sleep the first few times I tried to read it, but now I cant put it down. Im reading the new testament along with it, and putting all the details together, I have just found such an "awe" at some of the things Christ did for us. I reccomend the book (:

We did service for a member who is the owner of our new house, inside our new house. SO I dont know if it was service for him or for us, but we painted our new house. It was a blast. We brought my little bose speaker and just jammed and painted. Good moments. We also dug a bunch of holes for another member who is building a shop behind his house!

Wednesday, I stayed in Santa Cruz, which is the biggest city in our zone here and about 2 hours away from here by bus. I went on divs with another missionary named Elder Bowen. We had a blast, and I had the chance to do my first baptismal interview. What a great experiance to see someone after all the changes they have made, look at you in the eyes and tell you that they have a desire to follow Christ and be a better person.

I also had the chance this past week to meet some gringos. They teach an english school here and come for a year at a time. They invited us to their school this week to talk a little bit about chile, and why we are here.

I gave a talk in church about the signs of the second coming, which was a blast, and the district presidency was there. 

We had a huge success this past week too. We had a less active we are working with come to church for the first time in 26 years. She is the mom of Vicente who is going to get baptized and his sister is very interested as well. We are going to baptize them in the ocean!! woo. Lots of happiness and success. The whole family came to church. We are excited for them. She thanked us and said because of our persistance she finally came. haha.

Today we found a waterfall next to the beach after a 2 hour walk out there, and then we returned another 2 hours, ate some shrimp corn empanadas, and enjoyed life to the full.

Love you all.

Elder McGee

p.s. this video is super awesome!!: http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=3701964025001

Were having a blast. Im learning to network just like my dad.

Hi.

We are progressing. This week we found 5 new people to teach. Apparently that doesnt happen much in this turist ran town. But I am living proof to show that anything can happen whenever you give it your all with a huge motivation, a little bit of faith, and lots of juicy long prayers. We laugh, we run, we joke and just make the best of every situation. I never quite understood the famous Tarzan song by Phil collins that states "You learn when you teach, and you teach when you learn." We have hard weeks. We work long hours, but not long hours like a day job, we work long hours like Christ worked whenever he was here on the earth. He worked all day, all night, thought about his work, and was his work through his actions. I have found such a love for waking up early, getting down on a freezing cold hard tile floor and letting my heart explode in love for the people here in Pichilemu. I have never been so tired, or so exhausted with a permanent smile smacked on my face as we sweat, walk, get insulted, and get doors shut on us. Im happy, and im having a blast, and have learned more than ever than this just as anything else we do is all how we make it. "Come what may, and love it."

The best part about being here is taking a nice jog to the beach each morning, taking a nice plop in the soft black sand, and saying a little prayer thanking our maker for the beautful creations and amazing oppurtunities we have here in this earth.

Last week we had interviews with President, and he gave me some wonderful compliments and some great motivation. As well as it was the last time I will see my buddy Elder Harding for a while. We lived together for 6 months and he goes home tomorrow. He will be brother Harding now.

Were having a blast. Im learning to network just like my dad. Here in Pichilemu, Ive made friends with an ice cream lady who gives us free ice cream when we pass, a Radio Dj who wants us to take a spot on his show, and a man who rents horses on the beach. I dont know what that does for me, but its cool. I just have my heart so filled for the poeple here.

I love life. Thank you.

P.s. good luck to Dallas Rex McGee who will be taking a new look on life tomorrow.

just wait for the pictures to load, they will come (:

Elder McGee

A week to remember and a week that has changed me

Wow. Can I see a week to remember and a week that has changed me for who I am and who I will always be.

This week I went from the high life of working with President, and driving a car to the hard and dirty work of a normal missionary in the sector.

Im serving in the branch of Pichilemu, Chile. We have like 40 people come each week. Half of them are 2 families.

Last tuesday I woke up at 3am to take misisonaries to the airport and pickup the new ones. I didnt take a nap, and ended up in the sector by the nighttime working in the street and contacting people everywhere. I had need been so tired! It was pretty hard to say goodbye to all my buddies there in the office. We had grown together so close. We had all lived together for at least 4 months.

So I live in a beach house in the surf capital of the world. Our house is made of wood and very rustic. Its pretty cool. We live a 2 minute run from the beach. My bed here is essentially a yoga matt layed over some pieces of wood on a bunk bed. Its nice. haha. We got to my sector on tuesday, planned with my new companion for the next day and then went to bed on the worlds most un comfotable bed. We got up an hour early the next day to take a 2 hour bus ride to Santa Cruz to have our district meeting which was really fun. This sector is amazingly beautiful. We have like a couple cement streets and the rest are just mud and dirt. My pants and shoes were gnarly dirty this weeek. haha. We run to the beach each morning, take a nice sit, say a little prayer and then run back to the house! The church here is set on a hill and overlooks the beach and the whole little town. Its super chill here. Everyone just lives the beach life. 

I had the hardest week of my life though. We talked to everyone, we were 100 percent obedient. We did everything we could, but we had like no success in finding people to teach. I am starting what they call a white wash. Where we have no one to teach. We are starting fresh basically. So we are working hard. My companion is really new in the mission and Im just trying to teach him to love the mission. But he doesnt like talking to people, so Im learning very fast to teach and do everything! haha. We even had one day last week where it just rained all night. We were soaked from head to toes. We were covered in mud, and no one wanted to talk to us. It was probably the hardest day of my mission so far. But despite of all the hard stuff going on, Ive never found myself more comfortable with the gospel, and happier than ever. Im full of fire in my bones to teach and love and serve these people. Its amazing how when we follow Gods will, he provides us with happiness no matter whats going on around us.

Im gonna find my rythmn this week and work hard to find people to teach!

I love all of you and pray for you daily. Thanks for the support.

Love,

Elder McGee.