Sean McAlister Called to Serve: A great Easter and a new companion

Sounds like Elder McAlister had a great Easter, with plenty to eat (see the pictures), although it would have been great to have him home with the rest of the family to celebrate, we know he is in the right place.

Kind of a big surprise that he got a new companion today since he was only with Elder Medina for one transfer. His new companion is from Mexico, but we don’t know his name yet.

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Hola mi familia,

I hope you guys had a wonderful Easter and I really miss the family traditions for Easter and the chocolate! I hope that it was a great weekend! Looks like the Red and White game was fun and Sabrina he is too old for you! Wish the best of luck for Derek and Todd with the basketball team. Mom I want to hear you sing because we had a musical number this last Sunday and I have heard you sing the song before and I loved it. Dad I miss going to the football games with you, those were fun times. Jessica and Brooke I miss you guys at dinner with the jokes and funny stories (HaHa). Sabrina you are an awesome little sister and a big bum! I love our family! YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST!!!

Last week was an okay week. We didn't have that much success, or a baptism, but I got to help my companion stay in the mission and keep on working! He has had a few problems lately, but I’m hoping that he will get lost in the Lords work soon! I think this week I really learned two attributes of Christ! Love and patience, now knowing how important these two attributes are has really helped me these last few weeks and how I could become a better person.

With our investigators we haven't really been able to get any good ones that are willing to learn. We are working with Yanina, who was really fast at progressing and now has completely stopped! We have Mario who is kind of just there and not doing much. Then we have Tamara and her mom is less active, which we are working with and we need permission from the father. Daniela who is the aunt of a member in our ward. Edita who is an old lady that loves to listen to us. Cecilia is a lady that needs the plan of salvation because her brother is going to die soon. Then we have others, but they aren't progressing at all. Please pray for them that they can progress and feel the spirit!

Today is cambios and I am staying in Haulpencillo for another 6 weeks. It turns out that my companion is leaving and I get to stay. My companion has been having problems so president moved him to were the assistants and the office are so they can help him. But my new companion is from Mexico and he has about 3 months in the mission. I actually got to meet him today and he seems pretty cool. He knows how to play the guitar and the ukulele, so I will be practicing with him. I’m going to try to get the first baptism in this sector, which hasn't happened for a year! I’m looking at a really good cambio! I think?

This week was Easter and it was pretty good weekend! We went to the house of our family and we had dinner and did some service for them. The dinner was ginormous! We had 4 different types of meat and mashed potatoes and rice and a salad, and it was so good. Then we ate the cookies that you guys sent me a while ago because they have an oven (HaHa). I totally killed the cookies and burnt them pretty bad, I have a picture of them. We all ate the top half's of the cookies which where good. After that we thought we were going to die and we ended up doing some service where we cut some grass with big scissors (I can’t think of the name of the tool) and got rid of a ton of weeds on the side of the street. Now it looks so much better than before!

This last Saturday we watch the movie of the life of Jesus Christ in our ward. It truly is amazing how someone so perfect, who could do some many miracles in his life. Never being angry and forgiving everyone with true love that wronged him, he was hated, people spit upon him, he was whipped, beaten and crucified. He was willing to give his life for our sins and he has felt all the pains and sorrows that we have felt in our life time. He knows our pains and we are never alone. He gave us eternity with our families and so we can live with God again! He truly made our life easier! What amazes me is he went to the spirit world for 3 days, where he preached the gospel and then he came back to the earth determined teach the gospel and to save more souls! That´s why I know he is my savior and he loves each and every one of us!

Have a wonderful week and always put Christ in your life first! He can truly help you with anything! I love you guys and I can’t wait to hear from you guys next week!

Love you guys!!!!

Elder McAlister

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The thought I shared with Sean was on the greatest event that has taken place, or will ever take place on this earth, and that is the resurrection of our Savior. Elder Henry B. Eyring said:

"At this Easter season we are reminded of why we love Him and of the promise He makes to His faithful disciples to become His beloved friends. The Savior made that promise and told us how, in our service to Him, He comes to us. … 'Be faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God, and I will encircle thee in the arms of my love' (D&C 6:20). I experienced the joy of coming closer to the Savior and of His coming closer to me most often through simple acts of obedience to the commandments."

The miracle of the atonement and resurrection is always amazing to me. I have so little understanding of how and what Jesus did for us in the Garden of Gethsemane, and on the cross, but I am so grateful for that act of pure love from our older brother. To take upon his shoulders our sins and to suffer and die that we too might be resurrected is something we can never repay, but he does not ask us to, he simply asks us to obey the commandments, live a righteous life and server & love one another. What a truly great message the Easter season brings us.

Until next week be safe and enjoy a bunch of pictures from Chile….