Spoke with Elder McAlister

When we knew Sean’s flight left Mexico City yesterday and he didn't hear from him, we assumed we would not get a phone call, but last night at about 10:30 my cell phone rang and I heard the voice of Elder McAlister!

Sean was in the Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima Peru.  We got to talk with him for over an hour.  Cherilyn and I spoke with Sean for about 20 minutes, and then tried to wake up Sabrina to talk with her big brother, but Sabrina really never was coherent. 

We then conferenced in Brooke and Todd on my phone, and tried to have Jessica and Derek on another phone held close to my cell phone (yeah…that doesn't work to well). After about 45 minutes, I asked Brooke and Todd to drop off so I could call Jessica and Derek on my phone, so they could really hear and talk with him.  With my great phone technical skills I hung up on everyone, without being able to say goodbye. We were sad because he said right before I lost him that they were about to board, but luckily he did call back and we conferenced in Jessica and Derek and spoke for another 25 minutes before he had to get on the plane.

Below are a few things we talked about that were interesting, in no particular order:

·         Leaving his MTC District was really hard; they had become very close friends.

·         He is really excited to get to be going to Chile

·         He was in the MTC during Mexico's Independence Day (from Spain) on September 16.  He said it is the biggest holiday in Mexico, bigger than Christmas.  There are parades, fireworks, music and all kind of activities missionaries should not be involved in. They got to stay up late to watch, on TV, the President of Mexico in the National Palace recite the "Cry of Dolores":

    Mexicans!

    Long live the heroes that gave us the Fatherland (and liberty)!

    Long live Hidalgo!

    Long live Morelos!

    Long live Josefa Ortiz de Dominguez!

    Long live Allende!

    Long live Galena and the Bravos!

    Long live Aldama and Matamoros!

    Long live National Independence!

    Long Live Mexico! Long Live Mexico! Long Live Mexico!

Then they had to go indoors to their rooms immediately because they said people shot guns up in the air, and bullets do come back down somewhere.  He said it was crazy.   

·         When he got to go out and have some authentic Mexican tacos, when going to have his fractured wrist checked, he said they were the best food he had the whole time.  The taco had cactus on them, and he thought that was weird, but tasty.

·         He liked the weather there, although he said it rained almost every day sometime between 5pm – 9pm each day, and there was some flooding in the MTC, but not in his casa.

·         Sean and his companion ended making four trips to the hospital while in the MTC; once for Sean’s wrist, and three times for Elder Barnes who had some stomach problems. He went outside the MTC more than anyone else he know of, and enjoyed the breaks.

·         His wrist is feeling good, and only wore his brace for a few days because it bothered him.

·         He bore his testimony in Spanish twice for his sisters so they could hear his language skills.  I thought he did a great job, and has obviously learned a lot.

·         He would have liked to receive for actual letters and/or a package, he felt left out when other received mail.  We only communicated via email, so we will have to do better on that.  But he does have a package from us waiting in the mission home in Chile.

·         On Wednesday night before he left, Sean and his district were invited of President and Sister Pratts (MTC President) house for brownies and ice cream.  They had them over because they had become fond of their district and wanted to say goodbye.

·         Sean has heard from many of his friends who were in the MTC in Provo, and most of them are now out in the mission field and doing great.

·         Sean left his alarm clock back in the MTC because he put it on a different shelf, as they have so many tremors in the area that it fell off the shelf he was using.  He never mentioned the tremors in any of his emails…kind of scary.  

Well those are a few things we talked about, and he said he would be sending an email to us once he got to Chile, which he should be there now.  I’ll post more if he has some new information to share.

Leaving the MTC today!!

We received a quick note from Sean this morning about him leaving the MTC.  We are hoping that we will be able talk to him today, but we don't know yet.  I did find out his itinerary, and he is flying on LAN Airlines:

• Mexico City, Mexico (4:35 PM UTC-6) to Lima, Peru (10:15 PM UTC-5)
• Lima, Peru (1:35 AM UTC-5) to Santiago, Chile (6:50 AM UTC-3)
• Santiago Chile (8:10 AM UTC-3) to Concepcion, Chile (9:20 AM UTC-3)

With connections, and timezone changes, he has about 20 hours of travel ahead of him, then a drive to the Concepcion Mission home, and then on to his assigned area the next day.

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Hello Family,

Hey we will be leaving to the airport in about an hour and a half. I can’t wait to leave but I’m really sad. Elder Barnes is going to the same mission as me, so we will be flying together which should be fun.

Just to let you know we might not be able to call home, but we will find out but it will be later in the day. But I hope that I will be able to call you. My one suit case is around 50-51 pounds and the other one should be just fine. I will be able to write you guys when I get to Chile, which will be cool to tell you guys what I see.

I’m glad that everything is going well and mom I hope you get better from your cold. I also hope no one else gets sick in the house. I’m glad to hear that Sabrina loves the emails that she gets. Sabrina I hope you’re having fun with volleyball and you’re still a big bum ;-).

I will either talk to you guys later, or email you later today or tomorrow. Oh and our flight leaves at 4:30 today.

I love you guys at thanks for everything that you have done for me.

Love,

Elder McAlister

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If we get to talk with him, I'll post another update.  And the mission adventure begins...

Last week in the MTC

A short email from Sean, but big news on a change to his schedule to leave to Chile.  We may be hearing more from him this week, so there may be another post this week.

The following scripture I shared with Sean as he works to learn a new language, which he will be using even sooner than expected.

Ammon said in Alma 26:12 “Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.”

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Hey everyone,

Sounds like this last week was fun and crazy at the same time for you guys. Just to let you know my wrist is healed pretty much I just had a brace on it, but I healed super fast.

This last weekend was Mexico Independence which was so much fun. We had some people from Mexico do some traditional dances for us. Mexico Independence is a bigger holiday than Christmas here. There have been fireworks like crazy here. We also got to watch what the President does, it was pretty cool. I think you guys should watch it on YouTube or something. It’s been a pretty cool weekend, and super fun.

We just recently found out that the people that are going to Chile leave this Thursday around 12, so we have been moved up by a few days. It really has hit me that I am leaving to a place where no one speaks English. I can’t wait to go, but I'm going to really miss my district, they have gotten so close to me it’s going to be hard. I will email you guys on Thursday, early in the morning, and I'm not really sure if we are allowed to call home right now.  We are leaving about 6 days before everyone else in my district. So I get to start packing tomorrow and get ready to leave.

We got to go to the temple for the last time this week, which was today. I really wish I went to the temple more often then I did, because for the next two years we won’t be going to the temple. The temple in Chile is 500 miles away from Concepcion.  We have woken up at 4:30 every p-day just to get our wash done, and it kills me on p-days, but it’s super nice to do early.

The Spanish is coming all right, but I can only really carry on a gospel conversation which is pretty important right now. Don't worry about my language because with the Lord anything is possible.

Oh, I forgot to tell you why I get to leave early. It’s because Chile is having their Independence Day on the 18 of September, which we will barely miss, but they were not able to get us flights for next week so now we get to leave early. 

So many of my friends that I have made are leaving but they did get here before me. Now it’s weird to think that I’m next to leave here. It went by so fast I can’t even believe it. It’s been raining a lot here, it seems like it will never stop and now I’m starting to miss the sunny days. 

Anyway, this last week Hermano Silva has been sick, or most likely out partying, but we are hoping to see him before I leave. For the afternoon class with Hermano Silva we have had Hermano Soto. Who I really think is a cool teacher other than he doesn't know any English, but that's okay.

To be honest nothing has really happened other than what I have told you. Because we study, get taught and then study again. It’s the same schedule every single day. The stories and emails will get better by next week for sure because I will be out in the field.

I now know that Tanner is in Singapore and I'm sure that Evan is in Florida. We have emailed just a little back and forth but not much.  They are both doing fine which is awesome.

Just to let you know, I have been out in the city a total of 3 times for the hospital for Elder Barnes because he is having pain in his stomach, but we have been outside the MTC walls a total of 7 times. I think we beat everyone one else on who would be outside the walls the most. Last week we went to the hospital and Elder Barnes got an ultrasound on his stomach but we haven't gotten the results yet.

I am so excited about leaving soon, just 1 1/2 days here and then I'm going to Chile, and I can’t wait. Thank you guys for all your emails and I hope Jessica's birthday was a lot of fun. It looks like you guys are doing well and having fun. I hope everything goes well with the house and you don't find any more damage.

Thanks for all your support and your love and prayers they mean a lot. I will email you Thursday before I leave. I love you guys and keep on being the family you are!

Elder McAlister

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Until Thursday when we have more news.....

Missionary Experience at Mexico MTC - Video

The video below was produced by the LDS Church about the Mexico MTC.  Thought it would be interesting to share a little bit what Elder McAlister is experiencing before he heads off to Chile Concepcion.

MTC Week Four

We just received our weekly email from Sean.  Again it sounds like he is doing well.  He had two interesting experiences this last week you can read about in his email, and it give us some insight on why the couple missionaries, who sent us pictures last week, were taking pictures of Sean and his companion.

Below is a great thought sent to Sean by him Mom this week:

President Packer. He said, "We are not obedient because we are blind, we are obedient because we can see." Obedience to the gospel principles brings joy and happiness into our lives. We have freedom, peace and safety in our personal life when we are obedient to the Lord's commandments. I have always found D&C 20: 21-25 to be an interesting and insightful scripture. The Son of Man-the Only Begotten Son, came to earth and suffered all kinds of temptations, but gave NO heed. Christ knew of the goodness of His Father in Heaven. He had perfect faith and knowledge in His Father in Heavens plan. And if Jesus Christ gave no heed to temptation, what kind of hope should that give us of the eternities? Does that give us more hope in our everyday life that we can carry on and push through and endure knowing that this earthly life is temporary and there are great things ahead for us in the eternities? Do we want to share what we know with those we love and with our fellow man?

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Hey Everyone

I'm sorry to hear about the rain storm and what it did to our house. Dad I hope you get better from your back injury, because that doesn't sound fun at all.

So this last week went by super fast. Now we have only two weeks which is really weird to think about. This week I went to the hospital to get my wrist checked out and it turns out I cracked my wrist bone and have a little bit of internal bleeding. But don't worry, it’s not that bad. I was playing basketball and I fell back and tried to catch myself with my left hand. I went a day with it so it’s not that bad.

We got to go outside the MTC to go to the hospital and get an x-ray, which was weird. But on our way back the driver took us for some real Mexican tacos and they were amazing. I had around 7 of them, and they were so good. I would rather eat those then what I eat in the MTC, which half the time I'm not really sure what I am eating. It was so much better to be out in the streets than it was to be stuck in the MTC doing the same thing every day. So to be honest, I was kind of happy that I cracked my wrist.

Well it has been really rainy here also, the funny thing is the city has been flooding here also, but not that bad in the MTC. Right now we haven't really seen the sun forever. The district is doing really well and we are working hard. This district is like a family to me. So far we put Elder Snyder's companion with Elder Brand and Elder smith. The first little while it was really hard for the district to see Elder Snyder go home, but now we are doing great and we all hope he comes back out.

The Jones who sent you guys the photos, made a story about me and Elder Barnes which is awesome. The story is about how Elder Barnes almost went home and my side of the story. We were also told that the story is this MTC’s motivational story for the whole MTC, and the story will be shared with the 12 Apostles and the Prophet. We are hoping the story makes General Conference which would be awesome. They said they would send a copy of the story to you guys and give one copy to us.

This week I took some money out with my debit card and I bought some handmade Scripture cases which we will get on the 20th of September. They are some of the coolest cases I've ever seen. On my bible I got a picture of Jesus, a scripture in Spanish, my name and my mission. On my Book of Mormon I got a picture of Joseph Smith, a different scripture and my name and my mission. I will have to send some pictures of them when I get them.

My companion and I have been teaching really good lessons to our investigators who are really our teachers. I'm not really sure if I told that to you guys. The Spanish is coming along; it’s okay but not amazing. Our gospel classes are amazing; I love those classes the most. Also, this week we haven't really heard any gun shots, or sirens, which was really nice not to hear. Although Sunday during sacrament it was like a war was happening, there were so many gun shots and sirens. So next week I get to talk on the Law of Chastity which should be really fun to talk about during Sacrament.

The food hear isn't getting better and we are really not sure what we are eating, and the drinks are really weird. It’s the portions that they give out that are killing me. They give us no food really, but I will survive I think. It’s been pretty much the same thing every day: study, get taught, eat food and repeat 3 times a day. Oh on Sunday we watched the Legacy which was good but kind of weird. The days here seem really short and are going by fast. Spanish is starting to come easier to me, which is such a great feeling.

I want to thank you guys for all your support and all that you guys have done for me. It’s weird to think that I have already been out for a month. I love each and every one of you guys. You’re still the best family!

I love you Mom, Dad, Jessica & Derek, Brooke & Todd, Sabrina and Tillie also!

Love Elder McAlister

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No new pictures this week from Sean, so until we hear from him again, have a great week!

Pictures from the MTC

We just received the email below from and Elder Robert Jones and Sister Sue Jones from the Mexico MTC, and thought I would post the pictures they sent:

"My husband and I are Senior Missionaries at the CCM.  We had a wonderful talk with your missionary and his companion.  I thought you would enjoy a few pictures."

Elder Barnes and Elder McAlister

Elder Barnes and Elder McAlister

Elder Barnes and Elder McAlister

MTC Week Three

Best part of the week again as we received an email from Sean.  He sounds like he is doing well.  Reading in between the lines it sounds like it may be getting a little repetitive with all the time spent in class learning and studying, but that is how I remember it too.  After some many hours in classrooms he will really look forward to getting into the field.

Below are three quotes share with Sean from his family this week.  The first two are true, not sure about the last one ;-).

• President Henry B. Eyring: "In the sacrament prayers, God promises to send the Holy Ghost to be with us.  I have found in that moment that God can give me what feels like a personal interview. He brings to my attention what I have done that pleases Him, my need for repentance and forgiveness, and the names and faces of people He would have me serve for Him."

• Elder D. Todd Christofferson: “Inasmuch as we follow Christ, we seek to participate in and further His redemptive work. The greatest service we can provide to others in this life, beginning with those of our own family, is to bring them to Christ through faith and repentance so they may experience His Redemption—peace and joy now and immortality and eternal life in the world to come.” (April 2013 General Conference)

• Todd Carlton (Sean’s brother-in-law): He used to have a companion that would say "every hour of hard work is an hour spent in the gym by your future wife" (so if you want a hot wife, work hard and have fun!) 

Sean is now half way through his MTC time, so in about three weeks he will be in Chile...

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Hey everyone!

I'm glad to hear that everyone is doing ok, and that you are all keeping busy. I hope you guys don't miss me too much because I'm having fun here. I love the district that I'm in because we have so much fun. But I have some sad news. Elder Snyder who's is the blonde one that we saw in the air port, went home last Friday. So that kind of hurt the district, but we are still having fun.

The language was doing really good until yesterday, it really killed me, and I felt like I didn't know any Spanish but I'm starting to do better today. The food here has been okay, we don't get that much still so we are hungry all the time. The best day is Tuesday, which is P-day, and it’s also pizza day, which is the best food we have had here by far. Also, ice cream is really good here too. When there is ice cream we probably have around 6 ice cream bars, and they are amazing.

Right now we have been teaching two investigators who really are our teachers Hermano Rogers and Hermano Silva. They’re the best teachers by far. I really love Hermano Rogers because he was just like me. But Hermano Silva is funny and a great guy also. Hermano Rogers is Mario, which is one of our investigators who is doing really well. Hermano Silva is our other investigator Daniel. Our last lesson with Daniel (Hermano Silva), he took me out of class and said he was feeling the spirit as I was talking. But the funny thing is I thought I did really bad during that lesson.

We ended up moving out of our casa and moving in with the rest of our district. I liked our old casa so much more than this one. Elder Adams and Elder Christensen left for their missions’ yesterday morning, which was weird to think about. Also a lot of my friends I made here left yesterday, so I was kind of sad but they are excited to be leaving out to the field which I can’t wait for.

This week Elder Barnes has been doing a lot better, He has been really happy, so he is doing well now. We got to go to the temple today which was so much better than the first time we went. I love the Mexico Temple because everything is so run down and dirty, and then there is just a beautiful white temple in the middle of it. I want to wonder around the city sometime, but we can’t because it is too dangerous.

I have now seen two people I've know from Pleasant Grove, which is cool to see someone I know. But other than that, it’s the same thing every day, we sit in a class and learn about the gospel and learn Spanish. Lately it’s been raining a lot, and there have been huge thunderstorms. Other than when it rains, it is the perfect temperature here. To be honest Mexico isn’t that bad of a place, though it’s super run down. The people here are really nice and no matter what we always hear a worker listening to some Michael Jackson song which is fun to hear.

I want you guys to know that I really do love you and you’re the best family someone could ask for. I love receiving the emails from you guys. I love you all some much and I miss you. So thank you guys for everything. I love you guys!!!

Love Elder McAlister

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