Ho Ho Ho

Santa came and visited Ethan while we were waiting for surgery! He gave Ethan a hat and everything. Boy, was he excited!

A NIght Away

Ethan and I are camping out at Children's Hospital tonight. Ethan is having a sleep study done. There are only 5 rooms here but the lady said they have all 5 rooms books every night - 7 nights a week.

Go figure.

Ethan is next door sleeping (hopefully) - it took an hour to get him all hooked up. The technician said it wouldn't hurt, but Ethan wasn't convinced. She was pretty rough.

Tomorrow at 6:00 a.m. we are released and then we will walk upstairs and report for surgery. Ethan is having some work done on his left ear, and a tube put in his right.

Blog? What blog?

I came across this old web address and lo and behold, it appears as if I blogged at one time or another.

Imagine that.

I have just been busy working at this and that. Between school, work, school, work and church - it has been a little busy.

Imagine that.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I love having family in. Mom came with two nieces and it was so nice to have them here.

Indiana decided we needed a centerpiece for the table - she did a great job and livened up our Thanksgiving table.
Jordan and Journee, as usual, kept busy.
And no, that is not my dog.

Ethan has also been busy. I scolded him one day for messing with his light stand. Honestly, between missing light covers, stuffed pillowcases, and broken plastic hangers, he is driving me crazy.
Then one morning he came in and I realized what he had been up to.
Meet Captain Hook.How can I mess with creativity?

Only a week and a half left of school. You have to have a bit of confidence to work in intervention, as I do. When you work with kids all day who struggle in school it can be a blow to your teaching-ability ego. But I wouldn't trade them for anyone or anything else! :-)

A Mission Letter

Dear loving family,

Wow sounds like things are crazy there! Wow how is Ethan adjusting to all that? (Ethan is having some issues with his deafness and ear, sleep apnea problems – more on that later). Apparently well if he is trying to pick up single ladies at the singles activity… (Phil and I served and washed dishes at a dinner/dance for the single adults. Ethan tagged along and got in on the action. About the only male who danced, btw). I’m glad that things are slightly going well.

Hopefully the cars will get better (when it rains, it pours) and dad will return soon. How long is he gone for ? And what’s his project for anyway? (Phil is working on a three year project to help reduce/eliminate underage substance abuse in White County. He is in D.C. for three days).

Things are well here, still working hard each day for self improvement, there will always be room for some I think. I get to a point and then say, ah, lets improve on that. There is so much I have to grow in !! There is also so much I can learn in the gospel, there will never be an end to how much a testimony can and will grow if fed and nurtured by the scriptures daily. There is no end!

Jordan, I need you to explain more when you have time; and keep reading the scriptures every single day you understand!?

Bryan…. I think you are right for now. (I suspect this has something to do with Bryan thinking his part of Africa was more challenging than Logan’s part of Africa, lol) There are still cockroaches here though you know. They NEVER DIE!!!!!! And also it is very difficult to get around not understand all the languages. French is coming along slowly but surely, both comprehension and speaking.

Speaking to an educated french speaker is one thing… speaking French to someone who barely knows french themselves is another. Ca va aller.

Megan Brian Claire and Jack!!! Love you all!!!

Ethan, love you the most!!!

Tout le monde!!! Je vous aime!!!!

I will have to wait till the Wheatleys (new senior couple coming in two weeks) get here to know how Christmas will work out (how will we get together to talk on Christmas Day?), so I will update you bien sur.

So I will talk to the Gates and see, I think I will ask them about their camera and see how much. I would get ripped off here though from native stores. My camera just stopped working. Plum stopped ! No explanation!! I wasn’t happy.

Things go well here. Pray for the mission president and the people of Kinshasa please everyone who reads this. Elections just happened and things are tense. President Jameson got evacuated yesterday. Things won’t reach out here but please continue to pray.

Hope you have a great week !

Love Elder McGrath

KF5NFA

That's me.

KF5NFA

I have to get practice saying that fast-like.

I am officially a ham radio technician.

Woohoo.

Now I just need to buy myself a ham radio. Minor technicality.

Who ya goin' call? KF5NFA.

Especially for Leo

Leo! Your email keeps rejecting me. I feel so sad. This is Logan's latest letter. I didn't want you to be out of the loop!!

Hello fam!

Well the week hasn’t been too bad besides the pouring rain! I went with Elder Garner to another district meeting because he is the zone leader, and as we were leaving our apartment we looked up at the sky and thought “Naw we don’t need our umbrellas right now, we’ll have to pass back this way anyways after the meeting well get them then”…. Bad bad bad decision!!! It started raining before we got there. We were wet though not too badly when we got there. But it rained the entire time during the meeting. And when we left, we stepped out into a flood!!! We had to wade to the street through almost a river of garbage and junk, it was still pouring, and then no taxi would take us!! They were wanting 2500 francs for the ride! Also when it pours like that there aren’t a lot of taxis and buses period. The roads here are terrible with some parts of the road paved, some dirt, and some not there anymore at all! So no one would take us… we had to walk a very long way through the floods and rain until we got to a “roundpoint” where “buses” load. The line took us right past our apartment so we got off and changed before going out the rest of the day. We took our umbrellas with us and it hardly rained at all after that! It wasn’t the funnest, but it did change the day a little.

The way we get flour is that there are a lot of Indian ran stores here. A lot of Muslims own stores and they get everything imported here basically. It is luck sometimes, but we can find Doritos and Gatorade if the stars and planets are aligned and luck is with us. Those things are cherished. Cannot find herbs and spices really. Nor cheese… it is really really expensive, cheese. There is a lot of bread though. Baguettes are huge here. Does not always taste the best but it is bread!! And I love plantains!! Nothing better than slicing some plantains and frying them. So good!! The other missionaries say the food in Cameroon is much better tasting, much bigger and much much cheaper! They like it here but they all miss the food there! Apparently bananas are huge! Here they are really small and expensive.

It is snowing there? What is snow? What is cold? I don’t remember…. It is very hot and humid here. Actually it is much similar to a hot day in Arkansas expect it is like that year round. I don’t have too much trouble dealing with it. People here don’t like the sun at all, I think it is funny. They always sit in the shade when they can. They also hate the mud and the rain and go as much out of the way as they can to avoid it. Then come two missionaries in their prime who come stomping through the rain and mud and don’t pay attention to the sun. They shake their heads and say, moondeli “white man”…

Well today is Halloween right? I think we are having some party! With very crazy foods and papaya carving contest! It should be fun? I think we are having boa too!

Anyways, yes try to send me some pictures everyone, and also parents, ou est les photos familial?!?! Une chose plus. If I need money here, how am I going to get it? I have about 30,000 francs or 60 bucks. For two years? I don’t know, talk to Bryan and see what he knows. My companion says it would be smart to send my debit card to Cameroon and wait until someone comes from there or when I go there. Just something to think about.

Love you all and hope you are happy! I sure am!

Have a good week!

Elder McGrath

A present? For me?

Ethan spent all afternoon with the last of his drooping birthday balloons. It has been over a week and one mylar is really "hanging" in there! :-)

Then this evening he wanted me to come upstairs for a surprise.

Ta-dah!

Honestly, when we pull out the Christmas decorations after Thanksgiving, the excitement may be more than this lil'fella can take. He will be in heaven.

From Logan

I know many of you are on the email list - sorry this is a repeat, but some emails are rejecting....so figure.

If you want to see a picture of Logan so HERE and scroll down towards the bottom of the page. You can also read the accompanying blog post on that site - it gives more details about the funeral Logan talks about.

Bonjour !

Comment ça va ?
How is every one doing ? I hope well still. Things are great here ! I

woke up this p day with the intention to play some basketball but we got a call from the Elder Gates saying we couldn't play because all the rain flooded the courts… and their house !! So we went over and bucketed water out of their house ! It was fun, the Gates took some awesome pictures I think so they will be on their blog I think.

We started pumping water out of their yard and went over to help the neighbors out. It was good ! Very wet though. In some questionable water so we’ll see.

We had a good week this last week. Wow has it already been 12 days in the Congo ? That’s crazy ! time flies ! crazy!

Anyway, this week was good. We set five new baptismal dates, and found many more new amis . The big problem is church attendance , it is the rainy season, and people don’t go out in the rain really. Not half of our investigators came. Even some of the ones that really should have been there. Another problem is the distance. The sectors Elder Garner and I work in are a long ways away from the building, which three branches assist at different times . It is so expensive to get there, most have to save all week to get to church. I really took the distance to the church for granted back home. It is amazing what people will go through just to get to church. But there is a new building that is being renovated to be a church. It should be done by the end of October (hopefully) and it is for our branch only, it is right in the middle of our sectors, it will be much much easier forour investigators to come. So that is good !!!

Did a lot of walking and teaching this week. I am red skin, no longer white. It’s becoming tan slowely but surely !!! then people won’t give me so much nonsense about being the whitest white person ever seen !! maybe before, but not for long !!

I’m learning the language more and more. My trainer is a really good missionary ! loves the work and works hard. He speaks such good french almost everybody I speak to compliments him on it . And every ward member says i’m lucky to be his companion. So… I’m very thankful. I will learn a ton from him ! He has me taking the leads in discussions. That has really helped everything, teaching, language, comfortableness, everything. We’re striving to be preach my gospel missionaries !!

So remember the flooding bathroom ? It happened again, except the pipe broke when we weren’t home and flooded our room too… so we got home planning to make dinner and go to bed, but instead spent the whole time cleaning mopping with rags, because there are no mops , and talking to the buyer and telling him he needs to get someone to fix it! So he had a plumber come in the next day and fix it. It is good now. We had sister Dekous' funeral Thursday. Very very interesting traditions on her side of the family… screaming yelling and crying ! Sister Gates turned to me and said "Welcome to Africa" !! Even so, talking to
the other elders that was the most different one they had ever seen too. And they were terrible to President Dekous. I won’t go into it now.

Oh for those at the MTC teaching who read this, Elder Garner and Elder Hancock say hello to Frere Luke and Sœur Red ? who i think is Souer Welch now ! hello !

Oh i had my first dinner at a members house yesterday ! we were

teaching a man at their house, he lives with the members, and they invited us to dinner afterwards. I ate chicken and rice and this manioc leaf herbs. Did you know chickens have hair ? they do, it’s true. I ate it , bones and all !! It actuallly wasn’t half bad…
I reallly liked the rice and herbs too . Sooo I can cross that off my to-do list.

So that’s my life ! the work is long and hard, and there is plenty to
do ! I’m loving it ! love you all and miss you ! I have to go though,

we are having a birthday party for Sister Gates at the beach ! look on their blog, there will be pictures I’m sure !

Avec tout l’amour dans mon cœur
Elder McGrath

(NO ONE CAN PRONOUNCE MY NAME BY THE WAY !!! NO ONE !!! some people say mmmkrat ? mmmkrass ? m. c. krat ? cracks me up)

Thoughtful Teenager

I just had to put in a quick post about Jordan. He is such a sweet kid (even though his room is a mess! And, okay, a little goofy once in a while - like below with his cousin).

Last night he walked in the door from church while Ethan and I were sitting at the dining table. Jordan proceeded to tell me about his night while at the same time, without even thinking about what he was doing, was putting things in the kitchen away. The container of cheerios. The jug of milk. The dirty dishes in the sink. He just kept talking the whole time, I am sure he didn't even realize he was helping out his mom.

Honestly, what a boy.

Where did he learn to do all of that.

From example - his dad. Another thoughtful guy.

Jordan is going to make some lucky gal a great husband some day :-)

Party all Month Long

Ethan celebrates his birthday the entire month of October and Christmas the other 11 months.

He is the new sheriff in town.
We had company over on Friday night for dinner and I made a cake for dessert. Even though his birthday had passed, and even though he would never eat a cake, Ethan thought the cake was his. And being the indulgent parents we are I happened to find 11 candles and put them on the cake. Then we proceeded to sing Happy Birthday to You for the millionth time. And, same as the 10 years proceeding this one, he needed help blowing out the candles. :-)

"They're singing to me???!!!???"
Wait for it......wait for it......"Oh, boy, have I been waiting for this!"With a huff and a puff......
Here comes mom for a little help.
Here comes mom with a little bit more help.
In the end - success! Then he promptly asked for ice cream, lol.

And, yes, for those of you who were visiting me this summer - those are the same bags of food I had that I was planning to can. I am still planning on it. Someday.

Happy Birthday!

Yes, it is that time of year again - Ethan is turning 11!!!!

He is still asleep, but he when he wakes up this will be the first thing he sees!
Honestly, and I lie not, the balloons and birthday cards will make his day. His cousins in Tennessee all sent him a homemade birthday card and he was so excited to get them. He just couldn't believe he got all of those cards - for him! His birthday!!

Shhh, his Grandma Leslie bought him a cowboy hat (and not a minute too soon, his old hat is so ratty and beat up, but he insists on wearing it everywhere). I can't wait for him to open it.

And of course he gets books - but who doesn't love Piggie and Elephant??

On other news, the entire 5th grade had Airport Day. They spent the day learning about planes and going up for a ride! Ethan had a B L A S T. I am so glad Mrs. Ava was able to go with him and take the pictures - thank you!!

Missing....

One of the big, necessary, important, vital, crucial things you MUST have to get into Africa is your proof of immunization from Yellow Fever.

You may remember from Logan's letter that he asked repeatedly for his Yellow Fever card. Well, that card had been sent to the travel office and I was told he would get it before he left. (You can tell where this story is going, can't you?)

I got a call from the Church today from "Julie" - Julie is a very nice girl we have been working with over the summer to make sure Logan had all of his ducks in a row to get into Africa. She worked on getting his visa and such. She said she had received an email from the DRC telling me Logan had arrived safely, but without his yellow fever card. (I am really going to get an earful in his first email.....). Officials let him in anyway because they know the Church makes sure they have all of their immunizations, but he had to pay money (a recurring theme in Africa).

So he is there, I have emailed Julie a copy of his immunization, and she will forward it to Africa.

All is well.

Elvis has left the building.....

Logan is gone. I had him paged at the airport at 5:30 a.m. (he was allowed to talk to us before he left the country). It was a short call because he was a little concerned about getting to the Congo. Apparently, even though his itinerary said "CONGO" - the information at the airport said "CAMEROON" which really would of been a problem since he doesn't have a visa to get into Cameroon.....anyway......

I think he made it okay. He called briefly at noon to say all was well. He left New York at 3:30 eastern and lands in Frankfurt then on to the Congo. I think he arrives at 6:30 p.m. Congo time. Their time is 6 hours ahead of my time, so I suspect tomorrow at noon my time he will have landed. (Can you tell I am watching the clock????). I can't wait for his first email and I hope, hope, hope the senior missionary couple will take his picture and post it on their blog. If they do you can bet I will link to it!

And yes, I cried a little. But he sounded tres bien.

In other news - Ethan went on a plane ride today from our little local airport - so as soon as I get pictures from his parapro, I will post them.

Headin' Home

Ethan has had a lot of practice riding a bike. He still isn't strong enough for a typical bike, but he loves the trike.

We have been doing a lot of riding around town, and Jordan frequently uses the bike as a mean for transportation to and from the house to the shop.

Ethan thinks he can ride home, too. Fortunately, we were able to stop him before he reached the highway.

Be Cool

Ethan was playing....well...I am not sure what he was playing yesterday. I picked him up to take him to the bike shop and he had Jack's baby doll wrapped in a towel and he was dressed....well, let's just say for Ethan it was normal.

I was taking pictures of some of our bikes to put on the website and Ethan said he wanted a picture. He posed.

As I turned to take more pictures of bikes, Ethan signed "now cool picture" - and then he winked at me (thanks for teaching him that Mrs. Ava!!). He proceeded to pose for his "cool" picture.

The kid cracks me up.

Say It Ain't So, Joe

Two nights ago Phil and I took Ethan to Lowes to get some things for the shop.

This is what greeted us from the ceiling right as we entered the front door.
Those of you that know Ethan, or have read about his love for all things Christmas, can imagine his reaction - then times that by ten.

Thus it begins.........and it is only the first of October :-(

Logan's Last Letter in the States

Don't read this if you get my emails - it is the same thing :-) This is mostly for Logan's facebook friends.

His email from now on is logan.mcgrath@myldsmail.net


The days at the MTC are coming to the close!

I received your package and Uncle Krestens and Mary Jane's package and grandma's packages! thank you all so much. I love you and miss you!

Wow that is so sad about Jacquelynes mom... I'm so sorry...

Conference was awesome here.. it was like being injected with spiritual steroids just without the bad side effects.

Temple in KINSHASA!!! that was such a surprise! Maybe I can go to the ground breaking? who knows? Maybe that area will open up while I'm there.

French is coming along. My goal this last week is to get down every conjugation down pack so i know when and how to use them even if it takes me a little while to get there! that speed will come with time I think. i hope. I pray. Hey you all can pray for me too please! haha je blauge je deja sais que vous priez pour moi toujours.merci beaucoup! J vous aime!

This is my last email from the MTC! From now on you have to email me! No more dear elders tout le monde! Merci pour le post j'ai recu deja! Mais maitenant email this address! Merci!

Well I have good news everybody!

I am leaving the MTC!! I report at the travel office at 8:30 PM on October 10 to pick up my visa and passport and stuff. BY THE WAY I did not get anything you might have forwarded from Sister Jameson... so what? I leave the Salt Lake City airport at 11:40 PM... that is at night for those of you who don't know that, and I arrive at the New York Kennedy Airport at 6:04 AM on the 11th. Then I have a layover until 3:40 PM!!!! That is about ten hours or so of layover time! Something cool. We're allowed to call home while we are in the airport. I might call home! Keep your phone handy! Other than that I'm going to try some contacting I think, or at least stand somewhere obvious until some one approaches me. I'm not sure if I'm, allowed to proselyte in an airport? Anyway, I leave the JFK at 3:40 and fly to the FRANKFURT GERMANY (I don't speak german, they didn't teach me that here...) airport and arrive there at 5:15AM on the 12! I have a 5 hour layover (again, i don't parlez allemond) and leave at 10:05am for POINTE NOIRE CONGO!!! I'm so excited! I will get there around 630 on the 12th! A lot of flying! and I'm the travel leader of the group. I'm also the only one in my group so i guess that makes sense... I start my malaria pills this Saturday! I can't wait!

Chad Lewis came and spoke to us last Sunday. Very inspiring speaker. The coolest part was when he was sharing his experience climbing mount Kilimanjaro (I did not spell that right je pense) for some NFL thing and he was showing some video of the people he was with! I can't wait to get out there!

That's all the time I have for this day.

I LOVE YOU ALL AND AM THINKING ABOUT YOU!!! Hope life is going well!

Peace be with you!

Oh and also Joshua 1:8-9. Jordan read that. I memorized it. You do so too si vous plait love ya!

SINCERELY,

Elder McGrath

Update

Things seems to have gotten a little busy - so here is a quick update:

Phil: Just finished hosting "La Femme de Velo" women-only bike tour. It was very successful - 50 women toured. He is still organizing the shop, but things are going well and he hopes to have all of his new systems in place soon. We hired two college kids and a homeschooler who are working out great.

Susie: Loves teaching ESL. I am thinking about riding my bike to school from now on. Debating. Hate to think of "helmet hair." I get to feeling a little overwhelmed now and then, but I am managing to hold it all together. I need to work on my Spanish, but my sweet kids are teaching me a lot. I just nod and pretend like I know exactly what they said :-) I do my billing job in the morning, my school job during the day, and bookkeeping and such for Phil in the evenings. Laundry? Cleaning? Well, (cough, cough), you know - it gets done - on a JIT basis.

Logan: leaves for Africa in 8 days. He is super excited and "parle plus en plus francais chaque jour." We just found out this weekend that the Church is building a temple in his mission. We are very excited for the people in the Congo, it will be real blessing in their lives. He has not lost his sense of humor and he is still cracking me up - even from a distance.

Jordan: basketball, choir, school, church, scouts, work. Typical high school stuff. He is working on his Eagle project this weekend and then we are done!!!! Yippeeeee!! Another boy down. One more to go.

Ethan: Has his moments, but overall is doing great. He is way more technologically advanced that I would care for. He knows his way around computer, ipads and iphones way too well for my comfort level. It is nearing his birthday and he will celebrate the entire month. After that - on to hardcore Christmas celebrating, until about March. Then he will tone it down for a while. Yesterday he left the shop on a trike and was headed down the road towards home. So, just saying, some things haven't changed.

Hopefully I will be able to post pictures soon!

Logan's Weekly Letter

How's life!

If you sent me Dear Elders that's really funny because they recently started moving the mail room from one to another and I haven't been able to get any mail so... haha! Things are good here, we have a good zone with good teachers. I'm learning a ton of french! I have four "investigators" we're teaching right now not to mention the trc. It's going well, I have made friends with the mongolian speakers across the hall in our classroom building. They taught me how to write Elder Logan McGrath in Mongolian, and also how to say "I'll walk you" or "l love you" and "I'll kill you" and "You're the man"! simple phrases that might or might not come in handy someday! I have met a lot of people speaking languages I did not even know existed! There are people going to places where they don't even have the Book of Mormon translated in that language yet. They have Preach my Gospel and pamphlets and that is all. It's crazy how much the gospel has spread. and it's just picking up it's pace. Oh, by the way, I miss you all and love you all so much! We watched the Music and the Spoken Word 9/11 Special and if you ever want to be homesick the best thing you can do is listen to MOTAB sing about families! Gosh... why did they even show that? Anyway, I hope everything is going well there, hopefully the mail room will start up again soon? I have a haircut appointment today. It's an exciting change in the schedule!

Love you all!

Elder McGrath

p.s. Mom, can you send my yellow fever shot card s'il vous plait? If you can't find it you can get it from the hospital. I need it to get into Africa, which is important... merci beaucoup!

How Lucky Am I?

I have Christmas at my house every day of the year!

This was a gift from Ethan today. Santa and his reindeer.

Some lost pictures

I found some pictures from when everyone was still here.....

Logan's last Sunday at home.Jordan and Jack.

Bryan and Claire, participating in my favorite Sunday afternoon pasttime.

Tangled

Ethan was home sick yesterday and to pass some time he watched Tangled.

Boy, was that a mistake.......

In case you didn't get the connection, these are the "lanterns" painted on the inside of the castle wall.

What's up with the hangers? No clue. He always uses them for something. From stocking hangers to Captain Hook's hook....it is always something. He and Claire were banned from using them for hooks because they kept fighting over them. Let me just tell you that plastic hangers break easily. We go through them on a regular basis.

He also used his sheets for drapes.

Maybe I should get him a pet chameleon.

I should note he was very proud of his creation. He couldn't wait for us all to see his room.

How can you get mad about that?

Oh, did I mention how I just repainted the room the last week of July?

The Email: Part 2

This came in the mail today. He is a lot more forthcoming on paper.

Well, as I said, I only have 30 minutes on Tuesday to email home. However, I have all day to write letters. And thank you so much for Dear Eldering me! When you send your email through Dear Elder, they print them off and deliver them like regular mail the day you send them. So I'll have time to read your emails, think of what to say, and then go type. I'm just a slow typer, hence the need for this letter! As I said, Elder Prawitt and I start our Zone Leader duties on Saturday, or Sunday...I should probably go find out sometimes. Aye. Anyway, life is good! Food is still tasting good and there are large quantities of it. We just ate lunch after going through the temple and I had a good fistful of bacon on my burger. It was delicious. I'm definitely going to miss it in the Congo. From what I'm told, the food we'll cook ourselves there won't be too strange. It'll be when members feed us we'll have fufu and stuff. Cameroon has been stable for so long the people there don't really like change. The RM said he spent most of his mission there and only baptized a few. However he spent his last three transfers in the Congo and baptized 45 people! Apparently people are ready for the gospel in the Congo!

Anyhow, this is how it went the first day at the MTC. Megan (who was sobbing hysterically of course) and Brian dropped me off on the curb to the side of a host missionary, Elder Beals (yeah, I thought so too, but no relation it turns out). He took me to a building to pick up my little packet with name tags and keys and things. They showed me how to put it on (it's suprisingly simple?) We then went to Room 203 of 16 M where I put my luggage. 203 is where I live. I was then taken to my classroom where I picked up some bags full of French material. Elder Beals left at this time. My teacher, Seour Carson, immediately started to explain what to do....in French. She got a lot of blank stares from me.....Je ne comprend pas?

Finally I realized she wanted me to go someplace else (hand motions helped). So I had to go to a computer lab where I watched an orientation video by the MTC President, President Brown and his wife. Nice people, they really are. Anyway, when I finished that I went back to class. Soeur Carson started yelling "Collegue Missionaire," "Collegue Missionaire" Je n'ai pas su what she was saying.....so I just stood there till someone translated. Collegue Missionaire means companion. Which no one told how to find him, at least in English. So I went back to the lab till everyone left. Then I went back to class where I found Elder Prawitt. She didn't make him go back to the lab......Oh well, I found him eventually I suppose.

So then we went through orientations, and firesides, and workshops and dinner till we got back around 9:30 exhausted. That was only day 1. I'm still exhausted. Lot's of work to do!

I most definitely have never used my time so effectively.....Oh! Some Congo stuff. I've learned a Congo handshake. Also, I'll probably mostly have white companions. Sad day....And no one wears sunscreen and bug spray for more than one week. After the layer of constant sweat, two greasy layers of sunscreen and bugspray is not needed. I must avoid all standing pools of water: 1) crocs 2) parasites. Fun, eh?

Well, I must go, choir is starting soon. Hopefully I can make it to the General Conference Choir. I'll still be here when it goes on! Y'all might be able to see me! Well farewell!! Dear Elder me soon!!! Tell me how life is, I love it!

J t'aime,

Elder McGrath

P.S. This is Elder Prawitt. He is from Bountiful, Utah. He is 6'6". He is tall.

The Hit

What to do when there is

a)tons of non-stop rain
b) lots and lots of very close lightening
c) extremely loud and scary thunder
d) a direct hit on your school that consequently sets off the fire alarms (during lunch nontheless)
e)4 Firetrucks and an ambulance parked down the street outside your window.
f) 500 young children.


Well....you

a) do a lot of smiling
b) and nodding
c) act like this sort of things happens every day
d) repeatedly say in your Mr. Roger's voice "This is just practice, you guys are doing such a great job!"
e) give a thousand little hugs of reassurance

Logan's Weekly Letter

Bonjour everyone!

Well it's been just two months in the mtc... right? Has it been two months yet? Because it feels that way! Time really flies by quick - the days are long but the weeks are short everyone here likes to say. It's so true it's rather cliche.

I like to say time has no meaning in the mtc! I wake up at 6:10 to do some stretching with Elder Prawitt, then we do some daily studying and planning after showering and whatnot. Then we get breakfast, usually eggs and potatoes, although biscuits and gravy is a huge deal, they run out of those quick.

Then we do some personal studying, we have an hour of TALL technology assisted language learning. That's pretty helpful till you get to the automatic flashcards, then I go sleep. Quickly. We have an hour (actually only 50 minutes) of gym time. I always go play volleyball with the tongans. I've gotten pretty good! We have about 6 hours of class instruction, almost entirely in french a day. That's where we learn grammar and gospel in the same lesson.

One of our teachers, Frere Luke, was actually the one who helped develop the program and material. We met him first as an investigator "Luc". We taught him on the first Friday in only French. I testified something like this... "I read book of mormon. I know book of mormon true. You read book of mormon. Holy Ghost you know true." haha I have to learn more grammar!

We get done with our stuff around 930 and we head back to the res to get ready for bed. We are so exhausted all the time, Elder Prawitt and I. We finished teaching Luc when he moved back to Swizterland, but we're now teaching Koffi (also Frere Luke) a protestant man from the Congo actually, and Caitlyn, (our other teacher Seour Carson). They are really good at role playing, it always seems real when we teach, which is good practice. They never break character. We taught Koffi last night and he amening like crazy in my prayer. I felt I was back home in Louisiana.

Well i waaaas excited for my call as district leader, but I was relieved of duty only after a week and a half... Elder Prawitt and I will become zone leaders this Sunday, which we'll stay as until the end of our stay here. Crazy huh!? The old zone leaders are leaving next week with like 15 other people. So it will be our district and other in our zone. Then in a week we'll get 7 more newbies (can I call them that yet? I think I can..) and in September we'll get about 30!! We do the orientation for them as zone leaders and show them how to do companionship inventory which is were you work out issues you have with you're companion. I am very fortunate in Elder Prawitt. We have had no problems getting along and he's really just a great guy.

So yeah I think I'll be traveling into the Congo like this: Salt Lake, Paris, to Doula, Cameroon! I learned a congoleese handshake, and that people don't…… I'll have to write the rest in a letter I'm out of time.

Bye love you all!!

Also if you haven't sent my stuff can you throw in two ties I left and my gym shorts!?

Love you!

Elder McGrath

Logan's First Letter

Here it is (read to the bottom for instructions for mailing him a letter):

Writing in red are my comments:

You DID keep those biscuits (pistachio biscuits from Pearlie Mae's - they were yummy) ! That makes me so sad. Well it's been going great so far. I am so tired all the time! Days drag on and on here but it feels like I've been here forever (it has been exactly seven days)!

I met my companion Elder Prawitt. He and my two other roommates are going to Montreal Canada! Their names are Elder Neff and Rasmusson. Elder prawitt and I get along great! Also in my district (classroom) there are four other elders going to France. Elder Newell, from Provo, Elder Reed from Canada, Elder Bonett from AF (hints to what this means?) and Elder Stephenson from England! Also there is a solo sister in there with us. Sister Soares from Brazil. Her dad is actually in the area presidency over my part of Africa.

I only have 30 minutes to email, and I would love to get dear elder emails too so I can respond more and I don't have to spend time reading! Can you explain on your blog how to use it so mes amis can all use it too (instructions below, notice the French?).

Well, I was called on Thursday to be district leader for my district. I hope that I can serve admirably and help my elders and sister grow as much as they can. I met 5 other people going to the Congo but they are going in 3 weeks... 6 weeks before me... so I'll be flying there by myself. Fortunately I will know a few people there though. The french teacher is actually an extremely recent RM from the same mission as me, so I've learned somethings. For instance. we'll have the best living conditions around, running water, washer and dryer, fridge, electricity stove and shower. but when we leave our room we'll be in the poorest countries on earth. Also, we'll be in the Cameroon, AND the Rep of Congo. The actual Congo! I Know, Right!? I'm excited. They said Congoleese French is very crisp and clear, and spoken slower than France french. for which I'm grateful.

The french program I'm doing is brand new, pilot testing is over, I have the finished result which is total french emmersion from day 1. We're learning lessons entirely in french, getting instructions in french (in the classroom at least) and we've already started teaching an amis de l'Eglise (investigator) entirely in french. It's Tough!!! But I think I've learned more french in 5 days than I have during 4 years of high school... which is good.

Well, gotta wrap up, I have a list of things i forgot or need :) love you mom!

my other pair of dress pants

maybe an electric shaver?

my long sleeve shirts

some of dad's red bound journals that I can use

a pocket size french hymns? They're out here at the bookstore.

Also i spent 70 dollars for my typhoid, more l'argent s'il vous plait/

and my yellow fever shot card, I need it to get into the Congo. If you can't find it Brian Robinson's mom should have the records at the hospital.

Well I love you all! Jordan especially! I won't have much time to email each week! P day is Tuesday!

In farewell, my thoughts are sufficiently explained in Alma 29:9 ("I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy.")

With love,

Elder McGrath

To send a letter through Dear Elder, go HERE and click on PROVO MTC POUCH. You can send a letter absolutely free and he can read it at his leisure. You can send letters through the pouch system free his entire two years. Don't let him get sad thinking you don't remember him! :-)

Well?

How did I do on my predictions?

**An early morning that proceeds a sleepless night. It was a horrible night! I tossed and turned and had weird dreams.

**A messy closet as nothing will fit "right". Boy did I hit that one on the head. My first pair of pants was too tight, the second had a previous unseen stain (big surprise, right, Mom?), the third pair popped a button as I was putting them on (that isn't a good sign), and let's not even get into the tops I had to try on.....I hope tomorrow is better.
**A breakfast fixed way too early - biscuits and gravy at Jordan's request. Because of the dressing fiasco dinner was started late, but the biscuits and gravy were divine.

**A frantic search for Ethan's shoes even though they were put out the night before. I am glad to be wrong on this one, for once. Let's see if we can keep it up for tomorrow. **Traffic, traffic, traffic (which, for Searcy is nothing for you city folk, but still) Yep, I had to actually stop AND wait at the stop signs.
** Nervousness as Ethan's begins middle school. I am glad Phil took him, I had a pit in my stomach.

**A few tears as I worry about how his day goes. No tears, just worry.
**Crying children during morning cafeteria duty. And no doubt a few spills. Yes, and yes. But it could have been worse.
**Wondering how Jordan's first day of 10th grade goes. Yep, on and off. He is pretty resourceful. He had a great day.
**A mentally exhausting day - for every single one of us. I admit it, I came home and took a power nap.
**Spaghetti for dinner as that will be easy and quick. With quick homemade bread stick even.

**Swimming at a friend's pool after dinner to unwind. Not sure about the unwinding part, but the swim was fun.
**Early bedtime. Yeah, right. Not even close.
The really bummer about the day was I didn't hear from Logan! Maybe tomorrow.......

Gone

I am finally getting around to telling about Logan. He is officially gone. He flew out Monday afternoon with his Grandma McGrath, brother, sister, brother-in-law, niece and nephew. It was a little easier to say goodbye knowing he was going with all of them, although I am sure the witnesses to my crying would scoff at the statement.

He was excited and ready.

I talked to him a couple of hours before he entered the MTC on Wednesday. So now the 24 month countdown begins. I think he leaves for Africa in 8 weeks.

Tomorrow, fingers crossed, he will have access to email. I thought about writing him a letter in French, but I don't know if he would appreciate it or not. Maybe by week two he would be able to read it, lol.

A New Year Begins

Tomorrow will bring.....

**An early morning that proceeds a sleepless night.

**A messy closet as nothing will fit "right".

**A breakfast fixed way too early - biscuits and gravy at Jordan's request.

**A frantic search for Ethan's shoes even though they were put out the night before.

**Traffic, traffic, traffic (which, for Searcy is nothing for you city folk, but still)

** Nervousness as Ethan's begins middle school.

**A few tears as I worry about how his day goes.

**Crying children during morning cafeteria duty. And no doubt a few spills.

**Wondering how Jordan's first day of 10th grade goes.

**A mentally exhausting day - for every single one of us.

**Spaghetti for dinner as that will be easy and quick.

**Swimming at a friend's pool after dinner to unwind.

**Early bedtime.

The First Day of School!

So Let It Be Written, So Let It Be Done

Finished!

Two months and 100 pages later, my project is complete. Good, bad, or ugly it is going in the mail on Monday. I will soon be officially certified (no, not insane). This should help put me in the "I can't let you go" category since I am one of only two people in the whole district who are certified ESL.

Am I glad I did it? Yes.

Am I glad I am done? Heck, yes.

Whew.

Tandem

Head over HERE and HERE check out Ethan and Phil on a tandem!

Found the Missing Picture

...of the cake Megan and Quinn made. It isn't the clearest because it was taken on Gramma McG's iphone.

Bullseye

Another fantastic adventure out shootin' with the boys.

Gangster Instruction

Part One of Grandma McGrath shooting with the boys.

Crack me up!

In Picture

Family Pictures the Night of Ethan's Baptism

We were so happy to have so much family here. Ethan was so excited and happy to see everyone. A huge Thank You to all of our friends who showed up, as well. It made for a very special night.