Monday, April 16, 2018

Press forward-no matter the trials


April 16, 2018

Well its been a rather interesting week. 

FUTBOL IS BACK BABY!! MY SKILLS ARE INSANELY average. But hey its still fun haha. 
Countdown to wrestling t-minus 6 months ayyyyyyyyyyyyy. Gotta try and get back some of the weight that I've lost but bodyweight exercises, rice and chicken don't exactly make for big gains haha

Elder Millis has been pretty sick so that’s slowed us down a little. But nevertheless, the work moves on! This Saturday Hna Adrianna will be baptized. She was finally convinced by the Book of Mormon. That book is a blessing from God, truly changes lives. 

During Sunday school an Hermano shared a story about Hernan Cortes, an explorer. He ordered his men to burn the boats so that they would have no option but to conquer or be conquered.  Reminded me of an awesome talk by Elder Holland, where he warns us to "Rember Lot's wife"- don't look back. When we believe in Christ, when we make the decision to follow him, we cannot afford to go back. We need to press forward- no matter the trials. Faith is for the future!!  https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/jeffrey-r-holland_remember-lots-wife/

Love and miss you guys!!:)


Elder McClune





April 9, 2018

This week was AWESOME!! Man I don't even know where to start. LIFE IS GOOD BABY!!! 

Elder Millis and I went hard and found a ton of new people to teach! I love my area! 

We took a expedition to this little town called Porongo just outside of Santa Cruz. Had to cross the "river" but some homies gave us a lift in their truck. We didn’t know anybody so we just started talking to people. It was super fun and we had a lot of success!

Found this dope bath robe in the Cumambi for $7. Makes me feel like Moses, Gandalf, and Palpatine all at once. Its called Surf Monk and usually its worth about $200 hahaha SO to sketchy Bolivian markets. 

So today starts the countdown of 6 months until I go home.... wow. Mixed feelings about that. I miss home so much but I'm tempted to extend. We'll see what happens.


Just a couple verses from the Book of Mormon that I love. 

Ether 12:8-9


8 "But because of the faith of men he has shown himself unto the world, and glorified the name of the Father, and prepared a way that thereby others might be partakers of the heavenly gift, that they might hope for those things which they have not seen.

9 "Wherefore, ye may also have hope, and be partakers of the gift, if ye will but have faith."
 


Love and miss you guys like crazy,


Elder McClune






April 2, 2018

What a week. 

Got to do an exchange with some other missionaries in my district- so I got to visit my old area-Bajio! It was awesome saying hi to the members and my converts. I am so blessed.

Crazy how fast time is flying by. I only have 6 months left!! Kind of hard to find a balance between enjoying the last bit of my mission and being excited to go home haha 

My area is pretty big. Goes from kilometer 9 to kilometer 16. Kind of wish I had a bike but hey walking everywhere builds character and helps you find more people to teach hahaha

I love the people that we are teaching. Makes me so happy helping them come closer to Christ.

I got pretty sick last week. Feeling loads better now. But the night and morning before general conference I double dragoned hahaha ouch. I've heard that the harder your mission is the hotter your wife will be. Future Mrs.McClune is gonna be una belleza entonces jajaja ayyyy 

All of the talks from general conference were amazing, but here are the links to two of my favorites!:) 

Love and miss you all,




Elder McClune


March 26, 2018

Elder Millis and I did a service project for Hna Fransisca, Cristian's mom. Moved a lot of sand and brick and made potato chips!!

Thanks for all the birthday wishes. Got a package from my family. The offices called and sang happy birthday. Hna Paula, Estefani, Ana and Hno Alvaro made a surprise visit with cake and presents! Elder Snyder and Elder Martin bought me Papa Johns. It was pretty dope:) Wierd to think that I’m 21 now. Crazy how time flies haha

Aldo visited me again!! Man I love that guy. He gave me a dope chess set for my birthday 

I got pretty sick Saturday night and a couldn't sleep. I laid down in the hammock  and was resting for a while- until the bar broke where the hammock was hung up and I fell on my backside hahahahaha ouch. Now I have a huge bruise and it hurts to walk�

The mission has been tough but man have I loved it. The experience of a life time. So grateful for all that I've learned and for all of the people that I have met. Truly a blessing.

General conference this weekend!! Don't miss this wonderful opportunity to hear the word of God:) https://www.lds.org/church/events/april-2018-general-conference?lang=eng
Love and miss you all!! 


Elder McClune







March 19, 2018


Well I got transfered. Broke my heart to say goodbye to everyone in Pinos. But the good new is that Flia. Palma Ortiz and Estefany got baptized!! I'll send pictures next week.

Remember how Sid went missing back when I was in Riberalta? I FOUND HIM!! or better said, he found me. Turns out he has some gnarly physic powers- he saw in the future that I would be transfered to Asai! Being humbly aware of his limited speed capabilities, he started traveling down to Asai so we would get here on the same day hahaha



So my new area is pretty cool. Very beautiful, the members are awesome, and there is a lot of potencial. My new companion- Elder Millis (Pennsylvania) is chill. Its going to be a good cambio. 

Cristian got baptized! This kid is a stud. Hes going to help us teach his mom now. I love how this gospel bless families:)

I'm not sure about Spanish, but my Camba is perfect hahaha

Like always I ran out of time. I got a lot more to tell ya guys but Ill save it for next week. Conference is coming- GET SPIRITUALLY STOKED!!!


Elder McClune

Derek Paul McClune
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March 5, 2018

This is why I always check inside my shoes before I put them on haha... lil bugga was just camping out haha

Gave my first baby blessing. I thought the first baby blessing that I would give was going to be for my own kid, in English haha. I am very grateful, it was a very beautiful and humbling experience. 

Aldo visited me again!

Delcy and Nilson got baptized! I am so happy for them. In one year they will be able to go to the temple and be sealed together as a family for all of eternity:)

This nasty lil bugga is called "vibora cuco"- literally means viper cuckoo. But as far as I know its actually pretty harmless haha
mage result for vibora cuco

Elder Godoy of the Seventy- (a leader of the Church), came to visit us. Shared some amazing insights on how we can be more effective in sharing the gospel. I learned alot.

Heiver visited me! He just got his mission call, so we'll find out where he will be serving soon!!

Had some dank apple pie yesterday. Sweet taste of liberty!!

I met Ayoub, a Muslim from Morroco that lived in Chile for awhile but now is here in Bolivia. He speaks 4 different languages! It was super cool talking with him and learning more about Islam. He says hes going to get me a copy of the Quran!! He has a ton of questions and doubts that I know can be answered if he reads the scriptures so Im going to try and get him a copy of the Book of Mormon in Arabic. 

We have cambios tomorrow and I am so stressed out. I have no idea if I will be staying or going. I would like to stay at least one more cambio, I've done so much work here. I hate saying goodbye and I love the people here so much. AGHHHHHHHH! S'all good. Ill be okay for ext week but until then I feel sick to my stomach haha

I gave a talk on the Atonement of Jesus Christ yesterday. (https://www.lds.org/topics/atonement-of-jesus-christ?lang=eng)  I might have shared this awhile ago but its something that we all neeed to remember more often:

Alma 7:11-13

“He shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
“And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities” 
13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me. 

(Alma 7:1113; emphasis added).
The Savior has suffered not just for our iniquities but also for the inequality, the unfairness, the pain, the anguish, and the emotional distresses that so frequently beset us. There is no physical pain, no anguish of soul, no suffering of spirit, no infirmity or weakness that you or I ever experience during our mortal journey that the Savior did not experience first. You and I in a moment of weakness may cry out, “No one understands. No one knows.” No human being, perhaps, knows. But the Son of God perfectly knows and understands, for He felt and bore our burdens before we ever did. And because He paid the ultimate price and bore that burden, He has perfect empathy and can extend to us His arm of mercy in so many phases of our life. He can reach out, touch, succor—literally run to us—and strengthen us to be more than we could ever be and help us to do that which we could never do through relying upon only our own power.
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
“For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30).
Love and miss you guys:)



Elder McClune




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