Brownies and Cakes - July 22, 2009

Dear Family and Friends,

Thank you so much for your letters and love. Paige I am so proud of you. I remember when I had the flu over at BYU. It was during the winter time and I was just like you. All my friends brought over saltines, cranberry juice (yes, I did drink it Jocelyn and you were right, and it had a pretty good effect), and gatorade. Byron also came over and gave me a blessing, immediately after which I puked into our sink. Byron called it the quickest healing he's ever seen.

And Carly you have such a photogenic crowd of people asking to hire you. Must be your amazing newfound talent. I was going through some of the gallery pictures while reading your letters and their really good. And with Dad's new book he's reading about conceptual focus I think our family is pretty well rounded to reach both parts of our brains. Altogether we should be able to come up with some killer business. And I'm so jealous you get to go to the temple Mom, I'll make sure to attend with you in Spirit. I can't wait and start to answer some of my own questions. I've been so busy answering others that I forget to think of my own. Luckily I learn a lot from teaching. I did a study of the Bible's prophecies of the Book of Mormon and found a lot of interesting insights. My favorite was comparing 2 Nephi 26 with Isaiah 29, Nephi explains clearly Isaiah's meaning in such a way that you can't deny that Isaiah was talking about the Nephites.

Anyways as for my week it was the like the Himalayas: big ups with big downs. No one came to church this week but we did still manage to make some progress. Renald and Deepa are doing really well, they are the newly wed couple with a new baby. They've been being taught since February and now we're almost to their baptism. Last week we met them and committed Renald to follow the Word of Wisdom by July 28th. This Monday we met him and we watched the Restoration with him and Deepa. We then followed up with his word of wisdom and he said it was just going on. Then our member who was with us had to take a phone call and went outside. Renald then got a little serious and told us that he was really struggling. He wasn't sure if he was going to make his goal date and he really wanted to but the temptations were getting the better of him. We offered to give him a blessing and he accepted. Afterwards we told him that the Elder that first taught him, Elder Hullinger, would be coming on exchange and visiting him on Saturday. He was so happy to hear that, and he said "Elder Hullinger is the man who changed me. Before I listened to so many pastors but I didn't care what they had to say or offer but when Hullinger talked with me it made me change. Before I would never have let anyone give me any blessing but today you just saw me accept." Thank our Heavenly Father for Elder Hullinger.

We also found out the concern for our struggling investigators, Lukas and Nivedhana, another newly wed with no children. They are Hindu background but want to be baptized. They also want to come to the LDS church Lukas' auntie who lives nearby calls them every morning to ask them to come to the Assembly of God church with her. Solution no. 1: Go to the Auntie's house and teach. Solution no.2: tell Lukas and Nivedhana they're just going to have to explain to the auntie that they can't go with her. If they feel it's true than they shouldn't have to worry if they are making any mistakes, plus I don't think the auntie will be that offended. So with a plan, testimonies, scripture, and a lot of Spiritual guidance we can make this happen.

So as for the subject of the letter, I've been having fun with the new oven. We were able to find some pillsbury cake and brownie mixes and we all pitched in to make delicious desserts for the past week (don't worry Jeevan your baked goods will still be an oasis in the desert for me). But it has been fun to scramble together to make good meals. Elder Valluri and Korrayya make the main Indian course, and Elder Hullinger and I make the dessert. And one time this week I somehow whipped up Shepard's pie. Don't ask me how I remembered but it was pretty good, minus I put too much flour in the mixture (I think you know what I mean Mom). The home-made food is a good motivation booster for us. The resturaunts are not good here at all so having good food keeps us going, even if it takes a little extra effort.

Another transfer is finished and my year mark is coming fast. We're discussing new goals for the zone this week and we decided we want to focus on finding. So this is my request, if you could all think of ways we can find more people, whether it be by ways to increase the Spirit during finding, methods of finding, ways of doing service, or whatever it may be to find people that are interested, please send your suggestions. I know finding is different in all places but maybe one of your ideas will inspire us to do something more.

Thank you so much again for all your letters. Keep it up Matt and Jen, the Lord will work a way for you. Just remember when the Apostles were crossing the sea of Galilee and the storm was tossing them to and fro it was until the fourth watch that Jesus Christ came up to them walking on the water. The fourth watch is nie so keep you eyes open for that piercing hope that will show you the way.

Love you a million brownies,

Elder Mackay

p.s. Mom if you could send some easy bake recipes, that would be great. Also the shepherds pie recipe so I can know the right quanities.