Aunt Carrie created a smilebox with some pictures of our Matthew Sean for Christmas.
To view the slide show click the link below:
Monday, December 28, 2009
Christmas Presents
December 24, 2009
Ha, that´s fine. I sent you guys a letter as well. Please let me know when or if you get it so I can know I can trust the mail system here. It´s your guys Christmas present, well, the best that I could do considering the circumstances, however, I´m sorry that it wont reach you by Christmas, maybe my call can hold you guys over till the letter arrives.
I must say that I agree- I couldn´t ask for a better Christmas present than getting some sort of contact with you guys. You know, I don´t know if I could ever accept work far from home cuz I love you guys so much and in Laman´s terms it sucks to be away from my family. If this work wasn´t a commandment, something I felt and knew I should do, and for something that just might be true, there is no way I´d be here. - That was my final testimony in the MTC and I hope also that you guys know that I would not be here if there was a doubt in my mind that it´s true. I would not spend 2 yrs doing what I´m doing on only a hope. A humongous reason for this is that I am weak yet it is because I know this church is the restored church of Jesus Christ- therein containing the promise of the Lord and the Father to sustain Their missionaries and ministers throughout the land. In this promise I find strength for I could not do it alone. And, when I return in two years, hopefully having become a man of God, I continue my life with you all- with this mission as a witness of my testimony that this Church is true.
Ok, ummmm, all Friday is P day again since everybody is gonna be drunk and I guess for some reason we´re not allowed to get people to agree to sign the baptismal paper if they´re under some other influence. haha. But no, Melgar isn´t really dangerous. The people have little, but that´s all they know, so they´re happy, they support each other, and it isn´t their desire to fight and argue.
I recieved my thanksgiving package, 2 letters from gma and 1 letter from rachel on saturday but nothing more if that´s what you´re asking.
anyway, ok, I´ll call in the morning. What time is good? I´m excited to talk to all of you.
Love,
Elder M.S.McDermott
p.s. Elder Bayas wants a quadruple set of scriptures in english cuz you can´t obtain em down here. He want´s me to ask how much they´d cost and how much to ship so he can know if he can afford it.
p.s.s. Oh Summer, he can´t marry you anymore I decided. I don´t know maybe it´d be different as a brother in law, however, when you live with someone 24/7 you realize that you´re weak too and if you both weren´t brothers in the Lord you´d . . . well, things just wouldn´t always be good, I´ll just say that. :)
loves
Ha, that´s fine. I sent you guys a letter as well. Please let me know when or if you get it so I can know I can trust the mail system here. It´s your guys Christmas present, well, the best that I could do considering the circumstances, however, I´m sorry that it wont reach you by Christmas, maybe my call can hold you guys over till the letter arrives.
I must say that I agree- I couldn´t ask for a better Christmas present than getting some sort of contact with you guys. You know, I don´t know if I could ever accept work far from home cuz I love you guys so much and in Laman´s terms it sucks to be away from my family. If this work wasn´t a commandment, something I felt and knew I should do, and for something that just might be true, there is no way I´d be here. - That was my final testimony in the MTC and I hope also that you guys know that I would not be here if there was a doubt in my mind that it´s true. I would not spend 2 yrs doing what I´m doing on only a hope. A humongous reason for this is that I am weak yet it is because I know this church is the restored church of Jesus Christ- therein containing the promise of the Lord and the Father to sustain Their missionaries and ministers throughout the land. In this promise I find strength for I could not do it alone. And, when I return in two years, hopefully having become a man of God, I continue my life with you all- with this mission as a witness of my testimony that this Church is true.
Ok, ummmm, all Friday is P day again since everybody is gonna be drunk and I guess for some reason we´re not allowed to get people to agree to sign the baptismal paper if they´re under some other influence. haha. But no, Melgar isn´t really dangerous. The people have little, but that´s all they know, so they´re happy, they support each other, and it isn´t their desire to fight and argue.
I recieved my thanksgiving package, 2 letters from gma and 1 letter from rachel on saturday but nothing more if that´s what you´re asking.
anyway, ok, I´ll call in the morning. What time is good? I´m excited to talk to all of you.
Love,
Elder M.S.McDermott
p.s. Elder Bayas wants a quadruple set of scriptures in english cuz you can´t obtain em down here. He want´s me to ask how much they´d cost and how much to ship so he can know if he can afford it.
p.s.s. Oh Summer, he can´t marry you anymore I decided. I don´t know maybe it´d be different as a brother in law, however, when you live with someone 24/7 you realize that you´re weak too and if you both weren´t brothers in the Lord you´d . . . well, things just wouldn´t always be good, I´ll just say that. :)
loves
Airport Pictures -last goodbye
(September 23rd 2009)
Going through security
Matthew, Dad, Joel and Uncle Ryan sayin' their last goodbyes
Daddy and Matthew -silly boys.
Father and Son
Brother Matthew Sean makin' Summer laugh, like usual.
Little Milly and big brother Matt
Matthew and Rachel
Elder Matthew Sean McDermott
Matthew and friend Elder Bryce Wainwright(serving in Alaska) shared the same flight to the MTC from the St. George airport.
Matthew and Uncle Ryan
Matthew and friend Joel Echols
McDermott Family! Left to Right: Summer, Emily(milly) Dad, Rachel, Mom, Elder Matthew Sean, Grandma Swift
Brother Matthew Sean makin' Summer laugh, like usual.
Little Milly and big brother Matt
Matthew and Rachel
Elder Matthew Sean McDermott
Matthew and friend Elder Bryce Wainwright(serving in Alaska) shared the same flight to the MTC from the St. George airport.
Matthew and Uncle Ryan
Matthew and friend Joel Echols
McDermott Family! Left to Right: Summer, Emily(milly) Dad, Rachel, Mom, Elder Matthew Sean, Grandma Swift
I'll love you forever
Matthew Sean woke up early September 23rd to finalize packing and last minute preperations before leaving to the airport. Before everyone else woke up Matthew Sean asked mother to read him the book "I'll love you forever", a book she has read her children since they were young. It was almost impossible for mom to get through it but it was a very special time for both of them.
Miracles are about to happen - Pictures
December 14
k, i hope you´re fine with how short this email will be. It just takes so long to load these pictures that I just sit here for most of my time on the computer. And no, I´ll only be writing one other reply than this. I love getting letters but if I don´t have extra time I still gotta make sure I talk to the most important people in the world to me, my family.
You know, I´m sorry if last email was a lot of worrying and culture shock etc. Cuz over this past week I´ve really got through something special with the spirit and on my knees I´ve began to receive a sense and am in the midst of creating a vision of what the Lord has in store here in Colombia.
Please pray for the people here, and for me to be able to identify the spirit speaking to me.
I love you all soooooo much. I´ll talk to you soon.
Dedicatedly,
Elder McDermott
New Area
December 7, 2009
I am doing so good. I´ve been shipped somewhere else and this ship is in ship shape. over. :) ha
Don´t worry about not being kept up to date. I was in constant contact with Ma and Pa Casablanca the entire day in the hospital and they had your number right in hand in case something was dangerous. But they´re not gonna worry you unless you need to be. Them not calling means that I was just fine. k? I´m so much better now (which has a significance to also mean that my stool is once again solid "count your many blessings")
I finally spoke with President on Sunday and his wife and that was really nice. Apparently this mission has been know for missionaries getting sent home for many, many things from psychological problems to grave sins. I was told that even before I got here that I was being prayed over for where to be assigned and how I will benefit and what I´ll bring to the mission. In my conference I was told that everything answer they`ve received, everything they`ve read, and everything else says that they are so pleased to have me but they expect the absolute best from me. And to be help for what changes this missions stereotype. I´m kinda nervous.
I checked again after I read your email today and they said email is for everyone not just family. So ya, if it changes I´ll let you know ok? ok.
Ok, my new area is absolutely amazing. Ha, and its partly cuz I have this little boy adventure desire and am selfish about wanting some weird area but this place called Malgar is everything I pictured Colombia to be before I came here. It´s a little town in the middle of nowhere. There are soldiers on the outsides of both sides of the town and this place is surrounded by jungle. We can´t go out there though the number one reason being . . .snakes. eeewww, I don´t like snakes. however, it is hotter than old literatures description of Hell and I shower twice a day which still is gross. The culture is so different. I haven´t quite gotten used to it yet. For example, there is, oh I don´t know how many breast pulled out right in front of us every single day. hahaha, don´t worry, it´s not cute, in fact it worries me cuz it´s actually pretty gross and I never thought I´d perceive those as gross so now I´m worried if my perception will always stay that way. haha. No, the first time it happened I was just kinda fidgety and I looked over to my companions (I´m in a tri for one more week)
I am doing so good. I´ve been shipped somewhere else and this ship is in ship shape. over. :) ha
Don´t worry about not being kept up to date. I was in constant contact with Ma and Pa Casablanca the entire day in the hospital and they had your number right in hand in case something was dangerous. But they´re not gonna worry you unless you need to be. Them not calling means that I was just fine. k? I´m so much better now (which has a significance to also mean that my stool is once again solid "count your many blessings")
I finally spoke with President on Sunday and his wife and that was really nice. Apparently this mission has been know for missionaries getting sent home for many, many things from psychological problems to grave sins. I was told that even before I got here that I was being prayed over for where to be assigned and how I will benefit and what I´ll bring to the mission. In my conference I was told that everything answer they`ve received, everything they`ve read, and everything else says that they are so pleased to have me but they expect the absolute best from me. And to be help for what changes this missions stereotype. I´m kinda nervous.
I checked again after I read your email today and they said email is for everyone not just family. So ya, if it changes I´ll let you know ok? ok.
Ok, my new area is absolutely amazing. Ha, and its partly cuz I have this little boy adventure desire and am selfish about wanting some weird area but this place called Malgar is everything I pictured Colombia to be before I came here. It´s a little town in the middle of nowhere. There are soldiers on the outsides of both sides of the town and this place is surrounded by jungle. We can´t go out there though the number one reason being . . .snakes. eeewww, I don´t like snakes. however, it is hotter than old literatures description of Hell and I shower twice a day which still is gross. The culture is so different. I haven´t quite gotten used to it yet. For example, there is, oh I don´t know how many breast pulled out right in front of us every single day. hahaha, don´t worry, it´s not cute, in fact it worries me cuz it´s actually pretty gross and I never thought I´d perceive those as gross so now I´m worried if my perception will always stay that way. haha. No, the first time it happened I was just kinda fidgety and I looked over to my companions (I´m in a tri for one more week)
and they just acted like nothing happened and kept teaching to the face of the person. And I really like the feeling of knowing my purpose here and to have a train of thought that doesn´t allow for crude or base thoughts and that although wickedness can be everywhere, we can be above it. This is something I want to continue for the rest of my life. Just remember, just because temptation, or sin, or Satan is around- doesn´t mean we need to have anything to do with it. Not only that but it doesn´t even need to be an option, as if, "man, i wish temptation wasn´t everywhere cuz then it wouldn´t be so hard to do what’s right" no, just make yourself on a higher level of being and then it doesn´t matter what Satan throws at you cuz you´re better than that and that´s not part of who you are. :)
>I love you all and hope all is well back home. I think about you guys all the time and can´t wait for the time when we´re all in the family room laughing about times that made us cry.
Love.
Elder McDermott
>I love you all and hope all is well back home. I think about you guys all the time and can´t wait for the time when we´re all in the family room laughing about times that made us cry.
Love.
Elder McDermott
Just a quick up date
December 3, 2009
-I’m only on for a second waiting for my companion but just a few quick updates.
-I got really sick this last week.
-I didn´t listen to what you said about not eating from street vendors
-I got worms and inflamed intestines
-I was put it the hospital
-they have really, really good health care here
-so no worries ok? ok.
-however it caused the president to pray about my mission and I am now being transferred 4 hours south west.
-can´t remember the name but it´s in the scorching hot and it´s summer here right now
-Every person, elder, member, investigator, whoever sees a picture of my family thinks i have 4 sisters and no mom only a dad.
-they say noooo, su mama es joven.
nooooo, your mama is so young and looks very pretty.
-1 elder from Chile and 1 elder from Ecuador have asked for summer´s address but i didn´t give it to them. nice try
-the picture in my package of Rachel and me is next to my bed
the letter from summer in there made me cry and miss her even more. . .thanks a lot
-I´m a lot better now
-still weak but I’m gonna be fine
-i feel terrible for complaining to god during my sickness for perhaps it was needed in order for my president to pray and consequentially get the answer that I´m needed elsewhere.
-I began to think that while reading 1 ne I think 19 or 20 when while during and after being tied on the ship he never complained cuz he knew that all things were in the Lord´s hands and with that confidence, where is the room to complain.
-We must know that we´re in His hands. And then continue with a smile.
-what´s the saying, come what may and .. . .I can´t remember the rest
anyway,
I love you everyone
Lovingly and dedicatedly,
Elder McDermott
-I’m only on for a second waiting for my companion but just a few quick updates.
-I got really sick this last week.
-I didn´t listen to what you said about not eating from street vendors
-I got worms and inflamed intestines
-I was put it the hospital
-they have really, really good health care here
-so no worries ok? ok.
-however it caused the president to pray about my mission and I am now being transferred 4 hours south west.
-can´t remember the name but it´s in the scorching hot and it´s summer here right now
-Every person, elder, member, investigator, whoever sees a picture of my family thinks i have 4 sisters and no mom only a dad.
-they say noooo, su mama es joven.
nooooo, your mama is so young and looks very pretty.
-1 elder from Chile and 1 elder from Ecuador have asked for summer´s address but i didn´t give it to them. nice try
-the picture in my package of Rachel and me is next to my bed
the letter from summer in there made me cry and miss her even more. . .thanks a lot
-I´m a lot better now
-still weak but I’m gonna be fine
-i feel terrible for complaining to god during my sickness for perhaps it was needed in order for my president to pray and consequentially get the answer that I´m needed elsewhere.
-I began to think that while reading 1 ne I think 19 or 20 when while during and after being tied on the ship he never complained cuz he knew that all things were in the Lord´s hands and with that confidence, where is the room to complain.
-We must know that we´re in His hands. And then continue with a smile.
-what´s the saying, come what may and .. . .I can´t remember the rest
anyway,
I love you everyone
Lovingly and dedicatedly,
Elder McDermott
First week in Colombia
November 30, 2009
Hola Mi Familia,
Esta muy dificil para hablar in Ingles pero Yo tratare. Ok, first thing is that because the keyboards are different I can´t figure out how to do smiley faces like I usually do so just know that I´m smiling nonetheless.
Colombia . . . you wanna know some of the things I experienced my first week
1. Me being the only white guy on the plane to Bogotá and being all alone I had the privilege of having all eyes on me. "Si. Yo soy gringo. Como puedo ayudarle"
2. Saw soldiers walking down the streets with AK47´s - that was cool.
3. I didn´t meet my companion till Wed. and I had a temp companion take me around down town to do all my legal paperwork. ha, I talked to everyone I could in Spanish. I could tell my comp didn´t like it. I discovered he gets embarrassed easily. However, from contacting, within the first hour I was so blessed to start speaking with a young man, proly early 20´s, named Carlos Pures, and he was very kind to help me with my bullcrap Spanish. We obtained his name and address and number and he said he was happy to meet with us. Later I found out he lives in the Bogota North boundaries so I had to hand him over. Grrrrr. It made me sad cuz he was my first potential investigator.
I´m glad to know that sister Casablanca sounded like she was glad I was here. I couldn´t really tell. I thought I´d get interviewed by President and get to know him and his wife but none of that happened. We proly only small talked for 5 minutes before I was given my mission location assignment and was off.
My companion is Elder Martinez. He´s a short Ecuadorian with glasses. He´s very nice, obedient, and has a huge desire to serve. We´re the only 2 missionaries in our area. It´s called patio bonito in the zone of Kennedy. It covers a huge area but I guess the Lord trusts it to us. Kinda scary. Elder Martinez said there hasn´t been a gringo here in this area for about 15 or 20 years. That scared me initially (and who knows, maybe it still does- but I´d never tell anybody that) but he said he thinks thats a really good thing in his eyes cuz he believes people will look w/ wide eyes and listen to what I have to say.One thing that frustrates me is that I wanna take pictures of this place and the people so bad but I can´t or else I´ll get robbed. One night after teaching a lesson they made me leave my wallet and camera with the member who was present during the lesson because of the probability of getting robbed. So I don´t know how i´ll take pics but i´ll figure out something.
I met a young man who is a communist named leonardo. ha, he´s a member too. He said he´s a communist cuz God is too.- don´t really know why i told you that.When i give the prayer at houses you can hear giggling around the table. It´s cool though. Soy gringo. No se nada. haha
Almost all roads are dirt ones. Everything is so humble here too. Much of the area, homes, and buildings have been severly troubled because of warfare but they make the best of it.
McDermott is soo hard for them to pronounce so many of them call me Elder Chevre. haha or in english Elder Cool. I get along great with the kids. They love to put on my glasses. I think that´ll be the death of my glasses but i´d do it 100 times over to see a small Colombian boy or girl brighten up with excitement of something new. I love when they smile.
Well family I love you all so much. I got your package the day I arrived. well the next day after the temple so I got it on thanksgiving. ha however, they don´t celebrate it so thank you for your gifts. I loved them so much. And got quite teary eyed over them. I´m not gonna come home early. I´m gonna serve with everything I got for the next little while. I gotta be good for something.I love every one of you and I hope you know that every day you are in my prayers.
With unwavering dedication,
Your Elder Chevre
Hola Mi Familia,
Esta muy dificil para hablar in Ingles pero Yo tratare. Ok, first thing is that because the keyboards are different I can´t figure out how to do smiley faces like I usually do so just know that I´m smiling nonetheless.
Colombia . . . you wanna know some of the things I experienced my first week
1. Me being the only white guy on the plane to Bogotá and being all alone I had the privilege of having all eyes on me. "Si. Yo soy gringo. Como puedo ayudarle"
2. Saw soldiers walking down the streets with AK47´s - that was cool.
3. I didn´t meet my companion till Wed. and I had a temp companion take me around down town to do all my legal paperwork. ha, I talked to everyone I could in Spanish. I could tell my comp didn´t like it. I discovered he gets embarrassed easily. However, from contacting, within the first hour I was so blessed to start speaking with a young man, proly early 20´s, named Carlos Pures, and he was very kind to help me with my bullcrap Spanish. We obtained his name and address and number and he said he was happy to meet with us. Later I found out he lives in the Bogota North boundaries so I had to hand him over. Grrrrr. It made me sad cuz he was my first potential investigator.
I´m glad to know that sister Casablanca sounded like she was glad I was here. I couldn´t really tell. I thought I´d get interviewed by President and get to know him and his wife but none of that happened. We proly only small talked for 5 minutes before I was given my mission location assignment and was off.
My companion is Elder Martinez. He´s a short Ecuadorian with glasses. He´s very nice, obedient, and has a huge desire to serve. We´re the only 2 missionaries in our area. It´s called patio bonito in the zone of Kennedy. It covers a huge area but I guess the Lord trusts it to us. Kinda scary. Elder Martinez said there hasn´t been a gringo here in this area for about 15 or 20 years. That scared me initially (and who knows, maybe it still does- but I´d never tell anybody that) but he said he thinks thats a really good thing in his eyes cuz he believes people will look w/ wide eyes and listen to what I have to say.One thing that frustrates me is that I wanna take pictures of this place and the people so bad but I can´t or else I´ll get robbed. One night after teaching a lesson they made me leave my wallet and camera with the member who was present during the lesson because of the probability of getting robbed. So I don´t know how i´ll take pics but i´ll figure out something.
I met a young man who is a communist named leonardo. ha, he´s a member too. He said he´s a communist cuz God is too.- don´t really know why i told you that.When i give the prayer at houses you can hear giggling around the table. It´s cool though. Soy gringo. No se nada. haha
Almost all roads are dirt ones. Everything is so humble here too. Much of the area, homes, and buildings have been severly troubled because of warfare but they make the best of it.
McDermott is soo hard for them to pronounce so many of them call me Elder Chevre. haha or in english Elder Cool. I get along great with the kids. They love to put on my glasses. I think that´ll be the death of my glasses but i´d do it 100 times over to see a small Colombian boy or girl brighten up with excitement of something new. I love when they smile.
Well family I love you all so much. I got your package the day I arrived. well the next day after the temple so I got it on thanksgiving. ha however, they don´t celebrate it so thank you for your gifts. I loved them so much. And got quite teary eyed over them. I´m not gonna come home early. I´m gonna serve with everything I got for the next little while. I gotta be good for something.I love every one of you and I hope you know that every day you are in my prayers.
With unwavering dedication,
Your Elder Chevre
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