Tacoma is GORGEOUS!

July 27, 2020

Hey everyone!!

The Tacoma area is GORGEOUS and the weather is amazing. There are trees everywhere. Literally everwhere. I am currently serving in the Kingston area with my companion Elder Wilson!

This has been a crazy week. I have been loving the mission so far but it's also been hard. I've learned a lot about missionary work and myself this week. It has been a huge adjustment but I think I'm slowly getting into the routine. Another thing I wasn't expecting was the amount of planning and scheduling missionaries do. We literally plan for HOURS haha. I never really planned back home so you definitely could say it was an adjustment. It sometimes feels tedious but its actually really effective.

Missionary work is also really different right now because of covid. We aren't allowed to knock on doors and we have to kinda stay inside all day. Are only way to find people to teach is to call them. If you know me... I hate calling people. BUT I have gotten much better at it. 

Now that that's out of the way... Tacoma has been great!! I've met so many awesome people and the mission president is way cool. The missionaries here are the nicest people you'll ever meet. I met my companion on Wednesday and he's super nice too. His name is Elder Wilson and it's his first time training someone. We both get along well cause we both have pretty chill personalities. I learned how to actually play pokemon a couple days ago and it was the best haha! 

(Still haven't won once though... )

I'm currently in the Kingston area which is right next to the water. Its literally soooooo beautiful. It reminds me a lot of Alaska. There isn't an apartment complex in Kingston right now, so we are staying with the paulsbo 2nd elders. We are kinda in a quad. Elder Waddoups and Elder Evans are both super nice. Literally all the missionaries are the best. On the very first day, they treated all the greenies like family and its basically just a big family. All the new missionaries I flew in with and met the first couple days were so awesome. I know I keeping saying this but the missionaries are awesome. Even our district leaders and all the older guys treat us like we're one of them.

I've learned sooo much this week. I've been reading a lot about Joseph Smith recently and the strength that he had. It kinda helps me put things into perspective when I have a hard day. The difference is that for me... it's just one day... and for Joseph Smith it was his lifetime. I also love Alma 26:12 and you should definitely read it if you get the chance :)

One last thing, teaching on the online MTC is way different then teaching in person. I went to teach a less active family the very first day! I literally met my companion and we just went straight to there house. They were really cool but I definitely had to learn quickly how to teach. They were the Andersons and they loved the "mormon missionaries" but just hadn't went to church in many years. We gave them the first lesson which was good because that was the only lesson I ever taught at the MTC haha. The difference thought is that I could write down everything I was gonna say when we taught online, but its way different when you have to memorize everything. It was a really good experience and the family was awesome. They also cooked hotdogs for us which was a bonus ;)

-Elder Macfarlane 

Pic 1: On the plane to Tacoma

Pic 2:The MTC squad 

Pic 3: Me and my companion (idk what kinda face he's making )