Pioneer Days Fun!

This week was Manassa and Sanford Pioneer Days! It's a 3 day long clebration!

These small towns in Colorado celebrate their Pioneer Heritage with Parades, a Carnival, Rodeo and Demolition Derby! Our Zone or Area of Elders and Sister all got to participate. I have really be looking forward to this weekend because when my dad served here 23 years ago he participate in this same event. I am really glad I was here for it.

On Thursday July 21st was Sanford Celebration we enjoyed a small town parade. After the parade a member of the church who owns a shaved ice stand gave us some really good shaved ice!

Friday and Saturday were amazing! Manassa Pioneer Days! We walked in the parade both Friday and Saturday and had a blast! We sung lots of hymns! 

After the parades we mainly stayed at our Mission booth because the rides were not free and they were really expensive.

We did see the Rodeo. My favorite things was the Demolition Derby! I really want to attend more of these because they were a blast!! People drive their junky cars into each other and crash throughout the arena.  

Here are pictures from Friday's parade that my mom found on Facebook- I forgot my camera...But another missionary is going to share their photos with me so hopefully I can send some more later:

Here come the Missionaries- really were else do Missionaries walk in a parade :)

I am the Elder with the Grey pants that you can see between 

the Sister in the White and the Sister in the Red.

They had amazing floats- people go all out!

The kids riding the sheep was fun!

A member ran a burger stand and let all the missionaries have as many burgers as we wanted! I am burgered out!

I love you all!

-Elder Mackin

June brought Cleaning, BBQs and Births

One Blog update for all of June....

6/6/2016

When we went to the Sand Dunes we found a less active member of the church. We spoke with him Friday about some of the concerns and why he had not been to church in awhile. The next morning on Saturday we spent the morning with him and made cheese! That was pretty cool! On Sunday he came to church. Yeah!

6/13/2016

Elder Dune was transferred. Now it is back to two- Elder Guerrero and I serving in Antonito's small branch here is Southern Colorado.

This week we cleaned the apartment. It was a MESS! It had been a mess when I arrived. It we took TOW DAYS to clean it all. Thursday we had an inspection on the cleanliness. We got one point off because we did not clean the oven. ( We have never even used it and didn't think about it.) So oven cleaning is on the to do list for this week.

We tried visiting people this week but no one was home. *Summer vacation etc.

Friday I ran the District meeting and we did our laundry at the Sanford, CO missionaries apartment. They are 3 towns away but they have a washer and drier and we do not- so we can do it there for free).

While we were at the Sanford Elder's Apartment a member came knocking on the door.
He had an emergency with his oat! We quickly went over and I held the horns of the goat while he helped the mamma goat give birth!!!!

Yep I Helped birth a goat while on my mission. Crazy right?!?

We also did some service for a member family by picking up trash long the side of the road by their house so they would not get a ticket.

On Saturday we helped a less active member pull weeds. We then went to visit with a member of the branch and he invited us to a community BBQ. (there were a bunch of hippies- no weed though :)

6/20/2016

This week we had specialized training and we talked about how we can help our investigators come to know the Book of Mormon is true. We have been teaching the Guerrero Family. They are doing well. Life is very busy for them and they have have very little time to read the Book Of Mormon.

Love to all!

Elder Cade Mackin

National Park and Investivators

May 23, 2016 This week was crazy! We went and tried to visit a less active member that our Branch President told us to visit. When we got there, we were invited in no questions asked. We asked if it was the ___________ family (that we had been sent to visit) and she said no. But she continued to talked to us and even asked if we have had dinner yet. We asked if she would be interested in learning about the church and she said yes!  So yeah! The Lord works in mysterious way!
 May 31, 2016 This week we taught our new investigators! We got to know them a bit and shared with them how this gospel can bless their family!  We also helped out with a high school graduation party for a member and I helped make a photo ladder!

 (A ladder that you then attach photos to for display) 

Yesterday was Memorial Day so our entire Zone went to the Great Sand Dunes National Park!!!

It was so cool! Mountains with ice right next to miles of sand dunes.

Here I am with all the Sister Missionaries in our District.

 There were changes to my mission's boundaries this week. The Parker South Stake is moving into the Denver North Mission (not Elder Franklins mission), we are keeping all of our missionaries though! So LOTS of transfers are happening a week early. In Antonito we will be in a trio for a week! Next Tuesday the real transfers happen. But I will be staying here in Antonito, Colorado with the transferred in Elder Guerrero and Elder Duke will be transferred somewhere else. 

Love to all!Elder Cade Mackin

More "Texas Things" in Colorado than in Texas

Lots of service!!!! 

We helped a less active member rake his yard (his tepee yard) and it reminds me of Lost Pines Scout Reservation!! I love his tepee yard! He sleeps in a Tepee during the summer. Cool! It's in a trailer park and he plans on setting up another Tepee and he said we can camp in it!!! I am really looking forward to it!

I had my mom send me my hiking boots because....We also helped two members brand their cattle! 

I'm glad I got the boots in the mail the day before because 

my church shoes would not have been the best to wear near cattle. 

I loaded a truck with hay bales then rode on the back of the truck cutting the string around the bale and throwing it off the back of the truck to the awaiting cattle as we drove through the property. 

I have done more "Texan things" here in Southern Colorado then in Texas!

I loved Skyping with my family for Mother's Day:)

Love to all!!

Elder Cade Mackin

From the northern most to the southern part of the mission!

Transfer day last week was crazy and fun!

I was transferred from Castle Rock in the northern most part of the Colorado Springs Mission as a trainer of a new missionary (Elder Sandford) to the southern area to be a District Leader in Antonio Colorado.

My new mailing address is PO BOX 922 Antonio, CO 81120

I am now the Senior Companion with Elder Duke. He is Super Cool! We serve the Fox Creek Branch and are District Leaders over Sister Missionaries in Manassa and the San Luis Valley Spanish Speaking Elders. As District Leaders we will run district meetings, make sure people are doing OK in their areas and get their stats for the week each Sunday.

Antonio is a very small town.

It has some fun places I have found already.

The Indiana Jones Bed and Breakfast- it is the home used for Indiana Jones Childhood home in Indiana Jones and the last Crusade. (Yes, I'm a BIG Indiana Jones fan!) You can even say there!

http://indianajoneshome.com/

Also across the street from our apartment is the Beer Castle. It is a place built with Beer Cans and Hub Caps. The guy who built it is pretty interesting.

 You can read about it here: http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/11786

This is definitely a big change for me!

I am loving the work and the area is very pretty!

Love to all- Elder Cade Mackin

First transfer tomorrow

4/25/2016

I'm getting transferred!!! I have been serving in beautiful Castle Rock Colorado for 7 1/2 months. It was my first area in Colorado when I came out of the MTC.

I have loved it here and LOVE both the members and non-members in this town. We have seen some change in the ward. They trust the missionaries more with their friends and have gotten the first referrals in years for this ward. We have served and served. We have had some investigators which has not happened for quite awhile here.

Two of my favorite investigators, the Kendricks went to Denver and brought me back TORCHY"S TACOS!!!!! They are so awesome! I will miss them a lot.

The sister Missionaries had a Baptism on Saturday and Elder Sanford and I were witnesses (people who make sure that the person is completely submerged in water).

On Sunday, Brother Tranburg came to church! We didn't even ask him to and he came! :D It was amazing!!!

I received a call this past week from the Mission President asking me to be the senior companion in my new area and District Leader.  I was shocked! My new companion will be Elder Duke. He and I will both be the District Leaders over a few other wards/missionaries. I will be serving in Fox Creek/Antonito in Manassa, Co! I am hoping to get my address soon!

Here is a link to what the church building looks like so you can see the type of area I will be in. **  Mom and Brother Franklin- doesn't it look like our drive to Philmont Scout Ranch?!? 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/The+Church+of+Jesus+Christ+of+Latter-day+Saints/@37.0667481,-106.2002484,3a,89.8y,305.56h,76.47t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sBdyYdVOIVh6Kr3Mm_Ho-kg!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo3.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DBdyYdVOIVh6Kr3Mm_Ho-kg%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D357.499%26pitch%3D0!7i13312!8i6656!4m7!1m4!3m3!1s0x871638558e2a6c15:0x9e516672bfce4c4!2s3005+Co+Rd+F,+Antonito,+CO+81120!3b1!3m1!1s0x0000000000000000:0xa6383450730fda1c!6m1!1e1

I am excited for this new adventure and to be able to continue to testify of Christ and His restored gospel.

I love you all!

Elder Cade Mackin

Lots of Snow, Cooking, Sewing and a Cut

My mom had a VERY busy Month and is doing ONE post for all of my last month :)

3/28/16

SNOW!!! 

We shoveled about 10 driveways within 3 days. My back wants to die!!!

We stayed home all of Wednesday. and we shoveled our own drive way 3 times, we got about 2 feet.

 That entire day and it was the wet heavy stuff.

We had the Kendricks at church again this week! They actually invited there friend to come and he came! 

4/4

Mission President said I am about 99%getting transferred on the 26th. ( will have been in my first Area/serving in the same ward for 7 1/2 months. I have grown to love these people and will miss them so much.

(This is me playing Pokemon with one of my favorite families on Pday)

Kendricks are good but still not interested in getting baptized.

My companion Elder Sanford rocks!!! I am going to miss him, hold on while I cry.

Brother and Sister Lewis(whom we live with) are super Rad!  They are funny and nice and we talk a lot with them its very different then the Walkers. (I love the Walker too!)

Brother Meno (who I talked about before is considered A NEW INVESTIGATOR!!!)

Weather is nicer now that here is no snow but my back is killing me still.

Elder Sanford did not put on my car snow shield thingon right and it broke so Sister Lewis taught me how to sew!

4/11/16

This week we did a lot of exchanges!! (we swap companions for a day) On Tuesday I stayed in our area and got Elder Tibbits (our zone leader) we did a lot of service for Terri Cox. we moved rail road ties for her (super heavy) it made me think of how heavy the cross was for Christ.

Friday we had zone training again and we did exchanges this time with the district leaders I had Elder Cluff. 

So I have been talking with members a lot about some cool stories they have encountered.

There is a tribe or group in Canada that say their ancestors came in Clams with Glowing Pearls.

That sure sounds like the following story from the Book of Mormon to me :) Take a look-

https://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-stories/chapter-51-the-jaredites-travel-to-the-promised-land?lang=eng 

There is a group in Paraguay that says Christ visited their ancestors.

https://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-stories/chapter-43-jesus-christ-appears-to-the-nephites?lang=eng

https://www.ldsliving.com/Tribe-Knew-Book-of-Mormon-Stories-Before-Missionaries-Arrived-4-More-Facts-About-the-Church-in-Paraguay/s/78258

Brother Lindeman (my ward mission leader) went on a tour to the Mayan temples and things like that. The tours guides didn't know why there were 2,000 warrior statues....

https://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-stories/chapter-34-helaman-and-the-2000-young-warriors?lang=eng

4/18

This week it snowed!!! And right after I sent home all of my snow gear of course!!!! So we stayed in and shoveled snow! The Lewis's raised 3 boys so they had snow gear for me to borrow!

We had to cancel dinner with the Wares so because of all the snow and the Lewis's had us for dinner instead :) 

Sister Lewis asked me to cut some bread and I cut my finger!!!! YAY!!! (it's kind of funny because about 3 weeks ago sister Lewis dropped a knife and caught the blade and cut herself) she has some very sharp knives and she likes to sharpen them whenever they seem dull. They are VERRY sharp!!!  

Elder Sanford also taught me how to melt chocolate-which I am now figuring out what candies I can melt! (dumdums do not work....)  

***My mom also received the following written inside the flap of one of the boxes

 I send home this week.

Dear Elder Mackin's family-

My name is Elder Sanford, and I am Cade's trainee that he received in January. He is my "missionary father" He is sending this box to his home so I decided I could thank you guys for everything Elder Mackin has done for me. We get along like best friends. He is super nice and everybody in the ward loves him. Sometimes we joke that we are going to be companions for the rest of our missions!! Wouldn't that be great! He loves and misses you guys a lot. I hear tons of stories about you all and wish I could meet you guys. He is doing the Lords work, and is a great example to me.

I wish you well. Elder Sam Sanford

Cool Lamp!

March 21, 2016T

This week was awesome!!! 

Tuesday we visited the Fellows and helped her move some bags of stucco. We also accidentally let her dog out so we went and got her.

 Friday we got snowed in so we were not able to do a whole lot.

Saturday though we vested the Menos and talked to him! We also taught the Tranburgs and we invited him to church!

Elder Sanford played the Piano in church so we were able to have the Kendricks come as well! The Kendricks said they would come next week for Easter!! :D 

The Kendricks also gave me a Nazi lamp! (it's not really a Nazi lamp but looks like it could be)

 I will be sending it home!

Love to all!

-Elder Mackin

PS I'm missing Torchy's Tacos :(

Picking up the opportunities

 March 14, 2016

We are now living in the Lewis' home! They are super cool!!!

We also met with 2 of the 4 referrals we got from the Walkers! One of them was not interested. But the other we went with a mind of service! We are hoping to build a ramp for his deck.

 (he is wheel chair bound) We hope to serve and teach as well!

Our Mission President and his wife came to the Loen Tree ward to speak and Sister Rehm said something I really like. She gave a definition of missionary work.

"Picking up the opportunities that God gives you (to serve others)" 

I love you all!

-Elder Mackin

A new Address and 4 Referrals!

WOOO END OF TRANSFER!!! Elder Sanford is now half way through training!! This next transfer is odd because it will be a 7 week transfer (due to the MTC going back to about 3 weeks of training for English speaking) 

WE ARE MOVING!!!!  They prefer to only have missionaries stay in a members home for around 6 months so It does not become too much of an imposition. So even though I will be serving in the same town/ward we are moving into a different members house. We are now moving to the LEWIS family! Brother Lewis was the former Bishop of our Ward and Sister Lewis is super nice!!! 

The new address is 6712 Handiespeak Court, Castlerock CO, 80108

If you recently sent something to the old address its OK, we can go pick it up from them!

Some quotes!

"A plan without action is just a wish!

An action without a plan.... Sucks"- Elder Mogle my Zone Leader

"The Lord does not call the qualified. But qualifies the called!"

As most of you know when I came to Castle Pines there was very little work. Somewhat due to past missionaries that lost the trust of the members.

We have regained that trust and have received 4 Referrals last night! Referrals are people that members would like us to teach. The members that gave us the referrals felt comfortable and ready to share their friends with us. I fell honored to reach out to these dear friends of theirs to bring them the Gospel. 

These photos are of me and Rosco- Sister Fullers dog and me working!

I love you all!

-Elder Mackin