Estoy en Mexico!

Hey family!!

First off... I am in Mexico. WOOOHOOO. The flight was great. It was not crowded at all. Elder W. talked to a guy the whole time who was super interested in what he had to say, and he is in our mission! Super cool, huh? Umm. The part of the city where our mission home is, etc, is so beautiful. Crazy colorful homes, trees everywhere, and the weather is great right now. I heard the rainy season starts soon.  So yeah, I LOVE IT. I am extremely exhausted. I've probably slept a total of 3 or 4 hours. Elder B., Elder G., Elder W. and I met our secretaries at the airport, then we got food. It was Sabarros pizza. Super authentic, I know. Then we dropped our stuff at the secretary house. It is super nice and very yellow. Haha. I am terrified to drink water here. Apparently some guy had a worm in him for 6 months. It died and came out of his nose. Oh, and it was 15 feet long. ODISHGORETN- not okay. But the water thing here is under control. So no worries. We just have 6 gallon tanks in our homes and only drink from bottled water. Esta bien. So I am in the mission home right now. Just send mail here or email me. That is the most efficient way. You can also send pouch mail. It goes through SLC... idk how it all works. Probs just email me. P-Day is on Monday so be watching for that. No se que tiempo. The missionaries here that trained us today, (went through rules and other stuff) are super nice. I get my companion tomorrow morning! I think he is a native, but I am not sure. Also, idk what area I'll be in, pero I think it is in the concentrated part of the city. The people here are so friendly. I love them already. 

I can already tell that I will miss the MTC, being taught every day, and having the spirit so easily accessed. But I am excited to work hard and do my best!! (Elder M. says hi - he is watching over my shoulder so I did it.) I just got an email of encouragement from Hermana Parry. I can tell she is doing great. Ummmm what else. So yeah. We are getting amazing tacos tonight, and then I will sleep in the big yellow house. WOOHOO. Then in the morning I get my comp at 8 or something. So that is exciting! My mission president seems sooo nice. But he hardly has had a chance to talk with us. I have an interview with him after I am done emailing y'all. I am going to try and send pictures and what not. 

I love you all and thank you for your prayers. I loved talking to you on the phone. I am going to try and stay positive even when it is hard. AND I am going to try to not get sick. Sooo. Yeah. Thats cool. Hasta lunes!

Con amor, 
Elder Macdonald

Sis. Eyring

Elder Superman?

The travelers have arrived - and so it begins...

VOY A MEXICOOO.

Going to the SLC consulate

The amazing Cafe Rio salad

Okay hi. Mom - yes I got my last shot. Glad that is settled. 

I GOT MY TRAVEL PLANS. I am leaving Tuesday March 26th. I report to the travel office at the MTC at 3 am. Shucks. Then my flight is at 6:00 AM (ps if I have time I will call you before my flight in SLC so maybe at 5?? maybe) to Dallas, Texas. I arrive at 9:45 AM. SO I will get off my plane and call you around 10:15 (hopefully earlier), until 11:35-40? Who knows? But I will fight for a phone in a very missionary-like manner. Then I fly to Mexico City at 11:55 and arrive at 1:35. Fiesta! Hopefully I make it alive. After I land I will probably baptize five people, just saying. But I will email you as soon as my Pday is in Mexico and tell you eeerything. Elder B., Elder W., Elder G., and I are all flying together. I am stoked. We just met W. and G. on Tuesday when we went to SLC to get our visas at the consolate and they are great missionaries! So yeah. I am leaving this place eventually.

I am actually really happy I stayed in the MTC for another week. Although it was hard to say goodbye to my district and stay here, the Lord has a plan for me. And that plan is perfect. I have learned so much. First of all, we three left over Elders were put into a different district. Our teacher was Hermana Eyring. Yes. The granddaughter of the big guy. She is an angel and so nice. Elder D., Elder B., and I taught in a trio. Trios are so fun because I never stress out. With the three of us we teach amazing lessons. HA JOKE. Pero, it is so much easier with three minds. I actually was teaching Eyring as an investigator the first lesson. While I was talking about Christ and how he was baptized to fulfill the will of God even though he was perfect I just threw in "so would you want to be baptized?"... Yeah, right as I said that SHE LEGIT ROFLED IN MY FACE. Talk about awkward. She said she was laughing at the three of our faces being either so serious, dozing off, or confused... Yeah I doubt it. It was lolable and a good memory I guess? Sure. But I have really grown to love the new district I am in. Also, reviewing the spanish lessons a second time is really helping my spanish. 

So this tuesday we were moved into the new class room, but our change wasn't recorded in the computer, so the MTC had been looking for us everywhere and got Security Guards in on looking for us. We were supposed to go to the consolate to get our visas. Luckily, 30 minutes before we had to leave, a girl found us and was so out of breath and reprimanded us. But she was so excited for us at the same time. I blame Hermano C. and M. for ditching us and making us change class rooms. Haha, I still love them though. But SLC was so fun. kind of. We took the train. I met more Elders (W. and G.) that are going to my mission! We met some crazy people. But the coolest part of the day was when I was standing up on the train and looking around at random face. I looked at them as individuals and thought about their personal lives. I thought about the struggles they might have, and I thought of the amazing things they might be doing. The spirit overwhelmed me with our Heavenly Fathers love for each and every one of them. It was amazing. I couldn't stop smiling at everyone. I am sure they were majorly creeped, but I didn't care. I am a representative of Christ, and through loving everyone - truly loving everyone - I think I am fulfilling part of my purpose. It made me so excited to think about all the people in Mexico City waiting to hear the truth and accept it. Not everyone will while I am there, but I am planting seeds and helping other people be ready for the next set of missionaries. I am also harvesting the people that are soo ready right now. God is preparing everyone on his time. Everyone needs to feel and be loved. Without knowing they are loved by their Heavenly Father, nothing else matters. But once they feel that love, everything will fall into place. 

OKay. Elder Tingey (NATE)... yeah, he may think he is cool for getting the driver to take him to in-n-out, pero he isn't. Yesterday we had like fifty doctors appointments for Elder D., thus we had many drives with the MTC vans. In the morning we bribed the driver to take us to KNEADERS (for french toast). Ah, it was heaven sent. Oh yeah, and in the evening we bribed another driver to take us to CAFE RIO. It was a beautiful thing. Oh, and the best part is while we were in line we talked to an older man. He was soo nice and super excited for us, so he paid for all three of our meals. CRAAY? Yeah, being a missionary has many benefits. So yesterday was fun and full of great food. 

Last night something kind of funny/bizarre happened. Well, on our floor for the residence halls, there are many Somoans, Tongans, etc. They are full of much energy, to say the least. So they were running around attacking innocent missionaries with massive pillows and the strength of ten oxen. I really wanted to take a shower, so I took the risk. As I was walking down to the bathroom one of them (in very broken, grunty english) yelled "UH OHH AHH I EAAT YOOOUUU" AND CHASED ME TO THE SHOWER. Talk about the zombie apocalypse. He got his companion and chased me to the shower. I pleaded for peace so that I could shower!!! He thought I was hiding something because I ran away from them. I guess it isn't normal to run away from huge men that are wanting to eat you??? But I told them to get my roommates. They obliged... 1 minute later I heard screams of horror, and lol'd. I was afraid to walk back after that, so I took a long shower. The end. 

So the last weekend with my district was great. We learned so much with Hermano C. He talked to us about the talk and quote "Come What May and Love it". Everything happens for a reason. Remember God has a plan for you. Remember his plan is perfect. Remember that his plan will allow you to grow and learn and become an amazing son or daughter of God. Life will be hard and will be unfair. But, take the hard circumstances and grow from them. Pray for strength, work your hardest, and serve others. SO yes. Remember that you have a Father in Heaven who loves you and knows you perfectly. Really think about that. 

Well, I can't think of much else. It is snowing right now. uhh. The weather was perfect last week. WHY. I just mailed the snow coat home to Katie. So look for that. Um try to connect Katie to your call. Thanks. Thanks for all the letters and eerything. But keep trying to write letters or dear elders and I'll email you back. Mom, thanks for all the talks you sent me. I will look at them soon. Thanks for answering all of my doctrinal questions. It's so fun to question and learn. Well. Love ya. I will talk to you soooon. Hasta Martes!

Andrew - HAPPPY BIRTHDAY TOMORROW. I love you so much and miss you. Have a great day. I am going to write and send a letter today. 

Love, 
Elder Macdonald 

ps- pictures are coming.

Still Here...

So the big news. I got transferred to the Provo MTC Mission Speaking "You'll never leave the MTC, #sorrynotsorry". Yeah. Which I am totally cool with, however no one told us! Yesterday I had to go ask if I should pack this weekend and the guy was all snippy with me. He said they have other people to worry about... Glad to know I matter. Haha, sorry that sounds really dramatic. Well, it is. Not. But kind of. Just funny that they were never going to tell me if I should pack or not. So Elder Dixon, Elder Brown, and I are staying here all alone. Our whole district is leaving Monday morning and I am sad and will miss them. I feel like the super senior of the MTC. But whateves. I can host again on Wednesday and do other fun privileged things. Speaking of which, I hosted on Wednesday. It was so so so much fun. The very first girl I hosted was going to the HOUSTON TEXAS Spanish Speaking Mission. So yeah WHAT THE HECK. I was like omgomgomg I just said bye to my cousin who is going there today (Wednesday). And then I remembered that Mack was supposed to come in that same day and realized that they probably would've been companions or roommates. Anyways, the Hermana was so nice and it was fun to talk to her with that thing in common. It is actually really funny to watch families say bye and cry now because it brings back memories. I remember that feeling and laugh because its all good and fine now. But it is still sad to watch the parents cry. Haha. I think of you guys. 

My teacher Hermano C. is the funniest man alive. He is from Spain and then Chile and has the most pride in his countries. He hates Mexico and Mexicans so we always say viva Mexico and he gives us the stink eye. He hates Peru more than Mexico so thats comforting, I guess. His accent is really funny because he isn't fluent in English so it is really funny to listen to him talk. We ask him questions all the time on his opinion of Gringos. He has hilarious stories and then really sad racist stories. So he kind of hates Utah and BYU because he thinks everyone here is ignorant. He married a gringo. When he met her.... YES WHEN HE MET HER... he said these words, and I quote "You look like someone described in my patriarchal blessing". Que en el mundo. Joke right? Nah, it's real. So they are happily married. Oh yeah, Elder B. asked him if he has ever heard of Disney. His response was "POR FAVOR. What do you think, I grew up in a tree?". Hahahah. It was really funny and awkward. Then he told us that for punishment for fighting with his sister, his mom would force him to watch Disney movies and find all the gospel principles from them. Sounds like a pretty good punishment to me. Just saying. Anyways he is way too funny. As "Ricardo", our investigator, he is an Evangelist and every time we say a prayer before and after we teach him he convulses and basically starts singing the hallejulah chorus. It is rude and intentional because he knows I am going to laugh. He says Feliz Navidad whenever he sees someone. 

So I just want to shout out to dalpal and debbdebb because they got their mission calls! I am so proud of you both and hope you love it! Just remember to work hard and pray a lot. So yeah - good luck and know that I have been thinking about you, as well as everyone of my friends that are going on missions! 

This past Tuesday Mack and I were supposed to meet at choir and the eat dinner together, but she never came and I was mad at her because I thought I would never see her again. So after our review meetings and everything I really felt like I should go and find her. I knew she wanted a blessing and I needed an excuse to say bye to her. So luckily I remembered what floor and building she was on. Even though there were so many classrooms I ran into an older lady and asked her if she knew Hermana Parry. Right as I asked the question,  she walked out of the classroom and started crying. Haha. So I was able to give her a blessing. I really have a testimony of the Power of the Priesthood. She cried the whole time during the blessing and her body was convulsing. She was a little nervous to leave in the morning and REALLY start her mission. But I am so sure she is doing wonderful and loving it right now. No worries. I am just so glad for the tender mercy to find her, give her a blessing, and say bye for a few months. 

The devotional this week was great. We learned a lot about about submitting our will to God. By submitting our will to God we are humbling ourself. Through that humility our weaknesses can then become strengths through the help of our Heavenly Father. And I can submit my will to His through exact obedience. It is hard to do it all the time but I am working. I believe that through my obedience I will be blessed with miracles. I need all the help I can get here. Especially in the field. We had infield training yesterday and it was really good. It got me so pumped to just go in the airport and hand out a mormon.org card, or just have a quick conversation with someone. Gotta start planting seeds. Everyone needs this gospel, so why not start telling them about it NOW? I can't be afraid to do it - even though I am terrified - because fear is not faith. Yup, got to remember to submit my will of not wanting to do it for fear and let the Lord strengthen me! So I will let you know how that goes... when I even go to the airport. 

I had the opportunity to sing at new missionary orientation. The spirit really helped me with nerves. It wasn't my best run through of the song, but I still felt the spirit. I also got a lot of compliments, which was kind. So it was a fun experience. Glad I could share my testimony in a different way than just speaking! 

Well I don't have too many pictures from this week. Sorry. But just know that I am still here in the MTC. I don't know if I will be reassigned or if my visa is on it's way. Why? Because I am a super senior. I really am enjoying the companionship between the Bible and the Book of Mormon. It is cool to see how much they support each other. I am so grateful for this opportunity to serve and grow because of it. I love and miss you all. My address is the same MTC one this week, just so you know. Okay, well I will talk to you soon. 

PS - I wrote you a letter last weekend and sent it to Karyn's house because you were supposed to be there for spring break, but you left too early. Just call and ask if she has it. So don't worry about you not getting letters. Love ya.

Love, 
Macdonald

Elder Passey

Holaholahola

Hi familia! 

You said if I needed anything to tell you... So naturally, I thought of something I needed. I would really appreciate a WAHL brand haircut buzzer kit thing. I cut my hair last night. LOLOLOL. It was really fun and very liberating, actually, so yeah. Elder Brown said they sell them at Costco. Thanks! And I am not opposed to a jump rope - I think that would be a great thing to have! Thanks for looking out for me. Thanks for the letters and packages. The head lamp is so awesome and hilarious, and my roommates probably hate me but I love it. I really do love the letters you said me everyday, mom and dad. They are a definite boost of my days.

What happened this week... Okay. They didn't have pizza last Friday. I was extremely not happy. You know when you look forward to something that is supposed to be concrete, or not change, stick to a schedule. WELL, the MTC is trying to be hip and not sell pizza on my pday anymore. So that was that. On Saturday I saw Hermana Parry and she was soo stoked about getting her travel plans! Maybe I will get mine tomorrow... or next week. Or idk. My companion got his Visa for Merida Mexico, and he said 50 missionaries are going that Mar. 18 since their visas went through. However there are 20 missionaries whose visas didn't go through. Either I go, or I get reassigned. I think it would be fun to get reassigned for like a month as a slow transition into Hispanic culture, and to say I went two places on my mission. Just kidding. I am not prideful. I am so humble. I rofled at the note you sent me about the definition of pride. I think you made that up to sound like me. It was really funny. But really awkward because I had a self realization and decided to fix myself. Haha. So thanks about that. 

So we now have two new teachers. Or masters. (maestros). Hermano M. and Hermano C. I love them both a lot. As a district we had a venting session about the MTC with M. It was what we all needed. We have all felt the same highs and lows, so it was applicable to everyone. We talked about how we hated getting thrown into something and not being taught how to plan, study, or teach effectively until like half way through our MTC experience... The only answer, or feedback, we got from teachers was to follow the spirit and learn from it. That is a very simple thing to say and very difficult to do. To have faith is easy to say, but hard to act on or do. It requires so much even though it is such a simple principle. I have just recently had lessons where I have truly felt the spirit guide my thoughts to meet the needs of my investigators. It is so cool. But it only happens when you really plan and prepare with the spirit... BUT you cannot teach a script because then you aren't following the spirit and you are NOT meeting the needs of the people. Difficult, difficult, difficult, but very rewarding. I am still learning. However, I have experiences that will allow me to look back on and build on. Its still a work in progress. Hermano C. is the funniest Chilean you ever did meet. He talks SO FAST, has the funniest gestures, and his facial expressions are gold. I think the first thing he said to us was Feliz Navidad, but never cracked a smile and I was extremely confused until I learned to appreciate his humor. So yeah. He is Ricardo as an invesigator. And let me tell you Ricardo is a character. We tried to get in the door by saying we were missionaries of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints like 5 times but he was like uisoegnosefinbg in spanish and I was like STOP JUST LET ME IN. In the meantime his old class was watching us and being thoroughly entertained because they had been through this before. But luckily my companion is witty and has common sense. He said Mormon. Ricardo was like OH YAY I LOVE THE MORMONS. And we got in. Everytime we prayed with him he was like having seizures/dancing/and saying amen to every religious word I mentioned. Normally I wouldn't be able to contain my laughter, but I am mature now, right?. Joke? Yeah, joke. The lesson went pretty well. He believes the Bible like no other and probably sleeps with it. So any scriptures that are in the Bible to support the Book of Mormon, or latter day prophet quotes seem to work. I haven't had time to study that yet... My other investigator is Nando. I love Nando. He is the kind of person that is so chill about life, is willing to believe in whatever but hasn't had any reason to believe in anything. So we are applying the gospel to his life and trying to commit him to things that could help his spiritual progression and give him reason to believe in his Heavenly Father and his plan for him. It is so fun. I like teaching him. We got him to "come to church with us" and read some stuff in the Book of Mormon, as well as pray a lot. Success. 

Funny story. Okay, well as you may know, I saw Katie and Uncle Sean at the temple. Well afterwards Mack got in trouble because the security guard stalked her home and questioned her. She had a hard night, felt so bad, and talked to her Branch president. Yeah she was kind of a mess. It is funny. So I saw her and she was explaining to me what happened and I was going to grab her hand and say that its all okay in a funny voice... UNTIL she screamed "AHHHH DON'T TOUCH ME IM A MISSIONARY" (lolwutsorryfreakstopscreaming). Right as that happened a line of 50 missionaries simultaneously looked at me with faces of disgust like I was some rapist in the MTC. Naturally, I ran away. I think that added some dramatic effect and made it seem like I really was a rapist caught in the act. Sorry for the visual but it was necessary. 

I auditioned for a solo thing to sing at an MTC devotional and made it. So that's cool I guess. I'll tell you how that goes. I went to the doctor about my jaw. He thinks it is just stressed. So I am doing stuff to help that. And it is feeling a lot better. Yesterday I was in a trio because my companion went to SLC to get his visa stuff, and Elder Dixon had physical therapy so I got to leave the MTC. It was so scary. I was like a scared little child lost in Disneyland. The name tag gives people a reason to love you and honk at you, come up to you and ask for INSPIRATIONAL words of wisdom, etc etc. As a missionary there is so much pressure to act the best that I can. I am a representative of Christ. It was cool to get a little taste of that. Also, I loved talking to REAL people. It was soo funny and fun and I miss real people. I love weird MTC people a lot, but I am excited to talk to people on the streets of Mexico City. 

So I watched Missions are Forever on Sunday night. It is a Holland talk and super awesome. He was explaining how we are apostles without all the keys. I will never get this schedule or way of life ever again. So I am going to take full advantage of it and love every minute of it. I want my mission to be something I can say I gave my all to. No regrets. I wish I would've studied a little different for the first few weeks but I am learning and constantly changing my ways to get better and better. He also stressed obedience. I have to do this the Lord's way to be successful. I am on his time. The mission is so great. I am learning lots of life lessons that I can keep forever.. Other devotionals or firesides I listened to this week were great. Faith was stressed a lot. I guess I never realized what faith truly is... because I am learning to much more about what it really is. Oh yeah. and I taught a lesson about the Atonement on Sunday for my district. It was the coolest experience. I love teaching now. Weird. Haha... and it is so much easier to do in english. The Atonement is so great. Christ felt every pain and sadness we felt. He is able to fully comfort us when we need it, and he is able to fully cleanse us when we need it. He paid the price of justice. All we have to do is have faith in him, repent, be baptized, receive the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end. Super easy. We, as humans, make it hard. I am sooooo excited to teach the message of hope the Atonement brings to the people of Mexico. I am way out of time. And I can never think of anything good to say in these emails so sorry. 

Have sooo much fun in california. Drive safely. I love and miss you. Paz y bendiciones.

Love, Elder Macdonald

Miss McCall

Sibling love

Cousin love

Half Way Around the MTC

Hey FAMILIA!

First I want to thank you for both of the packages. They have done me well. I am really grateful for all the mail I get from you guys. I'm feeling the love. This includes Katie too! SO yeah, love you and THANK YOU.

I am more than half way done. In like 18 days I'm scheduled to go to Mexico or something like that. I will probably get reassigned, but I haven't heard anything about our visas or travel plans. I should find out in a couple weeks. This be cray cray. So last week at the temple Elder H. and I went in to ponder what we should teach A. The spirit directed both of us to teach her about the Atonement. She has had a rough life with her family, her husband, and her children getting into things like drugs. It was cool to see the spirit prompt us both to what she needed to hear. The lesson went pretty well, and we committed her to pray about the things we taught her. 

After the temple last week my district and I were taking pictures outside, when out comes some houlagins! Allyson Jones, Emmy Wright, and Brooke Hiatt to be exact. It was so weird and great seeing them. I wasn't expecting that surprise at all - so it was just that good tickle in your tummy kind of feeling. Yes. That's all. 

Spanish is pretty awesome and annoying. Some days I love it and some days I wish it would slowly die. Conjugating is my enemy in life, but I know I will befriend it eventually. My vocabulary is growing. It is cool to experience knowing more than you give yourself credit for. For instance, in lessons I am able to say so much more than I thought I could. That was a good for instance... but really, once you start talking more, your word bank gets more concrete and you are able to speak more correctly and fluidly. So that's fun. I am waiting for the day when I can read and not have to translate everything to English.

Sunday is the best day... well, probably tied with p-day. We have so many meetings, etc, but we also have so much personal time! It is super great! We got new presidency members this week. Their name is the D. They are super energetic, and kind, and I love them a lot. Just saying. So awkward story. We got a new couple because one was leaving our ward since the MTC is getting huge and they have to do a lot of changing around. So when the departing couple was leaving, the brother was telling the story about the Missionary Call with the mysterious number at the bottom that just so happened to be President Monson... and then President Monson asked the missionary to serve a three year mission speaking Chinese... well the whole time I was confused because I had heard it wasn't true, but the speaker said it was his daughters neighbor... so yeah it was bizarre... BUT the MTC president was there and had to correct him after he departed with that story and announce that it isn't true. The poor old man. Idk that probably wasn't a very good story but this week was pretty uneventful.. That afternoon I went to the temple and ran into my buddies Austin Braun and JR Hansen and Ashlyn Trussel! It was a nice suprise as well. Everyone in my district jokes about how I know everyone in and out of the MTC. But yeah it was great seeing you all, and I miss you! Oh, and I am so excited for you all to go on your missions! WOOHOOO. 

So remember when I thought I would lose weight in the MTC? Yeah, that isn't real. They feed you like every 3 hours. 

The Sunday devotional was super great. He (Elder Ballard) talked about Satan pushing our buttons and putting doubts in our minds. He told us to be confident in ourselves and trust in the spirit. He wanted us to know that the Mission is hard and stressful at times, but whenever it gets tough to just remember all of the pain that Jesus went through. I think I can go through a small scale struggle compared to what Christ dealt with. I need to serve him with all I have and cast all of my burdens on the Lord. I know that is true and applicable to everyone! When life gets hard, give it to the Lord. Christ paid for that pain and wants us to find comfort in his Atonement. All it requires is faith.

So I reached my half way mark in the MTC... and we are supposed to speak spanish A LOT in classes now. So that's fun sometimes... My favorite teacher Hermana D. was transfered into another class. BLASPHEMY. Seriously, I am depressed. She really strengthened my testimony so much and helped me realize faith can bring miracles. But now she teaches Daylon Crider, so that's cool I guess. My new teacher is super chill and I really appreciate the way he teaches in the MTC. He gets it. He gets that we don't need to stress ourselves to death and be stricter than strict to feel the spirit and learn. Yes, I am kind of bashing my other teacher. I like him a lot and appreciate the spirit he brings, but he is just too strict sometimes. Everything we say or sing from the outside world is called Babylon. Kind of extreme, but I understand the context. So now it is a nice inside joke I have with myself. We taught him yesterday and it was amazing. We taught by the spirit and it was amazing. I haven't felt that kind of spirit be transfered through me to the investigator. So it was really amazing. Right after the teacher was giving us great feedback and we discussed what we could do better. So I was super happy and go lucky until he told me my pink impressionistic tie was not conservative enough. Then I tried so hard not to be annoyed. But I was. So the spirit left. But he just makes the biggest deal about my ties and it is so annoying. I am pretty sure my ties are not going to convert/pull people away from the church. But I am going to be obedient and try to please him. ehh.

OKAY i AM running out of time. Elder Ballard talked to us this week and it was amazing. So amazing that I can't really remember.. ummmm.. Okay he talked about how we have been learning this gospel our whole lives so we just have to be confident. The world needs our message desperately - I BELIEVE that. It is so great. I used to think that the gospel was great and good but if someone was a happy and good person that they didn't "need" to be converted. I was totally missing it. This gospel is one of hope and happiness and excitement and everyone needs that. Everyone is a child of God and they need to know that. They need to know that Christ's grace is sufficient. His grace will save us and allow us to stand spotless before God. Look for the talk "His Grace is Sufficient". It has a really cool analogy and I loved it and it changed my life. And I really have no time. I will try and write a letter about it. But everyone read it. Perfection is a great goal, but progression is what Christ expects. 

I ate dinner with Hermana Parry this week. It was super great. I love her and am grateful I have had her with me in the MTC this long. She leaves in like two weeks! WAHH. I saw Elder Passey this week - a friend from BYU.

Okay. Well just know that I am really figuring out what it means to teach by the spirit. I have felt the spirit guide my words to fit the needs of what the investigator or member needs to hear. So basically I am learning to have faith. Faith can be really hard. We are believing in something we cannot see. But I promise if you have enough faith to pray to God and ask to know, you will recieve an answer. Just saying.

I love you all and miss you a lot!! I hope Scout is doing better. Okay I will send pictures now.

Thanks everyone for the letters. My district hates me because of you guys. Peace and Blessings.

Love,
Elder Macdonald

Real life in the MTC

Da boys

2 more weeks with Hermana Parry

Friends from BYU

Companions going to Mexico

It's snowing....

sweet surprise

Emmy, Allyson, and Brooke 

The District

                                                                      The Elders