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