Mateo in MEXICO

Okay wow. First of all thanks for the great emails. They made me super happy and helped me feel comfort. Also, sorry for my email last week. Haha- it was extremely dramatic and bipolar and everything and I lol´d so hard all week thinking about my dramatic email. It will be especially funny in two years. But I am glad people could appreciate what I, as well as many of my friends, are going through. This is freaking tough butt. No lie. Sometimes I would wonder why am I here... then I quickly remember my Savior and what he went through. I remember my testimony of Him. It is amazing how much my testimony has grown since the MTC. It is truly phenomenal actually. It also warms my heart thinking about all of my amazing friends that are serving, and waiting to serve. How fun it will be to reminisce on our experiences together after this...

So yes, everyday is really, really hard. It depends on the time of the day too. Days are extremely long. long. long. long. But everyday there are so many tender mercies that keep me going. Like this week we gave a quick lesson to a young woman and her Grandma. After the lesson we gave her a blessing because she was sick. I have no idea what she was sick with, but I know the blessing worked because I had faith. It is really that simple. Yes, it is God's will over all, but I have faith that that blessing, if nothing else, strengthened her testimony. The spirit was super strong. It was my oil too! It was a very spiritual experience.

Okay, I am really trying to remember things. So the members in our rama (branch) are great people but their knowledge of the Gospel is so extremely simple. In some areas that is great- simple testimonies of Jesus Christ are easy to build on. But these people are less than motivated to truly use the Atonement in their lives and CHANGE certain things that are not in line with the commandments of God. For example... almost everyone we teach are families. The mom is a member living with a man who is not a member and kind of active. They are not married, ever, because they have had previous marriages and divorces are a big hassle to obtain . So they aren't married and we have to tell them to get married so their husband can get baptized, and then the wife has to talk to the bishop because she isn´t supposed to be living with a man unless she is married to him and yayaya it is super difficult to get them to truly undertsand the importance and why the doctrine behind it is important. Aye aye aye. Also, they are super accepting of our testimonies and everything, but they don´t "get it". I am really emphasizing "get it". Haha. It is frustrating too because I am literally saying all I can say. Haha. SUCKS TO SUCK. Meaning me. Because I can't speak to them and say half of the things I need to. So I just trust that the Spirit will bear testimony of the other stuff that I couldn't say. Haha. I gots da faith.

There is a family we teach and I like them a lot, but they have an 18 year old daughter who flirts all the time with my companion. I don't give her the time of day and pretend like I don't understand her so she won't talk to me. I really can't undertand her anyway. She speaks really mumbly spanish and like swallows when she talks. But, it is super frustrating because we go over to that house and just hang out and I get super ancy and frustrated at my companion because we aren't preaching. That is why I am here. But I am trying to love my companion and not get frustrated. I also can't boss him around. One - because I don't know how to in spanish, and two - because I am younger. But mainly because I can't say what I need to. I try to constructively fix stuff, and it has gotten better. So yes, when we are out teaching new people or giving lessons I couldn´t be happier... but when we are just there talking and not getting stuff done I feel really frustrated and that is when I get home sick and blah blah.

But really this week was ten times better than last. So hopefully this next week is even better. I can feel myself adjusting to the differences of this culture and becoming more accustomed. I was so excited for Conference this week because I had felt so alone and often in dark places. I wondered why the heck am I feeling this way if I am on a mission? Well, it is because I am human and stupid, and it is going to be a hard couple of months, but really Conference answered so many of my questions. I have never loved Conference so much. It was amazing ahh. I can hardly wait for the next one in six months. But some highlights for me was when a sister (Elaine Dalton) said "where ere thou art, act thy part". It really stuck out to me because often I find myself not acting how I should. I am sometimes pitying myself and feeling alone because of the language barrier, when I need to be talking to people all the time. I need to be the annoying gringo that speaks horrible spanish so I can start learning so that I can become that annoying gringo that speaks amazing spanish. I need to be more outgoing. My district Leader is an amazing example to me. His name is Elder B. Everyone just loves him here. They all love him because he loves them and makes them feel like they are worth something. So I really worked on that when we were at Conference. Before and after sessions I would come out of the closet where we watched the english version(me and 2 other elders) and just shake hands with people. It is really simple. It is also hard, but it has to be. So I am just accepting that. I have had it sooo easy my whole life. So I am embracing the fact that this will be a hard few months. Other talks I loved where Pres. Utchdorf, Pres. Eyring, and President Monson. I love them all so much. Their priesthood session talks where on fire!. I have like 20 plus pages of conference notes in my notebook that Mack gave me. It will be great to look back on them here and there. I don't remember other things right now that are specific. But basically every talk had something in it for me. This church is amazing. it is so organized and awesome to help people like me who feel sorry for ourselves. Haha. But really I just learned that I am here for a reason and I am going to work as hard as I can. No regrets. I am going to embrace the challenging parts so I can say I really improved and did work with the spirit.

Okay before I forget... Birthday shout outs to three supa fly chickas. Lia JJJOHNSON, Debdeb dyches, and Ashtrusselpg@byu. I miss you guys and hope you had great birthdays. Ashlyn and Debbie, email me your mission emails before you head out to the mtc so we can keep in touch.

Okay so today was freaking awesome. And I have the pictures to prove it. My district and I got permission to go to Centro aka Downtown. And it was beautiful. The architecture was fantastic. We had to go to get a few things but after we shopped we went to an art museum. Bella Arte. It was sssuper cool. We got Burger King. And then we went to a Cathedral. Fantastic. SO today I was in Mexico, New York, and Germany. Pretty cool, huh? In the Cathedral we ran into a couple of LDS couples who were touring. They were from Utah. His wife was hispanic and he served his mission down here. It was fun to talk to them for a little. They were super nice and wished us the best of luck. Today was like a vacation.

Seriously. But it is time to get back to work and start loving the people more and more. It is hard to express that love in few words. But I need to practice and just get better at it. I really have improved. I undertsand so much of the conversations now. Talking is the hard part. So.... time to talk like a caveman. Oh child, this will be fun. Thanks for all the prayers. I love you guys so so so much. I show everyone my pictures of the fam and my friends. I tell them where all of my friends are serving. It is fun. I love muh fam da most.

PS emailing is not limited anymore. aka I have as much time as I want. HAHAHA WUUT? en serio. This is unreal. But today since we went downtown I don't have much time because we have a district meeting and everything is so far away. Ugh.

PSS funny comparison about the micros aka the busses. They are totally like the night buses in Harry Potter 3. I died. Because they are rompin all ooeer da town.

PSSS tomorrow I have to go to immigration but guess what?! My MTC buddies will be there toooo. I hope. So I am so excited to see them and find out their situation. Haha. It will be so great to lol. I hope that have had it hard too. In a kind way, so we can reminisce. Lol, reminisce. It has been two weeks. Two weeks have flown by. Ah. Weeks go by fast but days are long and hard. My patience has been tried. I decided my area is like da pits. But apparently not. So who knows. I don't know what else so I will send this and then answer some more questions.

Con Amor,

Elder Macdonald

What do you eat besides the comida from branch members?

Every morning I eat cereal and juice and bread. And they feed us good tacos everyday. Sometimes I get snacks from venders because they are everywhere. I had hot cheetos. They are extra hot here... Haha. But yeah the food is better so don't worry. I don't think I will die of anorexia any more.

How is your money situation?

I have so much money from the american dollors. Pesos are so cheap so it transfered over nicely when I first got here. I am good on money. We have a card from the mission and get a certain amount every month. We only spend money on transportation. Max is 50 pesos a day. So no biggy

Did you buy a blanket?

I have my sheets and then my blanket and there is a big heavy blanket on the bed here. So no. But I don't need one.

Where are you using a computer?

There are computer internet cafes on every street. We are pretty close to my house. So yeah. that's all.

What is the pill you took for diarrhea and who gave it to you?

In the houses we have backpacks from Sister V.(Mission Pres wife) . They have all these pills for any scenerio. If we are sick, even a headache, we call her to find out what we should take. I have been super healthy.

Have you had more problems with your stomach?

No, my stomach has been fine.