Training is the best, baptisms, and miracles

So this week was a pivotal change in so many different aspects. 

First of all my new companion is Elder R. He is from Hawaii and went to BYU Provo too. He is 18, almost 19, and we are already practically best friends! So that is great. He was in Las Vegas waiting for his visa for 6 weeks and he already speaks Spanish really well. He only needed to go to the MTC for 2 weeks. So he speaks way better than I did after 2 months on the mission. I am super lucky to be his companion and have the opportunity to train him.

I LOVE TRAINING. It is the best thing that has happened to me on the mission. Maybe it is because Elder R. and I can relate a lot and we just get along so well, but I also just have felt such a desire to serve him as a companion and I feel so much more love and charity as a Senior Companion. It was super scary going into the changes but once we had a training meeting they said some really special things to us as trainers for the new Americans. They told us to remember that the Lord has called us to be trainers, not the President. They also told us that this is the most important calling every change - to decide who will train. When they told us that, the Spirit testified to me that I am training because the Lord has prepared me to do so. He trusts me to train an amazing missionary who will eventually train more missionaries and have so many callings of responsibility in the mission and the church in the future. It was super cool and I really felt super comforted from the Spirit. It was also so great because my best bud Elder W. is training an American too. The two of us have only had like 3 changes in Mexico and the least amount of time than any other trainers, so we felt a little discouraged at first. BUT we are ready to serve the Lord and do his will. The Lord has blessed us to learn so much in these 4 short months that we have been in Mexico, 6 in the mission, and to really make a difference in some new missionaries life to become better missionaries. I already know I am going to learn so much more than I ever have because now I am putting in to practice all I have learned. I don't have any other missionary to rely on. But I do have the Atonement of Jesus Christ which is the strength I need to accomplish this. Time to truly live by example, because that is the only effective way to help someone learn.

My Spanish is being challenged and I love it. I mean I am basically fluent. Fluent meaning I can comfortably talk to everyone and understand and reply without too much trouble. I just have to learn more words and perfect what I now know. It is such a blessing to have learned another language. I can't imagine teaching the Gospel in any other language. Spanish all the way bby. Sometimes I say somethings confusingly but I just have to be vigilant to know when I confuse some people. I hope I can get permission to start an English class in the ward here because everyone wants to learn English. They demand I start one. Ha, PATIENCE PPL PLZZ. I love the ward I am in right now. They are great and super welcoming. And the great thing about my name is no one can forget it if they try. Hamburgers to infinity and beyond (McDonalds). ha, suckers. 

OKay so we had a baptism this week and it was super special. It was super special for me because I started teaching her my first week. It was also super special because I got to let my new companion baptize "my" convert. It was suuuper cool to see Elder R. feel so excited about this work and have a baptism his first Saturday in MEXICO. We went early that day to clean the font and there were ants infesting the whole place so I freaked out and didn't know what to do so I drowned them with cleaning supplies and they died and it was fun. So then later that day we got to come back and guess what?! My investigator from Chinampas was getting baptized. So I got to go to her service and see everyone from Chinampas. They are like my family and I love them so much. Seriously the Lord just keeeps giving me tender mercies and blessings, and I have learned alot of it has to do because of my obedience. He wants to try and see if we will follow his guidelines because when we do we recieve the right to his unending blessings. It is something so cool. So Elder R. and I are really working on being super obedient and always being enthusiatic and being an example of Jesus Christ and it is the most important thing that we could possibly do as misisonaries. 

So this week was amazing. Like miracles. I was seriously so tired because I had seen so many miracles. So many people came up to US to talk to US and ask US if we could teach them more about the gospel. God is truly hastening his work. Like this is furreals. It was miraculous. We have so many new investigators because God was preparing them and wants them to talk to us. We are being prepared to be worthy representatives to teach the gospel. In my experience I haven't seen us finding new people to teach, rather God is putting us in certain places at certain times for his children to find us. The last days are here and the work is hastening. So many people are being prepared to meet us as representatives of Jesus Christ to help them become closer to their Savior and find out the everlasting joy that can take place in their lives if they accept Him. I mean, I didn't do anything. All I can do is be obedient and love the Lord. God will bless me accordingly and put people in my place when I am ready to help them. It is something kind of backwards but so perfect at the same time.

So I just want to testify that the Lord loves each and every one of us. He knows us perfectly. He knows our pains and sicknesses. He knows our trials and difficulties. He knows our sins. He knows how to love us perfectly to help us become like him. This plan is so perfect and so merciful. We cannot repay our Savior Jesus Christ what we truly owe him. It isn't possible. But he loves us so much and offers us his sacrifice. He did his part. We just have to do ours - love him, repent, and endure to the end. The key is we have to find His way. And the ONLY way is through His Church and the Leaders He has called to guide us. We have it so easy if we just humble ourselves and invite the Spirit to testify of his love. So just do it, please.

This church is true. Like, it just is. So if you don't know, pray about it. And once you know, keep working to follow the example of Jesus Christ and live his Gospel. We need His Gospel. If we didn't have His Gospel our life would have no purpose because it would have an infinite end. That would just be pointless if you ask me. 

I love you family and friends so much. I am loving the mission and loving the tender mercies that are helping me become a Disciple of Chirst. I hope you have a fantastic last few days of summer and keep up the fun in the sun. haa. so dumb. Love me. And Write me. 

Sea feliz, sea mormón.

Con Amor, 

Elder Macdonald

PS - next week I officially have 6 months and it is weird. That's all.

Piggy

My old District before the changes!

Elder G. Toros 4 lyfe. haha. High school is so dumb, but when you go to the same mish as someone from your high school you get all excited and life is happy. 

So this was a really crazy accident. I think the car fell out of the sky and squished the Wicked Witch. Like fur reals.

Cleaning the baptismal font is what missionaries do best. 1-800-MISSIONARIESCLEAN

Elder R. is a STUDD. 

She got in dat AGUA. Yeah she did.

Her daughter (member) thanked me and started crying because we started teaching her mom. After a quick month her mom was ready to be baptized. Those tears were so gratifying. 

Gonna be a trainer, trios, and seeing the Lord's hand

WELL, I THINK MY PRESIDENT WANTS TO KILL ME BECAUSE I AM TRAINING AN AMERICAN THAT DOESN'T SPEAK SPANISH EITHER AND GUESS WHAT? WE ARE IN MEXICO. JAJAJA.

 

So I still don't know my new comp but his name is Elder R., or something like that. So I am assuming he is from the USA. If not I was wrong and this email is a lie, but I am pretty dang sure he is a guerro like mee. hahahahahaha. I am seriously having visions of all the struggles we are going to have. My comp (Elder G.) was such a great comp for 2 weeks and it was a nice transition to kind of learn my area so I can help some poor soul that doesn't know anything about Spanish or Mexico. AH. Well, just pray super hard that we won't get lost or get in some fight cause we don't understand anything. okay.

 

Well this week was super good. We were in a trio all week. Elder G., Elder J., and mee. The comp of Elder J. got his visa last Monday in the night and went to Argentina the next morning so Elder J. had to stay with us. It was a fun experience to be in a threesome all week and see how different the dynamics are compared to 2 people in a companionship. The first day of the week we went to visit an investigator who is sick because of a surgery. We went to give her a blessing. And I had the opportunity to give her a blessing. Naturally I was super nervous about what I was going to say or if I was going to say something she wouldn't understand, but literally the Spirit led every single word I spoke and when I finished she was crying. She was super grateful for the blessing and it was just such a great experience. She has such a strong testimony of the church and everything but it was a struggle to commit to her baptismal dates. But she is going to move this week to the northern part of Mexico and we JUST passed by her and talked to her about getting baptized this week and she said if it is possible she is willling. It was so great. So I might have 2 baptisms this week. We have one for sure this Saturday with G. We started teaching G. my first week and she was like the perfect investigator and is ready to get baptized this week. So we are doing it. So it is cool that my new comp will have his first baptism this week! 

La Noria is a ward this time (compared to the branch in Chinampas) and we have a building. I really like the ward and get along with mainly everyone super well. Well, all of the people I know. Haha. We sang at a baptism this Sunday and it turned out good. OH yeah. This week I got super sick for like 3 days and threw up and it was disgusting and I wanted to die. I don't know what I ate but something gave me something baaad. But I talked to Hermana V. (mission pres. wife)  and she gave me a list of things I could and couldn't eat for a day and I was all better after that. Haha. So I am hoping I don't get sick any time soon because it is annoying. But it is nice to get sick to realize how amazing life is when you are completely healthy. Such a blessing to be healthy. Haha never taking it for granted again because I like to be healthy.

 

Well I don't remember too well what else happened this week but nothing too exciting. I am super excited and scared out of my mind to train some new missionary, but I am trusting in the Lord because he knows best. Plus he is trusting in me to have this new responsibility. AHHHHHH. Who knows if we will get lost and die. Hope not. But not making any promises.

 

I am super super jealous you all got to see Miranda Sings and hang out with her. But I am patient and can wait another 18 months to be her friend. It's chill. Plus I am doing something (can't believe I'm saying this) more important. This work is so amazing. It is super tough but when we forget ourselves and give our all to the Lord he blesses us sooo much. Then he tests and tries our faith, and then blesses us more. It is such a cool experience and I wouldn't rather be anywhere else in the world right now.

 

Have fun in Cali and with your last few weeks of summer break. 5 months until Christmassss. FELIZ NAVIDAD MOM. haa kkk bai.

 

Con Amor,

 

Elder Macdonald

Saying bye to Elder B.

This is Vanessa.  She is my bff.  She calls me hamberguesa.

Storms, electricity outage, language mistakes, and his testimony

La Noria 2

So that is how my new area is called. La Noria 2. I really do love it alot. My companion is kind of crazy, but in a good way. Haha, we get along really, really well. He is the boy Mexican version of Taylor Holt. Their personalities are so similar it is slightly scary. Haha but it makes life exciting and happy.

Well the first day was suuuper hectic. I hated it by the end because it rained. IT RAINED LIKE IT WAS THE END OF THE WORLD. So we went to the District Meeting and it was swell and fine and wonderful and I really like my District. But then it started to rain and I was all, OH CRAP... MY CLOTHES ARE HANG DRYING OUTSIDE AND NOW THEY ARE HANG SOAKING. So I just sucked it up and dealt with the evil world that sometimes hates me. I also was PRAYING that someone in our apartment complex would be a saint and get da clothes and RUN. But they didn't. So it was rude and I am grudging against them. ha jjkkk. So I was super frustrated by the end because we had to walk to someone elses house to get the agenda of my comp because he left it at the other house and then we didn't get home until late and right when we were getting close to the house it literally started pouring like a tsunami. We got off the micro and I almost flew away from the wind and went down the hill like it was a water slide. Yes I was wet. We were able to manage to walk a little and then BOOOOOOOOOOMMMM. Something blew up hardcore and I was like omgomgomg we are under attack. But we weren't. It was all of the electricity for the whole hill that we live on. So we arrived home and it was pitch black. PITCH BLACK. The explosion took out our electricity. Like the irony is so bad. I was like wow why don't we have light. OHHH YEAH MY CLOTHES ARE STILL GETTING WET. So I ran up the four flights of stairs like 5 times to get aLL OF my stupid soaking wet clothes to put them somewhere in my little house that was pitch black. And it was really horrible. And then our tile was like a swimming pool because all of the clothes were dripping and I kept falling because I was running back and forth frantically. Ha. So dumb. And then it was like 10:45 and I was like omg my bed sheets are soaking wet. So is my other blanket. So is my pillow case. So is everything else in this house!! So I slept on a nast mattress without blankets freezing my butt off, and really mad. And that was the first day. We woke up and there was even more water on the ground and I just gave up. Then we still didn't have light or electricity which means we still can't see because it is still dark at 6:30 in the morning... OH YEAH, and because we live on a hill the water is pumped up to us by ELECTRICTY WHICH WE DIDN'T HAVE. So obviously we didn't have water to shower. hhahahahaa omg it was just really annoying and stupid and never ending and I went back to bed. ooops.

But after that day it was good. It was like my welcome to La Noria joke. The people here are really so wonderful and I get along with them so well. Everyone is super nice and tells me my spanish is good. So I like them even more for sucking up to me. ha thanks guys. One night we were walking home from all of our lessons and I was like "buenos noches" to a old woman and it came out like "buenos naches". And naches means butt cheeks or buns. So I told some old woman that she had a nice butt and it was super embarrassing and so funny and I peed my pants after my comp told me what I said. Hahahaha. So bad. So I am like a terrible missionary I know.

I think I eat like twenty times more in this area than I did in Chinampas because we are always eating and I am always full. It is nice. So I think it is my turn to be the fat missionary.

So this Saturday we had the amazing opportunity to go to CHINAMPAS and help the Mission President do a mission activity with the members there. Such a tender mercy because since we had special changes I didn't have any time to say good bye to the people in Chinampas. But on Saturday it was such a nice good bye and I got to take more pics with some of the people that were there. Woohhoo. It was really sad but I know I need to be here now.

I loved the Restoration Movie about Joseph Smith. We watched it 2 times this week in different lessons and I am always super close to tears so I pretend like I am sneezing or something. I don't know, sometimes it works. We helped a young married couple this week with being member missionaries and did some practices with them and how they can contact a friend or bring up the gospel or the Book of Mormon. It was such a good experience to see them so willing and so excited to be member missionaries and to see their testimonies about this gospel. God is hastening his work big time folks. We need to be instruments in his hands by being prepared at all times to help everyone know the truth. Keep the faith folks and just love the gospel. This gospel is the only one that gives a lasting, eternal happiness. Love that I have this opportunity to be a missionary in this time in the history of the world.

So glad all of your weeks went well. Gotss 2 go, but love yaaa. bye.

Con Amor, 

Elder Macdonald 

A super cool church that I can enter cause I am a missionary. #missionaryprobs.

 

da puuuppppies.

more puppies

part of my district

on my roof

more photos from my roof

I HAVE PETS IN MY NEW HOUSE

Elder G y meeeee

baby grafiti is da best

the view from a rooftop. chimney sweep.

Hermana L. and BRUNO.

more Chinampas lovin

Quick changes and Popo the Volcano

HEY. SO this week was super crazy and I will tell you about it in a sec. BUT first HAPPY BIRTHDAY MORGAHORN HOLT. I hope you had a greeeaaaate day. I love and miss you cuzzin.

Okay so yesterday while we were in a lesson at 8 o clock at night we got a call from the assistants. They said that I was going to have special changes and that I was to go to La Noria at 8 in the morning the next day. We ran home so I could have time to pack. It was really weird that this happened because it was SO unexpected. Anyways. I am here in La Noria. My new comp is Elder G. and the area is beautiful. I live on the top of a mountain and there are trees everywhere. I am living in a forest. The house is nicer than Chinampas... but we don't have a heater that works for the water. I could die. Whateer. Umm my District is a lot bigger and Elder G. (from Mesa) is in my District! Pretty crazy. So I am super content with the change but I do miss the rama (branch) in Chinampas like they are my family. I had made such great relationships with them and I wanted to ball when I found out the news. What is crazy is that Sunday was testimony meeting and when we were there I felt a needed to bear my testimony because it could possibly be my last time with these people. Well it was my last time and I am so glad I had that opportunity. ALWAYs in testimony meetings the spirit is so strong with the people here. The branch is progressing so much and I am just soooo happy for them. Such a humble group of people. I am SOOO EXCITED to visit them in 19 months with you peeps, da fam.

Anyways I have like NO TIME to write because this day has been crazy with moving and all. I hope next week I will have more time. I might write more early in the day so make sure you send your emails earlier. 

The volcano is crazy and there was SO MUCH ASH and I was suffocating but I survived so no worries. I had the opportunity to teach an english class for the past month in the Rama Chinampas with Elder R. and it was a great opportunity. I loved it. Seriously I feel home sick for those people. But I know the Lord wants me here to learn more and become the missionary he plans for me to be. 

I love you all and wish you a very merry 4th of July. I can't believe it has already past. One year ago I was in the Stadium of Fire rocking out to da Beeeaaach Boiis. Yaaababy. I completed five months this past week too. WEIRD. I love you all and sorry this is short but I gots no time. Bai.

Con Amor, 

Elder Macdonald

PS

Also something that I applied this week and continue to realize is that God truly shows us our weaknesses to make us stronger. I have LOTS OF WEAKENESSES.. But I am trusting in the Lord and know I can be made strong through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

A big dead cow - no biggie

Add caption

Elder G. and Elder Macdonald

Hermana P. - she is his "mom" down there who fixed his dog bite pants

The "bite" story (better known as the blessings of service), ghosts, good music, and member missionaries

Fam bam.

WHATSUP. SO first I am just SUUUUPER EXCITED that Emmy will be serving like 2 hours away from me (in public transport)!!! I didn't believe it at first because we all know that girls haven't been sent to Mexico in like forever because of safety... SO I could say that, Emmy, you will probably get jumped or kidnapped #hideyourkidshideyourwives BUT I am not going to say that because it is super safe here and I have been thinking lately that there is no reason American girls shouldn't serve here. ESPECIALLY in her area. It is beautiful there! It is the New York City of Mexico. Super nice and high class in the areas I have been in (to do my visa stuff). I thought to myself how cool it would be to serve there. So yeah she got lucky with that. And that is really suuuuper cool and exciting and perfect that she is going to speak Spanish because now our band will be a mariachi band. 'Nough SAID.

About the dog bite... Okay so we were walking to a members house to eat food. We have been here like 5000 times because two families live there that are members and then their other neighbors are not members. This is the family that has like 20 rabid dogs roaming and growling at us. ALWAYS. But they have never bitten us before. They are usually locked up in chains (probably to prevent them from biting innocent missionaries). With that said, we were walking in and saw that the non member family was carrying in a bunch of branches into their house, so we - being the perfect missionaries that we are - started to help this little old lady and her two grandkids carry these huge branches. Yes, we were serving. Right when I put the branch down outside their house and turned around, the psycho dog attacked my leg and I thought it was a shark. So yes it hurt. I don't know why it wasn't chained up.... I don't know why it bit me when I was HELPING his family... And yeah. It was bizarre. And yes it ripped my pants. But my mom here (Hermana P) sewed my pants up. It doesn't look very good but there is not much we could do with it because it ripped the pants in a really awkward way. But whatever. I will forever have the patch on my pants, therefore I will forever remember this stupid dog. And that is the story. The bite is healing and the dog hasn't died so I think I am good... But close call, right?

Yes, I have more strange stories. Surprised? I'm not. So we went to this other families house for lunch. I really do love this family, but they drive me a little crazy. Haha, they always have problems. Problems in everything imaginable. And whenever they have problems, the first people they call are US. The missionaries #wearedoctorphil&oprah&allofthosegoodtalkshows. But this day the problem wasn't something tangible. It was ghosts. I am not lying. SO I guess I am a certified ghost hunter now. Cool huh? So I mean the issue is kind of personal and weird and scary and I should probably not say everything that happened buuuut yeah it was bizzare and I felt weird. But no fear, my comp is here! Remember my comp is a master at everything so he was quick to his feet to "detect the room" and later give them a diagnosis. Not lying. But we were able to help the daughter feel better and give her a blessing. The next day at church she was beaming with a smile and everything was better. This happened. 

We have ward conference coming up. Guess what that means... CHOIR. The ward choir is absolutely awful. It is not just awful, it is so bad I am crying the whole time. And they all know it too. So it is fine. No one here knows how to sing. They literally can't match a pitch with the piano to save their lives. However, we are progressing slowly but surely to teach them how to sing. It is really fun. Haha. The familia B. who I sang with before are great and musical so we are helping everyone else with their parts and stuff. It has made me think of how blessed I have been in my life to always be surrounded by singers. Two years in high school of all state, regionals, encore, chorale, and then a semester of Men's Chorus at BYU has made me a horrible and unforgiving person when I hear someone that can't sing. But these people are so humble and have such a desire to learn these songs BECAUSE they feel such a powerful spirit through the himnos. It is such an example to me to be a more loving person and appreciate the little things in life. Lovin' me some Chinampas right about now. 

This week we had intercambias and I went with Elder R.. Elder R. has been with me since day one and is my best friend up in this joint. We work so well together and have such a fun time doing the work. We started teaching new people in his area and it was super fun to get to know them and start them off on a good foot. I hope one day Elder R. and I can be comps because we will baptize all of Central America. No worries. But really it was such a nice break to be able to be myself around him for a day. We took some dumb photos, so wait. 

We have so many more new investigators and the work is about to explode! I can't believe how much potential we have right now. We just have to stay on top of everyone so they don't fall through our fingers. M. is doing well. I hope she gets the testimony to be baptized the 13th because SHE IS SO READY, she just doesn't know it yet... hahaha, weird I know. But one day she will probably be president of the Relief Society of the whole world or something. She is awesome. We are also helping a mom of a new member learn the lessons to get baptized. She is sooo ready and willing also. It happened over the past week. Another daughter of a member is finally ready to learn and she came to church. We still have some people we are working on to GET to church, but it is just a matter of time. Chinampas is going to explode. We need a church building assaaaapp. So call a plumber please. 

The members are getting soo stoked about helping us and it really does make the difference when the investigator has a friend to help them in this process of conversion. So please MEMBER help the missionaries. We need you everywhere. So get to work. Plus it is a commandment so if you are not doing missionary work then you are breaking a commandment and that is notttt a good thing. Ha so do it plz. 

I love you all and thank you all for your emails. They make Mondays really great. I am glad everything is well. Have a great last month of summer. I can't believe it is JULY and in one month I have 6 months on the mission. It is going by really scary fast... So that's weird. 

Con Amor,

Elder Macdonald

When it rains, it floods. Forget shoes, I need a boat.

Flood. Call Noah, we need an Ark.

Dats my buddy Elder R

This was his idea. I promise we were studying.

#tonyhaawk