Pizza with chiles, surviving the train, and I need chocolate!

So I always try to think of fun, clever titles for the week, but I never can. 

Well this week was a good one. First of all today was super great because Elder R. and I went to DOMINOS Pizza and I died of its goodly greasy ways. Also something super Mexican is putting hot sauce on pizza. So next time I challenge you to put hot sauce on your pizza. It is suuuuper yummy. #imsomexican. Also I really love chiles and I die when I eat them because they are so hot. So get ready to start putting the chile seeds in your homemade salsa, mom, because if you don't, I won't eat it. #sorrynotsorry

Well yes yes yes. We went to immigration this week. Did that happen this week? I think it did. I don't remember. But it did so I'll tell you about it. Well I am a pro with the metro/subway here. Like I am just riding it like I've been riding it my whole life. So get excited because we are definitely traveling in Metro when you get here. hahahaha oh yeah. So here in La Noria we have to take a Light Train (Tren Ligero) to get connected to that. So in La Noria the train always arrives like SO FULL in the mornings. People are like pulling hair, gnashing teeth, elbowing just to get a spot. And it is so full in the mornings that by the time it gets to my station only about 2 people fit in the door everytime a new one comes #war. And the two people only fit because people are pushing them in while the doors are trying to close. Like legit chaos. If only you could imagine how funny this could be. Like I am just dying while watching the people struggle to get in. Just imagine all of these things hanging out of the doors: hair, backpacks, shirts, fingers, etc. SO NOT OKAY. But anyways Elder R. and I managed to get in the front on the mosh pit. We prepared by putting our backpacks on our fronts so they wouldn't get cut off as the doors shut, and we locked arms so we wouldn't get separated. The train arrives, the doors open, people try getting out of the train but so many people were pushing so we got pushed in like a legit mosh pit. It reminded me of crowd surfing. But we were in. And then I was like pulling Elder R. so he got in all the way without losing an arm. Luckily we got in all the way. Anyways once you are in there is not such thing as a personal bubble. You are so close to people that you don't even move when the train goes. It is like playing tetris. You just got stuffed in and don't move until other people leave. So yeah... It was slightly hilarous. There were little people sleeping because they didn't have to make any effort to hold themselves up. So I took a picture of that time. It doesn't show the full effect, but it gives an idea. Anyways we got there. I went to the offices and R. went to immigration. It was super fun to be with all the other misioneros. We got there and watched mormon. org videos and studied/did the secretaries work while we were there waiting for a few hours. It was fun.

Okay. So this week we really saw the Lord's hand in everything. We put 4 baptismal dates this week. That means I really have to do everything to help these people reach their goal and be baptized on that date. So hopefully September works out. I always say that and then the baptisms don't go through... BUT this time it will. I've got the faith.

We are teaching a family super close to my house and they are great. But they didn't come to church this week so I was just super annoyed and frustrated because the night before they were all GUNGHO. So we went by their house before church and they weren't there. I WAS LIKE WHHHHHUUUUUT. hahaha. So I just love them but think they are a little bit SILLY for not coming when they said they would. rude. They are a great family and have so much potential. They love the missionaries and I am so glad that they are showing interest right now.

Another family we have are Christians. Let me tell you that the Christians here in Mexican are different then the ones in the US. Well not really in beliefs but the titles are just held for different things. So we went and the dad is like a pastor for his church. And I was super shocked when he accepted to talk to us. But he did and we had an amazingly powerful lesson with this family about the Restoration. I made it clear to them about the Apostosy and the Authority and how the Church of Jesus Christ needed to be restored. I felt like they were so understanding. Then we testified about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. He told me he has no doubt that the Book of Mormon is true. I was like WOAh. But then he said he has been baptized and changed and gave a big schpeeel on why they didn't need to be Mormons or whatever. I really hope they just pray, REALLY pray to find out. But I realy think his wife and daughter could get an answer and accept it, it is just so hard when he husband/father testifies for the whole family and lets us know that change isn't necesary. But we are still going to visit them. They love us and thank us for all we do for the world. Like great people... just a little bit set in their ways. Just pray for the familia H. to get an answer from their prayers.

Another thing this week. I had intercambias with my District Leader. Elder P. He is from Ecuador and only has like a month more than me. We are great friends. He is also a beast of a missionary and like runs from cita to cita. I was like dying at one point because I didn't think I could make it anymore. hahahah. It was soo hardcore and I just have so much respect for him. He speaks well in English and I guess his old Companion was Elder B. from Mesa... So funny.

We went and traveled up the mountains to find some more investigators in my area... My area is sooo pretty once you get into the mountains. I have cool pictures.. 

I can't remember what else happened. Nate Tingey told me Katie got married. So I am confused? Did you get married sister? If you did without telling me I will steal your gum. 

I really hope you all had a fabulous week and hope you have another fabulous week. ONE MORE MONTH UNTIL LA CONFERENCIA GENERAL and I ammm soooo excited like soooo excited you have no idea. WOOOOOHOOOO. Time is flying yes yes yes it is. I am really worried because I feel like I am not getting better as a teacher or better in spanish. PS I hate when people tell me they note my accent. I want to kindly tell them to drink a cup of nails. hahah SOoOOOO send me a recorder to help me practice sounding better. I might just buy one in Radio Shack. I also get lazy with Language Study and I need to take it more seriously. 

Oh ps Elder R. and I went running this morning. It was so great to run after 5 months of not.

Love yaaalll.Take care foos. Send me twix and snickers. And letters.Or I'll disown ya. Pazy bendiciones

Con AMOR, 

Elder Macdonald

en el tren ligero. bien llenado. (in the light train. SOOO FULL)

So I met one of Michael Ann Oslund's friends from her mission. SMALL WORLD when your a MORMON

A very sweet lady just got baptized into my ward. 

BEAUTIFUL MEXICO. oh hey, Mexico is really beautiful. 

The new suit a wondeful woman in my ward gave meee. Love.

DOMINOS OMGOMGOMG I CRIED AFTER THE FIVE MONTH FAST FROM AMERICAN PIZZA. 

Porque hablo gringo

PORQUE HABLO GRINGO.

 

Okay so this week was good, not as good as the past few weeks, but still good. It was just a harder week. Still FLEW by, but we didn't have as much success. I probably say that because I feel like our investigators aren't progressing. They don't come to church, they don't read their homework, they don't pray when we aren't with them, etc etc. But hey, that's part of the misión, right? Yupp.

 

For example. We had baptismal dates set for September, but A. and M. didn't come to church so we lost the date. I don't know why they won't come. They are super scared about changing religions and what it might do to their family or lives. I think they know that baptism is a huge commitment with God, which is PERF, but they aren't in too big of a rush to make the changes. This past week we changed their dates for the very end of September. I really know they can be ready if they just read and pray and do the stuff they need to to feel their personal relationship grow with God. But one doesn't like to wear skirts, so she feels dumb about coming to church. The other is afraid of the commitment. But I have so much faith that in their own time it is going to happen. It is really hard to find that right balance of me working my hardest and doing all I can and then letting people really just use their agency and feel like I have done all I can. I don't know if that makes sense but it does for me so deal with it. ha jk. AH. I am not stressed. hhahaha. I amm just venting. It's fine.

 

Okay so A. is going to get married in September so he can get baptized! I feel bad because his wife doesn't want anything to do with the church. But at least she was willing to get married so he can make this covenant with God, RIGHT? I think so.

 

Another investigator is Christian and she has heard some things about mormons and almost didn't want to keep talking to us. I think she is avoiding us actually. It is really too bad because she has so much truth.... But she just is missing the restored Gospel. All you have to do is pray and ask God. He WILL answer you. I kind of forced her to take a Book of Mormon and then felt really dumb after. hahaha. Let's just say this week was not my best week. ugh.

 

Umm we had a Zone Conference with a Seventy this week. It was super inspired and just a beautiful conference. It really just strengthened my testimony that I am on the Lord's errand and I just have to keep working harder, repenting harder, and working harder to have success. And success is not about baptisms. Sometimes that is how the people in my Mission make it sound. For example, we need to baptize a few times before we can get permission to go to Centro. I think it is silly to do that because we could be working hard without baptisms.... But it's fine. I think that will change because they just changed the rule that we have to take investigators to church 5 times before they can be baptized. That is very hard. Like I am all for it because I think it will help us really have members that endure to the end and don't just go inactive, but it is going to be a challenge. For that rule change I just really feel like we aren't graded on our baptisms. It is quality, not quantity. But ya. About the conference. So this one missionaries companion was about to leave, like two weeks before, and he was a butt hard worker. They woke up at 5 every morning, ate from a little store at 1 every day for lunch and then didn't get back to the house till 11 pm to sleep. All they did was work work work work work. Like I feel like we do that but according to this, no. So the guy apparently had made a covenant with God at the beginning of his misión. He told God he was going to give all of his strength to the Lord on this misión for two years. ALL of it. All he asked for was that somehow his parents could be touched by the spirit and be light hearted (his parents kicked him out of the house when he baptized a year before his misión) to hear the Gospel or let him be with them again. So literally his last week of his misión he was freaking out because he hadn't recieved anything from his family for almost two years. He was worried that nothing changed. But the last week of his misión he received a letter that said his parents had been listening to the missionary lessons and that they were waiting for him to come home to baptize them. The Lord is real. He loves us. He wants to bless us so much. I just thought that story was cool. I kind of killed it though as I re-told it.

 

Anyways. I can't think of what else happened this week. Elder R. got sick from burrito we ate on the street. ooops. But its part of the experience. Also we can't go to the temple very often on the misión. And they are going to close the Mexico temple here for 2 years starting in January.... SO I ONLY HAVE LIKE 4 MONTHS TO GO AND I AM LIKE WUUUUT LEMME GO PLZ. If we get sick we can go because the doctor is super close to the temple. Kind of wanna get sick. So idk. We shall see.

 

OH YEAH. One last story. So two weeks ago we went to visit a family in the Ward whose mother had cáncer. She was just about ready to die, so we decided to go and visit her and them. We went to go sing a song to them hoping that it would bring a little bit of peace into this situation. It was the most heartbreaking thing to see her condition and her family having to take care of her in all of the pain she was in. She was not there mentally, but she was spiritually. We were able to sing a hymn to her to feel the love of the spirit in that room. Then we gave her a blessing of comfort, as well as all of the other family members that were there. About 8 peope. Blessing after blessing.... What an experience. I was crying the whole time because it made me think about Amy. All of the emotions I had as a little kid were coming back. It really is a hard thing to lose a family member. But once we realize God's plan for us on this Earth, it is a whole lot easier to accept the pain we may feel. Why? Because it is an opportunity we have to draw nearer to Jesús Christ and his Atonement. Without the Atonement we couldn't feel peace in this life, or overcome death. But because he felt our pain, gave his life for us, and was ressurected, we can really overcome challenges like a death in the family. It is all part of our plan to become more like our brother Jesús Christ.

 

Anyways. I got the package finally. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING. Love the ties Boo, love the pbandj, and all the other stuff. I will wait patiently for the other stuff you guys sent me. Love ya. Hope all is well.

 

Con Amor,

 

Elder Macdonald

The evil stairs we have to walk on everyday to get to our house.

Blessings, the Lord is preparing many hearts, and Mexico is COLD

HI EERRRBODY.

SO this week was super great. Really. Like the best week so far. Why? Because we worked hard, had fun, and saw the blessings of the Lord through our work. Super cool.

I didn't go to Centro today because the Zone Leaders didn't go to the offices this week so no one was able to get permission. And also they are super strict about giving permission, which I think is dumb. But whatever. I think they want us to baptize again before we can go.... grrr. But HEY, I have 2 baptismal dates for September.

I will tell you a little more about the baptism dates. So it all started like 3 weeks ago when a woman contacted us on the street and told us her daughter was really interested in knowing more about us. So we talked to them for a little, cleared up some questions/doubts and made an appointment for the following week. And we have visted them two times since. It would be so much better if we could visit them in the week, but they can't due to their busy schedules with work. BUT hey, you gotta work with what you have. SO the first lesson with them went really well... But we didn't feel prompted to ask them to be baptized then and there. We waited for a whole other week to be able to see them and teach them about the Plan God has for us and our purpose on this life. The spirit was seriously so extremely strong during that whole lesson. I could see their understanding of the doctrine in their eyes and I was just feeling so pumped. Then by the end of the lesson they were just really reverent and calm, but you could see them like half smiling (like trying not to pee because they were so happy). And so we eventually asked them to keep praying to know if Joseph Smith was a prophet, etc, and all that good stuff. We also invited them to prepare themselves to follow Christ's example and be baptized. I was kind of worried they were going to be like welll.... ummm..... idk...... that's..... like...... a.... biigggg..... deall..... BUT THEY DIDN'T. Literally a split second later A. (the daughter) was just beaming and said YES! It was like she was waiting her whole life for someone to ask her this question. And I was like shocked and started laughing and they were probably confused, but I WAS SO HAPPY. And so was my comp. He has like a joker smile on and he couldn't get rid of it.. Then the mom said yes tooooo! So we made dates and let them know that this is a goal to prepare themselves to feel worthy to enter the waters of baptism on this date. They were just so great and happy. They didn't come to church, but I still have faith in them. I really just need to keep helping them feel comfortable. The most incredible thing about this all is that A. told us, when we met her, that she didnt believe in God. But that when she started praying she really started feeling happy. We explained that this happiness is the love of God he sends through the Holy Ghost. Well, it is great with them. We have to wait a while because the mission changed the rule that we have to bring members 3 times to church before baptism instead of 2.... and I think by next year it will be 5 TIMES. uhhhh. Oh well. We can do it.

More investigators.... So we are teaching a kid named J. and his mom H. She is soo interested in el Libro de Mormon and Jose Smith. So she started reading the book this week and is already in Jacob. That is ridiculously fast for an investigator. Obviously God is preparing her. We are juust helping her a tad. She prayed, in a prayer with us, to know if she needed to be baptized in la Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Ultimos Dias and I was just so touched that she wants to know. PS it was her first prayer with us in our first lesson. Ya. Talk about that. WOOOT. But she has a tough schedule so we can only talk to her Saturdays and Sundays too. POOOPY. Why do people work? Like get a life, or something. JK. But it is just trying my patience when I want to see these people every day. J. already prayed and knows el Libro de Mormon es verdadero, is true, and knows Joseph Smith was a prophet of the Lord. We have invited him to be baptized, but he needs to talk to his mom because he is only 15. I think he is a little scared to do it without his mom. SO i hope they both get to the same desire.

A. is another investigator we are teaching. He is great. He was a reference from a member. He was so excited to talk to us and loves learning and coming to church. But he isn't married, and right now doesn't have a steady job. So he literally can't pay for a wedding right now. So we just have been passing every now and then to see how he is. Well the day we went he told us he was having emotional problems... like one moment he would be happy, then sad, then mad, then terrified. So we talked to him about the Atonement and how Christ knows everything he is feeling. He literally has felt these same emotions and knows how hard it is. We the told him that through prayer he can feel Christ's love and support through these trials. A. is always afraid to pray because he "doesn't know how", but because the spirit was so strong in that lesson he was willing to pray as soon as we invited him. There wasn't a second thought in his mind! And once he said that small and simple prayer you could see the change and the instant spiritual gratitude in his eyes. The next day he was in the Iglesia and soo excited because after that lesson he was able to sleep with a clear mind and heart. The best thing is the Bishop is going to donate ward money to help us pay for his wedding. So I hope he accepts the invitation. 

Well we have other investigators, but these were the ones that stood out in progression this week. 

So around our house there is always a gang of little twwit hoodlums that are like 5-15 years old... and guess what. THEY LOVE US. hahaha. We always stop to talk with them and teach them english. I have a picture I will send with you. The leader of the pack is R. But I call him Beans because he reminds me of Beans from Even Stevens. Its perf. 

So I have been reading all of the weekly emails from all of my friends that are missionaries and it reminds me how splendidly blessed I am to have amazing examples serving missions with me and learning the same life lessons through hilarious stories. Like the mission is where it's at. Love you missionary friends. 

Well I just want to cordially give a warm welcome to my new brudda Zaaaaachhhy. Love you bro! WELCOME TO DA FAMMBAMM. Since you are my brother now, you are obligated to write me. Haha, jk. Love you buddy!

It is raining and I am cold. I don't know why I thought it would be hot in Mexico. I am always freezing and confused with life. PS I still haven't gotten my backpack and am growing impatient with this trial. hahha. jk. I just want the package. givemedapackagesecretaries. 

So I don't remember what else I was going to say. But I love you all and just wanna give Scout a hug on his bday. PS happy late birthdays to both my Papas. You two have been great examples in my life and I just love you both soo much. Thanks for everything.

I am probably going to stop writing now. But anyways. I will send pics in a sec so hold ur horsies. 

CON AMOR,

Elder Macdonald

Elder R. makes hotdog sandwiches. They are addicting. #freshmanfifteen

Selfies.

With the hoodlum crew of 2009 (probably cause they were born that year.)

Once a creeper, always a creeper.

Gratitude, new contacts, and members are key

WELL. This week was very good again. 

So this week just continued to be super great. The companionship is just getting better and it is funny to see us getting more comfortable together as friends, which of course is when sarcasm comes out of us. I have never been able to be sarcastic with my Mexican companions because sarcasm apparently doesn't exist in Spanish. Or I just don't know how to be sarcastic in Spanish. Probably that.

Okay so first, thank you so much Familia Robles for bringing down the package from my family! I still haven't gotten it... but I have received word that it is waiting in the mission offices. I am soo glad you were able to do that. I hope you enjoyed your trip to MEXICO. Haha sooo fun. aaand THANK YOU. I wish I could've run into you guys by "accident"...

Well we have two investigators that want to be baptized but they both have to marry their "wives" before. UGH. You think it would be easy but one guy doesn't have da money to do it... So I think we are going to ask the Bishop if the ward can help. He lost his job and is struggling to get his kids ready for school to start. I hope the ward can help him. The other lives in a very strange situation. Like very strange. Everytime we go to his house his wife is apparently "listening" to us through the wall. I have never actually met her.... buuuut who knows. I kind of think he might be legally crazy, but maybe his wife really is the crazy one. Maybe they are both crazy. So get this... they don't want to get married because they don't love each other... But he wants to get married so he can get baptized. And then I am thinking well just separate... But I don't think I can make that suggestion and break up a whole family. So better not. But he also is afraid that if he marries her she will be entitled to the house and kick him out. So it is all very strange. We only every find him when we runs out the back way of his house and is like whispering and I don't know if I should be scared or not. Hahaha anyways. It is just a little interesting. He came to church this week and slept the WHOLE TIME. ahhahahahaa. Why do you do this to me? But he was awake in the other meetings which was wonderful.

More investigators. So this week we were just praying to find NEW people to teach. And prayers worrrrrrrk, yayaya. Practically every day new people contacted us on the street. WoW. I am just so amaazed with all this contacting. It is really cool. We are teaching a family and another woman that have so much potential to get baptized. They love listening to us and are so willing to keep their commitments. It is so cool to teach people that progress and keep their commitments. WHY? Because when people progress, you feel like you are actually doing your job as a missionary. Anyways. Love it. 

Also we are really trying to teach more lessons with members. Sometimes it is really hard to find members that are willing or have time or really want to actually help. SO please, be members that help the missionaries. It helps like 5000 times more when we teach lessons with members. One because the investigators have a real and concrete person to relate to (yes, missionaries aren't real and concrete people) and two, because they strengthen their own testimony and get super excited about the work. SO yeah. Lessons with members are KEY as missionaries. So help the missionaries, and help yourselves. Ha #blessings. win win. the end. thanks. 

We had a meeting this week with the Zone and I was graded on my teaching and the President came and it was really bad and I felt super dumb. haha the stupid other missionary was laughing at me and it was rude. So that was awkward and unfortunate. But yeah, it happened. So greeeat, like frosted flakes. 

Well I am kind of blanking on what else happened this week. But it was good and fun and great and more good. I hope that next week we get permission to go to Centro so that I can buy a new cheap suit. And also so Elder R. can see all the Cathedrals and cool stuff that exist oooerrr there. So if I get permission I don't know when I will have time to write you all. Who knows if I will be able to find it. I have a map of the subway, but that's it. WOOOHOOOO. I feel so grown up when I figure out how to use the Metro. It is scary and crazy and a thrilling adventure all in one. What a bargain. 

OKay I have nothing else to say. Sucks that you guys have school in one more day. heeeeeehehe. Have fun suckers. Jk. Love you all so much. I hope you had a wonderous summer time. One more summer and I will be home shortly after. Weird. Yupp.. I have been out six months. It kind of sounds like nothing but it feels like a huge hill that I just conquered. Now I can calmly walk the rest of the way up until I have a year, and enjoy the last year like a downhill bike ride. SOWEIRD. I am not counting time... I am clearly just contemplating time. So back off h8rs. LOVE. paz y bendiciones.

Con AMOR,

Elder Hamburguesa. #theycallmethatbecausemcdonaldsisaburgerplace. OBVI.. 

Our "Study". So sophisticated, I know.

SOMEONE from Chinampas made me this little boat. What a treasure. They really did love me. #igotaboatandyoudont

Our beautiful, brand new, top of the line kitchen. #canttouchthis

The grand suite with bunkbeads. They are so back and soo padre. 

 Show rachy. haha she inspired me to draw again.

So I live next to a jail. If the Zombie apocolypse happens I am all set. #walkingdead

Zombies broke in. obvi

Love the views from where I live. 

Dats me. After this pic some guy pretended like he was mad because we were "on his property". But he really just wanted an excuse to talk to us. So we contacted him. HAAA YEAAAH.

This is Elder J., Elder R., Me, and Elder P.. I didn't know he was gonna jump,  but I ham it up for da camera.