All right. This week was interesting. I have a
new companion. I still have my old one, Elder W., but we have a new guy with us
who just got in from Ecuador! His name is Elder P. Haha. It is interesting.
I'll explain more in a bit.
So it is really frustrating to be stressed
because that can be the biggest impediment as a missionary to really connect
with everyone else and let God’s love be spread through my example. I feel like
I have been lacking this "connection" with investigators, members,
and other missionaries, because I am just so focused on the stresses of doing
what I am supposed to do and being good at it. And it is hard! I feel like a
jerk sometimes, and I am now realizing that being stressed for dumb stuff like
that is completely selfish and not Christ-like at all. Well... I don’t know
what to do. I am constantly having self-evaluations of how I can be better and
I feel like I am getting NOWHERE. Okay.
Okay well we are teaching a kid that is the boyfriend
of a new member and he is super great. Like he brings such an amazing spirit to
our lessons and will progress soooo fast, but it’s really dumb because he doesn’t
live in our area, BUT he has already integrated himself into our ward with all
of the youth here and with us and so it will be heartbreaking when I tell him
he has to go to a different ward. Well, actually I already did but he was like “no,
I think I am good here so I think I'll just stay” and I am just like “oh noo”.
It’s really tough, I don’t know what to do with him. His parents are dead and
his sister lives in a different state and doesn’t talk to him. He literally
lives alone and has had such a hard life. But the happiness that the church has
brought to him has made him SO HAPPY and so spiritual and he just wants to
serve God and he probably wants to serve a mission and ya. He is so great and
it’s just so not fun to tell him he can’t come to church in our ward. So I am
being a chicken and putting it off.
So this week I completed 9 months. That’s weird.
It really isn’t that much time, but it kind of is. I don’t know what to think
about that. I feel like I am still a new baby missionary.
My comp went to immigration this week and I
went to the offices to wait for him. I saw an Elder B. I think his name is
Tyler B. It’s funny because we totally knew each other before the mission at
BYU and he is from Mesa or Gilbert and its just weird seeing him working here.
So when I was in the offices I did a bunch of paperwork and entered in all of
the new baptism records that happened the past week. It wasn’t very fun. But it
helped the secretaries out. #Service #humble
So on Thursday we had a great first lesson with
a new family we are teaching. I really like them a lot and I just hope that
they can start to progress. I need to find someone in the ward, or a family to
friendship them and help them go to church. Haha. While we were in the lesson
with them I got a call from the Assistants and they told me that I had special
changes the next day and I was like “WHAT - NOT AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!” But it wasn’t
as bad as I thought. I was thinking they were going to move me or Elder W. and
I would’ve been really sad. So instead they just told me that we were getting a
third companion. I was soo excited. I don’t know why because I have been in
trios before and I really hate being in trios, but I guess I just forgot. lololol.
His name is Elder P. and he is from Ecuador. He has almost 5 months in the
mission, and he was waiting in Ecuador for his visa to come to Mexico. So when
I got to the house the next day, the Assistant was like “okay try not to act
super surprised about his hair because apparently if he cuts it he will go to
jail when he gets back to Ecuador...." and I was just like “what the heck
are you talking about dude?” And then I got in the house and was like “SHUT UP”.
Hahaha. But I didn’t really say that. I was seriously peeing my pants because I
NEVER thought I would have a comp that has a LEGIT ponytail. I LOVE IT SO MUCH.
So he like explains to us that his tribe comes from pure "Lamanites"
or whatever and I am just so confused as to what that means. But I guess it is
a tradition, or really important to his culture that the men keep their hair
long. So I guess since it is really part of his culture he doesn’t have to cut
it... Hermana V. didn’t know what to do... she was like "should we tell
him to cut his hair?!?!" and I was like “uh don’t ask me, I’m not in
charge”. So we waited to see what President said in his interview and I guess
he didn’t say anything because he didn’t have to cut it. And it’s still long.
So I’m just a little bit jealous and think I’m going to grow my hair out so I
can be as cool as him.
He is a good guy but just gets on my nerves a
tad bit more that I would have liked. But it’s only for two weeks until the
next change. It was weird because when we were reporting to the Zone Leaders he
was like throwing me and my other comp under the bus to the Zone Leader to look
good in front of him. Like "oh they can do this better to get people to
come to church because they are not doing this and this and so and so" and
Elder W. and I were just like “duhhh heck!?” The politics of a mission really
are crazy. I think it is an illness that some people have. But I just have to
love him and everyone else that can be really hard. Awk. Maybe it is just me
and I don’t like to be corrected. I definitely think that is a good percentage
of it... But it was also a clear brown nose tactic. But hey, I have seen it
done before, and it definitely won’t be the last time.
I am sorry. I will try to have more charity.
Actually something really great that my President did was add a fourth pillar
of excellence! The first three, since I got here, were Work Diligently, Strict
Obedience, and Trust in the Spirit. He just added the fourth, which is my
favorite. It has to do with working to develop charity. I LOVE that because it
has been something so overlooked in life by everyone. We are all so focused in
being perfect missionaries that we really forget our true purpose, which is to
be a representative of Jesus Christ. And I think that a representative of Jesus
Christ HAS to have charity. Charity is such a broad characteristic. But it is
something I am so excited to work on. haha. It is hard for me sometimes but I
know it is so necessary. Charity suffereth long and is kind, envieth not, and
seeketh not its own. It is seriously the most perfect attribute, which makes it
soo hard to accomplish because we are so opposite as humans. We are not
patient, we are not nice, we are envying beings, and we always want what we
want- NOW. So when you read that scripture you’re like “wow thanks for
describing my faults and making me feel super good”. But it is just another
chance to be humbled. Haha backstreet boys just came on and it’s like "I
want it that way", thanks for being proving my point. Jk, sorry
distractions. Okay. Really though. The mission is such a humbling experience
because it has been here that I have realized what a horribly imperfect person
I am and how mean and rude and selfish I am and its so great because I don’t
want to be like that. So its just hard but great - The refiners fire. God knows
who I can be. Sometimes I forget that there is a "big picture" and I
get too involved in the little hard things that I have like this new
companionship. It is hard to get used to another personality but its like, I
can either be difficult or I can shut up and learn something. So I think I am
going to decide to learn something. I am just ranting and I don’t even remember
what I was talking about. Oh yeah. Charity. Charity is perfection and it is
really hard to have but I am trying to get it little by little. Okay well that
is enough.
Anyway. I love the message of the Restoration.
It breaks my heart when people harden their hearts against that story. I know
it could sound crazy, but it is also just so simple and beautiful to know that
God loves us so much that he keeps communicating with us through a living
prophet. I am working on understanding other points of views about the
Restoration. It is something super personal to me because it was one of the
first testimonies I received as a youngin’ - that Joseph Smith was a prophet. I
remember I got that testimony when we did the Church History tour. I am so
grateful for that family trip we took because without it I don’t think my testimony
would be nearly as strong about Joseph Smith and his journey through restoring
the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We have quite a few of our investigators right now
that are stumped on doubt about Joseph Smith. I hope they can open their hearts
and let the spirit bare witness of the truth of that message.
Okay So I think that is all. I got the package.
Thanks soo much. I LOVED the gratitude letters. I think I’m going to work on
being more grateful. I love you all so much and am grateful for your kindness
and the love that was expressed through your words. Anyways. I’m peacin’ out with
this letter cause its too long and not that important.
LOVE YA. Love me. bai
Conamorporfis,
Elder Macdonald
PS the doctor that works in the temple is technically
the mission doctor for all the Mexico City missionaries. He works where the old
MTC was located here. haha. idk. It’s not a weird thing?
PPS Shout out to Aunt Karyn and Aunt Amy! So
happy birthday to you two! I love ya both! And shout out to Aunt Lisa last week – happy bday and much
loveJ
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| cielo (heaven or sky) |
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