Weddings, baptisms, and the beauty of God's creations.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAPA KOCH. SO GLAD THAT THE TREE DIDN’T KILL YOU! (Micro burst in Spokane knocked an old oak tree down while Papa was mowing the lawn)

Felicidades prima Parry. I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU ARE HOME. A year and a half went by so extremely fast and it is scary. The mission just ends. And it’s super sad and weird. Hahahhahaha HOPE YOU`RE HAPPY. Seriously you're so awesome and such an inspiration to many. Come sneak down to Mexico and try to find me. 

This week was literally power filled. We went to get some kids married! It was awesome. Sooo funny. So this judge does the favor for like 500 pesos, which is super cheap compared to other places. So we had to travel super far and get this work done. And we did it. Since every missionary goes to this judge, they all leave the pass along cards in the tables and the walls with the names of the investigators written on it and the date of when they got married. Haha so we did it and now we are famous. #hollaratchyourboi. When they got married they got all teary eyed and they really do love each other. So that was a little bit weird and uncomfortable but very nice at the same time. They took us out to eat tacos. YUM. I love tacos. So A. is all ready to get baptized. Hoping she does this week.

Then on Wednesday I had to go to immigration for the 17 hundredth time and it was super annoying but fun because I saw Elder W. and G. Probably the last time I see them until we finish the mission. That’s crazy. They seem to be doing well. It took forever to do everything and to wait for everyone. We got home super late and couldn`t teach much.

The rest of the week we had to worry about the baptismal interviews. But R. M. passed and it was super exciting because we had the baptism on Saturday. The baptism was FANTASTIC. The spirit was sooo strong. Everyone loved it and just commented on how fantastic it was. Even the Mission President came. He had revelation, so he knew it was going to be so good, and so that’s why he went. Hahahha not. When I saw him it scared me and I was like.... okay... pressure, but it all turned out well. So this is the funny ward that doesn’t know what a special musical number is. So we had a great idea... My comp wanted to sing this time so we did a bilingual musical number. He started out in Spanish and then the next verse I started to sing in English and it was hilarious because of this.... So the first verse a bunch of members and children were trying to sing along with my comp and were looking throughout the hymn book to find the song..... and finally when they found it, they started singing more loudly, I started to sing in English and they were all like..... UHHHHHHHHHHHH WHAT SONG IS THIS? hahahahahhaha. It was so good. Stumped them. #besmart. But the spirit was super strong and everyone was in love with the song. And then R. M. was baptized by her son in law. It was just all in all super good. Even the talks were good. I am just good at coordinating baptisms. Hit me up. I'll do it for a biznus. 

Then on Sunday lots of investigators came. Like 5 or 6. It was fun to see them all get there and learn so much. This week we are hoping to baptize 2 more, if they pass their interviews.  One of them doesn’t want to share her baptism and I’m super mad at her. Hahaha. jk she doesn’t know I’m mad at her, but she is making the whole baptism thing really complicated. Just think about at the Day of Pentecost when hundreds of people were baptized on the same day. It’s a lot cooler - but whatever. I’M SOO STOKED FOR THEM TO GET BAPTIZED. It’s the last week of the change, so if they change me, it’ll be good to see the fruits of my labors. Love it. 

 Today we went to a place called LOS DINAMOS. It was awesome. It is a super big long hike to a bunch of little waterfalls and creeks and it’s beautiful and I feel super blessed that it is in my area. We all almost died falling in the water and I was freaking out that one of the missionaries was going to die and I was going to be blamed and so it just made me a little bit scccuuuuured. it was a lot of fun and we enjoyed that break to be in the wilderness today out among the beauty of God’s creations. Enjoy the photos. 

Well everything else is just the mission- Lots of good things happening. I love my area. Even though I didn’t think I would, I DO. Hahaha - Funny how that always works out. Enjoy your last vacation. Enjoy Mack. Tell her to not forget about me. Tell her to go help the missionaries out everyday. Love yaaa. bai

Con Amor,

Elder Macdonald

WEDDING

All the missionaries leave notes about their investigators that get married. It's awesome. I made history....

signing her life away...

BAPTISM FOR R. M.

so many houses

going on hikes

A trip to the Visitor Center (shout out to Mom) and being a missionary like a fat guy on Thanksgiving Day

HAHA - WANT TO KNOW HOW THE BAPTISM WAS??

I would too, cause it didn’t happen. Poor A. L. got super sick on Tuesday with bronchitis and laryngitis and went to the hospital. All week she was on bed rest. Stupid sickness ruined our perfect baptism. 

But don’t fear, R. M. is here, and she is getting baptized THIS Saturday. Haha, well we hope. The bishop didn’t even want to announce it in church in case of something weird happening to prevent the baptism again. Oh, what joy. But we finished all of the lessons with her so all she needs is the interview. HOPING SHE PASSES. I am almost sure she will. But one never knows. So pray that she does. yayaya. She is awesome and super prepared. Her son in law is going to come and baptize her. I am hoping all of the ward members goooooo! They need to gooo!!!!!!!!!!

So we also are going to get some young folks hitched tomorrow!!! I am really stoked. It has to be official because they have confirmed it like a billion times. Tomorrow morning we are leaving early to another state to get them married by a judge. The same judge I went with last time. And once A. is married, legally, she can get baptized!!! She has been doing super well. She has stopped smoking. Well not completely, but we did one week with 3 cigarettes a day, then the next week 2, then 1, and this week she needs to STOP. So we are going to be having daily contact with her so that she cuts that turkey out of her life. I have faith that she will. She has progressed so much.... From wanting to stop smoking, to getting married, to getting baptized, and to follow Christ. It is true conversion. But she says that if me or my comp gets changed she will go inactive. So I really hope she is joking about that. Haha I am sure she is. We have almost taught her everything. And she came with us to the temple this week along with a big group of people!!!

This week my comp had a cita with the doctor at the temple and so we called President to get permission to be able to bring investigators and recent converts and members with us to the Visitors Center. He totally said yes and we were like AWESOME. It was super fun. Everyone was mad at me because they thought I was going to get them lost but I mean, it’s me, I can’t get lost. So I just was like, “trust in me.. have faith in ME, and you will find the temple”. And they found it and they were happy and started worshiping me and now I’m going to start my own church. Haha - just kidding. It was a super long journey and everyone got tired and headaches and was grouchy and I felt like mom trying to keep everyone happy on a road trip to Disneyland. I feel your pain, mother. Sorry for being so rude. Hahaha I wanted to slap them a couple times to make them see the beautifulness of this trip. But now I think they are so supèr grateful for going. I am super grateful we got to go. It is such a beautiful place. Seriously. It’s hermoso. AAAAAAND they could feel the spirit. It was so tangible. I took them on a tour cause the sister missionary only took them to see a video and left them out to die alone in the giant place.  We took them around to see everything and then we went in the store for people. We got back and N. bought us HUGE burgers from Carls Jr. She loves the missionaries a little too much. But hey, if she wants to buy me burgers, go right ahead. 

We didn’t have much time to find other people to teach this week cause there were a bunch of random little impediments. But whatever…

We hope to be having a baptism this week, a wedding, and then a baptism the NEXT week. Pray for A. C. G. to be able to stop smoking for good so that she can get baptized. I love you all so much and am grateful for your many prayers.

Mack gets home this week. WEIRD. Never thought this day would come. I have less than 6 months. It’s like, what? I am going to enjoy these last 6 months like a fat guy on Thanksgiving Day - EAT ALL YOU CAN. And then sleep. I will sleep in 6 months. 

Con Amor,

Elder Macdonald

WE BROUGHT A BIG GROUP TO THE TEMPLE THIS TIME. WAAHOOO

The children's play area in the Visitors Center.

great sky shots.

Long story... we had a huge photoshoot because some members gave us super sweet Mexican soccer jerseys!!! I WAS STOKED. And so we put them on and took like 500 photos... enjoy.

We don't know what happened. I might need an exorcism.

the Grinch

THE END

Bumps in the road, Preach My Gospel, and loving the work.

Howdy folks in the US of A.

Okay this dumb computer isn’t letting me put the pictures here so I might not send pics... hahaha SORRY. Who knows... Next week?

Well, I am really loving my area. We have a super hectic week up ahead of us. Our investigator that is going to get baptized got bronchitis and we are worried we won’t get to teach everything before the interview on Friday. Pray for A. L. I have faith that she will get baptized. She couldn’t even come to church because she was so sick. CRAP. Why do things like this always happen last minute? Trials of our faith, I presume. So every day this week we are going to teach her a whole lot because we already made baptism initiations and announced it in church and everyone already knows.... hahahaha soo… 

Okay sorry I had to change computers. The one I had, had a virus and it wasn’t letting me put pictures in the emails. Haha.

So yeah the baptism is like super, extremely stressful and we are worrying and shaking in our boots. But I have faith. I know that God will provide a way. 

There is a child playing videos games very loudly RIGHT BEHIND ME. grrrsss.

Want to hear something extremely awesome. I ate at PANDA EXPRESS. I am telling you... my area has EVERYTHING. I find new tender mercies everyday. I converted my companion to become a Panda lover. Apparently they are new in Mexico and he had never eaten there before.

This Sunday was fantastic because we got to assign the TALKS. I am really good at picking talks. Haha. We assigned 2 less active members and 1 new member that just arrived in the ward. They all talked about the importance of missionary work. But they all talked about it in its different aspects. And then after their talks my comp talked. The last month I gave the talk so it was his turn. He was super excited. I was too because I HATE talks. I love assigning them, but I don’t like giving them. Even as a missionary. Talks are just not fun to give. They are fun to prepare, but not to give. The spirit was super great in that sacrament meeting and everyone learned a lot. But 2 very important investigators didn’t come which made us very sad. But the other two investigators that we have did come and they are going to get married in 2 WEEEEKS. Ahhh I am sooo stoked. They are fantastic. Super stoked about being baptized. And the two classes after sacrament meeting were about baptism. So it was like the icing on the cake. After church we taught a missionary prep type class. It was more to train the members on how to give the missionary lessons after baptism. They all have to buy a Preach my Gospel for their homework. I am a nice teacher. And they have to read a lot. Super nice. So I assign the same homework to YOU ALL. Buy a PMG.... and read the first lesson in chapter 3. Study it, Pray about it, and learn how to teach it. Preach My Gospel is such a fantastic tool that helps us NOT BE AFRAID to teach. 

Okay. Running late on time. We went to like 50 hospitals this week. And my comp is doing better, which is good. Someone told him he needed to talk to a psychologist. And I LOL'd. I def agree. Hahahha JUST KIDDING OKAY. But it was funny.

So I am super happy. We are finding, teaching, and baptizing #thisweeekenddd bababababay. The mission is the greatest. It is weirding me out hearing of all these missionaries coming home. YIKES. Can’t believe how fast it goes. It’s really sad actually. #thecircleoflifeistheworst

I have to come down next summer for a bunch of sealings in the temple. So we will organize that another day... hehehehe. COME ON LET’S GOOO.

I hope you all are enjoying your fantastic summer break. I love you all and miss you and am so happy to be with y’all for eternity. Be good. The gospel is the best. I am so blessed to be teaching it 24/7. Even in my sleep. It’s restless. I can’t remember anything else. 

The work is pressing forward. We didn’t have time to find new people this week because we focused on the girls that have dates... And Satan is putting stumbling blocks in the way so it doesn’t happen. Just gotta keep working so we prove him WRONG. #akaawkward.

Les AMO CON TODO MI CORAZON.. #habloespañol

Elder Macdonald

the volcanos

Elder Macs' nickname at home is Momo. 

Hospital

Estadio Azteca

It hailed on us SO HARD AND IT HURT. hahahah #wetliving

eating in paradise.