Mateo in MEXICO: 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.