Mateo in MEXICO: Divina Luz, music, and making pizza?

Hey FAM and others.

This week FLEW by. I’M SERIOUS. It was probably because I had a bunch of choir practices. But even with so many choir practices, we still taught 38 lessons and found quite a few more hopeful investigators.

So I forgot my journal and don’t remember anything. It’s like someone hit my head and gave me amnesia. Well anyway - We are singing Divina Luz for Elder Oaks. It is Lead Kindly Light in English. It is an interesting arrangement... But it’s still pretty. It has been something really powerful to have all of these practices. First of all it has reminded me how music has helped me recognize the spirit in my life. It also reminded me of having choir practice every day of my life since forever. haha. It’s really been a tender mercy. Especially because the song we sing is such a beautiful piece about being guided by God’s Light daily. And that’s what we, as missionaries need! We have to be guided! Because if we aren’t... Well then we are wasting time. So it’s been interesting being able to analyze the words more as a prayer and a plea to God for guidance, than as a song.

It has been fun too because I have been able to do intercambios with Elder Y. in my District which is also a tender mercy because I am sick of speaking English. And he is Mexican. So we speak Spanish... He is also a very good teacher and missionary, so I like to be taught by him and steal good ideas. I also was able to see Elder G. and W. (Elders he flew to Mexico from the MTC with) and we took a picture together. None of us can believe that we have a year in the mission. WEIRD. They are doing so great and I'm stoked for them.

So our investigators are doing great! L. loves everything about the church and God and wants to get baptized so bad... But she can’t quite yet because she has to get married. So this week she was like "hey we picked a date... and we are getting married in Agosto!".... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. I was like “what the heck why so far away girl?” Then we talked to her about how important it is to keep the commandments of God as soon as possible and not wait. She understood a little bit better and now realizes that she needs to get married asap. But unfortunately she is paying of debts right now and that’s why she isn’t able to get married quite yet but we made the goal for March or April to get hitched and baptized. We will see what happens. It’s because her boyfriends’ family wants them to have a big wedding but she doesn’t because that’s just too expensive and that means they will have to wait for a long time. So I was like “hey the members would be totes willing to pitch in and make food and do decorations”... Haha. Threw them under the bus, that’s for sure. I guess only time will tell. We are praying and fasting for a miracle with her. M. is the Grammy and she is getting so happy and excited. We have taught her the first three lessons. She only needs to come one more Sunday. We will see if she wants to move the date up to the 15th of this month. I am so happy for that family. They are just golden. They are going on an excursion with the Stake to the Veracruz temple since the temple here is closed just to do baptisms for the dead! How fantastic?! No?! They are going this Wednesday. They also invited us over to make them pizza because I told them I know how.... Haha. When I said I know how, I was talking about frozen Digiorno pizza. Lol. We will see how this turns out. It’s in my American blood. J. is also working towards to 22 de Feb to get baptized. Well.... He isn’t super convinced for this date because he thinks it is super quick. And I am really encouraging him to just trust in the Lord. So I hope he has a good experience and decides to get baptized this day. He has come to church 2 times now and is reading the Book of Mormon. He said he knows its true.... I don’t know why the hold up. I think he wants to wait for his mom... She is also an investigator but she can’t get baptized because she can never come Sundays since she works. She has already read more than half of the Book of Mormon. Hopefully we can help him out.

Other investigators we have just aren’t progressing or are avoiding us. OUCH. Haha. So we are working on that. So funny story that didn’t happen to me - Last week I felt super prompted to contact a girl because she reminded me of my cousin Taylor! And so I invited her to read the restoration pamphlet and she seemed golden because she was like “ya come to my house”. So a week later my comp and Elder G. went to visit her when Elder Y. and I went to go sing in Tasquena and I guess the visit went a little cray cray. She is super confused about beliefs and only wanted to fight with them and then her dad also came out and was Bible bashing with them and it was just a big rofl bash because Elder G. got super defensive and forward with people and my comp just doesn’t speak Spanish and it was just one big fat disaster. Oh dear. So I think that they might have ruined all opportunity we had, but we shall see. They put another cita... so it must not have been so bad. Right?

I am super content with the mission and the area. We are trying to talk to more people because we need more investigators that progress. I am excited for this weekend because we have a missionary conference with Elder Oaks on Saturday... then the other missionaries in the Rama have a baptism, then on Sunday we have a stake conference and Elder Oaks and I am just super excited. Haha its gunna be crazy. I think they are going to make us sleep in the YELLOW HOUSE on Friday night because otherwise we would have to leave our house at 4:30 in the morning to make it on time for the conference in the temple. Haha. So that should be interesting. The yellow house be crazy.

I love you all so much. The missionary work is the best. The Lord has hastened his work.... all what’s missing is that we actually do something. So open your mouth and it will be filled. It’s a promise from the Lord. D&C 24:12. Do it to it.

Con Amor,

Elder Macdonald