Mateo in MEXICO: 12 weeks to go, draining a font with a bucket, and butt dialing as a tender mercy.

Hey family. I am bipolar with my emotions right now. We have changes. I stay. Everyone knows I hate changes. But EVERYONE knows that I end up loving those changes after a few days or weeks. Why can't I understand that at the beginning of every transfer?

My beloved companion, Elder R., has been a Zone Leader his whole life basically. So seeing that he only has 3 changes left, the President moved him to be a District Leader and to have him TRAIN. That is awesome. But the most awesome part is where he is going...... QUETZAL. My beloved Quetzal. Where lives my favorite rabbits (The “rabbit family”) and Grandmas. I am super stoked for him. But I am really sad that we have to be separated. It has been the easiest companionship in the mission. I have learned lots from him. And these past 12 weeks FLEW BY. I cannot understand it... seeing that I only have 12 weeks left in Mexico, it makes me want to cry.

So I am staying here... which makes me super happy. I HOPE with all my heart that I stay here until the end of my mission. The rest of our companions are leaving too, expect for one. This District has gotten so close and I am very bummed that all of our fun has to come to an end. Or it just has to change. I am sure the new District will be fun. It should be interesting. The Lord is definitely testing me in these next changes to see if I will truly put into practice what I have learned throughout my whole mission. It should be good. It is always good. But I think without a doubt, these were some fun days here with some great missionaries.

Now that I expressed that.... Oh haha my stomach is still screwed up and I threw up nothing today in the morning. I think it was a combination of nerves and of my sickness. It is worrying me. I sure hope I don’t have to die or get surgery before my mission ends. I think I will talk to a doctor soon because it IS so annoying having to throw up this much. I feel bulimic.

We had a wonderful baptism this weekend! M. de J. and her niece, K., were baptized and it was so spiritually uplifting for all who went. We had to drain the water from the font the old fashioned way.... with BUCKETS. And this font is HUGE. I don’t understand why it is so big? It’s like they built it with the purpose of baptizing multiple people simultaneously. hmm. ? go figure¿

We sang, the children sang, billions of people went, the Bishop went, our new converts gave fabulous talks, and everyone was crying in a hot room. Hahah. Honestly, it was wonderful. We confirmed them members of the church of Jesus Christ on Sunday, and the daughter of M. got a lot more excited and convinced to be baptized in November.

We are going to baptize more and more people in November. We are still dealing with less than we have in the past transfer.... But I think we should at least baptize 3 or 4 people. Depending if they still want to, seeing that their favorite Elder, Elder R., is going home. Hahahah. They all love him. Basically, they worship the ground he walks on. He has a way with words that most people don’t have. That’s why they love him. And so, we are hoping to still baptize a lot. We have to start planting this month to baptize in December and January. AHHHH. WHY?! What. I cannot understand or believe this. It is all happening so fast. Too fast.

We found new investigators this week. We taught great lessons. We had a good Zone Training. We have done so many fantastic things in these past 12 weeks. AHh. I just have to trust in the Lord and know that he will make me strong in my weaknesses. ayayayay. I know it is true. It is always true and will always keep being true. But it’s all good. I have to work really hard because I am going to "train" por decir a new Zone Leader. He is a good missionary. His name is Elder J. Sure enough, he is from Utah. And I don’t know much more. But it’s okay. It’ll be a fun new adventure. We will learn a lot together and enjoy this time. But that’s another thing that makes me nervous and weak in da knees.

I am so blessed to be working in the ward where I am working. I am learning valuable lessons and truly applying the Gospel of Jesus Christ in my life. I am learning how to lead and guide and be led and guided. I am learning how to love unconditionally and always have a smile on my face. I am learning that my example means a lot more than I think it does. I am learning that the Lord trusts so much in His wee little children that it is almost unbelievable. But he does. It’s all true. I love you all.

I am short on time. We have lots of stuff to do. Lots of tears to be shed and yeah…

Wait hold up. Okay so this week we butt dialed an investigator. She is fantastic and has a brother on the mission. But on Wednesday she got home from work and said a prayer to her Heavenly Father. She expressed her worries to Him in a small and simple prayer; and told him that she hadn't felt His presence with her that day. Right as she said "amen", she received an unexpected call from the ELDERS... In this moment, she received our butt dialed call. She broke out into tears and was in shock. Of course we didn’t realize the impact this would of had on her... so we just did small talk and explained to her that we called her by accident. But this experience testified to her that God works by small and simple things. He knows our needs. He hears our cries. Our concerns are His concerns. And He is our Father. I have been able to see so many tender mercies like this one as a missionary. This merciful blessing, just as many others, are only possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. By and through Him, we can be strengthened and taught. We can receive blessings when we feel like we don’t deserve it... and we honestly never deserve it. But because of Christ, we can receive his merciful hand in our life, produced by the love he has for each and one of His children.

I love you all so much. I hope you all look for and recognize the tender mercies of the LORD in your lives.

Con Amor,

Elder Macdonald