Don't Cry For Me Argentina: BUENAS

HEY. HOW IS EVERY ONE? Wonderful. I´m doing super well. I hope I can say every thing I want to in the time I have. I think I can.

This week has been killeeeerrrrrrrrrrr. Like every week here. Love it all.

Let´s start with my fun story for the week. Back up first. I´ve now realised that all of the years since my first day of elementary school being made fun of for my last name have been preparations for this mission. Never have I gotten more laughs when I introduce my self as Elder McDonald. Every one keeps asking me for hamburguesas and I can´t figure out why.. Chiste. I love it though! No better way to start a conversation. Any ways, because of all the hullabaloo about my name here, I figured I had to go to McDonald´s and see if I could get any sweet deals for flashing my missionary plaque to the cashier. I ordererd some fries, looked at the lady working the register and go, ´¡Mire!´ She barely looked up and just said, ´Mm.´ The worst reaction I have every gotten for my name was in my own restaurant. I´ve never been more offended.

This week we had a family home evening with Flia Meza, who are all incredible. Carlos is technically an investigator but he is honestly so ready to get baptised and just needs to get married! The rest of the family have already been baptised and I love all of them dearly. And Carlos´ pizzas. My favourite part about the night was their kids´ prayers. Both of them spoke specifically about each member of their family and how grateful they were for each one. What an example that was to me. When we pray, we shouldn´t just say that we´re grateful for our family. Talk about each member to our Heavenly Father and what you're grateful for about them. Our Father doesn´t want us to be lazy while we talk to him! He loves it! As our Father in Heaven, He wants to hear from us often. What loving father doesn´t want to know how his children are doing? Our Heavenly Father is the same. Pray to Him and tell him how you are! Express gratitude for the things He´s given you, and ask for the things you desire His help with! As we continue to go to our Father in true, honest prayer, I know that we will see the difference in our lives.

I hope every one is remembering the importance of this Christmas season! I have never appreciated Christmas more than here on my mission, where I´m not weighed down by my desires for worldly gifts in the slightest! Even though I´m far from my family, I know how much they love me, and I know how much I love them. How great is my joy as I try my hardest to teach as many people as I can about our Saviour Jesus Christ during the season of the celebration of His Birth! There´s another video the Church released about what the world would be like with out a Saviour, and I love it! With out our loving Redeemer Jesus Christ, this world would be a truly bleak place, with out comfort, and with out forgiveness. How incredibly filled with gratitude I am for my Saviour´s birth and following life. Truly, with out our Saviour, we wouldn´t have His teachings, which provide us with all of the guidance we could ever need to prepare to live with Him and our Father again. And I shiver at the thought of this world with out the blessed Atoning Sacrifice of Jesus Christ. With out our Saviour´s Atonement, all of us would be truly lost. No way to receive peace and forgiveness, and no one to understand our trials and pains perfectly. Luckily, through Jesus Christ, we have all that we could need. I know my Saviour lives, and I know that as we try to follow His example of service and love this season and always, the blessings will flow.

I love every one here and I love every one there in the USA! I AM SO HAPPY. God bless all of you and I am eternally grateful for your support and love.

Ciau,

Elder McDonald