Milagrasos

HOOOOLLAA ¿QUE TAL?

Nice, so I've heard this week was pretty exciting? Lots of hiking and fair adventure stories from the family, which brought me wonderful laughs and joy. It was pretty big here as well. Lots of cool miracles and cool people to meet! So fun story. We walked past a house, then thought we would turn around and clap it (here you clap out side of houses; most people have gates, and knocking on doors isn't really an option). A lady came out and said (in Castellano) "If it's about religion, I don't want any thing!" Then, (in a very British accent) "I don't want any thing!" I, surprised, commended her for how well she spoke English, and she said she was from England and had moved here when she was thirteen. So we had a fun chat in English about her story and how she got here, all kinds of things. It was very odd, and even though she was very much not interested in our message, we got to know each other and she said she might come to our English classes, since she said her English is getting worse and worse. It was weird to hear some one speaking fluently in a British accent, but super cool to meet some one and hear her story! Hopefully she comes to the English classes and we can get to know her better!

At the end of this week, Elder McCollum and I were joking that we need to movie title it "Every Day a Miracle" Lot's of cool stuff happened, from a guy calling us asking to meet who was investigating the church ages agao, to people just wanting to know what we're all about and actually asking us. It made me think a lot about the actuality of our Father in Heaven's love for us. Even if nothing comes of the people we spoke to this week, I know the Lord gave us those experiences because He wanted me to know that He loves me and will give us the things we need and often desire so that we can feel that divine love. It's so important to focus on the good things that happen in our lives, and make sure we're not forgetting them when things start to take a downward spiral. The memory of those blessings we've had will assuredly keep us afloat as waves of difficulties crash over us. And assuredly there will be waves crashing; this life is and always has been a test! But it's also a joy, and there is such an incredible amount of joy to feel every day. My time escaped me again, and now I feel bad, but I hope all can feel today their Lord's love for them even if it's going rough. Love you all QUITE A LOT!

UN GRAN ABRAZO

Elder McDonald

Un Brasilero y un Yankee

Elder McCollum!

Making the wall.

TRASLADOOOOS.

Buen día to all! How's every one doing? This week was pretty crazy. I went to the mission offices twice to bring Elder Groen to his last interview with President Robertson and then to drop him off forever! He's probably talking with President and his wife about how to date girls right now before he gets on the plane home.

So, that's the basic news for this week. Oh, also we found out about tansfers! Epa. My new companion's name is Elder McCollum, probably not spelled like that. Apparently he has a few months already in the mission, but other than that, I know nothing about him! I'm stoked stoked stoked to get to work in this wonderful area. I grow to love my brethren here in Argentina more and more every week. Every day even. But I still love America too! I want to formally apologise to every one for this email because writer's block is strong today, and I'm low on time. BUT! I did want to share a little thing I've been thinking about. Especially given that yesterday was Father's Day, I wanted to touch on the gratitude and love that I have for my cool dad. He has always given me an example of working hard and finding joy in doing so, and I'm grateful as well that he has magnified his Priesthood power and been a blessing to our family in doing so. I've always been able to feel my father's love, and he has provided for me a home in which I have been able to receive a testimony of my Heavenly Father and His incredible love and care for me as well. I hope that it never leaves any of your minds that just as many are blessed with an earthly father who loves and helps us as best he can, all of us are blessed with a Heavenly Father who loves and helps us perfectly, and always. As long as we seek that love, we will feel it. 

LOOOVEEE allof you and I must go now. But be safe all! Y Que gane los Estados ¿ehhh?

Stake President's Family!

MASSIVE EMPANADAS!

MACANUDO.

NICE. Hello blessed people. This week flew by. I don't even know where it went. Next week is transfers, which means also that Elder Groen is heading home. How weird is that? It is crazy how incredibly quickly time flies. Last Tuesday I hit my EIGHT MONTH MARK WHICH BLEW MY MIND. The fact that I left the comfort of my home over eight months ago is crazy. My pench mate Elder Townsend, who arrived with me told me that that translates in to one third of our mission. That means that time goes by really fast, and that means that I need to make sure I'm working real hard so that I can make the most of this time. Time is a quick one, and often times it passes and we look back on what we made of it with a little bit of bitterness, right? That's been my goal for quite a while. I think as humans, it's impossible to not have regrets, but I don't want to look back on my service towards my Lord with any bitterness. I know I'll remember it was hard, and absolutely I'll remember that I am and was completely and fully happy here doing this, but I don't want to remember things I didn't do that I should have, or that I did do that I shouldn't have. But hey, that's not just for my mission, but for my life as well! 

I love the scripure in 2 Nephi that tells us that "men are that they might have joy". This life was never meant to be a life filled with trials and tests and suffering so that after we suffer through it we'll get to finally be happy in the next. We're here to be happy as well! Yes, our trials and tests are important, but the Lord has given us families (however small they may be), and has given us a beautiful world to live in. Even joy can be found in the ugly parts of this world - especially if we try and help them out and bring our light and joy over there. But there is a catch! A fullness of joy always always always will come as we follow the Saviour. With out our Jesus, there can't be true joy. There are always moments that we can feel it, but to receive it completely, we have to partake. It's just like the Holy Spirit! We can all feel the Spirit some times, but in order to have it with us as a constant guide towards happiness, we have to follow Christ's example and "be baptised, yea, even by water!"

How I love my family and the example they have all been to me. This week is going to be crazy good for every one. Especially for my beautiful mother since it's her birth-day. Shout outs to her for being wonderful and for being born. You're the greatest, Mum. ¡Feliz cumple!

ABRAZOS,

Elder McDonald

CUENTA TUS BENDICIONES

BLESSED FAMILY AND FRIENDS! WHAT A JOY TO GET ALL OF THOSE EMAILS AND PHOTOS ABOUT A GRAND ANDREWS FAMILY REUNION. Family reunions are the best, and even though I couldn't be there, my joy was great hearing that there were many adventures had and much campfire joy and love to be felt. Seriously, such great photos to see. And I'm glad you could all enjoy some blazing hot weather over there as well. Here it is assuredly not blazing hot. In fact, it's quite cold. Luckily, a missionary left his sleeping bag in my last pench, and he's since gone home, so I promptly took that with me. It has been wonderful. I also hope that Grandpa's birth-day was filled with lots of s´more parties and howling wolves (and maybe dances with them as well).

This week was grand! I don't have any thing specifically grand to tell you all, but every week and  day here in this country is a wonderful blessing. Our ward here is great, and there are some wonderfully faithful families that are ready and willing to help us take this message to all that are ready to hear and act upon it. This week, we visited all of the members we could, and shared a sweet nineties video with them about finding people as members who be brought to the gospel through our feelings from the Spirit. We gave each of them a Book of Mormon, invited them to write their testimonies in the back, and then invited them to utilise this Sunday to fast in order to know to whom they should give the books. Fasting has been around for a long time, and there's clearly a reason that the Lord has given us the commandment to do so. As I've fasted with a real purpose on my mission, the answers and blessings have been clear every time, and my testimony of the power of fasting and sacrifice has grown substantially. Turns out I just looked at the time and I have none of it, so I need to close this up and tell you all that I love you and care for you! Any thing that any one needs, even though I'm down in South America, let me know and I'll do the best to help, and I'll always have a prayer for you to give. Christ lives, and so do His commandments. Follow Him, follow them, and He has promised us that He will be there to help in all of our afflictions - Spiritual or physical. LOVE YOU ALL.

Elder McDonald

I bought a really really really spicy pepper plant. It is delicious because no one eats spicy things here.