LA VIDA

BUEEEEEEN DÍA. Seriously, how is every one? Things here are pressing along in our small ward of Libertad. It has been quite cold these last few days, and prospects aren't looking too hot for the following weeks. Pun intended. 

Hopefully all is well up in California and every one is enjoying lots of beach time for me. I'll be honest, the writers block is strong with me this Monday, but I feel really good and really excited about life. I think the mutual theme for this year is "Press forward with firmness in Christ", right? That was a direct translation from Spanish; I don't remember the wording of the English scripture. But I really like that. In these perilous times, it is incredibly important that we have our strength centered in Christ. And I think that as we put our head down and march against the winds of sin, we'll be blessed for it. Like Elder Holland pressed upon us with such strength in the last General Conference, we will be blessed for doing our best. Some times we won't have the strength to stand up and testify boldly, but if we make sure that we push hard and keep the commandments as best we can, and repent when we don't, all will be well. That phrase, "press forward" just brings to mind the image of some one bent down pushing forward with a powerful wind blowing the opposite direction. Many times, we're not going to be able to change the direction of the wind on our own, but if we trust in the Saviour, we can be calm among the storm knowing that we won't be blown over. So we just need to press foward, and as we do so, others being blown about by the winds of sin will see our joy in doing so, and want to follow our example and the light that is in each of us because of the joy that the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ brings. 

Seriously, I pray that all of you are happy and doing great things for the world. And a reminder not to forgot about Elder Kearon's invitation to work with the refugees that need great things from us who are more fortunate. Do it as best as your circumstances allow! You'll be blessed and feel so much more joy for doing so. Love you allllllll wayyyyy too much. Chau-chau!

Elder McDonald

Footbal with the jovenes!

Before enjoying the fruits of Grandma's treat money!

During the enjoyment...

After.

MUY CHETO

BUEEEEEEEEN DÌA ¿TODO BIEN? I'm just going to start right off here with the most interesting lesson I have ever had here.

A few days ago, we contacted a man outside of his massive property called "Los Leones". Like he has a big gate and two lion statues guarding the entranceway. It is a big property. To our surprise, he told us that at this moment his wife was busy getting her hair done but that if we passed by on Sunday after four o'clock he'd be happy to let us in. So pass by Sunday after four o'clock we did. And they're both super nice and VERY smart. He is a moderately famous surgeon named Mario Pagannini. Want to know why? Here's why: he reattached some one's head. Successfully. It was completely severed except for the spinal column (if the spinal column is severed there's no going back, apparently). And he reattached EVERY THING. The guy could even talk afterwards. So there's that. Then, he informed us that he and his wife, Beatrice, (who is also a very intelligent doctor) have travelled all over the world, and as a result, collected many rare and very cool items. And so they decided to build a little museum on their property. So they took us to their museum. And it is very cool. He has bugs from all over the world, shells from all over the world, bones (including a whale bone he found in his YARD) and some artifacts his son acquired from Egypt while exploring ancient ruins. AND he has two massive meteorites that he found. And he just took them out of the case and let us hold them. I got to touch my first extraterrestrial object in Argentina! And he even let us take home a few tiny chunks that had broken off. So I now have in my possession chunks of space rock that are millions of years old. I still cannot believe this happened. Then he told us that he has a cadavre from China in another part of his property that he's going to show us next time along with honestly just a bunch of other things he has that I don't fully understand with my weak brain. So, all of that was surprising. Finally, we got them sat down so that we could teach them about the Book of Mormon, and understand their religious background a bit. They were very honest and sincere with us about how, with all their work in science and such, it was hard to find room for faith. They were excited to read the Book of Mormon, but were a bit reserved about praying, but as we taught and testified, the Spirit was there. They said that they would try to say a prayer and ask if the Book of Mormon is true. It was very unique to speak with them, as most here already have a Catholic background of sorts. But they are wonderfully nice, and invited us back.

For me, even though we left that meeting with them with our minds blown, refelcting now I think of the difference that we felt as we talked about things of the world and things of the Spirit. Even though the Lord has blessed us to be able to understand our world and scientific things, the gratification that comes from discovering a meteorite or a way to understand the weight of atoms is very much different from the soft feelings the Spirit brings us as we understand our Spiritual heritage and what the Lord wants for us here. The feeling is different, and it is better and more fulfilling. Our Father wants us to use our knowledge and increase it, but more so He wants us to know how much He loves us and how much He wants us to return to live with Him and partake of His blessings. And as we realise that, I know that the joy is different, and I've seen in others that it's different as well. So as you search for new earthly knowledge, don't forget to keep on in the search for Heavenly knowledge and the Heavenly joy that our Father has for those who knock.

I adore every single one of you to the recesses of my soul and could not be more grateful to be a part of a family who can be together time and all eternity. I love my family and I love my Saviour Jesus Christ. 

Un Abrazo,

Elder McDonald

Elder Vicente and I bought some Brasilian candy and thought Dad would like to see it. 

Hombres Trabajando.

The meteorite shards the surgeon gave us.

Our famous surgeon.

ANIMO

BUEN DÍA A TODOS MIS QUERIDOS. Is all well up in the North? We seem to be in for a chilly week round here, so I'm excited. 

This week was pretty crazy, and filled with getting to know every one and getting to know the area. I'll be honest, half of our area is very wealthy. Like there are some incredibly nice houses around here that are some times intimidating to try and contact. Good story, actually! We met this incredibly wealthy young man out side of his house washing his Peudgeout (I think that's how it's spelled. There are a lot of European car companies here that I hadn't heard of before my mission) sports car. We asked him if he knew some one we were looking for, and he said no, but then was really chill and had a lot of questions about who we are and if we go to clubs and dance even though we're missionaries. His girlfriend came out a bit later and we chatted and explained who we are to them. Get this: Their names are Nazaret and Belén. Which is Nazareth and Bethlehem. Nazaret asked us if it's more expensive to live in the US, etc, and then goes, "And, like, aren't the cars in the US way nicer than the ones here?" while casually leaning on his like fifty thousand dollar convertible. I said, "Seriously? Look at your car!" And we all got a good laugh out of that. He said his car is a special case. But they were a good couple. He had to go after that because he needed to go do bodybuilding training, but we left with a good feeling and a good message. I think we'll see Belén and Nazaret again! 

Any ways, Elder McCollum and are are excited to go out and work every day. This week I was thinking a lot about the importance of the Book of Mormon in our lives. There's a whole chapter on it in Preach my Gospel, and our zone meeting last week was on better utilising it in teaching opportunities. It's important to remind our selves that the Book of Mormon really is the keystone of this Church. If the Book of Mormon is false, then automatically so too was Joseph Smith as a prophet, and this the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which the Lord restored through him. And it works vice versa! The way that we can know that Joseph Smith really was a prophet, that this Church really is Christ's church here on the earth is through the Book of Mormon. And the promise is in the book! If we read, meditate and pray about it with a desire to know, the Lord has promised us an answer. And that is our invitation to all to whom we speak as missionaries. Read, and ask of God! And as we find out for our selves the truth, we get all of the blessings of reading the Book of Mormon and learning from its message. "There's power in this book." as always said one of my counselors in the MTC. Whether we read it as missionaries struggling through a tough week, or mothers looking for guidance for a wayward child, the Book of Mormon contains the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ can and will help each and every one of us with each and every one of our problems. As we read and study it (together with the Bible as well!), I know that its words will speak peace to our hearts in this troubled world. I crave the time I have during my days here to read and study that book, and I love the joy that I feel reading it. I know that it is true. I know that it testifies of our Saviour Jesus Christ, and provides the teachings we need to return to Him and our Father in Heaven. I love all of you and thank all of you for your support and love. I truly feel your prayers and support. 

Until next Monday!

Chau,

Elder McDonald

LIBERTAD A MÍ, LIBERTAD A AMERICA

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY LOVED ONES. How grateful I am to be from a country of freedom and opportunity. Even though I love Argentina, I still love the good old USA with all of my heart, and I hope every one is having lot of barbecue, fresh lemonade and joyful family time today.

So, pretty crazy news. Saturday morning, President Robertson called Elder McCollum and I and said, "Hey, you two are going to Libertad, and I want you to be at church tomorrow, so you're leaving tonight." Background info: Libertad is an area that last transfer closed down, so it's been with out missionaries for a few weeks. It's in the same zone, so it's not that we had to go too far. But President sent us over here to open the area back up. So now I'm in Libertad. Which is crazy. This situation is very interesting and very exciting. We have no idea where we are or basically who any one is here, so we feel kind of like newborn babes having just left the womb to find that they're in a very strange place with lots of new sights and feelings. Man, that was a good analogy. Any ways, yeah. Yesterday we went to church, and it was Fast and Testimony Meeting, so we got to hear lots of the members bear their testimonies of this wonderful Gospel, and talk about how excited they were to have missionaries back in the area. There are some awesome young men who are excited to come out and work with us as well. The ward seems great. I honestly still am a little speechless. Every thing happened so quickly, but the feeling is really that of excitement. It will be incredibly interesting to start here from scratch with out a companion to guide you, but also incredibly exciting to just enter in to a new city blind and ready to get things started. I don't have a whole lot of information on any thing being here for two days, but I am crazy crazy excited to get to work 'round here and see where the Lord takes us. This is how we learn and grow! If we just live our lives comfortable and with out any kind of change or trial, what will we have learned? The Lord knows that we learn as we are tested and have to act, and so He gives us situations in which we may do so. And what's cool is that even if we're thrown in to a situation that seems impossible, or feel like there's nothing we can do to get out of it or overcome it, we can all rest easy knowing that our Father in Heaven will never just drop us off doing some thing difficult and make us fend for our selves. He'll drop us off, but He`'ll be right there with us to help when we need it. That's the most important part! He won't help us if we don't ask for it though. Action is always necessary. "Ask, and it shall be given unto you." You have to ask! And I know He'll be there to answer with open arms.

My time is running short but man I am excited to head in to this week and let you all know where it takes us on Monday. This week is going to be crazy but I am way more excited than ever to destroy it. I know Christ loves us, I know our Father in Heaven loves us, and I know this church is His!

ABRAZOS

Elder McDonald