UNA FAMILIA DE ORO

BUUUEEENAAASSSS. Hopefully every one is doing incredibly well! This week was fiiiilllled with walking. Well, more so than my weeks usually are. But walking's great, so there's no problem there. All of that walking was rewarded by a great gift this Sunday, though. The great family of Bolivians, Familia Chumacero, finally came to church with us! It was great to see them there, and that was a big step for them in their progression; Sundays were always difficult for them because they always have family come and visit and want to have lunch and things like that. It is beautiful to see progression in people you put so much prayer and energy in to. What a blessing it has been for me to watch their faith in the Saviour grow. It makes me think of the great blessing it must be to raise a child. Frustrating (I know from looking back on my former self that it's real frustrating), but rewarding to see such great growth. As Elder Hales told us a year ago, our children are just as our investigators - it's our responsibility to help them become converted unto the Lord.

And that's about all I know about raising children. But if teaching and seeing people I'm not even related to grow spiritually, and if raising a child unto the Lord as a parent is so satisfying and rewarding, think of how rewarding it is for our Father in Heaven to watch us in life's journey as we grow and try to come closer to Him! And if we put so much effort in to helping said people grow in this life, think of the huge effort that our Heavenly Father puts in to help us grow, be happy and return to him. It's got to be a pretty intense effort, and I know it was as well for our beloved older Brother Jesus Christ, who suffered all things so that we can progress in this life and so that we can return to a Father who has done so much to let us back in to His presence. I love my Saviour dearly, and I love my Father in Heaven dearly. I know He loves me. I know He loves each and every one of you, His children. And I know He has put in His full effort, and that He continues to do so, so that we may have every possibility to return to live with Him. His work and His glory is us and our eternal life. I know that to be true, thanks to the Restored Gospel on the earth today.

I love you all dearly dearly and thank you for all that you do to keep me up and running out here! I'm up and running!

Un beso,

Elder McDonald

Meeting President Nelson!