Hello Loved Ones!
It was so good to hear you all! Honestly, I loved it a ton. Man, did that 45 minutes fly by though. That's to be expected, I suppose. I only have a very little amount of time to email today, so I have to be brief. Sorry! I will give a more complete account next week. I'm so glad that you all had a great Christmas! And you got to spend it with the Nethercotts! Lucky! It looks like you all had quite the party. I'm happy about that. So when do you guys head off to San Francisco? That should be a lot of fun. This time, I propose that you all ride bikes all the way across the Golden Gate Bridge instead of only halfway. I bet it's going to be a blast. I'm excited for you guys. I have to compliment you all on the very organized system you created for the phone call. That made things flow smoothly. Good idea. I wish that we could have Skyped, and my heart dropped a bit when I opened the 25th day of the advent calendar and saw that you put the Skype account name in there. But, it worked out well. President Calderwood gave us permission to Skype a few days before Christmas, but a bunch of the members in my branch were out of town, so we didn't have a lot of available computers, if any. Now that I know we are allowed to Skype, I'm going to make sure that I get it sorted out very early so I can see you all on Mother's Day.
Before I go any further, I have to thank you all for the wonderful Christmas presents. I loved them all. I am super excited to try out the table-top air hockey. I didn't even know that existed. And the pajamas and slippers are super comfortable. Everything was perfect. The goodies were also divine. All who partook were very impressed. It just wouldn't be Christmas Eve without Momma's goodies. Grandma. thank you so much for the toffee and peanut brittle. You know how much I love them both. You're the best. Thank you one and thank you all. Honestly, you made my first Christmas away from home a treat. I missed you all, but throughout Christmas Eve and Christmas, I just kept having a feeling of fulfillment and I kept thinking that I was absolutely where I needed to be this Christmas, even though that meant being away from my family.
One thing that I want to share before I run out of time is the 2013 Vision for the mission that President Calderwood unveiled at the Christmas Eve mission conference. The vision is as follows:
"I am set apart from the world to serve the Lord Jesus Christ here in New York. By serving my fellow beings, I am serving my God and I am forever changed. My voice is HIS voice. My works are HIS works. My attributes are HIS attributes. The TEMPLE is the goal. The MEMBERS are the key. The DOCTRINE OF CHRIST is the path. The ATONEMENT is the ONLY way!"
It was a very powerful moment when this vision was unveiled. I am really excited about it, and I want to make it a part of me. It just says it all perfectly. Though it can be sad to be away from you all at Christmas, I am so thankful that the Lord has given me the opportunity to serve here in New York. I know that the Lord will not be satisfied with anything less than my best, and neither will I. Thank you for all your support that helps me to give my very best. I feel that we are all working together in a great cause. There is much work to do. One of the thoughts that keeps me going through difficult times is the realization that I need to put in a lot of effort in order to even begin to pay the Lord back and do my part. I couldn't be satisfied with myself if I let this opportunity pass me by, and I could not look any of you in the eye with a clear conscience and bear my testimony of the truthfulness of this work if I shirk my responsibilities and fail to work until the tank is empty. I'm going to make sure that that doesn't happen. I love you all so much, and I am so grateful to each of you for all that you do for me.
Love,
Elder McDonald
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Monday, December 17, 2012
Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel!
Seasons Greetings!
Hello one and all. How is everyone doing? From what I have heard, it sounds like everyone is doing well. I hope that Christmas is just filling everyone's souls with abundant cheer and mirth. It sounds like you guys are keeping up some of the fun family Christmas traditions. Nice work. I'll have you know that I am not letting Christmas Eve go by without a reenactment of the Nativity. I think that the other missionaries think it's lame, but I don't care. I'm going to make sure it happens. It's just not Christmas Eve without a Nativity reenactment. There will also be a lot of eggnog. The plan is to have all 3 companionships in my district bring a carton of eggnog. That should cover it. I would also like to eat a whole roll of Toll House cookie dough as fast as I can. I have high ambitions, but I'm a little short on time. It'll definitely be fun, though.
My missionary Christmas had a good start so far. My zone went to Broad Channel for the community Christmas party, and we were very warmly received. Everyone in the town gave a hearty cheer whenever "the Mormons" were mentioned. They even included us in their town picture! We are basically just members of their community now. It's so cool to see what service can bring about. It brought a community together, and allowed friendships to develop that would have remained undiscovered if Hurricane Sandy had never descended. We've mostly wrapped up the service, and it is definitely sad to have that chapter come to a close. But, I'll never forget the good that has come forth. As I looked out at all the Broad Channel townspeople during the party, I felt a sincere love for them. I have never even met many of them, but they just seemed like my brothers and sisters. I've been thinking about that, and I've realized just how important service is. The greatest commandment is to love, and the best way to love is to serve. I think it's less about loving people so we have the desire to serve them and more about serving people so we grow to truly love them. I believe that service brings about a fulfillment of the greatest commandment. It's been very impacting to see that in action.
This week, I've had the secret of missionary work re-taught to me by experience and the Spirit. It's easy to forget that the secret to missionary work is work. I've realized that I cannot be happy unless I put in my all and operate out of a sincere desire to help others. When I go out and try to look for people who can be helped by the message of the restored gospel, I am happy. When I drag my feet and check my watch, I am not. I think that this relates to the concept of love and service. I feel that when we love, we are happy. When we are filled with charity, the world will be a brighter place. In order to be filled with charity, we need to serve. I know that as I serve selflessly and develop more love for the people of New York, I will find happiness and fulfillment. It sounds so easy on paper, but it's definitely hard. That's why the secret of missionary work is work! Work is hard, but worth it. I loved Elder Ballard's admonition in his conference talk to pray for the opportunity to serve someone every day. We can be the instruments to bring about great happiness and great good in the world if we serve.
I'm a bit short on time, so I have to wrap up, but I will be able to talk to you before long! Unfortunately, my mission doesn't do Skype. I was bummed out. But I don't want you to grieve, Mom! It will still be so good to talk to you all! I can't wait. I love you all so much. Know that. Your support means the world to me. Stay happy.
Love,
Elder McDonald
Hello one and all. How is everyone doing? From what I have heard, it sounds like everyone is doing well. I hope that Christmas is just filling everyone's souls with abundant cheer and mirth. It sounds like you guys are keeping up some of the fun family Christmas traditions. Nice work. I'll have you know that I am not letting Christmas Eve go by without a reenactment of the Nativity. I think that the other missionaries think it's lame, but I don't care. I'm going to make sure it happens. It's just not Christmas Eve without a Nativity reenactment. There will also be a lot of eggnog. The plan is to have all 3 companionships in my district bring a carton of eggnog. That should cover it. I would also like to eat a whole roll of Toll House cookie dough as fast as I can. I have high ambitions, but I'm a little short on time. It'll definitely be fun, though.
My missionary Christmas had a good start so far. My zone went to Broad Channel for the community Christmas party, and we were very warmly received. Everyone in the town gave a hearty cheer whenever "the Mormons" were mentioned. They even included us in their town picture! We are basically just members of their community now. It's so cool to see what service can bring about. It brought a community together, and allowed friendships to develop that would have remained undiscovered if Hurricane Sandy had never descended. We've mostly wrapped up the service, and it is definitely sad to have that chapter come to a close. But, I'll never forget the good that has come forth. As I looked out at all the Broad Channel townspeople during the party, I felt a sincere love for them. I have never even met many of them, but they just seemed like my brothers and sisters. I've been thinking about that, and I've realized just how important service is. The greatest commandment is to love, and the best way to love is to serve. I think it's less about loving people so we have the desire to serve them and more about serving people so we grow to truly love them. I believe that service brings about a fulfillment of the greatest commandment. It's been very impacting to see that in action.
This week, I've had the secret of missionary work re-taught to me by experience and the Spirit. It's easy to forget that the secret to missionary work is work. I've realized that I cannot be happy unless I put in my all and operate out of a sincere desire to help others. When I go out and try to look for people who can be helped by the message of the restored gospel, I am happy. When I drag my feet and check my watch, I am not. I think that this relates to the concept of love and service. I feel that when we love, we are happy. When we are filled with charity, the world will be a brighter place. In order to be filled with charity, we need to serve. I know that as I serve selflessly and develop more love for the people of New York, I will find happiness and fulfillment. It sounds so easy on paper, but it's definitely hard. That's why the secret of missionary work is work! Work is hard, but worth it. I loved Elder Ballard's admonition in his conference talk to pray for the opportunity to serve someone every day. We can be the instruments to bring about great happiness and great good in the world if we serve.
I'm a bit short on time, so I have to wrap up, but I will be able to talk to you before long! Unfortunately, my mission doesn't do Skype. I was bummed out. But I don't want you to grieve, Mom! It will still be so good to talk to you all! I can't wait. I love you all so much. Know that. Your support means the world to me. Stay happy.
Love,
Elder McDonald
 |
| Here is a picture of my district, and then one with Bro. Frandsen, the guy who made the documentary I was telling you about. He's cool. |
Monday, December 10, 2012
New Companion!
How are you all? I hope that you've never been better. Christmas is coming up, so I trust everyone is full of holiday cheer. Even the hipsters of Williamsburg seem to have the Christmas Spirit (in a totally underground way, of course.) I'm actually very impressed with how much Christmas Spirit there is around Brooklyn. People still decorate even though no one actually has a house. It's nice. This week was crazy! I could probably talk to you all for hours and never say all that I'd like to (There's a rumor going around that a situation like that may unfold in about 15 days. I was never one for spreading rumors though.). Where to start?
First off, I sent Elder Tremble on his merry way this week. I didn't think it would be as sad as it was to say goodbye. We had spent basically every waking moment with each other for the last 3 months, so we were pretty close. I miss that guy. I am so grateful that I was able to be with him, though. I'm still learning from him and he's not even here anymore! He set a remarkable example of missionary service and made an impact on my life that I will literally never forget. I can't wait for you all to meet him some day. We will definitely always be close friends. It's amazing how strong a friendship becomes when founded upon spiritual things. In honor of Elder Tremble, I have to leave you guys with one of his signature quotes. I will reveal it in the form of a very short story. For a zone activity, my zone was playing a game called werewolf. It's basically the same thing as mafia. Anyway, some of the elders were accusing me of being the werewolf, and they were debating about whether or not they should have me eliminated. One elder said that he thought I was the werewolf because I looked nervous. Elder Tremble said, and I quote: "He's my companion. He's always nervous." We had a very funny relationship. I just had to give Elder Tremble a fitting farewell via email to you all. He was the man. He continues to be the man, I'm sure.
Secondly, I have a new companion. His name is Elder Hooper, and he's from... drumroll... Mesa, Arizona! Kinda funny, huh? We are enjoying freezing together in New York. He is great. It's not a perfect comparison, but in many ways he is exactly like Elder Calhoun in "The Best Two Years". He is a fireball! Honestly, it pumps me up to see his enthusiasm for the work. I felt a little bad because his spirits took a bit of a hit when he realized that we aren't teaching investigators all day like in the MTC. He is doing a great job of staying positive through the long hours of tracting in the cold rain, though. But for real, training is a lot harder than I anticipated. I am realizing how much I relied on Elder Tremble's experience now that I am on my own. When there's a question that needs to be answered, I find that there isn't a seasoned veteran by my side to ask. I have to try to come up with an answer! I feel overwhelmed at times, but it is a very rewarding experience to be training. I'm learning a lot from Elder Hooper's passion for the work. I'm also learning how to be a lot more responsible than I've ever had to be. There is so much that Elder Tremble guided me through that I didn't even think about. Being the guide is slightly more stressful than being the guided. But honestly, it's a really good thing. I find it interesting that I've been praying for more humility, and the Lord calls me to be a new trainer, which makes all my inadequacies very apparent. Coincidence? I think not. I already know that Elder Hooper and I are supposed to be together. We are very different people, but we have already discovered that we both have some very similar core concerns that we can work through together. Training has also helped me to be a lot more selfless (Which, believe it or not, is something else I've been praying for.) I don't say that to brag in any way. I just naturally have to think more about Elder Hooper than myself, and that's helped me out a lot. My testimony of the power of service and charity has been strengthened even more. The perfect way to transition from doing hurricane clean up to regular missionary work is to train, I think. I am still able to serve, just in a different way.
I have to tell you guys about one of my favorite moments of the week. This week was stake conference, and Floretta was asked to bear her testimony during the meeting. It was so powerful to hear her share a strong testimony of the restored gospel. She is incredible. I was so happy. It is just more incentive to go out and find more people who's lives can be changed by the gospel. They're out there. They're out there. They're out there. They're way, way out there. (I have to give props to my main man Mark What's-His-Face for those fine words. Only a small number of people will have any idea what I'm talking about). Also, Floretta just received her temple recommend, so Elder Hooper and I are going to go with her for her first time! I'm excited. As for the other investigators, much prayer is needed on their behalf. They have been a bit hard to get in contact with lately, but hopefully Elder Hooper and I can meet with them soon. We were able to see the Hanssens for just a little bit, and they are still interested in learning, they're just busy. They are honestly the coolest family ever. The work continues to move forward, but that doesn't mean it's easy. That's a good thing, I figure. Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven.
Mom, I thought it was interesting that you mentioned that someone gave a talk using Brad Wilcox's "His Grace Is Sufficient". I just read that talk this morning. It is incredible. I highly recommend it. Grace is a concept that I didn't understand at all until recently, and learning more about it has been very enlightening. You all should get the audio version of that talk and listen to it. It's really good.
In short, all is well. I'm so happy to hear about all the fun things everyone is doing. It looks like it is going to be a swell Christmas for all. I loved seeing all the pictures. You guys are a bunch of beautiful people, and I love you. Have a really fun Christmas season. I am loving the missionary advent calendar. Thanks for putting that together. I don't know what I'd do without my family. The roommates and I are already planning quite the Christmas spectacular since Christmas Eve will be on P-Day. It should be good. I hope that everyone has a wonderful week. I love you all!
Elder McDonald
 |
| Here is a posterity picture. Elder Hooper is in the middle. |
 |
| Who doesn't like beets for breakfast? Elder Yates is the Elder in the pic. Also, this is the first of our apartment Christmas photos. I thought they turned out nice. |
 |
 |
| One of the treasures from the hurricane cleanup. |
 |
| Elder Tremble and I had our last supper at Peter Luger which is apparently one of the top steakhouses in the world. Before I knew what was happening, the waiter ordered a plate of steak for me. I'll admit that it was dang good even though I did have to break the vegetarian code. |
Monday, December 3, 2012
Big News from the Big Apple!!!
Loved Ones,
Season's greetings! It's December! I love this time of year. Even though I can't check out Manhattan, Brooklyn is still decorating fairly well for Christmas, so there is a nice Christmas cheer in the air. It makes me so happy to hear that my family is having a great holiday season so far. Man, Clovis sounds like a lot of fun. You guys picked a good place to call home. I'm going to miss you all quite a bit this month, but it makes everything better to know that everyone is having fun and enjoying their new (well, not so new anymore) lives. I missed the Christmas devotional, but I'm glad you guys checked it out. Guess what? There are some copies of Mr. Kreuger's Christmas in my apartment! I'm saving that up for Christmas Eve. I was overjoyed when I discovered that treasure trove. The blow-up Christmas tree is making our apartment very festive, Mom. Thanks for sending it.
Well, I don't have a ton of time, but I have a lot to say. I'll probably never catch up on everything, but I look forward to the time when I can relay all of my experiences to you all face-to-face. This was a big week for me. On Wednesday morning, I received a call from President Calderwood. He doesn't usually just call to say hello, so I knew something was up. He was calling to extend a call to me to be a trainer this next transfer! My next companion will be a brand new missionary fresh from the MTC. I feel like I still need training! I'm humbled and a bit nervous, but I am so excited. I can't wait to meet my trainee tomorrow morning. He's probably on a plane right at this moment! Elder Broadbent is training too, and we are still in the same area and same apartment. It's going to be a lot of fun. I'm also going to learn a ton from the new missionary, I'm sure. I've already learned a lot as I've tried to prepare for training. Elder Tremble has been a very valuable resource in this endeavor. He has a basically endless vault of experience and wisdom to sift through, and I have benefited greatly from this asset. It has been incredible to work with Elder Tremble. It's a bit weird to be so new when he is on his way home. He was honestly the very best person I could have been with, though. The Lord knows exactly what He's doing. I have learned so much from Elder Tremble. He's also helped me to be a better person. It will be sad to see him go. There are some things that I don't know if I ever shared about Elder Tremble, and I'd like to do so now. First of all, he's the only member in his family, and he didn't join the church until he was 18. If my math is right, he's been on his mission for the majority of the time that he's been a member. You would never know because of his incredible knowledge and spiritual strength. Another fun fact is that he served in Bermuda, so hopefully some of his luck rubbed off on me:) . He has made a huge impact on my life, and I think we'll always be friends. He's a stud.
I'll give a quick update on the status of the investigators. Elder Tremble and I have a lesson with the Hanssens tonight, so I'll be able to tell you guys more about them later. Sara seems to be doing really well. I think that she will gradually recognize the Spirit and build her testimony bit by bit. Qua and Nicolett are doing well, also. Qua has officially quit smoking, so the goal now is to not go back. I know he can do it, he just has to stay strong and rely on the Lord. They both have so much potential, and it is a bit painful to see them not live up to it, but I feel that they are growing and strengthening their faith. It's been very cool to just see the change in Qua's countenance as he come closer to God. When Elder Tremble and I teach him, you can tell whether or not he's been keeping his commitments and trying his hardest by the way he looks and acts. When the Spirit touches people, a visible change occurs. There is so much to the admonition to be born of the Spirit. When we are changed by the Spirit, the weakness in us is thrown aside. I have a strong testimony of the importance of deep and abiding conversion. When the gospel becomes an inseparable part of our being, then amazing things occur. I think that we can all instinctively see when people have the gospel absorbed into every aspect of their lives. They are different. They are a "peculiar people", and that is a wonderful thing. We don't want to follow the herd! The herd is quickly and unceasingly moving toward the edge of a cliff. I believe that we need to turn around and take as many of the herd with us as will heed our warning. It is no small task, but nothing worth doing is easy, right?
On Saturday, the mission had a special guest come to visit: Elder Hallstrom of the Presidency of the Seventy. It was very cool. He spoke to the mission after a day of service and expressed gratitude on behalf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for the service that we've been rendering. He works with the Quorum of the Twelve very closely, and so this extension of gratitude was very powerful. He gave us all the challenge to make sure that this opportunity we've had to serve will forever change our lives. I thought that was a really cool thing to say. It has definitely been a life-changing experience. I'm going to work hard to make the changes permanent!
Well, I have to run, but I want you all to know that I love you very much. I hope that all is well. You're in my prayers!
Love,
Elder McDonald
Season's greetings! It's December! I love this time of year. Even though I can't check out Manhattan, Brooklyn is still decorating fairly well for Christmas, so there is a nice Christmas cheer in the air. It makes me so happy to hear that my family is having a great holiday season so far. Man, Clovis sounds like a lot of fun. You guys picked a good place to call home. I'm going to miss you all quite a bit this month, but it makes everything better to know that everyone is having fun and enjoying their new (well, not so new anymore) lives. I missed the Christmas devotional, but I'm glad you guys checked it out. Guess what? There are some copies of Mr. Kreuger's Christmas in my apartment! I'm saving that up for Christmas Eve. I was overjoyed when I discovered that treasure trove. The blow-up Christmas tree is making our apartment very festive, Mom. Thanks for sending it.
Well, I don't have a ton of time, but I have a lot to say. I'll probably never catch up on everything, but I look forward to the time when I can relay all of my experiences to you all face-to-face. This was a big week for me. On Wednesday morning, I received a call from President Calderwood. He doesn't usually just call to say hello, so I knew something was up. He was calling to extend a call to me to be a trainer this next transfer! My next companion will be a brand new missionary fresh from the MTC. I feel like I still need training! I'm humbled and a bit nervous, but I am so excited. I can't wait to meet my trainee tomorrow morning. He's probably on a plane right at this moment! Elder Broadbent is training too, and we are still in the same area and same apartment. It's going to be a lot of fun. I'm also going to learn a ton from the new missionary, I'm sure. I've already learned a lot as I've tried to prepare for training. Elder Tremble has been a very valuable resource in this endeavor. He has a basically endless vault of experience and wisdom to sift through, and I have benefited greatly from this asset. It has been incredible to work with Elder Tremble. It's a bit weird to be so new when he is on his way home. He was honestly the very best person I could have been with, though. The Lord knows exactly what He's doing. I have learned so much from Elder Tremble. He's also helped me to be a better person. It will be sad to see him go. There are some things that I don't know if I ever shared about Elder Tremble, and I'd like to do so now. First of all, he's the only member in his family, and he didn't join the church until he was 18. If my math is right, he's been on his mission for the majority of the time that he's been a member. You would never know because of his incredible knowledge and spiritual strength. Another fun fact is that he served in Bermuda, so hopefully some of his luck rubbed off on me:) . He has made a huge impact on my life, and I think we'll always be friends. He's a stud.
I'll give a quick update on the status of the investigators. Elder Tremble and I have a lesson with the Hanssens tonight, so I'll be able to tell you guys more about them later. Sara seems to be doing really well. I think that she will gradually recognize the Spirit and build her testimony bit by bit. Qua and Nicolett are doing well, also. Qua has officially quit smoking, so the goal now is to not go back. I know he can do it, he just has to stay strong and rely on the Lord. They both have so much potential, and it is a bit painful to see them not live up to it, but I feel that they are growing and strengthening their faith. It's been very cool to just see the change in Qua's countenance as he come closer to God. When Elder Tremble and I teach him, you can tell whether or not he's been keeping his commitments and trying his hardest by the way he looks and acts. When the Spirit touches people, a visible change occurs. There is so much to the admonition to be born of the Spirit. When we are changed by the Spirit, the weakness in us is thrown aside. I have a strong testimony of the importance of deep and abiding conversion. When the gospel becomes an inseparable part of our being, then amazing things occur. I think that we can all instinctively see when people have the gospel absorbed into every aspect of their lives. They are different. They are a "peculiar people", and that is a wonderful thing. We don't want to follow the herd! The herd is quickly and unceasingly moving toward the edge of a cliff. I believe that we need to turn around and take as many of the herd with us as will heed our warning. It is no small task, but nothing worth doing is easy, right?
On Saturday, the mission had a special guest come to visit: Elder Hallstrom of the Presidency of the Seventy. It was very cool. He spoke to the mission after a day of service and expressed gratitude on behalf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for the service that we've been rendering. He works with the Quorum of the Twelve very closely, and so this extension of gratitude was very powerful. He gave us all the challenge to make sure that this opportunity we've had to serve will forever change our lives. I thought that was a really cool thing to say. It has definitely been a life-changing experience. I'm going to work hard to make the changes permanent!
Well, I have to run, but I want you all to know that I love you very much. I hope that all is well. You're in my prayers!
Love,
Elder McDonald
Monday, November 26, 2012
Thanksgiving in NY
Dearly Beloved (I have to mix it up every now and again!),
I was so happy to see all the Thanksgiving pictures and to hear that it was a happy day. I am honestly touched by the decision to omit the green bean casserole in honor of my absence. Why is my family so cool? You guys are the best. Honestly. All the food looked really good! What else would I expect from the kitchens of the world's greatest culinary masterminds? I have definitely come to miss the fantastic cooking skills of my mom and grandma. I can't thank you both enough for all the years worth of delectable fare you have provided. And thank you for teaching me some of the trade as well. It's definitely come in handy. Thanksgiving was great over here. My zone had a turkey bowl in the morning, and then my district went to the American Legion in Broad Channel for the Thanksgiving dinner there. It was cool to be amongst some who we've served for Thanksgiving, and they had some good food too. Two fairly prominent political people were there too. I believe one was a city council member and the other was a senator. The only name I remember is Eric Ulrich. So, it was a fun event to be at. The spirit of Thanksgiving was there in abundance. But that wasn't the end of my Thanksgiving. No, it had only begun at that point. I still had yet to experience a once in a lifetime (Ok, maybe twice in a lifetime. I'll be here for next year as well.) Thanksgiving experience: Thanksgiving dinner in the projects. It was certainly a departure from the Thanksgivings of days past, but I loved it. I was with the Carrattini family, and Sister Carrattini is a great cook. My only complaint is that they could have definitely provided a few more vegetarian options. I'm afraid that the plant-based options were drowned out amidst a cacophony of ham, turkey, two kinds of chicken, and curry goat. Needless to say, I received plenty of protein. But don't worry at all. It was a really fun Thanksgiving, and I was well taken care of. I don't know if I should admit this, but I will anyway: By the end of the night I had eaten around seven pieces of pie. So don't worry about me not getting enough to eat! I was filled to excess. It was a good Thanksgiving.
Besides Thanksgiving, this week was really good. We've continued doing service, but there have been opportunities for proselytizing and teaching as well. There is a really cool investigator named Sarah (I'm not sure if I've mentioned her yet) that Elder Tremble and I taught this week. She's really cool. She's a filmmaker, and it's fun to hear about her work. She is also very interested in finding the happiness and dedication in her life that come with the gospel. She told us that she is looking for truth, and since we began teaching her, she's began to pray to seek that truth. She said that she hasn't had the ray of truth that she expects, but she has felt an overall feeling of calm and well-being. That made me super happy to hear, because she described the influence of the Spirit perfectly, and she's been feeling that. The lesson was also really powerful for me, because I related to Sarah's situation and search for truth. When she was talking about how she has been looking for the truth, I just kept thinking about how I went through the exact same thing not too long ago. Just like her, I expected some great ray of truth, and in my search for that I overlooked the still, small voice of the Spirit. I shared this with her, and I told her about how I came to ultimately realize I had a testimony. It was really cool to be able to relate to her so well. It would make me so happy to help her find the same thing that I ultimately did. Elder Tremble and I also had the chance to teach a really cool family named the Hanssens. We found them while we were knocking doors, which is always a miraculous situation. They invited us in, and we taught them the Restoration. They were very receptive, and we are teaching them again tonight. They're honestly the coolest family ever. I loved them right away. I hope that they can come to accept the gospel and thus become infinitely more happy as a family.
Yesterday provided Elder Tremble and I with a classic NYC Sacrament meeting experience I have to tell you guys about. So, we were both asked to bless the Sacrament, so we were just sitting up on the stand while the announcements were being made. All of the sudden, a cockroach ran across the cloth spread over the Sacrament table and took shelter underneath a fold in the cloth. Elder Tremble saw it first, and he was like "Cockroach! You have to get rid of it!" From where I was, I could see it just hanging out in its little den, but I didn't know what I could possibly do to resolve the situation without creating a scene. I was like "What am I supposed to do?" "Kill it!" was Elder Tremble's response. I told him that there was no way I was going to squash a cockroach on the Sacrament table. That would be way too messy, and I didn't want to cause a scene as I slammed a hymn book down on the table for no apparent reason as far as the congregation was concerned. After a bit of debate, we determined that the only option was prayer. Prayer works. When we lifted the cloth to pass out the Sacrament, there was no cockroach in sight. A bullet was definitely dodged. Only in New York.
Well, my battery is about to die, so I have to get off now. I love you all and I hope that everyone is doing well. I miss you guys a ton, but it's so good to be a missionary. It honestly is a huge privilege, and I'm grateful to be out here. I gotta go!
Love,
Elder McDonald
I was so happy to see all the Thanksgiving pictures and to hear that it was a happy day. I am honestly touched by the decision to omit the green bean casserole in honor of my absence. Why is my family so cool? You guys are the best. Honestly. All the food looked really good! What else would I expect from the kitchens of the world's greatest culinary masterminds? I have definitely come to miss the fantastic cooking skills of my mom and grandma. I can't thank you both enough for all the years worth of delectable fare you have provided. And thank you for teaching me some of the trade as well. It's definitely come in handy. Thanksgiving was great over here. My zone had a turkey bowl in the morning, and then my district went to the American Legion in Broad Channel for the Thanksgiving dinner there. It was cool to be amongst some who we've served for Thanksgiving, and they had some good food too. Two fairly prominent political people were there too. I believe one was a city council member and the other was a senator. The only name I remember is Eric Ulrich. So, it was a fun event to be at. The spirit of Thanksgiving was there in abundance. But that wasn't the end of my Thanksgiving. No, it had only begun at that point. I still had yet to experience a once in a lifetime (Ok, maybe twice in a lifetime. I'll be here for next year as well.) Thanksgiving experience: Thanksgiving dinner in the projects. It was certainly a departure from the Thanksgivings of days past, but I loved it. I was with the Carrattini family, and Sister Carrattini is a great cook. My only complaint is that they could have definitely provided a few more vegetarian options. I'm afraid that the plant-based options were drowned out amidst a cacophony of ham, turkey, two kinds of chicken, and curry goat. Needless to say, I received plenty of protein. But don't worry at all. It was a really fun Thanksgiving, and I was well taken care of. I don't know if I should admit this, but I will anyway: By the end of the night I had eaten around seven pieces of pie. So don't worry about me not getting enough to eat! I was filled to excess. It was a good Thanksgiving.
Besides Thanksgiving, this week was really good. We've continued doing service, but there have been opportunities for proselytizing and teaching as well. There is a really cool investigator named Sarah (I'm not sure if I've mentioned her yet) that Elder Tremble and I taught this week. She's really cool. She's a filmmaker, and it's fun to hear about her work. She is also very interested in finding the happiness and dedication in her life that come with the gospel. She told us that she is looking for truth, and since we began teaching her, she's began to pray to seek that truth. She said that she hasn't had the ray of truth that she expects, but she has felt an overall feeling of calm and well-being. That made me super happy to hear, because she described the influence of the Spirit perfectly, and she's been feeling that. The lesson was also really powerful for me, because I related to Sarah's situation and search for truth. When she was talking about how she has been looking for the truth, I just kept thinking about how I went through the exact same thing not too long ago. Just like her, I expected some great ray of truth, and in my search for that I overlooked the still, small voice of the Spirit. I shared this with her, and I told her about how I came to ultimately realize I had a testimony. It was really cool to be able to relate to her so well. It would make me so happy to help her find the same thing that I ultimately did. Elder Tremble and I also had the chance to teach a really cool family named the Hanssens. We found them while we were knocking doors, which is always a miraculous situation. They invited us in, and we taught them the Restoration. They were very receptive, and we are teaching them again tonight. They're honestly the coolest family ever. I loved them right away. I hope that they can come to accept the gospel and thus become infinitely more happy as a family.
Yesterday provided Elder Tremble and I with a classic NYC Sacrament meeting experience I have to tell you guys about. So, we were both asked to bless the Sacrament, so we were just sitting up on the stand while the announcements were being made. All of the sudden, a cockroach ran across the cloth spread over the Sacrament table and took shelter underneath a fold in the cloth. Elder Tremble saw it first, and he was like "Cockroach! You have to get rid of it!" From where I was, I could see it just hanging out in its little den, but I didn't know what I could possibly do to resolve the situation without creating a scene. I was like "What am I supposed to do?" "Kill it!" was Elder Tremble's response. I told him that there was no way I was going to squash a cockroach on the Sacrament table. That would be way too messy, and I didn't want to cause a scene as I slammed a hymn book down on the table for no apparent reason as far as the congregation was concerned. After a bit of debate, we determined that the only option was prayer. Prayer works. When we lifted the cloth to pass out the Sacrament, there was no cockroach in sight. A bullet was definitely dodged. Only in New York.
Well, my battery is about to die, so I have to get off now. I love you all and I hope that everyone is doing well. I miss you guys a ton, but it's so good to be a missionary. It honestly is a huge privilege, and I'm grateful to be out here. I gotta go!
Love,
Elder McDonald
 |
| No explanation in the email, but safe to assume these are for an investigator! I'd recognize Jarom's artwork anywhere! |
 |
| I will definitely need to ask for a back story... Love the puns though! |
 |
| Vampire missionary! |
 |
| Laundry day! |
 |
| More laundry day! |
 |
| The streets of NY. |
 |
| Finally, a picture of the m&m candy corn oatmeal creation from when they were riding out Sandy! |
 |
| And a pic of their true identities: Agent J and Agent K |
Monday, November 19, 2012
Thanksgiving Greetings!
Hello all!
How is everyone doing? I hope that life is a bliss complete for all. Just the fact that we have a knowledge of God and His love for us makes everyday a success right when we wake up, I think. As long as we're positive, that is. And the trick is to not forget the knowledge we have and what it means for us. That can be hard, but I guess that if it weren't hard, then we wouldn't learn. It was a really good week for me. The hurricane clean-up efforts continue to move forward. I was on the news? I didn't think I really made it on camera, but it was exciting to be there when they were interviewing President Calderwood and getting some shots of all the missionaries. Did they show President Calderwood's brief interview? You guys might have found it already, but there is a really good video on the Mormon Helping Hands Facebook page that shows some of the work that's been going on around here. It's really well done, and shows how crazy the destruction was. President Calderwood has a few lines in it, so you guys can see what he's like. Honestly, he's so cool. It's very interesting to see how much coverage the Mormon Helping Hands relief effort has been receiving. I'm pretty sure every single person in the town of Broad Channel knows who we are, and people are always honking and waving at us. It's nice to have people smile and wave rather than curse at us and make fun of us. Remember, if you want to make someone feel good, smile at them instead of swearing at them. It works like a charm :) . After we cleaned this one guy's house he said something like "I'll never say anything bad about the Mormons again!" It was funny, but I think there was a lot of meaning behind that statement. It is just so good to have this opportunity to serve people just because they need help. I definitely want to make that a part of my life from now on, even if there isn't a big opportunity like a hurricane all the time. Elder Ballard's talk in conference is so spot on. Little bits of service here and there will make the world a happy, beautiful place. Service is pure religion, after all. We just had a mission conference, and President Calderwood told us that over and over he's been asked a question that really bothers him. Reporters keep asking him why we are doing what we're doing, like there must be some motive behind it all. I really like the way he responds to this. He simply says that we are all God's children and our family is suffering, so we are helping. I think that is so powerful. There doesn't need to be a reward behind service. When your family is having a hard time, you help. There are so many members of our eternal family out there who need a lot of help. I need to be a lot better about recognizing that and selflessly serving.
Mom, don't worry even a little bit about Thanksgiving. There will definitely be food for me. The missionaries were actually invited to eat Thanksgiving at a community center in Broad Channel, so I think I'll end up there. That should be really neat to be able to have a Thanksgiving meal with all the people we've been helping out. I'm sure that someone else will invite Elder Tremble and I over too. There is a lady in my branch who is supposedly making food for all the missionaries. As far as a vegetarian Thanksgiving, I wouldn't count on it. Elder Broadbent and Elder Gregory already were invited to eat with the family who makes a lot of vegetarian stuff, so they're taken. It's all good though. I'm happy to just eat whatever people give me. I'll get plenty of tasty food, I'm sure. I hope that the big family Thanksgiving is awesome! Jacob, you need to eat an extra portion of stuffing and sweet potatoes for me. Deal? Make sure you weigh your plates so you can break the record. You guys should get a game of ultimate going if you can! Above all, just have a ton of fun. Now that you guys have gotten rid of the dead weight that is me, you can really party! :) I bet that Thanksgiving will be really fun in Clovis. Small town Thanksgivings just seem perfect to me.
Mom, I love what you said about Heavenly Father helping me to learn and grow by sending me to the exact place I needed to be at the exact right time. I was actually just thinking the other day that I now know how to tear a house apart completely, and I was stoked about it! I have been able to learn a lot more about handling big projects without losing my mind and becoming catatonic. Heavenly Father has taught me so many things over these past months, though. I am so grateful that He cares about me enough to keep giving me chances to learn even when I am a doofus. I know that He is actively engaged in each of our lives. If we just do our part to come closer to Him and show we want to change, He gives us so much more than we ever asked. I've seen that in my life, and recently I've been able to see how that has applied in Qua's progression as well. He is progressing really rapidly lately, and it has been in a large part due to his increased dedication and commitment. He is down to only smoking one cigarette a day, and yesterday he said that he wants to try stopping completely today. He has been having a lot of chest pains that make him want to stop smoking. The Lord works in mysterious ways! He also came to church yesterday and had a really good experience. He has been eating up the scriptures and trying to make a lot of changes, and it shows. His faith is growing, and his entire countenance is changing as he is letting the Spirit take effect. He told us something yesterday that warmed up my heart like a pair of wool socks and a cup of hot chocolate with little marshmallows in it. He said that Peanut, his son (his name is Iquan, but Qua always calls him Peanut), woke up from a nap yesterday and told Qua that he knows what he wants to be when he grows up. Qua asked him what that was, and he said that he wants to be a missionary! How cool is that? The gospel is true and it changes people. There is just no denying that. I love the gospel so much, and I'm so grateful that I have a knowledge of it. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that if the gospel is applied wholeheartedly into our lives, everything will fall into place, and we will find more happiness than we have ever had. I love you all so much, and I'm so grateful for all that you have done and continue to do for me.
Love,
Elder McDonald
How is everyone doing? I hope that life is a bliss complete for all. Just the fact that we have a knowledge of God and His love for us makes everyday a success right when we wake up, I think. As long as we're positive, that is. And the trick is to not forget the knowledge we have and what it means for us. That can be hard, but I guess that if it weren't hard, then we wouldn't learn. It was a really good week for me. The hurricane clean-up efforts continue to move forward. I was on the news? I didn't think I really made it on camera, but it was exciting to be there when they were interviewing President Calderwood and getting some shots of all the missionaries. Did they show President Calderwood's brief interview? You guys might have found it already, but there is a really good video on the Mormon Helping Hands Facebook page that shows some of the work that's been going on around here. It's really well done, and shows how crazy the destruction was. President Calderwood has a few lines in it, so you guys can see what he's like. Honestly, he's so cool. It's very interesting to see how much coverage the Mormon Helping Hands relief effort has been receiving. I'm pretty sure every single person in the town of Broad Channel knows who we are, and people are always honking and waving at us. It's nice to have people smile and wave rather than curse at us and make fun of us. Remember, if you want to make someone feel good, smile at them instead of swearing at them. It works like a charm :) . After we cleaned this one guy's house he said something like "I'll never say anything bad about the Mormons again!" It was funny, but I think there was a lot of meaning behind that statement. It is just so good to have this opportunity to serve people just because they need help. I definitely want to make that a part of my life from now on, even if there isn't a big opportunity like a hurricane all the time. Elder Ballard's talk in conference is so spot on. Little bits of service here and there will make the world a happy, beautiful place. Service is pure religion, after all. We just had a mission conference, and President Calderwood told us that over and over he's been asked a question that really bothers him. Reporters keep asking him why we are doing what we're doing, like there must be some motive behind it all. I really like the way he responds to this. He simply says that we are all God's children and our family is suffering, so we are helping. I think that is so powerful. There doesn't need to be a reward behind service. When your family is having a hard time, you help. There are so many members of our eternal family out there who need a lot of help. I need to be a lot better about recognizing that and selflessly serving.
Mom, don't worry even a little bit about Thanksgiving. There will definitely be food for me. The missionaries were actually invited to eat Thanksgiving at a community center in Broad Channel, so I think I'll end up there. That should be really neat to be able to have a Thanksgiving meal with all the people we've been helping out. I'm sure that someone else will invite Elder Tremble and I over too. There is a lady in my branch who is supposedly making food for all the missionaries. As far as a vegetarian Thanksgiving, I wouldn't count on it. Elder Broadbent and Elder Gregory already were invited to eat with the family who makes a lot of vegetarian stuff, so they're taken. It's all good though. I'm happy to just eat whatever people give me. I'll get plenty of tasty food, I'm sure. I hope that the big family Thanksgiving is awesome! Jacob, you need to eat an extra portion of stuffing and sweet potatoes for me. Deal? Make sure you weigh your plates so you can break the record. You guys should get a game of ultimate going if you can! Above all, just have a ton of fun. Now that you guys have gotten rid of the dead weight that is me, you can really party! :) I bet that Thanksgiving will be really fun in Clovis. Small town Thanksgivings just seem perfect to me.
Mom, I love what you said about Heavenly Father helping me to learn and grow by sending me to the exact place I needed to be at the exact right time. I was actually just thinking the other day that I now know how to tear a house apart completely, and I was stoked about it! I have been able to learn a lot more about handling big projects without losing my mind and becoming catatonic. Heavenly Father has taught me so many things over these past months, though. I am so grateful that He cares about me enough to keep giving me chances to learn even when I am a doofus. I know that He is actively engaged in each of our lives. If we just do our part to come closer to Him and show we want to change, He gives us so much more than we ever asked. I've seen that in my life, and recently I've been able to see how that has applied in Qua's progression as well. He is progressing really rapidly lately, and it has been in a large part due to his increased dedication and commitment. He is down to only smoking one cigarette a day, and yesterday he said that he wants to try stopping completely today. He has been having a lot of chest pains that make him want to stop smoking. The Lord works in mysterious ways! He also came to church yesterday and had a really good experience. He has been eating up the scriptures and trying to make a lot of changes, and it shows. His faith is growing, and his entire countenance is changing as he is letting the Spirit take effect. He told us something yesterday that warmed up my heart like a pair of wool socks and a cup of hot chocolate with little marshmallows in it. He said that Peanut, his son (his name is Iquan, but Qua always calls him Peanut), woke up from a nap yesterday and told Qua that he knows what he wants to be when he grows up. Qua asked him what that was, and he said that he wants to be a missionary! How cool is that? The gospel is true and it changes people. There is just no denying that. I love the gospel so much, and I'm so grateful that I have a knowledge of it. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that if the gospel is applied wholeheartedly into our lives, everything will fall into place, and we will find more happiness than we have ever had. I love you all so much, and I'm so grateful for all that you have done and continue to do for me.
Love,
Elder McDonald
Elder McDonald cleaned up his camera this week! Some are old and some are new, but all are a joy to look at!
I have to assume by the sign and the bulging bellies that some sweet sister fed them well!
So excited for bread and veggies!
Guessing Jarom made breakfast for Elder Tremble. He looks suspicious.
The young man in the background of this pic (to the right of Jarom) is an old friend from AZ! He is living in NY and attends the Branch that Elder McDonald is assigned to.
First snow!!!
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
No Time for a Subject...
Loved Ones,
Oh man! I don't think I've ever done so much consecutive manual labor in my entire life. I'm super tired, but it's awesome! This past week was full of a lot of service again. The focus for what we're doing now has typically been tearing people's houses apart since everything was damaged by flooding. Yesterday, the group I was working with spent more than 5 hours completely gutting someone's house. It was crazy! It's a fantastic way to get some aggression out. There's no stress that can't be alleviated by beating down a wall with a sledgehammer. Chopping big pieces of wood with an axe is also an excellent remedy. I think that I'd like to join wood chopping competitions at some point. I would be completely stress free. But I digress... Yesterday was a really special experience because the man who owns the house that we gutted is in his 80's and needed a lot of help. He was so grateful and visibly touched by the service. He is also a veteran, so we had the chance to do a good deed for him right around Veteran's Day as a silent thank you for his service. It makes me so happy to serve people. All the counsel that President Monson gives us on service is, without a doubt, inspired. I know that when we turn our hearts outward and live life with a deep love for God and for mankind, we will be richly blessed far beyond the measure of what we've sacrificed. I'm so grateful for the continual stream of experiences that the Lord is blessing me with on my mission. I'm constantly given opportunities to learn eternal truths that have already changed my life in ways I can't adequately describe. It is true that no matter what we do, we will always be unprofitable servants. We can never give more than we get, because the more we serve God, the more he blesses us. Our righteous actions and the blessings we receive will always correlate in an positive and infinite way, with us always receiving so much more than we could ever give. The chance I've had to increase my testimony of service has also helped me to see the great blessing that it is to give missionary service. I just absolutely know that being on a mission is the exact place that God wants me to be. When I think back to the moments when I was unsure or nervous about serving a mission, it honestly scares me a bit to think of what I would be missing out on if I had chosen not to serve. We all have so much potential, and God knows exactly what we need to do to unlock that potential. I know that if we keep His commandments and listen to the words of His servants, obeying with exactness, that we will "mount up with wings as eagles" (Isaiah 40:31). I think that one of the most important things is to remember who we all are. We are children of God. We have divine potential. If we can always remember that, then temptations seem absurd. I really love the scriptures in Moses chapter 1, verses 12-16. Satan tempted Moses, and Moses shunned these temptations by remembering who he was. He remembered that he was a son of God, and that made all the difference. Check those scriptures out -- they're really cool. Though we sometimes forget our potential and forget who we are, God never does and He never will. That's why we will always be blessed and happy if we follow His plan. It's a perfect plan and it can create perfect people. I know that if we serve God, we will be blessed. I love the gospel! It's the coolest thing ever. Normally, a statement like that would be exaggerated and dependent on personal opinion, but I feel very confident in saying that it is literally the coolest thing ever.
Guess what? I experienced my first New York City snowfall! Last week, a blizzard blew in and added insult to injury right after the hurricane. It was kind of funny to tract while it was snowing. Some people just gave us that look like we were completely crazy. It snowed a decent amount, actually. There was snow on the ground for like 3 days. What made it even more exciting was the fact that a lot of the public transportation was down because of the hurricane, so there was a lot of trudging through the snow amidst the blizzard. It made for some good times and good memories. I need to give you guys a quick update on Qua. It's been really cool, because his girlfriend, Nicolett, has sat in on the lessons a few times, and they came to church together with their son! They're starting to work with each other on living the gospel, and that's really exciting. Elder Tremble and I gave Qua the challenge to live the Word of Wisdom and quit smoking last night, so it will be interesting to see how he does. We promised him that he could quit smoking through scripture study and prayer, and I know that he can do it if he puts in the effort. It will be so special to see that family unite in the gospel.
It sounds like everyone is doing well! I can't believe Thanksgiving is next week. Crazy! It's that time of year! My roommates and I have already started singing Christmas hymns in the morning before studying. I love you all very much, and I hope that it is a lovely holiday season for everyone. I just received the package Grandma and Aunt Christie sent. It was awesome! Thank you guys so much. You're the best. The support I receive from everyone I love is so helpful. I can't thank you all enough. I'm so grateful to have such amazing people in my life. Without you all, I don't know what I'd do. Actually I do know -- I'd cry. Thank you all so much for everything. I love you all. May each day be filled with bliss for each of you.
Love,
Elder McDonald
Oh man! I don't think I've ever done so much consecutive manual labor in my entire life. I'm super tired, but it's awesome! This past week was full of a lot of service again. The focus for what we're doing now has typically been tearing people's houses apart since everything was damaged by flooding. Yesterday, the group I was working with spent more than 5 hours completely gutting someone's house. It was crazy! It's a fantastic way to get some aggression out. There's no stress that can't be alleviated by beating down a wall with a sledgehammer. Chopping big pieces of wood with an axe is also an excellent remedy. I think that I'd like to join wood chopping competitions at some point. I would be completely stress free. But I digress... Yesterday was a really special experience because the man who owns the house that we gutted is in his 80's and needed a lot of help. He was so grateful and visibly touched by the service. He is also a veteran, so we had the chance to do a good deed for him right around Veteran's Day as a silent thank you for his service. It makes me so happy to serve people. All the counsel that President Monson gives us on service is, without a doubt, inspired. I know that when we turn our hearts outward and live life with a deep love for God and for mankind, we will be richly blessed far beyond the measure of what we've sacrificed. I'm so grateful for the continual stream of experiences that the Lord is blessing me with on my mission. I'm constantly given opportunities to learn eternal truths that have already changed my life in ways I can't adequately describe. It is true that no matter what we do, we will always be unprofitable servants. We can never give more than we get, because the more we serve God, the more he blesses us. Our righteous actions and the blessings we receive will always correlate in an positive and infinite way, with us always receiving so much more than we could ever give. The chance I've had to increase my testimony of service has also helped me to see the great blessing that it is to give missionary service. I just absolutely know that being on a mission is the exact place that God wants me to be. When I think back to the moments when I was unsure or nervous about serving a mission, it honestly scares me a bit to think of what I would be missing out on if I had chosen not to serve. We all have so much potential, and God knows exactly what we need to do to unlock that potential. I know that if we keep His commandments and listen to the words of His servants, obeying with exactness, that we will "mount up with wings as eagles" (Isaiah 40:31). I think that one of the most important things is to remember who we all are. We are children of God. We have divine potential. If we can always remember that, then temptations seem absurd. I really love the scriptures in Moses chapter 1, verses 12-16. Satan tempted Moses, and Moses shunned these temptations by remembering who he was. He remembered that he was a son of God, and that made all the difference. Check those scriptures out -- they're really cool. Though we sometimes forget our potential and forget who we are, God never does and He never will. That's why we will always be blessed and happy if we follow His plan. It's a perfect plan and it can create perfect people. I know that if we serve God, we will be blessed. I love the gospel! It's the coolest thing ever. Normally, a statement like that would be exaggerated and dependent on personal opinion, but I feel very confident in saying that it is literally the coolest thing ever.
Guess what? I experienced my first New York City snowfall! Last week, a blizzard blew in and added insult to injury right after the hurricane. It was kind of funny to tract while it was snowing. Some people just gave us that look like we were completely crazy. It snowed a decent amount, actually. There was snow on the ground for like 3 days. What made it even more exciting was the fact that a lot of the public transportation was down because of the hurricane, so there was a lot of trudging through the snow amidst the blizzard. It made for some good times and good memories. I need to give you guys a quick update on Qua. It's been really cool, because his girlfriend, Nicolett, has sat in on the lessons a few times, and they came to church together with their son! They're starting to work with each other on living the gospel, and that's really exciting. Elder Tremble and I gave Qua the challenge to live the Word of Wisdom and quit smoking last night, so it will be interesting to see how he does. We promised him that he could quit smoking through scripture study and prayer, and I know that he can do it if he puts in the effort. It will be so special to see that family unite in the gospel.
It sounds like everyone is doing well! I can't believe Thanksgiving is next week. Crazy! It's that time of year! My roommates and I have already started singing Christmas hymns in the morning before studying. I love you all very much, and I hope that it is a lovely holiday season for everyone. I just received the package Grandma and Aunt Christie sent. It was awesome! Thank you guys so much. You're the best. The support I receive from everyone I love is so helpful. I can't thank you all enough. I'm so grateful to have such amazing people in my life. Without you all, I don't know what I'd do. Actually I do know -- I'd cry. Thank you all so much for everything. I love you all. May each day be filled with bliss for each of you.
Love,
Elder McDonald
Monday, November 5, 2012
I Can See Clearly Now, the Rain Is Gone (Someday, perhaps, I'll master the art of making subjects for my emails. Today is obviously not that day.)
Loved Ones,
I'm so sorry to leave you hanging for so long! We have been crazy busy over here. I'm very happy to finally have a chance to do a little emailing. I'm not sure where to start. It has been a truly incredible experience to volunteer amidst the devastation of Hurricane Sandy. We don't hear a ton about the news, so I didn't have any idea about how bad this storm was until we were shipped into the areas that were hit the worst. Brooklyn wasn't hit very badly at all, so I'm completely safe and comfortable. We didn't get any evacuee missionaries in our apartment, so the four of us just rode out the storm, passing time by playing indoor baseball, watching Church movies, and coming up with really interesting food combinations (such as candy corn and M&M no bake cookies, candy corn and M&M oatmeal, and other delightful treats). Since the storm was fairly mild where I am, I didn't think things were that bad, but I was sure wrong about that. I'm going to send some pictures, so you can see a little piece of what it looks like around here, but the pictures definitely don't do it justice. Many people have lost basically everything. It's so sad to see people just clearing out their houses because they were flooded so badly. There are cars and boats flung all over the place and some houses were actually lifted off their foundations and washed away. In some places I've been in, the water line is above my chest. I've spent the majority of this last week serving in a place called Broad Channel. You could totally film a zombie apocalypse movie there. It's unreal. I can't really describe what it looks like, but the lines of people waiting for gas, the patrolling military personnel, and the general destruction combine to create a scene reminiscent of "I Am Legend". It's crazy. But amidst all the destruction, the best side of humanity has shone through. It's warmed my heart to see how people have come together to deal with the aftermath. People are looking out for each other and being more Christ-like. There are many who are cooking food to provide for all the people who have no power or water, and everyone just seems to be more loving and open. It has been an amazing experience to serve the people in Broad Channel. Another manifestation of the increase in charity has been the huge amounts of food that people have given the missionaries who are serving. These people who have lost everything are feeding me more than I've been fed my entire mission! So, I've really loved the chance to witness how the hurricane has brought out the best in many people. My hope for humanity has been rekindled. The biggest blessing has been the joy of service I've felt over this last week. We basically just go from house to house and help people to pull out sofas, fridges, dressers, and whatever else they are throwing out, and we also spend a lot of time clearing the debris from people's yards. It's so much fun to be working hard to serve others and see the difference that we can make for one person by helping them out for an hour or so. This week has definitely been among the most fulfilling of my mission. The best part is seeing how grateful the people are for the help. It's so sad to see people trying to piece together their lives and put together their destroyed homes, the joy definitely overcomes the sadness after we help someone out. The missionaries have become a part of the community in Broad Channel, and people are always thanking us as they drive by or pass us on the street. It is honestly the coolest thing ever. I feel like I am benefited from the service even more than the people we help are. My testimony of the power of serving others has increased dramatically. I truly feel that service will solve the world's problems, because the root of service is charity, the pure love of Christ, and charity will always meet every human need. As of right now, it sounds like the missionaries will be doing service for the rest of this transfer, so I look forward to having more opportunities to serve. At the very least, the rest of this week will be almost entirely devoted to service.
Thank you for all of your prayers and support. It honestly means so much to me. I derive a large portion of my strength from the knowledge that I have such a wonderful support group back home. You guys are the best. It sounds like everyone had a really good Halloween! Halloween was actually moved until Friday here because of the hurricane, but there definitely wasn't much of a celebration. Everyone is way too busy. Everyone looked good in their costumes. I can't believe how big Mia is getting! She made for a beautiful princess. Can you guys believe that it's almost Thanksgiving already? Where the heck is the time going? Does time feel like it's going as fast for you guys as it does for me? I'm going to hit my 6 month mark before I can say "holy cannoli". (I had my first cannoli a while ago. Those things are good.). What is the family plan for Thanksgiving? I feel like a majority of my fondest memories have come from family Thanksgiving gatherings. I'll be sad to be away from you guys this time, but I hope that the holiday season has been and continues to be jolly and bright for all.
I don't know what the deal is, but I keep having the chance to work around missionaries who are quintessential farm boys. First there was Elder Heiner, and now there's a brand new elder in my district named Elder Jolley who is from Enoch, Utah. He is a classic small-town Utah farm boy, and it's awesome. Last week he told me about how he made a hot tub in the back of his truck by putting a tarp in the bottom, filling it up with water, and running a tube from the exhaust to the water to make the bubbles. If that isn't a "you might be a redneck if..." joke in the making, then I don't know what is. Elder Jolley is awesome though. He is invaluable to have around with all the heavy lifting and hauling that we've been doing to serve lately. He offered to let me come up to Enoch and ride his family's horses after the mission, so that will be awesome. He'll help me to fulfill my life-long dream of trekking across the open prairie on horseback for a few days, eating cornbread and camping out by a fire at night. I have a lot of these kinds of slightly strange dreams on my bucket list. Don't judge. It's been a ton of fun to meet so many unique and great people throughout my mission.
In closing, everything is going well, and I am being richly blessed out here. I am so grateful for how rewarding this experience of serving a mission has been already. I wouldn't trade the experiences I've had thus far for anything in the world. I know this is where I need to be, and the Lord reaffirms this to me time and time again. I know that God loves every single one of us infinitely and that He is intimately involved in our lives. Though terrible things like hurricanes happen, the light always outweighs the darkness, and every situation we encounter in life will always result in our progression and betterment if we rely on the Lord and keep the faith. The world can look bleak at times, but this last week has shown me that good will always prevail. That isn't just a plot for a stereotypical fairy-tale. God's work will move forward and He has provided a way for everyone to be happy. All we have to do is act. "Shall we not go on in so great a cause?"
With Love,
Elder McDonald
Now for pictures!! Here is Jarom's explanation of a few of the pics, the rest are catch up from previous letters.
I'm so sorry to leave you hanging for so long! We have been crazy busy over here. I'm very happy to finally have a chance to do a little emailing. I'm not sure where to start. It has been a truly incredible experience to volunteer amidst the devastation of Hurricane Sandy. We don't hear a ton about the news, so I didn't have any idea about how bad this storm was until we were shipped into the areas that were hit the worst. Brooklyn wasn't hit very badly at all, so I'm completely safe and comfortable. We didn't get any evacuee missionaries in our apartment, so the four of us just rode out the storm, passing time by playing indoor baseball, watching Church movies, and coming up with really interesting food combinations (such as candy corn and M&M no bake cookies, candy corn and M&M oatmeal, and other delightful treats). Since the storm was fairly mild where I am, I didn't think things were that bad, but I was sure wrong about that. I'm going to send some pictures, so you can see a little piece of what it looks like around here, but the pictures definitely don't do it justice. Many people have lost basically everything. It's so sad to see people just clearing out their houses because they were flooded so badly. There are cars and boats flung all over the place and some houses were actually lifted off their foundations and washed away. In some places I've been in, the water line is above my chest. I've spent the majority of this last week serving in a place called Broad Channel. You could totally film a zombie apocalypse movie there. It's unreal. I can't really describe what it looks like, but the lines of people waiting for gas, the patrolling military personnel, and the general destruction combine to create a scene reminiscent of "I Am Legend". It's crazy. But amidst all the destruction, the best side of humanity has shone through. It's warmed my heart to see how people have come together to deal with the aftermath. People are looking out for each other and being more Christ-like. There are many who are cooking food to provide for all the people who have no power or water, and everyone just seems to be more loving and open. It has been an amazing experience to serve the people in Broad Channel. Another manifestation of the increase in charity has been the huge amounts of food that people have given the missionaries who are serving. These people who have lost everything are feeding me more than I've been fed my entire mission! So, I've really loved the chance to witness how the hurricane has brought out the best in many people. My hope for humanity has been rekindled. The biggest blessing has been the joy of service I've felt over this last week. We basically just go from house to house and help people to pull out sofas, fridges, dressers, and whatever else they are throwing out, and we also spend a lot of time clearing the debris from people's yards. It's so much fun to be working hard to serve others and see the difference that we can make for one person by helping them out for an hour or so. This week has definitely been among the most fulfilling of my mission. The best part is seeing how grateful the people are for the help. It's so sad to see people trying to piece together their lives and put together their destroyed homes, the joy definitely overcomes the sadness after we help someone out. The missionaries have become a part of the community in Broad Channel, and people are always thanking us as they drive by or pass us on the street. It is honestly the coolest thing ever. I feel like I am benefited from the service even more than the people we help are. My testimony of the power of serving others has increased dramatically. I truly feel that service will solve the world's problems, because the root of service is charity, the pure love of Christ, and charity will always meet every human need. As of right now, it sounds like the missionaries will be doing service for the rest of this transfer, so I look forward to having more opportunities to serve. At the very least, the rest of this week will be almost entirely devoted to service.
Thank you for all of your prayers and support. It honestly means so much to me. I derive a large portion of my strength from the knowledge that I have such a wonderful support group back home. You guys are the best. It sounds like everyone had a really good Halloween! Halloween was actually moved until Friday here because of the hurricane, but there definitely wasn't much of a celebration. Everyone is way too busy. Everyone looked good in their costumes. I can't believe how big Mia is getting! She made for a beautiful princess. Can you guys believe that it's almost Thanksgiving already? Where the heck is the time going? Does time feel like it's going as fast for you guys as it does for me? I'm going to hit my 6 month mark before I can say "holy cannoli". (I had my first cannoli a while ago. Those things are good.). What is the family plan for Thanksgiving? I feel like a majority of my fondest memories have come from family Thanksgiving gatherings. I'll be sad to be away from you guys this time, but I hope that the holiday season has been and continues to be jolly and bright for all.
I don't know what the deal is, but I keep having the chance to work around missionaries who are quintessential farm boys. First there was Elder Heiner, and now there's a brand new elder in my district named Elder Jolley who is from Enoch, Utah. He is a classic small-town Utah farm boy, and it's awesome. Last week he told me about how he made a hot tub in the back of his truck by putting a tarp in the bottom, filling it up with water, and running a tube from the exhaust to the water to make the bubbles. If that isn't a "you might be a redneck if..." joke in the making, then I don't know what is. Elder Jolley is awesome though. He is invaluable to have around with all the heavy lifting and hauling that we've been doing to serve lately. He offered to let me come up to Enoch and ride his family's horses after the mission, so that will be awesome. He'll help me to fulfill my life-long dream of trekking across the open prairie on horseback for a few days, eating cornbread and camping out by a fire at night. I have a lot of these kinds of slightly strange dreams on my bucket list. Don't judge. It's been a ton of fun to meet so many unique and great people throughout my mission.
In closing, everything is going well, and I am being richly blessed out here. I am so grateful for how rewarding this experience of serving a mission has been already. I wouldn't trade the experiences I've had thus far for anything in the world. I know this is where I need to be, and the Lord reaffirms this to me time and time again. I know that God loves every single one of us infinitely and that He is intimately involved in our lives. Though terrible things like hurricanes happen, the light always outweighs the darkness, and every situation we encounter in life will always result in our progression and betterment if we rely on the Lord and keep the faith. The world can look bleak at times, but this last week has shown me that good will always prevail. That isn't just a plot for a stereotypical fairy-tale. God's work will move forward and He has provided a way for everyone to be happy. All we have to do is act. "Shall we not go on in so great a cause?"
With Love,
Elder McDonald
Now for pictures!! Here is Jarom's explanation of a few of the pics, the rest are catch up from previous letters.
"The last few with the swords came about because a guy gave us a rapier and a samurai sword from his garage, and we found a boat washed up on shore, so the logical next step was to take a bunch of pictures. I actually have way more pictures to send, but not enough time. I'll try to get more next week! It's really hard to attach pictures on this computer. Love you!"
This is Floretta's Baptism! We've been waiting to see this one!
Before Sandy trip to the Statue of Liberty
Broad Channel, NY: Post Sandy
Monday, October 22, 2012
Good morning Starshine! The Earth says "Hello!"
Dearest kin,
I realized that I haven't put a subject on my emails lately, so I thought I'd spice things up a bit. It was so good to hear how everyone is doing! I was struck with a pang of jealousy to see you all at beautiful Glacier Point. But, I'm really glad you could all witness the spectacle of Yosemite. Isn't it incredible? It really is cool that you live by such a beautiful place. When I get back, we all have to climb Half Dome. Deal? I also have to applaud whoever took the photos. They were very well shot. I'm impressed. Speaking of photos, I never told you guys about how cool that one picture that you sent me of Brock chasing Jase is. I think that is probably the best family picture that has ever been taken. The lighting is perfect and the emotion of the scene makes me smile when I look at it. Props to whoever snapped that one.
To start things off, I need to thank my wonderful mother for the package she sent. I haven't had a chance to give you an accounting, but I got all the Amazon stuff including the cereal. I was so excited to get some of my favorite cereal, and Elder Broadbent and I had actually been talking about how much we wanted to buy cereal before it came. Who knew that you could order cereal from Amazon. I was pretty surprised. It was also funny that you sent Grape Nuts because one of my titles in the MTC was Grape Nut due to the large quantities of Grape Nuts I consumed. I think there was a point where I had Grape Nuts for every meal. I ended up getting a lot of grief in the MTC for my strange vegetarian eating habits. My district had a lot of fun with that. So, getting Grape Nuts brought back fond memories. I've thoroughly enjoyed eating Grape Nuts out in the field as well. Also, Elder Tremble did get his package, and I think it made him happy. That was really nice of you to be so thoughtful. He definitely needed the love, I think. Oh, and how could I forget how much I enjoyed the cashew clusters. Those things are so good. Thank you, thank you, thank you. My family is the best. I love you guys.
Today marks the beginning of my third transfer, and I got word on Saturday that I'll be staying in the same area for another transfer. As a result, I will also have my first "kill" in mission terms. I really don't think I like that term, but basically it just means that I'll be with Elder Tremble until he goes home. I'm really excited to have another transfer with him, though. He is the coolest missionary, and he even has President Calderwood's endorsement. President told me that he is one of the best missionaries in the entire mission. I'm really lucky to have the chance to learn from him. It will be a fun transfer too, because not only is Elder Tremble a great missionary, but he's a super cool guy. Now that you have all seen a picture of him, you'll understand the joke we have between us that our companionship is like Psych or possibly Men In Black. It's probably more like Men In Black because we walk around New York City in suits all day. He is honestly a stud though. And, I wouldn't be surprised if the opportunity for us to fight aliens arose sometime during this next transfer, because not much would surprise me at this point. New York is a crazy place. The other day, E.T. (Elder Tremble) and I were walking down the street, and we came across a huge iguana just hanging out on the sidewalk. I stopped and stared at it for a bit, trying to figure out why there was a giant lizard in the middle of Brooklyn, and it looked over at me and we just looked at each other for a moment and then went our separate ways when we came to terms with each other (actually, it was more like I went my separate way because the iguana didn't move). I was left to wonder if one of Godzilla's babies had survived or if someone's pet iguana was on the loose. Obviously, one of these scenarios was far more likely, but, like I said, nothing would surprise me at this point. We later found out that it was indeed someone's pet, but that doesn't mean that the possibility of E.T. and I encountering aliens is any less likely. I'll let you all know if we have the chance to fight extraterrestrials and then neutralize people's memories.
On Sunday, Floretta was confirmed, so she is officially a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! She is really incredible. Her faith and obedience is nothing short of inspiring. She has been reading the Book of Mormon like crazy too! I was a pretty comfortable margin ahead of her in my personal reading, but she has overtaken me! And, she often receives personal revelation when she reads. It's awesome. Seeing how much she has gained from the Book of Mormon has really strengthened my testimony of the power of that book. It full to bursting with doctrines that will bring the utmost happiness to us all if we allow them to. I love the Book of Mormon. It's my favorite book. I came across a quote that I really like, and I want to share it with you all. It goes like this: "There is no greater issue to ever confront mankind in modern times than this: Is the Book of Mormon the mind and will and voice of God to all men?" Bruce R. McConkie said that, and I couldn't agree with him more. It is really easy to take the Book of Mormon for granted, and I have often been guilty of doing so. But, if we stop to think about what the implications are if the Book of Mormon is indeed the voice of God to all men, it really is an eye-opening experience. I give my witness that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. By knowing this, I know that the Church of Jesus Christ was restored through Joseph Smith, and that there is a prophet of God, Thomas S. Monson, who leads that church today. I promise that if anyone reads the Book of Mormon with an open mind and heart, and does so prayerfully, they can come to know that it is indeed true. Many treasures of knowledge are unfolded when the simple knowledge of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon is acquired.
I hope that everyone is healthy and happy, and I hope that life is a blissful canoe ride along the river. I love you all so much, and I'm so grateful to have you in my life. I hope and pray that there are many happy surprises just around the river bend. I know there will be. No one says it better than Pocahontas. Over and out.
Love,
Elder McDonald
I realized that I haven't put a subject on my emails lately, so I thought I'd spice things up a bit. It was so good to hear how everyone is doing! I was struck with a pang of jealousy to see you all at beautiful Glacier Point. But, I'm really glad you could all witness the spectacle of Yosemite. Isn't it incredible? It really is cool that you live by such a beautiful place. When I get back, we all have to climb Half Dome. Deal? I also have to applaud whoever took the photos. They were very well shot. I'm impressed. Speaking of photos, I never told you guys about how cool that one picture that you sent me of Brock chasing Jase is. I think that is probably the best family picture that has ever been taken. The lighting is perfect and the emotion of the scene makes me smile when I look at it. Props to whoever snapped that one.
To start things off, I need to thank my wonderful mother for the package she sent. I haven't had a chance to give you an accounting, but I got all the Amazon stuff including the cereal. I was so excited to get some of my favorite cereal, and Elder Broadbent and I had actually been talking about how much we wanted to buy cereal before it came. Who knew that you could order cereal from Amazon. I was pretty surprised. It was also funny that you sent Grape Nuts because one of my titles in the MTC was Grape Nut due to the large quantities of Grape Nuts I consumed. I think there was a point where I had Grape Nuts for every meal. I ended up getting a lot of grief in the MTC for my strange vegetarian eating habits. My district had a lot of fun with that. So, getting Grape Nuts brought back fond memories. I've thoroughly enjoyed eating Grape Nuts out in the field as well. Also, Elder Tremble did get his package, and I think it made him happy. That was really nice of you to be so thoughtful. He definitely needed the love, I think. Oh, and how could I forget how much I enjoyed the cashew clusters. Those things are so good. Thank you, thank you, thank you. My family is the best. I love you guys.
Today marks the beginning of my third transfer, and I got word on Saturday that I'll be staying in the same area for another transfer. As a result, I will also have my first "kill" in mission terms. I really don't think I like that term, but basically it just means that I'll be with Elder Tremble until he goes home. I'm really excited to have another transfer with him, though. He is the coolest missionary, and he even has President Calderwood's endorsement. President told me that he is one of the best missionaries in the entire mission. I'm really lucky to have the chance to learn from him. It will be a fun transfer too, because not only is Elder Tremble a great missionary, but he's a super cool guy. Now that you have all seen a picture of him, you'll understand the joke we have between us that our companionship is like Psych or possibly Men In Black. It's probably more like Men In Black because we walk around New York City in suits all day. He is honestly a stud though. And, I wouldn't be surprised if the opportunity for us to fight aliens arose sometime during this next transfer, because not much would surprise me at this point. New York is a crazy place. The other day, E.T. (Elder Tremble) and I were walking down the street, and we came across a huge iguana just hanging out on the sidewalk. I stopped and stared at it for a bit, trying to figure out why there was a giant lizard in the middle of Brooklyn, and it looked over at me and we just looked at each other for a moment and then went our separate ways when we came to terms with each other (actually, it was more like I went my separate way because the iguana didn't move). I was left to wonder if one of Godzilla's babies had survived or if someone's pet iguana was on the loose. Obviously, one of these scenarios was far more likely, but, like I said, nothing would surprise me at this point. We later found out that it was indeed someone's pet, but that doesn't mean that the possibility of E.T. and I encountering aliens is any less likely. I'll let you all know if we have the chance to fight extraterrestrials and then neutralize people's memories.
On Sunday, Floretta was confirmed, so she is officially a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! She is really incredible. Her faith and obedience is nothing short of inspiring. She has been reading the Book of Mormon like crazy too! I was a pretty comfortable margin ahead of her in my personal reading, but she has overtaken me! And, she often receives personal revelation when she reads. It's awesome. Seeing how much she has gained from the Book of Mormon has really strengthened my testimony of the power of that book. It full to bursting with doctrines that will bring the utmost happiness to us all if we allow them to. I love the Book of Mormon. It's my favorite book. I came across a quote that I really like, and I want to share it with you all. It goes like this: "There is no greater issue to ever confront mankind in modern times than this: Is the Book of Mormon the mind and will and voice of God to all men?" Bruce R. McConkie said that, and I couldn't agree with him more. It is really easy to take the Book of Mormon for granted, and I have often been guilty of doing so. But, if we stop to think about what the implications are if the Book of Mormon is indeed the voice of God to all men, it really is an eye-opening experience. I give my witness that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. By knowing this, I know that the Church of Jesus Christ was restored through Joseph Smith, and that there is a prophet of God, Thomas S. Monson, who leads that church today. I promise that if anyone reads the Book of Mormon with an open mind and heart, and does so prayerfully, they can come to know that it is indeed true. Many treasures of knowledge are unfolded when the simple knowledge of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon is acquired.
I hope that everyone is healthy and happy, and I hope that life is a blissful canoe ride along the river. I love you all so much, and I'm so grateful to have you in my life. I hope and pray that there are many happy surprises just around the river bend. I know there will be. No one says it better than Pocahontas. Over and out.
Love,
Elder McDonald
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)