Happy New Year #2

Loved Ones,

Hello! Happy New Year! Where did 2013 go? I'm not sure, but it went
there fast. I trust everyone is doing well. It sure seemed like it!
What a joy it was to see your bright faces!

I'm going to jump right into something now. I have neglected some
questions you've all had, and I am going to rapidly answer what I
remember while promising that I'm going to be better from here on out.
I have a system in place. Here we go! First, I did experience a Lox
cream cheese bagel. It was delicious! Thanks for the recommendation. I
just love bagels. They make me happy. Jase, your drawing of Link was
awesome! That was very good. Well done. Jacob, I enjoyed "Angst". It
was existential and profound. You have managed to visually represent
the teenage years. Now, parents need no longer utter the exasperated
exclamation, "What are they thinking?" Dad, it is just Elder Pulla and
I in the apartment. Having more than two elders in an apartment is
becoming a rare thing in the mission. Mom, for the rest of Christmas,
we visited several people. It was really quite nice. I've just drawn a
blank. That's all I can remember, and it wasn't much. Like I said, I
have a system in place. If anyone has had any questions that I didn't
address and you would like answered, please bring them to my
attention.

I'd now like to address my favorite Christmas present -- a Skype call!
Mom, I have to say that I am completely behind your vow to never spend
another Christmas apart. I walked away from the Skype call with a
determination that I don't like my relationship with my family to be
limited by time or geography. Don't get me wrong -- I am not upset
that we had to be apart this Christmas. That is just the way it is on
a mission. I'm actually grateful, because being apart has helped me to
understand how much I like being together. I have extrapolated my
feelings into the eternities and discovered that I don't ever want
time to be a limitation when it comes to family. If a Skype call
wasn't enough time, then a lifetime won't be enough time, either.
Thankfully, families can always be together. How grateful I am for
that!

I love you all so much! Really! Thank you so much for your prayers.
They continue to be a blessing. Keep being happy!

Love,
Elder McDonald

Short and Sweet!

Loved Ones,

I'm am so sorry. I've kept you waiting, and I can't compose an email
that will be worth the wait. My time is up. I just want to leave my
testimony with you all. Today is Joseph Smith's birthday, and I wish
to pay tribute to him because the life and mission of Joseph Smith has
deeply enriched my knowledge of the Savior Jesus Christ who's birth we
commemorate this season. I wish to declare my witness that Joseph
Smith was God's chosen prophet. He restored the Church of Jesus Christ
and the gospel of Jesus Christ to the earth, opening the door to the
path of salvation for all of God's children. I love him and am
grateful for him. Above all, I wish to bear my testimony of Jesus
Christ. He is the Savior of the world. I say with Joseph Smith, "After
all the testimonies which have been given of Him this is the
testimony, last of all, which we give of Him: That He lives!"

Love,
Elder McDonald

Mystery Revealed...

Loved Ones,

Hello! The time has come to reveal my location. This is the moment we
all have (maybe) been waiting for. Ok. The place where I am currently
typing this email from will be revealed in just a moment. Here we go.
I am in... Commercial break!! No, I wouldn't do that to you. I was
trying to simulate the American Idol announcement experience. I'll
tell you now. I just realized that by explaining that I wouldn't
inflict a commercial break upon you, I ended up doing so anyway. And
now, by explaining that, I have stalled even more. Before I embark on
more tangents, I will say that I have been transferred to Bayshore.
They shipped me way out to the far reaches of Long Island. I'll tell
you just a bit about the area. It's a sort of sleepy place, with a
small town America feel. Many people have the Christmas spirit here,
with elaborate Christmas lights adorning a good portion of the homes.
The town became very beautiful courtesy of a calm snowfall two days
ago. There is also a very western United States feel, with big
shopping complexes with huge parking lots. I shopped at Target to get
my dose of commercial Christmas cheer. It's fun to have the old staple
stores around. You know, I just thought that maybe I will end up
missing Wal-Mart after not being in one for two years. Then, I thought
about it for a moment and changed my mind :) More importantly than all
that, the ward and members here are awesome! I was so happy after
experiencing it all yesterday. There is great potential here, and the
work will surely hasten in this portion of the vineyard.

The next question is, who am I with? I think you'll get a chuckle out
of this one. My "new" companion is Elder Pulla. We've come full
circle! I'll be his last companion as he is finishing his mission this
transfer. Pretty interesting, eh? It will be fun! I know that I'm in
the right place, and I am excited for the next phase of my service.
Whatever happens, I know I need to make the most of every moment
because time is starting to fly. This past week was like lightning.

The first thing I want to do is deeply thank each of you for your
prayers. I absolutely know that I was blessed because of the prayers
of great faith that were offered in my behalf. A few days ago, I
realized that small miracles came about because of the prayers. I
needed them, and I am deeply grateful. My testimony of the power of
prayer has grown. I always feel so inadequate when expressing thanks.
I just can't impart to you my feelings accurately. Please accept my
meager offering! I want you to know that the prayers definitely helped
in a very real way. I love you all so much! Honestly!

I'm running low on time. I'll wait to wish you all a Merry Christmas
because Monday is still two days before the big day. Good news!
They have cheese balls at one of the stores here! You can bet your
bottom dollar I'll be getting some of that for Christmas Eve! I wish I
had more time! I have to go for now. I love you all so much! If you're
dreaming of a white Christmas, you can live vicariously through me.
Though I will only be home for Christmas in my dreams, I want you all
to know that this is where I want to be at this time. I am glad I can
serve the Savior as my Christmas gift.

Love,
Elder McDonald

Another New Adventure!

Loved Ones,

Hello! I must start off by saying how much I love you all. Honestly, I
really do love each of you. I am so grateful to have you folks in my
life. I wish I could send a package of love to let you all know how
much I care and how much each of you mean to me. I hope that my
brevity in communication is never interpreted as a lack of care and
concern. That is surely not the case. The work is moving quickly, and
I just simply don't have the time I would like to individually speak
with each of you as much as I'd like. The time will come when I will
be more available, but for now, it's important to me to consecrate
myself and give The Lord my heart. I've learned recently how important
it is to have your heart in whatever you're doing. I've spoken a lot
about love, and I continue to learn many lessons about the importance
of that virtue, but here, I am speaking more of the heart in relation
to our desire. When our desire is behind something, we work so much
more effectively. I am striving to have a greater desire for the work
of The Lord. The scripture in Doctrine and Covenants 4 says, "If you
have desires to serve God, ye are called to the work." It is our
desire that counts. I've remembered recently that The Lord judges us
based on our works and the DESIRES of our hearts. I hope that I can
put my treasures in Heaven and serve God in the way He expects. I have
been so richly blessed. I need to do my small part to show my
appreciation and help others to be blessed as well.

I want to thank my wonderful family for sending me some Christmas
package love. Those packages brought me so much joy. I am so blessed!
You all are the best! Thank you so much. My thanks seems meager when I
think of how happy I was when I received that package. I just kept
thinking to myself, I am so lucky! My family is the best! But, I say
with as much sincerity as I can, thank you so much. I really am very
appreciative of all that you all do for me.

I am nearly out of time. I'm really sorry. It makes me sad that I
can't tell you all more. So, I must focus on the biggest news. I am
being transferred. I am most saddened by this, because Elder Durkin
and I only had one transfer together, and it has been probably the
most fun I've ever had. The word that I can think of the best describe
Elder Durkin is "riot". He is amazingly enthusiastic and fun, and he
has pushed me along and helped me to learn much this transfer. Also,
he is completely dedicated to this work, and his actions exemplify
what I spoke of earlier about desire. I'm going to miss him. I've
learned so much. Also, I'm being released as a zone leader. I'm off to
a new adventure! My next destination will be announced next week!

That's all for today, folks! I love you all so much! Have a great week!

Love,
Elder McDonald

Cheer and Love

Loved Ones,

Happy December! I swear, someone must just fly through the sky during
the month of December, sprinkling healthy quantities of cheer and
goodwill on all the world. Maybe that's another one of Santa Claus's
roles. I guess that the elves do all the prep work, so maybe that's
how the big man spends his time before Christmas Eve. All I know is
that the happiness of the season is tangible. I'm grateful to have the
opportunity to serve the Lord during this special time. "We talk of
Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ..." (2 Nephi 25:26).
I am grateful for God's gift to the world. The other day, it occurred
to me that Christmas is the greatest love story of all time. And the
whole story can be summed up in one sentence: "For God so loved the
world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in
him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Knowing this, I
hope to be able to love more during this Christmas season.

I am happy because I received a good report of your Thanksgiving. I'm
glad that it went well. I have to tell you guys about our Thanksgiving
over here. First of all, let me preface the report by saying that it
was awesome! I thoroughly loved it all. You all need just a bit of
background. Elder Durkin spent 7 1/2 months of his mission serving in
Belle Harbor, which is one of the areas that we spent a lot of time in
doing hurricane clean-up after Sandy. So, Elder Durkin was invited to
come back to the area for Thanksgiving. He has become very good
friends with many of the people there. We were invited to join the
Stathis family for dinner. They aren't members of the Church, but
they've become good friends with the missionaries. You saw several
members of the family in the video on Facebook. They are an awesome
family. I grew to love them so much during that dinner. It was special
to be back in one of the areas I served in. It's hard to describe
exactly why, but that Thanksgiving was one of the most sacred
experiences of my mission. I learned a lot about myself, people, and
missionary work. I also enjoyed the opportunity to bear my testimony
to them through music. In addition to "What Makes You Spiritual", I
played another song I wrote for them. The fact that I felt comfortable
enough to do that is a testament to the bond that was inexplicably
created that evening. Really, I just jumped on board the great
friendship that the other missionaries had already created. No
complaints!

Just one more quick thing! Wakar (that's how it's spelled, not Waka)
is doing really well! He has come to two family home evenings at the
church, and he came to church yesterday. We've become good friends
with him. He's awesome. The last time we were at his home, he went I
to his bedroom and came out rocking a fedora. He bought it so he could
be more American. I mentioned Indiana Jones, and then Wakar said
something like, "Ya, I'm Pakistana Jones!" We died laughing. It was
priceless.

Last thing! Some really good resources for building a mission plan are
the Hastening of the Work website, "Hastening the Lord's Game Plan",
and "Put Your Trust in the Lord". "We Are One" is another super good
one. I love you all so much! Have a great week!

Love,
Elder McDonald

Happy Thanksgiving #2!

Loved Ones!

Hello! Well, I'm just feeling great about life. Elder Durkin and I
were talking to a brother in the Midwood ward a couple of weeks ago,
and he mentioned how he feels that being on a mission is kind of like
being on a crazy reality TV show. You get dropped off in a foreign
place with people you don't know at all, and your task is to start
talking to as many people as you can about religion. It just sounds
like the stuff of prime time. I liked that perspective, actually. It
really is such a fun, once-in-a-lifetime experience. But the
missionaries shouldn't have all the fun! Everyone can join in on this
work. Eternal friends will be made, eternal families will be expanded,
and eternal love will grow. That last one is my favorite, and the one
I most need to work on. Though a mission is a very unique experience,
our whole lives can be simultaneously full of whimsy and deep meaning.
The gospel of Jesus Christ has a way of making paradoxes possible.
Speaking of whimsy, let me share a funny moment from yesterday. Elder
Durkin and I were walking to the church late in the evening, and, for
some reason, we started to perform a little two-man band routine in
which we were both air guitarist. Elder Durkin started with the rhythm
guitar while I soloed on top, and we would switch back and forth as we
walked. This went on for at least 5 minutes, I think. Life is a lot of
fun. In other news, it was cold enough to send a yeti to Florida
yesterday. Our ward mission leader checked the weather report and said
that it felt like -8 or something ridiculous like that. All I know is
that it was really cold. But it was not in vain! I gained a deeper
respect and appreciation for the pioneers who trekked across the
frozen plains and sacrificed their very lives for truth. I am so
grateful for them. While walking through the cold in the Crown Heights
area, I also had an "I-can't-believe-I'm-in-New-York" moment. It came
as I gazed upon the Chrysler building, beaming with golden sunlight in
the distance. Those moments come from time to time.

But enough about me! How are all of you? Jacob, way to nail a sweet
improv talk in church! I can't wait to hear about it. You know, I feel
that the most powerful way to give a talk is to simply study
beforehand and have an outline, and then just deliver whatever message
the Spirit directs you to give. I've been blessed by using that format
in preparing talks and workshops. I wish I could have been there,
though. I'm happy that everyone is getting settled in to the new
place. Does it feel home-y yet? I don't mean in the gangster sort of
way. I hope that everyone feels at ease. I also hope that the classic
St. George Thanksgiving is great, as usual. What fond memories pour
into my mind as I think of St. George Thanksgivings! Have lots of fun!
I am ever with you in spirit.

I just would like to share something with you all really quickly. One
thing that has really been a blessing for Elder Durkin and I is having
a vision for our work. We decide what we would like to see (and make
sure it's what The Lord would like to see as well), then set goals and
make plans to accomplish the vision. Goals help to bring about the
vision in a measurable way (when they're measurable, it helps us stay
motivated so that we can see the progress that we make), name plans
help us achieve our goals. Having a vision to guide our efforts has
been such a big help. We feel more purposeful and honestly more happy.
I know that this will be the case for everyone. So, I would like to
extend an invitation to you guys. I invite you to get together as a
family and create a family mission plan, detailing how you are going
to be missionaries and help hasten the work of salvation. A great way
to start is by going onto the new Hastening the Work website and going
over the material there to catch the vision and learn what your role
is in all this. I promise that you will find greater peace, joy, and
love (perfect for Christmas!) as a family if you will do this. Having
a plan not only provides purpose and direction, but it also is a great
way to show The Lord you're serious so that He can begin to open doors
for you. When we commit to doing things, and really desire to serve
God, He makes things happen. I'd love to be a part of the plan. What
do you think?

I love you all so much! Thank you! I may be a broken record, but I
can't thank you enough. Have a great week!

Love,
Elder McDonald

Catch the Wave!

Loved Ones,

Guess what? (I figure it's always good to start with a cliff hanger).
I'm typing up this email from underground. More specifically, I'm at
the Times Square subway station. Well, At least I was. The N train
just came by and whisked Elder Durkin and me off towards our
destination: the mission office. We need to attend to a bit of
business there. I just think it's cool to be writing my family an
email from below the streets of New York City. Every day brings a new
adventure! But anyway, how are you all doing? I have not been able to
check my email yet, so I am lacking a report of the previous week's
events, but I trust that it was a great week for all. At least I hope
it was! On my end of things, this past week was exceedingly speedy.
Elder Durkin and I have been staying busy, and that makes the time
whiz by faster than a flock of seagulls gathers when you throw a pizza
crust on the sand. And what's great is that we have also been having a
lot of fun. We're truly finding joy in the Lord's service and feeling
the excitement and urgency that is characteristic of this special time
in the history of the Church and mankind.

I imagine that everyone is stretching out their stomachs and getting
geared up for Thanksgiving feasting. You still have nearly two weeks,
I suppose. I've been feeling anxious because I have a burning desire
to sing and listen to Christmas music, but I can't justify such an
indulgence until after Thanksgiving. I've downloaded the Bible Video
that depicts Jesus Christ's birth on my Gospel Library app so that,
come Black Friday, we are all ready to fully swing into the Christmas
season. I will miss you guys during this special time of year, but my
heart will be warmed by the many happy memories I have accumulated
courtesy of each of you. What is a holiday without family? And what is
a family without the people in it? Though our family may be
geographically challenged for a time, we can still be one as we knit
our hearts together with love and a common vision. I am happy that,
wherever I may roam, there are always hearts and hands to welcome me
back home. I won't be home for Christmas, but we will always be a
family. How amazing is that? Not even death can break the bonds with
which we are bound together if we honor our commitment to God and each
other. In Preach My Gospel, we are taught how to be successful
missionaries, and somewhere in that counsel, it says that a successful
missionary is motivated by a firm belief that he or she has made
covenants (or commitments) with God. May we ever remember the
covenants we have made and the promises that accompany them. I want to
thank all those who have shown me by their actions how to honor
covenants.

As I mentioned earlier, Elder Durkin and I have really been feeling
the excitement of the times. We have been trying to hasten our work so
that we can do our part to help move the work of salvation forward,
and we have seen The Lord open doors and pour out blessings as we've
sincerely done our best. I have gained a testimony that The Lord will
make things happen if we just turn our hearts to Him, and "show up" to
the worksite, ready to give our best effort. Miracles attend those who
embark in the service of God with all their heart, might, mind, and
strength. And that's not all! When we become active participants in
the work of The Lord, we have a lot of fun! It really is exciting.
Yesterday, I thought about all this in terms of surfing. I thought of
a surfer out in the line-up waiting for a wave. When a set comes,
there will be swells that pass through the spot where the surfer is
waiting. At this point, the surfer has a choice. He can just stay put,
rising and falling slightly as the swells pass, or he can paddle as
hard as he can and catch a wave. I don't know about you guys, but I'd
rather catch the wave. It's a lot more fun that way. Right now, in
real life, we are in the midst of a set. The swells are rolling in,
or, in other words, The Lord is hastening His work. We can just sort
of stay put, and perhaps feel a slight rising and falling, or we can
anxiously engage ourselves and catch the wave. Then, the fun starts. I
can testify that it really is fun. Joy comes as we labor to bring
souls to Christ.

I love you all so much. Thank you for all that you do for me. May God
bless all of you.

Love,
Elder McDonald

Thanks for the door hanger, Mia!
(We're all dying for the story behind this jacket!)

iPads!

Loved Ones,

Better late than never, right? I'm sorry to leave you all hanging for two days. The libraries were closed Monday, and the week has been jam-packed already. I don't have much time to email right now, so I'll have to be brief. But there is much to report on.

First, let me start with you guys! It sounds like everyone is doing dandy. Mom and Dad, I'm glad you had a good time in Palm Springs. I just thought of the Palm Springs segment in "Soarin' Over California" and how I always flinch when the golf ball comes at you. It gets me every time! I'm glad that you were able to experience the wonder of a Jewish deli. Our Jewish friends know how to do food. I'll be sure to try the lox on my bagel next chance I get. And I'm happy that the housing situation is being resolved hitch-free. I really like the new place from what I've seen. Can we have a sign up front that says, "Welcome to the McDonald Homestead"? A random funny thought: Everyone always gets a kick when I tell them that I celebrated my first birthday on a ranch and share some of the stories from the Boulder days. This gives my fellow missionaries fuel for even more "old McDonald had a farm" jokes. It's all in good fun, of course. I hope that everyone is loving school (you too, Mom!) and work and life in general. Be sure that I am loving you! 

I will now give a rapid-fire report of what has recently occurred. As I've already mentioned, I have a new companion. Holy moly, we are having a blast. Elder Durkin is hilarious. He was born in San Diego, but he's spent the most time in Las Vegas. There is no one quite like Elder Durkin. It's his birthday today, so please send him lots of happy birthday vibes. All in all, we are just having a great time and really trying to work as hard as we can. We are initiating some changes and improvements in the zone and in our personal work under the Lord's direction, and I have felt the power of seeking to more fully serve the Lord with all of our hearts, mights, minds, and strength. That is truly the way to find happiness and to find yourself. It's paradoxical, but true. In other news, I am 96.4% sure that Elder Durkin and I saw Ben Stiller in the neighborhood the other day. We were walking down a street and stumbled upon a film production, and we were told that it was a film with Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts. We were allowed to walk down the street, past where they were filming, as long as we didn't stop. So, we tried to get the best look we could while still walking, and I'm pretty sure that I spotted Stiller in the midst of a scene. So that was pretty cool. Now, for the really exciting news. Yesterday, the missionaries received their mini iPads as the next step in hastening the work of the Lord. What a peculiar thing it was to be given an iPad as a missionary. But, Elder Durkin and I used those wonderful little devices to study this morning, and I give the iPad two enthusiastic thumbs up. The Gospel Library app is amazing, and using it with the iPad allows you to streamline and enrich gospel study in an amazing way. The iPad literally puts everything right at your fingertips. It's great. Now, missionaries can begin to go forth without purse or scrip. All we need is the iPad to preach the gospel. The Lord is truly hastening His work. It is such a privilege to be able to participate with Him in the greatest cause of time and eternity. 

I'm about out of time, but I just want to tell you all that I love you. I really do. I pray for you nightly, and I am very grateful for your prayers for me. I'm sure that it won't be until heaven, when a perfect account of all things is given, that I will be able to see how much I have been benefited by the prayers of those who love me. Until then, I have faith that I am being buoyed up by those prayers, and so I wish to express my deep gratitude, not only for the prayers, but for all the labors of love which I have been blessed by. I testify that God is our Father in heaven. He loves us and wants us to be happy. That is His way - happiness. We should be happy each day, and if we aren't, we need to work things out with God so that we can be. If you don't know where to start, just start with prayer. Of course, you could always ask the missionaries - they can help you! I love you all! Have a great week!

Happy! Happy! Joy! Joy!

Loved Ones,

Good day! What a fine day it is in Midwood! The air is crisp, the trees are colorful, and my heart is warm. I believe that the phrase that I could use to most accurately sum up my feelings is this: I am loving life. Honestly, I am just very happy. Thank you for sending pictures of your Halloween adventures! I loved them. I'm glad to see that the tradition of holiday festivity is still going strong in the McDonald household. You know, as I've spoken with other missionaries about family traditions and such, I've come to realize that we have always had a very strong sense of tradition in our family. We always found fun ways to celebrate even the most obscure holidays. Mom and Dad, I want to thank you for establishing a good, strong family culture. It blessed my childhood and continues to bless my life. From time to time, I have ideas about family traditions that I can establish once the time comes, and I've been writing those things down. Of course, I plan on continuing many of the awesome traditions already in place in our family as well. I believe that it is because of our strong family culture that I have such a deep love and appreciation for culture today. That has helped me as a missionary in New York, and I know it will continue to bring me joy throughout my life. So, thank you for the legacy. I feel a great responsibility to continue it. I also offer a big thank you for the lovely fall package that you sent. You guys are the best. I loved it. Thank you so much.

Well, the time has come for an update. Elder Monestine was transferred, so I now have a new companion named Elder Durkin. Words fail to measure up to the description that Elder Durkin deserves. He is one of a kind. This last week has probably been the most fun I've had my whole mission. It has just been great. Almost counter-intuitively, this past week has also been the most focused I've been in a while, and I've also felt a great desire to lose myself in the work of the Lord. Heavenly Father knows our needs. He loves us and He gives us so many wonderful gifts. This last week was just what I needed. I am so pumped right now!

Fun story of the week: Elder Durkin and I were walking down the road, and Elder Durkin was talking about how he'd like to learn how to introduce the Book of Mormon in Arabic. We passed a Middle-Eastern man as we walked and made it about 10 paces before I felt that I should turn around and ask this man how to initiate a conversation in Arabic. He actually spoke Urdu, but he taught us an introductory phrase that is used in Urdu and Arabic. We came to find out this man's name is Waka Kahn. He's from Pakistan, and he's been in New York for 5-6 months. As we spoke, Waka told us that he hasn't been able to make any friends during his time in New York, and that has been hard for him. He then said that he was happy that we were now his friends. He invited us to come to his house. So, we followed him into an obscure basement apartment where we met Waka's father. Both Waka and his father were just completely stoked that we were there. Waka's father doesn't speak English, but Waka told us that he was asking him how he got these Americans to be his friend. It made me so happy to see how happy they both were to have someone to be friends with. Throughout our visit, Waka's catchphrase was "You are my friends!" and, "When you are happy, I am happy!" We were given a fruit smoothie, a Pakistani lamb dish, and a bowl of fruit. It was royal treatment. We had a wonderful conversation with Waka and his father, and gained an interesting insight into the perspective of an immigrant. Waka talked about how the Pakistani people feel isolated because the Americans don't reach out to them. The Pakistani people are afraid to reach out because they feel like Americans have a negative view of them, especially because they are Muslim. In the mean time, Americans often don't reach out to immigrants because we don't know their language or we simply feel that they are just doing their own thing. At least, that's how I sometimes feel. So, both sides give each other the cold shoulder because we just misunderstand what the other side is thinking. This was a profound lesson for me. I have noticed that if I offer a friendly "hello" to my Pakistani brethren, they often respond back in a very friendly, gracious manner. Waka reminded me that we are all children of God, and we ought to extend a hand of fellowship to everyone we meet. How many people to we pass on the street without even saying "hi"? I feel the world would be a brighter place if we just loved a bit more and tried a little harder to reach out to those we don't understand.

I want you all to know that I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is so true. It is a pattern for our lives. I have been blessed immeasurably by the gospel, and those blessings continue to come every day. I know that God lives. He loves us. I know that we each can receive eternal life by following the principles and ordinances of the gospel. I love you all. I'm so grateful for your presence in my life. Stay the course!

Love,

Elder McDonald

These pictures are with Elder Brodowski and Elder Miller. They were in the zone waiting on their visas to Brazil. 

Elder Durkin teaching "Joe". We enlist him for help when we practice teaching. Also, a picture of my Halloween costume. 

 A picture of the gifts Elder Durkin and I made to deliver to members. I made the bread, and Elder Durkin made the paper plate boxes. I felt you would be proud of our craftiness. Oh, but the way, I have a new companion :)

Just Call Me Owen...

Loved Ones,

Hello! My, how I love you all. I just have the best family ever, and so many wonderful people in my life. I feel like a broken record here, but I just can't resist continually raving about how great you all are. I am lucky. I am also happy, because it sounds like, at least generally, it is smooth sailing for all. Just remember the lesson we can all learn from The Legend of Zelda: Windwaker: you can always create a good wind for your sails. All it takes is a little bit of music. For us personally, this music may be a good attitude, scripture study, or prayer, with music still playing (double entendre!) an important role. If we will always have a song in our hearts, then the wind will follow the example of our happy tunes and fill our sails. I will also quote Buddy the Elf: "The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear." Christmas is coming up, but even if it wasn't, who doesn't want a life full of Christmas cheer? 

I enjoyed this past week. It was filled with much fun and laughter and much learning. First of all, I just want to say that I'm grateful that the Lord knows us and is continually blessing us with even the little things that will bring us joy. For example, I love pizza and bagels. I love pizza more than I love bagels, but I love them both. New York City happens to have vast quantities of delicious pizza and bagels. I'm grateful that among a host of other reasons that I have been called to serve here in New York, the Lord found a way to arrange the circumstances so that I can enjoy the little things I love while still being where I need to be. This was on my mind the other day as I strolled down the street, munching on a bagel just after enjoying a slice of pizza from Jr. Bella's (we will go there when you all come). I <3 NY. Speaking of food, I stumbled upon a delicious food invention last week. I was on exchanges, and we were trying to decide what to eat for lunch. The plan was to make grilled cheese sandwiches, and we also had some pineapple in the fridge. It was then that I had a crazy idea. "So crazy, it just might work," in the words of Pistachio Disguisee (spelling?). Elder Jensen cut some pineapple rings, I grilled them, and then put them on the sandwiches before grilling them. It was actually really good. I recommend trying it. I have to share a funny experience from last week. Elder Monestine and I were riding home on the bus, and I struck up a conversation with a guy sitting next to us. We spoke about various subjects, and ultimately, I ended up telling him about the Church and the gospel. It was a long bus ride, so we had a good conversation and continued to get to know each other. As we neared the end of the trip, we started talking about Halloween somehow, and the guy said to me, "You know what you should be for Halloween?" "What?" I said. "Owen Wilson," came the reply. I laughed out loud. I thought you would all appreciate that. 

Yesterday, the mission had a really cool opportunity to go back to the areas where we helped during the clean-up after Hurricane Sandy. The anniversary of the landfall of Sandy is tomorrow, and in honor of it, the community of Far Rockaway organized an event called "Rockaway Rising". Basically, the idea was to make a gigantic human chain around the Rockaway peninsula. So, a good portion of our mission came out to support the event. The pictures on the beach were taken there. It was good to be back in that area and again associate with the people I had the opportunity to help. I can't believe it's been a year since all that happened! I am so grateful that I had that experience. I will ever remember the days of mucking out flooded basements and becoming fast friends with strangers, our instant unity fueled by the power of the human connection that seems to reveal itself in dire circumstances. I am happy to report that at least the community of Far Rockaway seems to have recovered well from the damage. From the destruction of Sandy, I acquired a love of service and greater love for my fellow man that will stay with me forever. That experience was a springboard of sorts for me, and as I've continued to serve the Lord in New York, the lessons and love continue to come. Missionary service is a miracle. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the sure way to happiness. Jesus Christ can come into our lives and "muck out our basements", so to speak. We have so much to learn from Him, and we will always be bettered when we feel the touch of the Master's hand. During church on Sunday, I read "Reverently and Meekly Now". Mom, I want to thank you for suggesting that hymn to me. I want to invite you all to read it and ponder its message. I was touched by the Savior's invitation to use His Atonement. He wants so badly to help us. Sometimes, I try to help people, but find that they are not as willing as they were when, for example, I was offering to help them clean their flooded house, and the problem was very apparent. These experiences have helped me to understand in a small way what the Savior must feel. He invites us to lay our burdens on Him. He is pleading with us to let Him carry our pack, and sometimes even carry us.  As I read the lyrics of "Reverently and Meekly Now", I came to see the Savior as a dear friend more than I ever have. That is because I felt the power of the Holy Ghost testifying to me. "Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto [me], but my Father, which is in heaven." I testify that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, and it is only through His infinite Atonement that we can be truly freed from burdens, care, and sorrow. I love Him, and I'm so grateful for His sacrifice.

I love you all. Thank you so much for everything! I don't like to use generalities, but I can't think of a better thing to thank you for than "everything". Have an awesome week! Have fun, and be happy! 

Love,

Elder McDonald

P.S. I must include this conversation between Elder Monestine and I:

Me: "Waldo just ran by us." (I said this after seeing a guy who looked suspiciously like Waldo from "Where's Waldo.)

Elder Monestine: "Who?"

Me: "Waldo."

Elder Monestine: "Where?"