Staying Put!

Hello Everyone!

Thanks for the emails and the letters and the love! I'm sending as much love as I can right back at you all. I'm so happy to see and hear that all is well. I can't wait to hear about what happens with the house decision! That's exciting, but definitely stressful. Mom and Dad, I actually really like the idea about just being homeless in Hawaii. We can just climb coconut trees and live off the fat of the land. I'm sue that Jack Johnson would invite us over often, especially once he finds out that we have the same birthday. Good plan. But until then, I hope that everything works out pitch perfectly. I loved the video you sent of Elder Tremble, well, Julius now, I guess. That was funny. I'm not sure exactly what he's referring to, but I think he is alluding to a particular incident that has become an infamous inside joke between Elder Broadbent and I. I'll have to tell you guys some day. It was good to see that Elder Tremble and Elder Cabinilla are well. Maybe Elder Tremble will come visit you guys sometime. If you invite him, I bet he'd show up. I can't wait for you all to meet him, though. He is a stud.

This week was really good. Mom, you'll be happy to know that I have been well fed this week. My district has been trying to work more closely with the members as of late, and that has led to an increase in the number of dinner appointments we've been having. It's been quite nice. It didn't hurt that I went on an exchange with two spanish elders this week, either. The spanish elders get well fed. We had a lunch appointment, which is about as rare as a legendary Pokemon in the english program. Last night, Elder Hooper, Elder Broadbent, Elder Finlinson, and myself were invited over to Sister Nedd's house for dinner, and she made a feast for us. She cooks very well, and I have not been so full in a very long time. As we were finishing up dinner, there was still a good amount of chicken left, and when Sister Nedd's sister, Sister Robinson started to clear the table, she said, "You didn't finish the bird!" By the way she said it, we could tell that she expected us to eat all of that chicken. Everyone was really full, so the task seemed daunting. Somehow, the responsibility to consume the rest of this fowl was placed squarely on Elder Finlinson and I. It was a struggle, but we did prevail. I don't know why the vegetarian kid was given the task, but I won't complain. I don't think I've encountered many chickens that were more skillfully prepared. Anyway, I told Sister Nedd that my mom would be very grateful to her for making sure I was taken care of so well. So Mom, don't worry about me starving. The branch members have been very nice. I can't wait for you guys to meet them. I've grown to love this branch so much. And, I'll be here for at least another 5 weeks! Transfer calls came on Saturday night, and I will be staying in Bushwick for the next transfer. Elder Hooper and I are staying together. I figured that would happen, because training a new missionary is a 12-week program, so the trainer stays with the new missionary for the duration of the 12 weeks in most cases. I'm excited to have more time to do my very best to strengthen the Church here.

I have learned a lot over this last transfer as I've worked with Elder Hooper. I feel like I learn so much more than I could ever teach as I train. I have been acquiring a long list of New Year's resolutions as I've seen all the areas that I need to improve on. The need for improvement becomes much more clear as I have more responsibilities. I'm really grateful for that. The gospel is all about making bad men good and good men better, right? I feel like self-improvement is what we are here to do. I'm not quite sure about the reference, but I recall a scripture that talks about improving our time in this life. We only have such a short amount of time and so much to do! I really love the idea of self-improvement in the gospel, because it is so much more active than just doing what it takes to get to heaven. We obviously want to return to live with God and have perfect joy in His presence, but we also are here to gain experience and grow. As Brad Wilcox says, "heaven will not be heaven for those who have not chosen to be heavenly." Perfection in the future is a noble goal, but I feel like we need to take things one day at a time and strive for perfection now. President Calderwood said something along these lines that I thought was spot on. He basically said, "If you can't make it perfect in the moment, you can't make it perfect in the future." Isn't that cool? President Calderwood has some great quotes. I've written down as many as I can over the last 6 months. I look forward to sharing them with you guys sometime. But anyway, I'm excited for the next transfer. I have a good feeling about it!

How are everyone's New Year's resolutions coming? Mom, I'd be happy to help hold you guys to those, and I'd love to join in, but I'm not sure if I know what they all are. I remember you mentioning them somewhere. Did I just totally gap that? Do you guys have a big family resolution? I'm sorry if I'm being really forgetful. I have a lot of things flying through my brain. Let me know if there is a family goal I can participate in. That family scripture reading thing kind of fell through, and that's my fault. Sorry for dropping the ball on that. I thought that the study time I have would be a little different than it is when I was fresh out of the MTC. Maybe we could do a scripture of the week or something like that. How does that sound?

I hope that everyone has the best week ever! Dad, I almost forgot to mention that I just purchased some sugar cane juice from a street vendor on my way to the library. The guy had the sugar canes, and he just stuck them in a juicer and poured the juice in a cup. It was pretty good. They didn't add any lime to it like you talked about them doing in Brazil. I think that would have made it even tastier. It was fun to try it though. I love that I can find all these crazy things here. Brooklyn is pretty cool even if it is a little bit gritty. Well, I love you all very much, and it was so good to hear from you guys. You are in my prayers.

Love,

Elder McDonald

6 Months!!!

Loved Ones,

Hello! I love you all so much! I just had to say it. Seriously, you're all the best. I can't believe how lucky I am. I also can't believe that I've been away for 6 months this Friday! That feels crazy. It feels like the time has gone by really fast, but when I look back, I realize that so much has happened. I don't know how it all fit into 6 months. Missions are pretty miraculous. I get so much more than I could ever give. 

This week was good. Honestly, it was really hard, but that doesn't mean it was bad. I feel like I end up learning a lot about myself when times are tough. Nothing crazy happened, it was just a week full of tracting and trying to get people excited about hearing something that will make them happy. You would think it would be easy, but most people just don't recognize the potential in the option that we bring to them. It makes me sad, but I suppose that is just the way it is. For the first time I can really remember, my heart hurt because someone turned down the gospel. I've been saddened before, but my heart actually hurt. It made me so sad! I just wish that I could help people realize how important it is to come unto Christ. I wish I could be better at showing them the happiness that comes from living the gospel. I feel like I'm starting to understand what Alma meant when he said, "O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God..." (Alma 29:1). It doesn't do any good to wish for something I don't have, though. I can't forget that Alma also said, "But behold, I am a man, and do sin in my wish; for I ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me." I can definitely be better though. I just need to work! I have absolutely no right to complain. I feel like I need to give the people of New York my all if I'm going to expect them to give their all to the gospel. I need to have more love and be more diligent. Ah, but the flesh is weak! I do know, however, that with the Lord, weak things will become strong (Ether 12:27). I feel like one of my New Year's resolutions is to let the Lord make me strong, not necessarily in the way I might choose, but in His way. 

I hope that I don't sound too dismal. I don't want to do that. I'm actually really excited for this week. On Sunday, the branch I'm in organized a new branch presidency, and I think that they are going to do a really good job. It seems like they are going to focus more on missionary work, so I'm excited to see the fruits of that. Member missionary work is so important. I just didn't really get it before. It has become very clear to me that the members are the key to missionary work in many ways. I would urge you all to be as supportive as you can to the missionaries. Of course, I'm sure you already are doing a great job. A member of the stake presidency said something about member missionary work on Sunday that I thought was really cool. He basically said that church is the place where we practice sharing our testimonies and fulfilling our duties so that when we get out into the world during the week, we are ready to do the same thing. He pointed out the importance of participating fully in church by saying that we cannot expect to be able to live the gospel or share the gospel out in the world if we can't even do it at church. I thought that that was an excellent point. At church, we practice (in the sense of preparing, like practicing for sports) what we preach so we can then practice (in the sense of doing) what we preach at all times and in all places that we may be in. We don't just go to church "just because". That would be silly!

There's a really good excerpt from a talk by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland in a talk by the General Relief Society President from the last conference (the whole talk is good, but I especially like Elder Holland's part). He talks about what the pioneers had deep within them that gave them the strength to press forward. He also mentioned the fact that the pioneers could only fit so much in their handcarts as they journeyed. He related this to us, saying that there may be some things that we need to leave out of our handcarts. Elder Holland says all this much more eloquently than I could, so I recommend checking out the talk. It was a very relevant point. I've been thinking a bit lately about the power in simplicity. I feel like a life centered around the gospel of Jesus Christ would be a very simple life in many ways. After all, "simplicity is the ultimate sophistication" in the words of the great Leonardo da Vinci. If we want the gospel of Jesus Christ to fill our lives, then we need to make room! There are so many things that can clutter our lives in this day and age, and I think that it can be easy to add a bit too much to our handcarts. I know that there are many things that I want to pursue, and I often forget that I should not be so hasty to add a lot to my plate when I haven't even mastered the basics of the gospel. Indeed, it may be impossible to master any aspect of the gospel in this life, but we can certainly do our very best. Another New Year's resolution I want to make is to simplify my life and focus on the basics of the gospel, like charity and humility. Being on a mission is a great time to simplify life. There are many reasons for the rules that we follow on a mission and for avoiding some things that we may normally pursue, but I feel like a big reason is just to keep things simple. There is so much to learn!

Have I told you all about Gisem and Yaman yet? I feel like I mentioned them. Anyway, they are awesome. They are a couple from Turkey that Elder Hooper and I are teaching. They have such strong faith and they are basically already members of the Church, they just need to get baptized. The only problem is that they need to get married first because they are living together. That wouldn't be a problem at all, but they are having some issues with getting their citizenship. Once they are able to get that worked out, they are totally ready. They are the coolest people. I want you all to meet them. They're always so happy and upbeat. They just love the gospel and let it fill their lives. It's great. There are actually a lot of people that I'm really excited for you guys to meet. Many of them are from my branch. There are so many cool people there. 

Well, there is much that I have yet to tell you, but it may have to wait for a future time when I can sit down with you all and look through my journal, picking out all the stories that I haven't had a chance to tell. If this could happen by a fire place, then even better. I wish that I could say more, but there's just too much! I hope everyone is doing well. Thank you so much for the letters! I loved them. Jase, you write the best letters. You make me laugh every time. Thanks buddy. I do love reading all the letters so very much. And thank you for the emails as well. I am so grateful for all the support. When I'm having a tough day, it helps to think about how grateful I am for my family and for how much the gospel has blessed us, and then think about how it can do the same thing for all the people I try to share it with. I love you all so much. Thank you for your support and prayers. All is well.

Love,
Elder McDonald

Happy New Year!

Hello All! 

Sorry to be late with the emailing this week. The library was closed on New Year's Eve, so we had to adjust the schedule a bit. Well, it's 2013. We didn't all die on December 21st, so that's definitely a plus. I am having trouble believing that it's already the new year. It honestly feels like last New Year's was just a few months ago. I've decided that I am in a time warp. I'm ok with that though. At any rate, we all have a whole year ahead of us, and it's wide open! We can make it anything we choose to, and I think that's kind of exciting. 

It looks like the San Francisco trip was awesome. That was to be expected. McDonald family vacations are never a disappointment. I think that it was a really good idea to make a trip into a Christmas present. Many of the gifts I've received have slowly faded away from my memory, but I find that the times I spent with my wonderful family, especially on vacations, created memories that remain strong and are among my happiest. Jase, I'm proud of you for braving the wax museum. There is no doubt that wax figures are terrifying. I find that it helps to remember that at any time, you can melt them with a well-placed blast from your flame-thrower. You could also make them into a candle, and candles are definitely not scary. Good job buddy. Jacob, you ate those squid tentacles like a champ. I think you would have fun trying all the interesting food that people feed me out here. Last night, a member had the missionaries over for New Year's, and she fed us oxtail. Yes, that is exactly what it sounds like it is. It actually wasn't bad if you just didn't think about what you were eating. I'm really glad that you all had such a fun time. San Francisco is definitely one of my favorite places. It did look cold, though. Here, it was a balmy 27 degrees the other day, so the cold isn't really a factor :) 

It has been a pretty busy few weeks with all the holiday hubbub, but it's been a lot of fun, too. This last month has absolutely flown by. I'll have been out for 6 months in just a few days. Crazy. Seeing as how time has been rapidly moving along, I have realized that there is a great need to be actively engaged in making resolutions every day to be better so that I can make the most of the time I have. I really like all the New Year's resolutions you guys made. I especially like the one about making sure that there is nothing in the home that would prevent the Spirit from being there. I feel really strongly that the home is a sacred place. It is so true that only the home compares with the temple in sacredness. That has been emphasized to me as my roommates and I have tried to keep our apartment clean and clear of worldly things so that it can be a special place that is set aside from all the craziness that goes on outside. I just feel like it's really important to have a Fortress of Solitude to turn to after being out in the fray every day. 

I believe that an update is in order. Things are going well here. The holidays make it hard to get in contact with people, so Elder Hooper and I have been doing a lot of hard work and a lot of praying. Qua and Nicolett have been really hard to get into contact with, which is understandable. It makes me really sad to see them miss out on so much, though. I wish that they could just have a glimpse of how their lives could change if they embraced the gospel. I feel like that would be the catalyst needed. We're not giving up on them, though. We have been finding a few more people to teach, so I'll keep you updated on what happens in that regard. We will hopefully meet with a few of these people this week. Sara has been out of town for the holidays, so we haven't taught her in a little while, but we are also hoping to be able to meet with her soon. Things are hard, but they are coming along. If things are too easy, then you never learn, right? I do have to give an accounting of the best Christmas present I received - a chance to go to the temple with Floretta. Elder Hooper and I went with her, the Frandsens, and another member, and it was awesome. I was so happy for Floretta. It's just incredible to think that only a few short months ago, she knew nearly nothing about the Church. The gospel changes lives. I testify of that with all of my heart. It was also very nice to go to the Manhattan Temple. It's amazing how peaceful it is in there despite all that is occurring right outside. It is definitely a safe haven. The whole experience was really special, and I will never forget it. 

Have you all read the conference addresses in the Ensign? I highly recommend all of them. This is the first time that I've made an effort to read the addresses in full, and I'm very glad I did. I learned so much more the second time. This conference was so good.  One of my favorites this time around was Elder Bednar's talk on conversion. He makes so many good points. It is one thing to know that the gospel is true. It is quite another thing to let the gospel change you. I read that talk right after listening to "His Grace Is Sufficient" by Brad Wilcox, and the two went hand-in-hand perfectly. Brad Wilcox talks about being asked if he has been saved by grace and responding that he indeed has been saved completely by grace. He then poses this question: "Have you been changed by grace?" I suppose you could substitute the word "conversion" for "change" in this instance. We will be what the Lord intends for us to be if we can "[put] off the natural man and [become saints] through the atonement of Christ the Lord" (Mosiah 3:19). I would say that my biggest resolution this year is to be changed by grace and to take steps towards complete conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that if we apply the principles taught in Elder Bednar's talk, we will be happier and we will likely fulfill all of our other resolutions at the same time. There are so many examples for us to look to in the world that it can be easy to forget the greatest example, our Savior Jesus Christ. The primary song "I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus" has far more significance than we tend to give it. That phrase is almost cliche these days, but if we really stop to think about what it means, then I feel like our lives and the lives of those we come in contact with will be positively impacted in incredible ways. I have a long way to go before I can say that I have been changed, but it is my heart's fondest desire that I can achieve that goal. I very highly recommend Elder Bednar's talk and Brad Wilcox's talk. I think that the talk by Brad Wilcox is one of my favorite that I've ever heard. Check it out! 

There is so much more that I'd like to tell you, but I have to wrap up. I love you all so much. Thank you for all that you do for me and all that you do for each other. You are in my prayers, and I so appreciate the prayers that you offer in my behalf. They mean more to me than I could possibly express. I hope that this week is joy-filled for all.

Love,
Elder McDonald

Merry Christmas!

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

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

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. 

New Companion!

Loved Ones,

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.  

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