Wings As Eagles

Loved Ones,

Well, hello! How are you all doing today? Simply swell, I presume? Well, good. I am also doing well. Even more so now that I have received word from the wonderful people in my life. I'm very grateful that you all have chosen to put up with me. Thanks for that! It really does mean a lot. To know that there is a group of warm hearts that I can turn to in an hour of need brings peace to my troubled heart and joy to my soul. Thank you for always being so faithful. I'm so sorry that I was not so dependable last week. I ran out of time before I could send out an email to everyone, and I do apologize. 

There is much that I could report on, I'm just not quite sure how to begin. I'll start with interviews with President Calderwood. Those are always great. I learned a lot, and now it's time to apply. Recently, I am learning how to be comfortable being myself as a missionary. That may sound strange, but it is something I've had to work on. I feel like I spent the first year or so of my mission trying to figure out how to be a missionary. Or maybe I should say that I was becoming more converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ. I will continue to work at that, but now, I feel like I am starting to find out who the "forever changed" version of myself is. I may have already mentioned this, but our mission's motto is "Forever Changed". My goal is to be forever changed while still being myself. Don't get me wrong; I didn't completely lose my personality last year. I just wasn't quite balanced. Now, I am learning how to achieve balance, and, if I'm lucky, inner peace. I find it helpful to do a child's pose on a yoga mat (thank you, Mom) if I'm ever feeling deficient in the inner peace department. I recommend the child's pose. It works wonders. Alas, I digress. Basically, I'm learning how to have more fun and enjoy life more while still being a representative of Jesus Christ. After all, "men are that they might have joy." There is always something to learn, and I am grateful for that. It is actually really fun to see how the Lord guides my life towards the most happiness possible. Sometimes that means wading through a bit of grief, but the happiness would not be sweet unless I had a point of reference. I trust that, no matter what, the Lord wants the best for me, and He works to help me receive the very best. I just need to work with Him. I feel that I am currently at a fork in the road, with change on the horizon. Just as the leaves  are yielding their green to beautiful shades of yellow, orange, and red, my life is on the verge of a shift. It's not anything major, I'm sure, but there will be more opportunities to learn and to grow. I just want to testify of the miracle of missionary service. I gave a talk on missionary work in church on Sunday, and my testimony of missionary work was strengthened as I prepared for it. Missionary work changes lives. I know that. I feel that it is appropriate to replace the words "missionary work" with the word "love" in nearly all cases. So, I would say that love changes lives. What is missionary work other than reaching out in love? As we seek to serve the Lord and serve our fellow man, we are changed, and the world is changed for the better. I am so grateful that I have this opportunity to be a missionary every day. And I'm so grateful to each of you for supporting me in this endeavor. To anyone who says that there are no angels, I say that I know there are. There is a little group of them that is always sending me their love and buoying me up with their kindness. Thanks for being so angelic. 

Guess what? I just received word that my mission will be receiving our shipment of iPads and iPhones in less than a month! How cool is that? These new resources are going to help so much. It's going to be great, and I'm excited. The Lord's work is hastening, and we need to put on our running shoes to keep up! I know that if we do our best, the Lord's promise in Isaiah will apply in our lives: "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." If we will humbly trust in the Lord - wait upon Him - then He will lift us to heights that we thought only the eagles could reach. We are each children of God. We each have divine potential. I pray that we can all tap into that potential and become what we can be. The Lord wants to give us all that He has. He wants to help us every day. I know He will. I know that the message I bring to the good people of New York is true. The gospel of Jesus Christ makes me happy; it empowers me. With God, I am so much more than what I am on my own, or even what I thought I could be. 

I love you all so much! Please have an awesome week, and be happy! Know that I love each of you, and you are each important to me. I'm rooting for every one of you. I want you to succeed and to feel successful. Never forget that I love you! Thank you all for everything that you do. Words fall short when given the task of expressing the profound impact that you have had in my life. 

Love,
Elder McDonald

P.S. I owe you one more story! I'm sorry to leave you hanging! I'll send it in a letter!

Riding a Sprirtual Wave!

Loved Ones,

Well, hello there! Is everyone just riding a spiritual wave after General Conference? I just wish we could have a lengthy open discussion about how wonderful it was and about what we learned. What an amazing blessing it is to have living prophets on the earth today. We are so blessed. I absolutely loved every bit of General Conference. I want to hear all about what everyone's favorite talks were and what stood out to each of you. I loved how straightforward the statements of doctrine were. I am very grateful that we don't have to worry about deviating standards of truth in this world that is continually shifting and turning everything upside down. One of the greatest blessings of having a prophet in our day is the doctrinal purity that is maintained as an authorized servant of the Lord is continually working to lead the Lord's Church and the Lord's people in the Lord's way. So much confusion and anxiety is simply swept away as we hearken to the counsel of the Lord. And whether we hear these counsels from the Lord's voice or the voice of his servants, it is the same. This is a bold claim, but one that is more than justified as the Holy Ghost bears witness to us personally that President Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God. I know that now more than ever. What a joy it was for me to hear a prophet's voice! President Monson's talk was definitely my favorite, and I think that I would say that Elder Christofferson comes in second. I love Elder Christofferson, and I felt that his message was of the utmost importance. Plus, his name is awesome. I just can't say enough how much I know that all of this is so true. It just is absolute truth. I love it! 

So, you just received the update on the highlight of my week. Now, on assignment from Dad, I will answer some questions. First of all, if one were wondering what was the most delicious food I had the privilege of eating this week, I would answer by saying that I was able to enjoy a feast in between conference sessions that included homemade tostadas and flan. That was really good. Also, someone brought Papa John's pizza, which is always delicious. By the way, I've recently developed this thing for making bread. I have this odd desire to never buy bread again. I've just been experimenting and trying a few ideas out, and two of the loaves have come out really good! Plus, they're vegan, so that counts for something, right? I thought you might be interested in this, Mom. I want to thank you for teaching me everything I know. Now for another question. If one asked me who the nicest old person I met was, I would say that honor would go to our good doorman named Dave. He's only kind of old, so I'm pushing it, but he is the greatest guy ever. He's the perfect example of magnifying a calling, whatever it may be. He seems to take great care to be the best doorman he can be, and I think that's inspiring. I would love to answer any more questions. I'm trying to be better about keeping track of those so I don't forge to answer. I'm sorry if I have neglected any of your questions. I promise it's not because I don't care. I'm just a bit absent-minded sometimes. I'm working on it! I've learned that there is great power in writing things down. I have to share two stories with you all. Time is short, so my accounts must follow suit. First of all, I want to share the story of themidnight drive through Brooklyn. That doesn't sound like something a missionary would be doing, does it? Well, you are correct if that was your thought. But, sometimes things go awry. Let me explain. Elder Monestine and I borrowed a car two weeks ago for some work we are doing with the ward, so we were able to have a brief break from the public transportation. Don't get me wrong - I love the public transportation. A car is just a lot faster. But anyway, we put together an effort to visit all the less-active members in the ward here, and all the missionaries in Brooklyn came to help us out. The event ended at about 8:30 at night, and some of the missionaries had a long journey home, so the people who had cars gave the sister missionaries a ride home so that they wouldn't be out on the streets of New York late at night. Elder Monestine and I were in charge of taking one companionship of sisters home in the Corolla we were temporarily using. We all got into the car and started for the sisters apartment at about 8:45 probably. All was just fine and dandy. But then, a hiccup surfaced. Elder Monestine's GPS died. You guys know how terrible I am with directions, right? That is definitely a weak area for me. The situation quickly escalated, and the journey home turned into hopeless wandering. For a while, we felt like we would be able to figure it out. We quickly realized that navigating the streets of Brooklyn at night is a lot more difficult than we anticipated. We passed through a few dodgy parts of town and gradually became more and more lost. To make a long story short, we didn't end up getting the sisters home until after 11. I felt terrible. I must say that we were trying to be obedient and get home as soon as possible. We just couldn't seem to find our way. But! It wasn't all bad. Let me tell you, the view of Manhattan at night from the freeways of Brooklyn is stunning. And, at one point we accidentally ended up behind a tour bus and got a first class view of the Brooklyn Bridge. There was much laughter, a little terror, and now there are hilarious memories from the incident. I am now nearly out of time, so I will have to save the other story for next week! Sorry!

Thank you all for all you do. I just want to say that I know that Heavenly Father loves each of you. I know that. If you're ever feeling lonely, or sad, or hopeless, just offer a sincere prayer. I testify that help will come in one form or another. Help always comes. I love you all so much! 

Love,
Elder McDonald

Come Listen to a Prophet's Voice!

Loved Ones,

Hello! I am happy right now because of the wonderful people in my life. So thanks for being there, wonderful people. I am so grateful for all the light that you shine into my life. If it gets much brighter, I'm going to need sunglasses. But that is a problem I would love to have. That way, I can be happy and stylish! Ya! Honestly, though, thanks for your continual support. I have occasion to lean on it often, and I'm glad I can always count on it being there. As always, I'm glad to hear that all is well. I realize that you aren't going to report on bad days you have, so I'm probably getting a highlight reel of your lives, but that's OK! The good outweighs the bad. Of course, don't hesitate to share any of the struggles as well. I love to include you all in my prayers. Praying for others is one of my greatest sources of comfort, as strange as that may sound. I've found that when we turn outward and focus our prayers on the needs of those we know, the warmth of love comes into our hearts, and the world feels like a better place. And that is not to mention the great power in prayers of faith. Let's not forget that Alma the Younger in the Book of Mormon was literally saved from destruction as a result of his father's prayers on his behalf. Prayer works! You just have to try it.

Is everyone excited for general conference, or what? I can't believe that it's that time again. I just realized yesterday how soon it is. What a great blessing it is to hear from a living prophet of God. I think that sometimes I take that for granted, and I want to try harder to show the proper appreciation for this miracle. General conference is such a treat, and I know if we will take the time to listen closely, we will receive counsel and direction from our Heavenly Father. We are living during exciting times, and we need the counsel of prophets and apostles more than ever. If everyone just took one thing away from general conference and applied it into their lives, can you imagine how much humanity would benefit? I believe we would see monumental strides in the right direction. Though all will not hear a prophet's voice this weekend, we can do our small part to work towards such an ideal by listening attentively and then applying what we learn. I wish I could watch conference with my family, but I know that the blessing we receive from doing the right things far outweigh anything we sacrifice. Do you all have any fun plans? Though I will miss the post-priesthood session In-N-Out stop, I will be well taken care of, as the elders quorum president is hosting a pre-priesthood session feast. It's gonna be big. 

This last week was so good! It was extremely busy, and abounding in blessings. It is such a joy to have people to teach. There is nothing like teaching the gospel. It just feels good to share something that is so important. The family that Elder Monestine and I are teaching all came to church on Sunday, much to our delight. I look forward to their future progression. Elder Monestine and I also had our most productive week ever in terms of teaching. I know that there are tons of people out there who are looking for the truth. We just have to trust in the Lord's timing. I learned a lot last transfer, even though the success was minimal. Heavenly Father wants the best for us. He will always give us the very best if we just stay patient and stay faithful. I know that! Sometimes, life is hard even when we do what is right. If only it was easy for us to see that such times of adversity are really opportunities to grow and ultimately receive more joy! If we can step back and see the big picture, then the world looks a lot brighter. I give my witness that hard times work together for our good, and adversity lasts for but a moment. The sun always rises. And when the sun rises, we can't just sit back and relax. That's when we need to work harder than ever. It's easier to work in the light than in the dark, though sometimes, working in the dark teaches us lessons that wouldn't come if the sun never set. So hang in there! 

I love you all so much! Thank you for your prayers. 

Love,

Elder McDonald

Fall Is In the Air!

Loved Ones,

What a wonderful day it is! I wish you all could feel how superb the weather is in Midwood, New York. I comment on it frequently. Yesterday was perhaps in the top 10 most beautiful days ever, and today, there is a crisp autumn breeze that is simply gorgeous. I have a reason to wear what I now refer to as my "sensitive sweater". Elder Cutshall always used that term, and I have adopted it because I feel it is most appropriate. Seriously guys, it is really beautiful right now. And it's not just the weather! Great and joyful events decided to pay a visit last week. There will be more to come on that. But I want to know how all of you are doing? What is the scoop? I hope that whatever the scoop is, it is as pure and fantastic as Ben & Jerry's ice cream. May all your days be as a glorious conglomeration of dairy, peanut butter, and chocolate. From what I can tell, everyone seems to be doing well. Mom, way to get straight A's! I'm impressed. You are going to give me a run for my money. I think it will help us to reach our full academic potential if we inject a good dose of healthy competition into the situation. Also, the house seems to be coming along swimmingly. Can we all agree to not put any fake plants in it? That would bring me joy. (That's a little private joke). How is school going for everyone? It's strange to be working on my school application. With that said, I cannot stress enough how wise Elder Nelson's recent counsel to get that all taken care of before serving a mission is. Let me just say that I am rooting for each of you, and it is my sincere hope and prayer that the vending machine of life continues to dispense only the most delicious of offerings. 

It is an interesting time in my neighborhood, because we are in the midst of an 8-day Jewish holiday called Sukkhos (I think). I may have the name a bit wrong, but the name comes from a structure called a sukkha that the Jewish people build and eat their meals in for the duration of the holiday. From what I've learned, this is symbolic of the children of Israel's time in the wilderness. The sukkhas are built outdoors, and they look basically like a hut. There is also this special fruit called an esrog (I think) that is part of the celebration. The fruit is some sort of citrus, and it is imported from Israel. It's all very interesting. The town basically shut down for a few days to observe the holiday. Actually, there apparently is a foreign film that is set during this holiday. One of the elders was telling me about it, but I don't recall the name. Maybe if you search some key words on Google you could find it and check it out. Experiencing all of this culture and tradition first-hand is a treat. I am going to appreciate "The Fiddler on the Roof" so much more after my stay here. Earlier, I was telling Elder Monestine how much I love this neighborhood. It is my favorite place in New York so far by a significant margin. It almost seems like the neighborhood in "Sesame Street" to me. It's slightly utopian in nature, and full of warmth and traditional values. In short, I am very happy to be here. I love this place, and I feel very lucky. Aside from the perfect potpourri of weather and culture, there have been great missionary moments as well. First of all, Elder Monestine and I had an appointment with a beautiful family last week. It is the first time that I've taught a whole family the gospel, and I was so happy that I had the opportunity. Teaching a family is a very powerful reminder that the gospel of Jesus Christ blesses families. So much of missionary work is directly related to the building and sustaining of eternal families. The goal of this all is to have families be happy and at peace in their homes and to have the tools they need to make their family an eternal one. I want you all to know that I know that families can be together forever. Happiness and peace will be achieved as families center their homes on the teachings of Jesus Christ. There are few things of which I am more certain. And I also feel it is important to remember that we really are all part of an eternal family. Every one on earth is a spirit child of Heavenly Father. Life would be better if we always acted in accordance with this beautiful doctrine. We are all on the same team, and we are all on the same journey. The journey is more pleasant and successful if we treat each other with love and respect and extend a helping hand to everyone around us. I'm very grateful that Heavenly Father has placed us in families and that I have the privilege and opportunity to share God's truth with my eternal family. "Ohana means family, and family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten." I don't want anybody to be missing from my eternal family. I pray that all will listen to and accept the simple message of the restoration of the gospel. Elder Monestine and I also taught another lesson to a young man who has been looking for truth his whole life. That was also a choice opportunity. The Lord has been blessing me abundantly. I know that what I am doing is right, and I know that if I will just do my best with a willing heart, no effort will be wasted, and blessings will always come. 

I love you all so much! Please don't forget that! Thank you for the love and support you are endlessly sending. Thank you for your prayers. I know that I have been blessed by them. Thank you for being who you are and for helping me to become who I need to be. 

Love,
Elder McDonald

Aloha!

Loved Ones,

Hello! My "hello's" are always answered by silence in the digital world, and it reminds me of a thought I had yesterday in church. You know how nobody ever responds when someone who is giving a talk says, "Good morning," but when someone goes up and says, "Alooooha!" everybody promptly sends a big "aloha" right back? Well, as I pondered this for a moment, I decided that I think I might just say "aloha" every time I give a talk at church so I can get a response. Using this logic, I might well infer that if I begin my emails with "aloha" instead of "hello", I'll get some sort of response. Who or what it is that would answer me from the far reaches of the digital wilderness, I can't say. I feel like these are questions that need to be answered :) But, I digress. How is everyone doing? Once again, it seems like you've managed to have a great week. Mom and Dad, I loved the pictures of your trip to the Getty. You two are looking good! I have some cool parents, I do declare. And I'm only a little bit jealous that you had dinner on the beach in Malibu. Mostly, I'm happy that you are taking some time to slow down and make some happy memories. Those little moments are like an investment with an incredibly high interest rate. They yield a continual return of warmth and joy, and they are worth their weight in gold (do moments have a weight?). Thank you all for keeping me in the loop and letting me experience a little slice of the good times. 

This week was good. Transfer calls came, informing me that I will be staying here in Midwood with Elder Monestine for the next transfer. I just love this place so much. It is definitely my favorite area so far. But I've loved each area for individual reasons. Midwood is just such a beautiful convergence of cultures. It's like I'm always on a field trip for a cultural anthropology course. It's great! For the cultural experience of the week, let me tell you about the Middle Eastern (I think it was Pakistani) sweet shop Elder Monestine and I found. We were walking home one night near the end of last week, and we passed a little shop with some interesting offerings displayed on their counter. Elder Monestine wondered aloud what these foreign foods were, and I suggested that we go inside and find out. As we walked in, we were greeted by one of the kindest, most friendly people I've met recently. He patiently explained what some of the sweets were, and then very graciously gave us some free samples. The sweets were delicious, but even sweeter was the warmth and love that comes from simple human kindness. This man reminded me of the power and importance of civility. If we all treat each other with a little more kindness and respect, sharing our "sweets" with those around us, then the world will be a more beautiful place. Elder Ballard's address about honeybees and service comes to mind. 

One thing I learned this week, is that the Lord is always mindful of us, and He knows when we need a little encouragement from our heavenly home. Sometimes, it can feel like we're on our own, but the Lord's comfort is always there to remind us that someone knows and someone cares. We are often allowed to struggle and experience some adversity so that we can grow. The metal must pass through the refining fire if it is ever to achieve its full potential. I feel that the Lord does not like to see us struggle, but He has an eternal perspective, and so He knows that some stretching is necessary. And, just like a father teaching his child how to ride a bike stays by the child's side with outstretched hands, ready to catch the child if balance is lost, the Lord stays near us, always ready to "catch" us when we need help. I felt the Lord's sustaining power this week. There were a few moments when I felt downtrodden, distressed, and distanced from God. I needed an assurance that my Heavenly Father was mindful of me, and that assurance came - more than once. This week, I have been strengthened by divine love, and I have learned for myself that the Lord's promise in John 14:18 is real: "I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." And so, I declare that God lives. He loves us. Feeling God's love will heal any wound and lift even the most depressed soul. We need to turn to the Lord in our trials. He is always there to help. 

I love each of you so much. Thank you for always being there for me. Sometimes the Lord sends angels to help us, and you guys have been angels for me. 

Love,

Elder McDonald

Don't Worry, Be Happy!!

Loved Ones,

Thank you so much for your love, letters, and emails! I am filled with love and happiness right now, and that is a priceless gift that I owe to each of you and to our Heavenly Father. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I just love you all so much. I wish I could express it more fully and demonstrate it more regularly. I am thoroughly convinced that my family is the greatest family in the world. Hands down. No other submissions will be accepted for consideration :) I love you guys! Thank you so much for all that you do. I was delighted to learn that everyone had a good week. It sounds like it was full of adventure, excitement, and spiritual nourishment. Mia, congratulations on losing your first tooth! That is exciting! I actually have a pretty good relationship with the tooth fairy, so I'll be sure to put in the good word for you. Actually, I'm sure she's already stopped by, so I hope she delivered! Also, I'm glad that everyone survived the bee/June bug invasion. When figs are involved, you never know what might happen. I personally don't blame our winged friends one bit. Knowing their partiality to figs, I would be sure that you don't leave Fig Newtons anywhere that is accessible by bees or June bugs. If these bugs are anything like me, there would be an infestation beyond reason. When you love Fig Newtons, nothing gets between you and the Newtons. So be cautious :) But anyways, I had a great week as well. It seems like each week has a theme. The Lord teaches me something new that I need to know, and then that lesson seems to be emphasized over and over again. I'm grateful that the Lord works in this way. There is so much for us to learn, and if we took on everything at once, we would just have a system overload and break down entirely. The Lord teaches us line upon line so that we can progress gradually. Though growth may seem slow at times, as we patiently wait upon the Lord, we will be amazed as we look back and see how far we've come. Little seeds grow into tall trees.

I'm going to be honest, it was weird to work on Facebook last week. It will take some acclimation, but I know that this wonderful tool will be such a great benefit in the work of salvation. One thing that I thought was interesting was how it made me feel to plug back into the information barrage that we have come to take for granted. I want to say that technology is definitely a good thing, but we just need to be wise with how we use it. We can fill our minds nearly instantly with shocking amounts of information, so we need to remember that it is important to take time to be still and to focus in on the best things in life. I believe it was T.S. Elliot who said something to the effect of, "Where is the wisdom that is lost in knowledge? And where is the knowledge that is lost in information?" Life comes at you fast in the 21st century, so it's important to be cautious about how much we gobble up. Moderation in all things is a wise way of life. I'm working on that. 

So, I had a realization last week. I came to the conclusion that it is so important to have fun and enjoy life. That's not a very ground-breaking realization, I know, but it's what I needed to learn. Sometimes I get caught up in stresses and responsibilities and fail to remember that "men are that they might have joy." I feel that President Monson is a great example of mastering the balance between work and play. He is a powerful leader, and a spiritual giant, but he still maintains his fun-loving personality and his joy for life. That is something I've been working on. Sometimes, I get overwhelmed by the expectations set before me, and I become a bit too cautious because I feel like I must constantly do everything perfectly. In discussing this topic, I want to be careful, because the balance between responsibility and enjoying life can easily slip too far in either direction. But, I feel that if we just try our hardest and also maintain a good attitude and a love of life, then we aren't going to get ourselves into trouble. Part of this life involves making mistakes and growing up, and I'm grateful that the Lord gives us a vision of perfection that we should work towards without demanding it immediately. I find great comfort in knowing that the Lord looks on the heart and that He is patient and forgiving. What I think is interesting is that doing our best and doing things the Lord's way gives us the fullest measure of peace and happiness. So, we don't have to choose one or the other. The commandments, "Be ye therefore perfect," and, "Be of good cheer," are not in opposition to each other. It is in the spirit of loving life that I would like to mention a few of the reasons I'm happy:

1. The weather has been absolutely gorgeous
2. School is back in session, leaving more computers open for me to use for emailing
3. I have some Ben & Jerry's peanut butter cup ice cream in my freezer
4. I have the wonderful opportunity to serve as a missionary in the capital of the world
5. And last, but certainly not least, I have the greatest family in the whole, wide world. 

That's all for today, folks. I must be off. Thank you again for all that you are constantly doing for me. I love you all so much. Please have a most excellent week  and smile a lot - it makes you happy! 

Love,
Elder McDonald

Elder Cutshall, Elder McDonald's last companion

Mission goal: Accomplished!!!

Plugging In!

Loved Ones,

It's strange how national holidays become a nuisance when you're a missionary and you need to talk to your family on Mondays. I missed hearing from you all yesterday. But getting your emails today was a great boost that will help me cruise through the week. I would like to issue a formal apology for how feeble my letter was last week. It was severely lacking in the information department, and so I have resolved to give some good intel this week. But first things first. I want to tell you all how much I love you and how much joy you bring into my life. Thanks for that. This morning, I was reading in 2 Corinthians, and I came across a verse that I really liked. It is verse 24 in Chapter 1. This verse uses the phrase "helpers of your joy", and, as I understand it, the context is that the leaders of the Church help the Saints to have joy by serving them. I want to say that you guys are definitely helpers of my joy. And because you bring me so much joy, I can then share that joy with others and become a helper of their joy. And by helping them to have joy, I have more joy. Thus we have the circle of joy. I hope you all experienced exceedingly great joy as you had the opportunity to see Wyatt yesterday. I have to say, I am jealous. I remember hanging out with my good cousin in Newport not too long ago. What fun times those were. Welcome home, Wyatt! You are awesome. I hope everyone is loving school and life. I pray for you constantly. 

I have an exciting announcement to make! You will all likely see some activity on my Facebook page today or tomorrow, and this is not because I have chosen to be disobedient. This is because my mission is one of the missions that will be piloting the jump to the digital age of missionary work. I am going to start using Facebook, Skype, and possibly blogging as tools to serve the Lord and my fellow man, and I am excited. I'm actually extremely excited. I think this is going to be awesome. So here's the deal: I can use these online resources, but I'm still doing what I do with the purpose of helping others to "come unto Christ". I can't just Facebook chat with you guys to see what's new. But I think that more important than what we can't do is what we can do. I am really excited because now we can team up and engage in missionary work together in a much more effective and unified way. The Internet is a wonderful tool that can bring the gospel to all the world, and so I invite each of you to work with me and with each other to lift up our lights and let them shine. This will be possibly the coolest thing ever. So that's the big news for the week. 

If I may, I would like to change gears a bit. I promised some more information in this email, so here we go. Let me first tell you about my neighborhood. Basically 95% of my neighbors are Jewish. I have grown to love the Jewish culture. Most of the Jewish people here are very orthodox and dedicated, and I think that is refreshing to see in New York. Naturally, many of the establishments in my neighborhood are heavily influenced by the Jewish culture. I have developed a deep and abiding love for kosher bakeries. There is a place called Ostrovitsky's just up the road from my apartment that purveys the most delectable of offerings. If you walk anywhere near Ostrovitsky's in the morning hours, the redolence of homemade pastries and breads envelopes you in a warm, loving embrace. It is out of this world. And that's before you've taken a bite. Words cannot describe what my taste buds experience at that moment. We will definitely have to go there when we take our New York tour. Another great thing about the neighborhood is that a 7/11 was recently opened a block from my apartment. I didn't know this was possible, but I had a kosher Slurpie the other day. How cool is that? I love it. Also, there is a great Jewish barber shop that does an excellent job for a very reasonable price. And the barber shop also became the scene for a funny only-in-New-York-moment last week as Elder Monestine tried to tell the barber how to cut a black person's hair. It didn't come out quite the way he was hoping. I think that he was the first black person to have his hair cut there. I am sharing this experience with Elder Monestine's encouragement. In summation, I am a big fan of my area, and I am very blessed each and every day. Even if it's just a simple thing that makes me smile. One of those blessings came yesterday and allowed me to realize one of the goals of my mission. I will tell you a bit about this and include a picture next week. I have to include a little suspense to keep things interesting! I have to tell you about one last thing. I went on an exchange with Elder Cabeza de Vaca last week and had an absolute blast. Let me tell you just a bit about Elder Cabeza de Vaca. He's from Ecuador, he is the most energetic person ever, and his name means cow head. We had a lot of fun on the exchange. He told me about how they make peanut butter by hand in Ecuador. I want to go witness this first-hand now. There is just so much I could talk about, but so little time. I am truly loving life, and I hope that all of you are as well. And, I love each of you even more than I love life. Thank you for being the best family around. Whatever neighborhood I find myself in, I will always feel blessed and comforted by my wonderful family. 

I just want each of you to know how much I believe in what I am doing. In high times and low times, my testimony of this work remains as the great constant of my life. The gospel of Jesus Christ has changed my heart and helped me to live better and love deeper. I know that we have a source of help in all circumstances, no matter how trying. The Savior Jesus Christ will always have His arms outstretched. "Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows". May we each turn to Him more and find strength from the source of light and truth. I love you guys! Please never forget that! 

Love,
Elder McDonald