Friday, December 30, 2016

12/26/2016

Feliz Navidad amigos y familia!!!!! What a great week of holiday cheer
and festivities down here in La Sur!!!! This Christmas honestly has to
be one of my favorites. Got lots of gifts in the mail (thanks everyone
love y'all to death:)))) and spent this week with amazing people every
day all day. What a beautiful time to be a missionary aquí!

Tuesday: Zone Christmas Party was definitely the weirdest party I've
been to in my life (just missionaries) but what a awesome time it was.
We spent all day playing dodgeball, eating grub, gift exchanging (mish
President gave us themed hoodies too), and we watched STAR WARS! The
Force Awakens one! Later this night we met a part member family and
got her little 9 year old daughter Jasmine on date for January 7! Lil
Christmas miracle there:)

Wednesday: Rough day for my shoes haha! My foot caught on fire while
standing next to this pit where these Hispanics were making some
chicharrones and it melted a part of my shoes haha, so that was
classic. Back to back days to with setting baptismal dates! A mother
and daughter named Yaneth and Giselle! They were a member referral and
they've been to church already like 3 times and Giselle attends
mutual! Really awesome family:) January 14 for them.

Thursday: back to back days with classic moments. Ripped my pants like
all the way when helping lift massive cabinets into the Torres's house
hahaha. All good though, just tied my hoodie around my waist. I think
best moment today was when we passed out over 250-300 Christmas cards
to people at the mall in like 30 minutes!! Spreading the good word.

Friday: we taught 7 lessons today as a result of just straight
perseverance. The previous day was a little weak so we wanted to up
our results and through diligence we achieved that! We followed up
with Liz, and she's doing amazing! Tried to commit Hector (an
eternigator) to baptism again. I think the most memorable action from
today came from when we tried to find a less active in the back
country roads and we found her sister who was a leader of a baptist
church! After 30 minutes of talking to her and showing her the
Christmas video she opened up to having us come back! Everyone's got
the light of Christ!

Saturday: MERRY CHRISTMAS Eve! Two member meals today with the Familia
Torres and also La Familia Garcia!!! At the Torres's we did a classic
Wade tradition which involves us giving a "present" to Jesus. Mine was
to just love everyone I come in contact with to my maximum capacities.

Sunday: I was a little nervous for how Christmas away from the family
would be but in all thanksfulness it was a beautiful day. We woke up
and unwrapped all our presents (see time lapse), had a cinnamon
roll/hot chocolate fiesta, and then headed to church where we had two
investigator Families show up and tons of less Actives and Liz:)! The
rest of the day we spent with the Bishops family in Cleveland in the
most pitch perfect country side you could ever imagine. Christmas in
the South was one I won't forget, can't wait for round 2! Facetiming
my family was unbelievable especially when they have beached out hair
on the North shore of Hawaii (un poco celoso)

There's something beautiful about the Christmas spirit isn't there?
Don't lose it. Keep that spirit inside yourself, your homes, your
relationships. Keep Christ at the center of everything. Love you all:)

Elder Mac

1) fam bam aloha
2) teaching a 9 year old the Plan of Salvation
3) post Christmas
4) Garcias
5) Jesucristo photo bomb
6) perrito
7) Southern style Christmas tree
8) new album cover
9) Shiverpool Icicle









12/19/2016

Title: Milagro de Navidad


MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!!!! 🎄🎄🎄 what a blessed week and what a
blessed time to be a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-Day-Saints!! I could not ask for a better present than to be
here serving the wonderful people of northern Georgia!! Liz got
baptized this weekend (see Saturday and pics)! I had the beautiful
opportunity of performing that sacred ordinance. To say the least I've
never seen someone so happy in my life. Such a wonderful week!
Vammosssssss:)!

Wednesday: this was our actual PDAY because of the past Half Mission
Conference that I loved so much! But we went on another hike with the
sisters in our district Sister Forbush and Sister McGrath! Beautiful
hike but I got an early Christmas present during it! There's little
wooden landmarks around the trail that open up to show nature
information and I opened one up and a 2$ bill that said "Merry
Christmas" fell out! I was so shocked hahaha. Someone I'll never meet
made my day! How cool is that concept?? Taught Liz how to pay tithing
too:)

Thursday: Liz and Manuel after our lesson with them yesterday went
directly to the court this morning a bought their marriage license and
so we found out that she was going to make her date!! So we planned
everything super fast including wedding plans and baptism plans! I had
never been so busy! It was awesome though! We went Contacting in a
popular bakery where all the Hispanics go and I had a guy my age come
up to me and ask where my church was!! Right place right time! Named
Jimmy Ruiz. Also some members from a different ward saw us and slapped
us a 20$ bill so we bought a ton of baked goods! Bastante rica! Too
much happened today ahhhh

Friday: WEDDING BELLS!! Liz and Manuel got married this morning at
10:30 AM in the bishops office! We had the opportunity to be present
during it! My trainee Elder Fillingim told me he's never seen me smile
so much! I was so happy for them. Such a beautiful, new family. Right
after that she had her baptismal interview with Elder Raymond my
district leader, and she passed with flying colors! She asked me to
baptize her and then Elder Reyes to confirm her! More happened today
but to be real I couldn't stop thinking/praying for this family. So
awesome.

Saturday: we set up the entire service that morning and filled up the
font! It was beautiful. We had great member support and a great
service planned and conducted! The talks were beautiful and so was the
message my companions shared about the Restoration! After I performed
the baptismal ordinance with her, as we were both exiting the font I
turned around and said, "LIZ, FELICIDADES!" And she only said "Thank
you!!" back, but I've never seen someone smile so big and look and
feel so happy wow. I got ready before she did and she came back out
with the same smile. I'd never felt so much joy for another person.
Her faith has inspired me incredibly. In the last 3 weeks she had a
newborn son, got married to her returning-member husband, and got
baptized into the true church of Jesus Christ. Amazing. Never forget
this journey we had with her and will continue to have with her!!!

Sunday: Elder Reyes confirmed Liz today as a member of the church, and
we joined in the circle! Awesome! We came up with a new idea to go
visit a ton of less Actives after church. We each created separate
lists and found a member who wanted to go with us after church to see
those who weren't in the chapel today! Such an awesome idea! Very very
productive especially with a Trio!!!

To be honest I cannot express in a single paragraph the joy I feel in
my life everyday from being out here and serving my God. So I will not
try, but I just want to bare my solemn and firm testimony that I know
Jesus Christ lives. He's my foundation and my strength and will
continue to be as long as I live. I know that miracles can come to
pass through faith and that when we have faith we will not fear. Fear
cannot coexist with faith. Have a wonderful Christmas. I am thankful
for the greatest family and friends in the world. I love you all🙏🏼
Merry Christmas!!!!

Elder Macdonald

If you want to send me letters, packages, or anything my address is:

1403 Mack St Apt A
Dalton, Georgia 30720

1) Present from the hike:)
2) Dalton Krew
3) Comps 🙏🏼
4) Ortiz Family and Moras
5) young women's Present to me❤️
6-8) Liz's Baptism