3/27/2017

Buenos días amigos amigas familia cómo le van? That's probably the
most Spanish I've said this week hahaha kidding but anyway I hope
everyone is alive and well as am I! Transfer calls came and I'll be
getting transferred to Lebanon 2nd Branch!!! This area is the other
main Spanish area here in the TKM! I'll be companions with Elder Hatch
who came out with my first son Elder Fillingim!

Tuesday: Hype point of the week we got to meet David Archaleta out in
Farragut!! It was a devotional in which he talked a lot about his
mission in Chile and sang several songs including his rendition of
"Glorious"; which he recorded when he was a full time missionary!
Afterwards we each got to meet him and shake hands and swipe a photo.
He started speaking Spanish to me and completely caught me off guard
hahaha Ciao David

Wednesday: Zone Conference out in Fountain City! President Griffin
dropping bombs left and right and destroying the training and just
blowing our minds with doctrinal truths that I would never think of in
1000 years. Taking notes wasn't even possible hahaha. He emphasized
heavily on the Atonement. Every Easter and Christmas our church does
an initiative in which we receive cards and a new video to share with
EVERYONE. They're always themed and this Easter's theme is Prince of
Peace.

Thursday: Took my first Park-Day...in other words we walked all day so
I guess I'm a real missionary now for walking. We only get a limited
amount of miles each month so we were struggling with our usage. My
legs were completely done after today.

Friday:  last day ever volunteering at the Children's Museum :( we had
a cool experience with this lady named Lisa we were trying to teach.
She decided that she was just too deep in her Baptist roots to
continue with us but before we exited I had the opportunity to offer a
prayer while we were all standing holding hands and after I concluded
she paused for a few seconds in like shock and awe saying," that was a
beautiful prayer". Hope we planted a seed:)

Saturday: we helped on of our main investigators, Brenden in moving
out of his apartment and good news is at his new residency is still in
our area. We also went to lunch with an investigator named Josh
Phillips. I might have mentioned him earlier. But we had the most REAL
conversation with him about the Gospel. He had a few past experiences
that caused him grief and I shared a lot of personal experiences and
my testimony. You can just see in people's eyes when something touches
him and this guy who's a standup comedian was almost in tears. It was
legit. Love the guy.

Sunday: two little old ladies who haven't been in church in over 2
years came today and it absolutely made my day!! Brenden came to the
later service!


My time in Poplar Creek has come to an end. They are transferring both
Elder Hammond and I to different areas and making a bike area! I
cannot wait for a new start! I will still be senior companion and
District Leader still! So happy and so stoked! Love ya

3/20/2017

Goooodddd week out here in good ole Shiverpool! Introductory wise I'd
like to publicly give a shout out to my new baby cousin SPENCER DAVID
WADE🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 love yunzzzzz

PDAY today we went long boarding down the hills of West Outer Drive
right here in Oak Ridge wooooooooooo!

Tuesday: gotta today was close to the highlight of the week. We did a
power-up exchange with the Zone Leaders so basically had 4 Elders
working one area! I went with Elder Gubeli and we had a ton of success
throughout the day. Gubs is unbelievably energetic so it was nice to
be around him haha. It also started to snow and rain throughout the
day but cleared up into this beautiful fog. Tennessee weather is
incredibly bipolar I love it! We spent the night at there apartment
called the "Party Shack". Hardddd didn't sleep haha

Wednesday: D-Meetinggggg went well we are working to help the Stake
achieve goals of getting members to share the Gospel. Later in the
evenings met with Bishop Montierth and got a list of members that he
doesn't know and are working on finding all of those lost souls
lol....

Thursday: Service alllllll day baby. Science Museum and helping
members build chicken coops. Good ole south!!!! The American Museum of
Science and Energy is actually extremely legit so it's fun to be
there.

Friday: we had a lesson where we sat down with two teenage girls who
are struggling to even identify the concept of having a loving Father
in Heaven. Now I know how it feels to serve in Asia I guess. One girl
was some sort of Pagan and the other made up her own religion. It was
really interesting to sit with them and see their background and
beliefs and how they've been influenced into their beliefs.

Saturday: Highlight of the day was the Adult session of stake
conference. We got to see a ton of other missionaries there and also
got to feel the Spirit from the speakers present. It was nice to have
that upliftment.

Sunday: we had that Brenden Thompson guy text us randomly last night
that he was going to be coming to church!!! Miracle of the week for
sure. We thought he had dropped us but decided to make a return after
his own personal contemplation of wanting to continue with us. We are
going to help him move this week!

Gotta make this quick because I have no more time love yunz!!!!!


Elder Macdonald

3-13-2017

Whaaaaa suuuhhhhh qué pasa familia y todos esta semana fue un poco más
mejor de la u,tima semana!!! Title means "Carry on (x3)". Today once
again was another one of those weeks where your faith is tested and we
are digging deep in the trenches! We have done a lot of finding again
which is yielding slight results.....but the Lord once again has
reqearded us with some tender mercies:)

PDAY: took the W in two games of bowling (my practice in college paid off)

Tuesday: Went on my first D-Leader companion exchange with Elder
Peterson who is a greenie (new Missionary). We spent the day in my
area and he initially said that he wanted to learn how to be better
conversational wise when it came to being in public and door
approaches. Did just that!! We went out and got like 6 new
investigators up in Oliver Springs! Poor guy forgot all of his
hygienic stuff for spending the night hahaha.

Wednesday: D-Meeting I gave a training on our own personal visions and
how we are all personally responsible for who we are and what we will
become. Invited everyone to set their vision on Jesus Christ.
Also..,,there's a fast food restaurant here called Krystal's. How the
place has passed health inspections I'm not sure but my ZL Elder Nish
though it would be a good idea to eat lunch there...we were all cashed
afterwards.

Thursday: update on Brenden Thompson. He basically dropped us but said
he wants to pray and ponder over the things we have taught him before
he meets with us again. We met some of the most interesting people
I've ever met on my mission today. It ranged from crazy high school
chicks to Street prophets to people who believed that the Bible is
just coded for Quantum Physics... yea I love the South hahaha

Friday: we got chapped all day today but an interesting enough was we
ran into a Jehovah's Witness who attempted to give us their doctrine
in Pamphlets. I really wanted one but when I offered that I would take
one if she would take one of ours she refused so that was odd.

Saturday: chapped again. However coolest experience from the day was
knocking on a door and immediately this dude wasn't interested but we
saw him playing video games (Destiny) and let us in. I always love how
changing the subject to something else completely can allow you to
have opportunities to share the Gospel. Just from that little tactic
we basically shared the whole Plan of Salvation.

Sunday: Jacqueline Griffis and here whole family of 3 kids (Alysha 15,
Ian 9, and Adleyn 8) came to church today and they really really
enjoyed it. We then had lunch at a Members house with all of the and
taught the Plan of Salvation. It was a really long lesson and we
invited her to be baptized but she is still hesitant which is totally
understandable (standing in her shoes). They have so much potential we
just need to continue to lay some ground work:)

Scripture of the Week: Mark 4: 35-41

Another week for all of us to continue to prove and build our faith in
what we know to be right! I know this Gospel is true and I know that
there is a lot of things to learn every single day p, especially when
we experience trials:) the key is finding joy in the journey. Love
yunz!

Elder Mac