10/24/2017

10/23/2017

Goodness bendiciones y gloria al Señor por todo lo que ya ha pasado esta semana final para esta area!!! This past week was probably the best week of my mission without a doubt!!! But before I get into that I am being transferred this Wednesday to Johnson City, Tennessee as a Zone Leader out in the Kingsport Zone! I am super super sad to be leaving Lebanon. This has hands down been my favorite area of my mission and I have grown so much here. My new companion is Elder Fredrick! I will give more info on him next time! 

Went on a split with a member of the stake presidency! He took us to Outback! 

This past week honestly doesn’t seem real. It went by so fast and spent the whole week helping Monserrat Castillo, Zahred, and Sheccid Xiquin. It consisted of follow up visits, calls, tons of organizing and so on and so forth! On Friday we had the baptismal interviews for all 3 of them! My friend, Elder Hopkins, who is actually leaving this week..had the opportunity to interviews all 3 of them. Monserrat was the only one who did not speak English so I was actually present for her interview, translating! It was so awesome to be there! Everyone passed their interviews with flying colors. It am just so astounded about the progression they hav all made. Truly the Lord poured out his blessings upon Leb Town these past two weeks. 

Saturday was the Day! Sheccid and Zahred were baptized into the church! I had the opportunity to baptize Sheccid, and Elder Lopez baptized Zahred afterwards! There was quite a bit of member support there and it was a fantastic spirit there. Moments like that are always so special! Elder Lopez and I were so happy afterwards. You could just feel the warmth of the Spirit in that service! 

I also did my first hot wings competition at the English Ward party! I was absolutely destroyed afterwards.....got 2nd place barely ahhhhhh:) 

Sunday was even better. We had so many investigators come and the branch looked like it had doubled! I had the opportunity to give a talk and to testify about “the worth of souls”. Ya boy was on the verge of tears. I just let them know that I was grateful that I got to serve them and to make so many great friendships. One of my favorite girls here, Adrianna and also President Ueki gave talks. Prior to that, I had the opportunity to confirm Sheccid a member of the church and then Presidente Ueki confirmed Zahred! When it came time, we Monserrat was baptized by Presidente Ueki and I had the opportunity to confirm her as a member of the church! It was such an honor and something that I will never forget! 

I am pretty sad that I do not get to finish training Elder Lopez. He has helped me a lot with continuing to persevere and do my best! Lebanon itself isn’t really a place where my heart will be, but it will be with the people I have developed such wonderful friendships. I am content with my time to serve here and I know I gave it my all. I have struggled and had success and I know the Lord has been with me every step of the way! 

I am excited for my new adventure over on the east side of the mission! I already got a Spanish referral from my buddy Elder Leavitt! I love the people here. I am loving the misión! 

Les amo love yall Ciao Pescao 

Elder Mac 

 

 

10/16/2017

Ladies and Gents this is my last full week here in Lebanon. I have to say hands down this is my favorite area. I will write more about what I have learned here and how much I have grown! This week I will talk about some MIRACLES that the Lord has blessed!  So elder macdonald only finished up to this point so now im gonna finish for him (this is Elder Lopez, the midget companion).  

So Monse got baptized and now she can get baptized, which will happen this Sunday.  Right after Monse�Ls ceremony we found out that Sheccid and Zahred also want to be baptized.  When Elder Macdonald heard that he like fell down and almost started crying.  Now we have four investigators on baptismal date so that�fs awesome.  Hopefully Doris keeps her date so We�fre working hard and enjoying our time in the Spanish branch.  He tells me all the time that he�fs  scared of gong to an english area now.  Our branch president President Ueki is one of the greatest men in the church.  Idk what else to talk about, it�fs been a really good week and we feel really blessed.  He still has a sinus infection thing and we don�ft workout haha but we�fre all good. 

This week we will be hoping to have 3 baptisms!! We are having a super fun PDAY so I�fll send more next week but keep all these people in your prayers!!! Love you all so much!!

Elder MAC 

 

 

 

10/09/2017

What a week. What a week. Tempted to say it a third time but my goodness I am just so thankful to be serving the Lord in my life right now. I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else or in any other place. My time is winding down here in Lebanon and it is starting to get real....my love for these people exceeds all of my previous expectations. Some highlights from this week will be included and also some fundamental things I am learning to help strengthen my own personal testimony of the Restored Gospel.

Angela: story behind this wonderful lady. She saw one of our English class posters and walked into the chapel where we were giving a church tour. Ever since then she has been a faithful student of English and of the Gospel with us as well. This week we taught her how to pray in English and started to teach her about the importance of living prophets and the Book of Mormon. We testified that she come to know that the Lord is working through HIS church today and that those Answers are given to us through the Holy Spirit. She opened up to us about her previous experiences of receiving answers to her prayers. She shared a particular dream she had in which when she woke up from it she was in tears and had accepted Jesus has her Savior. While tell us this powerful, personal story she was in tears and even asked me, out of the 4 people in the room to share my testimony. I did so and let her know about my love for the Savior and how I know he lives. She is so sincere and close to the truth. I could feel the Spirit work through me so strongly. 

We had district meeting today. To be honest it was a very powerful and spiritually edifying meeting. Elder Lovell is one member of my District who is from Highland, Utah. He was struggling from the beginning and even when he entered the field, but he has grown so much since we had sat down and talked in the chapel. Lo qué pasa es que he gave a training today about God. He share a lot of personal experiences including his family background. He has such a broken up family and is also adopted. He has such an inspiring courage.  I felt the Spirit testify to me how much God loves each of us. I had a role play or....real play....with Elder Peterson today. After talking for a little bit I asked him what the hardest thing about the mission is for him. He told me with tears falling from his face that he is always preoccupied about his loved ones. He has a few inactive siblings and wants to help them. I testified to him that if he serves with all his might, mind, and strength that his family will be blessed by his service and that he will meet someone in this area whom will teach him how he can better help his family. Later that day, we finally helped Miriam Xiquin and the girls move into their new apartment. We got to drive to Mt. Juliet and on the way home we, with Hermano Carrillo, tuvimos que pararnos on the side o the highway to readjust our trailer. Hermano almost got wrecked by a semi-truck hahaha classic times. Got home at 10:30 PM tonight....

“Coincidences”: back in the day when I was with Elder Ney we had been in this Mexican ice cream shop and I saw this girl probably around my age there and I had the impression to give her a temple pass along card. She smiled and went on her way and I thought nothing more of it. On Friday though (I talk to everyone) but we saw her again at Starbucks where we use wifi sometimes, only I didn't recognize her...she was reading like an Atheist book so to make conversation I decided to point that out. It turns out that she remembered me and then through that I remembered her and we started talking about her life and what had happened. Sh recounted to me how she was grateful that I gave her that card...because it turns out that very same day she had found out one of her close friends had committed suicide....and she went online and read all about temples. I was stunned but not surprised because I knew that I followed an impression for a reason. Her name is Danielle Redmon. We will see her on Wednesday. 

I had attended this nondenominational church awhile back as well because we were invited to do so. There was another young girl my age who was a singer there and performed really well. Never met her until Saturday night when we got home to our apartment this girl just happened to walk by and I stopped her and starting talking to her about the church. We made that connection and got to give her some church materials. I hadn’t made the connection until we started conversing and she said that she attends that church. Just another testimony of following the Spirit and talking to everyone and the blessings it brings.

We had to deal with the police on Sunday because the landlord of Miriam’s old home had mistakenly thought that they had abandoned their house (we just helped them get a new apartment) so he went their with his crew and started to throw stuff in the streets. Miriam arrived their to get her stuff and ended up calling the cops. We went there to make sure nothing bad went down. This landlord and his crew really just are not good people...a lot of arguing from them was cast towards us and Miriam but we just chilled and now the girls are out of there finally. 

Elder Lopez is a stud. He’s like the most in tune student of the Gospel I have ever met. He has helped me so much to get my animo back up with studying the Gospel and Spanish! Love that kid. 

We still have Doris Ortez on Baptismal date for the 29th of October (Jakes Bday) haha... she fasted with us this Sunday to receive her answers. 

I invite everyone to listen to Elder Maynes’s talk about integrity and gaining trust from the Lord and from our families. Coinciding with that, Elder Nelson’s talk on the Book of Mormon. If we read and follow the principles of the most correct book on the face of the earth, we will gain that trust that will ultimately bring peace to our lives. 

Love yall, les amo:) Ciao Pescao

Elder Mac 

 

 

 

10-2-2017

 Hola familia

qué tal! What crazy week....to be honest not the best
 week. We had so much traveling this week. We were in our area for like
 2 days out of the week I swear. Knoxville, Cookeville, etc.

 I got to go on an exchange with my boy Elder Hopkins this week! He is
 going home at the end of this transfer so it was cool to see his
 perspective on the mission and what he is going to do when he gets
 home. We got to teach the Plan of Salvation to this woman who is
 suffering from cancer and also her friend who acts as her stay at home
 nurse. The questions that people have about life can all be answered
 by the Plan of Salvation. It is centered upon Jesus Christ's Atonement
 and the love that God has for us.

 I will update more on the work next week. The coming days will be a
 grind sesh in the Lords vineyard。

 It was a tremendous blessing to be able to listen to the living
 prophets and apostles this weekend. I received a lot of answers to
 questions I had previously written down and felt the Spirit testify of
 divine truth. One thing. Noticed is how simple the General Authorities
 speak. The Gospel really is so simple, that even a little child can
 understand it. My favorite talk was by Elder Maynes about the
 importance of integrity and trust.

 I'm still grinding. See yall next week:)

 Les Amo Ciao

 Elder Mac

9/25/2017

Hola familia!! Lo siento por la semana pasada no escribí mucho para ustedes pero aquí estoy! This week was super awesome and super spiritual and all the above! We are working hard to stay busy and to accomplish our goals! I have a lot of fun stuff to write so here we go! Oh btw the weather was scorching this week..

Fiesta #1: Tuesday we had a half Mission Conference where 4 zones got together and we had the wonderful opportunity to listen to Elder Legrand Curtis Jr speak to us! He and his wife are amazing people who just got done serving in Africa for 5 years! It was cool to hear them speak. They emphasized how they're just normal people that have a desire to serve the Lord just like us, and that we're no different. We spoke a lot about the Book of Mormon, in particular Alma 5. This chapter is what we call the spiritual interview because of all the questions....try it out! I did. Ne thing that was unique too was that he asked Elder McConkie bad in his college days how to gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon and he said to read it through and at the end of each chapter ask,"Is this the work of man or of God?". 

Fiesta #2: Friday night we had a Branch Bonfire for a actividad de la Obra Misional. I've been learning to play the guitar so I played some songs for them...the best I could.. oh and we had a lot of investigators come! But anyways it was an awesome night and the first time I've had s'mores since I left on my mish so I was happy. 

Fiesta #3: La Familia Díaz is a family we are working with and we provided chairs and tables for a birthday party for one of their little kids. It was a wonderful opportunity to do some service for them and to come closer. Their son Carlos is like my best friend straight up. We went their on Saturday and hung out and met a lot of hispanos nuevos. Even gave out some materials. 

Training: Elder Lopez is a total stud. Love this kid. He's like a Hispanic version of my roommate from college, Harrison Trinca. We get along so well hahaha. S/O to T Chang finish strong in Japan Boi. He's doing really well with Spanish and we are working hard together. He has a desire to be obedient to all the mission rules! I know for sure I'm leaving next transfer but...might ask Pres to finish his training...:) we will see! And nah he's not s midget he just wanted me to say that last week hahaha. His Spanish is improving and I enjoy teaching with him! 

District: chillin. We all just made a goal to extend at least one baptismal date a week so hopefully we can get that rolling! 

My hope: is that we can set Sheccid and Zahred Xiquin on baptismal dates this week. We had a great lesson with them showing them how the Book of Mormon answers questions! Pray for them! 

Church: we had our Branch Conference and a ton of investigators and less Actives came to church! We grubbed harddddd afterwards! Mexican food for days:) we have been shooting big on church Attendance. We have 7 investigators and we hope to have 10 this Week! 

I'd like reflect on this opportunity we have to listen to General Conference. I think as a missionary this is one of the best times of the year, especially when I feel we recognize the full significance of being able to listen to a living prophets and apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ. I was reading the Bible this week and I read these scripture in 2 Peter 1:  

19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

What I get from this is that the pure doctrine of God has been and always will be interpreted and spoken by the chosen prophets of God. Not by any random man or minister who goes to college. We need not be confused in these latter days about what is God's plan for us and what is not. Take notes this week Familia 

Love yall/Les amo Ciao 

Elder Mac 

1) Elder Vellinga and Sister Yauney from my MTC Mexico experience 14 months! 

2) Mi Hijo enseñando inglés 

3) Katherine y Eric 

4) CARLOS 

5) Miriam mi favorita 

6-7) Conferencia de Rama 

 

 

 

9/18/2017

This week was nuts and I'm super lazy today so I'll give y'all what I

got for today:) but for real though I'm so tired I could barely get

out of bed today hahaha. Workin hard or hardly workin? Anyways like

y'all have heard I'm staying in Lebanon for my 5th transfer (really

rare) and am training a new Elder! His name is Elder Oscarin Lopez!!

He's 4'0" and and was a flyer for cheer in high school! He's a midget

which is super dope! I don't have a lot of time with Week but we are

going to have ZC with a member of the Quorum of the Seventy. We had SO

many people come to church this week it was awesome!!! People are

progressing well and I'm doing great! Better update next week! Les amo

y Ciao Pescao

Elder Mac