Another gorgeous week out here in the Deep South!!!!! The weather has
been absolutely phenomenal down here, nothing but blue and sunny
skies!!!
Heads up....Los Tres Amigos only lasted for one week.......see Sunday
for this craziness!! But to be real I'm loving life right now!! The
work is picking up so much and we are working with some incredible
people!! If any of you wanted to know I've been out for almost 4
months and I have had 7 companions......WOOOOO.
Oh and I'm Trio training and taking over this area in two weeks!! Read
more!! This week has been off the charts!
HALLOWEEN Monday: we play so much basketball in the chapel and also
there's a park right across the street and we go toss the frisbee at!!
So we did that but the best part of today was the pumpkin carving for
sure!!!! Look at the picture and guess which one mine is (hint hint I
miss the beach). My district is so freakin awesome!!! We play a bunch
of games and had such a great time. Reminded me of college! Today was
the first day I didn't do any missionary work whatsoever. We had to be
in doors by 5 PM so that's the holidays for ya.
Tuesday: HAPPY NOVEMBER! The leaves are falling and changing all over
the place!! Beautiful here. Honestly today was the classic all plans
fell through and we just tried to make something out of it. And we
did, met a few new investigators and sets some Returns. We had dinner
with Bishop Torres's family that night and we found out we are getting
a new Bishopric!!! A lot of changes happened this week here. I love
their family so much, he was bishop here for over 7 years.
Wednesday: we went on exchanges today and I went 30 minutes north to a
place called Fort Oglethorpe and I spent the day with Elder Raymond.
Pretty chill guy from Utah. I got to see what life was like as an
English Speaking Elder. Didn't really like it. But hey! Missionary
work there was still really fun. I helped him meet some new
investigator and we had a service activity at this massive thrift
store. So much junk in there. Ended up playing board games for awhile
at the end of the night hahaha. Exchanges are cool because that is
when I have the opportunity to learn and experience different ways to
do missionary work.
Thursday: Spiritual experience: we met with this less active member
and her 11 year old son, named Hermana De La Cruz and Anthony. Such
nice people. We didn't really know what to share with the, but I felt
impressed to share the Restoration with them instead of a scripture,
video, or a short message. One thing that we do is make sure we treat
members like investigators as well. Everyone needs a strong, spiritual
upliftment. After we all bore our testimonies Hermana De La Cruz
shared hers as well with tears flowing. The Spirit was so strong in
there and I know that's what that family needed! They've been coming
to church more too which is awesome.
Friday: We met 3 new investigators today who are all so solid!! Their
names are Jessica, Kayla, and Omar. We met Kayla tracting after an
appt fell through and she happened to be best friends with the
Bishop's daughter! Jessica is the granddaughter of a less active who
is around our age and really wanted us to come back! Omar was cleaning
and replacing shingles off of his roof and so we picked all of them up
and through them in his trailer while we tossed them off the roof!
Said he's Catholic but doesn't attend often nor enjoys it.
Saturday: we had an appt right after lunch so we headed over to this
guys house named Jonathan Triana! We got their and he said he was busy
painting his room so we did it for him! Haha took like an hour and a
half but we met his whole family including his fiancé who is actually
a less active member!! So we will see them again. They have a
beautiful family. I told her she could have an eternal one and right
when I started talking about that she got so much more interested! Had
an amazing lesson with this guy named Riki Tugwell! Riki is very very
golden. Read 2 Nephi 31 with him and shared a video of Christ's
baptism and invited him to follow Christ's example by being baptized
and he agreed to a date of DEC 10! At the end of the lesson he prayed
for help to make that Date. Members took us to dinner, El Pollo
Alegre! See pics. Also he excommunicated member we are teaching named
Karrie quit her job and so she can come to church every Sunday. She
wanted to come back and truly has a sincere desire.
Sunday: This day was nuts.... we get a call from President Griffin in
the morning and he tell us that Elder Mitchell is leaving this
Wednesday! He's being emergency transferred back to Tennessee and so
it will be Elder Reyes and I here! In two weeks though we will we TRIO
TRAINING a brand new missionary. Basically I'm taking over the area
and with the help of Reyes we will be helping a new missionary adjust
to this hectic/awesome life! I'm driving too so that sucks. I loved
taking power naps in the car. Also we got s new Bishopric this Sunday!
Our new Bishops name is Bishop Shook and he is a gringo! Our whole
Bishopric is gringos now so that's interesting. Bishop Shook was a
counselor in the Stake Presidency! Can't wait to work with him. This
day we also had 3 back to back lessons with people named Jose Espino,
Liz Fraire, And Fidel Bargas. Each of them said they would be
baptized!! We didn't set dates but the best one was Liz. She is
pregnant and is due around the date we asked to set with her, but she
is golden. So we will continue to work with her!!
Of course I can't let all of you know everything that goes on, but
this week was amazing and I'm so grateful to be a missionary!! In my
personal belief, the best way to demostrarte your conversion and faith
in Jesus Christ is by serving people. Serving them with all of your
HEART. Loving it here in Dalton. Grateful for Elder Mitchell my
trainer and all he taught me!
Have the best week y'all
Elder Macdonald
