The language, the work, and the far away TEMPLE!!!

so being a missionary in basically another country... within the same country... is pretty interesting.

first off, every morning i now do language study, or at least attempt language study!

the language is pretty crazy. first off theres no google translate for it, i just wanted to say that because i wanted ya'll to know there are like no translation aids for the language haha. we have this one book... and our marshillese bud, andy... and thaaaats about it!

So please pray for us!  We need all the help we can get.

i've figured out how to pray in marshallese and then it will be on to bearing my testimony, but i figure if i figure out the grammar the rest will fall into place. but if i'm going to get good at it i have to struggle first!!! thats what preach my gospel says, who knew i'd ever actually use the learning the language section in there.

the work is good here, we have plenty of people to see every day, and if they dont work out one day we can just go see them the next day! we always have plenty to teach! i finally have another baptism this sunday! i've only had one my whole mission so far, so this will make two!! but we have 5 other investigators with dates so i'll get plenty of baptisms while i'm here... im pretty excited.

and last i was able to go to the temple! which is VERY VERY rare for missionaries in this mission since the closest temple is four hours away OUTSIDE of our mission boundaries, so we spent aaaaaalllll day on saturday heading to oklahoma city, the temple there was so tiny but it was so pretty, i'll send pictures soon to show you the big group of youth we went with, it was their first time!!! i was so exctited for all of them to do baptisms it was really beautiful.

its been a crazy week, i love you all so much

take care

Elder Macdonald

Hanging out with the Pacific Islanders - 2/13/14

wow my experience this past few days has been culture shock!

okay not really, the Marshallese people are pretty easy to get used to.

let me just put a few bullet points on the subject:

- shoes come off when you're in the home
- they will always have a big ol' rug for sitting on, occasionally they'll have couches but they like the floor more
- favorite meal, chicken and rice, i will be eating plenty of that
- they have a lot of parties and the parties have lots and lots of food of all kinds (including fish heads)
- its disrespectful to turn down food, which is fine because now i dont have to get groceries haha
- you don't need too much detail or ways to convince them things are true, they believe what we teach, they feel the Spirit, and they are very very humble

i'll probably be here for quite a few months, six probably or more. and i get to do language study every morning, it is so much fun. basically im in a different country too, i don't talk to many non Marshallese people anymore, so it will be weird leaving this area when i'm done!

anyway not much news to report! i do have a new testimony though of when nephi said he would like to speak plainly (2 nephi 31) but there is a lot of revelation when you teach with simplicity, because the holy ghost is the converter, so the details will come clearly through him, when you speak plainly there are multiple ways to interpret things, that way when one interprets what we teach it become their own testimony not the testimony of another. and being out here i have to speak very plainly when i teach, because just like i don't know detailed marshallese, those i teach wont know detailed english, but they all do know english, so i get the blessing to teach... plainly, just like nephi does.

i think thats alls i gots!

love you all

Elder Macdonald

The Next Chapter for Ol Elder Macdonald 1/27/14

welp... transfer calls came, and as much as i really thought i was staying in clarksville.... i'm not!
actually i'm going to an area called "marshilees 2nd" in the springdale zone (still in arkansas)
i get to hang out with the pacific islanders in arkansas! what the hey!
but evidently its one of the highest teaching and baptizing areas in the mish, so i'll have plenty of work to do up in springdale!

man i dont even know where to start with this! last week i said the lord works in strange ways but now i have proof!

so don't ever think if you're doing everything right and your plans just look like they're going to work, that the lord wont pull you to a grinding halt and change everything for you.

seriously though, i'm so excited to get a taste of a different culture, i honestly have no idea what its all going to be like, but i hear so many good things about this area, its one of the lucky ones i guess. but i guess president felt the prompting to put me somewhere where the lord will truly test me.

anyway to change the subject, i guess i should put in something spiritual! these past few weeks most the people we have taught have all had some pretty hefty trials come their way, and i have done a lot of studying from 2 nephi 2 on the subject. really showing people the need for opposition.

for if we have no opposition we have no blessings. or at least i should say we have no idea what a blessing is until we face trials.

its basic simple stuff that basically simply means everything. (woah.... deep)

but when we go through these rough trials, i truly think that that is a blessing in itself, because it gives us the opportunity to come closer to christ than we were before. because when we begin to sink in the sea like peter did, that is when we must call out to christ for him to personaly pick us back up.

so when we enjoy a good day, we enjoy it like any other good day. but when we get an average day after countless days of storm and cold and who knows what else, it makes that average day become the greatest one we've ever had. trials build even the smallest blessings, making it bring us great joy. so when we face these times of trials, be grateful that the lord trusts us with them, knowing we will become stronger in our own knowlege, but also in our faith.

anyway, thats the news.
love you all

Elder Macdonald

Milestones - 1/20/14

so i feel like i've really crossed a major point in my mission. thats why i title this milestones. i wrote a letter to my mission president all about my expereince of being in a tripanionship this last month, and i really had a good feeling about it. so here you go:

hey president,

you know, at the begining of this transfer, being in a trio was pretty rough. It wasnt much fun being the third wheel. but i feel i have been blessed with the unique opportunity to not only learn when i'm with the zone leaders, but then to teach when i'm with the alma missionaries. and i've just had this feeling lately that this was all supposed to happen for me, and that because of it i can be the missionary i'm suppose to be. i want to try even harder to find people to teach, and i want to fail and sift through plenty of potentials to find that one golden investigator. i'm not afraid of silly things anymore. Im ready to work even harder, and if i wouldn't of gone through this tough transfer, i don't think I would've been able to realize these things.

and the weirdest and coolest part was the fact that you had an impression that elder c needed to go home for his surgery, and when elder c told me you said that, i think the holy ghost then told me, that he needed to go too. but i felt it was because he had work to do back at his home, which he probably did, and i was just going to get thrown around and then put back and things would go back to normal. but thats not the case... things have changed, i just feel like i have a new purpose, and its all because i've been in the right place at the right time.  theres been a lot of those "right place right time" moments for me by the way. if i wouldnt of been in alma at certain times i would never have been able to teach certain people and bear my testimony to them, and its vice versa with fort smith. things just seem to have been working out finally for me, and i truly feel it is because i'm doing my best.

just wanted to let you know my testimony is stronger, and that the lord works in strange ways, but they sure are the greatest ways.
love you pres.


Elder Macdonald


so that was my letter... things have been tough yeah, but like i just mentioned, there have been many miracels i've been a part of. and not enourmous pillars of light that you just KNOW are a miracle, but little things like knowing if i wasn't there then i wouldn't have been able to say what i feel to a certain individual.

an example was this weekend, i could have gone back to alma with the missionaries who i have more in common with, so my p-day would be a lot more fun, being able to do stuff i'm more interested in. but i felt i needed to stay a little longer with the zone leaders, whom i don't have much in common with. and i would have to awkwardly follow around n stuff. and i prayed about if i should switch back or not, and i felt that i shouldnt so i didnt. the next morning we went and worked out and i payed 8$ for a gym pass, and i was waaaay sore when i finished, but i began talking with this cool old man, and we ended up talking about the book of mormon. and heres the cool part, the day before we did a mission prep class with the youth in the ward and one of them was at the gym that morning not even knowing we would be there. that kid had made a goal to give out 5 pass along cards this week, and he showed up out of the blue talked to the guy with me and we were able to not only give him one of those pass along cards but a book of mormon too! cool stuff like that keeps happening!

so yeah things have been tough being a third wheel, but just one of those opportunities to spread the gospel makes it all worth the while

love you all take care, stay warm!
Elder Macdonald

A Long Awaited Letter From Me - 1/13/14

welp, i haven't had a chance to write to you all in a while, i only have an hour to email peoples and i'm a well loved guy so i get a lot of pretty sweet emails!

anyway for those who dont know my companion in Clarksville Elder C had to go home on medical leave and he should be returning after that.

so for now i'm stationed in either alma arkansas with Elder B a new missioanry and Elder H his trainer, or im in fort smith arkansas with the zone leaders Elder L and Elder G.

so let me tell you the experiences i've had. when i first started with alma being in a trio i was pretty much on idle, kinda just going with the flow, because i was pretty bummed that i didnt have a comp anymore, and i didn't have much to worry about either. but at the end of that first night i was able to really bear my testimony to Elder B the new missionary because he was a little ashamed of the reason he left on his mission. so i told him that his reason was good, his reason was to set the expample for his brothers and follow the example of his dad, AND that his reason will change while he's on his mission, and he'll soon realize that people are out here waiting for his personal testimony, and because those people need HIM, its important to understand that the LORD needs him. and thats so cool to know, to have that knowlege that our heavenly father needs each specific missionary for a specific purpose, and that he knows how to use us to preach his gospel (words of mormon 1:7) it was a pretty cool experience.

so anyway i was still in idle when it came to teaching people. once i got put with the zone leaders though, things really started cranking out, that first day i was with them, we went and taught 11 lessons that day, there wasn't a moment of rest. and i spent a week with them doing those kinds of days, going on exchanges with them, they're nuts! it really got me thinking though. because i struggled with getting out of my comfort zone when it comes to finding, the zone leaders didnt go and do the normal tracting, they had a tactic they called clover tracting they went and did, where they would go and see someone and then knock on the surrounding doors. it just occured to me of how truly easy it was to get out and get stuff done, and then my thoughts were turned to what i can do to in my old area clarksville when i get back to it. i just feel ready to go and get stuff done, the reason i didnt before was because i didnt really know how because I wasn't trained to do it that way! but that doesn't matter... what i do know is that if i have a plan then the Lord can work with it and make things happen, if i dont have a plan, then how is He suppose to help me? (thats something president said, it was pretty good)

im gettin back to writing in my journal again, i'm trying to remember everything thats been going on, that way i can look back through it rather than dig through my emails, (that will never happen right?)
so anyway! hope this fills in some of those lost details, i'll get trying to write more when i can!
take care everyone!

Elder Macdonald

ice storms and praying ourselves over the hill.

this week was pretty great.  we had our first ice storm of the season, and a lot of people's power went out, but luckily ours stayed on! during an ice storm, ice will continually stack on power lines eventually ripping them down, so when an ice storm hits you're lucky to still have power!!

we weren't allowed (really encouraged not to) use our car during the weekend due to the storm, and our church got canceled too, so we were kind of stuck at the apartment all weekend due to the weather.  we only went out with members in the evenings.  but we did end up driving the car anyway (veeeeery slowly, of course). we couldnt get up a hill on this abandoned road, so we said a prayer, backed waaaay up, and then gunned up the hill and made it!   we high fived and kept trucking on down the icy roads.

we dont need to spend very much time finding people here because they just always seem to find us first! we are busy and teaching a lot of lessons.  we are working with a gal that is soon to be married, and another younger gentleman, and we have come across another gal who is less active, but wants to start coming back to church.  we were able to give her and her husband blessings, and that was really great.

also... this one very kind elderly lady was very sick and we gave her a blessing for comfort a couple weeks ago. she passed away last wednesday.   kind of a weird thought that i was the one who gave her last blessing, probably the last set of missionaries to ever see her. she was a pretty awesome lady :)

looking forward to christmas, and talking to my family.

whelp that's all I got this week.  peace out.  take care.

love

Elder Macdonald

     

Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving, and Christ's Burdens

nothing new to report this week.  taught some lessons, did some service.  i'm enjoying clarksville and my companion. it seems a lot of people here want to get into debates over religion, so i'm learning to just not engage in those debates.  we can't convince anyone, we have to let the spirit do the converting. we just do our best to share our testimonies and search for people who the lord has prepared for us to teach.  have had many great moments where the spirit is felt.  the highlight of the week was thanksgiving, so ill write about that.

ok, thanksgiving. i had three different dinners, one on wednesday which was with an awesome family that is a lot like my own, we played apples to apples and told jokes left and right, and then they had the missionaries do their classic tradition drum roll please.... we had to tell our most embarassing poop story, i was unphased by the challenge and blurted out "oh piece of cake" and proceeded with my story, my comp however didnt even know what to say where to start or how to begin, he did it though and we all laughed about it, they then told us what other missionaries said, it was soooo funny.
so thankgiving number two, the most classic red-neck feast you can imagine, food everywhere ranging from deer ham pork beef turkey chicken, over 6 different ways to prepare potatoes, 20 different pies and cakes, and the greatest fruit punch ever. tons of people just all goofin around laughing, it was just a blast!!  I just love these people.
thanksgiving number three was great too.  they had me pray and i said their name wrong (as usual), thus after i finished they all laughed at me. oops. they had some really good pudding though. after the dinner they all went and watched football while we talked about bee farming with the brother who invited us. very interesting. it was a lot of fun, and we had a lot of laughs.

It was a great day with so much to be thankful for, especially being able to serve as missionary and be with these wonderful people in clarksville.

alright i got 6 minutes left, so let me tell you the scripture i reviewed this week that was just awesome and meaningful. it's in mosiah 24 where amulon is persecuting alma and his people and after they had prayed for help, the lord says to them that he will ease the burdens that have been placed on them because of their faith, and in verse 15, it says, "the burdens which where laid upon alma and his brethren were made light"  and in the scriptures I'm using, my mom had circled the word light, and put as a side note instead of the word "light", she wrote  "christs burdens" so you could read it as "the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made "christ's burdens".   the word light does not only mean "not heavy" but it means that when we turn to christ and have him make our burdens "light" our burdens and trials dont just disappear they become HIS trials and burdens, because HE is the 'light'.  we often forget this. you can find a similar meaning in the scripture matthew 11:29-30. "take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  for my yoke is easy, and my burden is LIGHT."   Again… another way of looking at it… the lord's burden is to be our savior.  there is so much doctrine in that one scripture, so that is my weekly message to you, to remember that the lord can and will ease our burdens if we pray and keep our covenants and stayed 'yoked' to HIM.

love you all!!
Elder Macdonald

More photos…these made me smile… two of his favorite passions…  legos and drawing.

  I love the batman missionary!  Miss this kid!

Here's some photos of our favorite missionary.

and the many funny faces he pulls…

Those who seek to help and those who seek to destroy. 11/19/13

so last saturday was an eventful day. first off we had a baptism! and it went exactly how a baptism should go... quiet, awkward, and full of problems. so first off only about 12 people total showed up, the person getting baptised couldn't find a baptismal garment that fit, and we forgot the cookies, many more things happened but in the end we were able to recover the cookies in time and she was happily baptised. so yeah our baptisms arn't huge and glorious and full of shouting praises and shooting off fireworks, thats not what its all about. no matter how awkward or how few are there, the spirit is there, after all the scriptures say when two or three are gathered in christs name he will be there too.

now for the other thing that happened on saturday, we were teaching someone the missionaries had been seeing for a while, but it was obvious she was aiming to prove us wrong rather than hear our message. she would ask us every single question known to anti-mormon kind, and she would laugh at what we were answer, literally laugh, specifically at me. she made me feel pretty dumb, and  she was insulting basically everything we stand for... so we left and i was pretty hurt, kinda had tears in my eyes... okay i was crying... when we got back to the apartment i went to my bed and said a pretty long prayer, asking for heavenly fathers comfort especially, mainly because "i need thee every hour" was playing in the background ( i really think god uses music to send a small message sometimes) but when i finished my prayer i remembered the letter i just got in the mail from my family. i had plenty of opportunities to read it but i just kept getting the feeling i ought ot read it later. so i opened it having that faith that it was what i needed to hear, and i started reading a really awesome letter from my mom that was just full of compliments about me. they call the holy ghost the comforter but sometimes a mother just knows how to make you feel better. now i have all the faith in the world that everything happened happened for a reason, and even though i was called an idiot, the entire experience brought me closer to god.

and thats all it was, one small trial that will fade away in the long run. that same day we had a baptism, an awesome lesson with a new investigator, and then another amazing lesson with another new investigator! so to let one small bad thing ruin three wonderful events is just silly. stubbing your toe should not ruin your entire day, and someone call you an idiot and making fun of what you stand for should not ruin your existence for time and eternity, it just doesnt make sense that it would.

so thats my week, one day of it sure, but the other days were just full of good lessons and basically good days.

anyway love you all, take care!!
Elder Macdonald


MOM's side of the story:

about two weeks ago… I woke up in the middle of the night…  couldn't go back to sleep.   was missing my boy, so I decided to get up and write him a letter.  I had planned on it being a short letter… and then I would go back to bed.  Since it was November, and we had been writing the gratitude letters, I decided to tell him all the things about him that I am thankful for… it turned into a five page letter of me reminding him of all his strengths and wonderful attributes, and his testimony.  The words just flowed, and I thought… wow… this is a five pager that just flew by.  Then it dawned on me, that he had been transferred, and I couldn't mail it until the next week, because I didn't have his new address.  Frustrated, I went back to bed.  I mailed it about five days later, as soon as I got the new address.  I guess there had to be that delay.  

The Lord's timing never ceases to amaze me.  I think I could write a book about it…  He is right on time… every time and just in time.  

New Town and New Companion 11/12/13

so i've made it to clarksville, and let me tell you it is awesome here. i've personally experienced the beauties of southern hospitality!! on sunday we had dinner at a house with like 20 people in it, it was like a family reunion haha.
there are so many people to teach out here too, and people call out to us all the time with questions. its pretty fun here let me tell yah. i'm excited to stay here for a while. i'll get to have thanksgiving with these people, i'm going to gain so much weight haha..... shoot

my new companion's name is elder C, and he's awesome. he's a convert to the church... sort of, he was less active until he was twelve and then decided for himself to be baptized. kind of a flag carrier so to say. he's been out for a little over a year and he's learned a lot, we have a lot of the same interests so we've already had plenty of fun conversations. this will be a pretty fun transfer.

anyway, i challenge you all to ask yourself if you have a conversion story. find it, we all have one, know your origin because its usually a given moment when you are converted to the gospel.

alright, gotta go only 4 minutes left on my computer time!!

love you all!
Elder Mac

     

Rain, Transfers, and Testimonies 11/4/13

alright, first things first. last monday it was pouring rain and we had to get to the church for district meeting, so we biked through the flooding rain. we got drenched, we got soaked, and we were laughing the whole way (at least i was)

when we got to the church we had to take off our socks because they were sopping wet, so we had district meeting in bare feet .... ha....
anyway it stunk, but we got through it. Lesson learned? well.... i've been told if you tract in the rain your wife will be a lot better looking, so since i biked through a flood my wife will be a super model, ha kidding.... we missionaries have to have some kind of humor right?

alright next part, last saturday we had transfer calls and I'm getting sent to the middle of no where to a place called clarksville. i have a car now so guess i gotta drive again! i haven't driven a car in like 5 months..... i'm going to die....

i will miss centerton, i really will, its been so good for me. I'm for sure leaving it better than i found it, the ward it working hard now to be a part of the work, we get referrals all the time, its awesome.

last sunday, i wasn't sure if i should bear my testimony or not, i know its a time for the members not the missionaries, so i prayed and asked if i should. low and behold the bishop when he found out i was leaving asked if i would bear my testimony, so that was my answer.

and let me tell you, yes i got to say what i wanted to say, and it might of helped someone sure. but when i bore my teistomony, at the end i had made my own epiphany, at the end of my testimony i had said a few words that i had not thought of before. I have no need to tell you them because they were meant for me and those who heard me, also because i'd have to explain a lot in order to explain what it was i said.... anyway. One thing i learned from teaching myself is that the holy ghost WILL talk through you when you bear your testimony for the right reason. Thats how it works, thats the only way it works.

coolest part was when i finished, one of our less actives went up and bore his testimony for the first time in 20 years, it was a good testimony :)

anyway, i'm off to nowheresville
love you all DONT SEND ME ANYTHING UNTIL NEXT WEEK
i'll post the new address next monday if i can

Love you all
Elder Mac

   

A few lessons, but many opportunities 10/28/13

so the last two weeks were good, we got a good amount of lessons. but..... this week we only had 1 a day (two on saturday) so it was pretty depressing all week. and it wasn't that we didn't have plans for more lessons its just that, people canceled on us all week. but the lessons we had were not the ones we planned, in fact the people we taught we always taught because we caught them at the right place at the right time. every single lesson was like that, and every single lesson was very strong. so sure we didnt meet our quota but we sure did let the spirit guide us. we taught who the spirit told us to teach and because of it we have opportunities to teach them again. we made progress.not much else to report this week, we're carving a pumpkin today, should be fun. we cant do anything for halloween we have to be in early that night! oh well, guess we'll party that night! love you all! i read 2nd nephi 31-32 a couple times this week, i challenge you all to do the same.

happy halloween

love you all

Elder Macdonald

So it's been a pretty good week for me...

Everyday we get up, eat breakfast, and study scriptures. I have been working on figuring out the timeline of the Book of Mormon.  I'll first admit that I knew basically nothing about what happened when and where but now I have a much better grasp on the Book of Mormon. I often use the stories I study when I'm teaching people.

last sunday was pretty great we got most of the p family to come to church, i had to tell people to go talk to them thought discretly of course. they need friends in the church because elder w and i aren't going to be here forever...

anyway we were so fortunate last sunday because we got the "perfect" topic. yes the one day we get l and j and d into the gospel principles class we get the tithing lesson. nothing better than telling investigators that they need to pay money to join the church. i was throwing a lot of comments into the lesson like we give 10% of our income, which doesn't just mean our money, it means our time, our work. i also talked about where the money goes, its doesnt go to any specific person but to the needs of the church FOR the people of the church and those who need aid. it was good though because i was really able to talk to d about it, turns out his preacher has the exact same standards as our leaders, only take 10% and only use it for the church, his preacher has a job for his own expenses, just like our bishops, i think d is seeing the church as more than just mormons and our book.

anyway, life is good down in in the arkansas, i talk with our investigators everyday, not just the p family.  i see them everyday but we usually talk to a couple other investigators less actives and recent converts, we have a pretty big list of them, i've been really praying for another progressive though. i'm just dying to get in the deep teachings like i did in the MTC, but they'll come when they'll come. I just gotta stay faithful and obedient!

oh one more thing, i'm suppose to be watching those new videos on lds.org, im also suppose to challenge members to watch them so that means everyone who reads this email, so get watchin! they're actually pretty awesome.

alrighty this emails long enough for a good reading. got to get back to the work

-Elder Macdonald

Being a Part of the "Hastening" or Being the "Hastening"

so... these past few months every single member visit we have had, we have taught the same lesson. it is a lesson that the first presidency themselves assigned the mission president to assign to us. it is about the hastening of the work of salvation.

so lets take a look at the numbers shall we?

last year... 50,000 missionaries

this year.... 80,000 missionaries

so now let me tell you why there is such an increase

it is not just because of the age change oh no, its much deeper than that, the age change had to happen because of this reason

the lord is preparing more people every day, more than the entire missionary force can handle. so he called more missionaries 30,000 more to be exact, and it wont be that high forever. we all know its not going to stay at 80,000 so we have a window of opportunity that god has given us.

but 80,000 missionaries is not enough, oh no. we need all 15 million of us to be a part of this. there are people out there just waiting to be taught, and god needs us to find them, because they are everywhere.

to all who read this watch the videos the first presidency assigned us to show everyone

1) go to lds.org

2) search "hastening the work of salvation"

3) click on "hastening the work of salvation a new vision"

4) watch the first three in the "a new vision tab" 

5) watch the rest when you can!!

they are all about members being missionaries, the prophet and apostles have said this conference multiple times, Ever Member a Missionary.

does this mean you have to wake up at 6:30 and go tracting until 9?

NO

all you have to do is pray for missionary experiences with all of your heart and to keep your eyes and ears open! because they will happen whether you pray or not, and you cant let them pass you by. kneel down as a family and pray!

and then when you do get that missionary moment, get the missionaries involved!! help us fill up our planners, put us to work! its what we do! and if we dont work hard give us work and MAKE us work hard, because we will deliver, the lord has built us to do so.

we're already getting member referrals left and right because they are praying

our ward is working hard! is yours?

anyway, enough on that.

this week has been so good, we got the most lessons in our district, and im not talking doorstep tracting lessons, i mean legit lessons where the spirit IS present and we make real progress.

things in centerton arkansas are good, and we'll make them better.

I dont have very much else to talk about.... we've mainly done missionary work all week, nothing really funny to report!

i love you all so much, my mission president said to our stake yesterday at stake conference "the lord is hastening his work, you are not just part of the hastening, you ARE the hastening, its a real rocket ride, so grab your lasso and catch the rocket and hang on for dear life" 

anyway, have a good week everyone i know i will

Love you all

Elder Macdonald

Elder Mac's first photos! We love and miss this boy!

Elder Macdonald and his MTC companion, Elder B

His District.  All going to Australia except Elder Mac and Elder B.

Elder Mac's Thumbs UP!  His mission theme!

Elder Mac and Elder C, our dear friends' nephew.  Same mission.  Same day.

Elder Mac has his own bathroom even!  Spoiled!

Busy area...look at the white board!  Lots of work to do!

A room with a view!  

This camera with wifi was a smart purchase!  Elder Mac found another use... sending notes to mom!

A quick email (finally) from Elder MacArkansas!

Long story short i don't have time for a long email because i forgot my ID at the library today so i didnt get to send an email, i just sat and sent all of those pictures off of my camera, so awesome that it could do that!

So i sent a really good long letter today for you, i'll just tell you where and i am what im doing and how im doing

Im in centerton arkansas, my companion's name is elder w, he loves service and hard hard work. we've been pooring cement molds and cutting down a huge tree these last few days.  we have lessons when we can, usually at night when everyone is at home (since eveyrone here works at walmart) walmart HQ is here, huge huge building, and if you dont work for walmart, its kinda wierd.

im emailing from one of my investigators house so i dont have time to read your emails, though i really really want to :(

the family is great they are the definition of redneck white trash as they called it. ha ha, we spent the forth of july with them, that was crazy. fireworks were everywhere down here since morters and the big crazy fireworkds are legal are down here.

anyway, i taught mission prep yesterday that was great, people loved my message about the plan of salvation and the atonement.

more will be explained in my letter and my email next week.

i sent pictures of my place its really nice, i have a washer dryer and my own shower and toilet. life is great!

since we're doing service so much we're never in ties when we're in public, its hard to use the nametag without the tie to go with it... but its not about the attention its about those we teach. so elder w can work me to death but i'll endure and work hard physically mentally and spiritually. and i promise my next email will be well put together.

im sorry about the lack of time

with love
Elder Macdonald

Last Day in MTC

Day 13-14

Dear Family,

Well, I made it.  My stay at the MTC has expired.  I leave at 2:00 am tomorrow morning.  Super early...But what isn't when you're a missionary?!?

I've definitely learned so many valuable things here.  Things that will aid me throughout the mission.

I had a special opportunity to give blessings to my sisters in our district, along with the other Elders.  The sister I blessed was in tears when I had finished.  I made it clear in my blessing that she is serving for a righteous purpose and that she must rely 100% on the Lord for guidance. It really was a beautiful blessing.

I said my goodbyes to my Elders and my sisters whom I've learned so much from.  I love them for who they are, and for who and what God sees them to be.

Yup...it's just me and the Comp' now.

Before leaving, we joined the other district in our zone for one last class. I love that other district so much. There is a trio of Elders who struggled with the Gospel before they decided to serve. They each had a life changing experience that set them on the right path.

As the "older district," it has been our duty to make sure they are alright. It is the strangest thing...they have the highest respect for me, because I have personally taken time to speak with them, and have spoken to them with the inspiration of the Spirit.  I called them "the three Nephites." And I told them that being together in a threesome companionship in the MTC is nothing short of a miracle.  I taught them that they were prepared by the Lord prior to coming on their missions. I love all three of them for what they have taught me, even though I have been a teacher to them. I guess you learn to love those you serve.

Faith, Hope, and Enduring...That's what each was taught before they got here.  And now it is time to learn Charity.  This is what I pointed out that they have been taught.  I know I have been learning about Faith, Hope, and Enduring,  during my life before my mission.  And now I am learning about Charity!

Anyway, Ill tell you more about it ON THE PHONE!!!  I am excited to call you all from the airport.

Love You!
Elder Macdonald

Almost there

Day 12

Dear Family,

Alright, I'm on the final stretch to get out there!

I've learned many things while being here at the MTC. The one thing I'll take away from all of this is, "how to teach."

There is a definite art to teaching, especially the gospel. I don't know very much about some things, but I know the Lord knows all things.  That's why the spirit (the voice of god) is the best teacher.  It really is.

I will miss all those whom I've felt the spirit from.

Developing CHRIST-LIKE ATTRIBUTES... that's what it is all about.  This is the Church of Jesus Christ.  I love Christ, and I know he is my big brother, who knows the way, and He will help me, and those I am going out to teach.

Anyway, I love you guys so much and I want you to know I'm just fine.  I am meant to be here.

With Love,
your son, your Bro., your missionary,
Elder Payton Macdonald

P.S. I probably won't send another letter until Oklahoma, so letters will become a weekly thing. That way I'm not wasting time telling you about the food and the weather.

Hello Again!

Hello again from the MTC!

I only have today and tomorrow left and then I'm on the way to Tulsa! I can't wait.  The lessons are getting repetitive and I just want to get out there and teach people rather than role play with my teachers and companion. Don't get me wrong role playing is a good and useful way to practice how to teach. Its just my comp doesn't like it at all.  But fear not because I am not worried. My next letter that I sent this morning is a pretty good one that talks about what I've learned here at the MTC and what I've learned from my companion... its pretty important! I also said in that letter that I won't be doing daily letters anymore because I will really need to focus on the work. I'll be sending a letter once a week and I promise it will be filled with inspirational moments and stories rather than how the weather and food is. I want my stories and experiences to not only benefit me but my family as well! Oh, and it is extremely important for you to know that I am doing just fine! I miss you all and I'm working hard to learn how to help the work!

I haven't gotten a letter in a while, probably because they have sent it all to the mission home now. At least that is my guess. When I get out in the field, I think i will be able to use the computer more often. So feel free to email now. I think I'll actually have time to read them, but if I don't, then just keep sending "Dearelders".... and an occasional letter would be pretty cool too!

Anyway, on to business, I leave the MTC at about 3:00 AM, and I'll be at the airport at about 4:30 AM,
 so you'll  have to pull an all nighter in order to speak to me. We'll keep it short and to the point so that neither I or all of you will miss each other too much. Lets just talk about my experience in the MTC!

So again, I'll most likely call you at around 4:30am - 5:30am and my plain leaves at 6:30am.

I'll send two more daily letters for today and tomorrow. I'm also sending a paper about insurance for my immunizations, something about getting insurance to pay for it. I'll include my really deep and inspirational things in letters because then you can hold on to them and save them rather than just have them on a hard drive. So emails will be strictly for business, and to say hello :)

Alrighty then,  I'm out of time, got to go change my laundry and then go to class! I'm looking forward to the early early morning phone call.

Love you all,

Elder Payton Macdonald

OH! and as soon as I get wi-fi I'll be sending a bunch of pictures. I also gave all the members of my district your email so they can email you photos of me, so you might get a lot of emails from myldsmail.net, so just forward them to me! (not the pictures, just the emails, you keep the pictures)

Thanks!