Alex mail 07-29-2024:"When Streets Become Rivers🌊"

 

Happy Monday everyone! Hope it's been a fantastic week for you all and a week full of miracles! We had another super solid week out here in Matehuala, that is besides all the rain! We had rain almost every single day and since all of Matehuala is basically one big hill, every single road turned into a flowing river😭😂 . Let's just say we had some wet feet at the end of the night after crossing some of those big ones haha but hey nothing is too big of a sacrifice for the lord and his work! Only bad part is that most Mexicans think they're allergic to the rain for fear of getting sick so we walked a lot of empty roads this week haha. However it was a pretty nice break from the heat! Just gotta focus on those blessings, they're always there!

I got to do exchanges with Elder Scott from the other Matehuala Elders area this week on Tuesday! He's a super chill guy and only has 3 months in the mission so it was fun to work with him a lot and help him grow! It made me reflect a ton on how I used to be in his exact same spot what feels like only a few months ago, and so it was fun to be able to give him some tips of things that helped me! It was also super cool to just look back and see how much I've grown! I know I've grown and changed a ton over this past year but all for the better! I can truly testify that if we will just humbly take our weaknesses and shortcomings to the Lord, He will magnify them and help us become the people he wants us to become!

I had 2 first time experiences this week on my mission haha, the first was getting asked by a friend in teaching why the Bible says only 144,000 people will be saved, and the second was the first person I've taught who tried to defend and held firm in their belief of the necessity of infant baptism haha. Both of these questions just made me reflect and realize just truly how grateful I am for the knowledge of Heavenly Father's perfect love and plan for each one of his children, and the amazing knowledge we've been blessed with through the restored gospel of Jesus Christ! Whenever you have questions or doubts, choose to humbly take them to the Lord and I promise He will teach you what is true!

Finally, to end off the week, on Sunday the other Elders had a baptism of their friend Maria after church! She's just the sweetest old lady you'll ever meet haha, right now she's having a tonnnn of struggles with her health and it was a miracle that she was able to come to church and be baptized! You could see such a change in her when we talked about the gospel, she went from not being fully engaged in conversations to being able to recall with so much clarity every single principle of the gospel that she'd be taught! Such a cool example of the power of the Holy ghost when we exercise true and lasting faith! Regardless of her health trials she trusted that the Lord would deliver and bless her and she was willing to sacrifice whatever it took to have a covenant with him! I hope we can all be a little more like Maria and sacrifice whatever is standing in our way of having a more complete covenant relationship with the lord!

Love each and every one of you! Have a fantastic week and keep enjoying the summer! Que les vayan bien!

Love, Elder McDonald

Word of the Week: Calle Rio (River street) Man you're missing out until you get the chance to experience Matehuala in the rain it's a whole new world haha!

Invitation of the Month: STUDY TO HEAR! Last week of this months goal! Seek to find new ways to feel or hear the Holy ghost each and every single day! 

**Da rivers / Mathehuala Cathedral**

**We found a pig 🤣/ Elder Dayley / It's not copyrighted, I promise**

Alex mail 07-22-2024: Don't Eat Shrimp🤢🤮

 

What is good how we doing everyone?? Hope it was another fantastic week for you all! This week flew by but that's what happens when you're having fun!! The mission is just the best haha the tough moments and the amazing moments and everything in between! Can't believe we're almost at the year mark but hey that means we've still got a year left to grind! 😎 

If you're wondering about this week's title let's just say my 10+ year no throw-up streak was broken on Saturday 😭. I would NOT recommend eating shrimp in the middle of Mexico especially when the nearest coast is about 5 hours away hahaha. We showed up for member food on Saturday and when we walk in they just had this big pot of soup sitting on the table. As Elder Smullin and I looked at it a little bit closer we realized that it was made up of 1. What looked like Spaghetti-O sauce 2. Chunks of avocado and tomato and 3. Shrimp that was very pink and not very clean hahaha. Let's just say we grinded through that meal and the stomach did not react very well that night 😭😂 all good though we survived, and we're back out here grinding!

We had Zone Conference this week which was so spiritually uplifting once again! This time we got to travel into San Luis for it so we took the 2 1/2 hour bus ride each way, almost missing the bus both ways 😅 but it was nice to just have some time to chill, especially when missionary work is usually nonstop action! It was awesome to be able to see some old companions and just some amazing missionaries that I can truly say have become some of my best friends! By far though the best part was President fulfilling his promise to dance haha! Last Zone Conference he promised that if our mission got 60+ baptisms in the month of June he would get on the table and dance and guess what, we got 70 😎😂. He didn't get on the table but you already know we just had a huge dance party haha it was awesome! Also heard some amazing messages about the importance of the Sabbath day and especially the sacrament each week, the blessings of constant joy in the gospel, and the powerful effect of being an all-in disciple of Jesus Christ! 

I think by far the highlight lesson and miracle of the week was meeting our friend Jose Blanco! One day after leaving food we got a text (in English) from someone which is pretty rare haha. They basically told us that they are recent converts who live in Texas but the husband/father of the family still lives here in Matehuala and they were wondering if we could come teach him! Man, it was one of the most joyful and spiritual lessons I've ever had! We were able to give him a priesthood blessing and teach him the Plan of Salvation as he's dealing with the recent loss of his parents. His family were also studs, they were testifying with so much power and just so much fire for the gospel! Whether you've been a member for 1 day or 100 years, never lose that fire to share the blessings we've been given!

I think that's it for the week, love each of ya’ll tons and never be afraid to reach out! Nos vemosssss!

Love, Elder McDonald

Word of the Week: Camarón (shrimp) yeah... this one doesn't need much explaining haha let's just say I'm telling everyone from now on I'm allergic 😂

Invitation of the Month: STUDY TO HEAR!! How does the lord speak to you personally? This week I would love to invite you both to focus on how you've heard him in the past, as well as new ways you can hear him now! I promise and testify he is ready to speak to you!

**BLACKLANDDD**

**First Body Armor in 1 year 😁🥺/ Costco run/  Chicken little! 👀**

**Me and the Compitas/ Aler Whitty / Elder Hooley my lifetime ZL / Yo y Elder Smullin**

**Only cute dog in Mexico / Crazy lightning storm we had**

Alex mail 07-15-2024: "Distrito Idahoooo!!"

 

Happy Mondayyyyyyy!! How we all doingggg hope it was another super great week for ya’ll! This week has been wild haha, lots of change but so many exciting things as well! I made it to Matehuala! We had transfers this last Wednesday and so got to take the 2 and 1/2 hour bus ride up here which was fun! Matehuala is so sick it's actually not that tiny, I mean we still have a Walmart, so I'm chillin’ 😂. But our branch also had like 70-80 people attending on Sunday and the chapel was completely full so hopefully we're in the process of becoming a ward soon! It's also super pretty up here we've got a lot more mountains around us and our whole area is just a hill so you already know I'm getting my steps in climbing up it every day 😅 😂. My new comps name is Elder Smullin and is at 7 months in the mission! Andddd he's actually from Middleton, Idaho! Crazy to be comps with someone who lived like 20 minutes from me haha! That brings us to the title of this week's email, 4 of our 6 district members are from Idaho actually! Me, Elder Smullin, Elder Daylay (from Melba) and Hermana young (from Mountain Home)! So, I think it's safe to say we're the Idaho District! I'm super hyped to be here though, the work is booming and the missionaries are just super awesome!

My last few days in Popular were so good too! Super fun and bittersweet to say goodbye to some amazing ward members that I feel like are family now! So grateful for the 4 1/2 months I had to serve there it changed my life forever! The amazing miracles that I saw and the people that I met will truly be memories I hold onto forever! Just so eternally grateful for the opportunity to be an instrument in the hands of the Lord and help bring his children home! For anyone who is thinking about going on a mission let me tell you it will be the greatest decision of your entire life! There is nothing more rewarding than helping bring people who feel hopeless and completely in darkness the eternal light and truth of the gospel! All you need is a desire to serve the Lord and be an instrument in His hands and I promise He will do the rest!

The work here in Matehuala has been so busy already! We've got a few people that we're helping progress towards baptism very soon and a ton more people that are working towards that point as well! Elder Smullin is awesome and just wants to work super hard which has been so fun! Can't wait for the miracles ahead, the only reason God would put 6 missionaries in 1 branch is if big things are coming, can't wait to see! 👀

Something that really stuck out to me this week was just how truly blessed we are to have a knowledge of the plan of salvation and the gospel of Jesus Christ! My 2nd day here in Matehuala we had a funeral for a lady that unexpectedly passed away in the branch. While it was sad, there was also so much hope because of the knowledge that we've been given! I know without a doubt that families can live together for eternity and this life is not the end! If you want that blessing, live the gospel, it's that simple! I testify that Christ has provided the way to overcome any obstacle that comes our way, all we have to do is trust in him! Love you guys and thank you so much for all the love and support! Have an awesome week!

Also, shoutout to my dawg Elder Sainsbury on hitting the 1 year mark!! Can't believe we're almost halfway 🤯 let's go grind!!

Love, Elder McDonald

Word of the Week: Tiendita Americana (Little American Store) for some reason there's a ton of American stores here with American food and candy hahaha it's amazing I love it so much

INVITATION OF THE MONTH: STUDY TO HEAR!! How has studying to hear the voice of the spirit going?? This week I want to invite you all to really focus on truly how you "hear him"! How does the Savior personally speak to you, listen!

**Distrito Idaho!**

**Gotta love the American goods! / Mexican moving**

**Matehuala views**

**Saying bye to Elder Nielson 🥲 / Obispo and fam**

**Alejandro, Tita, and Emilio / Legend I met from Texas**

Alex mail 07-08-2024: "Matehuala Here We Come!"

 

Buenas tardessss!! Happy late 4th of July everyone! Hope it was a great day for everyone, Elder Nielson and I celebrated with fat night (get all the junk food) haha but we also lost our power that day so that was tough 😂. Don't worry though we chillin’ now the dungeon just had to send me off with a bang haha. We got transfer news today and I found out I'll be leaving Popular and going to Matehuala on Wednesday! Matehuala is a smaller city in the most norther part of San Luis that our mission goes so I'm hyped! I'm turning into a Pueblito grinder 😎. I'm truly a San Luis Elder haha. We'll hit a year without touching Aguascalientes, but I love it out here! I'm so grateful for my time in Popular these last 3 transfers have flownnn by but I've learned so much and grown a ton! I've definitely encountered some of the most difficult living situations and addictions I've seen in my time here, haha, but with that I've also met some of the humblest people and seen some amazing miracles! I can truly testify that the Lord is truly directing this work and has a plan for each one of his missionaries!

This week I think one of the best lessons we had was with our boy Jesus Salvador! Last week, he contacted us in the street. haha  We learned his mom and all her side of the family are members! When he was little his parents got divorced and he ended up on his dad's side of the family, who are all Catholic. However now he wants to be baptized and has a date for the end of July! So cool to see how people truly see what a difference the gospel can make in their lives even before they're members!  Popular's got a lot of miracles coming I know my dawg Elder Nielson will take good care of it!!

We had a ton of super cool experiences with President and Hermana Webb this week! I don't know if I mentioned it earlier in the transfer or not, haha but every first mission devotional in the transfer is a trivia game and the winning district gets to go to dinner with President and Hermana Webb! Well,(as winners!) this last Friday we went to Chilis and it was so fun! They're just the sweetest people ever and so much fun to hear all their life stories! And then Saturday, we had interviews with President which were amazing and super spiritual as always! After, we got to do a quick 2-hour exchange in our area with the AP’s and it was so cool! I went with Elder Caviglia from Argentina and he's just such a phenomenal missionary! Definitely the fastest I’ve walked on the mission haha, but such a cool learning experience! The spiritual highlight of the week had to have been on Sunday night! We had just finished our weekly planning at about 7:30pm and all of the sudden, we get a call from President. He told us he needed us to go give priesthood blessings to 7 different Sister Missionaries and he needed more Priesthood holders and consecrated oil haha! So, we got to go with him and man, it was such a cool experience! So amazing to work side by side with our Mission President, to bless the lives of a few Sisters and I'm just so grateful to be able to serve God's children with His holy Priesthood! Never take the Priesthood or blessings for granted, God has literally given us His power here on the earth! Let's not let it go to waste!

I'm excited for the adventures ahead! I know Matehuala will be like nothing I've ever experienced before, but I know the Lord needs me there, so let's go give it our all! The work is booming, this last month the mission had the highest baptisms the mission has seen in the 2 years that President and Hermana Webb have been here, let's keep it rolling!! 😎  After all, this is the Lord's work, why would we expect anything different? Love you all and hope you have a fantastic week! See ya’ll in 8 días (as Mexicans describe one week for some reason) 😂

Love, Elder McDonald

Word of the Week: Rama (Branch) Matehuala is aboutta be the first Branch (of the church) I've served in instead of a Ward haha! Let's get it!

Invitation of the Month: STUDY TO HEAR!! Today I want to re-emphasize President Nelsons invitation to focus on how do you hear him? Really focus this week on learning how the Spirit speaks to you and acting on those promptings! I promise answers will come!

**Exchanges with AP's / Bye Elder Ivens 😭// Elder Hunter the GOAT**

**Chilis with Pres and Hermana Webb! **

**Ducktales / Tiangissss / Fat Night!! (With no power) 💀**

**Beautiful Mexico**

#missionnotes #12

 

"I will be thy servant"

Alex mail 07-01-2024: "Manuel's Baptism!"

 

What's good what's good! Hope everyone is doing well and just having a blast this summer! Crazy we're already to 4th of July this week! Party hard and someone light off some Roman-Candles for me! 😏 It's been another great week down here in Mexico, we're just vibing and loving the mission it’s the best!!

Had exchanges with my dawg, Elder Hunter this week one of my ZLs! He's a super awesome missionary and it was just a crazy fun day to just go out grind’in the streets! I learned a ton from him, and we met a ton of super cool people! When we were walking to a lesson we stopped and contacted this one lady in the street.  She was super nice and told us to come over to her work down the street in a few hours to talk when she had more time. So, we went back and when we got there, she wanted us to talk with her, her coworker, and the lady's son! It was a super spiritual lesson.  We talked a lot about the Book of Mormon and following Christ's example to be baptized, which was awesome! Just a huge testament to me that we're truly here to bring the gospel to everyone.  Any person could just be so ready to accept! We've been blessed with such a huge knowledge of the gospel, it's our job to share it and help others to be blessed too!!

Definitely the big highlight of the week was the baptism of our boy Manuel! He's such a dawg, and just someone who was so prepared for the gospel! Some other Elders in a different area were teaching him but he moved into our area and so we were able to finish up the lessons and help him get baptized which was amazing! He's just such an example of someone who truly wants to be all-in on the gospel.  He kept telling us he was willing to leave behind whatever it took to help him get baptized and make this covenant with God! He let go of alcohol, smoking, and anything else that stood in his way so that he would be ready to go! So grateful for the opportunity to help him in his journey and to see the amazing change in him! Everything at the baptism went pretty smooth, except for him showing up 40 minutes late to his own baptism! 😅💀 Don't worry though he is officially baptized and confirmed hahaha!

We also just had some really powerful lessons this week! I think by far this area has been one of the most intense in terms of crazy struggles, past mistakes, or addictions people have had in their lives, but I've also seen some of the most humble and amazing people who are just looking for hope and are so ready to change! I truly testify that the gospel of Jesus Christ has the power to change anyone's life for the better! No matter what you've been through or done, I promise there is hope, healing, forgiveness, and JOY that can only be found through Jesus Christ and His church on the earth today!! If you want to be happy, choose Jesus Christ, it's that simple! 😁

Love you guys tons and hope you have another awesome week!

Love, Elder McDonald 

Word of the Week: Olímpica (Olympian) Shoutout to my coach Marissa Howard who's going to the Olympicsssss!! She's the goat, check her out in the women's steeplechase coming soon 👀👀

 

Invitation of the Month: STUDY TO HEAR!! This week we're focusing back on the studies of the scriptures!! Recently my dad told me how much more he's gotten from his studies as he's studied with a pencil in his hand, ready to write down whatever promptings come from the Holy Ghost! This month as we study, seek to truly hear and be taught by the Holy Ghost!

**Manuel's Baptism!**

**Program Stained my Baptismal Clothes💀🫠/ Our dawg Felipe**

**Christmas in June! / Sushi Time**