Alex mail 11-25-2024: "Good old Pueblito Days"

 

Happy Thanksgiving everyoneeeee!! I cannot believe I'm already to the second Thanksgiving of my mission haha, but that's just how time be out here! I hope you guys all have a fantastic Thanksgiving full of good food, lots of time with family and friends, and lots of laughs and gratitude! I always have loved this time of year especially since the world just seems to get a lot happier and have a lot more joy! I hope that each of you can bring that same light and joy to everyone around you during this holiday season! As I've sought to reflect on being grateful this past month, I've become so much more amazed by the goodness of God! I'm so grateful for the miracles that He provides in our daily lives.  For the tender mercies and little moments of joy, and most importantly for the amazing gift of His Son Jesus Christ! There is truly nothing greater in this world than getting to spend all day, everyday teaching and testifying about the wonderful gift of our Savior Jesus Christ and His gospel.  I am so, so grateful to be a missionary!

This week we were in Matehuala for exchanges again, which is always one of my favorite weeks of the transfer! So fun to be back in those good-old-pueblito-days and work in one my old areas! I was with Elder Hales and Elder Nygren, 2 missionaries that have about the same amount of time as me in the mission and so it was just super fun to learn from them, laugh with ‘em, and teach with them! I also got to go to Dr. Arroyo, a pueblito in Nuevo Leon with Elder Nygren and let me tell ya, that place is just your stereotypical desert-Mexico haha, it's so much fun! I've always been amazed at the kindness the people show out in Matehuala.  It's a huge reminder to me of never taking things for granted and always to just look for the good!

We had the baptism of our friend Rosa Elia on Sunday as well!  Thank you for all the prayers for her, I know it made a huge difference! She's so amazing and was so ready for the gospel. It was definitely the fastest baptism I've had, haha.  Elder Hunter and I found her at the start of November and she got baptized just a few weeks later, but it's amazing to see how the Lord is preparing His children to receive the blessings of covenants!

We also had some really good lessons with some of our friends who are struggling with addictions and old habits. It's so inspiring to meet people who truly want to change their lives and see that the gospel is the perfect way to do that! We focused a lot on the power of fasting this week and if you would all like to keep Javier, Erika, Ruth, and Miguel Angel in your fasting and prayers this upcoming week, I know it will make a huge difference! Thank you all so much for everything you do for me, I couldn't do it without y’all! I love y’all a ton and hope you have a fantastic Thanksgiving week!!

Love, Elder McDonald

Word of the Week: Pavo (Turkey) hope everyone enjoys some great Thanksgiving turkey this week!

Invitation of the Month: LIVE GRATEFULLY!! There's no better way to celebrate Thanksgiving than seeking to show our Heavenly Father in all aspects of your lives your gratitude for everything he's given you!

**Rosa Elia's Baptism! **

**Elder Halessss // BLACKLAND**

**Elder Dominguez Struggling // Elder Nygren**

**La Zona inquebrantable**

Alex mail 11-18-2024: "RUN IT BACKKKK?!?!?!"

Howdy, howdy, how's everyone's week been? Hope you all are loving life and enjoying the Christmas season for me, haha we've only got one month left - no time to waste haha! This past week has been awesome and a super great start to the transfer! I found out last Monday night who my new companion would be and,… drumroll pleaseeee... Elder Dominguez!! Yep, that's right, we're companions again haha! We were both super surprised but we're so excited it's gonna be such a fun transfer! He was my second comp back in January, almost a year ago, and here we are again running it back! It's actually made the transition super nice being with someone I already know really well and so we're just gonna grind especially with this transfer being only 5 weeks!

This week was definitely a little weird with transfers, we spent a lot of time in the bus station Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday with receiving missionaries that were coming to San Luis and all the brand new missionaries that just got to the mission which is always super fun! It's really cool to see just all the excitement, energy, and light those new missionaries arrive with! And while I feel like it was just me there a few months ago, it's super humbling and special to now be in a position to help those new missionaries learn and grow and just magnify that light in all they do!

Most of the rest of the week was spent running to and from lessons, showing Elder Dominguez the area and introducing him to members, and trying to help prepare our friend Rosa Elia for baptism next Sunday! She truly is such a miracle, we found her like literally 2-3 weeks ago through one of our members who knows her husband that lives in Texas. After getting to know her a little bit we realized that she already had a pretty good understanding of the church thanks to her husband, but was also really searching for lots of peace and joy since her mom and son both recently passed away! I can testify that there is no greater joy in this world than being able to help God's children realize that He truly does have a plan for them and that they have the opportunity and privilege of living with their families forever! I've seen it time and time again on my mission, the gospel of Jesus Christ CHANGES LIVES!! If you feel like you haven't felt that mighty change of heart or seen the Lord's hand in your life as much as you would like, I challenge you to recommit now to Christ, His gospel, and His covenants and I promise your life with change forever! Love you all so much and have a fantastic week!

Love, Elder McDonald

Word of the Week: Chile Serrano (Serrano pepper) yeah, the district made me eat one at lunch today and let's just say I was dying for a solid 10 minutes hahaha

Invitation of the Month: LIVE GRATEFULLY!! I hope you've been able to see the difference this month as you've sought to constantly live gratefully! I've noticed that my prayers have become so much more gratitude filled which has been so special!

**Ofrendas del dia de los muertos**

**Elder Dominguez taking a picture of a 'day-of-the-dead' - dead cat 💀//                                        Elder Miller // Elder Hunter 🐐🐐**

Alex mail 11-11-2024: "What a Ride"

 

Buenos días a todossss! Hope you are all doing great and are having a great start to November!  This week was probably one of the craziest I've had in the mission for a while haha, lots of changes coming with transfers and we were super busy as usual, but I wouldn't have it any other way! 

We've got transfers this week tomorrow which is wild I feel like the transfer just started a week ago haha. Sadly, my time with Elder Hunter has come to an end.  It's been a great run together but my boy just had to be too goated and get assigned to be our Mission President's new Assistent! He's gonna kill it, I'm super excited for him and so grateful for our time together and everything he's taught me! Our time together went sooo fast but he's truly become one of my best friends, and by far we saw the most miracles I've seen in our 2 transfers together! Good news is, we'll get to run it back during exchanges this next transfer, so stay tuned for that haha! I'll find out who my new comp is later tonight but whoever it is I know he'll be awesome and can't wait to just keep grinding out here in Boulevard!

We got to spend some time with President, which is always the best! If you remember, each transfer we do a mission-wide trivia game and the District that wins, gets to go to dinner with Pres. and Hermana Webb and we won again this transfer! You already know we ran it back at Chili's haha, it was super good and Distrito Boulevard on top para siempre! We also had interviews with Pres. on Wednesday which was so spiritually uplifting as always! We talked a lot about how we can recognize and act on promptings from the Spirit and I think one of the biggest lessons I've learned on the mission is that we just have to act! Don't worry if it's the Spirit or not, if it's something good and we know we're living worthy of the gift of the Holy Ghost we can trust that we will constantly be guided even if we don't realize it in the moment!

We got to do a couple exchanges this week too which was super fun! I got to go with my boys Elder Magos, Elder Reynolds, and Elder Moulton! I learned a ton from all of them, Elder Magos' ability to connect with and make people feel loved, and Elder Moulton and Elder Reynold’s ability to just jump with 2 feet in and try everything, even just having 5 weeks in the mission! It feels like yesterday that I was in that same spot, but so grateful for the opportunity now to help those younger missionaries grow just like others did for me!

And last-but-not-least, on Sunday, we had the baptism of our friend Sofia! Her mom Beatriz and sister Camila were baptized last week.  Sofia just wasn't able to because of work but she did this week! It's always so special to see and help people make covenants with God! You can see the light-of-Christ in them and it's so awesome to see them light up with the joy of a new life and a second chance! I testify that covenants with our Heavenly Father is the best way and the happiest way to live! You guys are awesome, love you all and have a great week!

Love, Elder McDonald

Word of t he Week: redencion (redemption) this week hunter and I talked in church, and I spoke about Kirstin Yee's talk from General Conference "The Joy of Our Redemption," give it a listen, it was one of my favorites!

Invitation of the Month: LIVE GRATEFULLY!! How have you recognized miracles in your life this week and how have you given thanks for them? Gratitude brings more blessings!

**Elder Magossss // Elder Dayley // Sofia's Baptism!!// Distrito poderosisimo Boulevard// La familia Perez //On the grindddd //

#missionnotes #16

 

#missionnotes #16 Waters of Mormon

Alex mail 11-04-2024: "Dia de los Muertos"

 

What's good what's good everyone! Hope y’all had an awesome week and a great Halloween! Our week was awesome this week, everyone in Mexico celebrated Day of the Dead on Friday and Saturday and lowkey, a ton didn't happen for it haha, but it was super sick to see everyone's “ofrendas” (offerings) with all the pictures and memories of their families and the orange flowers like in the movie Coco haha. The best part of the week for us though was on Sunday with 4 baptisms! We had 2 fall-through due to one working and the other only being married through the Catholic Church and not married civilly. 😭   But, we'll get ‘em soon!  However, our friends Adriana, Ximena, Beatriz, and Camila all decided to get baptized and it was such a special day! They each showed a ton of faith in their process of making covenants with their Heavenly father and they are each a huge inspiration to me! There's nothing better than hearing those simple yet powerful testimonies right after their baptism and being a part of their conversion process! I testify that there is nothing more important than making and keeping covenants with our Heavenly Father, He wants us to come home and has given us everything we need to do so!

We also had a meeting in Aguascalientes again this week, which was so good! We talked a ton about how we can help people find their motivation to come to church and receive the blessings of the sacrament! It's so amazing to see people find their own personal motivation and desire to come unto Christ!  I invite each of you to find your own personal motivation and desire to come closer to your Savior, I promise He will be there every step of the way!

We also talked a lot about becoming uncomfortable as missionaries in everything we do. Something I love that Elder Hunter always says is that "Pressure is a Privilege." Sometimes as missionaries and as members of the church we feel a little bit of weight, responsibility, and pressure, but that's a good thing! When we are uncomfortable, we are pushed, and then we are able to grow. I invite you to always seek to be “uncomfortable” in everything you do, never settle for being comfortable with where you are! Love you all and hope you have a great week!

Love, Elder McDonald

Word of the Week: Panteón (cemetery) Everyoneee was going to the cemetery for Día de Los Muertos - haha, actually such a cool tradition how people remember their family!

Invitation of the Month: LIVE GRATEFULLY! How's the challenge going so far? I hope you've been able to see how much the Lord has blessed each one of us, constantly look for the good and give thanks!

**BAUTISMOSSSSSS!**

**Carne Asada Tacos / Dayley with the temu tie game 💀😂**

** Elder North, Elder Summers, Elder Wilson**