hey fathaaaaaaa! how is everything going! wow i feel like you guys are in cali every freaking weekend and just living the paradise life everyday! hahahahaha while i am stuck in a bowl of dust sweating like you cant believe and cant take a shower at night because they cut the water. hahaha... but i am very glad that you guys had such a great time in cali and that you were able to catch some good waves! i really want to go surfing down here somewhere in this continent like in Ecuador or southern Peru or somewhere! but its good to hear that the office is busy and that things are going good there! how is the new co worker doing with the new job? 

and wow dad i just want to say that your words spoke right to the heart of your son.  those words were exaclty what i needed to hear.  alot of days i feel like i am wasting my time in the mission and i feel like i am being held back by my companion or by other silly factors while every other missionary is have alot of success.  you know how i am and that i don't like to waste my time and i like to get this done the right way because that is the way that you raised me to be but you are right there are some things that i just cant control... for example my companion and his decisions, or the decisions of the people i teach, or the ward members and how they don't help out much with missionary work.  i know how precious every minute is in the mission and i just want to do everything i can but its hard when there are things holding you back.  the only thing that i can do is just pray and put my trust in him that everything will be okay and that he will provide for us. right now i feel like mormon and how i am doing everything i can  for a wicked people. sometimes i just feel like i should be giving more and more and more but sometimes i cant do everything.  anyways dad i really appreciate your words. definitely going to be in my mind alot giving me alot of courage when things get down! i dream everyday that i could be out in the water with ya dad but you are right we will have our time for everything once more! words will never describe how much i miss and love ya dad! take care... vaya con dios y que el pueda bendicirles! te amo!!!!!!

su hijo 
elder macdonald 




On Mon, Jan 20, 2014 at 12:58 AM, Keith & Lori Macdonald <kekelolli5@yahoo.com> wrote:
Hey Alex;

How's it going bud? Mom and I just got back from Carlsbad where we were for the weekend.  We had a great time together and we ran the half marathon today.  It was a beautiful day and we both finished with respectable times.  I went surfing on Saturday morning, I almost didn't go out because the waves were so small and the tide was high.  But I decided to go and I was really glad that I did. There was only one other guy out and we rode some fun lines.   The water was really clear and the sun was out and I rode some small but fun little peeling waves at North Terramar.   Mom and I spent the rest today on the beach and had a really good time.  We went over on Friday afternoon and came home Sunday night, so it was a short trip.  I always like a little beach time.  Tomorrow is Presidents' Day so the kids have the day off of school but I have a very busy day at the office.  I am sorry that you are still struggling to find investigators. Sometimes it is just like that. All you can do is keep working hard and try not to get discouraged.   One of the people that I have the most respect for from the book of Mormon is the prophet Mormon.  He was raised in a time of great wickedness of both the Lamanite and the Nephite people. When he was 16 years old he was asked to be the head of the Army.  His life was basically spent in wars and leading an army of wicked nephites that he knew would eventually perish because of their wickedness.  He tried to preach the gospel to his people but they did not want to listen.   Eventually he died in battle defending the wicked people that he loved.  His one consolation must have been the fact that his son Moroni was converted to the Gospel.  So if you spend all this time in Peru and the only person that you convert is yourself, I will be a happy man.  Keep praying for success and love the people around you and show that love, and you will be successful.   I love you with all of my heart, and miss you surfing with me in Carlsbad.   But, all that can wait until you get back.  Got to go to sleep.

Love DAD!!!!