From: Alex Macdonald <alex.macdonald@myldsmail.net>
Date: December 29, 2014 at 10:01:11 AM MST
To: Keith Macdonald <klmac4@aol.com>
Subject: Re: Cbad
hola padre,

it was a huge pleasure for me to be able to talk with you guys this Christmas day.  once again i realized how awesome my family is and how much i miss you guys.  i have noticed and realized exactly what you are telling me... that converting my companion maybe be one of the most important things i do with the time i have with him.  i am going to really work hard to be more involved in his conversion and not just the investigators because the more i help him, the more i will convert myself as well.  i could tell as we were talking that i made mom feel a little sad for my comment instead of lifting her up.  i did the complete opposite of what the call was for.  this call was a lot different to me than the last few and i feel that the reason for it is because i didn't do what i should have done which was be grateful.  i really was grateful for all the packages mom sent me. the majority of the time i am giving things to other people which i know is the intent of moms.  i never really thanked mom the way that i should have. instead, i took all the credit and all the thank yous when they should have been for mom.  i really have learned many lessons from this.  and something that i am really really going to work on is be more grateful for the things that others do for me.  i really did love her gifts, and i should of shown that to her... one of the many things to repent of.  but i ask for forgiveness for the way i conducted myself.  i really do feel sad for how i had behaved.... thank you for showing me what i need to change mom and dad. 

and don't worry about the skype thing with grandpa... i really enjoyed seeing all their faces! there is a love in this family that i wouldn't trade ever! it makes me so happy to have a family like this... i guess i let the time get to me and i feel like it really had an effect on me.  i guess what i am trying to say is that i try so hard to be obedient but at times i feel like i am losing what is most important, to have fun. to really enjoy for what it is worth.  how did you balance it? between being happy and obedient? maybe there has been factors that have affected my happiness but when it comes down to it, i am in charge of my own destiny.  

anyways, this week we found 2 families mas! the family franco alamo... they are a family of 5 but the parents are not married.... they really want to and are planning on doing it during feb because there is a huge marriage special on the 14 0r 15 every year. the father told us, elderes i will read and pray with my family too if these things are true. i want to do things right and get married and belong to the true church. we are not going to focus a whole lot in them but help them find what they have been looking for. we also found another family of 5 that we are going to visit tonight... we found them in the park and we decided to teach them in the park... the husband was stoked about the message but the wife was a little dura because she has a pretty good background with the evangélicos but was really surprised after finishing the lesson and she told us that she was going to study and pray... we have the noche de hogar with the first counselor of the bishoprick, and these two families are really good friends, to help as well. our family guillin chiligano the husband is recovering really fast from his stroke and we hope that he will be back in the house soon... we have a cita with the wife this tuesday and the family sandovalt are going to come and teach as well... we are trying to work really hard with the members with the families that we are teaching... we also have 3 potecials mas that can be baptized... sonia, diego, and frachesca but they need more work and new fechas bautismales. many times when we are walking in the streets, elder verdugo and i play football, tossing the ball back and forth! at the end of the mission i am going to give it to him.  great memories playing football in the streets of peru.  

anyways, i am very grateful for all that things that you guys have done for me. i really am... at times i am bad at showing how thankful i am... i promise to change that.  i love you guys with all my heart! i can very easily say, that i have been born of goodly parents, just like nephi.  if you guys want to come down i think it would be a great thing or we can always go back!

love your grateful son,

elder macdonald 

On Mon, Dec 29, 2014 at 11:08 AM, Keith Macdonald <klmac4@aol.com> wrote:
Hey Alex;

It was so great to talk to you on Christmas Day.   I really miss you.  I am so thankful for what you are doing and the example you're setting for your brothers.  I can tell that you are really focused on the work and that's commendable.  You have a unique opportunity and a challenging one at that to continue to teach the gospel to your companion without making him feel inadequate or that you are condescending to do so.  It may be one of the most important conversions you are involved in.

I'm sure it is weird to talk to us on skype......it must be like the collision of two worlds.  I know that you are surrounded by poverty and people that have nothing and it must be weird to talk with us about gifts and travels . Etc.....   We are truly blessed to live in the United States and enjoy some of the blessings of democracy and capitalism (even if our tax system is ridiculous).

You seemed a bit overwhelmed when we skyped grandpa wade and everyone said hello to you.  Everyone loves you so much and I hope that came through.  I realize that you were on a limited time schedule so I closed it off as soon as I could.

We are in Cbad right now.  It is cool outside w small waves but they are fun.  I'm not sure how long we'll stay but at least a couple more days.

Make sure that you don't forget to have fun.  It is easy to get so focused on numbers and quotas that you forget to have fun.  As a district leader you set the tone for your district.   Make sure that you make it fun.

Finally, I think mom felt a little sad that maybe you didn't like the packages that she sent.  She never heard you say thank you.  You did talk about how it was a bit embarrassing because your companion or the Latino missionaries don't get much.  Maybe you could reassure her that you loved her gifts.   She is the thoughtful one out of all of us.  You are lucky to have a mom like her.   I know u already know that.

I hope you have a great week.  I wish you success in all that your doing.   Let me know if you feel strongly about us coming down.  Need to work that out.  All things being equal...would you rather us come there or you fly home.   That's the question.

Love.    Dad
Sent from my iPhone