Children of the Corn (1-12-15)

Lookin Good in the Neighborhood! (1/5/15)

1-12-15

hola! que tal papito lindo! 

in fact dad this was a very positive and good week for me. i really got out and working with my son and we did some damage... this week we have a baptism... hermana sonia... it will be my companions first baptism in his mission... i am really excited for him.  but it is true... it really is a challenge going threw ups and downs... i have learned that having hope  and being optimistic is the best way to combat the ups and downs... i cant tell you how many times that happens to me here in the mission... i feel like i am a million bucks and then sometimes i feel like i am worst than the dust beneath my shoes.  but i always seems to find comfort in having hope for a better future and a better world how it talks about in ether 12... its really sad for me to see so many families here that are inactive... there are so many... and every time i ask them if they pray or read the book or the are doing their family home evenings, or their family history, the answer is always no and they wonder why their family is less active and not progressing in the gospel... these are the best ways to guide the family and have your house always facing towards the temple as king Benjamin explains to us... i have learned a very very good lesson from my president and that is to always always always follow the prophet and his apostles in everything that they say and you will be saved.  seguir los hermanos mayores is his phrase and one that is ingrained in my mind.  i don't know why but i had the thought that it would be awesome if you invited the woodburns to do a family home evening in the house... but anyways, don't lose the faith... keep the head high... your are the best father a son could ask for. you were for me and you continuing being my role model.

my companion is good... he is trying to get used to the mission still... less sleep, alot of walking, alot of sol. alot of teaching, and alot of studying.  its a new lifestyle for him but he is doing really good. we are getting alot good... its alot different to have someone who doesnt really know whats going on and others who have had time in the mission and they think that they know everything and then pride gets in the way... what i like is that there is no pride with in us... he depends on me alot and that is okay.  i depend alot on the lord so it works out.  we have found quite a few families last night we taught a man who has 5 kids and his wife... he loves cars and so do i and we had a good talk about cars and the gospel and he really understood the need for a restoration of the gospel and he loved the book of Mormon and told us that he is going to read it and we are going to see him next Sunday to invite him to follow Christ and get baptized this family of seven.  i don't know why but i have a good feeling right now, its like one of those moments where you feel the spirit is making you happy and encouraging you to keep working hard and continue what i am doing. kind of how i feel right now.  my district is doing really good. there was alot of changes so we are just trying to find alot of people to teach and bring to church and all that jazz... its good to hear about the foot ball status... how are the cards? are they out? send me a few videos if you can of josh playing football! is Jake playing ball now? working going good? i would love to get into some mountain biking... i really need to get some good exercise going for my legs when i get home... ;) hows the snow looking? anyways papito... i just wanted to let you know that you are the man! estoy tan agradecido que eres mi papa... gracias por toda las cosas que has hecho por mi... eres un gran ejemplo para mi y para la familia! tu padre celestial y su papa son complacidos ;) les amo mucho! 

  this sábado we have a baptism... her name is hermana sonia. all she needs to have is her interview and teach her lesson 6. we have quite a few others that are progressing... hermana chiligano came to church for sacrament meeting and found out that alot of her friends are mormons and you could see how happy she was to see them there with her. we are working with her husband who is recovering from a stroke but now is the house and we are helping him out... he understands everything he just cant talk very well still because he is paralysed on one side of his body... we have taught alot of families this week... one being the family alejo garcia and hermano michael and his family of 7 and have had some positives with a few others... this week are going to go back and really get them ready to prepare to be baptized and come to church...

On Mon, Jan 12, 2015 at 12:29 AM, Keith Macdonald <kekelolli5@yahoo.com> wrote:

Dear Alex;

It is late Sunday night and I wanted to write and say hello.  I hope you had a positive week.  It is amazing how life can throw you ups and downs all the time.  One minute you can be flying high and the next you are skimming the ground.  It is truly amazing at how effective Satan is at what he does.  I pray alot for the strength to lead and guide my family in the way that i should.  It seems that my family gets attacked from all sides.  I appreciate your prayers and can feel their strength.

How is life with your companion?  Do you guys get along well?  How is your district doing?  Mom and I went to see the English Beat play last night.  They are a band that was popular back when I was in high school. It was a fun show and we had a good time.  Josh had his first flag football game and they played a team that has played together for 3 years.  They smoked us.  Josh had a good catch but he wasn't happy about the loss.  There were some good NFL playoff games this weekend.  Seattle beat Carolina.  Green Bay beat Dallas. New England Beat ???  Baltimore beat Denver.  ..The college national championships is on MOnday night...it is Oregon vs Ohio St.  I think Oregon will win.  Ron & Brenda are staying with us for a couple of nights so it is fun to have them here.  It is raining tonight....it's always nice when it rains in the desert.  I bought a couple of nice Specialized Mountain Bikes ....I think I will get back into mountain biking again....Love
 you bud.  I pray for you always......

Love,  DAD

1-5-15

hola padre! 

como estas? bueno, the rumors are true.. i am now district leader and training my first son in the misson! tengo un hijo ;) hahaha... i feel quite the pressure being a district leader and trying to train my companion at the same time... its quite the load but one thing that the president told me that really hit me was that when president Archibald got called by president Eyring to be a mission president, Archibald that that Eyring was easily mistake and that it wasnt him and that he didnt feel like he would be able to do  a good enough job.  then Eyring started to cry and told him, that is how i feel everyday.  just imagine, the first counselor to the prophet saying that.  it really hit me.  it gave me confidence knowing that even him feels like he cant do all things because we cant, Christ will help everyone do what we cant when we have done everything that we can do. about about the happiness and the obedience thing has always been something that i have wanted to improve... because i know that if i am not obedient, its hard for me to get closer to the lord and know what it is that he would have me do.  but i also need to be happy at the same time... for me is a tiny struggle but its getting better each and every day to find the median. to be happily obedient.  and i know i need to be more focused in the people and not the numbers, the numbers just tell me what is going wrong and what i need to improve.  but last night when all of our citas had fallen... we found an awesome father who has family in this church and is really interested in learning... he has 5 children and we talked for a while... it really cheer me up and it showed me how the lord does his magic right when we need it most.  the family guillen chiligano the father who had a stroke is coming home in about a week which we are pretty happy... it was awesome to hear from his wife the power that the book of Mormon gave her during that tough part of her life... she told us that she was strong when she thought that she would be weak and we told her its because of the book of Mormon. it was the source of her strength and that her faith was increased in him.  she is really excited to go to church and progress towards their baptism. we have hermana sonia as well who accepted to be baptized the 17 of enero... and hermano diego who recently was seperated from his wife who wants to get baptized on 7 of feb! these are just some of the noticias of the work! 

thanks dad for that analogy... i really needed that because its so hard to walk in the streets knowing that they don't want to accept the gospel or that they choose not to open their hearts or just finding people to teach.  but i got to turn it around and remember that at least i was not crucified and humiliated and beaten almost to death... that he went way below us, more than we have even imagined.  

thanks dad... i really felt sad and upset with myself for the lack of gratitude that i have expressed towards you guys and others.  i am really trying to focus on the love that Moroni talks about in Moroni 7 so i can be a true disciple of Christ.  i really hope that my feelings were felt of gratitude that i have towards you guys.  something i need to work on.  show my gratitude instead of locking it up.  

maybe you are right papito lindo... maybe getting out in the water and stealing some of your waves is what i need.  but i would one day like to return.  

anyways papito y mamaita gracias por todo lo que hacen...yo se que es mucho... y por eso les agradezco bastante por su amor y apoyo

les amo muchísimo  

love your son,

elder macdonald 

On Sun, Jan 4, 2015 at 10:23 PM, Keith Macdonald <kekelolli5@yahoo.com> wrote:

Hey Alex;

How are you doing buddy?  I just received an email from Sister Archibald telling us of your call to being a trainer and a district leader.  They must have alot of trust in you to give you both callings at the same time.  I emailed her back and asked about us coming out....and she responded quickly.  Seems like a nice lady.  You asked an excellent question about maintaining happiness and abiding all the rules at the same time.  That is an excellent question.  It is liking walking a tight rope sometimes.  It is amplified when your in a leadership position and you feel like everyone is watching you.  Remember that happiness is a choice.  It is how you choose to be regardless of the circumstances surrounding you.  As a district leader, do your best to be encouraging and loving to each of the full time missionaries in your district.  Compliment them on their positive attributes and offfer them words of constructive criticism when you feel it is indicated.
 Always remember that you are dealing with people and their lives.....numbers and stats have their place....but it is people that the Lord is concerned about.

I love teaching the priests and being able to share my testimony with them.  I want them to grab life by the balls and to work hard and achieve the goals that they set for themselves.  So many times we place barriers in our own way that stifle our progress.   I have always looked up to the way your mom decided that she was going to run the NEW YORK marathon and she trained her but off and she did it.  It was so awesome.  She set a goal and she achieved it.  Sometimes when I am running I start thinking about how much it hurts.....and I am not having fun.....But, I have found that if I turn that around and think about how lucky I am that I can run.....I don't notice the pain and I enjoy it much more.

I was very proud of the way you handled yourself apologizing to your mom.  I can tell you've grown up alot and it takes a good person to respond the way you did.  We love you so much.  Thanx for your example to mom and I as we continue to work out of own salvation.

I'm not sure what we are going to do about coming to pick you up.  I am probably leaning towards having you fly home and be released and having you spend a couple of weeks in Carlsbad.  I think it would be nice for you to decompress and spend some time with your brothers and parents on the beach.  Surfing would be good for your soul.  Then maybe we could go back prior to you starting BYU.  Love your bud....I hope all is well.

Love, DAD