A missionary and his horse

3/2/15

hey dad! como esta?

well i am not surprised that it is a minor miracle to get josh asleep! hahaha that kid is always up and going! in fact this family that we are teaching will be getting baptized this week!! they are really excited and you should see how far they have come and all the changes they have made in their lives! i can easily say, watching other change by living the gospel really causes a change within yourself... one of the huge reasons why, the prophets what us to hasten the work and always share the gospel because the world all everything around us is only getting worse and it is one of the best ways to stay strong in the gospel... sharing it.  but i am very excited for this family and also hermana sonia will be getting baptized by her son this week as well... her son just got his mission call to Bolivia... the hometown of my comp! but i am pretty bummed to hear that Kyle didn't make it ;( however i still have the good hope that after the mission he can apply again and have a great chance as a returned missionary! but to be honest, i am not sure... Kurtis is going to that business school... maybe you should ask him how it is! but it would be awesome if he was living close by and i would love to live with him! would be a great idea especially if Calvin has choose to live with some other dudes. we have been planning it for quite some time i guess between all of us bros from byu but i guess he got other things in mind and that is alright.  but either of them will be good for him! uvu is a good school and i am sure that the business college is as well. he will just have to travel quite a bit! but i am totally for it and living with Kyle... i will see if anyone else wants to room with me... maybe Kurtis!! you should give his parents a call and ask him! bueno kyle has written me for quite some time... i just tried to give him some advice and maybe he took it like i was trying to give him a lecture... i will try to just be more encouraging than anything... tell him to shoot me an email or i will send him one.  i hope i remember his email... wow Jake is truly dominating on the court! he is a stud! i wish i could see him play.... you should send me some videos if you can dad;) and i still haven't heard anything from Seth! i sure hope that he is doing good! he is up in huaraz... its really green and pretty up there... its very different than Lima where i have been my entire mission... but that is alright ... i have loved every minute here in Lima... i am in puente piedra.. like the more city part of it... where more of the rich people live and closer to where everything is.. its great... we have 6 people come to church this week and that are progressing... this last week we had stake conference and i am not going to lie but it was probably one of the best stake conferences that i have heard in my life or from the ones that i can remember.  just really powerful talks coming from the stake pres, one of the 70, our mission president, the president of relief society... it was awesome... and alot of our investigators had a really good experience.  right now there is alot to do, being a leader there is always so much stuff to do, less sleep, more worries,  but more blessings.i am really enjoy the time i have with my son, he will be a great missionary.  i am super jealous of this activity that you guys are planning... the priest are lucky! hahaha... make sure to take alot of pictures and send them! how is everything else going at home? i told mom to write me about some of her spiritual experiences that she has had by living the commandments... i hope she relayed that message to you because i would like to hear some of the stories that you guys have! i know some but i would like to hear more to be able to share them :) anyways padre! Sunday just passed 5 month mark... i cant believe it... the time is just flying... more and more i am falling in love with the gospel and what it does to people... what a blessing it is and how awful it is for those who take advantage of it and don't treat it how it should be treated.  love you dad! more things next week! got to internet late ;( had to cut the darn hair... hahaha... love you dad!

your son elder macdonald

spiritual moment for me would be when me and my companion where in our room finishing up planning, hermano toledo who is one of our investigators ,called us at about 10 o'clock to ask us what we were doing. we went on to tell him that we were getting ready to bed and during the convo i asked him what he was doing, and he told me this.... me and my wife are doing what you told us to do, we are reading the book of mormon while listening to the hymns you guys got us. it honestly was such a great experience to know that they had felt the spirit during the lesson to read more and a family and it is crazy the changes that have brought to their lives. they no longer are quick to fight, the are more loving, want to spend more time together, are anxious to go to church, and most of all trying to make their house a little piece of heaven on earth and they have found the secret.... the book of mormon.

On Sun, Mar 1, 2015 at 11:27 PM, Keith Macdonald <kekelolli5@yahoo.com> wrote:

Hey Von Alex;

It is Sunday evening and I just got "Bugs" asleep (which is a minor miracle) and it is time to sit down and write to you.  I hope things are going well.  I hope this family that you are teaching gets baptized soon.  They sound like nice people.

We finally heard from BYU for Kyle's admission and he was denied.  I told him Saturday night and i think it was somewhat devastating to him.  I just think he feels like he can't catch a break.  I heard that this is the first year that they rejected more people than they accepted.  I did my best to help him see that he still has some excellent options in  front of him.  First of all;  he can go to BYU summer semester as a visiting student.  That way he gets a chance to live in the dorms and make some new friends.  I am highly recommending this to him.  He seems very open to it.  For Fall semester 2015 he can either go to UVU (where he was awarded a tuition waiver) or he can hop on the train a couple of days a week and go to the BYU Salt Lake extension.  He could take a full load of classes up there as they offer all the core curriculum GE Classes.  I am trying to help him to understand that he can still participate in the intramural sports programs and
 all of the church activities that are in the area.  So, we have to make those decisions shortly.  What is  your input there?  Which one would you choose?  They have that new train that leaves from downtown Provo and goes within one block of the Salt Lake extension.  Not a bad deal.

You are probably aware that your friend Calvin has decided to live with some missionary friends in a house south of campus and it is already full.  Mom secured a lease at The Islands for four people for Fall Semester.  I hear it is a pretty cool place to live.  I don't know if you are bummed about Calvin going in a different direction....but oh well.  Do you have any other friends that are on missions that might be interested in rooming with you?  We would need to know pretty soon.   How would you feel about living with your brother?  I really enjoyed living with my brother after my mission.  Please give us your input.

I am hopeful that this setback for Kyle might be an eye opener for him on giving more effort to his academic endeavors.  He is a smart kid and I feel that he is capable of much more.  I would strongly encourage you to spend some time writing him and encouraging him in his life.  Don't lecture him as he doesn't respond well to that.  Encourage him by telling him of the many things he has to look forward to.  It would be good for him to hear that life after high school can be so much better.  I am really trying to help him be encouraged and excited about his future.  This is an important thing that you can do for him.

Jake played in a tournament this weekend and dominated on the inside.  He averaged 14 points per game and he tore it up on the boards. They won both their games.   He is fun to watch.  He told the coach that he would not play in the Sunday games and he didn't.  His team won the first game but lost the second on Sunday.

I talked to Seth's dad today at church and he said he is loving the mission.  We were looking up on the map today during priesthood where both of you are located.  What is your area again?  I could remember Puenta Piedra, Ancon, Ventanilla......but that is it.  I am in the middle of planning the Priests/teachers super-activity.  we are going to Zions National Park and doing some mountain biking and hiking.  It should be excellent.  Always fun to hang with the leaders:  bill pickeron, scott holt, tony knight, jared dayton, todd heap, and me.  Fun crew!!!

I hope all is well.  I pray that the Lord will continue to watch over and bless you in your efforts.  Your service will bless your life forever.  I can tell that the Lord is pleased with your offering.


Last thing:  Uncle Alan mentioned to me that your letters which I post on a blog have made a positive impact on your younger cousins especially Cade.  I know that many of my siblings read some of your letters to their kids.  So, your work goes far beyond Peru.  God Bless you son.

Love,    DAD

Sunday.....A day of rest

2/23/15

On Mon, Feb 23, 2015 at 3:42 PM, Alex Macdonald <alex.macdonald@myldsmail.net> wrote:

hola conpadre! que tal? estoy muy celoso que ustedes se fueron a sedona... nunca he ido.... loco no? im sure you guys had a great time together! oh wow, this is the big week for kyle! i sure hope so that he makes it in... it really will change his life for the better.  but in all reality, after the mission i am just fine with carlsbad and being with ALL the family... i would love to do a trip back to Peru in a year or so but as of right now, i just want to spend time with my family on the beach... on our stomping grounds CB! HAHA... to me that is the most important.  i already told hermano toledo about me coming back in a year and he said perfect we will be heading towards the temple then together! hahaha... that picture i sent of that little family is them... the fathers name is john and his wife is cindy, her named reminded me alot of aunt cindy and how awesome she is.  and they have there little daughter camilla who is 3... they have come to church as a family for the 2 time now and are preparing for the 7 of march... investigators need 3 assistences and for all 3 hours to be able to get baptized and just missing one now! it was quite funny, my buddy elder miller just recently baptized a family and in quorum de elderes, the father stood up and we all shook his hand welcoming him to the brethren and hermano toledo said,  im coming right behind ya! hahaha, he has come 5 times in a row now his wife only needs to come one more time and they can really start their progression in the church... we gave them a photo of the lima temple and when we walked in their house, they had placed it up on their wall over their bed! hahaha... they are awesome and they really want to have an eternal family and it is such a blessing for to be able to say to everyone here in peru that their family can be eternal and how blessed i am to have an eternal family.  hermano toledo really minds me alot of you dad, always wearing a curved bill hat, making jokes, knows what he wants in life and is a great father. i am really glad that the lord put him in our path and that we went and talked to him. it will be a great experience when they get baptized.  i also had the priviledge to do interviews for the family that got baptized and its just so awesome to see how the holy ghost really makes changes to those who are really trying to change and do the will of the father.  those who have the humility to get down on their knees and ask god for help.  each interview just makes me so how merciful god is with us and how he is always willing to help those who ask.  this week we have stake conference.... it should be a good time.  my son i forgot to tell you guys but reminds me alot of michael oher for the blind side... that is the type of personality that he has.  he is a very humble and willing person.  one that is teachable and one who has seen many miracles through his life and has a great testimony.  its been a pleasure to serve with him and i hope the lord gives me more time with him so i can really help him set his goals and expectations high. i got to make him a legend and that all the missionary want him to be their companion.  things are going good as a district leader. for this change we have had 4 baptisms, and we have the goal for 15... if we accomplish it, we will go to the temple as a district so we are working hard so that we can all go to the temple.  i am noticed alot of things about parenting this week.  it was quite interesting, basically a less active member told us, elders could you come over one night and come and teach my kids, the are not behaving well at all and don't want to go to church and can you just teach them.  its quite sad because that is how the majority of the parents are here at times.  they ask others to raise their kids and i just don't quite understand in all honesty haha... but i have learned that its a sacred duty to be a parent and i have learned how important it is to teach my own kids and not let the world teach them like so many parents do here.  hermana sonia is si or si getting baptized on the 7 as well. so the 7th should be a good day for us! its hotter than Africa here right now... i am just dreading the heat and i know when i return that i am going right back into heat! hahah.... the weeks are more like days and the months are going by like weeks.  its hard to slow it down but the prophets say that the days will start to go by really fast so that the saints dont have to suffer so much and that the second coming is on its way.  i happy where i am at right now, and i know it will be sad to let it go. its so awesome to help people understand the importance of the restored gospel even to those who could care less.  love you dearly dad! just remember the great promise from a prophet, the fact of just reading the book of mormon as a family will turn the house into a pedazo de los cielos ;) you are the man! miss you mucho... 

love your son,

elder macdonald 

On Sun, Feb 22, 2015 at 10:43 PM, Keith & Lori Macdonald <kekelolli5@yahoo.com> wrote:

Hey bud.  How's it going?   Mom and I got to spend the weekend in Sedona.  It is such s beautiful place.  A beautiful place with a beautiful girl is a prime combination and we had a great time together.  We did some hiking and stayed over night.   I sent you some pix.  We should hear this week from Byu so keep your fingers crossed.  Mom wants to take you snd Kyle somewhere after we get back from Cbad but before school starts.  I hope all is going well.  It is beautiful in Arizona right now.   Be good son and let us know how your doing.

Love Dad

Sent from my iPhone