Drew Mail 7/27/2019 - "Even in hardship God is there."

Hello everyone! I’m so grateful to be able to write to you again and share some of the experiences I’ve had this week! So first of all, it is amazing to me how on Sunday there will be something that highlights the theme of the week, or a principle that I see continually throughout the week. I know each one of you can see this too as you pray and do your best to notice the little things that happen throughout your day. So on Sunday, we had ponder time, and during this time we get to go to a mural in one of the buildings and spend some time praying and studying it. This is really a neat experience and I love when we have time to do this. This week we were able to go and see a mural of Moses. In the mural he is standing on top of a craggy, dark, barren mountain that has lots of dead branches on it and seems like a desolate place. However, Moses is facing forward looking towards the bright sunset, and all above him are countless stars in the night sky. As I sat and pondered about the beauty of the painting, it came into my mind that we need to make sure we don’t get lost looking only at the weeds and barrenness of our current surroundings, but look up and forward and see the good and beauty that is all around us, because there is always good. As I went about my day on Sunday the hymn “How gentle Gods commands” came into my mind, and the line “come cast your burdens on the Lord” played over and over. I know that the Lord wants us to turn to him at all times, not only when we have difficulties, but I also know he is always there for us to strengthen and help us. I’ve seen that a lot this week as I’ve had lots of new challenges and tasks. 

So we finished the “basic core” pamphlet which has a few phrases and words which we’ve memorized, and on Monday we found out that we are now starting “intermediate core” which is literally a BOOK 😂. So I felt pretty overwhelmed when I realized how much I have to learn, but again I know Heavenly Father can and will help me as I do my best. 

Another challenge we had this week was our first TRC lesson, which is where we go and talk to a native speaker, some are members of the church, and some are not, and try to help them with their needs. So Elder Howe and I have been meeting with José Frías the past week and let me tell you it’s not been a cakewalk. The first time we met him, he was kind of reserved and he asked us right off the bat how he can know whether the thoughts and feelings he is having are from the Holy Ghost or himself. We were not ready for that, but we did our best and shared some scriptures with him, but it was pretty rough. The second visit went much better however, and I know that that’s another lesson we can learn: don’t give up when we have a difficult experience. Although I don’t understand everything he says, or can’t say everything I’m wanting to, I’m trying and I really believe that that is what is most important. We need to remember that God wants us to just do a little better each day than we did before.

Never give up, and keep looking to Jesus Christ when it seems like the way is dark or hard. 
Yo sé que Dios va a bendecirle por su fe y su esfuerzo. Yo sé que Dios lo ama.  (I know that God is going to bless you for your faith and your strength.  I know that God loves you. ) 

Elder McDonald

Drew Mail 7-20-19 (Pics)

Drew Mail 7-20-19 "The power of prayer is real people!"

One week down! I still can’t believe that! It has been such an amazing experience already, and I can’t wait to see how it gets better! Okay, so in my time here I have been amazed time and time again by the blessings the Lord has given to me. I have seen so many times that He will answer our prayers as we have faith in Him and then act. I want to share a few of the experiences I have had which have helped me gain this testimony. So first, during our Sunday devotional, the opening hymn we sang was “Sweet Hour of Prayer”. Now this was the first hymn I learned to play on the piano, and as we started to sing I was overwhelmed by feelings of love, and I felt that Heavenly Father had been hearing my prayers, He knew what I was experiencing, and wanted me to know that He loves and knows me. What a blessing this was, and it turns out that prayer has been a central part of my week! 

So the next thing I want to share is an activity we have done twice in our class. Our teacher has taken a “character” and we have had to get to know them and teach them a small lesson in Spanish. Now when I first found out we were doing this, I was really nervous. I practiced with Elder Howe, and quickly realized that it is really difficult to answer questions and speak entirely in Spanish. So before we went to meet with “Antonio,” who was really brother Dixon, I said a quick prayer, and just decided to do my best. It went really well actually, and I was able to ask questions to Antonio and get to know him, then testify towards the end! During the lesson I really felt a lot of love for Antonio, and I’m excited to feel that when I’m out in the field. So we did this activity a second time, this time with “Isaac” and again, I saw answers to prayer. As I just tried to focus on what his needs were and to see him as Heavenly Father did, words came into my mind that I should say. I am so grateful for these blessings which I have seen as I have put my faith in God, and prayed to Him. I have also been praying to see the blessings I have been given be fulfilled, and one being: when I was set apart as a missionary I was blessed to be anxiously engaged to study the Book of Mormon. I have had this desire to study it grow within me, and honestly there is no other word to describe this eagerness than an anxious engagement. Another answer to prayer has been my increased ability to learn. It is amazing to me the amount of phrases and words and scriptures we have had to memorize, and just as I have felt like I can’t do any more I have found help and ability beyond my own. The last answer to prayer I have had was really one which was incredible to me. About halfway through the day on Thursday, I noticed that the handkerchief my dad had given me, when I said goodbye to my family at the airport, was gone. I could not figure out where it was, and I didn’t have much time to look so throughout the rest of the day I just kept praying that I would find it. When we got back to our residency that night, I decided I’d better pray one more time. As soon as I stood up from my prayer I had the thought “look in your suitcase.”  At first I was like no, there’s no way it’s in there, but then I decided I might as well check. Sure enough when I opened my suitcase, there it was, sitting on top of everything else. I know prayers are answered. I know anyone can ask Heavenly Father, and He will answer. He loves and knows each one of us perfectly and will always be there for us. 

Dios siempre eschuca nuestras oraciones.  (God always hears our prayers)

-Elder McDonald

Scripture of the week: 1 Nephi 16:29

Quote of the week: “Dad, I want you to know I did my best”

(Drew's pics didn't make email this week but will post when they arrive!)  

*We did get to Skype with him today - what a treat! He's doing great!

Drew Mail 7-13-2019 "First Week at the MTC"

Hello everyone! 

I’m so excited to be able to write to you and share a little bit of what I’m experiencing as I go throughout my mission!  When I got to the airport in Boise I was pretty nervous about being the only one on the plane, but it turns out there were three other Elders with me! Elder Hansen, Elder Betcher, and Elder Hascall. They were all super nice and I’m glad I was able to be with other missionaries. As soon as we arrived at the MTC we were going through lines receiving our tags and packets of information, left our things in our residency hall and immediately went to our first class! I could not believe that we were already getting started and that first day we had a few meetings and I got my first companion, Elder Howe. Elder Howe is simply awesome, he has such a strong testimony, desire to be obedient, helps me have fun, and he knows a lot of Spanish so I am able to get help from him! As I have spent more time practicing and learning the language and I know that I am receiving help from Heavenly Father each day. Also I want to say thank you for to all the prayers you have given for me it is amazing and kind of hard to understand but I can feel so much love and strength coming from you all and I’m so grateful for you. The MTC really is an amazing place, it has taken some getting use to and I still have a long way to go, but I love the feelings here and know that this work is of God. It’s kind of funny because as I walk around I see so many elders in white shirts and ties and I think to myself “it’s the missionaries!” And then I remember that I am now a missionary :) .  On Thursday we met our Branch Presidency and they are wonderful! The president is President Rogers, and his counselors are Brother Hogann and Brother Holmes. So how the branch works is there are 3 districts and my district is made up of those in my same Spanish class. We have 6 companionships and only one of those are sisters. So far I have met 7 others who will be going with me to Uruguay including Elder Howe. The MTC campus is really big and we have the elders in our district all in one building but classes and the cafeteria are spread out so we get lots of walking in, which is good because the food here is really good and filling so I would gain lots of weight if I wasn’t careful. We are really taken care of here and it’s a wonderful place to be. Let me know what is going on in your lives and ask me any questions! Right now we really are just adjusting to this lifestyle and spending lots of time studying which is wonderful, but I’ll let you know as I have more experiences. Thank you again for your prayers and love, you are all wonderful. 

Yo se que la Iglesia de Jesucristo do los Santos de los Ultimos Dias es verdadera, y yo estoy agradecido por el amor de nuestro Padre Celestial. En el nombre de Jesucristo, Amen. 

-Elder McDonald

#missionnotes - Month #1 July 2019

Did you know?

Andrew - Called to Serve

Uruguay, Montevideo West Mission