Drew mail 11-30-20: "Miracles and Faith"

 

Hello everyone! I hope you've had an amazing Thanksgiving and been able to take some time to think about the great blessings Heavenly Father has given you throughout your life! I know I'm very touched and grateful for the evidences of love and care He has for me! 

This past week we've been looking at the topic of faith in come follow me, and it's been related very well to some of the things that have happened for us! So from Ether 12 and lots of other places in the scriptures we learn that faith is to have a firm belief in Christ which then leads us to action. Sometimes that action can be hard, or it can be something simple too, but it is very important that we have that part in faith because if we don't act, no miracles nor change can come. 

We've been working hard to develop relationships with the leadership in our area and on Sunday we had a Bishop come up to us and give us the contact information of a lady he had just visited with who isn't a member.  We were able to reach out to her and set up a video call for Wednesday evening! She was really nice, it was a neat experience to be able to see Heavenly Father bless us with that miracle!

I testify that miracles really do occur as we put our faith in Heavenly Father.  I know that He blesses us as we act in faith! I encourage each one of you to show more of your faith in the Savior Jesus Christ, by sharing His love and light with those around you more fully as we go into this Christmas season! I testify that you will be blessed and that miracles will abound as you put your faith in God and Act!   😊

Love you all! 

~Elder McDonald

Drew mail 11-23-20: "A Call Center Professional 😂 (and Happy Thanksgiving!!) "

 

HI everyone! I hope you've had an amazing week full of gratitude! We've been calling people like no other this week.  It has definitely not been an easy thing! I've realized that this time has really changed the efforts we have to make.  It's been difficult because it's something I haven't developed strength in doing yet but it'll come, just a different aspect of the work that needs more time and work now!

As I think about what Heavenly Father has just told us through His living prophet, we need to focus on gratitude. It has really helped me out as I've thought each day on what I'm thankful for.  It's given me more joy, peace, and love, just as the prophet said we'd receive as we work on developing this Christ like attribute!

Relating that back to what I said earlier, I'm grateful for the opportunities we have to struggle and to have challenges. That's how we learn and grow and become better.  Hopefully I'll be able to become the person Heavenly Father needs me to be with the skills and the character He wants me to have to be able to further His work and be a better instrument in His hands!

I pray that each of us can yield our hearts to Him and give Him our all, while having gratitude so that He can make us into the pure, sons and daughters He wants us to be! If you haven't seen the message from President Nelson yet, watch it! I also encourage you to give your all in fulfilling his invitation! You all are amazing and I'm grateful for your love and support, Heavenly Father loves you so much and is proud of you! Have a great week and enjoy your Thanksgiving!!

~Elder McDonald

Drew mail 11-16-2020: "Sunset, Sunrise, Daybreak, Star Dust, and What Else??"

 

Hi everyone!! I hope you've been having an incredible week! I'm so thankful for your prayers, love and support! If you ever have any questions for me, or if there's anything I can do for you, reach out to me, I'd love to speak with you! I don't have a whole lot to report on this week, other than that it's been an awesome experience so far to be here in St. George! The weather is super nice and I'm really grateful to be serving here with Elder Hinckley and my district! They are amazing! We had our first district council on Friday and it was a really great experience to get to know the missionaries here. I'm excited to be working with them, they are all amazing!

We've been working hard to reach out to ward leadership and get to know them, but not a whole lot of them have returned our calls 😊. That's a lot of what we're doing these days, calling people and setting up times to share a message with them, give service, or share a spiritual thought on the spot if they would like!  

We have gotten to help one family move a HUGE playhouse that the dad made by hand for his kids.  It weighed so much! We had 6 of us Elders pushing that thing while the dad lifted it up a little bit with a hand-truck dolly. It was fun! We also are able to go knock the doors of the people who don't have phone numbers, or who aren't very good at answering phone calls, so we've tried to find a few people that way.  All the while we are working to keep those who are at risk for having complications from contracting the virus safe!  Of course we're working through Facebook too! If you have any fun ideas for us to try, let us know!  We're looking to do everything we can and just want to help everyone here!

So the title for this week's letter is based on some of the street names in our area, they all have really "scenic/pretty" names so I thought it was kind of funny 😊.  Anyway things are going well, we're going to reach out to the stakes around us as well since we are over the Spanish work for all of the stakes in the area - so it should be fun!

Thanks for all your prayers, I love you all and if there's anything I can do for you let me know! Have a fantastic week, do your best to enjoy it and take advantage of the small moments to see the good!  It'll help you out a lot to realize that Heavenly Father is influencing your life and is in the details! 

~ Much love, Elder McDonald

#Missionnotes Month #17

 

# Missionnotes "That they may always remember him"  

On to month #17

Share the light

 

 Hi everyone! How are you doing? I just wanted to share a few thoughts I've had this week as we've met with lots of different members of the church and done more service this week. I really know Heavenly Father loves each one of His children perfectly and is aware of their needs. He wants us to help and lift others and encourage them to keep working to return to Him. We all are in this life together, and may not know what specific  needs others have but we all can love and share light with those around us. All God wants us to do is give our best effort and keep trying while loving others! I know you'll be blessed as you tap into that love and encourage others to get back up and try again as you do the same. I'm going to an area this transfer called Sunset and I'm not really certain where it is, but I'm looking forward to this opportunity to share Christ's love with others! Have an amazing week and know I love you so much! 

~ Elder McDonald

Sharing Gospel light (stop-motion style)

 

Drew mail 11/2/20: "A Quick Testimony"

 

Hello everyone! I hope you've had an awesome week! I don't have a lot to report this week, we've been doing a lot of service and finished up some fun Facebook videos which you should check out if you can! I just want to leave my testimony and love with you that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ live and love you so much! If there's anything I can do for you let me know! Just take one step at a time and put your trust in them and you will have the help, love, strength, answers and inspiration you need! Love you all! 

~Elder McDonald