22 months and counting

     Well as of yesterday I've been out for 22 months. As you can imagine I'm starting to feel the vast amount of time that is behind me.

     Unhappily it's been affecting me quite a bit. I had a very interesting conversation with a missionary (also a good friend of mine)- where I realized how much the past year and a half had drained me-also how I wasn't allowing the Lord to lift me up. A trend I've noticed in this mission is that all of us missionaries are stubborn. Which is necessary, It takes a certain bit of toughness to be able to grind through the doors that one does. However, though we have determination and desire, during this conversation I realized that there's a level of humility that I lacked in that I had my idea of what was right and my desire. Although I may work hard- what's the use if it's not what the Lord wants or needs. I can be obedient but if it's not out of love for the Lord what's the use. I realized I always brought myself down because I thought I was failing at what the Lord expected from me when I realized in reality It was what I wanted and I was assuming what I wanted was what the Lord had planned. When in reality I need to focous more on what the Lord needs and requires of me and less on what I want.

      22 months and still don't have everything figured out. Guess that's what eternal progression means- it doesn't end.  Well it's not necessarily someone getting baptized or something but, for me, such a realization is just as important as anything else. 

Elder McDonald.

Looking to the Future

Note: Lee sent Russell an email informing him he is scheduled to speak in church on Feb. 14, 2010.

Dude, I really find it weird. Thinking about going to church in English again... na ja, Well I'll give a quick update.
As you know we're now the only two missionaries here in Krefeld and it's awesome. The members realize that they have to do the work. So now they're asking us to come over and help and talk with them, which really gives us a chance to build relationships of trust and respect with them.
Ok well much to do. We're going to another city on a British base with some other elders.
See ya later
Loves,
Elder McDonald

Ghosts and Goblins

Yea, so Halloween was acknowledged but not really celebrated. Germany has a similar holiday which is bigger here.

That's crazy that Nicola and Danny are going to have another kid. I imagine it's a girl. I already have a nephew, now I need a niece. What's this about them being in Visalia? Are they moving there or something? Tell grandma I wish her a "Herzlichen glückwunsch zum Geburtstag"

As far as the care package for Christmas goes, honestly it'd be rather pointless. The only thing I'm lacking is enough money to buy all the chocolate I want. Which is probably a good thing. Germany is a socialist country so even the homeless people are taken care of.

An update, we had transfer calls yesterday. Well, I'm staying here in Krefeld but moving apartments cause the one I'm in is being closed down, which means I have a new address. So here it is.
Rosen Str 4
Krefeld 47807

Now I can be mailed at that address.

My new companion is going to be an elder melum. He seems cool, soo I'm excited. I'm actually way excited to have this ward all too myself. Yes, I'm greedy like that.
Well we've gots to pack so I'll talk to y'all later.

Alles gute
Elder McDonald

Where did the time go?

sent 10/20/2009

Note: Our family was together for the Open House for Lyndy and Nik. We sent a group email to Russell. This is the "long" email Russ refers to.

Hey, Ok this was long and I'm horrible at writing reply's.

Umm mom first. My log-in and jazz at s.u.u. hahaha yea I don't remember. I'm just going to have to spend a couple of very frustrating hours on the SUU web site when I get home. But then I'll have plenty of time. If all else fails I'll just have to do school here in Germany- oh how terrible that would be- from what I hear Köln has a great fine arts department. Plus school is way cheap here. Jjkjkjk I'll worry about SUU When I'm there.

Ummm yea thanks for all the news. Things are going great here. Interesting note, they're lowering the number of missionaries in all of Europe to about two per ward. Which means that missions are getting significantly smaller. Which will help the missionary-member relations a lot. The only problem is. I'm in the oldest apartment in the mission right now (yes it's falling apaprt). Sooo, we'll see how my last couple of transfers play out. Alright, wells off we go. Talk to ya'll later
Love on everyone
Elder McDonald

P.S. Since when were Frederico (Martinez) and Jakob (Rico) and Christie (Wittwer) all in college? Where did time go?

Seasons are nice too

note: sent 10/13/20009

Real seasons are soo nice, I love it here.<3 <3

Alright so it's a missionaries birthday today so this is a quickie. Cool story though, we doored into this guy who just let us right in.(Which is always exciting.) He said he knew some of what we believed, usually that means he knows that we're not Jehovah's witnesses. So he asked him what he knew. He answered with telling us he knew Joseph Smith got the Book of Mormon from an angel and it was on golden plates...Yea, I was amazed. It was just way cool because we, as missionaries, couldn't just go on with the restoration story. He knew it and it didn't have much meaning for him. So we went straight to his concerns and questions. Asking question after question we were able to find what he understood. And finally he accepted the invitation to read in the Book of Mormon. What was cool was that the discussion was just us talking, trying to come closer to Christ together.
It was a really good week.
Till next time Elder McDonald