January 30, February 8, 2012

                                                                                       February 8, 2012

Well… things are going to be a little bit different around here… otra vez in Spanish is again. That’s because again I am training…! It was quite a shock. I had to ask the zone leaders something and they had to go up a level more and ask the assistants. They said it would have been better if I would have called because they needed to talk to me anyways. That I needed to go to Merida and pick up another son! I couldn’t believe it. And a little miracle happened but I’ll save that till the end. But for right now that’s the big news. His name is Elder Badillo and he is the only member from his family again! That’s so nice when an investigator wants to say that it’ll be hard. Another cool thing is that he got baptized about a year and a half ago. He’s worried a little bit about knowing everything but it’ll work out good. He’s from Monterey were things are a little bit crazier. He was shocked that there were so many motorcycles and cars parked outside not doing anything. But it’s kind of interesting him being my son because he’s about an inch taller than me and two years older!

In the area things are going well. This week we had a ton of new investigators. It was pretty awesome. We worked hard and especially a better attitude and more obedience helped us out a lot. We finally got a hold of guy that we have been looking for a long time. His name is Rodolfo and we found him looking for a reference actually. We talked to him and he said that it would be ok to stop by. That was about a month ago or so. We have tried to find him and things like that but it hasn’t ever really worked out too well. Finally we did and we had a good sign. He has a ton of questions about how everything works with baptism! That’s pretty cool. And also on Sunday, we had things figured out to go to church he invited his best friends. He accepted to be baptized and everything is looking good.

The Hermana Elba is still looking good. We had a long talk one night and she said that she thought we were saying that the Church of Christ and the church that Joseph Smith was found in were two different churches. Don’t know where she got that idea but we cleaned that up real fast. Well… not real fast. We ended up talking for about two hours or so. Then the next day we came because she was going to do something with corn. We did some service for two hours hoping that his would free her up so that she could go to church… nope. But her two kids went instead. We are pretty sure that we gave them a guilt trip that two young men and come and helped out their mom instead of her own children helping her. We are getting more and more into this family.

And also we have a couple that we are teaching. They need to get married. The only problem is that the “wife” is 15 and the husband is 22... Not exactly what you’d find in the states. It’s ok though. She’s got a goal to read the Book of Mormon in 3 weeks so… I think that’ll deserve some blessings.

Well so for the miracle (next week will have to be the pictures. I tried passing some but my camera died while I was trying to pass them so next week! And I’ve started on the new flash drive. Thanks Sis and Brayden and Mason).

I was walking along (he he he) and I had just gotten off the bus in Merida on Sunday night. I had my backpack and my little suitcase. I flagged a taxi and went to the mission offices (all by myself! Scary!) I was talking with the taxi driver and it was a very interesting conversation. I paid the taxi and got inside the offices. I said hi to everyone and turned around to start getting ready to go to the hammock. To my shock, there was only my backpack! I had left my suitcase in the taxi! I started calling the taxi company trying to get a hold of them. I tried for the next two hours with a prayer in my heart. Just to put the importance on how important everything was… my journal that I have been using for my whole mission was in my suitcase, along with my hammock that is probably worth 100 dollars and a pair of “g´s”. I went into the bathroom and pleaded for the Lord’s help. I put everything I could into it. After I realized that if God wanted it to be this way that it was for a reason. Asking for some spare clothes to get everything ready to go to bed in a borrowed hammock I heard a car horn. The taxi driver remembered where I was and whose suitcase it was and after two hours of terror had come back to the offices. I thanked him very much and returned to that same bathroom and offered thanks. It was a pretty sweet way to open the week. I know that I was answered. And I know that my faith in Christ and my diligence in keeping the commandments were the two biggest things that I could have done to affect the outcome. I know that God answers prayers and that everyone can pray because they are a child of God. If you don’t believe me… try it.

Con amor

Elder Mackay

January 30, 2012

Well an interesting week! This week there was something fun going on. I got to go to immigration to do some papers. As most paper work it took forever! But I am happy to say that I am still legal in Mexico. Another thing that was a bit out of the ordinary was we had interviews with President! We had plans to have it in the house so we had a few good cleaning sessions and it feels a lot better now. We did a good job of keeping it that way but we got called and ended up having the interviews in the church.

This week something really cool happened with a couple. Last week we saw an accident happen and my companion had a dream about them. We went looking for them and we passed three times on that street looking for them and we couldn’t find them. Finally, we started asking people and we ran into a couple that the “husband” (quotations because really they aren’t married) is a member. He said that he saw us pass by a few times and that he thought that we were going to stop and talk one of the times. We ended up talking and it was a really cool experience. They are really good at feeling the difference of the spirit.

Another cool person that we are teaching still is Elba. She was drinking coffee and she was having doubts about Joseph Smith and everything. We taught the word of wisdom and she accepted it really well! My companion and I were really surprised at how well it went. We came back a few days later and she had drunkL. We had a talk and I love having cool experiences in the mission like this. We helped her to understand that it wasn’t obedience to a prophet, but to Christ and that we should do it not because it is just another rule, but because it’s Him that is asking us.  We taped cards that have pictures of Christ on them on the front of her coffee jars (her kids that still aren’t listening to us and still drink coffee so that’s why we didn’t just take it from her). It went well. Also now she is giving us food every time we go over there so that’s helping me get my pre mission shape back (I don’t know if I have mentioned it or not but, by force I have to wear a belt because I have lost so much weight if I don’t I try mixing the gangster look in with the missionary style).

A really sad thing that has happened is that we had Sindulfo going well and we found out how complicated his case just got. He can’t get baptized because he isn’t married with the woman he’s living with (so it’s a law of chastity problem). Normally we would say that it’s not that big of a deal because we are experts on getting people married here. The problem is that he is married to someone else that is in another state and there are a ton of problems. She doesn’t want to get divorced from him either so that’s the problem. But he is going to still keep coming to church and everything so that’s cool.

Well as far as a spiritual thought this week it has kind of come around the same topic. Obedience is something that I saw in investigators, in my interviews with president and with my area. It is so fascinating to think that everything is bound by it, and that even before the earth was created even it being the first law of the heavens. I liked how it says it in Doctrine and Covenants how inseparable obedience and blessings are. No matter how we look at it, we cannot fully expect to be blessed if we are not obedient. And when we give in to our pride or vain ambitions, or we intend on covering past mistakes, or we unrightfully try to use our dominion over someone, the spirit is gone and we are left alone. Talking with my companion that it isn’t so much that the Lord punishes us, it’s that being the one who has given us everything chooses to withhold certain blessings; this isn’t a very foreign idea. We see this attitude in houses that a child looses privileges when he disobeys. We are governed by the same rules. I have figured out this week that I love being obedient. Thanks for all the help and support. I feel it.

Con Amor,

Elder Mackay

January 23, 2012

                                                                                    January 23, 2012

Well, things are going pretty well. It’s crazy how fast time goes. In a little over a week it’ll be 17 months! I can’t believe how it is going. I still feel like I got six months and I’m getting a hold on things. Things just keep going so fast.

This week the biggest thing was the baptism of Ailet. It was good and everything went well. This week was some finishing up things and everything went well. A little bit different schedule for pday so I forgot my camera to send pictures. But anyway my companion ended up baptizing her and it all went more or less according to plan. Here everything starts late but this one only started a little bit late. She’s going to be a sweet person to see 20 years down the road. She is going to be the only member in her family but her mom is going to come in a few weeks and she wants us to talk with her when she comes.

Another cool person that has been progressing this week is Elba. She is going well. She is having a tough time believing in the restoration but hasn’t read much in the Book of Mormon and says that she didn’t feel much in the lessons (in terms of the spirit). It hurt every time she denied feeling the spirit. We asked and she wanted to learn about faith so we read Alma 32. It was a great lesson. Thanks to our “third companion” she analyzed a lot and put herself in the story. There is a part that says “a person that says send me a sign and then I’ll believe doesn’t have faith. It talks about how first a person needs to believe and then exercise their faith then they would know.” She said, “Hey that’s me with your church!” in the end it was a great lesson, (and she gave us food afterward so really good.) She came to church this week and brought her daughter. So that’s moving along.

The other person that is big on the list is well actually a family. It’s Dauri Alexia and all of them. They are passing some really tough stuff but its going. I feel so good to be able to help her do what she needs to do and get things figured out.

This week also was my companion’s birthday (if anyone is curious the word for birthday is cumpleaños. Its fun to get things all planned out. This Sunday he turned 21 and we ate twice. There was a food called cochinita that we ate that is the pork kind of thing. Its pressure cooked and everything. It’s really good but it’s really heavy. You get full on very little.

Well, that’s about it for the week. If anyone wants to hear anything special I need to know or any picture in special well I need to know.

Lately I’ve seen a lot of people that have to pass through a lot of sadness and things like that because of their decisions. It’s so fun to see how everything works. In the minute, everything seems so good, but they forget why what they were doing. Then later the “wickedness never was happiness” really comes into play. I’ve seen a lot how my decisions with what to do and how I spend my time have really affected me and periods with their own time and their own decisions are affected too. This plan that our Heavenly Father has made for us is so perfect. Agency is so important. I love making decisions. And the same time penalties are so important because if there was no affect afterwards, then there would be no reason to act before. If there was no penalty there would be no reason to obey or disobey a law. If there was no gravity there would be no reason to jump, or run or skip or sit, because everything would be chaotic. I love how it all works out. One just has to play by the rules. And it’s so simple. If one obeys one is happy, if one disobeys they will be unhappy eventually. And it doesn’t matter how tantalizing the temptation is, It won’t make you happy.

Con mucho amor

Elder Mackay

                                               

January 16, 2012

   January 16, 2012

Well another week down. It’s been pretty boring as far as crazy things that have happened.

This week we worked hard and we had a Little progress. We were going to have a baptism this past week but it didn’t work out. It is a lady named Ailet. She is 17 and is really smart. It’s fun to teach because she feels the difference and she understands just about everything. She is reading the Book of Mormon every day too so it’s going to be a nice Saturday.

With Sindulfo it’s been pretty crazy but we are getting there. We had the law of chastity talk and we found out that he and the woman he is living with aren’t married. That wouldn’t be such a problem because the missionaries here are experts in getting people married. The problem is he was married to someone else before and she lives on the other side of the country. Now we have to see how we are going to do it.

One of the cool things that happened this week was when we contacted a reference. We sat down and they already knew who we were. They started talking and we got on the subject of baptism. They are Catholics but admitted that it was only by tradition. We talked some more and the wife asked, “Well how do I know which baptism to take?” We prayed in that minute and they both said that they felt a peace. It was really exciting to see it all happened. Afterwards, their daughter had a baby shower then later the husband didn’t show up after work. But the cool thing is that if we could get this whole family together going, it could be eight baptisms or so and the parents have already accepted.

This week I got to try some new food. It was pure sea food. There were shrimp, octopus and I think it was clam or something like that. It might have been snails but I wasn’t sure and I didn’t want to ask. I talked earlier too how my companion was training me to be a goalie, well… an elder in the mission got hurt playing soccer so now nobody in the mission can play soccer L we both almost cried but not really. Speaking of my companion it’s his birthday on Sunday. Any ideas what I should do? I’ll see if I can get him something on Monday. Or maybe I’ll give him a tie. Last count I did I had thirty ties! I think I left home with about half that. How did I get so many?

I did have a pretty cool experience for the spiritual thought this week. For more than the past year in all of my personal studies, I have been studying the Book of Mormon and I have been analyzing and writing something down for every verse. This Sunday I finished everything. I felt so energized and now I could say to everyone as I now say it that I know with a surety that I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I know that because I have studied every verse and I can’t find any errors. I have learned from this book so much. I have been able to understand more fully that Jesus is the Christ and that what I need to do to be happy is to follow his teachings. Anyone who says that isn’t true or that it’s just a bunch of gibberish I would challenge: have you read the Book of Mormon? Have you studied and pondered every verse? If not, you have no room to speak because you do not know of what you speak. After you have lead it once or twice and if you still are in a disagreement then we can have a talk. I challenge all who have the least part of doubt or the least part of yourself that wants to challenge the truthfulness, I challenge you to read it. Until you do so, you will not know the truth.

Con Amor, y siempre tuyo,

(With Love and Forever Yours,)

Elder Mackay

December 19, 26, 2011, January 2, 9, 2012

January 9, 2012
It was an exhausting but satisfying week. I forgot my camera again so we’ll have to wait for pictures for another day. It was a roller coaster week but we made it through.
First on Tuesday we had plans to make everything set up for the baptism of Mari and Eli. Then later on Tuesday we felt like something was wrong and we knew that we couldn’t teach the lesson that we had planned. We asked and asked and tried a lot of different ways. We asked if she was ready for Saturday and she looked like she didn’t remember what would be so important Saturday. We reminded her and she said, “oh yeah, my daughters baptism.” (Meaning not hers too)Later I read from the Book of Mormon (Mosiah 29:1,2 Oh that I were an angel and could….) she welled up in tears and said that she wasn’t going to listen to us that day. It practically broke us in pieces. I felt so bad and I didn’t know what was going on. But we talked and talked during the week and she ended up getting baptized on Saturday like we had planned, it was just a little bit more stressful than normal. But it was great to see them take that step. After the baptism they both went up to the font and looked at everything that was left behind. Saturday night we went to their house and ate and had hot chocolate. It was super good. It feels so good to be able to help this family.
In other news, we had a new investigator that is going to get baptized this Friday. After eating on Monday, we asked what we could do to help and things like that. Then I asked who she knew that we could share the gospel with. She pointed at her granddaughter. It took a minute to figure everything out. But she has gone to church a couple of times and she already wanted to be baptized. On Tuesday we set a date for the 21st but later we talked and she says that she wants to be baptized on the 14th. No problems there. We have been working with her and she understands really well. She is 17 and has a lot of support while she is here. The trick is that in Mexico City her family is Catholic and she is thinking how hard it would be to step up and be alone. Its great having a companion like mine for these parts because he is the only member of his otherwise Catholic family. It was one of those things where he was meant to teach her because he knows exactly what she is facing.
Another cool thing that I felt so crazy when I found out is about my companion’s father relationship. In the mission I’m his “dad” and he is my “son” because I’m his trainer. When he was growing up, his dad left and his mom was alone for a while. Later, his mom found another man (that would be my companion’s step-dad) but he doesn’t love him. One night when we were in our hammocks he said, “You know what? You’re the first dad I’ve had that loves me.” I felt pretty cool and that it was another one of those things that was planned out before we came here.
One of the things that I got to do a couple times this week was testify of Christ. The new investigator that is really sharp didn’t know the importance or who was Christ. Other contacts and other things made it a pretty special week. It’s one of the things that I never get bored of doing here in the mission. It’s such a strong spiritual atmosphere when we have those lessons. I can never forget those feelings. But even more I can never forget when one man twenty some years old asked me if I really believed in all this. I know and when I say I know, I know that he is my Savior. I cannot deny the countless times that I have studied His words or thought of Him or taught of Him and felt the same feeling. I knew who He was but not to this level. As I said in my Christmas gift to mom and dad, this is the thing that is most precious to me, my testimony of Christ. I cannot wait for the day when I look down and I see a pair of feet with nail prints and look up and echo Peter’s words, “Thou art the Christ”. I know this and I know that everyone needs to know this.
Con amour,
Elder Mackay


January 2, 2012
Oh an interesting week! Everything is going more or less under control. Nothing crazy has happened. We just keep working. Oh yeah and by the way. Happy New Year!
So for changes one of the elders gets to train again. We had a rat race taking care of him in the morning. We had to run back to his area then later we had to send him out on the bus station. We went running and if we wouldn’t have run, we wouldn’t have made it on time. Thursday I went to Tulum again, and then Saturday I went to again to Puerto Morelos. That’s the traveling part of the week.
As far as investigators go, it’s been pretty interesting. Eli and Mari (the sister and mom of Pati that got baptized on the third) are going in the water this week! It’s been fun teaching them. They usually accept everything and we had some pretty powerful lessons this week. Also we have been sticking with an older lady named Elba. We had talked with her a couple times before, but it hadn’t really soaked through for some reason. This week we had three long lessons with her. First was a ton of curiosity questions. The second was about Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, and prayer. When we were talking about prayer we were felt later that there were some things that she had had to go through some trials. We talked about it on Sunday and she cried for almost the whole lesson. It was a crazy spirit to feel. Apart from her we had a really cool guy that I talked about. Three or four weeks ago, we found him drinking. Since that day, he hasn’t drank (which is quite an accomplishment beings how Christmas and New years are pretty big drinking days here) and has gone to church four times in a row and two of them by himself. We watched the For This CauseHave I Born and he asked what he was going to do when he got baptized. There are a few marriage problems to work out but no big deal.
I have had a lot of weeks to think about patience and realizing how necessary it is in order to live well. We are in a world full of things being instantaneous. We said that the oven took too long so we came up with the microwave. We said that it took too long to go all the way back to the house to make a call so we came up with a portable cell phone. We got impatient and wanted to take our computers with us so we have made tiny laptops and iPads that we can carry around with us where ever we want. But we forget that with our Heavenly Father, we are in a very long process of growing and learning; one that has taken so long and he has been waiting patiently. We are asked to be patient, in an impatient world. Thinking about it, a lack of patience was one of the things that caused the fall of Lucifer he wanted to be like God right now. He couldn’t wait, he didn’t have any patience. According to God’s plan, he would eventually receive what he desired, but he wanted it right now. Even more, if we are not patient with ourselves, how can we expect Christ to be patience with others? Patience is a special ability to put our own will on hold and do what someone else wants to. It means to have self control. And not give in to our immediate desires. Shouldn’t or couldn’t we all be just a little more patient this year? And happiness is one of the gifts that come when we are patience. And for those of you who say, “I have tried to be patient and it didn’t work!” well, how many times did you try and how patient were you with yourself? Let’s see five more tries at being patient. I know that anyone can be patient because I know that everyone is a child of God and through the merits and mercy and grace of Christ become like God; patient.
Con Amor,
Elder Mackay


December 26, 2011
Dear Drummond Branch
Well, can you believe it’s been 16 months almost since that kid Elder Mackay left the branch to Mexico? I’m sure many of you paused to think that surely it hasn’t been that long. I agree. Something interesting has happened here in the mission. I came here to teach the gospel and I have turned out being the one taught. In this “16 months” I have learned countless lessons, but three really stick out.
First I have learned that the windows of heaven, where by blessings come, open and shut based on our obedience. It is surer than the law of gravity, for it is a Celestial law written by a divine hand. “I the Lord am bound when ye do what I say. But when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise. This shows the simplicity of our Heavenly Fathers plan. I ask whether it be tithing, family home evening, visiting teaching, or whatever seemingly insignificant thing; I ask that you do it so that you might be blessed.
Secondly I have learned the cleansing power of the gospel. I am a district leader now and I have the opportunity do to baptismal interviews. I came across a couple that had some serious problems to work out. We needed them to talk with our Mission President. I waited for what seemed like half of these “16 months” wondering what was going to be the outcome. It was an inexplicable pain to know that the blessings of the atonement might have to wait. I needed not to worry. They were baptized within the hour. Walking back home that night I was in a meditative mood and I realized how incredible that all this “other business” that this couple had was washed away. I understood even further how the blood of Christ contrary to human blood, does not stain. Rather it cleans perfectly, stained souls.
And this leads me to the greatest lesson I have learned. I know through countless experiences and countless times that Jesus is the Christ. This is the greatest lesson anyone can learn. Those of you who have any doubt whether he really lives I assure you that He does. Many of us feel that we have gone too far and done something so bad or so many things bad that we could not ever live with our Heavenly Father ever again. Sometimes we feel like our second chances have run out. These are nothing but lies from him who seeks to make all mankind miserable like unto himself. My invitation is that we all might listen and eco Nephi’s pleas “Awake my soul, no longer droop in sin. Rejoice o my heart, and give place no more to the enemy of my soul. Do not anger because of mine enemies. Do not slacken my strength because of my afflictions. Rejoice oh my heart and cry unto the Lord saying: O Lord, I will praise thee forever; yeah, my soul will rejoice in thee My God and the rock of my Salvation.” My brothers and sisters let us leave the past behind and look forward with an eye of hope to the future. My many things and wishes for a Merry Christmas. I testify that these things are true, and I know anyone can come to know that these things are true in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Con Amor,


December 19, 2011
Well it’s been a really crazy week. I’m really glad that you guys wrote about calling. This is the plan. At six I am going to be at a house of a few members and they have a way to call to the states for free. So I will be there at six o’clock my time. I will call there at six. If something doesn’t work with the conference call, I’ll call dad later mom. But let me just say that this week was crazy
Tuesday, I had to get up at four in the morning because I had to be at a conference in Cancun and it started at eight. It was really great conference but I wasn’t a big fan at getting up at four. This conference was on what is called “eight fundamental principals”. It was about how to be better teachers of the Gospel. There were a lot of things that President said that wasn’t really new, he just expects us a higher level; like how when the hermit crab grows, it has to find a new shell. There’s good news, we’ve grown, but now we need to go up to another level, and find a new shell (did I lose anyone?). After I went to an elder’s house to stay the night. We had sandwiches like what you would get from Subway, only bigger. I know it’s really weird saying it but it’s like Subway but on steroids.
Wednesday I was in conference again and I got back in my area late. I had plans to go and do interviews in Tulum (an area in my district) but when I called the sisters that were there, they said their investigators decided not to or something. So I still wasn’t going to be able to work in my area.
Thursday I had an interview for one of my investigators in my area and then in the afternoon I went to Tulum to help the sister missionaries with what they needed. There weren’t any problems in our area with our interviews so that wasn’t a problem. We went to Tulum and we started talking. In the end, we had two interviews. I remember a lot of it really clear. The spirit was super strong. When we finished, the family hadn’t thought of anyone to do the baptisms so they wanted me to do them. It was an older lady and a deacon aged son. After the interviews, the older lady kept saying that I was familiar, “like we had already met somewhere.” It was pretty fun.
Friday in the morning I had interviews in Puerto Morelos. It was a little bit hectic because the lock on the door had broken and the elders were locked inside their own house. One elder went out the back and climbed up on the roof and then jumped down. We went to do interviews and one had a problem with question 4. So they had one baptism. Later we had an activity set up in more or less central of Playa. It was in a park type thing. The activity was we had a member dress up as Santa. We invited everyone to take pictures with him because later we would print them and take the printed pictures to their house. Also we sang and had juice and everything like that. After the activity we had another party but it was missionary style. We had a huge baptism with the whole zone. There were only two companionships that didn’t have investigators to baptize. It was called our “white Christmas”. It all turned out well but it was a lot of headache.
Saturday we worked and did a lot of service so that our investigators could go to church.
Sunday we had a record for me. There were ten persons in church from our area that aren’t members. It was really cool, we are getting things done. In the afternoon we did the normal stuff but this has been a crazy week.
Well for a spiritual thought, I had a cool experience. We wrote in a copy of the Book of Mormon. I wrote how they had become a part of my family basically and that I went there every day so that my family could enter into the celestial kingdom. Later we sang “Families Can Be Together Forever” and it took on a new meaning. I already supposed that I was helping out my family, but it came to a further depth. I am here on a rescue mission to help my brothers and sisters from the pre existence come back home. I was blessed with the opportunity to listen to the gospel and I have put it in practice and I know that it is the way to get back home. Now I want everyone yes, EVERYONE even those that read my Email to know that Jesus is the Christ. He has set a way of living that we might apply his atoning sacrifice to our lives. Applying this atonement makes us pure and allows us to return home. I also know and want everyone to know that these teachings were lost, but are now restored. I know that they were restored through the prophet Joseph Smith. And most importantly I know that anyone can know this, if they want to know it. They can ask our Heavenly Father if this is true, through prayer.
My many wishes to those at this sacred holiday
Elder Mackay

December 12, 2011

December 12, 2011
Well, I had a nice letter all written out and I was just doing some spelling changes and my computer shut off. Apart, it’s been a little bit of a stressful day I will try to be really quick.
The coolest thing that happened this week was that we went with Pati, (the girl that was baptized last week). We went with her on Tuesday and it was fun to see the look in her eyes. It’s the little glint that makes us different. We had a really powerful lesson and we asked who else she wanted to feel what she was feeling. She immediately said that she wanted her sister to feel what she was feeling. It was cool to see her desires to share the gospel. We were leaving and her sister just happened to be coming back from shopping or something like that. It was another cool lesson. I loved it. Apart from that we are teaching her uncle too. On Saturday we really let him have it. We talked and I finished saying something like, “really you don’t want a life free of addictions? Really you don’t want to be happier than you have ever been? Really, don’t you want everything that you have ever done to be erased? Really?” I remember that he felt like I dominated the lesson. Then my companion piped up and let him have it from the other side. It was super powerful. We came out feeling super energized.
Apart from that Friday was a really cool day too. We had 5 little opportunities to help other people through small acts of service. We came back to one of the houses later and we found a guy that had already drank a few beers. We helped him to see what was going on in life. I remember asking him, why he drank and he said because he said he felt sad. I later asked why he felt sad and he said that that was a good question. His name is Sindulfo and something interesting about him is that his two front teeth have metal stars on them. From what or why I have no idea.
Well I have to go or else it’s going to make everything else late. I had this typed out in the other letter and I really like it a lot so I want to write it on this letter too. I know that Jesus is the Christ. I know that His church was established, but after his death, fell. I know that this same church was restored through the prophet Joseph Smith. I know that he (Joseph Smith) was a prophet because I have read the Book of Mormon and I know that it is true. I know that no man could write it if it was not called of God. That is how I know that this is the only true church on the face of the earth. I have been taught and revealed this by the power of God. And the coolest part about all of this is that I know that whosoever desires to know these things with real intent can by this same power. For those of you, who are not familiar with this power, welcome to the Holy Ghost. It is the most important part of my service. While reading these emails for the past few months I have tried to put in a little message. Every time you have read this paragraph at the end, you have felt something, almost like you could breathe a little bit more. And you liked it. It was something that you enjoyed. This is the Holy Ghost testifying that my words are true. In these next few months that are left, read these last paragraphs and look for these feelings. I know that you will find them. For those of you who have questions I’ll see you in a few months.
Con Amor,
Elder Mackay


The pictures are the baptism of Pati last week, along with Elder Garcia, the church building in Play del Carmen and Pati's family.

November 28 and December 5, 2011

December 5, 2011
Well it seems like it has been a really long week and that a ton has happened. It wasn’t a long week as far as in bad long, just long as in a lot happening. This week I also grew a week closer to the end. It’s crazy to see how much is left. I don’t like it.
To start out, I got the Christmas package this week! (I figured if I wasn’t supposed to open it, it would say something like on my birthday package). Well, I’m wearing one of the new shirts right now. It’s really nice to see how white a new shirt is or can be. Also I got the new watch on. One of the new features that I like is that is the timer. Apart I really like the peppers! It’s about a six or so on the scale mom. It reminds me a lot of nacho cheese. It is what I use to stay awake in my personal studies.
The biggest thing that happened this week was the baptism of Pati. One of the big lessons that we had to finish off the week was the Law of Chastity. My companion and I had it planned out really well and we knew exactly what we were going to say. It can be a little bit awkward trying to teach this lesson to a fifteen year old girl but it turned out being a really strong lesson and it helped her see the reason why. I had the opportunity to baptize her too. I got to use the new pants and tie. It felt good to put on that white clothes again. She was super happy and right after she talked about getting the gift of the Holy Ghost. It was really cool to know that she understood. Also she really wanted to start the process of getting baptized when she saw a baptism before. Now she finally knows what it feels like. It was good.
The big thing this week is a family that we are going to work on. There are three kids and a mom on one side, but the other side is a dad and his son from another woman. We are teaching a few lessons there because there are different levels of what people need. We haven’t really been able to talk to the dad much. He’s not super excited about it yet, but the kids are. I think I talked about it last week when I talked about how we had a lesson with a young girl and four other kids. It’s a crazy deal trying to get everything done. But we are getting there.
Well it’s all cool. This week I had an interesting spiritual experience. We got into a house and we had a talk with a lady. She wasn’t super crazy into it, but trusted us enough. We asked her what was a question that she wanted to know about life. She wanted to know about how come things had to be so hard for little children. I talked to her about how sometimes, we don’t understand why things are so hard. But, they do have good endings if we do what we are asked. I talked about how it was sad how my new niece was born basically without a mother. And also how come she had to end up in an orphanage where there isn’t any food. Why did it have to be so hard for her. Well, it had to be like that so that my brother and sister could make her a part of the family. If it wasn’t for that what she had to go through, she wouldn’t be a part of the family. I would rather that she had to go through it.
Con amor a todos.
Elder Mackay


November 28, 2011
What a crazy week! It’s been long because we have been in the wheelchair the whole week, but it’s had its rewards. One is that we have found some really cool people to teach. Two is that we have been able to see the progression on my companion’s foot and three is that I don’t have any trouble falling asleep at nights. Although twice I have accidentally woken up in the night thinking that it was already six. I pray and then make sure that my companion is up. When he’s not up I wonder why and go over there to wake him up. On second look at a clock, I realize that it’s about one in the morning and I roll back into my hammock. We just laugh though. This week has been interesting to see how we have managed to get along; its part of the enduring. We are getting where we want to go, things are just taking us a little longer with the chair (I started to write in Spanish right there).
This week we have a cool story. We are teaching a family of four (named Dauri the mom, Alexis the oldest daughter, Yael a boy and Hemli the youngest daughter). Every time we go over there the kids get more and more excited. The last time we went over there, there were Alexis and four kids under the age of 10! It was a really cool lesson though. And when we finished the lesson, every one of them prayed! We came out of that lesson so happy and content. Also that same day we found a lady and her neighbor that we contacted (well actually they contacted us) in the street. It was a cool lesson and we set a baptismal date. The lady that had contacted us is already been baptized we haven’t been able to find her records. They show a lot of potential and could be a sweet story, but they didn’t go to church. The member is doing a great job of inviting all her neighbors to listen to us.
We have a baptism this week! Her name is Pati. She is ready, we just need to finish two more commandments and then everything is set. It’s been really nice to have someone almost ready for my “son” to practice on. We really enjoy because she never has objections. Everything is going well with her.
The other important people that we are teaching is a lady named Claudia. I have already talked about her but it is always fun to teach them. They get really frustrated and depressed when they try their hardest all week and don’t find work. It’s nice though to remember that story when I couldn’t find work. Remember that day mom when I was looking for work and I couldn’t find it and I wanted to throw in the towel? Well, I now know why I had to pass it. So that when people in the mission would be passing through that same trial, I could look them in the eye and pass them that same counsel. Do you remember mom? I sure do.
Well this week has come to an end. I remember the first day that I pushed my companion the whole day in the chair. I came back and I had a purple spot on each hand. It was from the pushing the wheel chair and it had marked my hand. Not to mention that I could hardly feel my legs and that my whole body was sweating (I had just pushed my companion for about 20 blocks). But then I realized that this is what I came to the mission for. I came to struggle and to give it my all. I am so grateful for this opportunity to learn and grow and I say to all who have an exhausted soul or mind: this is what we came to earth to do. We knew it was going to be hard, but we came to earth to grow. We will look back on these experiences with a great smile saying, “Good thing I passed that, otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to pass the next trial.” Or, “Good thing I passed that because I learned that…” these are for our benefit and this is what our Heavenly Father knows we need.
Con Amor
Elder Mackay

A few weeks ago in Glenn's email he said, "This Sunday was stake conference and it was pretty crazy because the General President of the Young Women (Sister Elaine Dalton) was in town and just stopped by to chit chat! She spoke with a translator and it was pretty cool. . The fun part after though was translating for the President to a young man." He was able to make arrangements for a few pictures from that conference.