Hey Everyone,


The flooding here in Rio has been really crazy as well. It hasn´t ever rained that like before, but it isn´t where I´m at, don´t worry. President already took out all of the missionaries that were in those areas: Petrópolis, Teresópolis, Nova Friburgo. All of these places are really high up and so that just got hammered with rain and it destroyed everything. None of the missionaries were touched though. I heard there were about 600 people that they have found dead now, it is crazy! It is cool to see how the Lord is protecting His missionaries, though.

This week was a really good week here. We had another baptism yesterday and the mission is doing really well with baptisms. Our ward here is doing amazing and I am really impressed to see that the frequency keeps growing every week. We are almost at 100 people going to church every week. Yesterday I gave a talk in Sacrament and it was packed full, I was really happy. It´s funny, when the Seventy came to visit us, Elder Grow, he was telling us how much we change as missionaries. He said, I can tell you guys have changed, because how happy were you guys before the mission when you had a lot of people in the church or when you had visitors? None of you really cared about that before, but now you always become extremely happy haha.

We had a really funny family home evening this week. I was on Divisions here in the area of the other elders, Ilha, and we went to this lady´s house to teach her and a recent convert. Elder Ibrahim was teaching about the Tree of Life and Lehi´s dream. He asked them a question about the iron rod, and the member says,``the iron rod isn´t good, it leads to the pathway of the devil.`` I was trying not to laugh and Elder Ibrahim just said, ``Well, thanks for your opinion, but you´re wrong.`` hahahha it was way funny. Then we ordered a pizza and we had all kinds of people show up. When you order a pizza here, the whole neighborhood gets out of their houses to come and eat a piece and then when it´s gone, they all hide again, back into their houses haha.

Well, I´m running out of time here. I hope that you all have an awesome week this week. Don´t worry about me, I´m fine here. It isn´t raining where I`m at. I love this area and am loving the mission!! I´m praying for you all, always!! Love you all and will talk to you all next week!!

Love, Elder McDonald

Hey Everyone,


How was this week for everyone? This week actually was a lot slower for me as well, I don´t know why.

I still haven´t registered that it´s my last year on the mission yet, still doesn´t feel like I´ve been out here that long.

This week was good, we had a baptism Saturday night; a lady who is Jucilene´s friend that we have been teaching. Then she was confirmed on Sunday. We have had a lot of people in the church these last few months. This ward didn´t used to have missionaries, and they only had like 20 people who went to church every week during that time. But when they got missionaries again earlier in 2010, they started growing a ton and now we have about 70 people steady who are at church every week. It´s been really cool to hear from people how much it has changed and how much having missionaries in the ward has made a difference. This ward is one of the strongest wards in the stake now; I really love this area and this ward. I have been really blessed by the Lord to have passed in the areas where I have. He knows where I need to be.

Well, I hope that you guys all have an awesome week and that you enjoy Megan´s birthday tonight and eat a lot of really great food. Thanks. I love you all. Have a great week!

Love, Elder McDonald