In the Rough - The Blog of Joel McDonald Jr.

Greetings!

Can you believe that tomorrow is the first day of September?? That is just crazy to me.

I am doing well here in Dodge. Staying busy…which makes the time fly by even faster. The people here are great! My companion and I are getting along very well.

The work progresses well here. The next couple of weeks may contain a few baptisms of those we are working with.

Next week is going to be very busy. The Mission President is going to be visiting Dodge on Sunday, and then we have interviews with him on Monday in Garden City and then the Kansas Zone conference on Tuesday.

Had a great lunch today! Cow Tounge. Yummy!!

Been studying the chronology of the mission of Joseph Smith regarding the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Been pretty interesting. I’m on my second draft, which is three times as long as my first. It has been interesting to see how Joseph Smith was used by the Lord to restore the truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ which were lost through the centuries.

Have a few pictures for you this week. One if of me at the big Dodge City sign, a giant hairball from a Cow, and a few other fun ones.

I hope everything is well with you!

God Bless,
- Elder Joel A. McDonald Jr.
Colorado Colorado Springs Mission

Greetings!!!

Well, things are going pretty well here in Dodge City. It’s a bit different from the other areas I have served in. People seem friendlier. I’ve enjoyed that.

My companion is pretty cool. He doesn’t have much longer left (about three months). I’ve been learning a lot from him so far and am enjoying the work so much more than before.

I have struggled a good bit over the last few months. Since I’ve been here I think things are beginning to be more clear and I can see the way God is working in my life. For a while I couldn’t see that. I think sometimes when things don’t work out the way that we want them to, we can easily lose our faith that God really is in control. I also think there must be balances. Sometimes a particular proceedure or rule does not apply. Those decisions are between you and God. Over the last week, in talking to Elder Larson and pondering on my experiances, I can see that the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ is true and nessesary for total happiness. We don’t always get what we want, but we always will get what God wants for us if we seek Him.

Just two pictures for you today. One is Elder Greep and I just before I left Parker for the transfer meeting in Colorado Springs. The other is the Kansas sign as we drove into the state.

Thank you for your prayers, letters, e-mails, and thoughts of support. I love you and appreciate you. Vaya Con Dios.

God Bless,
- Elder Joel A. McDonald Jr.
Colorado Colorado Springs Mission

Greetings from Dodge City, KANSAS!!

My new companion is Elder Larson from Minnisota (sp??). He’s actually a Spanish speaking missionary and this has been (for the most part) a Spanish speaking area (at least 85% hispanic). So I’m going to be learning/brushing up on my Spanish.

So far things are good. My address is:

Elder Joel A. McDonald Jr.
1213 N. 13th Ave. 1311
Dodge City, KS 67801-3429

So yeah…should have some good pictures next week. Take Care!

God Bless,
- Elder Joel A. McDonald Jr.
Colorado Colorado Springs Mission

Hello!

Guess what!? I’m getting transferred! I’m happy to be leaving Elizabeth (just too small town for me) but I don’t know if I’m looking forward to the next transfer (just the thought of the process makes me tired). Oh well, that’s life as an LDS missionary I suppose.

Did you know that you can view all the pictures I have sent via e-mail on my live journal? Go to http://pics.livejournal.com/jamweb2003/gallery/00001dd9 to see all the pictures!

We have a baptism scheduled for the 24th. If I’m transferred close enough I’ll make an effort to get back up here for it. Victor accepted Elder Greeps invitation to be baptized last Wednesday. It was kind of a wierd lesson. E. Greep suffered from the whole “stuper of thought” thing while we were giving the lesson, and then out of nowhere invites Victor to be baptized. Crazy. He accepted and have been interviewed (by many) and will be baptized in a week.

We keep having racoons jump in our dumpster and not be able to get out. Twice we have had to rescue them with our ironing board. Yesterday we through some bags in and found on lying pathetically in the corner. So we rescued him. Got a great picture of him coming out [attached].

Went to an interesting little “Gospel Service” in town last night. We got an invite on our door so we thought we would go to it. It was a small very simple meeting. Two guyes shared scriptures and thoughts and we sang some hymns. It was nice. Turns out that these guys are part of a Christian fellowship movement that has no name. They said that there are many like them who just travel around sharing the gospel. They said it was basically like the Apostles where they gave up all to go and preach, meeting in peoples homes/rented halls/etc. They aren’t paid either. The older of the two had been doing this kind of preaching for 14 years. Pretty cool. It’s good to see people out sharing the gospel with that kind of attitude. I have to say there was a nice spirit at that meeting.

Couple of other pictures I’m sending along are of mainstreet here in Elizabeth, the Library included. Kinda old town (”quaint” as President Fotheringham would say) feeling. Yeah…this is definantly a small town.

Well…I suppose next week I’ll let you know where I’ve been stuck. Until next time. Vaya Con Dios!

God Bless,
- Elder Joel A. McDonald Jr.
Colorado Colorado Springs Mission

Greetings from Colorado!

Not too much new to report. Should have a few baptisms coming up late this month/early September. That will be good. Mostly youth baptisms though…members adopting children and such.

I would like to again express my love and best wishes for Samantha and Josiah Seaman who were married last Saturday. I was able to acquire a few pictures of the wedding and I thought I would share them with you.

Every Monday we do service at a horse ranch, so I snapped a few pictures last time we were there, so there is a picture of that included in this update as well.

Bought some IBC rootbeer last P-day and took that all important IBC bottle picture of Elder Greep and I.

We did the water slide thing again today for our P-day. It was fun. Got a better picture of me going down this time, so I thought I would share that with you as well.

So yeah, lots of pictures to share this week, but not a whole lot to talk about. I hope you enjoy the pictures!

God Bless,
- Elder Joel A. McDonald Jr.
Colorado Colorado Springs Mission