In the Rough - The Blog of Joel McDonald Jr.

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Pearl Harbor Day Remembrance Day
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I wasn’t able to get an update off last week unfortunately. These last two weeks have been pretty busy and uplifting.

Last Tuesday Elder Adams and I were casket bearers for an elderly Sister who passed away. I had never been to an LDS Funeral before. I guess the best way to describe it (or at least this one) is “simple and quick”. I suppose it was nice nonetheless. After the funeral we had lunch and then met with Chelsey, who was baptized a couple of weeks ago. That evening we met Tray and Kristen, friends of a member in the ward. We had a great lesson with them. I really feel that if they truly seek the guidance of the Lord, they will come unto Christ and follow his example and enter the waters of baptism.

Last Wednesday we left for Pueblo, Colorado for the southern Mission Christmas Conference. It is about 5 hours from here to Pueblo. It wasn’t the most comfortable trip, but it was worth it. This years Christmas Conference was the best conference I’ve attended on my mission. President Porter from the North Colorado Springs Stake, where I served for 10 1/2 months (the stake boundaries just changed to include 9th and 10th wards). We couldn’t have asked for a better speaker. He spoke on faith, how to increase it and use it. His talk really made me think about how faithful I really am. I think the Lord really wants me to focus on that area of my life. We left Pueblo on Thursday and came back to Dodge. One of Zone Leaders became very sick on the way back and had to be left at another mission apartment. He’s doing well now.

We have had a bit of snow lately, and I think the high for today is supposed to be 12. There is a little less than an inch on the ground right now. It snowed about a week ago as well and everything turned to ice. Not too fun. I guess it is supposed to be cold out here for a while. I think I’ll pick up a hat and scarf today.

We met two ladies while tracting a couple of weeks ago and have a great lesson with them. Saturday we were able to catch one of them home again and she said that they had read what we have assigned in The Book of Mormon and have been talking about it and the church almost everyday! She then invited us to come back an answer the questions that they’ve been talking about. We were like “Sure!” We were supposed to go yesterday, but something came up and now we are going over on Thursday. There is a scripture in the Doctrine and Covenants that talks about preaching the gospel and then having people no be able to sleep because of the words you said. I experienced this in my conversion, and I think we may be seeing the same thing happening with these two. I’ve never had too much success with tracting, so this is pretty exciting.

Yesterday we volunteered at the Boot Hill Museum. We cleaned the outside glass of all the displays. It is a pretty neat museum. Elder Adams and I are hoping to help put together a database of all the artifacts including photos of all of the items. We would be taking the pictures. I think that would be neat. I love history, so being able to handle stuff from the old west here in Dodge would be a neat experience.

I’ve included a few pictures. I took one of Sister Crist and Sister Aho at conference. I met Sister Crist online before I left for my mission and even longer before she was called to serve in the same mission. She said that she better see her picture on my livejournal this week, so I have included it. Another is of me with the Pettus’ who are a senior couple serving a mission here. They go home in about a week. I served around then when I was in the 9th and 10th wards as they were in the same Zone. They are wonderful people and it was great to see them at conference. It is sad to see them go. Another is of me with my last 3 companions and my current companion. The next picture is of the Windthorst Church, an old German Catholic church just outside of town. We went to a Christmas Choir concert there. As you can see it is a beautiful building. Sorry for the quality of the picture, it was one of those give and take shots. This morning before leaving, I had Elder Adams take a picture of me in the snow, so here’s the first snow shot of the year!

I hope you are doing well. Remember as this Christmas season rolls forward, the true meaning of the season - The Advent of out Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Without Christmas there would have been no Easter, and without Easter there would have been no Christmas. I bear witness that Jesus Christ lives, that He is our Savior and Redeemer, and that it is by no other name that man can be saved and return and live with our Father in Heaven.