In the Rough - The Blog of Joel McDonald Jr.

Hello!

Wow. March is almost here. I can’t believe how fast time flies.

This week has been filled with so many ups and downs. I think I’m finally getting in a position to fulfill the rest of my mission in a positive manner. It’s been rough, but it’s been rough because of my perspective. I am so blessed to have friends and leaders who provide counsel that had made me think in areas that I hadn’t thought in before. Sometimes it is all about perspective.

We had a baptism this week. Annika is nine years old. Her mom is a member, but she hasn’t been too active. Elder Cohen and his previous companion started teaching her and I am in on the second lesson. I don’t think I have ever talked to a nine year old as smart as Annika is. It was amazing to teach her and have her explain the principles that we hat taught. She was so excited to be baptized that before we even fully taught about it, she asked when she could be baptized. It was neat to see her excitement. He baptism was wonderful. We just hope that he mom will continue to come to church and become more active in the ward so that the family will be strengthened.

Last Sunday we taught a couple on Fort Carson. The husband was baptized when he was eight years old, and the wife was born and raised in the Catholic Church, but she hasn’t been involved in church for a while. He was injured in Iraq and the experience has caused them to look deeper into his former faith. They have a lot of friends who are in the church. We had a wonderful first lesson with them. The Spirit was there. We were supposed to have a lesson with them yesterday, but his ex-wife found out that they were meeting with us and is now threatening to take them to court to get custody of the kids. She also printed off a bunch of anti-Mormon material from the Internet and gave it to them. It’s amazing how hard Satan works against the truth. Christ told his Apostles that, “They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service” (John 16:2). Satan will always work against the truth. I wish people would take the counsel of a member of the Sanhedrin when he said of John and Peter, “And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God” (Acts 5:38-39). They still want to be taught, but they are going to take a little time to figure things out.

As we’ve been running around, we’ve found some neat street signs such as “Okinawa” and “Funk”. We’ve taken a few find pictures of these.

I hope all is well with you. Feel free to write me back!

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