Tuesday, December 3, 2013

G'day mates!
This week was a pretty good one. Thanksgiving was this past week so it got me thinking of the things that I'm really thankful for. So today I'm going to start off by telling you all of some of the things I'm thankful for.

First of all, I'm thankful for my family. I have always loved them and cared about them, but when you are away from them for an extended period of time, it really makes you appreciate them so much more. If you haven't had the chance to do this yet, let your families know you love them! Even if you think they already know, it wouldn't hurt to give them a nice reminder ;)

My opportunity to serve a mission in Narooma, Australia is something that I'm very thankful for. I get to be around great people all day long and spread the knowledge of Jesus Christ to people on the other side of the world! Not only am I teaching them, but I am also learning so much from them too! I am thankful for the wonderful branch here in Narooma where so many people are taking care of eachother and taking care of me!

I'm thankful for all of the many people that have been emailing me and sending letters! I received 23 emails today! That's amazing! The average missionary gets about 15 or so.. I feel pretty important ;) I love how many people are showing their love and care for me and for what I'm doing. Hearing from my friends and family once a week is something I really look forward to so thank you so much! Just so you know, if you send letters, or have sent letters, I will most likely not write back because there simply isn't enough time in the day. So don't take it personally, just email instead! :)

I'm thankful for a car right now. We are limited on how much we can drive, but nonetheless, having the air conditioning while traveling far distances is a major blessing when it's in the 100's (Fahrenheit).
I'm thankful for those people who take the time to talk to us throughout the day. We get rejected a lot, but when one person stops and talks for even 5 minutes can make such a difference! Plus, they tend to be in a much better mood after talking with us. Whenever you see mormon missionaries, please don't slam the door in their face. Talk to them for 5 minutes and be nice. That's really all I'm asking, be a nice human being and talk to two young men who genuinely care about you!

Another thing I'm thankful for is my two legs. We do so many things with our legs we don't even realize it. Walking, running, jumping, balancing, kicking, swinging, skating, the list goes on and on. I am so thankful that I can do all of that without a slight amount of pain or problem. I have great physical heath and for that, I thank my loving Heavenly Father for.

One final thing that I'm thankful for is the Atonement of Jesus Christ. This is something that you can easily overlook if you aren't looking for it in your life. Jesus died and atoned for each and every one of us so we can live with Him and Heavenly Father again. Jesus Christ was a perfect man, he did everything out of total selflessness. He loves each and every one of us so much and cares for our well-being. Through the Atonement, we are able to repent and be forgiven of our sins. I know that my Savior loves me and I thank Him for that blessing in my life and for the wonderful blessing of having that knowledge in my life. I can promise each of you that he loves and cares about you, reguardless of what you have done, you can always return to Him. And He will ALWAYS receive you with open arms.

I love you all very much and hope you have a great first week of December! :)

Elder Macfarlane