Thank you all for your letters. Although many of you have unique situations, circumstances and problems, the gospel of Jesus Christ will help you. One thing that I think is funny in the church-one of those false social norms of this ugly thing called the mormon club that looks like the Church of Jesus Christ-is when a missionary or any other member bears testimony to another member or non-member outside of testimony meeting. Even in dinner appointments I'm surprised when I bear my testimony about missionary work that members get uncomfortable or when I declare that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. We don't bear our testimonies to eachother enough. When was the last time you looked yourself in the eye in a mirror and told yourself that Joseph Smith was a prophet? Not many of us do that because that would be out of the ordinary. I'm worried that many of us think we are okay, that we are content, that no one needs to tell us that we need to improve. I am no excuse. Plenty times growing up, Mom being the great missionary that she is told me to improve. Wake up and pee! Maybe not the most elegant invitation, but still the spirit of inviting blessed my life. The purpose of missionary work is to invite others to come unto Christ. We can invite ourselves, our friends, our bishop, our children, our neighbour, and strangers. Others is a blanket term.
When we aren't inviting we aren't accomplishing much. This idea that all is well in Zion is false. One thing that I am starting to do in my personal studies is to ask myself really hard questions to receive revelation. Often we think we know what the problem is. Our problems are like a tree. We are a lumberjack. We may identify one problem "I am not smart enough." But is this really our problem? Asking why over and over again will get to the root of the problem and when we can't go any further it is time to start asking 'how' to fix the problem. So here was my experience. I wrote down what I thought the problem was: I can't find anyone to teach. Why? I'm not bold enough. Why? I'm afraid. Why? I don't have faith. Why? Do I not read the scriptures? Do I not pray? Do I not go to church? What is the issue here? I don't apply revelation or the scriptures or PMG. Why? I don't seek the will of God. Why? I seek my own. Why? I am prideful. Why? I am not humble. Why? And this is about as far as I've gotten. Thus is the reason for the title of this letter. We cannot serve two masters. I will be applying PMG in more aspects of my life. To be humble means to seek the will of the Lord over one's own. It means to listen to the prophet and apply his counsel. Elder Ballard said to write down a date-a deadline. So this means that by February 28th-someone will enter into the waters of baptism.
I encourage you to write down where you think it hurts. What you think the problem is. I promise that as you do you will get to the root of the problem. Then start cutting at the root. The whole tree will come down as you solve the root of the problem. It won't if you start hacking at the branches. Your problem will still be there. Make sure what you think the problem is is actually the problem.
I am too much of the Relief Society President or Elders Quorum President. By this I mean that we shoveled out most of the ward this past week with the amount of snowfall we had. Shoveling for a whole day is not a good idea. We then also moved one family in the ward. It's important to serve the members but we shouldn't replace the efforts of other members and family. After being physically spent we ended up with no non-members talked to and none of the members we served had any referrals for us. I just need to stop saying yes to people and focus on the task at hand. Not that service isn't important. The most important duty is to preach the gospel. We aren't going to lift someone out of the slums. We are going to invite them to come unto Christ and by becoming more like Christ they will lift themselves out of the slums. I'm 18 and not the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree, but I am learning. We haven't found anyone to teach this week and this was my lowest week in terms of key indicators. We even dropped one less-active who wasn't progressing. Real growth. Real active members is what we are going for.
Not the most exciting week, but I learnt a lot!
HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!
Love,
Elder McGuire
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| Yes I am very lame for the lack of pics. I made some shrimp pasta and was feeling very accomplished. This is a picture of my companion during companion study |
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