The Lord Qualifies Whom He Calls

Dear Family,

Here we go!  Halifax in the Spring!

Thank you so much again for your letters and prayers. What a time to be alive. The sun, although an endangered species in Nova Scotia, has made its appearance in Halifax and the ice is melting. One thing that I learned this week is to never ask a maritimer about the weather and why it's the way it is. Global warming, Terrorists, 'you people!' the illuminati, and a whole slew of other reasons. Things are shaping up from a climate standpoint and I couldn't be happier. I love the cold maritime air next to the ocean. Very east coast and I love that the whole place always smells like the ocean. It's only expected to get warmer from here on out (I hope) and we will continue to preach the gospel no matter what the weather is like. I want you all to know that I am doing well. I don't watch the news but if you all do and pay attention to what goes on in Halifax I just want you to know that I am safe. We live right next to the Mic Mac Mall and some bonehead called in with a bomb threat. I thought everyone had gone on holiday when we were driving past the empty parking lot, but apparently that wasn't the case. I'm so glad I don't watch the news.

Quote of the week:

*At the door

Contact: Oh yeah I know yous guys. I've read your pamphlet and pretty much what you guys believe in we believe in (She was a baptist by the way)

Elder McGuire: Really? Why aren't you a member?

Contact: Well because you guys believe another book that's not the bible.

Most people if they believed in our church would be members. I have learned a lot this past week about how to study Preach My Gospel. I don't know if you've ever read the introduction to that manual but let me tell you, I have finally figured out how to study the book that is supposed to tell me how to do this thing. What a realization. Thank you so much for your prayers. Prayer really does work. I have learned that we create interesting thoughts in our heads that aren't pure doctrine. Many people-even very faithful members of the church-believe that there is life and then there is religion. Some may profess "This church really fits my life, it fits my family, it just fits" Like the gospel of Jesus Christ is some kind of piece of clothing. No, life is not this some giant superior concept that envelops the gospel. Life is not a pie chart where we have the gospel filling up a certain percentage, our career filling up a percentage, our hobbies filling up a certain percentage, or our family filling up a certain percentage. The gospel on the other hand is a superior concept to everything. It is the only thing ever, that if applied will bring eternal life and happiness and progression. Life is not a foundation to which we then place religion on top of it. No, the gospel of Jesus Christ is the foundation. My point is that if we fail to make the gospel our whole life then we fail to build on correct principles.

First you shovel then deal with the 6 inches of ice!

Sandy's driveway didn't stand a chance

We were blessed to find people to teach this week. Yes a real life human being-a family!-who wanted to learn more about the gospel. They really do exist. The Canada Halifax Mission is a baptizing mission. Don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise. We found Sandy by shoveling her large driveway and then asking her if she wanted to learn more. Ammon would have been proud. It was just so painfully easy I don't know why we haven't been doing more service in our week. The difference between this past week and the previous 10 weeks where we have struggled so much to find people to teach is because we have lacked the mindset, the attitude to actually be looking for people to teach. Since this realization I have come to another breakthrough in my personal contacting. If you turn in your Preach My Gospel to the teaching skills portion (If you ever want to know how to talk to people this is the chapter for you) you will come across a great section called "How to Begin Teaching." These 10 points are gold. I've used them in the past when I'm knocking but they haven't really done much. Until now. The key phrase that came into my head one snowy Thursday night was "if you knew that" So thus the contact went "Would you be interested in learning more if you knew that this could improve the quality of your life?" We went from getting three potential investigators a week to getting three potential investigators in an hour. The potential investigators section of my planner is starting to fill up! I want you to know that I know that revelation, if applied, will change your life.

Sandy is great. She has two children, is African American (African Canadian?) and really wants a religion in her life. She's not too familiar with any church but she wants us to teach her family and she even has some friends she wants to bring to church next week. Yes, your beloved Elder McGuire taught a restoration lesson for the fourth time on his mission. Hooyah!!

You will always be tired in this church!

In terms of this upcoming transfer, I've got some exciting news. We are no longer doing the whole co-zone leader thing so I'll be the sole zone leader for the Nova Scotia North Zone. In other news, I am not currently the grim reaper of the mission. By that I mean I won't be with a companion concluding their mission for this next transfer. Instead, I will be training a new missionary! This will be exciting. I've never trained before but I've always wanted to. I don't know who it is until Thursday as President Leavitt doesn't make the decision until he shakes the new missionary's hand and looks them in the eye. I also get to go to the temple this week so I'm excited.

I invite you all to keep praying. Pray always. Pray more. Pray for specifics. Pray for things to happen. Pray like you're talking to God because you are.

HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!

Love,

Elder McGuire 

Walls of ice!

Happy Birthday from Sarah!