Thank you for your birthday wishes. It was an interesting birthday. Didn't really even feel like a birthday, but Christmas was the same way. Everyday is awesome regardless of what day it is. We had a very spiritual fast and testimony meeting which I thought was my birthday present from Heavenly Father. Over the past few weeks we have been committing some members of the ward council to bear their testimonies about a missionary experience they've had or will have in fast and testimony meeting. What an electric meeting. Even some members whom we didn't ask got up and bore their testimonies about a missionary experience that they had. One member who told me in a dinner appointment about a month ago that she thought that missionary work was just being an example or whatever came up to me and said "There's a missionary spirit that's starting to grow in the Cole Harbour ward." Almost made me cry I was so happy. No we aren't having many outward results but I think that the ward is starting to catch the wave. Your prayers are working. We still haven't found a non-member to teach. I don't think the Lord wants me to go my whole mission and never baptise anyone. He doesn't want me to go a whole day without teaching someone in their homes about the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
President Leavitt invited us over last night because he wanted us to be apart of a training video because we aren't having much outward success. He also wanted to do something for my birthday so don't worry-Sister Leavitt made a birthday dinner and made a chocolate cake. I was feeling very loved. President Leavitt makes training videos for district meeting that he sends out for all of the 13 districts to use and he usually invites the assistants and another companionship that's seeing a lot of success to be apart of the training. It was unique to be in on the discussion for what needed to be trained on in the mission. Overall we came to the conclusion that what needed to be trained on wasn't another training. We could throw training after training about member-work, contacting, follow-up, or teaching and the results still wouldn't improve. We will be training on Preach My Gospel ch. 1. If we don't understand the why behind our missionary work, everything we do won't make sense to us and the harvest will be meager. If you are preparing for a mission and someone asks you why you are going on a mission this should be your response 'Invite others to Come unto Christ.' If we don't invite people to get better then we are a failure. Not that we are a failure we are a bad person, but we just failed to accomplish something. One of the best pieces of advice that President Leavitt gave to me was "The best character is built when you're winning, not when you're losing, not when things aren't happening or getting done, let's go missionary!" 'You don't work hard so that you can quit and rest, you work hard so that you can work harder'
We have seen some good success with less-active members and recent converts. We taught one woman, Sister Boudreau who lives in West Chezzetcook, a french community that I had not idea was even in my area. She was offended by a member about 5 years ago and simply needed to be invited back to partake of the sacrament. She teared up in our lesson and the Spirit was very powerful. Although she did not come to church yesterday she is committed to coming to church this week. Her Acadian Catholic husband despises the church and didn't even want us to be there so Sister Boudreau set it up so that he was at work when we came over to teach about Faith. He does have more potential than we thought because he painted her a picture of the Salt Lake Temple. Small and simple things.
Another success we had was we are starting to work with prospective elders. We finally got in to see Ace who is 21 and hasn't been to church in 4 years. He didn't want to talk about the gospel when we came by, so we just chatted for a bit and he agreed to do some service with us-shoveling out his driveway. Some maritimers use kitty litter on their driveways so that their cars can get some traction. It was gross-I will leave it at that. He still has potential to serve a mission, but he is taking glacial steps to get there. He's going to get there. There's not doubt in my mind that he will progress.
I invite you to pray that you will have a missionary experience this week.
HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!
Love,
Elder McGuire
Elder McGuire
Elder McGuire
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