Dear Family,Thank you for those that wrote me! And for those of you that didn't
the second principle of the gospel is repentance! It was an excellent
week. We went on exchanges with the Woodstock elders and had the time
of our lives. I love missionary work. I love how difficult it is every
day. Constant rejection, every day, every week, every month, was
exactly what I needed in a mission. Humility is the fountain of all
virtues. Without humility our efforts to be obedient or charitable
mean nothing. Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.
President Uchtdorf stated that being genuine is really an act of
humility. It takes courage to be humble. To acknowledge that we are
nothing and that God is everything is a difficult thing to understand.
I love it how the Lord puts it to Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail "That
they may be conferred upon us, it is true; but when we undertake to
cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to
exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the
children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens
withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is
withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man.
Behold, ere he is aware, he is left unto himself, to kick against the
pricks, to persecute the saints, and to fight against God. Soon we are
backed up to the wall of humility when pride permeates our hearts. I
know that we can gain any virtue in the gospel if we are genuine and
humble. The path to humility is prayer (Helaman 3:35)
This past week we had an interesting experience on exchanges. I have
had more trouble with the law here than in any other area.
Nevertheless, I am proud to say that I am now on the police records in
behalf of the church. We were doing a FREE lemonade stand on the
street outside the post office with the Woodstock Elders. We thought
it would be a less abrasive approach than street contacting people
during their lunch break, but no we thought wrong. I was asking people
if they wanted some lemonade and then one guy walks by and doesn't say
anything and I was like "Lemonade? Yes? No? Sir? Okay, have a good
day!" Then he whips back around and says "AM I REQUIRED TO SAY
SOMETHING TO YOU?!" And then I say that no I was just wondering if you
wanted some free lemonade. He then goes on this huge rant about how we
are blocking the sidewalk and people can't get by and we need a
permit. He said that if we didn't take down our stand he was going to
take it down for us. I said we weren't moving. He then went on about
how we were shoving our religion down people's throats. I said that we
hadn't even mentioned religion yet, we just wanted to know if he
wanted some FREE LEMONADE. Good gravy. Throwing temper tantrums over
free lemonade. Then the cops showed up and said they had received a
civil complaint about us. I felt like I was black and it was the
1960s. I'm sad to say that our society has yet to rise above prejudice
and racism (2 Nephi 26:33). The cop said that he didn't really care
and that we weren't in trouble. He just had to fill out the police
report. Some people's kids.
The next interesting experience happened out of innocence. Elder
Greenlief is new on his mission to Eastern Canada and Northern Maine
so I thought it would be appropriate to initiate him with some Tim
Horton's. While we were waiting in line and looking at the donuts, a
man in front of us turns around and says 'How many wives do you guys
got?' I was a little shocked that he would just rip on us openly in a
Tim Horton's (I've had some lame experiences in Tim Horton's on my
mission). He then went on to say how we were a cult and that we should
leave. I said give me three good reason. He said: We don't believe in
the Trinity. We add to the Bible. And we think only Mormons are going
to Heaven. We paid for the donuts and hot chocolate and then I asked
him if he had his bible. He said that it was in his car. I told him
that I could prove to him using his own bible that we weren't a cult.
There we sat for an hour going over the Godhead and the Trinity. I
studied the Godhead for about 6 months on my mission. This guy, Mike
didn't even know where any of the scriptures were that 'defended the
Trinity.' I had to point out like two to get him started. "Let me help
you prove me wrong" Then scripture after scripture I defended the true
doctrine of the Godhead. He wasn't really understanding and finally I
pinned him with 1 Corinthians 3:4,8 which ended the dispute over John
10:30. A perfect way to describe the situation was Mark 12:24. Mike
left with a Book of Mormon and a belief in the Godhead. I don't
believe in telling people that their beliefs are wrong but I do
believe in defending the truth. (1 Thessalonians 5:21)
So yes. It was an interesting week. I never really experienced
opposition to my beliefs before my mission. The church is hated
throughout the world. It is loved as well. Elder Holland said we
should defend our beliefs with courteous and compassion but we should
defend them.
HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!
Love,
Elder McGuire
From Mom: THAT. is what Dad needed in his SS lesson yesterday--opening paragraph.
When we are humble the Lord can teach us. When we are sufficiently humble enough to recognize the greatness and goodness of God, THEN we are ready to make covenants with Him. That level of understanding brings so much joy that we WANT to share His gospel. I like that you have come to understand that.
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