Thank you for your letters. I love you all. Your prayers are really
making a difference in the work here. Things are picking up and I
think that I'll have a very successful end to my mission. I really
feel like I've given my all to my mission. It's been the hardest thing
I've ever done. The rejection, the mockery, the companions, the
members, the demand to talk with every last person about the
gospel-it's all been very challenging. I have learned a lot on my
mission about life. I have learned a lot about people and the gospel.
I have learned a lot about myself. My mission has not been the best
two years. I don't say that in a melancholy tone. Every day has been
so hard it's hard to put into words. I would say that my mission has
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| The final time I'll ever ride a bike on my mission :( |
I would certainly be less-active if I hadn't of gone.
This past week in the Halifax metro was Pride Week for the LGTBQ
community here. Halifax and the Maritimes in general have many people
that are gay and lesbian. I have talked to many people that are of
this persuasion and I have talked with many people that aren't gay but
what one would consider an ally to the LGTBQ community. I have even
had gay and lesbian investigators. Atlantic Canada is very different
than other parts of the continent. Often our exchanges are respectful.
Sometimes there are misunderstandings of the other sides point of
view. I think both sides of the coin judge each other too much.
Talking with literally thousands of people I have learned much from
Elder Holland's statement "More important than speaking is listening."
Knowledge strengthens patience. We had somewhat of a bitter exchange
with a woman this past week. Religious freedom still needs to be
defended just as much as rights of the LGTBQ community needs to be
defended. This woman made a poor judgement against us for believing in
God and believing in eternal families. Walking to the next house we
made poor judgements about her and about the people she affiliates
with. Our first reaction ought to have been like Pahoran who said "It
mattereth not." Let the water roll off your back. I think the Spirit
could be better maintained in our conversations with people that
believe in same-sex marriage if we listened more and talked less.
People want to be understood not rejected no matter what they believe.
I like how Elder Oaks puts it "While we may disagree we should not be
disagreeable." This doesn't mean we believe in eternal families when
we're at church and then believe in same-sex marriage when we're at
work or school. The truth needs to be defended but shouldn't be
presented to offend. We all have the right to speak given to us by
God. One of my favorite scriptures that sums this point up is 2 Nephi
26:33. All are alike unto God. Above all the Family is Eternal.
Marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God. Anything else
is not.
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| Tried to make Elder Batley waffles for his birthday and failed |
This past week was challenging with the people we met day by day, but
we did manage to find two new investigators. The first one fell from
heaven. Tom is a young father from Ontario that has been living in
Bedford for the past couple of years. One of the recent converts here,
Gary, gave him a Book of Mormon while they were taking the bus to
Halifax. They got to talking and it turns out that they live on the
same street! Our ward mission leader, Brother Dicks was doing some
work on the apartments that Tom lives in and they got to talking about
the church. Then Brother Dicks gave us a call and we taught Tom later
that night. Tom was very accepting of the restoration and took the
invitation to pray about the Book of Mormon. He is on date for baptism
for the 20th of August! Pretty exciting eh?
Mark is doing a lot better. We taught him about the temple and
families this past week which was really eye opening for him. He said
that his wife thinks FHE is a good idea! That one statement made my
whole time here in Sackville! He came to church this past week and a
family in the ward is going to invite Mark and Sonja over for FHE.
Slow and steady we will get there with Mark.
I love you all
HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!
Elder McGuire
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| Nothing like a birthday on a P-day! |
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