Sons of Thunder

Final fast and testimony meeting of the mish

Dear Family,

Thank you for your letters! And your prayers! It's been a ride having
you all write me these past two years. Letters are good for the soul.
There's something about writing everything down and getting it on
paper that's therapeutic. I feel like I have come to know each of you
more as you have told me about your good times and your bad times. I
admire Lindsay for calling all the time back in the day on Sundays.
Communication keeps a family strong. I love you all.

This past week was very rainy. Normally the Maritimes don't get
thunder storms, but we do get a lot of rain. It sort of puts everyone
in a depression. My personal theory is that the ancestors of the
Maritimers would always get lost at sea when the rain was particularly
bad and so that made the family depressed. Now Maritimers are just
depressed whenever it is raining. I'm going to miss the rain in these
provinces. For this purpose, I entitle my letter "Sons of Thunder."
Rain is somewhat symbolic in the scriptures. Rain covering the earth
at the time of Noah and the Ark. The gospel sweeping the earth as with
a flood. The rain coming down on the wise man and the foolish man.
Rain often symbolizes trials and tribulations. It has rained most of
my mission both literally and figuratively. I have been at some very
low points, with high stress and bleak hope. Perhaps the most
difficult thing about a mission is having the grit to talk with
everyone you see about the gospel. In a way I have felt like Joseph
Smith in a world with "war of words and tumult of opinions." For this
cause, I find it necessary to share a scripture with you that will
help during times of "rain."

And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our
Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your
foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds,
yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his
mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to
drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the
rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation
whereon if men build they cannot fall. (Helaman 5:12).

Only through following the Saviour do our trials have meaning and that
they will work together for our good. When we disconnect from his
teachings, the rain will come, and we will be washed away. Most likely
into the river that leads to the Great and Spacious Building which
will eventually fall.

This past week was a huge finding week! I have knocked on literally
thousands of doors. I still have more door approaches left in me.
Knocking builds character. I have discovered that just some good ol
fashioned proselyting is the best way to prevent from as the
missionaries say "dying." We found lots and lots of potentials this
past week. The sisters here don't have any investigators so we spent
the whole week looking for people for them to teach. Anyone that was a
woman we gave to them as a referral. We were out knocking in Fall
River one day and we met Robin. Robin is pretty solid. She said that
she had just moved up to Fall River to get out of a bad situation and
had been praying that someone would find her and help her. It was a
very spiritual contact. I would love to teach Robin, but the sisters
don't have anyone to teach right now. It's all about sharing!

We met with Mark again this past week and taught him from Ether again.
He is just about as solid as they come. He told us that he went into
visit some members the other night. He's already ministering. I bet if
we gave him home teaching he would do it. Please keep praying for his
wife Sonja. Mark is already to go, we just need to get her approval.

So funny story. I realize that I don't tell you all nearly enough
about what's funny that happens to me. It happens all the time out
here. Elder Batley and I were street contacting down in downtown
Bedford and the route we usually take goes underneath a bridge by a
river through a park. When we got underneath the bridge we noticed a
perfectly good bike just tossed into the river. We don't have bikes
here in the Metro but we thought it would be a good idea to pick up
the bike and take it back to our apartment because it was like brand
new. So what do we do? Well. After hopping the fence to get to the
river, Elder Batley took off his shoes and socks, moved out across the
rocks, tried to grab the bike, slipped, fell into the river, and cut
his foot on a rock. There was blood everywhere! Meanwhile, people
walking or running on the trail look over at us probably more
bewildered than they usually look. Elder Batley was all soaked after
his swim and blood was all over the rocks. We thought for a minute
that I might have to go get the car by myself because I didn't fall
in. But being the trooper that he is, Elder Batley wrapped up his foot
in his sock and we street contacted the 30 minutes back to the car.
Then we drove back up to Sackville to clean out his foot with hydrogen
peroxide. Nothing like that to lighten up the mood haha!

HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!

Love,

Elder McGuire

Driving to district meeting!

If ye are prepared ye shall not fear

Had this name tag since the MTC

Elder Batley just killing it with nightly planning again