Forward Pressing Forward

Myldsmail was down the other day but we got permission to resend things today

Dear Family,

Greetings from Caribou, Maine! I'm back in America. It's weird to be
back in the States. When I was in Canada I didn't really feel that
much different than when I was back home in Arizona but in comparing
the two there are a lot of differences. I would say in general
Americans are a lot more honest about rejecting us than their Canadian
counterparts. There's about 6,000 people that live in Caribou and we
also work in Presque Isle which is about 10 miles (weird to say miles)
south. Why anyone would live this far north in the states beats me.
Maine is for sure the coldest area I have been in. It's like a dry
cold too because we are inland away from the sea. I don't really
understand Fahrenheit anymore but it got as cold as -30F the other
night. Don't worry we weren't out in the thick of it til later in the
day. So yes, Maine is cold.

I have been studying a lot about faith lately. Faith has sort of been
the theme for the past 6 months for me. In the scriptures, miracles
occur in response to faith. When we lack faith we lack intelligence.
This is because faith is what leads to knowledge. Faith is not merely
believing in a principle of the gospel, it is the application of that
principle. Faith and works are as inseparable as fire and light are
inseparable. The Brother of Jared's faith was dormant when he saw the
finger of the Lord. This is because he exercised faith to the point of
obtaining knowledge. This is why the Nephites were not as intelligent
or wise as the Ammonites (Alma 30:20). When faith stops the miracles
stop. Think of Martin Harris in the Doctrine and Covenants (D&C 5:28).
I know that it is by faith that miracles are wrought.

This past week was bittersweet leaving Moncton. We said good bye to
our investigators and a few of the members. I'm going to miss teaching
Judith. She was progressing well and she was almost certain that she
needed to be baptized under the proper authority. I was learning all
sorts of Kirwandan as well. I now know how to say: hello, thank you,
good bye, I want a banana, come to church, and elephant. Shock
enzohfoe means I want an elephant. So it's going to be a bummer not
seeing one of my favourite families every week.

We also said good bye to Brother Williams. He is seriously the rock
for that ward. He's the only one that really cares about the work of
salvation there. He would literally go to every appointment with us
because other members were unwilling. As a momento he gave me his
Phantom of the Opera leathermans jacket that he's had for 20 years
going out with the missionaries. I was feeling honoured. I thought I
had two more transfers in Moncton and then somewhere else but I guess
the Lord had other things in mind.

Now here in Caribou I'm serving with Elder Von Trapp from Dohah,
Qatar. He's been on his mission about a year and has been in Caribou
about three months. He's a hard worker and very bold. We are going to
get a lot done this transfer.

My first day that I got here we found a YSA to teach, Jacob. He was
very gung-ho about the gospel and the Book of Mormon. We put him on
date in the first lesson and committed him to come to church. The very
next day we got a text from him saying that he doesn't want to be
baptized because he's not ready to give up his lifestyle. SO CLOSE.

Not to worry though we found two other investigators to teach. Jason
is originally from Van Buren which is down state a bit. He has been
taught before but it didn't really go anywhere a few years back. We
put him on date for March 19, taught him the Plan of Salvation and
committed him to live the Word of Wisdom. #can'tholdus. The other
investigator we found through trying to find an old potential
investigator from a few months ago. Devin has a young family and let
us right in when we explained who we were. The church has a really
strong presence here. The ward has about 200 active members. There's
also a different dynamic here. It's more American. People wearing guns
to church. Young families. It's weird too because mostly everyone has
a solid understanding of the basic fundamentals of the gospel. I'm
loving it here. Even though New England is the least religious part of
the country we're seeing some success. It's a lot smaller than
Moncton, but the people give us more time to preach to them.

HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!

Love,

Elder McGuire

I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea

Dear Family,

Well it's transfers time again! After serving as a zone leader for 10
transfers I am now released and will be serving as a normal missionary
in the land of the free and teh home of the brave. My new assignment
is Caribou, Maine. I will be serving with Elder Von Trapp from Qatar.
This should be super exciting. I really didn't expect to be leaving
Moncton this soon. I have only been here for two transfers and we've
just barely started to get things going. I had the same thoughts when
I left Bridgewater (almost a year ago!) and went to Newfoundland. It
was worth it.

I'm going to miss the gang

Lately I have been studying Heavenly Father. Many scriptures in John
teach us about the doctrine of Heavenly Father. Many protestants like
to point out John 1:18 concerning that no man has seen God at any
time. God is able to be seen (D&C 67:11). He is real. He is our Father
and He loves us. Were man not able to see God then there would be no
restoration of the church. I know that Joseph Smith saw God and Jesus
Christ. I know because I have read the Book of Mormon.

This past week we had our big leadership conference. Here are the
notes that we put together to give our training. Elder Tincher and I
plus the stls trained the whole mission on communication.






Communication


Brick activity- Creative writing prompt you give the missionaries 5
min. to write about the uses of a brick but you will encourage them to
get as creative as possible to think outside the normal uses of a
brick. The purpose of this activity is to get missionaries to start
thinking creatively for the rest of your training.


Transparency

It is necessary to be transparent in each component of communication,
because it builds trust. The people we talk to won't trust us when we
are being fake. If they don’t trust us, nothing else we say will
matter to them.


Bad Example: How are your lessons on repentance going?? (missionary
has no context and will be confused..they’ll probably ask you why
anyways)

-What?

Tell them what you are doing!

Example: We want to ask you how your lessons on repentance are going.

-So what?

Tell them why you are doing it!

Example: The Mission President wants us to be applying the training
from the Worldwide Missionary Conference.

-Now what?

Give them the next step- something they can/should do. What do you
want them to do?

Example: Can you think of things you want to improve on from that training?


Communicating to be understood


Be aware of your body language and tone of voice

-posture

-mimic

-no fidgeting

-sound happy


Simple and specific

-detailed not general

-specific questions like: “what can we do….”

      “How can we help….”

 “what is their name? how were they found?”


Sources: http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/how-to-get-the-right-message-across-with-your-body-language.html


Roleplay ideas:

1. Body language car game (10 minutes). Requires four missionaries and
four chairs. The “driver” decides what the rest of the car will do for
ten seconds (ex. rollercoaster, at a movie, at a football game etc.)
The rest of the car mimics the driver. If the driver can’t think of
something for the rest of the car to do the car rotates and there is a
new driver.

2. Headbands game: each person will be given a card with the name of a
person, place, or thing on it. they will attach it to their forehead
without looking at it and will walk around, asking specific questions
to find out information about the thing on their card. After the
roleplay, discuss how the activity could apply to their missionary
work, specifically gathering information about investigators.


Listening


Active Listening vs Passive Listening

Active listening is the ability to ask questions to make sure the
listener correctly understands what the person speaking is saying.

-It is not helpful to sit still and just listen. Ask questions to
understand what their needs are.

There are two different kinds of questions you can ask:

Clarifying Questions: repeat what they said to make sure you understand

Example: “my biggest struggle is that I really miss my family.”

   “So you are feeling pretty homesick right now?”

Follow-Up Questions: Helps you get more information to further clarify
what they                                 are feeling

Example: “Do you feel that missing your family makes it hard to focus?”


-Active listening means to engage in a dialogue with the speaker to
clarify what the speaker is asking from the listener.

-Understanding rather than just hearing

-Let the listener know that you are listening by responding

-Remember the details


Passive listening is serving as a receiver for the speaker's emotions,
and hearing the speaker talk about needs.

-the person needs someone to vent to rather than someone to get advice
or help from

-The passive listener nods while listening (not speaking)- sometimes
all they need is someone to listen

-Let them talk themselves into finding solutions to a problem on their own

-Still pay attention to what they are saying and try to understand their needs


Sources: http://www.inc.com/quora/3-secrets-of-better-listening-you-can-practice-this-thanksgiving.html


Roleplays:

Divide the missionaries into pairs. Each missionary will take turns
telling his/ her partner about the given topic. The roleplay will
repeat three times with these different scenarios:

No Response- missionaries will discuss their favorite sport. the
missionary listening will not respond in any way- no head nods, no
facial expression, no talking.

Passive listening. Missionaries will discuss a made up problem that
they will pretend to need to talk about. The missionary listening will
nod and use facial expression, but will not ask any questions.

Active listening. Missionaries will tell each other about their
families. The missionary listening will ask questions to clarify what
the other missionary is saying and may nod and use facial expressions
where appropriate.


Ask the missionaries how they felt about their conversations. Ask them
to analyze what is wrong with the first communication process. How did
it change with the passive listening? What about Active listening?
Point out that it is difficult to communicate with someone who does
not respond to what we are saying. Sometimes passive listening is
necessary or is appreciated. We may not have this problem with the
missionaries we are over, but we can always improve our relationships
with them by improving our communication.


Imparting vision to Motivate:

As leaders we must call people to action that is the purpose of
motivating others


Candle Experiment: The objective of the experiment is to stick the
candle to the wall and light it without the wax dripping onto the
table. You will split them into four groups two of the groups will
have set up one, the other set up two. You will tell two groups that
you are timing them just to see how fast they can do. The other two
you will offer a prize for who can do it fastest. if everything goes
right the group with set up two offered the incentive should do it the
fastest.


Set Up One



Set up two

The Solution


There's a difference between Motivating and Cheerleading

Motivation: is when we are helping people become agents to solve their
own problems to become instruments in the hands of the lord.


When we are motivating others we are


1. Not bribing them

rewards just motivate people to get rewards.

When rewards stop people stop

2. Emphasize progress

-Encourage them to recognize how far they have come.

-Identify their accomplishments

3. Use a story

-Tell a story about someone solving a similar problem

-



When we are Cheerleading we are

Trying to solve their problems

When we do this we do them no good we allow them to be objects not agents

     2.   Know their is a difference between emphasize progress and
fishing for compliments

example ( when a leader has to have multiple phone calls that are
majority made up of telling the missionary how great they are you are
not motivating you are being a personal cheerleader.)


That was basically the whole week. People really liked our training
and President Pratt said it was exceptional. It was a good way to go
out as a zone leader. I'm glad I've been able to be in this position
for the amount of time I have. It hasn't been easy, but I've loved
every second of it.

HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!

Love,

Elder McGuire

Gunther and Clarence

These cats knocked the whole street with us. 

He Denieth None that Come Unto Him

Happy Birthday Rwandan style!

Dear Family,
I'm sorry that myldsmail is being difficult lately. I was a bit

perturbed last week because I wasn't getting any emails, but it wasn't
for lack of effort on your end. I love hearing about your lives. Many
of you have changed over the past 18 months. That's the one thing
constant about our lives, change.

This past week I read a verse in the Book of Mormon that really struck
me. It reads:  "For none of these iniquities come of the Lord; for he
doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth
nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he inviteth
them ball toccome unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth
none that come unto him, black and white,ebond and free, male and
female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God,
both Jew and Gentile." We are a worldwide church. There are more than
15 million members all over the world from Africa to Asia from Canada
to Australia. We are not an American church. We're not the Mormon club
where only white people from Utah reign. The church is growing so
rapidly in Africa that there are waiting lists for people to get
baptized. In fact, I meet more ethnic people that are more accepting
of the gospel than your standard average white person every day.
Diversity is the beauty of the earth. There are different colours,
different ideas, different people, different shapes. God loves all of
His children. He is our Father. I know that He created us with the
unique talents, gifts, and bodies for a purpose. I know that He is our
Father.

This past week we hit the grindstone. I've been working on my
contacting skills a lot. Most people appreciate it when you tell them
who you are, what you want, and why they should care in the first 10
seconds of the contact. They want to know what makes the church
different than every other religion out there. People live busy lives.
The amount of time it takes for a person to go through an article on
the internet is 17 seconds. People like it when things are quick and
to the point but relevant to them. With this, Elder Tincher and I have
been trying to perfect our door approach. Here's the thing about door
approaches. People hate door approaches. For whatever reason they are
just trained to say no to people that come to the door. I have knocked
on thousands of doors and talked to thousands of people on the street.
People just hate being interrupted. So we've been trying different
ways to get to the point with people. We knock on the door, say who we
are, and why they should allow us to continue talking to them. The
number one thing people want out of religion is feeling closer to God.
So we preyed on this subject and started telling them rather that we
share a message that will bless their family, but we share a message
that will bring them closer to God. Then the tricky part is responding
to all of the objections. Many people will simply say "I'm not
interested" and that's fine. But the other weak objections are "I've
got my own religion" or 'I'm busy" or "Just give me your literature"
or "I'm atheist, you'd be wasting your time talking to me" To these we
respond "How's your religion working for you?" "Do you really enjoy
being catholic?" "Could we grab your phone number and talk to you
another time?" 'What kind of literature would you be interested in?"
"Well then you're talking to the right people if you have no faith in
God!" It's worked decently. Normally we get about one-two potentials a
day. Doing it this way has gotten us more like 3-5 potentials a day. I
don't like door approaches, but we're getting pretty good at them.

The family from Rwanda is doing so great. We're going to be having a
baptism on the 20th! So get excited. I'm having to teach more simply
every time we go over there. The pamphlet is good to focus the lesson.
We taught the Restoration in three parts. We need to procure a Book of
Mormon in Kirwandan. That'll just come down to ordering one from
LDS.org. Other than that our teaching pool isn't that large at the
moment. The winter tends to be like this. We had 7 potential lessons
fall through on Saturday. Sometimes it just doesn't happen and that's
okay. We still worked hard this past week.

This upcoming week Elder Tincher and I are training all of the leaders
in the mission about effective communication. We got permission to use
inc.com, a business website that has some great articles. After a
couple of late nights and rock stars later, we've got a pretty solid
training put together. I'll share it to anyone that wants it. We're
going to have a blast. We're playing hedbanz with 50 plus people. Get
excited.









HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!

Love,

Elder McGuire