In St. Stephen

Dear Family,

Greetings from Canada's Chocolate Town! I intend to baptize plenty of oompah loompahs (doopity doo) and eat a lot of chocolate at their world famous chocolate factory (according to them). Our area is humungous! Not only do we cover St. Stephen-which is about as big as Kanab-but we also cover some towns in Maine and down south towards Grand Manan island. Side note: I'm grateful everyday that I took the time before my mission to look up everything about Atlantic Canada, it's a lot easier to have conversations with people when you know something about the area or about their heritage.

I'm fairly upset about leaving Moncton and Dieppe, but really, that ward needs to be humbled. The people and the area were so prepared to become apart of The Lord's Kingdom, but the ward just wouldn't retain any of the families or people that were interested in hearing about the Gospel. I intend to go back though. It's weird beginning a mission only to close down one of the larger cities in Atlantic Canada. But I am moving on to bigger and better things here in St. Stephen.

We are in deep English-Speaking New Brunswick and the area is pretty backwoods and desolate, but I couldn't be happier with the people here. Most of the people we talk to are seniors who have heard from the missionaries pretty much since this mission has been opened (1972 I believe). So Elder Collett and I are switching up tactics and we will win the hearts of the people that live here. This place reminds me a lot of Idaho and everywhere smells like the ocean and fish. I would describe the accent in Eastern Canada as British vocabulary with a North American accent. Everything is a 'she' here. "How is she?"="How are you?" "Put her down here"="Set it down." Interesting. I'm beginning to say eh' a lot more now and saying bag as bayg and flag as flayg. My favorite Canadian word has to be waygon-wagon.

Everyone here loves talking with us and most people are generally friendly. We did a lot of book work and cleaning once we got into St. Stephen. The previous Elders got sick from the mildew in the apartment, but we cleaned all of that out and the place smells way better-we literally scrubbed everything with lysol bleach. The Spirit truly needs a clean place to reside always. President Leavitt is a huge believer in obedience and keeping things neat, organized, and especially clean. Cleaning relieves stress as I may have mentioned before and Mom you're probably grinning from ear to ear now haha.

Speaking of President Leavitt, I really think part of my assignment has to do with this man. He's like the Canadian Equivalent of Steven R. Covey. He really knows how to organize missionaries, train them, and motivate them to work. I'm very blessed to have been called to serve here in Atlantic Canada. Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you for The Power of Everyday Missionaries! President trains out of that book pretty much every week and it has helped me out a ton with contacting and tracting.

We met with the Bishop and his family Wednesday night and they are active!!!!!! Like a normal Mormon family out here in New Brunswick. Bishop Doskas is a rock and truly has a testimony of missionary work. The stake moved the ward boundaries just so that his home would be in the ward. We drove about an hour to Blacks Harbour to have dinner with his family. We had mexican food and talked about getting more activities going! It was so relieving to have a normal family here in Canada. He served in Manila and his wife served in Montreal. They are amazing.

We're trying to get more activities going because this place has been knocked about a million times. It's frustrating because knocking is like the bread and butter of missionary work. I love knocking but it's ineffective out here. The first door I knocked on here this Baptist man came out and wanted to bash. He was so prideful and it was all I could do not to slug him right there. He was very disrespectful and I called him out on it. I'm sick of prideful people.

There is no use in trying to convince people of the truth. It's impossible for either you or me to persuade people that the gospel has been restored. As missionaries our job is to create an environment in which the Spirit may reside. When there is harsh feelings between people the Spirit cannot dwell and we are unable to learn God's Will. In Moroni we learn that through the Spirit we may know the truth of all things. With Spiritual matters, human logic is of no use. The Spirit manifests of spiritual truths, not human logic.

I am loving Elder Bednar's advice when reading the Book of Mormon. Take a brand new copy of the BoM, paperback, and write a question in the front that you want answered. Then as you read, mark it up with revelation that you recieve. My questions are already being answered and I'm only halfway through 1 Nephi. The Book of Mormon is true. I know it contains the fulness of the Gospel and the Gospel instructs us on what we must do to gain peace in this life and eternal salvation in the life to come. I love being a missionary.

Hurrah for Israel!!!!!

Elder McGuire
                   
Last minute pics with the other Moncton elders

Took part in a sacred Canadian ritual, eating Poutine. Literally the worst thing you could put into your body. But soooooooo goooooodddddd. Fries, gravy, cheese curds, bacon cheeseburger style hoorah

Lighthouses are staples around here :)))


















Found this legit gun and this is me on the pier

One of my favorite and least favorite things about the Maritimes. The sunsets are amazing, but the mosquitoes are like flying spiders