Look Ahead and Believe

Richard McGuire

Dear Family,

Thank you for your letters. It is pleasant to hear that you are in the Book of Mormon and serving others. Thank you for your prayers and for your own commitments to do missionary work. Many people look at missionary work as a calling. Missionary work is not a calling. Yes, I am called and set-apart as a full-time missionary. Missionary work is a life-style. Often we go to church and hear all of these things we need to do or get done. This is not the correct way to look at the gospel. The gospel is a lifestyle not a checklist. We may study the scriptures for an hour, but we live the scriptures 24/7. The gospel is not some laundry list of things to get done. We often forget of the concluding principle of the gospel, enduring to the end. Studying the scriptures is not something to get done, family home evening is not something to get done, home and visiting teaching is not something to get done. These things are the minimum. Our scripture study, seminary attendance, home teaching, temple attendance are never done. The gospel is not something we do on Sunday. The gospel is a lifestyle. Christ is never done. His work will go forth nobly and independent.

This past week was filled with challenges and spiritual understanding. President Leavitt introduced me to a new way of setting goals. You could look this up online I'm sure it's around somewhere. I have a vision of the person that I want to become, then I create some goals to accomplish that vision, then I create some plans to

accomplish those goals, and then I review these three things each day and make adjustments as needed. Elder McGuire's vision for 2015 is "The Lord can do this and I can help." To accomplish this vision I found five goals. These five goals come from Elder Bednar's talk "Becoming a Preach My Gospel Missionary" which he gave at the MTC several years ago. I am still ironing things out with the plans. Thus far I plan on studying Jesus the Christ and setting a focus for each day to become more Christlike. I'll put the rest of it together later and then send you a photo.

One thing I like about this is the monitoring factor of the cycle. It's workable and focused and I can make adjustments. In the past I would write down a million goals and never accomplish any of them. Simple is better. Nephi puts it this way "I glory in plainness!" One thing that I am learning is that I need to work with specific people.

I learned this in the past week as I was fasting yesterday. In the past I would always fast "to find a prepared family to teach." Well that's a nice idea. However, this is the same trap that plenty of churches fell in to during the great apostasy. Fasting for overarching concepts makes us feel engaged when really we are not. The Saviour said: "They draw near unto me with their lips but their hearts are far from me." Therefore, I changed my fast to fasting for Brother Hatton. Brother Hatton is catholic and the rest of his family are members. He participates in church and even helps the primary children with Faith in God. However, he expressed to us the other evening that he will never become a member.

Like most catholics out here, he is content, he doesn't want anything more in life. People are just content. Nephi states (And I just love this) "Wo unto them that say all is well in Zion!" It is not all well in Zion when we fail to be Christlike. Sidenote: Interesting how in Come, Come Ye Saints the concluding refrain is "All is Well, All is Well."

However, I know that fasting and faith brings forth the blessings of Heaven. This is not the time to sit down and do nothing. Put it all on the altar! I am confident Brother Hatton will progress. We will find new investigators as we focus on specific people. I will not write to you about the knocking we do. I will write about how people are progressing. It's just not enough to make vague statements.

Another thing that I am learning is to help district leaders that are struggling. A large challenge that the church faces is lack of training. All of these leaders hounding on people for not doing missionary work or doing their home teaching when they don't explain how to do these things. I will be up front about this. We know that being one with the ward council will accomplish the vision of being one i.e. the hastening the work broadcast.

Certain companionships failed to talk with each member of the ward council. Initially I flipped out and attempted to reprove. This is not how the Saviour chastised people. He explained the principles-the commandments-and then stated "Come, Follow Me." Jesus Christ instructed and explained. Edify and uplift as Mom would put it. I am committed to give more training and less rebuking.

I learned an interesting skill from President Glanfield, the first councelor in the Stake Presidency. He expressed to just ask "why." Over and over again until it becomes comfortable asking people why. Why gets us knowledge. The Saviour asked to the woman caught in adultery "Why weepest thou?" He didn't say "Did you stub your toe?" "Did your dog get stolen?" Why promotes discussion and always opens up something that we can testify of. Another thing is to ask "Will you?" Will you is the ultimate invitation. It allows people to exercise agency. We fall into this trap that Satan sets. "Would you like to?" "Do you want to?" No. None of these promote agency. The war in Heaven was fought over agency. Agency is a gift. It is knowledge. Will you all read "Will you?" from lds.org? Excellent talk :)

I know that as we read the scriptures, Heavenly Father will bless us with understanding to apply to our lives.

I love you all

HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!

Elder McGuire