Our Savior's Love

Dear Family,

Thank you all again for your prayers and love. We were in the temple this past with all of the missionaries that were going home (including my trainer Elder Collett) and one of my former zone leaders Elder Torrie made the comment that you lose a lot of prayers when you are released from being a missionary. Thank you for praying for the missionaries. Thank you for also praying for missionary experiences. The missionaries can't run the show, neither can the members. I'm not married, but I think it would be pretty lame for one spouse to be doing all of the work while the other just sits back and prays for them. That doesn't make any sense.

There are a lot of born-again Christians. Many of them make the comment that we are saved by grace and they get really mad at Mormons because they think we 'earn our way into heaven' and deny that it is by Christ's mercy that we are saved. Let me tell you something about Born-again Christians and their thoughts that we are saved by grace. They are right. We are saved by grace. However, that scripture that Born-agains quote is only part of the picture. We are saved by grace after all we can do. After all we can do. Are we doing all we can do? Therefore, we have the full picture of this doctrine of grace. We receive Christ's mercy after we have done our part to repent. That's how it works.

I write this because of some interesting thoughts I've heard on missionary work from members. Not wrong, but not completely right, either. Even within the church there is apostasy (Not like there is no prophet or priesthood anymore) but there are incomplete teachings taught over pulpits and in classrooms. The philosophies of men mingled with scripture. It sounds like the gospel because the scriptures are in there but it actually isn't completely the gospel. Many members express that missionary work is 'being an example, serving and loving others, being a friend, making food for someone and giving it to them.' Then the members get mad when they are told that missionary work is talking about the gospel with people, inviting them to church, inviting them to meet with missionaries. They might think that inviting someone to church is forcing their religion on someone, forcing it down their throat as I have sometimes heard. They also get upset at those that tell them that service isn't missionary work. They think that talking about the gospel and asking people to repent isn't loving them-that service is loving them-inviting them to partake in the gospel is not loving them.

The very definition of missionary work (this isn't the Book of Elder McGuire, this is Preach My Gospel) is inviting others to come unto Christ. That is true love. The gospel is literally the only thing on this entire planet that will grant eternal happiness and eternal life. Yes we have service. I am not condoning service. We need to serve others more in the church. If we don't invite people to actively participate in the gospel then the chances of them proactively engaging in the gospel without being asked are very slim. Invitation is missionary work. Service is not. Service and being an example, being a friend is a means to the ultimate goal of actual missionary work-invitation. It is a tremendous tool. As a matter of fact all of my investigators right now were found through service. But if we think for one second that inviting people to repent and live the gospel isn't loving then we need to reexamine what we think missionary work is. People aren't going to get to the celestial kingdom by the amount of times someone
baked them a pie or trimmed their lawn while they sat back at home on sundays smoking a cigarette. Missionary work is invitation. It is an invitation to get better. 

So no, you are not wrong when you say that missionary work is setting a good example or being a friend, but you're not completely right, either. You're like a born-again Christian

Xi (Ryan) Gao-one of Elder Henderson's converts from back in the day took us to traditional Chinese food in Halifax. Don't know what I ate but it was very good

We had an amazing week. Especially for a transfer week. My new companion is Elder Ray from Mesa, Arizona. Fresh out of the MTC and ready to work. He did musicals and plays through high school and he is happy to be here. Not trunky. Not crazy. Normal and ready to work. He even asked a less-active to get it together and come to church. Too bad church was cancelled because of the weather. He is going to be a great missionary. Still getting there with general contacting but he wants to be here and he wants to work and learn and grow and read his Book of Mormon and apply Preach My Gospel. I am so happy. Two Arizonan elders are going to show Cole Harbour no mercy.

Dartmouth District

We found three more people to teach this week. Sandy's daughter is in high school and knows some of the young women in the ward that go to Auburn High School. So good to have some good youth here. We also will be teaching a man we found from Zambia. Boyd Kaluluma is the real deal. Super prepared. It's nice to get a taste of what the missionaries in Africa get to teach. Boyd is so happy to read the Book of Mormon. Accept all commitments. Not read a bunch of anti. And make us food when we go by. He works for a cable company in Halifax and he loves the snow. We also found a man from Manitoba in Eastern Passage. He's in school right now at Dalhousie. Alex is a pretty sharp guy. We used to teach him but he wasn't mentally stable back then. He is now back and he wants to learn more and go to church. And the ward council is coming out with us this week!!!!!! We are going on splits!!!!!!! Yes, there are people to teach in Atlantic Canada. This is going to be a great transfer.

HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!

Love,

Elder McGuire

Whiteout-a missionary's best friend 

Thanks for the birthday package!