Well first off I want to thank DAD for his comment on how he likes my short emails... cause this one will be pretty quick! To make a long story short and the email even shorter, we went to Guayaquil Thursday night to renew my Visa... Friday morning they couldn't see us cause we had no appointment. One day of work down the drain. We headed back Sunday night to get it renewed today! Another day of teaching down the drain, but now I'm legal and will NOT be coming home for another while ;). So we've got to get out and teach and baptize like crazy cause this week KILLED US! Haha, I love running with stress, we'll see if I have more hair on my chest than my head when I get back!
So... we had a GOAL of 5 baptisms for this Saturday that is coming but... for crazy fevers, epileptic attacks (no lie, but not me or my companion) none of the 5 that we had planned came to church. We have many investigators that truly want baptism but something randomly always comes up and keeps them from their goal! In other words... probably no baptisms this week unless we see a miracle. Let's pray for a miracle. We DID have a baptism of Jean Carlos, he is 13 and lives next to the chapel, he was a contact of a contact and will have great success for the welcome of the youth in the ward. We are working with the rest of his family so they get baptized here soon too. The other picture is of a BBQ that we had with another companionship that lives nearby, yes I fixed up the grill cause the others are from Bolivia, Panama and Mexico, it turned out well. This will be a fast email, but I need to leave you all satisfied, right? Well here goes nothing...
Missionaries and Future Missionaries (and all you else too) DO ALL YOU CAN TO BE WORTHY OF THE SPIRIT AND THEN FOLLOW IT! We have had some awesome lessons these past few days with Lenín and with a neighbor named Janeth Landa. Satan is really working hard on both of them, Lenín is starting to feel like our visits aren't worth it anymore and that we are really taking away his happiness. Janeth denies baptism, even though she wants it and comes to church and has family that are members, because 'all the members in the church come from generations and generations of members.' Satan is really working on her too, but I have never had lessons like those two in my entire life. It was WWF, missionary style haha. I don't know why I'm sharing this cause I've about run out of words about the experience... there's not much to say haha, but what I can promise each and every one of you is that there is a difference in being a Missionary and being the Lord's Instrument. I truly felt in His hands, saying His words and testifying of His Son Jesus Christ!
(Future) Missionaries... Satan is real and is really working. The Holy Ghost is all too real also and though we don't recognize it, He can constantly guide us! Do ALL you can to build up your testimony! Defend what is right in EVERY MOMENT in the little things. in 2 Nephi 28 we learn how Satan speaks that 'all is well...' whether it be with our friend groups, what we do with our friends, having a boyfriend or girlfriend, if we will be okay with them alone, if saying a simple personal prayer before sleeping is worth the pain or not. The little things save us, never be in moments of risk. Love your parents, parents... love your children. SPEND TIME TOGETHER! I learned just how real Satan is in those two lessons and how important it is to STAND in DEFENSE of this Gospel and not simply sit back and watch thinking 'all is well in Zion.' I love being a Defender of Truth, not simply a Bench Sitter who hopes his time will come.
The next experience I hope makes more sense haha, but came from Sunday's Sacrament Meeting and ties in with what I just talked about. A great leader that helps us a lot with visits said that 'the youth of today will NOT be the men of tomorrow, for they need to be the men of today!' This world really needs you all, but most importantly you Youth. Be worthy to go on missions, that means you read your scriptures, you pray, you have Family Night (or work to get it up and going), you partake of the Sacrament, you USE your priesthood, you listen to and love your parents, you look out for your siblings, you do all you can to keep the Lord close! If you may not serve a full time mission, for whatever reason, don't think it's over because you do not know the importance of the members in our work. GO WITH THE ELDERS, VISIT THE LESS ACTIVES, You need to be the Men of Today!
And yes, Dad, that does make me feel old in hearing of WHO is getting mission calls recently, haha. I love being a missionary and this week I learned that it is much more than speaking prettily about Jesus Christ. It is about living like Him and defending Him with every Action (actions start in your thoughts, thoughts come from desires, in other words we need to be like Him down to our deepest desires.) I KNOW Christ lives, I know His Gospel has been restored. Prepare to your best ability and don't let anything get in your way (sports, school, girls or boys for you sister missionaries haha.)
Well this email was a bit longer than expected, but I got excited, or as Mase would say 'distracted by shiny objects.' I sure love you all and hope you find the hope that Christ brings, it comes in doing as He asks and we'll know by simply trusting and simply doing.
Ta ta for now!
Elder McGinn
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