Week 7

AYO!!!!!!

Week 7 was an awesome week!!! We got a new cebuano district!! It's so crazy to see what I was like when I started. Theyre awesome though. 4 out of 5 are headed to Tacloban! It's so cool to be on the other side of things. My cebuano is really starting to improve since I can answer all their questions. I'm also reading from the Basahon ni Mormon and actually getting a lot out of it. the cebuano word for "faith" is hugot nga pagtuo which literally translates to a "tight belief." Faith is an incredible concept. Everything we do is an act of faith. we increase and strengthen and tighten our faith by exercising it. It's like a living muscle. I love Ether 12:6 and 12:12 and Hebrews 11. I'm also 10 chapters away from finishing Jesus the Christ. By faith we can move mountains. It's very significant that when Jesus Christ is about to heal someone he asks, "believe ye that I am able to do this?" He certainly had the power and capability to heal the afflicted but the blind and sick and diseased had to believe in him and exercise their faith. Another great chapter I studied this week was Alma 18. I love the exchange between king Lamoni and Ammon. I went through my scriptures and just highlighted all the actual dialogue and then the methods Ammon used to teach. First, Ammon had great faith and he was faithful unto the Lord. Because of his exact obedience he was blessed and protected from the Lamanites who tried to scatter the flocks. Because he protected the king's flocks he got the kings attention. King Lamoni wanted to know more. Ammon continued to be exactly obedient by executing every command of the king. When Ammon came before the king, because of his faithfulness and obedience, he was able to teach with power and authority. He taught specifically to the kings needs. in fact Ammon basically goes through lesson 2 of chapter 3 in preach my gospel. Such a great example.

Elder Shields and I are really coming together as a companionship. It's going to be weird in the field when we both have to go get new companions and trainers. I'm super excited though. 2 weeks until I'm on a plane over the pacific ocean!!! HALA!!! (cebuano expression for WOW!!)

Halloween kinda came and went. They don't really celebrate Halloween in the Philippines. Its called Kalagkalag. or day of the souls. Our district still celebrated a little bit. (see the picture)

Mission conference yesterday was awesome! Sundays are amazing! I'm super excited to just get out there and shout from the bukid to the tubig that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored and that they can live with their family forever.

Yesterday in sacrament meeting I bore my testimony about missionary work. I know that this is His work. I love D+C 4:3 "Wherefore if ye have desires to serve the Lord, ye are called to the work." This work is to bring about the eternal life of man. How great is my calling! I am so grateful to be a laborer in the vineyard. I also love the parable of the laborers in the vineyard. The Lord has called more laborers for this final hour of the day. What an exciting time to be on the earth!

Life is wonderful! We get our travel plans this week. Still hard to believe this is all happening to me. I keep thinking that I'll wake up and it will be a dream, but this is real. This is true. This is my intent and purpose because I have a testimony that Jesus is the Christ. The Savior and Redeemer of the world. He lives. He lives who once was dead. He lives and has loosed the chains that would bind us and drag us down to the gulf of endless misery. He lives and has made it possible for us to live again forever in Celestial glory. I know that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ in that sacred grove. I know that he translated the gold plates and that the Book of Mormon is true. I know that he is the prophet that opened this last dispensation and the truth will never again be taken from the earth. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the true church on the earth today. I know that He will come again and I look forward with great hope and the knowledge that one day I will see my Savior.

I love you all,

Gihigugma nako kaninyo

Elder McGuire