Onward, Forward, and Upward

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John Thomas McGuire

So this week was pretty great.

Tuesday we had district meeting in Maasin. Elder Oakes gave a great training about finding new investigators and when we get rejected, praying for that contact. It's been really helpful. It says to do so right in PMG chapter 4 but I guess I had forgotten about that. It's really hard to have bitter feelings for someone who rejects you if you're praying for them. 

After that we got on a van and went to Tacloban. We got to meet President and Sister Maurer. Pronunciation is like Hill Cumorah (without the Hill cuh) Yeah the Australian accent really threw me off. Wednesday morning we had breakfast in the mission home. It's gonna be different having foreigners as mission president and wife. We didn't have rice for breakfast but we did have bacon and eggs and english muffins. I was quite taken aback. President Maurer is really cool though. He really wants to learn from the missionaries and is really humble. We mostly just talked about the mission culture during MLC. He's kind of a joker. They just sent their youngest son on a mission to Canada Vancouver mission.

Thursday I went on Exchanges in Hilongos with Elder Wheeler. He reminds me of Malcolm so much it's crazy! He's from Idaho. He dirtbikes, extreme sports, etc... He used to be nationally ranked for pole vault and had scholarships lined up and then got injured and lost it all. He's a really great guy. Very humble and has an incredible work ethic. He wants to be the best. We celebrated the 4th of July together. We made hotdogs and rice krispie treats with red gatorade and oreos and skittles and A1 Steak Sauce (you better believe I found some!) 

The work is going well in Bato. We don't really have any progressing investigators at all. But we did get the Branch Mission Plan established which is a first in the history of Bato Branch. One of our investigators went to Davao for work. None of our other investigators came to church. It's kinda frustrating. Elder Empase just got his flight itinerary home. I can't believe this cycle is half over. Time goes by way too fast.

My personal study was finishing Helaman and starting 3 Nephi. Remember Nephi? How he was working mighty miracles and then people went their way and left him alone to ponder... Well after Samuel the Lamanite preached unto them, Nephi was baptizing people unto repentance. Sometimes we don't understand why people don't get it the first time. Sometimes it takes others to preach and prepare the people's hearts. Sometimes it takes patience and longsuffering. And a whole lot of unwearyingness. In the end, Nephi was translated. 

As far as the language goes, I'm still getting rocked... I can speak it alright... it's just the comprehension and understanding it. This presents a problem because if I don't understand, I get shy and quiet and people think I'm way too serious when really I just have no idea what's going on. This means I don't have the members' trust all that much. So if you need something to pray for, pray that I will be able to understand the people and gain their trust. You wouldn't think it, but the gift of tongues and the gift of the interpretation of tongues are two distinct gifts of the Spirit. 

(Just for the record, I have had a different dialect in each area of my mission... Villaba- cebauno, Tacloban- Waray-h, Calbayog- Waray-s, Bato-cebuano-j)

Mostly I'm doing alright...

We went to the beach in Macrohon earlier today and had a really fun zone activity. It was a much needed breath of fresh air.

This week is gonna be a great week! I am excited to get to work! Press Forward Saints. This is my Mountain to Climb.

Love you all!