Positive Attitudes are best

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John Thomas McGuire

Well this week has been really great.

I have come to a lot of realizations. The first being that I totally asked for a mountain to climb and so God gave it to me. After realizing this, I realized that I had two options. The first being to murmur, gripe and do nothing just endure until the transfer day. And the second, which means to have the same positive attitude that I had before. Being the same person in the darkness as in the light. Being the same person in times of trials as in times of plenty. What is the point of trials and adversity? To help us grow. If we are not actively seeking to grow, we never will. If we never do the things that will help us be better, we will never improve. My attitude has changed a lot this past week and I feel a lot better and happier.

We taught lots of investigators this week. Members were at each of the lessons. I'm not a numbers guy at all. I really don't care about them because we don't baptize numbers we baptize people. But even so, it was good to realize that we were teaching people with support from the branch. The Labapies family is awesome. They have been members since 1992. They have a son in Butuan mission right now. They worked with us several times this past week. The thing about this area is that the members are really awesome and all the church meetings are happening (MCM, BCM, PEC...) which is the first area in my mission to do so. The only downside is that referrals are hard to come by. Their friends are devoted to their own religions. We did get some referrals though and they seem promising. I'm super grateful that almost all the people we are teaching are potential priesthood holders.

We had 2 investigators come to church. Jerome and Nonoy. Jerome is 24. He really knows the Bible well. But he doesn't read the Book of Mormon as much. He loves listening to us and us answering his questions. The problem is his work. He works unearthly hours in a bakery. (like 4 in the afternoon until 8 in the morning 6 days a week...) So most of the time when we teach him he is on the verge of sleeping. He's slightly progressing but quite a ways away from baptism. Nonoy works in a different bakery owned by a member but I've never taught him. He seemed very humble and eager to learn. Hopefully we can teach him this week.

Julios actually came and worked with us during reactivation... But he didn't come to church. I don't know how blunt we have to be that he needs to come to church in order to be baptized. 

We also started teaching President Gonzales' mother. She's diehard catholic. But there are some slight changes this time around. She said she would pray and ask if our church was true. Which is apparently a breakthrough. Sometimes I think we forget about our understanding of prayer is very different from other faiths. I love that our prayers are so personal and direct communication with a loving Father in Heaven.

We had a meeting with the District Presidency yesterday. They asked for our suggestions on how to increase and improve home teaching. So now we're having a combined priesthood home teaching convention on the upcoming saturdays. We will be demonstrating how to be an effective home teacher.

Mostly the work is progressing slightly and slowly. But there is progress.

I went on exchanges with Elder Magtanum this past week. He's just finishing up being trained by Elder Adair. He's new missionary still but he can hold his own. He's from the same stake as Elder Rivera so I had him teach me a little Aklanon. Not really retaining any of it. It's like Illongo and Tagalog and cebuano mixed. The cebuano is going a little better. The promise in Ether 12:27 is true. Sometimes things just take a whole lot of humility, patience, and hard work. Please continue to pray for me though that I'll understand the people.

The miracle I noticed this week is that I have greater unity with Elder Empase. We got off to a rough start. Mostly it was my fault not being able to adapt and transition well. On top of that I didn't understand him of the members since I was coming from Waray and he and this area are cebuano. But now we have better unity. We talk more openly. We respect each other and are helping eachother out. I really do love him and I'm grateful for the things I've learned from him. I've learned that I need to delegate better and communicate what I want to happen more. He's been a blessing.

We also have zone interviews coming up this week so we'll get to see President and Sister Maurer again.

I hope you're all living lives of Gospel integrity. There is no way to happiness outside of the plan of happiness. The work is true. Press on!