You can view Kyle's latest pictures at Oct to Dec 2010
Enjoy!
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
E-mail received 12/28/2010 - Best Christmas Experience Ever!
Woa, Jason Hensley's getting married! That's super fast. I feel like I recognize the name but I definitely don't know who that is. (Kyle's friend who just got home from his mission this past summer and just announced his engagement.)
That's way crazy that all us fat boys are coming home slim. It'll be really cool to see the transformation!
Jaron sent me an email! It was so funny because I was way more excited for that email than any other email or letter I've gotten on my mission (save yours of course), including those from girls! It was pretty funny to think about.
(When Kyle called on Christmas he told me this had been the best Christmas he'd ever experienced and then shared with me their experience. I asked that he write it down so I could share it with everyone else. The following is that story.)
Alright so there's not much time so I'll get right to the story and then another one. We've been teaching this really great family from Haiti and they really work hard. We had recently just met with the mother and found out that her mother had died and she had to make an emergency trip back to Haiti for the funeral that would be the three days leading up to Christmas. We went over on the 23rd so that we could help the kids organize the house so that it would be all nice and spotlessly clean before their mother got home. While we were helping them clean the house they were telling us how their mom wouldn't return until Christmas day and that they really had no hope of a Christmas. Because we were helping them completely clean their house, we were definitely sure that they had no food, no presents, and no cheer for Christmas. As we were driving home from helping them out our hearts ached for them and we wondered if there might be anything that we or the ward might be able to do for them. Next morning we talked with the bishop and the relief society president and the members responded miraculously! Within a few hours we had calls from over 10 families donating food, toys, clothes, stuffed animals and money so that this family could have a Christmas. We spent all of Christmas Eve running around the Hudson Front to get everything for them and our excitement just continued to increase the fuller and fuller our car became. The moment finally arrived and we delivered it to them. They were blown away! They'd never seen such a feast before them! We walked in the house and they were all in separate rooms in quite a brood and within minutes of the arrival they were all in the same room playing, laughing, and sharing with each other! It was truly a Christmas miracle and a blessing to see. Nothing compared to giving Christmas and a blessing to receive such a vision.
-Elder Guinto
That's way crazy that all us fat boys are coming home slim. It'll be really cool to see the transformation!
Jaron sent me an email! It was so funny because I was way more excited for that email than any other email or letter I've gotten on my mission (save yours of course), including those from girls! It was pretty funny to think about.
(When Kyle called on Christmas he told me this had been the best Christmas he'd ever experienced and then shared with me their experience. I asked that he write it down so I could share it with everyone else. The following is that story.)
Alright so there's not much time so I'll get right to the story and then another one. We've been teaching this really great family from Haiti and they really work hard. We had recently just met with the mother and found out that her mother had died and she had to make an emergency trip back to Haiti for the funeral that would be the three days leading up to Christmas. We went over on the 23rd so that we could help the kids organize the house so that it would be all nice and spotlessly clean before their mother got home. While we were helping them clean the house they were telling us how their mom wouldn't return until Christmas day and that they really had no hope of a Christmas. Because we were helping them completely clean their house, we were definitely sure that they had no food, no presents, and no cheer for Christmas. As we were driving home from helping them out our hearts ached for them and we wondered if there might be anything that we or the ward might be able to do for them. Next morning we talked with the bishop and the relief society president and the members responded miraculously! Within a few hours we had calls from over 10 families donating food, toys, clothes, stuffed animals and money so that this family could have a Christmas. We spent all of Christmas Eve running around the Hudson Front to get everything for them and our excitement just continued to increase the fuller and fuller our car became. The moment finally arrived and we delivered it to them. They were blown away! They'd never seen such a feast before them! We walked in the house and they were all in separate rooms in quite a brood and within minutes of the arrival they were all in the same room playing, laughing, and sharing with each other! It was truly a Christmas miracle and a blessing to see. Nothing compared to giving Christmas and a blessing to receive such a vision.
-Elder Guinto
Monday, December 20, 2010
E-mail received 12/20/2010
Alrighty so lot's of business items this week. Finance first. Woa, was not expecting that money. I don't intend to spend it. I was fully resigned to the fact that I would have 30$ for the rest of the mission. I used the 79$ to buy a good warm coat for the winter and a really warm hat. I just remembered suffering through last winter and I just took a look at what I had and decided it was worth it. It's a really nice coat that I got at tj max and it's super warm so it should be a better winter than the last one. The only other potential expenditure that I can foresee would be the last package of ropas home which I'll probably do before the end of January.
Second, here's my plan for Christmas. Just so I make sure I don't miss Katelyn, I'm going to call at 9:00 AM Pacific Time, when you guys should be opening up presents and talk with you guys just for 10-15 minutes. Then I'm going to call again at 4:30 PM Pacific Time, hopefully some of the family will be there at that time so I'll be able to talk to them too!
I'm so excited you got the job!! I won't lie, I was praying really hard for it this week. While it sounds like it's going to take some time away from home, it's eventually going to make everything a little more relaxed. Things will be a little more taken care of and there will be less worries. Remember though, and this may be mostly for Dad and the girls, with great endowment comes great responsibilities. Be careful about raising the standard of living because of a plentiful increase. Great kingdoms rise and are felled in one great swoop as they yield to worldly impulses to splurge in times of plenty and not prepare for times of famine. One thing that I know has really blessed Elder Calderoni and I is being careful with our money so that we have things set aside for an emergency. (Like a super unexpected ticket!...we paid one of those this week.) Be careful and wise with how you use what the Lord has blessed you with.
That's awesome that so many people are getting their Eagle award. I kind of regret how much I wasted my teenage years but it does not do well to dwell on the past. I wonder how Cameron is doing with Kylee being engaged. But I bet that's all way in the past. I can't wait to see where he goes on his mission!
It's good that Dad's exercising and developing his singing talent. When people ask me where I learned to sing I just tell them that my dad's an excellent singer. Hopefully now Dad will learn songs in their entirety now instead of just two lines of the chorus.
We had a really great week this week. We've really been working hard to get this one investigator ready to be baptized on the 26th; the day after Christmas! He's now our 200$ investigator! He's really fighting through a lot of opposition with his father being a pastor though. He's really going to make it though, we're so excited for him. This week he made it to church on his own and he surprised us by coming in a really nice suit! Usually he comes in regular clothes but this time he polished up and he was mistaken for just a regular member. It's really cool to see people transform as a result of the Gospel touching their lives.
We really saw success as we were taking out members with us this week. God really put the resources in our path this week to make great things happen. We were walking on Thursday and we happened to bump into one of the members, who we haven't been able to get a hold of for a team-up in a long time. We asked if she'd like to come with us because we were on our way to an appointment. She came with us and we had a great lesson with a less-active, recent convert family. After the lesson we walked the person home and she agreed to come out with us to two other appointments later that day. As we were leaving her house we were approaching the appointed finding time between the hours of 5-7PM and Elder Calderoni felt inspired to ask her where she thought we could go to find a new investigator. She gave us a referral but told us that we should wait for her to talk to them and then visit next week but gave us a street that she felt prompted that we should go to. We straightway went and knocked a few doors on the street till we met a guy who'd met with the missionaries in South Africa and wanted to learn more about the Book of Mormon! What a member miracle! The lessons with the member later that night went exceptionally well in that we did very little of the talking and the testimony of that member really sank deeply into the heart of those investigators, who both committed themselves to baptism that night. Members are amazing!
I'm so excited for this wonderful Christmas week! There's going to be lots of miracles and we're planning on doing some Christmas Caroling with the zone. Should be fun! Have a great week!
-Elder Guinto
Second, here's my plan for Christmas. Just so I make sure I don't miss Katelyn, I'm going to call at 9:00 AM Pacific Time, when you guys should be opening up presents and talk with you guys just for 10-15 minutes. Then I'm going to call again at 4:30 PM Pacific Time, hopefully some of the family will be there at that time so I'll be able to talk to them too!
I'm so excited you got the job!! I won't lie, I was praying really hard for it this week. While it sounds like it's going to take some time away from home, it's eventually going to make everything a little more relaxed. Things will be a little more taken care of and there will be less worries. Remember though, and this may be mostly for Dad and the girls, with great endowment comes great responsibilities. Be careful about raising the standard of living because of a plentiful increase. Great kingdoms rise and are felled in one great swoop as they yield to worldly impulses to splurge in times of plenty and not prepare for times of famine. One thing that I know has really blessed Elder Calderoni and I is being careful with our money so that we have things set aside for an emergency. (Like a super unexpected ticket!...we paid one of those this week.) Be careful and wise with how you use what the Lord has blessed you with.
That's awesome that so many people are getting their Eagle award. I kind of regret how much I wasted my teenage years but it does not do well to dwell on the past. I wonder how Cameron is doing with Kylee being engaged. But I bet that's all way in the past. I can't wait to see where he goes on his mission!
It's good that Dad's exercising and developing his singing talent. When people ask me where I learned to sing I just tell them that my dad's an excellent singer. Hopefully now Dad will learn songs in their entirety now instead of just two lines of the chorus.
We had a really great week this week. We've really been working hard to get this one investigator ready to be baptized on the 26th; the day after Christmas! He's now our 200$ investigator! He's really fighting through a lot of opposition with his father being a pastor though. He's really going to make it though, we're so excited for him. This week he made it to church on his own and he surprised us by coming in a really nice suit! Usually he comes in regular clothes but this time he polished up and he was mistaken for just a regular member. It's really cool to see people transform as a result of the Gospel touching their lives.
We really saw success as we were taking out members with us this week. God really put the resources in our path this week to make great things happen. We were walking on Thursday and we happened to bump into one of the members, who we haven't been able to get a hold of for a team-up in a long time. We asked if she'd like to come with us because we were on our way to an appointment. She came with us and we had a great lesson with a less-active, recent convert family. After the lesson we walked the person home and she agreed to come out with us to two other appointments later that day. As we were leaving her house we were approaching the appointed finding time between the hours of 5-7PM and Elder Calderoni felt inspired to ask her where she thought we could go to find a new investigator. She gave us a referral but told us that we should wait for her to talk to them and then visit next week but gave us a street that she felt prompted that we should go to. We straightway went and knocked a few doors on the street till we met a guy who'd met with the missionaries in South Africa and wanted to learn more about the Book of Mormon! What a member miracle! The lessons with the member later that night went exceptionally well in that we did very little of the talking and the testimony of that member really sank deeply into the heart of those investigators, who both committed themselves to baptism that night. Members are amazing!
I'm so excited for this wonderful Christmas week! There's going to be lots of miracles and we're planning on doing some Christmas Caroling with the zone. Should be fun! Have a great week!
-Elder Guinto
Monday, December 13, 2010
E-mail received 12/13/2010
That's alright I like long letters. WOA! Brittany's married now! That's super weird! I knew stuff like this would happen but when it actually happens it's a little strange realizing that it'll be a quite different home I'll be returning to.
It's really kind of sad going to mission activities now and realizing that it's my last on my mission. Time flies way too fast!
I'll definitely be praying for you and your job opportunities. I know that finances are pretty tough right now. One of life's greatest struggles is embodied in the most simplest of phrases in the scriptures: "Endure to the End." When we read it it sounds so easy, so rudimentary. But when we experience it, we realize it's much more difficult than we ever anticipated. The comfort comes in knowing that we do not have to do it alone. We can, but why would we? Isaiah told us to lean not unto our own understanding, in all our ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct our paths. Then enduring not only becomes easy, but enjoyable because we're in it together with our families.
One item you might like to know, and I probably should've told you this earlier but here it is, you should probably get that package off ASAP because we're getting mail on Wednesday and after that we're not getting mail till probably January...just a little note.
I'm probably going to be sending you a package with the rest of my clothes and some other things that I don't really use much. I'm "de-junking." I also have a lot of things that are pretty distracting so I'll probably send those too. I should hopefully get those off today. Now that we're in a two-man again we have a little more time on P-day's to do things.
Transfers went pretty smoothly this week. Elder Calderoni and I are still together but the whole zone changed drastically. Almost every companionship changed and almost everyone who got switched out were switched with Elders who I've worked closely with before and who were zone leaders the transfer before. We got stacked! Our zone has most of the best missionaries in the mission! We're going to really rock the Hudson Front this transfer and we're all super pumped to work together!
One of the things that I think sets apart the missionaries that came in with any other missionary is the keen ability to set good goals. I think goal setting was definitely something that I lacked before I came out on a mission. I really appreciate how much easier everything is when you have a clear and bright direction to guide your feet. You also feel the glorious light of purpose which really helps you to achieve worthy accomplishments and improve internally so that those triumphant moments last. We've set some really good goals with the missionaries to really get their purpose and obedience in their hearts so that they can really reap in the white field before them.
Elder Calderoni and I were a little disrupted by the bulk of meetings this week. We enjoyed a great meal at the mission home with our zone where we shared good company, good food, and good conversion stories that we've all experienced in our time here in New Jersey. We also had a great fireside in Union City, in Spanish. Great talks, and inspiring music helped us to remember the real meaning of Christmas and the wonderful blessings the Savior's birth brought to all who live on this earth. I hope, as you exchange presents and gifts this year, you remember the gift the Savior has given you and just how much it really cost. Show gratitude to your Father in Heaven, who's given you everything by giving Him what you can render. Service to others, a loving hand to lift up, a kind smile, a letter of encouragement, your heart, your all. Though some may feel they have little to give, what little means so much to those who have none. The Savior said, "These deeds shall thy memorial be, fear not, thou didst them unto me." ("A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief) I challenge each of you to really capture that magical spirit of Christmas this year in giving, and grateful receiving.
We're excited to work hard this Christmas season, knowing that we are bringing the greatest gift that anyone on this earth can receive: the matchless love of God's divine son. It's truly a pleasure, a joy beyond measure, a blessing of duty and love.
-Elder Guinto
It's really kind of sad going to mission activities now and realizing that it's my last on my mission. Time flies way too fast!
I'll definitely be praying for you and your job opportunities. I know that finances are pretty tough right now. One of life's greatest struggles is embodied in the most simplest of phrases in the scriptures: "Endure to the End." When we read it it sounds so easy, so rudimentary. But when we experience it, we realize it's much more difficult than we ever anticipated. The comfort comes in knowing that we do not have to do it alone. We can, but why would we? Isaiah told us to lean not unto our own understanding, in all our ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct our paths. Then enduring not only becomes easy, but enjoyable because we're in it together with our families.
One item you might like to know, and I probably should've told you this earlier but here it is, you should probably get that package off ASAP because we're getting mail on Wednesday and after that we're not getting mail till probably January...just a little note.
I'm probably going to be sending you a package with the rest of my clothes and some other things that I don't really use much. I'm "de-junking." I also have a lot of things that are pretty distracting so I'll probably send those too. I should hopefully get those off today. Now that we're in a two-man again we have a little more time on P-day's to do things.
Transfers went pretty smoothly this week. Elder Calderoni and I are still together but the whole zone changed drastically. Almost every companionship changed and almost everyone who got switched out were switched with Elders who I've worked closely with before and who were zone leaders the transfer before. We got stacked! Our zone has most of the best missionaries in the mission! We're going to really rock the Hudson Front this transfer and we're all super pumped to work together!
One of the things that I think sets apart the missionaries that came in with any other missionary is the keen ability to set good goals. I think goal setting was definitely something that I lacked before I came out on a mission. I really appreciate how much easier everything is when you have a clear and bright direction to guide your feet. You also feel the glorious light of purpose which really helps you to achieve worthy accomplishments and improve internally so that those triumphant moments last. We've set some really good goals with the missionaries to really get their purpose and obedience in their hearts so that they can really reap in the white field before them.
Elder Calderoni and I were a little disrupted by the bulk of meetings this week. We enjoyed a great meal at the mission home with our zone where we shared good company, good food, and good conversion stories that we've all experienced in our time here in New Jersey. We also had a great fireside in Union City, in Spanish. Great talks, and inspiring music helped us to remember the real meaning of Christmas and the wonderful blessings the Savior's birth brought to all who live on this earth. I hope, as you exchange presents and gifts this year, you remember the gift the Savior has given you and just how much it really cost. Show gratitude to your Father in Heaven, who's given you everything by giving Him what you can render. Service to others, a loving hand to lift up, a kind smile, a letter of encouragement, your heart, your all. Though some may feel they have little to give, what little means so much to those who have none. The Savior said, "These deeds shall thy memorial be, fear not, thou didst them unto me." ("A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief) I challenge each of you to really capture that magical spirit of Christmas this year in giving, and grateful receiving.
We're excited to work hard this Christmas season, knowing that we are bringing the greatest gift that anyone on this earth can receive: the matchless love of God's divine son. It's truly a pleasure, a joy beyond measure, a blessing of duty and love.
-Elder Guinto
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
E-mail received 12/6/2010 - December Already!
I sent the pictures they should be getting to you soon. I didn't email on saturday because we didn't have the temple trip. The assistants texted us and told us that all temple trips were to be postponed until after transfer conference so that they would get people going and then going again because their new companion hadn't gone already. We will hopefully be going either this saturday or the next but we're not sure yet.
Sounds like a lot of job opportunities are opening up and the Lord is preparing you to do some great work. Just keep praying and I know that the Lord will direct your paths. Lean not unto thine own understanding, in all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths.
As far as the tow incident. Don't worry about sending any more money. I don't spend anything so it shouldn't be a problem. I already bought a very inexpensive pair of shoes so my needs are taken care of. I know that my companion doesn't have a lot of funds to his name so I volunteered to pay the whole amount. I don't expect him to pay any of it but he's already decided that he wants to make it up in installments so what I get from him I'm going to put into an emergency reserve fund just in case something else comes up.
It's kind of weird. Most of the names that you've said are ones that I don't recognize like the Mortensens & the Shepards. Maybe I just didn't know them very well but I'm excited to meet them when I come home.
That's cool that you're getting the tree! We set up ours last Thursday. It's fake, and it's white but it does the job. I miss Washington where everyone has a real tree and I told everyone how it's a travesty that we're having a fake one but in most places in New Jersey it's illegal to have a real tree because it's a "fire hazard."
Transfers are this week! Neither Elder Calderoni or myself are getting transferred so we'll have the blessing of serving together for at least six more weeks. After this transfer we will have served for a fourth of our mission together! Crazy! Two companionships are being doubled out and the zones getting a major face-lift again. Should be pretty exciting.
What a wonderful time to be doing missionary work. The first snows of the season are falling today and field is, literally, white and already to harvest. Elder Calderoni and I have really been looking towards the following transfer and the miracles that we're expecting to occur.
We had a great week this week as we were really able to contemplate on the things that we want to improve in so that we can fit ourselves for the work to which we are appointed. We met with the zone leaders and with our district leaders to talk about how we can move the mission in a monumental way towards bringing more of God's children unto Christ. We surmised that the best way is unity. We've seen examples from the Godhead, the first presidency, and the quorum of the twelve apostles about how unity is an inspiring and absolutely vital part of a working appendage of the church of Christ. We've been examining ourselves to see what we can change to have an eye single to His glory and our hearts knit together in unity and it love. we may need glasses and a lot of string to do that but no doubt it will be worth it.
As we met with the district leaders about what goals we would help the members of the zone set we realized that the work plays so much into our own desires. Really what we focus on, we will get. Whether that focus be on relaxation and pleasure or on the salvation and exaltation for ourselves and for others, it is our choice to choose the results we attain in this life. We determined to focus on matters of the heart for this transfer. Really helping missionaries focus on their own faith and perfection so they can minister that renewed testimony of divine truth to bless the lives of those they serve.
Elder Calderoni and I have really seen how setting goals yields powerful fruits. Our last zone goal was to put every missionary out on the line in testifying to everyone of the truth and divinity of the book, prophet, and Gospel we are called to proclaim. We've had the opportunity of seeing three choice souls begin from one critical moment where we were pushed by a goal to contact a person that we'd never met before and share with them the talent we've been given. Those three people now have baptismal dates for the day after Christmas and are progressing like wildfire! We truly gained a testimony that there are prepared individuals all around us. We don't know who they are but the Lord does and, as we seek for it, the Spirit will guide us to them and we must open our mouths.
One of those people had a really hard time coming to church this last week but made it anyway. His father is a pastor and very antagonistic towards the church. The son forgoes the family strife because he's already received a witness that these things are true and he cannot deny it. We admire him because he's really pressing through some strong opposition so that he can be baptized the day after Christmas. It's an inspiration and a blessing to see his determination.
We're excited to work and hope that you all can feel the power and love of God this Christmas season.
-Elder Guinto
Sounds like a lot of job opportunities are opening up and the Lord is preparing you to do some great work. Just keep praying and I know that the Lord will direct your paths. Lean not unto thine own understanding, in all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths.
As far as the tow incident. Don't worry about sending any more money. I don't spend anything so it shouldn't be a problem. I already bought a very inexpensive pair of shoes so my needs are taken care of. I know that my companion doesn't have a lot of funds to his name so I volunteered to pay the whole amount. I don't expect him to pay any of it but he's already decided that he wants to make it up in installments so what I get from him I'm going to put into an emergency reserve fund just in case something else comes up.
It's kind of weird. Most of the names that you've said are ones that I don't recognize like the Mortensens & the Shepards. Maybe I just didn't know them very well but I'm excited to meet them when I come home.
That's cool that you're getting the tree! We set up ours last Thursday. It's fake, and it's white but it does the job. I miss Washington where everyone has a real tree and I told everyone how it's a travesty that we're having a fake one but in most places in New Jersey it's illegal to have a real tree because it's a "fire hazard."
Transfers are this week! Neither Elder Calderoni or myself are getting transferred so we'll have the blessing of serving together for at least six more weeks. After this transfer we will have served for a fourth of our mission together! Crazy! Two companionships are being doubled out and the zones getting a major face-lift again. Should be pretty exciting.
What a wonderful time to be doing missionary work. The first snows of the season are falling today and field is, literally, white and already to harvest. Elder Calderoni and I have really been looking towards the following transfer and the miracles that we're expecting to occur.
We had a great week this week as we were really able to contemplate on the things that we want to improve in so that we can fit ourselves for the work to which we are appointed. We met with the zone leaders and with our district leaders to talk about how we can move the mission in a monumental way towards bringing more of God's children unto Christ. We surmised that the best way is unity. We've seen examples from the Godhead, the first presidency, and the quorum of the twelve apostles about how unity is an inspiring and absolutely vital part of a working appendage of the church of Christ. We've been examining ourselves to see what we can change to have an eye single to His glory and our hearts knit together in unity and it love. we may need glasses and a lot of string to do that but no doubt it will be worth it.
As we met with the district leaders about what goals we would help the members of the zone set we realized that the work plays so much into our own desires. Really what we focus on, we will get. Whether that focus be on relaxation and pleasure or on the salvation and exaltation for ourselves and for others, it is our choice to choose the results we attain in this life. We determined to focus on matters of the heart for this transfer. Really helping missionaries focus on their own faith and perfection so they can minister that renewed testimony of divine truth to bless the lives of those they serve.
Elder Calderoni and I have really seen how setting goals yields powerful fruits. Our last zone goal was to put every missionary out on the line in testifying to everyone of the truth and divinity of the book, prophet, and Gospel we are called to proclaim. We've had the opportunity of seeing three choice souls begin from one critical moment where we were pushed by a goal to contact a person that we'd never met before and share with them the talent we've been given. Those three people now have baptismal dates for the day after Christmas and are progressing like wildfire! We truly gained a testimony that there are prepared individuals all around us. We don't know who they are but the Lord does and, as we seek for it, the Spirit will guide us to them and we must open our mouths.
One of those people had a really hard time coming to church this last week but made it anyway. His father is a pastor and very antagonistic towards the church. The son forgoes the family strife because he's already received a witness that these things are true and he cannot deny it. We admire him because he's really pressing through some strong opposition so that he can be baptized the day after Christmas. It's an inspiration and a blessing to see his determination.
We're excited to work and hope that you all can feel the power and love of God this Christmas season.
-Elder Guinto
Monday, November 29, 2010
E-mail received 11/29/2010
Wow sounds like one crazy Thanksgiving week that you guys had! We had a pretty crazy one ourselves but not in the way of weather. I definitely felt a little sting of homesickness on Thanksgiving day. We had our dinner with Dave Zumbrennan, he's like the mission dad in Jersey City and he really takes care of the missionaries. We had a lot of really good food but it really made me miss Thanksgivings back home. Another family gave us food as well. All in all it was pretty good.
Boy I'm excited for Christmas! I should tell you to send me another email before Saturday. We're doing our temple trip on Saturday so that will be our preparation day for next week so I'll email you then. It's hard to believe that it's already December! As far as clothing they pretty much have all the same stores as they do on the west coast. We live in a heavily populated city here so between having two malls we basically have everything. Just for reference, even if you already bought everything it's nice to know, for tops I wear between a small and a large and for pants it's safe to go between a 32"-34" waist.
One thing I did want to make sure and say is that I decided to not ask president to switch to the Spanish program. I've been thinking about it a lot lately and even though my Spanish has been improving a lot lately and I've been using it a lot and I really would like to serve in the Spanish program, it would definitely be because it's something that I want. If it's something that the Lord wants then the mission president will be inspired to make the assignment and I am content to do whatever the Lord asks of me. For now he's asked me to lend my talents and skills to the English-speaking people and so I am happy to serve them.
So I do have to get this out of the way, if you haven't seen it already there's a substantial withdrawal from my checking account which should appear as a withdrawal of 102$ and 62$. I realize that's a huge amount of money but there's a really cool story that goes with it.
We had gone to meet with an investigator at the Newport Mall and we decided to park in the BJ's parking lot, which we've parked in several times. We crossed the street to go to the mall but we couldn't find him there and he wasn't answering his phone so after about 15 minutes we abandoned the pursuit for that time and went back to the car. When we entered the parking lot, somewhat sad that we weren't able to meet with that investigator we both came to a complete halt. We looked around, we looked at each other, the same thought clicked in both our minds which we voiced vocally, "We parked the car right there right?" It was gone! We stood there looking around for a few minutes and probably altogether looking pretty dumb trying to figure out what had happened to the car. My first thought was that they had towed it but there was no way that they could've towed it that fast and we'd done nothing wrong that I could've thought of. My next that was that it had gotten stolen. Luckily there was a nice lady parked right behind where we had parked and we asked her what happened. She told us that she'd seen the car get towed, but what's more it had gotten towed only three minutes after we'd left the car. We called the police and found out that we weren't supposed to park in the parking lot if we weren't going to BJ's and the lot was under close camera surveillance. We went into BJ's and talked with an employee about getting our car back. They told us that we needed to talk with a supervisor who was currently stationed between isles 12 & 13. We walk between isles 12 & 13 and one of the members that we know happens to be doing their shopping in isle 12. They were flabbergasted to see us there because they had actually just been talking about us and here we come. We talked to the supervisor who told us our car was across town and was actually about to close and if we didn't get our car that night we would lose the car for the whole holiday weekend! Magically the member was right there and was more than happy to give us a ride and to convince us to keep the appointment that we had in a couple minutes which we were in the process of canceling when we saw him. We rushed over and for some reason I was just in the most peachy mood for someone getting towed. I was happy as a little toad in a swamp. On the way there I was told that we'd probably have to pay cash and the thought came that I could only withdraw in 20's so I thought hey I think I might brighten the tow guys day a little bit and give him a nice little tip with whatever's left over. We got there and found out that they didn't have change so I had to give them the tip anyway but it was good that I was in the mood for it in the first place. Anyway we rush off to the appointment which is with a referral and we have a hard time finding the place but fortunately we find it and so does the member that we'd scheduled to bring with us. We knock on the door and the man answers and starts yelling at us. He tells us that we're no good and that he read about us online and that he believes in God and we're of the devil because we believe in Joseph Smith and not God. We tried for a few minutes to explain the truth to him but he was definitely not in the mood to hear as whenever we tried to respond he would just repeat what he had previously affirmed in increasing loudness and intensity. We saw that this wasn't going anywhere and were about to leave. After we asked him if he knew anyone who would be willing to listen and he smartly told us no, the door to the apartment complex opens and out walks a young man we'd met on the street the previous week and given a pass-along-card to. Turns out that this young man is the man's son and has the same name as him only he's the Jr. He's the one who ordered the Book of Mormon. After a short meeting with him, amidst the screams and competitive shouts of his father, the young man received a testimony that the Book was true and began testifying to his father that he was feeling the Spirit and he knew that this Book of Mormon, us missionaries, and this church was from God! It was really cool in that moment to see how the Devil was doing everything to keep us from being there and God had given a way for us to be in the right place at the right time.
We saw many more miracles this week in which we met people for the first time and after feeling the Spirit were in tears at the love and mercy God was extending towards them. I'm really beginning to understand my purpose out here the more that I lose myself in this wonderful service. It really is true. It really is. And I'm loving every minute of it.
-Elder Guinto
Boy I'm excited for Christmas! I should tell you to send me another email before Saturday. We're doing our temple trip on Saturday so that will be our preparation day for next week so I'll email you then. It's hard to believe that it's already December! As far as clothing they pretty much have all the same stores as they do on the west coast. We live in a heavily populated city here so between having two malls we basically have everything. Just for reference, even if you already bought everything it's nice to know, for tops I wear between a small and a large and for pants it's safe to go between a 32"-34" waist.
One thing I did want to make sure and say is that I decided to not ask president to switch to the Spanish program. I've been thinking about it a lot lately and even though my Spanish has been improving a lot lately and I've been using it a lot and I really would like to serve in the Spanish program, it would definitely be because it's something that I want. If it's something that the Lord wants then the mission president will be inspired to make the assignment and I am content to do whatever the Lord asks of me. For now he's asked me to lend my talents and skills to the English-speaking people and so I am happy to serve them.
So I do have to get this out of the way, if you haven't seen it already there's a substantial withdrawal from my checking account which should appear as a withdrawal of 102$ and 62$. I realize that's a huge amount of money but there's a really cool story that goes with it.
We had gone to meet with an investigator at the Newport Mall and we decided to park in the BJ's parking lot, which we've parked in several times. We crossed the street to go to the mall but we couldn't find him there and he wasn't answering his phone so after about 15 minutes we abandoned the pursuit for that time and went back to the car. When we entered the parking lot, somewhat sad that we weren't able to meet with that investigator we both came to a complete halt. We looked around, we looked at each other, the same thought clicked in both our minds which we voiced vocally, "We parked the car right there right?" It was gone! We stood there looking around for a few minutes and probably altogether looking pretty dumb trying to figure out what had happened to the car. My first thought was that they had towed it but there was no way that they could've towed it that fast and we'd done nothing wrong that I could've thought of. My next that was that it had gotten stolen. Luckily there was a nice lady parked right behind where we had parked and we asked her what happened. She told us that she'd seen the car get towed, but what's more it had gotten towed only three minutes after we'd left the car. We called the police and found out that we weren't supposed to park in the parking lot if we weren't going to BJ's and the lot was under close camera surveillance. We went into BJ's and talked with an employee about getting our car back. They told us that we needed to talk with a supervisor who was currently stationed between isles 12 & 13. We walk between isles 12 & 13 and one of the members that we know happens to be doing their shopping in isle 12. They were flabbergasted to see us there because they had actually just been talking about us and here we come. We talked to the supervisor who told us our car was across town and was actually about to close and if we didn't get our car that night we would lose the car for the whole holiday weekend! Magically the member was right there and was more than happy to give us a ride and to convince us to keep the appointment that we had in a couple minutes which we were in the process of canceling when we saw him. We rushed over and for some reason I was just in the most peachy mood for someone getting towed. I was happy as a little toad in a swamp. On the way there I was told that we'd probably have to pay cash and the thought came that I could only withdraw in 20's so I thought hey I think I might brighten the tow guys day a little bit and give him a nice little tip with whatever's left over. We got there and found out that they didn't have change so I had to give them the tip anyway but it was good that I was in the mood for it in the first place. Anyway we rush off to the appointment which is with a referral and we have a hard time finding the place but fortunately we find it and so does the member that we'd scheduled to bring with us. We knock on the door and the man answers and starts yelling at us. He tells us that we're no good and that he read about us online and that he believes in God and we're of the devil because we believe in Joseph Smith and not God. We tried for a few minutes to explain the truth to him but he was definitely not in the mood to hear as whenever we tried to respond he would just repeat what he had previously affirmed in increasing loudness and intensity. We saw that this wasn't going anywhere and were about to leave. After we asked him if he knew anyone who would be willing to listen and he smartly told us no, the door to the apartment complex opens and out walks a young man we'd met on the street the previous week and given a pass-along-card to. Turns out that this young man is the man's son and has the same name as him only he's the Jr. He's the one who ordered the Book of Mormon. After a short meeting with him, amidst the screams and competitive shouts of his father, the young man received a testimony that the Book was true and began testifying to his father that he was feeling the Spirit and he knew that this Book of Mormon, us missionaries, and this church was from God! It was really cool in that moment to see how the Devil was doing everything to keep us from being there and God had given a way for us to be in the right place at the right time.
We saw many more miracles this week in which we met people for the first time and after feeling the Spirit were in tears at the love and mercy God was extending towards them. I'm really beginning to understand my purpose out here the more that I lose myself in this wonderful service. It really is true. It really is. And I'm loving every minute of it.
-Elder Guinto
Monday, November 22, 2010
E-mail received 11/22/2010
Wow, sounds really weird. We've actually been having pretty fair weather here in Jersey City. Only a few days of bad rain. One really crazy thing that happened this week though is that we got in a car accident! A few drunk people coming from a party crashed into our parked car right after we'd gotten into it. It was pretty crazy. We had to do a lot of arranging but it all worked out alright. We have a lot of great senior missionaries working in the office who really take care of us really well.
I did get the package! Thanks so much. I think I'm going to make the cake today as well as mail off the card. You guessed right, I was out of stamps. I haven't bought shoes yet. Time on P-days has been really short because of choir practices for the Christmas firesides. I'm singing a solo for a song I've never heard before but it's a pretty song. It's called "Night of all Nights." Sister Bahr's crazy about it but not a single missionary in the mission has ever heard it before and what they gave us to sing off of at first was just a paper with the words. After suffering through it and finding that no one had ever heard it they decided to make it a solo instead. So I'll be singing this Sunday and then again on December 12, should be fun.
I did hear about Harry Potter coming out. It's just about all the Americans in our area talk about now a days. I hear it's pretty good. I hope that both of the seventh book movies are out when I come home so that I can just watch them both together. That'll make it nice and painless.
It's so weird to think that this will be my last Thanksgiving in the mission. Fortunately we're not going to have to worry about having 5 dinner appointments like last year because we can plan it. We know that we have somewhere for breakfast but no one's invited us for dinner yet. We'll see though. Say "hi" to everyone at Thanksgiving for me though!
That's crazy that Ben Swenson is coming home soon! It seems like his mission is on the same transfer cycle as ours. I can't remember but he's in Japan or some crazy place like that right? That'll be super weird when you guys start counting the days and your emails start ending with, "Well, see you in a month!" Elder Coffin started getting those and it made him super trunky.
Well we had a pretty exciting week! We didn't have much of an opportunity to work in our area because we had some extensive leadership training but despite the time out our area seemed to explode. The training, once again, really helped us focus on the Spirit, the truth, and the investigator. It really helped Elder Calderoni and I to realize the things that we needed to change with certain people so that they could really begin to, not just keep commitments or go to church but, have spiritually moving experiences which convert them and bring them closer to Christ. When we went to apply the training, big surprise, it worked! Everyone began to start realizing really why they've been listening to us and the impact that the message from Christ and the Book of Mormon will have in their lives. Solution after solution seemed to present itself as we addressed their needs and found their concerns. It's really been a good week for us.
We've really seen us be more excited in planning. The more we love them the more happy we are to strive with them because then it truly becomes a labor of love. One family in particular, we've been working with a while. We lost contact with them a while ago and Elder Calderoni was inspired to just drop by one Sunday morning. The mother happened to be there and we were able to find out that despite everything that's been going on, her and her family have made great leaps and bounds in changing their lives to bring them in closer harmony with the Savior and His teachings. We were so excited for them and along with other families who now have a renewed commitment to follow the Savior by repenting and being baptized.
I love the work! I love the miracles it brings and the joy we experience as we labor in this transcendent, latter-day undertaking.
-Elder Guinto
I did get the package! Thanks so much. I think I'm going to make the cake today as well as mail off the card. You guessed right, I was out of stamps. I haven't bought shoes yet. Time on P-days has been really short because of choir practices for the Christmas firesides. I'm singing a solo for a song I've never heard before but it's a pretty song. It's called "Night of all Nights." Sister Bahr's crazy about it but not a single missionary in the mission has ever heard it before and what they gave us to sing off of at first was just a paper with the words. After suffering through it and finding that no one had ever heard it they decided to make it a solo instead. So I'll be singing this Sunday and then again on December 12, should be fun.
I did hear about Harry Potter coming out. It's just about all the Americans in our area talk about now a days. I hear it's pretty good. I hope that both of the seventh book movies are out when I come home so that I can just watch them both together. That'll make it nice and painless.
It's so weird to think that this will be my last Thanksgiving in the mission. Fortunately we're not going to have to worry about having 5 dinner appointments like last year because we can plan it. We know that we have somewhere for breakfast but no one's invited us for dinner yet. We'll see though. Say "hi" to everyone at Thanksgiving for me though!
That's crazy that Ben Swenson is coming home soon! It seems like his mission is on the same transfer cycle as ours. I can't remember but he's in Japan or some crazy place like that right? That'll be super weird when you guys start counting the days and your emails start ending with, "Well, see you in a month!" Elder Coffin started getting those and it made him super trunky.
Well we had a pretty exciting week! We didn't have much of an opportunity to work in our area because we had some extensive leadership training but despite the time out our area seemed to explode. The training, once again, really helped us focus on the Spirit, the truth, and the investigator. It really helped Elder Calderoni and I to realize the things that we needed to change with certain people so that they could really begin to, not just keep commitments or go to church but, have spiritually moving experiences which convert them and bring them closer to Christ. When we went to apply the training, big surprise, it worked! Everyone began to start realizing really why they've been listening to us and the impact that the message from Christ and the Book of Mormon will have in their lives. Solution after solution seemed to present itself as we addressed their needs and found their concerns. It's really been a good week for us.
We've really seen us be more excited in planning. The more we love them the more happy we are to strive with them because then it truly becomes a labor of love. One family in particular, we've been working with a while. We lost contact with them a while ago and Elder Calderoni was inspired to just drop by one Sunday morning. The mother happened to be there and we were able to find out that despite everything that's been going on, her and her family have made great leaps and bounds in changing their lives to bring them in closer harmony with the Savior and His teachings. We were so excited for them and along with other families who now have a renewed commitment to follow the Savior by repenting and being baptized.
I love the work! I love the miracles it brings and the joy we experience as we labor in this transcendent, latter-day undertaking.
-Elder Guinto
Monday, November 15, 2010
E-mail received 11/15/2010 - Happy Birthday Kyle!
WOA! I can't believe that Mike and Fawn are getting married. It took me a while to remember who Fawn was but now that I think of it that would be such an awesome couple. That would really help Fawn with her situation too. I really hope that they are happy together!
My birthday was actually really great! This great family had us over for a great dinner and they even got me a cake and sang happy birthday to me. We had a real fun time. The Whites are super cool. Also my companion and roommates decided to have a little candle blowing out ceremony during personal study so that was fun. It feels really weird being 20. It's one of those ages that you never think you reach until you're there I guess.
That is really not good about Dad burning his hands. He really needs those. Really good that there won't be any permanent damage though. He's always trying new things. Dad would be proud to know that there's a Filipino Bakery and grocery right on our block and that I've converted the whole apartment to asado rolls and pandesal. Elder Yates and I are trying to work ourselves into buying balut but we've decided it's a process we're going to have to continue to work towards.
Bleh, Katelyn going on a date with Caleb. Not that I don't think he's a good kid, because he is, I'm just an over protective older brother and I think my sisters dating anyone is gross.
I haven't talked with President Bahr about it explicitly but I have been working a lot on it (his desire to do the second half of his mission Spanish speaking). Elder Yates gave me some Spanish Grammar flash cards to learn more things and I'm working with Elder Calderoni on my teaching skills in a lesson. It's really quite fun and I really like every opportunity that I get to speak and teach in Spanish. It's cool to see how the Spirit can touch hearts outside of our own immediate understanding. I am going to talk with him before the end of this transfer though and see what he says. Ultimately it's really not up to him or me but it's all in the Lord's hands and I am more than content to do what he asks.
This week was really a landmark week for me. With my birthday coming up I was really reflecting on how much I had changed and how much more I need to change over the next year so that I can do everything the Lord expects of me. I was given a talk to read from Elder Yates entitled "The 4th Missionary." It's a 30 page discourse on the kinds of missionaries who are out there and the kind of missionaries we should be. It really captures and teaches how to grow and develop something that I've found vitally important to life and to my mission: the Spirit of the Law.
For most of my mission I've been a letter-of-the-law missionary. I've kept the rules exactly and I've chosen to never come down from that standard but I feel now that I was really lacking in the, more important, spirit of that law I've striven to keep. One thing that I've really learned was a greater understanding of one of the things that Christ came here to do, which was to set up the higher law. These commands are to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy strength, with all thy mind, with all thy might, and with all thy soul. The second, like unto it, is to love thy neighbor as thy self. "The 4th Missionary" really helps missionaries understand what those commandments mean in great detail & intricacy. There are missionaries who go and come home because they did not have the right heart. There are missionaries who go, stay for two years but don't accomplish much by way of success in the lives of others or spiritual growth because they do not have the right heart. There are missionaries who stay for the two years, are valiantly obedient, reap wonderful fruit but do not grow, spiritually, as much as they could have because they withhold their good heart. And then there are the great missionaries who go on their mission and give their hearts wholly to God and accomplish wondrous things among God's children and let God cultivate in their own hearts something they could have never made themselves.
The central feature behind the change of heart that must occur in order to reach the full potential of your mission is essentially humility. Humility towards God, towards others and to yourself. Elder Kearon talked of the little rebellion within each of us which tells us to seek our own, to go a little shy or to do a little thing and God will beat us with a few stripes and at last we shall be saved. Our job is to stamp out that rebellion, while there are many ways to accomplish this there is one way in which we will grow from it. One way to stamp out the little seeds of our rebellion from ever taking root and growing into sin is to bury it deep, ignore the problem and the issue and forget about it. This solution is only temporary and does not give room for new seed to be planted or new love cultivated. Another path is to dig up the seed and throw it in another place. This solution, while lasting a little longer and giving place for fruit, is also only temporary. When we cast out the seed, again forgetting about it, we must see where that seed is cast: into a brother's garden. Often times we strive to put ourselves above others in our struggle for perfection and when we see others who do not strive to uphold the same straining Mosaic standard we battle to retain we belittle them or even, in our hearts, cast a burden on them and do not grow, but stay the same as we are fenced in by the law.
There is but one way. This way comes from realizing one simple, yet profound and deep doctrine. We are NOT good gardeners. We never have been and we probably won't be for some while. No matter how we toil and suffer we cannot, of ourselves, cultivate the work we desire. There is but one who can: the Lord. The answer then is obvious. We must sell the field. Sell it! Whatever the price we must stop kicking so hard against the spiritual pricks of our pride and sell our vanity, our desires (even our righteous desires), EVERYTHING that we have to the God of miracles and put our lives, our liberties, our very souls in the hands of the Father whose work this is. In short we must trust in Him.
Love is the key. Love towards all men and to the household of faith (Jesus Christ). If we capture that perfect love then we have the ability to, as Gordon B. Hinckley's father wisely stated, "Forget yourself and go to work."
This doctrine, understood, has changed my mission. I've only just read the talk a few days ago, but they've been the best few days of my life. I no longer feel unfulfilled and hopeless but I feel the redeeming and infinite love of a truly Celestial Father in accomplishing the work he's sent me to do as a servant, not as a man or a worker, a master or a gardener, but as a servant. My will now is to do the will of Him that sent me and there is greater peace in that then all the wealth this finite world could ever provide. Where there was once anger and frustration there is love. Where there was once fear and justification there is peace. Where there was once a battle to stamp out all ungodliness in an ever growing infection which could not be stopped, only hindered for a moment, now rests a long wearied soul whose joy it is to endure all things and HOPE to be able to endure all things.
I am the happiest I've ever been in my entire life. Period. I'm so filled with joy in my Savior and my King and my only joy is to do his work.
-Elder Guinto
My birthday was actually really great! This great family had us over for a great dinner and they even got me a cake and sang happy birthday to me. We had a real fun time. The Whites are super cool. Also my companion and roommates decided to have a little candle blowing out ceremony during personal study so that was fun. It feels really weird being 20. It's one of those ages that you never think you reach until you're there I guess.
That is really not good about Dad burning his hands. He really needs those. Really good that there won't be any permanent damage though. He's always trying new things. Dad would be proud to know that there's a Filipino Bakery and grocery right on our block and that I've converted the whole apartment to asado rolls and pandesal. Elder Yates and I are trying to work ourselves into buying balut but we've decided it's a process we're going to have to continue to work towards.
Bleh, Katelyn going on a date with Caleb. Not that I don't think he's a good kid, because he is, I'm just an over protective older brother and I think my sisters dating anyone is gross.
I haven't talked with President Bahr about it explicitly but I have been working a lot on it (his desire to do the second half of his mission Spanish speaking). Elder Yates gave me some Spanish Grammar flash cards to learn more things and I'm working with Elder Calderoni on my teaching skills in a lesson. It's really quite fun and I really like every opportunity that I get to speak and teach in Spanish. It's cool to see how the Spirit can touch hearts outside of our own immediate understanding. I am going to talk with him before the end of this transfer though and see what he says. Ultimately it's really not up to him or me but it's all in the Lord's hands and I am more than content to do what he asks.
This week was really a landmark week for me. With my birthday coming up I was really reflecting on how much I had changed and how much more I need to change over the next year so that I can do everything the Lord expects of me. I was given a talk to read from Elder Yates entitled "The 4th Missionary." It's a 30 page discourse on the kinds of missionaries who are out there and the kind of missionaries we should be. It really captures and teaches how to grow and develop something that I've found vitally important to life and to my mission: the Spirit of the Law.
For most of my mission I've been a letter-of-the-law missionary. I've kept the rules exactly and I've chosen to never come down from that standard but I feel now that I was really lacking in the, more important, spirit of that law I've striven to keep. One thing that I've really learned was a greater understanding of one of the things that Christ came here to do, which was to set up the higher law. These commands are to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy strength, with all thy mind, with all thy might, and with all thy soul. The second, like unto it, is to love thy neighbor as thy self. "The 4th Missionary" really helps missionaries understand what those commandments mean in great detail & intricacy. There are missionaries who go and come home because they did not have the right heart. There are missionaries who go, stay for two years but don't accomplish much by way of success in the lives of others or spiritual growth because they do not have the right heart. There are missionaries who stay for the two years, are valiantly obedient, reap wonderful fruit but do not grow, spiritually, as much as they could have because they withhold their good heart. And then there are the great missionaries who go on their mission and give their hearts wholly to God and accomplish wondrous things among God's children and let God cultivate in their own hearts something they could have never made themselves.
The central feature behind the change of heart that must occur in order to reach the full potential of your mission is essentially humility. Humility towards God, towards others and to yourself. Elder Kearon talked of the little rebellion within each of us which tells us to seek our own, to go a little shy or to do a little thing and God will beat us with a few stripes and at last we shall be saved. Our job is to stamp out that rebellion, while there are many ways to accomplish this there is one way in which we will grow from it. One way to stamp out the little seeds of our rebellion from ever taking root and growing into sin is to bury it deep, ignore the problem and the issue and forget about it. This solution is only temporary and does not give room for new seed to be planted or new love cultivated. Another path is to dig up the seed and throw it in another place. This solution, while lasting a little longer and giving place for fruit, is also only temporary. When we cast out the seed, again forgetting about it, we must see where that seed is cast: into a brother's garden. Often times we strive to put ourselves above others in our struggle for perfection and when we see others who do not strive to uphold the same straining Mosaic standard we battle to retain we belittle them or even, in our hearts, cast a burden on them and do not grow, but stay the same as we are fenced in by the law.
There is but one way. This way comes from realizing one simple, yet profound and deep doctrine. We are NOT good gardeners. We never have been and we probably won't be for some while. No matter how we toil and suffer we cannot, of ourselves, cultivate the work we desire. There is but one who can: the Lord. The answer then is obvious. We must sell the field. Sell it! Whatever the price we must stop kicking so hard against the spiritual pricks of our pride and sell our vanity, our desires (even our righteous desires), EVERYTHING that we have to the God of miracles and put our lives, our liberties, our very souls in the hands of the Father whose work this is. In short we must trust in Him.
Love is the key. Love towards all men and to the household of faith (Jesus Christ). If we capture that perfect love then we have the ability to, as Gordon B. Hinckley's father wisely stated, "Forget yourself and go to work."
This doctrine, understood, has changed my mission. I've only just read the talk a few days ago, but they've been the best few days of my life. I no longer feel unfulfilled and hopeless but I feel the redeeming and infinite love of a truly Celestial Father in accomplishing the work he's sent me to do as a servant, not as a man or a worker, a master or a gardener, but as a servant. My will now is to do the will of Him that sent me and there is greater peace in that then all the wealth this finite world could ever provide. Where there was once anger and frustration there is love. Where there was once fear and justification there is peace. Where there was once a battle to stamp out all ungodliness in an ever growing infection which could not be stopped, only hindered for a moment, now rests a long wearied soul whose joy it is to endure all things and HOPE to be able to endure all things.
I am the happiest I've ever been in my entire life. Period. I'm so filled with joy in my Savior and my King and my only joy is to do his work.
-Elder Guinto
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
E-mail received 11/8/2010
That's good that you got the package. That's actually one interesting skill I've acquired on my mission is clever ways of folding clothes. My least favorite chore but now I can do it pretty well. I actually am pretty good about treating my collars, it's just with those shirts, which are HUGE, I got to a point where I just didn't put it the effort with them anymore with the idea that I was wearing other shirts anyway. So that's why they're pretty bad.
That's so cool that Mishmashsoggyrottenickynickypotatohead is married! So much is happening in so little time. I kind of wonder how Uncle Danny's testimony is doing. I mean, knowing what goes on in the temple and not being able to go and see your daughter get married has got to make you a little homesick. I really hope that the Lord finds a way to bring him back into the fold and wrap His loving arms around him.
I'm glad Maleah is not planning on getting married till after college...or dating until she's out of college...yepp. (Maleah caught the bouquet at my niece's reception and she wanted to make sure Kyle knew she wasn't planning on getting married until after she graduated from college. She didn't say anything about dating though since she is already counting the days until she's sixteen. Wishful thinking on Kyle's part!) That's amazing that she got her patriarchal blessing! I remember mine so clearly. I also remember what kinds of things were going through my mind too. Oddly enough, to think about it now, it really bore little to no significance for me when I received it. It's amazing that a little old man, who didn't know me or who I would become, can say just the right words in the private spaces of his home that bear such powerful and meaningful significance to me over five years later. I've heard several times that the words of the patriarchal blessing will long hold sway, even into the eternities and it's application found as we faithfully live the Gospel. It's really amazing that God remains, as He will forever, a God of miracles.
That's awesome about Jaron! I knew he'd serve as an assistant. That's my bro! It's crazy that time's flown by so quickly. Everything goes by so fast when you're out here in the mission field. Could you get his address? Or the best place to send him letters for me so that I can write him? It's been a long time since I've been able to talk to my best friend. It'll be interesting to see how we've changed and what we've kept.
Thank Grandma for me! She's always been so good to me in being supportive and loving. Also apologize to her for me that I haven't gotten back to writing her yet. I ran out of stamps and really just hadn't had time to buy more or to even write letters lately. It's been crazy. If you could tell me how much is in my account after you deposit stuff that would be great. Also I bought some sweatpants and a sweatshirt at walmart today. Winter is upon us, it's getting cold, and the mission has mandated that we must be outside for morning exercise. BURRR!!
We had a great week this week! We had meetings coming out our ears so we didn't get much time to work in our area but we've really been able to lay the foundation for the great work to go on in this mission!
We had our zone leader council, which this time involved the district leaders as well. The mission is moving forth with a huge push for the month. We're calling it Thanks. Giving Month TM. (It actually is trademarked strangely enough) It's going to involve every missionary rigorously sanctifying themselves to the work and we're expecting to see a lot of success from it. I've also taken the opportunity to set a lot of really intense personal goals which will help me in my spiritual progression. It originally started out as the next phase in my diet and exercise plan but I decided to give it a spiritual twist which then turned into a big move on reforming everything that I do. I'm excited to change what the Lord wants me to change so that I can be the missionary and man that He needs me to be.
We also had the great opportunity of participating in what the Caldwell Stake calls the Ammon Academy. Some of the missionaries in the stake are asked to participate in a three day activity which involves the youth being assigned to a real full-time missionary and they get to take part in many real parts of missionary service. Including: teaching, planning, street contacting and personal and companionship study. It was a really cool experience.
On one of the times where I had my youth we also went with a member of the ward. We were able to really be led by the Spirit to the home of a less-active member. We had been blessed to go there because we felt impressed to be in a certain place where we bumped into a member and, upon asking here if she knew anyone who needed to see us right away, told us that she knew this lady. We went there and we were able to really talk with her and bear testimony of what we knew. She committed right there to coming to church and going once again in the path that she knew was true. It was kind of different though because the youth I went with spoke very little Spanish and she was a pure Spanish member so he really only had the opportunity to bear a small testimony but it was powerful.
I really have a testimony of how the Lord prepares his children and I hope you all take an opportunity to see his hand in yours and others lives, remembering the words of Pres. Uchtdorf: "We are His Hands."
-Elder Guinto
Monday, November 1, 2010
E-mail received 11/1/2010 - Year mark this week!
WOA!! KYLEE IS GETTING MARRIED?! That's crazay! I never would've expected her to get married that soon. She's only 18! That's a super big surprise. So I guess this means that her and Cameron aren't together anymore. I worry about them getting married so soon. It seems like he's just gotten off of his mission and she's really just gotten out of high school. I don't know if things have really changed much since I've been gone but Kylee is very young and inexperienced with responsibility. It'll be really interesting to see how everything works out for them. Give them my congratulations!
I did send the clothes and should be sending the sd card this week. Everything's been pretty crazy around here. A billion and a half things have changed and gone on this week.
I hope everything goes well with your interview and you're able to get a job that you can manage.
So it's a new transfer and there are so many things that this new era will bring. It is really hard to believe that this Thursday I will have been a missionary for a year! It's really going to be an odd feeling to say that this time last year I was a missionary. I'm thankful that I've kept a journal so that I can even go in depth and reflect on the particular day last year and how much I've changed. Elder Yates and I were talking about it a few nights ago about how the mission really sets you up for the man that you need to become for the rest of your life. It really is true.
The fearbuster in Newark was amazing. I actually had the opportunity to take out Elder Hicks for his first time as a missionary talking to real people on the streets of downtown Newark. He seemed scared and a little nervous but he's a really hard worker and he's excited to serve. He's actually a friend of Miranda's from school and now he's being trained by Elder Yates and lives with us. He's an example to all of us.
So my new/old companion is actually Elder Calderoni! We're companions again! It was such an unexpected delight in transfer conference to find out that we were going to be serving again together. This time as zone leaders! We've already had great experiences together and we already know how to work together so we've already hit the ground running hard here in Jersey City.
We've experienced a great share of miracles here, just in the past couple days. We talk to people all on the street and each is prepared to receive us in a little and sometimes subtle way. Each contact we focus on moving them up wherever we can. Sometimes God put us in their path, not necessarily to convert them right then and there, but, to brighten their day and to feel the love that their Savior has for them.
We did get the wonderful opportunity to set a baptismal date this week with the friend of a recent convert. He's really seen the change in the family and wants to follow the example of Jesus Christ. It's really cool to see the Gospel alive!
I hope you all make a choice to represent the Savior where you are. Remember the convenants you made at baptism to take upon yourselves His name and to always remember Him. We are His hands to save, to uplift, to inspire and bless. If we don't do it who will. I know that we can be a force for impacting lives for good.
-Elder Guinto
Monday, October 25, 2010
E-mail received 10/25/2010
Alright first off, the girls were only in the car with me one time when I was going fast, second off that was the summer when I was 17, two years ago! I'm the safest driver there is. Let it go! I never go over the speed limit, especially out here where the mission cars make it impossible to go over the speed limit. I've long grown out of the phase where I thought going fast was fun or even indulging in such childish pleasures as unnecessary risks or feats that simply satisfy the adolescent need for adrenaline. If you ever attend a funeral for one of your children who dies in an accident due to carelessness it won't be me. Of that you can be sure. (This was in response to my telling him about a North Thurston senior that was killed in a car accident last week. He was attempting to get up to 100 mph but lost control of the car at about 60 mph and hit a telephone pole and a iron and concrete fence. The girls told me about times when Kyle would try to reach a 100mph on a stretch of road just around the corner from where the accident occurred.)
I do know who Cody Hachtel is and I must admit I'm pretty surprised that they're dating. If he's who I think he is he's more of a country type, gruff, hunting kind of guy and Kim's, let's be honest here, pretty girly and high maintenance. But whatever. He's a pretty cool guy. I do remember he can be pretty worldly and go with the crowd sometimes but he seemed cool. Good lineman.
That's crazy that Maleah is driving. I can't imagine riding in the car with her and her driving me somewhere. That's just an odd thought. So much will have changed once I get back.
It's pretty weird looking back on how different I used to be. Sister Black and I were looking at some old pictures of my first transfer and second transfer and she said, "Man do you remember when you were a chunk?" I said yes... it was pretty weird looking at old pictures. I'm going to send you the memory card probably today with a bunch of stuff on it. It's full this time! There's also a video of a musical number we did this last Sunday. Sister Black and Sister Cope sang and I accompanied them so you can enjoy that.
So we had probably our best week ever to end the transfer off. We had 3 baptisms! It was an amazing service and it was my first time getting to perform the ordinance. Pres. Bahr and his wife were able to attend which always makes the service that much more meaningful. I also played the piano for the sisters in a special musical number, "I Know that My Redeemer Lives." It was a very nice arrangement.
Thankfully the church had pants that I could use. I need to see if I can get my baptismal pants altered. I'm still losing weight, by the way, but much slower. I'm at 194.2 right now. 11.4% body fat. I'm all skin & bones! Not really, I'm actually really healthy. Eating a good balanced diet and doing a lot of exercise pays off.
We had a lot of cool finding miracles this week. We worked really hard at preparing our candidates for baptism but the Lord really led us to those who were really prepared. One case was we were trying to get in contact with this one girl that we'd set with a baptismal date several times but she would all of a sudden drop off the map when her baptismal date would come up. We were talking with her aunt who had answered the door to their apartment building but we weren't going to go in because it was just her that was home. Another couple walks in with stuff from the store and the guy stops and tells her to invite us in. She, not speaking much English, didn't really understand and looked puzzled to him. He, in response to her puzzled looks, told her that we were servants of God and that she should never reject us because when God sends angels it's up to us to receive them. She walked away, probably because she couldn't understand a word he was saying, but we asked him how he knew that we were servants of God. He recognized us as missionaries from the church because he'd met with the missionaries in his home island in the Caribbean. He told us that he had heard of the message of Joseph Smith and that he loved to read and understand the scriptures. We asked him how he felt about Joseph Smith and he said that he had really thought and prayed about what he heard. He didn't know the reference but he knew that somewhere in the Bible, the Lord said to Peter that the fulness of the Gospel was not on the earth yet but that it would be revealed by the mouth of His prophet. He then told us that he believed that Joseph Smith was that prophet and he knew that what Joseph said was true because he was a prophet of God. Elder Roper and I just about fainted when he said that but the Spirit was so strong when he really bore his testimony to us about the things that he had come to know through prayerful study of the Bible. He gave us his information and we set up a time to visit with him again. We gave him a pamphlet with the church information and the Plan of Salvation and he committed to coming to church next week. After we'd prayed with him and as we were about to go, he said that he knew that our meeting there at that time and in that place and talking about and feeling the Spirit there had been appointed by God and His angels long ago. It was amazing!
We're seeing many miracles here in Jersey City. Transfers are this week. Almost the whole zone is undergoing some big changes. My companion Elder Roper is leaving and president Bahr told him that he will be going to help out a struggling area. Elder Yates and Elder De La Cruz will both be training new missionaries and Elder De La Cruz will be opening a new area in our zone! So many new and exciting things are happening in the New Jersey Morristown Mission. We'll be receiving 18 new missionaries and our whole apartment will have the opportunity of participating in the Fear Buster. The experience where, within hours of getting off the plane, the new missionaries go with one of the experienced missionaries, in the middle of downtown Newark, and go street contacting. It's going to be so much fun.
I'm looking forward to this new transfer and whatever God will bless me with. Hope you all have a great week!
-Elder Guinto
Monday, October 18, 2010
E-mail received 10/18/2010
Business first, as usual. If you could send me what my balance is next week that would be great. I don't like spending money when I don't know what I've got. I'll definitely send the stuff this week. We have to go and get our car looked at so I'll try and get it done during that time. I'm excited to get new shoes. Mine are pretty bad.
I did get the package and thank you so much! The cookies were super good, obviously they were pretty stale and crumbled but still the best cookies the East Coast's ever seen! I'm going to try and get the other card to you today. I should warn you though there isn't as many pictures. I haven't taken a lot in Jersey City because we have like no down time at all here. Being in a super urban populated area, on top of being a zone leader limits time pretty effectively. There's some funny videos from Emerson though and I'll probably take one today as well just to say hi. It was really great to see videos of everyone! I won't lie, it made me a little homesick but I got over it fast. Not much seems to have changed as far as people and personalities go.
There hasn't been an Elder Petersen in this mission for several years. It must have been in the former Cherryhill mission.
That was weird to hear that Sister Odell got married. Not weird that she's married but weird that it seemed just out of the blue. I definitely don't think that I could get married to someone I've known for little over a month, or even a year! That's super fast. But everyone goes at their own speed I guess. When you've found the right one what's the sense in waiting. I hope that they're happy.
Ah our musical family. I actually performed two musical numbers this week and got to help coach another missionary for his. Sister Bahr called me on Tuesday and asked if I would sing with another missionary for a zone conference. I knew that the missionary had been preparing a long time for this number and I also knew that he wasn't the most gifted singer and I told her that I wouldn't sing with him because I wouldn't want to step on his toes but that we were actually going on an exchange that day and that I could coach him. It was pretty fun teaching someone how to form their vowels and sing using the right parts of their throat in order to support better. It was definitely an experience and I now know I need to learn how to teach better to be a music teacher! He actually improved a lot and he sang it 110% better than when he started. I also sang with two other elders at that same conference "Our Savior's Love." We found out that we were doing it the night before and gerry rigged a nice musical arrangement the morning of! It sounded pretty good. Also the day before, Sister Black asked me to sing at one of her baptisms that took place yesterday. Lot's of singing. But it all ended really well.
We've had a lot of success this week. We're having three baptisms this Sunday! I'm so excited! We've been working with all of them really hard this transfer and now their all finally getting into the water and I'm performing the ordinance for two of them! It's going to be my first time getting in the water. I had originally wanted to make it so that I got to the end of my mission dry but now that they asked me to do it I'm so excited! Luckily the church has a pair of white pants that I can borrow, because my baptismal pants are now HUGE! It's going to be cool. The sisters are also having a baptism that day so it's going to be quite the event. We're all super stoked!
Man I wonder how Jaron is doing. He's winding down to his last six months! That'll be really weird once I'm a missionary and he isn't. Say hi to his parents for me! I miss the good ol' family.
Well I hope that you guys have a great week! I've really come to understand the power of the Atonement this week. Partaking of the Sacrament is such a blessing. To be cleansed from sin is such a privilege that came at the greatest cost and it's our duty and honor to take advantage of it. I hope that you all show the Lord your love and keep the commandments that you and all whom you share your testimony with might be saved.
-Elder Guinto
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
E-mail received 10/12/2010 - Grasshoppers...Ewwwww!
Oh man the dishwasher doesn't sound fun. Alright a couple things first. So I know last time I mentioned that I might want new scriptures for my birthday. I want that option completely off the table. One, because new scriptures are super expensive and, two, because I'm planning on talking with President Bahr about going Spanish speaking once I hit my year mark so new English scriptures wouldn't do me much good. So nix on that one. The issue of shoes still remains in force. I had to buy a couple of things yesterday using personal funds. 21.98 at walmart and it'll be about 19.74 at a payless which probably end up being just 20 dollars because the deal necessitated one person buys the thing so I just have to pay back my companion. My watch broke, super sad! So I needed a new one. It's not mickey mouse like I like but it'll have to do for the rest of my mission. Also I needed a few other supplies. The payless is I bought some shoes but not exercise ones because the ones at payless just weren't of a durable quality. I could see them falling apart in a few months.
It's super crazy that Jamie Klumker is having a baby and that Brittany Larson is getting married! I'm super happy for both of them. I've only met Chris once and he seemed like a solid guy. She sure likes him so I hope that everything works out well. It's going to be a big change of scenery for both of them going to BYU. I know it's definitely hard balancing school and living life. A lot of the members who are in Jersey City are in that phase and it's a real struggle on time.
It's super weird that Katelyn went to her senior homecoming dance! My little girl's all grown up! Just as a reference where has Katelyn been applying to? Obviously admissions aren't due till like December or January but she's probably definitely thought about it.
Well it's been a pretty crazy week here in Jersey City. We had exchanges in Union City that we did this week and it was amazing. I love working in the Spanish areas. The people are so humble and full of love. I also love teaching in Spanish. It really makes you rely on the Lord and not in your own confidence or abilities.
I definitely had a cool experience where I had to eat grasshoppers! Apparently a Mexican delicacy. They weren't half bad. Once you squeezed down the legs and the eyes and they stopped jumping around they added a nice texture to tacos. Yum!
Elder Roper and I also had a really cool experience with a guy who was no longer a member of the church. We had gotten a referral from the ward to go and visit this guy. The ward needed information on another member because they couldn't find him so they told us to go to the home of this person, who was his brother. We got there and he opened the door to us. We asked him a couple questions and he invited us in to show us his artwork. He is a very talented artist and we talked with him for a little bit on it, as well as getting a little information on his brother. We then got on to how he wasn't a member anymore and what he thought about the Book of Mormon. He had the book but hadn't read it in a long time. We both bore powerful testimony of the impact that it has had in both of our lives and that if he read it he could regain a testimony of it's truthfulness and it would really help him in his pursuits in life. He began to tear up and he told us that he really felt the Spirit. He told us later that he's had several contacts from the church in the past and that just at the door he would shut it off and never let anyone in but when we came he said that he felt something different about us. He specifically said that he felt that we had "God in you." It was a really cool experience. We're planning on meeting with him later and helping him to return to activity in the church.
Some of our baptismal goals have been set back but we're excited about many of the new ones that we've been able to set. We're expecting a family to get baptized two weeks from now. They're really cool people from Sierra Leone. Her father actually is the Branch president in their branch back home but she ran away and never got baptized and now she and her son want to be members of the church. Their amazing and we're planning on seeing them today.
I gave a talk this last Sunday in church that was all about obedience and duty. I taught the principle by relating it to the story of King David. When he was righteous he prospered, when he was unrighteous he suffered. I learned a lot about how important obedience is while I was writing the talk and I loved the talk because the topic is so dear to my heart. I reflect again and again about how much the mission has changed me and how bright the future I have because of it.
I love the Lord and I love doing his work. I hope you are all well and seek for opportunities where you are to serve the Lord with all your heart, might, mind and strength.
-Elder Guinto
Monday, October 4, 2010
E-mail received 10/4/2010 - 11 Month Mark
Wow a 31 on the ACT. She can qualify for a lot of scholarships with a score like that! She'll probably end up getting offered the same one that I did and then a whole lot more! That'll be really cool. It's hard to believe that Katelyn's already thinking about college and things like that.
Woa Maleah's driving?! That's crazy. I can't even remember Katelyn really driving that much. It does make me feel super old hearing about them doing all kinds of things that I used to do.
I did get Brittany's letter. It was at the other apartment so it took some doing to get but I got it. I had a feeling though that I knew what it was about before I even got it though. That's awesome that she's getting married! I totally called it when she started dating him that she was going to marry him. It was actually really funny because I suspected that's what it was about and I got given it be one of the zone leaders at zone leader council. He stood at the front of the room right before the meeting and announced that he had a letter for an Elder Guinto from a Brittany Larson and held it up. I don't know if Brittany described the letter to you at all but it is quite decorated with stickers and hearts and drawings. It was pretty funny. Not only that it was in front of all the zone leaders, the assistants, and the mission president and his wife. Awesome. I am excited about it though, if not surprised it didn't happen sooner. This'll be the first friend that I have from seminary so far to get married! It'll be exciting to see how everybody else fares before I get home!
I'm super excited to get the sd card. I can't wait to see everybody. As far as sending my clothes home I still haven't gotten around to it obviously. Everything's been super hectic and we really don't have a lot of time. I only have about half of the stuff that I need to send boxed up and I want to send it all in one shipment. Plus I'm still just hesitant just because it's still a little daunting about how much it's going to cost too but I'm going to have to do it sometime. I'll see if we have time today to box up the rest of it and then hopefully send it next week.
Woa, I didn't even realize that today was my eleven months mark until you said it. That's really kind of a weird thought. My birthday is coming up and soon I'll have to suffer through Thanksgiving again! As to my birthday I did have a few thoughts. One thing that I absolutely do need is new athletic shoes. I've been holding off because I want the ones I have to last till then but my shoes are devastated. I'll probably take some pictures of them with the sd card I send so you can see what I mean. A nice pair of running or training shoes would be an awesome present or also I was looking in that new thing the church sent out with this months ensign that is basically the lds store catalog at scriptures. What would be really cool would be to get a new pair of scriptures. Mine still work really well but they're getting beat up from the elements. It's not a need, it's a want. I really like the scriptures dad has that are the compact kind with the closure tab. But those are also really expensive so that's just an up in the air type thing. What I really would need are the shoes. Other than that I can't think of much else. God takes care of everything else. Just throwing it out there, one thing I DO NOT need is journals. Everybody and their mother gave me enough journals last year to last me the rest of my life so I'm good in that aspect. I also always like ties. I really like brightly colored ties. Paisley and plaid are my favorites. Just some ideas. If you need others I'm sure I can produce.
Anyways, this week was great in Jersey City! General Conference was a special treat. It was particularly cool because I had met, personally, two of the seventies who spoke, recently out here on my mission! Elder Juan Uceda who spoke so passionately about humility and love in the priesthood session I actually met about three months ago when he came to an all mission conference that we had and then also Elder Jensen of the Seventy who's our area authority seventy. It was really cool to say, "Hey, I know that man! I saw him a few months ago!" On top of that, they both gave excellent talks. Once again, I think priesthood session took the cake. It was all about humility and the effect of our choices. It really helped me to see how important humility is. How it really seems to be the mother of all virtues. If we have humility we will know that we must follow God in all things and then all else will fall into place. It was really easy to see the things that I would need to change in my missionary service and how it really begins with the heart. What are our desires? Are they God's desires? These are the questions that give effect and purpose to the things that we do here in this life and when we devote ourselves to that righteous purpose we can be sure we are on the straight and narrow path back to our Father. Elder Roper and I both felt that the overall theme this conference was that there are things that we as a church must do to cleanse ourselves of all unrighteousness but an overwhelming sense of possibility. That we can do the things necessary to perfect the man of God seemed to permeate the air in the churches and homes round the world and the mission of the church established of first perfecting the saints, preaching the Gospel, and redeeming the dead.
This week Elder Roper and I will be addressing the zone so that we can establish the goals and vision that we have for our missionary service. There are a lot of things that we hope to accomplish, not only in the work of the missionaries, but in the hearts of the missionaries. That is where satisfactory and even exemplary service begins, in the heart. In our hearts are cultivated our desires and that is where begins the long process of thoughts and actions which reaps the results we attain in this life. If our goals reflect the desires in our hearts then in order to serve God with all our might, mind and strength our hearts must be in tune with God's. If our desires are pure then our actions will be pure. True and lasting conversion occurs when a heart is touched and changed by the Spirit and that individual signifies before God that such change is permanent by entering into sacred covenants before God. This is the change our mission president wants us to achieve in the mission. We're going to really focus on finishing this year strong by realligning ourselves to our Father's will. In this we know that we can achieve much good among His children.
Elder Uchtdorf said that "if pride can fell Lucifer, that great "son of the morning" and one beloved by God, should we not look within ourselves?" I know that if we are to do God's will we must have His heart be our own. We must know that His work and His glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man is ours too and we must take action to assess ourselves so that we can do the work to the greatest measure of our ability.
-Elder Guinto
Monday, September 27, 2010
E-mail received 9/27/2010
Man! It's going to be pretty tough to get that letter from Brittany. Last week at the mission activity Elder Elliott gave me a letter from Grandma that they received and they probably got hers within a couple days so I don't know when I'll be able to get it. I'll probably call them today and get them to get it to their zone leaders so that I can pick it up at zone leader council.
That's so sad about Bro. Walker. Especially that the Alzheimer's was getting to him so bad. He was a very kind and loving man. I remember home teaching him. He had such a spirit of service and loved going to the temple. He'll be dearly missed. It sounds like I'll be coming home to a totally different place!
Oh, Katelyn's a big old captain! Make sure she doesn't get too bossy. Katelyn can get pretty power crazy some times.
That's awesome that Maleah's getting ready to receive her patriarchal blessing. I know mine's been a real blessing to me out here in the mission field. I read it as often as I need it. It really provides concrete and powerful direction for the rest of our lives and throughout eternity. It's amazing to think of the immensity of our Heavenly Father's knowledge and that he shares with us a small precious part of it so that we can find security and guidance throughout our lives. I hope our patriarch is still patriarch Pringel. I have such a testimony of the power and love of that man.
I am loving Jersey City and I love my companion as well. We're not as tight knit as Elder Elliott and I were but we're still getting used to each other's quirks and what makes each other tick and wot not. It's a real learning experience being a zone leader and having all kinds of different responsibilities. I really miss being a district leader because it was really hands on and I had much more control over what got done and what was accomplished. Whereas when I am a zone leader I really have to learn how to work through the district leaders. It's very different and will take a lot of getting used to but I pray that God will help me to do it.
I do get to see her a lot because she's in my ward now. We do a lot of corresponding work and I'll see her usually about three times a week but this week was a little crazy and I saw her almost every day. It's a big struggle for me actually because it's been tough to stay focused but Heavenly Father's been helping me out a lot. It's really a conscious effort to garnish my thoughts so that I stay on topic and on guard and I'm really relying on thinking about you guys and about the work that's really been helping out. I'm really just hoping it only lasts for this transfer and I or she gets moved out but we can only hope I guess. Kind of weird but we'll see.
We had an interesting week this week. We worked with as much time as we had. We had the great mission activity on Monday and then leadership trainings Wednesday through Friday all day so we didn't have much time to work. What we've experienced though, and apparently it's shown in the work of the other leaders as well, is that while we were all down as far as quantity in numbers, overall quality sky rocketed. Tons of investigators, who were kind of just sitting there, started progressing and everyone began reporting miracles and baptisms. The Lord has really given us a lot of inspired direction through our leaders.
What the training mainly focused on is what the investigators needs. Helping us to understand and find those needs so that we can address them. Often we find, at the base of a misunderstanding, is a lack of communication and knowledge on both parties. Listening and asking inspired questions are vital to an active growing unit so that both may grow and be edified. Often times, teachers, in any setting, will neglect the opportunity to learn from their students and miss out not only on growing vistas of understanding but pass by doorways to breakthroughs in their teaching and the students fundamental understanding. Learning these has really helped us missionaries to tune in to the Spirit and make it an integral part of us and our investigators.
We had great miracles in setting people with really solid dates for baptism and we have very high hopes for the upcoming month in those regards.
It is pretty weird that I am coming up on my 11 month mark and then only a month away from my year and my birthday. I've been having odd dreams about after the mission, like just sitting in my bedroom or taking something out of the fridge. Odd I know but those are things that I really actually miss. We don't really have any down time and so it's really the little things that you used to do at home that you grow ever fond of. You really don't know what you've got till it's gone.
We're excited to apply all the things that we've learned this week in the upcoming week so that we can see not only the great spirit that enters in but see in ever flow with the time that we'll be able to give to it. I know that as we give the Lord our time he pays us back double what we sacrifice for it. Make sure the girls are reading their scriptures and Dad's behaving himself.
-Elder Guinto
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
E-mail received 9/21/2010 - Jersey City
WHAT?! Maleah's signing up for driving school?! That's crazy! Man so much is going on.
It's kind of funny how you're going through the same though process that I did when I got my wisdom teeth pulled out. It took about two to three weeks for the food sticking to die down. Sorry. It'll be a while.
Sounds like everyone seems to be doing great. Still weird that Candace has a baby. No I haven't gotten a letter from Brittany. We got mail yesterday and I got a letter from another missionary and grandma. Also I got a letter from Miranda last week.
I'm glad Brandon seems to be moving now. Not as good as going on a mission but sometimes we take different paths towards our destination. At least he's going somewhere better than where he was going.
It's crazy how fast times flies isn't it?
Well I didn't tell you all of those things last week because I didn't know. We have our preparation day on Monday and transfer conference is always on Tuesday. I got transferred to Jersey City! It's right across the Hudson from Manhattan and we can see it from our area. It's a wonderful area chalk full of humble and prepared people. I'm finally in the ghetto! My companion's name is Elder Roper from Delta, Utah. He came out the transfer before me and so we're a pretty young zone leader companionship. We haven't even been out for a year!
To explain my role as a zone leader better, a leader is no different than any other missionary. We work in our area like other missionaries, we proselyte like other missionaries and we teach like other missionaries. We simply stand in place of the mission president and the assistants as their representatives in our areas. So if problems come up anywhere we get to solve them or if we can't we can pass them off to the assistants. We also supervise the training of the missionaries done by trainers and district leaders. We also keep track of the numbers and goals for the zone and set new goals for improvement. We also have to set the highest example of standards and conduct for the missionaries so that they can have good role models to look after and to help everyone strive to be more Christ-like missionaries.
It's really quite fun actually. I feel a little less stress than when I was a district leader actually, with the exception being that instead of being held accountable to the zone leaders I'm held accountable by President Bahr! Yikes! But if I'm doing what I'm supposed to there's nothing to worry about so it's alright.
It's really interesting because I'm one of the youngest in the zone, with the exception of the brand new missionaries. It's really different.
I'm living with Elder De La Cruz again, which is super fun, and his companion Elder Yates, from Montana. They're really great missionaries to live with.
The Jersey City ward is great. We're back to a two companionship ward. It's Elder Roper and I and then also Sister Black and her trainee, Sister Cope. I was very surprised when I walked in on Sunday because we had worked all week and everyone that I've seen/taught has been from Haiti and speaks Haitian Creole. In the ward there's a ton of Caucasian people! I was very surprised after not seeing a single one for a week! There's a great spirit about these members though because they truly have to strive, much harder than most, to be out of the world that they're in. We're having a lot of success in this area in that we were able to set two more baptismal dates on to the added two that were here when I got here. Them members are real supportive and I love it here already.
Yesterday we had an amazing all mission activity, which is why I wasn't able to write yesterday. We went all the way to Highlands, NJ. It took us almost three hours to get there, mainly because I rode with Sister Black and she missed a couple exits several times and no one really knew where we were going because Highlands is in the former Cherryhill mission. It was so worth it though. It's right on the ocean and it was so great to finally see the Ocean again! We went on a mission Hike in a forest near there and I forgot how good nature smelt. As we were driving to the location it was awesome to just roll down the window and just enjoy the smell and atmosphere of the trees and the water. (Strange I know but when you've been in the city for a week you'll understand.) We relaxed, enjoyed ourselves, and really just had a great time. It felt weird to undwind but it felt good too. Long drive back again, but we knew whereish we were going this time.
This week we're going to be having some intense leadership training just like we had a couple months ago. It's going to be great to be feeling the Spirit and applying what we learn to our individual areas.
I hope you guys have a great week and make sure everyone is reading their scriptures!
Monday, September 13, 2010
E-mail received 9/13/2010
Alrighty, business first. I did get the box with the flip flops and they're awesome! They're super comfy and work great. Also I'll send the box as soon as possible but we won't have time today. We've got a lot of things to do because I'm getting transferred and Elder Elliott wants to get a gps so that he's not totally lost when I leave.
That stinks about the wisdom teeth. I wonder why God gave us extra teeth. But there's probably some humbling or growing experience that we're meant to gain from it that we might be able to use in the future so go for it with the intention of gaining something from it rather than just losing a tooth and a lot of money! Then I think your focus will turn from the bad to the blessing. Hopefully that will cushion the spirit.
I'm really glad that school seems to be going well for the girls. Especially for Maleah. Just stay positive! We all need to show an added measure of love so that we can always know no matter what we have close eternal friends in the place where it matters most: the home. The very blocks upon which the kingdom of God are built and where the foundation of any nation, kindred, tongue or people will stand strong or crumble in devastation. As Bishop Bruce might put it, it is the "Big Red Block" to the rest of eternity and we must do all that we can to foritify it's integrity and purpose, there is no greater thing we can do than support our support to everything we do.
That's a great way to spend your anniversary! Happy 21 years! That's crazy that my birthday is coming up already! I'm going to be your super old 20 year old son! It's really amazing the work that we do in God's holy temples. That even in death Lolo and Lola can, in full knowledge, accept the saving ordinances of salvation and be sealed together for time and for all eternity. How wondrous are the works of the Lord! We had a really cool experience this last Saturday in that we were able to see an investigator family that we've been teaching take a great step in getting married for this life so that their family can take the next step in preparing for eternity. They're planning on getting baptized this Saturday and Elder Elliott and I are so happy and excited for them! They've really had an amazing journey to the Gospel.
Hey speaking of Kelsie Alexander, how is she? I haven't heard anything from anyone my age. Is she married yet? I wouldn't doubt it. Everyone's going to be married by the time I get home! Even Katelyn probably! That would be super weird.
Well we had another blessed week in Emerson! Not as good as we've had in the past but still a productive week. We have three baptisms scheduled for this Saturday and we're very excited. Too bad I'm not going to be here for them because I'm getting transferred! I also got called to be a zone leader. What's that mean? MORE PAPER WORK!! YAAYY!! Just kidding. I'm actually pretty excited to be able to fulfill this responsibility because I'll have another zone leader as a companion and I'm going to be able to learn a lot from his knowledge and experience. I've learned a ton about obedience and fundamental hard work while I've been with an excited, bright eyed, new missionary and now I can learn and refine what I've learned through someone with hardened experience. I'm expecting and excited to see miracles in the next transfer.
In review of this area, it's definitely been my favorite. I've been blessed to see many miracles and success in the Lord's work in my time in Emerson but, yesterday evening, I received a really powerful, spiritual confirmation that my work in this area has concluded. I love the people here and will miss them greatly. It's hard to leave such a great area behind but I feel faith as I do so knowing they are in good hands: God's.
I encourage you all to excercise your faith in putting your trust in God by doing what he says. Joseph Smith adopted an inspirational phrase, in his life, chiming, "When the Lord commands, DO IT!" Christ himself said, "My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God or whether I speak of myself." Truly the way to know, as Christ said, is to do. As we do and God rewards us it builds our faith. May your faith ever receive an increase and the power of God be ever present in each of your lives.
-Elder Guinto
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
E-mail received 9/8/2010
Man sounds like you guys have been having an eventful week!
When I read that Chelsea was engaged I was blown away! But then I read that she was just kidding and I calmed down. Wow I guess I wasn't as ready for that one as I had expected. That would be super soon though.
Katelyn would look funny with green feet and things growing out of it and then I come home and my sister is a double amputee who walks around on two wooden legs like Shaemus. I remember Merl now. It's just been a super long time. I hit ten months a couple days ago apparently. It still feels like I just got here!
I can't wait to see that video and all the pictures! It's kind of weird but I really haven't thought about home much this transfer. We've been doing a lot of great work and I've been working really hard at making sure that Elder Elliott is trained really well so I've been too busy to think about it.
As far as pants go I wear about a 32" waist would probably be best. I just bought three pairs of pants from goodwill (3 pairs for $11 yeah!) and then somethings else for like $10, I can't remember what or from where right now, must have been important. All my pants that I have are black so if you still decide to buy me one I would like maybe a dark brown pair would be really nice.
I've decided to hold on to the clothes because it's going to cost so much to send them and now that they're all nice and packed up in boxes their not as much of a hassle.
We had another wonderful week in Emerson. We committed a great family to baptism and to getting married! Being a missionary and a wedding planner is hard work but we're pulling it off somehow! They're an amazing family who all are ready and willing to serve the Lord no matter what it takes. They're getting married this Saturday and then their getting baptized the week after that. It's all going really fast for them but their really great. Their actually going to Seattle next Monday for like a honeymoon I guess so that'll be really cool as well.
Our one baptismal date for this upcoming Sunday was super solid and ready to get baptized but his dad convinced him to hold off on it. He's still going to get baptized though and we're setting another date with him.
We have an amazing 5 people who are committed to being baptized on a specific date right now and even more people who we're looking forward to setting. The fields of Emerson are white! And we're harvesting.
We actually found an amazing woman from the Philippines who lives right across the street from the chapel, yesterday, and she's so excited to read from the Book of Mormon. She's had a lot of contact from the church and just seeing their bright examples of love and humility really opened up her doors to us. She let us right in and really shared how God has really pointed her in this direction and we're planning on extending the invitation to be baptized the next time that we see her. It really goes to show how great an effect we can have on the salvation of others just based off the things that we do. I've really been striving hard to become a more celestial person. Even when it comes to the little things like crude words. Elder Elliott and I have pretty much limited our vocabulary to things that are good (which is an area we can get creative in) and things that are "not good" (which we use for basically everything that doesn't fit in the first category. This way we're not using the same mouth that the Spirit speaks through to put down anyone or to use "terrestrial language." While it may not be immediately horrible words that we use they may not be good words either. I've really felt the Spirit come in when I refrain from those words and use my tongue for the uplifting and edifying of others at all times. Really becoming a bright servant of the Lord through words.
We're really excited for the things happening this week and if things work out as planned we should be having baptisms every week for the next month! I love the work!
-Elder Guinto
Monday, August 30, 2010
E-mail received 8/30/2010
Wow sounds pretty eventful to me. Yes I did get the garments. They actually sent them separately and I got the tops just a few days ago but they got here safe and sound.
Well it's a funny story about the hand thing. So, Elder Coffin is one of those elders who's always full of ideas. Some of them brilliant, and others extremely stupid. He can also be very convincing in getting others to go along with his ideas. I still have warts on my hands and they've actually spread a little despite my efforts to be rid of them and so he proposed that we burn them out. He said he'd done it with another elder and that it had worked. Unfortunately we weren't blessed with the proper tools at that time and so we resorted to an electric stove and the backside of a spoon. What made it really bad is because he decided after the first couple singes that it was going to slow so he'd use the big end of the spoon to hopefully cover more area faster and that resulted in searing the whole knuckle. So that didn't end up very well. But it's all better now with the exception of the scar. I think I will just be patient and get it removed when I get home. I have resolved that burning it doesn't work and neither does freezing it or cutting it off or putting that weird solution on it. I'm sure the doctors will have a more effective method.
That's crazy that Jason is back from his mission already! It's crazy to think that this week I'll be hitting my ten months. It really does just breeze by. Pretty soon I'll be at eighteen months and on my way to the final stretch.
I hope you send me some of Kt's pictures. That would be cool. It's crazy to think that she's a senior in high school already! They grow up so fast!
Funny that you guys had lumpia this week because I had lumpia at a members house this week as well! They didn't have the yummy sweet chili sauce though. That I really missed. Thankfully this is the last week of the tight budget and then we should be alright. I'm surprised that I was able to make it all work out but really goes to show what you can do with careful planning.
It's still crazy that Shon's already getting married and even crazier that Candace had a baby! It'll be weird with two new people in the family and while I'll always be loyal and have that loving memory of Aunt Kelly, there's always love to go around. Make sure Dad remembers that no matter who she is, she is a daughter of God who deserves to be happy too and he can either be part of making her feel welcome and loved or be part of making her feel lonely and unaccepted by people she doesn't even know yet. I ran across a cool scripture in chapter 3 of Malachi this morning that says that the Lord, in the last days, will separate the righteous from the evil, those who follow God and those who serve the Devil. It really is that black and white almost when we think about the decisions before us. We can be a force for good and a force for evil. And all things are given to us which are expedient to man to make that choice. Choose wisely.
We had a pretty good week this week. Not as amazing as last week but still quite good. We've been able to maintain good work with the members which has really resulted in great progress in our investigators with baptismal dates. We set another one with the brother of one of the members. We saw him on the street and taught him an introduction to the Book of Mormon and the spirit was strong enough that he agreed to be baptized at the end of September right then and there! It was really cool.
I also got to go teach in the Spanish area again. I'm really looking forward to a time when I don't have to convene as many companion exchanges. While it's really great to have the opportunity to teach and learn from many different elders throughout a transfer, it makes me leave my area on a consistent basis, which I really don't like to do. I definitely get a lot of variety but lack the consistent focus that I can put to my area. It's hard but I still enjoy it.
Our area's really starting to pick up as Elder Elliott and I have been getting more and more consistent. It's really getting to be a great time to work in Emerson. Unfortunately I don't have too much to update you on because most of the things that went on in our area I wasn't there for but we're continuing to experience a lot of success in bringing a lot of people closer to Christ.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Latest Pictures Now Ready for viewing
Kyle sent us his latest pictures. You can view them at Mission Pictures Summer 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
E-mail received 8/23/2010
Dear Mother,
Woa, never heard of a ganglian cyst. But it doesn't sound like too much fun. Tell Maleah that high school is nothing to worry about. She's pretty, fun, sociable and smart. She'll fit right in with the right people and it'll be great.
It's good that Katelyn is not overdoing it her senior year, although I don't know if it's wise not to take ANY math. But it's her choice and she'll do fine no matter what she does. Also I have no idea who Merl is. Sorry.
That's crazy that all these people are getting married! I'm missing all the action! But there's really a lot of action that we're seeing out here. Tell Becky and Chelsea that I said hi back. That'll be really cool to get a letter from President Turner. I've always looked up to him a lot. Also tell David I said hi! I was thinking the other day about him and how he probably only speaks tagalog now. It was funny because we had a new missionary training this week and all the Portuguese missionaries were there so I sat with them at the lunch that we had. All of us were speaking in Portuguese and then I turned to my companion and said something and he totally didn't understand me and I realized that he couldn't understand anything that we were saying.
I'm glad the baptism went well. It's such an amazing experience to attend when there's a convert baptism. The spirit is so strong and you can just see and feel the change that is taking place in the life of another person. It's truly something to live for.
Well we had a real blessed week this week. Elder Elliott and I really worked hard and smart. We were running around constantly and we really had no time to breathe between all the service that we did and all the appointments that we had but we really were blessed with a great week. We set two more baptismal dates with people so we have three people that have committed to preparing themselves to be baptized on a scheduled day. One of them we found this week.
It was an interesting story actually. Elder Coffin and I ran out of miles last month so we were walking down the street and a guy stopped to talk to us because he'd met with the Elders before. Turns out that his daughter and his ex-wife are members of the church and he was actually almost baptized when he lived in New York. We didn't talk long because he had a place to go but we were able to give him the church address and when sacrament meeting started. Two weeks later, he's in church! I wasn't in church that day because my responsibilities took me to another ward but when he came to church yesterday we met with him afterwards and set him with a baptismal date! He's really one of the most humbled, spiritual, prepared to receive the Gospel individuals that I've met on my mission so far. He's getting baptized September 19 so we're excited to teach him the rest.
We also found a new family this week, which was quite a miracle. We received a text with a referral to the family from a member who lives in Toronto, Canada. We went and visited the referral right away but their daughter Maria was the only one home so she told us to come back in an hour or so. We went and did a little finding and getting in contact with some potentials, hoping that there might be an opportunity to make it back there some time that night because we actually had an appointment with someone else at the time we were told to return. The appointment cancelled and when we came back to meet with them I found out it was actually someone that I'd met about five weeks ago! We didn't teach her because I thought she only spoke Spanish because when she greeted us at the door and I realized she spoke Spanish I just started into speaking Spanish and that was the sum of it. We were going to give her as a referral to the Spanish Elders in West New York because they cover our area in Spanish (Kindof) but she said that she needed like a month for things to settle down. On top of that after we start talking with them, in walk the Mitchells, the senior missionaries who work in our ward who had been trying to get us there but we couldn't because of the appointment. Anyway we had a great lesson and they came to church this week! We're planning on setting them with a baptismal date on Tuesday.
It's a really exciting time for working in Emerson! Elder Elliott and I have a lot of faith and we're experiencing miracle after miracle here! The wheel's really getting some momentum here and we plan to use it!
I hope you all have a great week and continue to build your faith that God is preparing people for you to meet and talk to about the Gospel so that it can touch their lives and result in the salvation of many souls!
-Elder Guinto
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