First order of business. WHO'S J M?! I don't believe I authorized any of this dating business. If any guy wants to ask my sisters out they have to submit it in triplicate straight to me and I will evaluate their worthiness to venture upon such action! Man! Nobody follows protocol anymore.
That's good that you got the pictures. The taco was just some food that we had that Elder De La Cruz made and it was the day that the camera came and so I was just testing the waters. And yes I would like it if you would print out the pictures. Also I would like that copy of the ensign. I think it's too late for me to order a ensign edition.
Man, so many things are going on! People leaving on missions, graduating, dating, vacations. The SOAR banquet was pretty formal if I remember correctly but you can really wear whatever you want. Tell Katelyn not to waste time and BE SOCIAL! I didn't get my scholarship based on academics! If she can make a good impression on the counselors and especially in the interview at the end she can definitely get a lot of benefits from it.
We had an extremely eventful week ourselves. The temple trip was definitely one of the highlights. We got up at 3:30 in the morning to catch the bus into the City and we just barely caught it! It was like a peruvian Andes mountain bus though and my butt hurt after riding on it. We went to the empire state building (Elder Calderoni & De La Cruz refused to leave New York before going there) so we have a lot of cool pictures for you guys. It was really great to be there. It's amazing how that really is a hallowed place in the midst of a world of tribulation. It's about 20 blocks from times square on a really busy intersection and as soon as the doors close behind you it's perfect silence. Also we happened to go on the same day as the departing missionaries so we got to go through a session with them and with President and Sister Bahr. Also someone from the Osment (not sure if he meant Osmond) family was there! It was pretty cool but the best part was the revelation received there. I had some pretty specific questions and Heavenly Father really gave me the answers. All the work we did after that day was incredibly successful.
We found a lot of amazing new investigators this week. One was this great Jamaican family who are just ready to get in the water! They've been looking for a church with a prophet called of God to lead them! They're amazing and so open and prepared to receive the Gospel. Another new investigator that we found this week was a referral from a member. He invited us to his daughter's birthday party because he knew there was someone who would be there who he wanted to introduce us to. We met him and he was a great open guy. He's had interest to investigate the church before but his wife had decided against it. He's been going through some rough times internally because he's really hard on himself and really concerned about how his parenting will effect his children. He really had a deep concern for them and really struggles with what the right thing to do is and whether or not he's being a good father. we taught him about how God can give us those answers and most of all help our families to be more united, protected, and blessed and happy through living a Gospel centered life. Most of all we emphasized that his Father in Heaven loves him and that the greatest source of joy will be found in seeing our children grow in truthfulness and light and that blessing comes through the Gospel. When we left he said he felt like a whole great big burden had just been lifted off him in the little time we were able to speak to him and he was super stoked to visit with us again! Member referrals are the best!
It's pretty sad though because now that we're seeing this huge success and our area is on the cusp of exploding we're being doubled out! Yepp that's right, we found out this morning that both Elder Calderoni and I are being transferred and our area's probably becoming a zone leader area. It's kind of sad and disappointing that we got doubled in and are now being doubled out, especially when we're finally seeing people who are about to get baptized, but I know it's all for a purpose and that the Lord has a plan for it all. Elder Calderoni and I have really learned the importance and power of forgetting ourselves and going to work. When we have in our hearts, really deep in our hearts, that this isn't our work so much as the Lord's work, He prospers the area and we are able to see many great blessings. In contrast the moment we start saying things such as "our investigators" "our dates" "our baptisms" and really start applying what are progress in others to ourselves, progress seems to drastically halt. The Lord upholds His work, not ours. His work is never frustrated (D&C 3:3) and so we shouldn't be either if we have an eye single to the glory of God and a heart ready to do good where ever we are called.
I'm still a district leader and I'm happy and excited to see how the Lord will use me to bless the lives of people in another area of the mission. This next transfer will be a little different because on July 7 we're having mini transfers because the mission is growing to get half of the Cherry Hill Mission. We're getting 29 other missionaries and we're going to be fully integrating them immediately. It's going to be an exciting and, what I anticipate, a very fast moving summer for us in the New Jersey Morristown Mission and we look forward to it with great determination!
I hope you all have a blessed day and remember that the Lord has a plan for each of you. I like one of the quotes that Dad sent me which in essence says that time truly has little effect on where we go in life, it's what we do in life which determines where we will be when that time comes. We will be the same age 13 years from now, the only difference we can make in that is whether we became what we wanted to be in that time and if what we want to become is truly the most we can be, fulfilling every measure of our potential.
-Elder Guinto
P.S. Hey dad do you know how to make puto(that colored rice cupcake thing that filipinos eat)? I had it at a Filipino party and I loved it! I remember having it at other filipino parties. If not if you could look up a recipe and see if I could make it because it's super good! I'm going to try and stop by the Filipino store here and see if they have it but that would be cool if I could make it.
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