E-mail received 6/27/2011

I was able to send in the information this morning so it should arrive there around wednesday or thursday. I wasn't able to order a report and I tried twice but I'll get a letter off today. It's been a fun experience so far with all the fun finance issues but much less than I would've thought. It was kind of interesting to see what people do with someone elses' information. It brings to light how important the principle of accountability is when someone's unaccountability before God let's them go to extreme lengths to satisfy their desires. Hopefully they'll be able to repent and find the greater happiness that they can find through integrity in the Gospel.

 

That's awesome that the girls want to exercise during the summer! I especially like that Maleah wants to bike because I've come to really love cycling as I've been doing it out here. Although, I would definitely appreciate a bike that requires a little less maintenance than the one that I currently ride. It's given me useful practice though which I will definitely use later on in my life.

 

Tell Maleah not to worry about juggling school and a job at the district office. My friends who worked there said that if anything else it was a great place to catch up on homework at. They said they did little to nothing there so it was a reverent environment to do their study. With that in mind though tell her to make sure that she needs to be an employee worthy of her hire. If anything else, some of the most foundational times for her life are these times so she should strive to excel as a student and stand out as an employee. The way she carries herself on both fronts will help her establish the person she hopes to be for a lifetime.

 

I do know Elder Young from Sparks, Nevada. He actually goes home in two days if I'm not mistaken. He's a Spanish-speaking missionary and he gave a great testimony a few weeks ago in all mission conference.

 

I'm actually super sad that that memory card doesn't seem to be working. It had a lot of pictures and the pictures of Elder Smith and I at the mission home. But there's no sense crying over spilt milk. The memories will always be there in the noggin. Just note that I did send a video.

 

Jason Hensley did do running start and graduated with an associates degree. I don't actually regret not doing that program because it would've alienated me from the friends and associations I made at school but it would be nice to be a little ahead when I get home. Although it just means I get to have more years of fun in college so I'm excited as well. It'll be fun to get there and everyone, including my little sister, will be ahead of me in school. But everything will be fresh in my mind and I won't have to recall college courses that I took two years ago!

 

This week was definitely a fun one. We worked really hard and taught and committed a lot of people. One of our major prayers was answered this week. We've been teaching this African family from Liberia and the father and the daughter have both been baptized here but the mother was having a few struggles. She believes that the church is true and wants to be baptized with all her heart but her job requires her to work on Sundays. Her husband is going to school right now and is about to finish a course in mechanical engineering so she's bringing in most of the family income and despite her pleas to get the Sabbath off she's yet been unsuccessful. We felt inspired to tell her to pray for it and then to exercise all of her will towards getting the day off. The family held a special fast together and we were praying none stop for a miracle. One day her boss came up to her and said that for the following schedule she'd arranged that she would be working different hours on Sunday. Instead of working 12-5, which is during the same time as church, she would be scheduled to work 5-10, which is right after church! We were ecstatic when we heard the news and she committed right then and there to be baptized on July 19th! It's amazing what the Lord will do for those who trust in Him and believe on Him. Her family will be completed and they'll be able to prepare for marriage in the temple next year!

 

We were a little disappointed when a family, who was so sure on coming to church, didn't come this Sunday but we still have hope that they can exercise their own agency to do it. They're a great family and we want to help them the best that we can. We've been meeting with their son on a very frequent basis and it's great to see him light up when he understands a scripture and loves the story. It's great to see so much potential here in Jersey and the Lord has given us this opportunity to harvest it here.

 

I hope we all take the chance we've been given to reach out and harvest where we are. There is potential all around us. We see it on the street, at our jobs and in many cases even in our own homes and God has put us exactly where we are for a purpose. If we listen to the Spirit and listen with love to those with whom we associate, we will be led to those seeking for the truth. Have a great week and let us go on in so great a cause!

 

-Elder Guinto

E-mail received 6/20/2011

Mighty fun stuff! I'm just hoping that this doesn't reflect poorly on you because you're my power of attorney. When Elder Packer called me and said that I'd gone to New York and splurged 750$ I was quite surprised that I was capable of sleepwalking that far. Ironically we went to the temple this week and so we were two days away from going to New York anyways. That's why I didn't email last week because we switched our preparation day to Saturday and the length of the trip from down here in Trenton didn't allow me to email on Saturday either. So don't worry, I didn't get mugged.

I'll make sure and take care of everything today and after I do I'll make sure and have Elder Packer call you. Wish me luck in finding myself again!

That's very weird that Katelyn's out of high school and even stranger that she'll be further in college than I am when I get home. Speaking of Katelyn I met someone else who knows her this week. Carlos Sanchez introduced me to his sister who was apparently Katelyn's counselor at SOAR. I'm slowly turning into the brother of Katelyn rather than her being my sister! I showed them the video of Katelyn (P.S. got the package on Wednesday. Gracias!) and they laughed. I laughed really really hard when Katelyn got the text message in the middle of the video! She's all grown up! Kind of...she'll always be my little sister.

I sent another card with Dad's father's day card. I hope you got it in time for father's day. Don't know why but it felt the best to see Dad and Maleah in the videos. I think I appreciate Dad's quirkiness more now than I did back home. Maleah's so skinny! She should trim her bangs so that everyone can see her beautiful face! Tell her not to worry. I'll come home to replace Katelyn for a little while.

Tell them both to make sure they're reading their scriptures every day! That's really just the key to getting all the support they'll ever need. We've really seen it in the person who was just confirmed yesterday. The first day we met him he was really reserved and just a altogether shy and not outgoing person at all. He would go to work and come home without seeing anyone and just not really living life. Then he started reading his scriptures and it's been amazing to see him just totally change. For the years prior to us meeting him he went through some intense radiation treatment for colon cancer, I believe, and he was just always racked with pain and fatigue. Now he's the most energetic and upbeat person. He walks around the church like he's been a life-long member and he cracks jokes with the bishop! He wakes up early in the morning, around 4 or 5, so that he can study his scriptures and ponder on the throughout the day. He finds enlightenment and strength daily and it helps him to thrive in any situation. The scriptures really are the power of God unto our own salvation as long as we treasure them up and trust in the Lord.

We had somewhat of a challenging week this week but it's also been one of the most revelatory. I'm truly a believer that trails are given to us for our good, for whom the Lord loveth He chastens. I learned a lot about patience this week. One thing that Sister Bahr taught us from Sister Beck is that everyone, and I like to substitute every thing, that comes into our lives is clinical material for us to practice becoming more like the Savior. Without an opportunity we cannot grow. In the premortal life I'm sure that several of us were anxious and eager to come here and to prove ourselves faithful to our Heavenly Father but he reserved our strength and zeal for a time when we could truly be tested. I hope all of us know that we are not ordinary sons and daughters of a loving Heavenly Father but if we hold on to the rod he has given us we are His elect. We were chosen to come in the last days, the toughest days, not because we are disliked or forsaken but because he knows we can do it. Christ repeatedly beckons us to follow Him but too often we may forget that the implication is really to follow Him because the way has been prepared for us.

Help Maleah to read a few talks for me. "The Atonement Covers All Pain" by Kent F. Richards- April 2011 Ensign. There's also a great video on the talk by Joseph B. Wirthlin entitled "Come What May and Love It!" on youtube that she should see. Both of these have brought me a lot of strength through hard times out here.

I really love the opportunity I have our here to come to better know my Savior and my own faith. The more I work the more I grow, the more I read the more I know and the more I strive to be true the more I show the Lord I love Him. Never lose hope. The Devil will always try to dim the everlasting truth made real by the Atonement of Christ: "You can do it."

-Elder Guinto

E-mail receved 06/06/2011 - The 100th Post!!

Don't worry I'm not (eating too much fast food). My former companion and other zone members were huge fans of eating out as a zone, even when I don't have any more msf. Fortunately we're not doing it too much anymore so you won't see any more of them. Although I am planning on buying a new back pack today. The one I bought last April is wearing out in the bottom and I want a lighter one for the super hot summer on the bike.

 

I find it interesting that you really don't like teaching and speaking in front of groups and I really like giving talks and teaching and things like that. I guess we're all given different gifts that God gives us to help His children in different ways.

 

Still crazy that Katelyn's graduating and crazier that Jason Hensley bought a house with his WIFE! It'll be so weird seeing all the changes that have happened. Life comes at you fast sometimes and I bet it comes twice as fast when you've been out of it for a while. I'm not going to lie, I really enjoy being a missionary. It's pretty care-free and you enjoy the Spirit 24/7. It's really a blessing to have this time to draw nigh unto the Lord and participate in this great work. The most happy and fulfilling times have definitely been out here serving the Lord.

 

This last week we were able to do a lot of finding and inviting and we've seen incredible success. We're definitely working, finding, teaching and baptizing! There will be another baptism this Sunday with an incredible investigator that we've been working with for some time now. He was found by a few missionaries a few months ago, through a member. Since he's met with the missionaries he's gone through some intense cancer treatment and it's really gotten him down. From the time we first met him to now there's been a total change in his countenance. When we first saw him he was very very quiet and reserved and really just worked everyday, came home and kept to himself. Now that the Spirit has really worked on him and he's changed completely. He's super friendly and outgoing, he testifies to his friends and family about the Book of Mormon and the prophets, he wakes up early in the morning and instead of going and having a morning coffee and cigarette he warms up with a hot chocolate and the Book of Mormon. He enjoys and is edified by the Spirit DAILY and he tells us about it! He's truly been converted by the Spirit.

 

He's going to be a great member and missionary to his fairly large family. He's already setting a great example of nobility and obedience to them.

 

I love this work! I love it's redeeming and life-changing power! It's incredible what the Lord can do when we give Him our all and in return we receive His all. I know as we devote our time and attention and even just give room for Him in our lives we lay up for ourselves a great treasure which cannot be taken from us, now and in the eternities.

 

-Elder Guinto

E-mail received 05/31/2011

Sounds like everythings doing well back home. I'm looking at this email now so i can't really remember what was on the other one other than everyone's sad about school ending but hey what else is new.

 

Our week was incredible! My new companion is awesome. He's part of the first batch of a new era of missionaries. They've reformed the training that they are giving at the MTC to focus more on following the Spirit while teaching. We've been trained and briefed on it out here but this is the first batch of missionaries to receive the new training. They trounce out all of us. I've never see a more reverent and Spirit driven, new group of missionaries come out before.

 

My companion is Elder Smith. He's from Kansas City, Kansas and he's actually has a relation to Joseph's Smith's line! (Even if it is super distant it's pretty cool!) He's really dedicated and puts a lot of himself in to his work. The coolest part of the week was definitely that Elder Smith was able to have his first baptism his first week. He baptized one of the investigators we'd been working with for most of last transfer and it was a really awesome experience.

 

It was a father and his daughter who were baptized and it was just an amazing moment, as it always is, to see them entering in to sacred covenants with their Father.

 

We're excited for many more baptisms this transfer and excited to grow with each other and towards our Savior!

 

-Elder Guinto