E-mail received 8/1/2011

I did finally get the debit card on Saturday. We finally got a batch of mail! I activated it and everything so all should be well. If you could tell me what my balance is in your next email that would be great. Hopefully I don't lose my identity again!

 

Thanks for Andrea's address. Hopefully she doesn't take a letter from me the wrong way! That's interesting to find out that they moved. I hope everything worked out with her having problems with her stomach.

That's so excited to hear about the future and returned missionaries from our stake! I'm so excited for Cameron! It is a little sad that I'll not see him for four years now but it'll be interesting what man returns. He will definitely be going out a lot more prepared than I did and he'll be able to do wonders in Brazil! My former companion, Elder Calderoni, actually lived right across the street from the MTC that Cameron will be going to and he said that it was always a reminder to him and his family to be able to be around and among the servants of the Lord. I know Jaron has done great works and continues to contribute in huge ways to the work of the Lord where he can. It's great to know that no matter what part of life that I may be in that I'll always be able to be a missionary!

 

We had an amazing week this week with miracles everywhere! We started everything off being able to have a personal interview with our new mission president: President Jeppson. He is definitely a dedicated servant of God! He's a former patriarch and you can definitely see that he continues to uphold the sacred standard of that assignment. He prophesied to my companion a little bit about the great things that he could do in the mission field and when he returns home and he talked with me about my own conversion experience. He's definitely spiritually in tune, valiant in obedience and a diligent example. It brought great zeal to us to know we have such a great new mission president!

 

That day we were able to help three new investigators to set dates for baptism but one of the greatest miracles happened in the heart of one of our other investigators. He's a young bloke we've noticed coming to church recently with his girlfriend. She more or less forces him to go but when we invited him to learn from the lessons he wasn't hesitant at all. He said he figures that he might as well learn something while he's there. This last week was our very first lesson with him and we had only about 15 minutes. We asked him if he had any questions about what he saw at church and his one question was what the significance was about the Sacrament. We were able to bear testimony about the cleansing power of the Atonement and then teach about how these glorious truths have been restored through a prophet of God after many long years of apostasy and corruption by men. You could see each truth hit him as an unseeable force but the impact was clearly visible. At church yesterday he told us that he really liked what he learned and how he felt. Hearts changing is the real miracle of this work.

 

Our own potential is more than we can comprehend. Christ knows where we can be but especially exactly what we need to be to be happy. In turn He's given us commandments so that we can reach that divine goal. Though we may not understand all of them, each of them is vitally important. The one commandment that encompasses them all is to love one another. If we have love one to another we follow Christ's example. Perfect love isn't packaged in candy boxes or grown in fresh gardens but it is nurtured in our thoughts as well as in our sacrifice. God's love was selfless when he gave his best to many of the worst so that in it they could find ever lasting joy. Let us forgo the judgement we may reserve for others and give our very best to those who may censure us. I know that this brings joy and peace.

 

I love you all and hope that your prayers this week may be fervent and faithful!

 

-Elder Guinto

E-mail received 7/25/2011

Hmmm. Well at least it's reassuring to you that I haven't taken out any loans that you don't know about! I guess nothing changes then, which I guess is the best that anyone could've asked for. I haven't gotten the debit card yet because we haven't gotten mail in a while. The mission hasn't been super adamant lately at getting mail to us at every opportunity they get but that's ok. It gives me a chance to stay focused and not worry about getting stuff from home. Plus when we do get mail I usually actually get something.

One funny request regarding mail, actually, and don't freak out about this one. I was wondering if Andrea is still home and if she is I was wondering if you could get her mailing address for me. I'm not going to do anything romantic or anything like that. I just wanted to send her a thank you for being an example to me in high school and the way I've been effected by it. I just thought about it this week and thought I should express appreciation.

I'm actually surprised that Kelsie didn't get married sooner! It seems like nobody's gotten married! Atleast not as many as I had expected. I was completely expecting everyone from seminary to be married by the time I'd get back but it looks like only a few have. I still haven't really heard anything about Nick Smith going on a mission. I sure hope that he did.

That's crazy that Maleah's going to be 16!!! I guess that's tomorrow huh? Tell her that the same rules apply to her that apply to Katelyn! If she wants an excuse not to date people tell her to tell the boys that she has a wild brother who's out loose in the concrete jungles of the Eastern U.S. who'll swoop in and break them if they touch his little sister. Then we'll see how they feel about it. Tell her to remember that dating in high school isn't to have boyfriends or anything like that. Dating when you're young is essentially to have fun and gain experience interacting with people of the opposite gender so when she is in a position to seek a deeper relationship she won't be a total fish out of water. The Lord allows proper relationships to grow in appropriate settings and the ones she chooses to foster can either strengthen and prepare her for a future eternal companionship or desensitize and devalue the future bonds I'm sure she hopes to find. Elder Smith and I were actually talking today about how dating too seriously too early really can cripple the youth of today. I know that Maleah's got a good head on her shoulders though so she'll make good choices.

I try not to think of home as much as possible. I really don't think about it very much unless someone brings it up. It's definitely easier to work when you've got everything focused on what you're doing. I keep praying for focus and charity so that I can be more like Christ.

We had an interesting week this week. Like you guessed, it was definitely a scorcher. Every day, except for Sunday, was in the upper 90's and lower 100's. Being a walking missionary in that kind of weather can be pretty brutal sometimes but the Lord definitely blessed us in countless ways so that we could keep doing the work. I couldn't count how many times we just be to the brink of exhaustion when out of nowhere someone would offer us a swig of water or a brief reprieve from the beating sun. We even found a few new investigators out of sheer pity! The Lord really brings it all for the benefit of His children and if we just have a few days of sweltering heat for it, so be it!

We helped one of our new investigators to set a baptismal date for August 28th! He's a tattoo artist but he just wants to do what the Lord wants him to do. He's seen a lot of things in his life and he really attributes his existence today to miracles that the Lord has put in his path. He asked us if it was wrong, reassuring us that he just wanted to know if he needed to make a change. He said if he has to he will because it's all about what God wants. He's a man of intense faith and it's good to see such devotion among the people of New Jersey.

We found some amazing success also among the people who some may have given up on. We've been working for some time with a less-active teen in our ward. She's fallen into divers sins and feels somewhat opposed to a few principles of the Gospel. Others may think very critically of her but my companion, the bishop, and myself definitely feel prompted that there's more there than most people see. We actually started teaching her boyfriend and we've seen a new light come into her as we've been teaching him and then inviting her to testify of the truths that she does know. This week she also went with the youth to Kirtland, Ohio, to see the temple and the other sights there. She definitely felt the Spirit there and it's incredible what that influence can do to change a person.

I really think that one of the most amazing things that the experience of the mission offers is change. Whether it's in me or in those that I have an opportunity to see the Lord teach, it's life changing. The central blessing and purpose of this life is change and what a wonder to be able to be an instrument of that purpose. There's little that a young man can do during these two years of his life that will come close to measuring up to what he can accomplish with the Spirit in the service of the Lord. Anyone who sacrifices that opportunity will be letting go of a life filled with some of the choicest blessings God can offer.

I love my mission and we're excited to work and sweat and teach like missionaries do!

-Elder Guinto

E-mail received 7/18/2011 - Week of Miracles

We've been seeing signs all over the place for the new Harry Potter movie and probably for the first time on the mission I've felt like I'm missing out on something. It'll be cool though to just watch them both back to back. I was telling Elder Smith that the girls and I are going to do an all day marathon! It'll be fabulous!

 

It's honestly so exciting to hear that Jacob's going out on a mission and that he seems to have come a long way from where he was at two years ago. It sounds like he's grown into a great young man and he'll do wonders in the mission field as he continues to follow the Spirit. He's got a lot of potential and going on a mission just multiplies his ability tenfold. Tell him I wish him the best and Godspeed!

 

Our week this week was amazing! We just had miracle after miracle as we had a great time walking and teaching in Trenton. Our bikes were out of commission all week and so we walked everywhere! We walked probably about 8-10 miles each day. When you're walking though you have an opportunity to just stop and talk to everyone that you see and it's just amazing.  You have your line in the water all day!

 

We had a great miracle when an investigator, who's for the most part been pretty contentious about the Book of Mormon, had a huge change of heart this week. We were teaching him and we felt impressed to just start testifying of the Book of Mormon and how he can gain a testimony of it. It kind of hit him that he really hadn't done everything that he could do to test the Book of Mormon, especially he got the impression that he hadn't quite pondered on it enough and really just assumed that it went against what the Lord has said in the Bible. He made it his personal mission to find an answer and he committed to preparing to be baptized on August 28th!

 

Another miracle was when we taught the message of the Restoration to a lady from Liberia and she felt the Spirit so strong when we taught about Joseph Smith and she felt right then and there that this was God's church and she needed to be a part of it! On everything else this family that we've been working with for weeks finally came to church and loved it!

 

The Lord is really showering his blessings on Elder Smith and I and we're just trying our best to give the glory to God for all that he's doing. We're growing from it the more that we work with the Spirit and testify of it's converting power and others are benefitting from it as well.

 

I love being a missionary. Never have I seen so much happen because of the Spirit and see so much change in the lives of other people. It's a priceless opportunity to see face to face, foot to pavement, and hand to hand the tender mercies, awesome power and the hand of God among His children. I hope those who are considering going on missions or who are already preparing to serve look forward to the experience with excitement and just go for it head first. The sooner we let Christ be our shepherd, the sooner He will lead us to green pastures.

 

-Elder Guinto

E-mail received 7/11/2011

I did send the copy of the license on Tuesday so you should've gotten it already. I'll make another copy and send it today though, just in case. There is a copier right here in the library and it's what I used to make the last one. I have no idea what an SS# is, much less remember it. Hopefully that's not super important... oh well.

 

I don't remember hearing that Brandon had joined the army. So is this Reina a member? You should send me the announcement just so I can see. I'll make sure I don't lose it because I know you like to keep things like that.

 

I did see Maleah with braces in the video so I guess I won't be totally devastated if I don't get to see them. It's nice to know that we've all had the wonderful experience of orthodaunture. It's been a fun one. I got a new toothbrush this week and I love it to death!

 

I can't believe that all these people are leaving on missions! There's going to be no one home when I get there and I'm going to be super depressed if I'm not working! It's so great to see so many willing to serve the Lord. I really wish that more people would choose to serve. I often think that there's just so few of us for the so many people in this world. To think it's an amazing accomplishment to have over 50,000 missionaries worldwide serving from the church in comparison to the over 6,000,000,000 people who need the Gospel. It's amazing that anything ever gets done and at the alarming rate that it does. How we need more and more missionaries for this great world.

 

To the best of my knowledge my release date didn't change with the new mission president. We're having a shortened transfer with this next one so I should still be coming home on November 9th. So you can tell the bishop that so he can plan what he needs to and anyone else who wants to be there. It's still very weird that it's even within sight. I know it'll be a hard adjustment for me if I don't hit the ground running. I'm not a huge fan of down time anymore. I don't like feeling unproductive.

 

We definitely had a great week. We were able to meet the new mission president and get to know him a little bit. His name is President John M. Jeppson and his wife Bonnie Jean Bult Jeppson. They're both from Salt Lake City Utah and have 6 children. They both come from direct prophetic lineage, Pres. Jeppson's great, great, great, great grandfather was President John Taylor and Sis. Jeppson's great, great, great grandfather was President Wilford Woodruff! They probably have totally legendary kids! The Jeppson's oldest daughter is actually married to the famous singer Alex Boye, who's the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's premier soloist right now. We're expecting a concert some time during Pres. Jeppson's time here. Hopefully it's before I leave! Pres. Jeppson's very musical and has sung in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for many years as well. He's had an incredible conversion over many years and has had many ,MANY trials over his lifetime, including the violent deaths of his father and brother and the amputation of his left leg at about mid thigh. We're all really excited to work with him.

 

We had a miracle investigator in church this week. We'd been praying and fasting for weeks that she would be able to get work off and she was finally able to get work off so that she could come and enjoy the Spirit there. She's excited to be able to be baptized next week on July 19!

 

Elder Smith and I have been working well together and learning a lot of life lessons from each other. I really see how getting along with your companion will be a great watermark for your ability to get along with anyone and especially an eternal companion. Patience and guidance from the Spirit are very important and we're really growing as a companionship.

 

We're excited for another fun and exciting transfer and we love the Lord and His work!

 

-Elder Guinto

E-mail received 7/5/2011

We actually were allowed to go to a fireworks show after hours but we chose not to so that we could be doing more productive things. I think that after you've been on your mission for a while you stop caring about those kind of festivities but there were definitely some missionaries who went and had uplifting experiences so God bless America!

 

Wow that's amazing that Brandon Hensley is getting married. I really hadn't heard much since he'd decided not to go on a mission? How's he doing? Has he still been going to church? Who's he getting married to? How long is his hair? Just kidding on the last one, I hope that he's doing well.

 

We had an amazing week of miracles this week and our testimony of the power of God has increased immensely. We were focusing, this week, on using the Book of Mormon in our teaching and it's just the greatest tool that we could ever have.

 

One day we were just not having a very successful day and we were coming up to the last few hours of the day. All of our appointments had cancelled and we really needed to get something done that day. We said a prayer after making some hasty plans of what we wanted to accomplished and prayed that we could find a family to teach. We went out and after 2 of the people not being there we were approached by the cutest 2 year old girl on a big wheel. She told us that the house we were knocking on was vacant but that we should come talk to her mommy and knock on her door! Wanting to humor the little angel we went and knocked on the door of  lady we knew got in frequent, loud, very public fights with her husband and didn't believe in God. She came out after a very forced and hesitant ascension from the couch and told us that she wasn't interested in the whole religion thing. We asked her about it and she said that she'd gone to all of them and just felt an emptiness inside that she's never been able to fill with anything. I lept inside when she said that and pulled out my copy of the Book of Mormon. She started talking about how she doesn't know why we're here or what's the purpose of life. As I turned to Alma 34, she started sharing about how her husband and her are going through a nasty separation and she really just doesn't know if there's anything really out there. We bore testimony to her that her Heavenly Father loved her and were led to share Ether 12:27. It bore testimony to her that not only did God love her but if she came unto Him she could be made strong. After we finished she said that the scripture really hit home. She told us that she felt a warm pressure in her chest that she couldn't really understand. We told her it was the Spirit and she told us, in short, that she could feel the void she's had for so long being filled.

 

This work is powerful and as we move forward the Book of Mormon in a monumental way we will be too. I hope you all see how the book will apply to you and see the miracles that can come from it.

 

-Elder Guinto

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