E-mail received 9/26/2011

The charges are legitimate. I've been getting lax with it being the end of the transfer but I've got a handle on it now. I just sent two packages to you full of stuff so you should be getting it in a few days. It definitely felt weird packing up things and sending them off.

 

Excited to hear about the manageable schedule. I loved my schedule of working 4 tens a week because it gave me a ton of days off and I just got it done. Looks like you get off at a pretty reasonable time as well. I hope you're making sure that you're enjoying work. Work's only temporal until you MAKE it spiritual. There's loads of missionaries who come out here with the attitude of this just being another job when really any job and any experience that we have in life can be taken and handled in the spirit of joy and thanksgiving. Find meaningful things to do that you can see how you are helping people. Find little activities to make work fun! I know your creative mind can factor these simple yet life-enhancing past-times which will make labor much more fun! The purpose of work and life is joy! (2 Ne. 2:25)

 

I love the name of Paige and Tyree's little girl. I assume that the middle name is reminiscent
of Aunt Kelly. I can't wait to greet the beautiful infant!

 

I'm definitely glad also that I didn't have to wait! I'm also pretty excited for Elder Anderton. Finnish was one of the languages that I was hoping to be blessed to learn while on my mission. I'm definitely grateful and love where I serve but I'd just love to go on a mission everywhere I think! Hopefully Chris gets his call soon!!

 

What an awesome talk subject! I was just waiting for a talk on the temple, or on marriage or dating or something like that! (; I am actually excited to give a talk on that. It would be really great if we could attend a session that day that I get home so that we would take full advantage of the trip up to Seattle!

 

This week was definitely a great one. I've tried to really grow and progress spiritually this week and it's definitely been a miracle with our companionship. Elder McMillian and I have really started trusting each other much more and it has brought so much power and the Spirit in to our teaching. I think I often times have a hard time trusting people and it definitely takes a lot of faith for me to put my trust in someone else when lives and salvation are on the line. I was reminded of the scripture in Proverbs 3:5-6, which states: "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." I had to have faith that God had called and qualified my companion and I needed to give him room to grow. To make it short: I did and he did! We've experienced a great unity in our companionship and the Spirit flows directly through us without restraint. We can see how it effects our investigators and three new people committed to baptism this week!

 

We taught a man who couldn't speak because of an injury he sustained from a knife fight! He couldn't communicate much to us but he told us that he felt the Spirit and knows the Book of Mormon is true! I definitely know that it's the Spirit that shapes the missionary and does the work and I know that I've still a long ways to go till I'm done serving here in New Jersey! I love this work and what it does to me! There's no greater service than this!

 

-Elder Guinto

E-mail received 9/19/2011 - 51 days! (But who's counting!)

It definitely warmed my heart to hear about Briden. Him and Nate Coleman hold a special place in my heart all the time. I wasn't very close with Briden but his pure love and care for everyone is definitely an inspiration. I really believe that people like them are the ones that God loved so much that He just couldn't find it in His heart to even take a chance that they might not return to Him so he gave them a grace and then filled them to the brim with Christ-like virtue. I think everyone who gets to know them can attest to that same feeling.

 

I really should start sending a bunch of things home. We just passed by a UPS store and it reminded me of that. I'm probably going to throw a lot out or pass things down. Certain things have just worn out their usefulness. My hushpuppy shoes are destroyed but the eccos seemed to weather the storm of mission life fairly well. I will probably have to do quite a bit of purchasing when I get back, but lets not think about that too much.

 

It's pretty wrenching to think that the mission actually ends. I was talking with a member today and she said, "Just stay! Or go and come right back." Oh how amazing it would be to be out here in the service of the Lord all the days of my life. I feel like Alma when he says, "O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people! Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth." I also have been feeling a lot of truth in the second part as well: "But behold, I am a man, and do sin in my wish; for I ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me.I ought not to harrow up in my desires the firm decree of a just God, for I know that he granteth unto men according to their desire, whether it be unto death or unto life; yea, I know that he allotteth unto men, yea, decreeth unto them decrees which are unalterable, according to their wills, whether they be unto salvation or unto destruction." My biggest desire is to finish my mission the way that the Lord would intend me to do it. Make His will, my will. It's definitely tough sometimes but every day I pray that I can be more like Him and represent Him as I should.

 

I'm excited that they're doing what they did here where you guys are. Our area was the first to get the new advertisement campaign. The new pass-along cards actually include some members and missionaries who served in our mission! It's definitely made a profound difference in the effect missionary work is having on the community. People can see that Mormons are regular people! But on top of that they have this blessing that changes their lives forever. It helps people become more receptive to the message that the missionaries have.

 

We've gained a great testimony this week of the power of member missionary work. Yesterday we united with over 2000 volunteers in a monumental effort to help thousands of suffering souls in the Caldwell Stake area who endured the effects of Hurricane Irene. The response was phenomenal! I thought of churches all over New Jersey, whose idea of keeping the Sabbath day holy would be to go to church and listen to a moving talk about how the strength of God will help those in desperate need to overcome their trials. I saw an even more consecrated act of Sabbath observance when all the 300 or so members of our three wards in Princeton met for a very short 20 minute "Serve the Sacrament" meeting before driving an hour to go and BE the strength of God to help those in desperate need to overcome their trials. It was awesome! We helped this lady who was at a total loss of what to do when we got there. Her entire house had been flooded and everything had to be ripped out and replaced and she just didn't know where to turn to get everything done. At pretty large risk to ourselves ( The floor was so waterlogged and rotted that several of us fell through the floor at different stages of the work! ) we gutted the house of all the rotted material that we had means to do. Ripping up carpets, taking up two layers of hardwood floor, pulling out sheetrock and insulation and helping her to save what could be saved from tv's to ovens and cabinets. It's incredible how the Lord truly does provide for every soul who cries unto Him in the night and He heareth their cries and delivers them from their trials. Her heart was so full of the love of the Lord and so was ours. He continues to work the miracles and pour out the wondrous blessings.

 

Hopefully the girls can get a handle on things. Are they reading their scriptures? I know that's something that I included in my email to Katelyn. It's definitely my opinion that if one prayerfully reads the scriptures every day, every day, EVERY day that they will have enough of the Spirit to instruct, uplift and chasten them in all things what they should do. (2 Ne. 32:3) Of course don't compel them to read but invite them and testify that it's exactly what they need. The world may convince them that it's a most improbable medicine but it's most assuredly the spiritual cure one could ever need.

 

I'll definitely pray for both of them and I pray daily that the Lord will take care of each of you and I know that He will. He continues to move the work in monumental ways out here. One of our investigators began to really progress this week. She was referred to us by a member and quite frankly when we first met her she seemed a pretty unlikely candidate. We kept our faith the Lord could work miracles but we definitely judged her a little bit because of her stereotype. When we came back we found out that she'd read the assignment we left her and she was applying it to herself! She even wanted to come to church! Her desire for good is overcoming her desire for evil and she's changing bit by bit. I've been chastened to reserve judgment.

 

I hope we all continue to serve in our spheres and seek to build the Lord' kingdom. "Lift where you stand!" There is no greater cause than one that is eternal and no better time than the present.

 

-Elder Guinto

 

E-mail received 9/12/2011 - Hurricane Cleanup Underway

We didn't get much flooding where we are and everything that did happen was long taken care of. We did have some awesome opportunities to help other areas that were devastated by the hurricane though and it was awesome to be able to help. We went back to Paterson, which was completely submerged during the Hurricane. There's still some major flooding there after two weeks of the storm and other places have millions of dollars in water damage. 

 

The whole mission as well as hundreds of other volunteers went there as well as other surrounding areas to help out and it was just an incredible effort. We were dressed in the yellow "Mormon Helping Hands" t-shirts and everyone recognized us for who we were and who we represented. All throughout the streets we could be seen, helping people to remove decaying walls and debri, pumping out water-logged basements, and providing needed food and other cleaning kits and supplies. Everyone was so thankful and relieved from the help that we were able to give them. All who participated in the service were richly blessed with the Spirit for doing so.

 

Why is it that I always miss all of the amazing stake conferences where awesome general authorities speak?!

 

It's exciting to see awesome missionaries preparing and heading out to the field. Chris Hensley and Cameron Bruce will both do amazing things in their individual fields. I hope that Chris doesn't go so soon so that I can see his departing words. How the Lord needs more and more missionaries to serve so that greater numbers of His children can experience the joys of the Gospel. I've said it before, and it's as true now as it was then, any young, able man should serve a mission and if he chooses not to he will be giving up the greatest opportunity of his young adult life. Sisters make such an invaluable contribution to the work of the Lord. Everyone who can should serve! With the exception of building a righteous family in the Gospel, there is no more satisfying work than that of bring souls unto Christ. The Lord and those who are touched will thank you forever!

 

I had the opportunity to bless the sacrament this Sunday with one of the people who's baptism I performed. It felt wonderful, even special, to be helping him to exercise his priesthood authority and to help others to repent and grow closer to their Heavenly Father. You never feel so big as when you're helping someone feel bigger.

 

We're excited for more hours of service this week and knowing that what we are doing is in line with what our Savior would have us do and showed us that we need to do. It's a marvelous work and a wonder. I hope we all recognize that part that we have in it and strive our very best to magnify our role as missionaries in the Lord's vineyard.

 

-Elder Guinto

E-mail received 9/6/2011

There was actually a lot of flooding which we found out a few days later but none of it effected the mighty walking missionaries. We just have to wade on through and we are able to go where ever we want. Some people we were even able to talk to just because they were stranded at a relatives house. The hurricane ended up being a major plus to missionary work!

 

I'm glad that Maleah seems to have a bunch of great teachers and I hope she doesn't have too much stress from school. I can't wait to see her and give her a big hug!

 

This email will be a little short because I have like ten minutes to email today. I'm good with whatever you guys think will be best. It sounds like Heritage Halls, more specifically Felt Hall or whatever, would be the logical choice so I guess we'll go with there. Katelyn said that it'd be wise to map out classes before signing up for them but I don't know how we'll be able to accomplish that one. Everything will work out. It always does. If there's a morning yoga class that would be awesome! You know I'm a morning person!

 

Awesome that lot's going on and I'd love to comment on it but I have to say that we had an amazing week with miracles and finding. Our new zone goal is to do various activities for our focus every week so that we can find new investigators and our testimony that the Lord is preparing His children everywhere to receive the Gospel continues to grow.

 

We dashed to a far off place in Hamilton, NJ and we found some amazingly prepared people while we finally gave in to actually knocking doors. It's not my favorite way to find but it definitely yielded some amazingly prepared people and Elder McMillian and I grow more and more when we put our faith in our loving Heavenly Father.

 

Hope everyone has a great week and everyone read your scriptures!

 

-Elder Guinto

E-mail received 8/30/2011 - Earthquakes + Hurricanes=Humility

Oh man, wisdom teeth are a doozy! Katelyn did email me and I'm excited to hear from her! She said she actually loved the orientation but she definitely didn't mention this guy(s)! I did tell her that if I live in Felt Hall that means I get to screen everyone she dates and barge in her room whenever I want and hang out on her bed like old times!

I just hope it's not all 18 year old kids in that Hall. I heard it could be pretty awkward for 21 year-old RM's in the Heritage halls because everyone else is so much younger. You'll probably be "pleased" to know that I still have no idea what I want to do after college but I've been now thinking about some kind of engineering. Some people were talking to me about mechanical engineering and structural engineering and they sounds like very "hands on" as well as interesting and practical fields to go in to. I'm still not set on much but we'll see.

It's still super weird to think that at the end of this week I'll only have two months left out here. I actually talked to one of the assistants about extending for another month but now that plans are already in motion I guess I probably shouldn't do that. I don't know if the Bishop has any plans for what he would like me to talk about or anything but if he does I'd like to know that. The more preparation I can put into it, the more praying I can do over it and hopefully have something presentable.

Thanks for Chris' address. The more and more I've been reading "Our Search for Happiness" the more and more I'm convinced that it'd be a great read for him. I've really been gaining a ton of spiritual insight from it and I feel the Spirit confirm to me again and again that it's the message for those going through tough times. I hope we're all reaching out to him in any way that we can.

The hurricane was actually very mild where we were. There was some very severe flooding but not too many houses got blown away. We were concerned about ours but everything was in tact. Lot's of roads are closed down and traffic is ALWAYS crazy now but overall it wasn't bad at all.

It definitely riled up the city though. When you have an earthquake and a hurricane both in the same week people definitely start to get worried about their salvation! We had one person call us the day after the hurricane and tell us that he wanted us to come over and preach to him! This particular individual had told us a few months earlier that he wanted to steal my bike! When we met with him this time around he had become one of the most humble, soft-spoken, earnest seekers of truth that you'd ever meet. We had a wonderful discussion with him and about how he can gain a personal relationship with his Heavenly Father. We definitely know that this hurricane was sent from God as a tool to humble His children unto repentance!

I'm always amazed at how Heavenly Father works in mysterious ways and how He'll always reach out to His children in love. We're so blessed to live in the days of a modern prophet who receives revelation to guide and direct God's children. It's a marvelous work and a wonder to be in.

Hope you're all well and doing your best to hearken unto the words of the modern day prophet, knowing that they are just and true. Just pray about it and you'll know!

-Elder Guinto

Kyle's Mission Report - November 13, 2011

For anyone that's interested, Kyle will report on his mission in our ward on November 13th at 9:00am in the Nisqually Building.  Just thought I'd put the word out so you can get it on your calendar if you're interested in coming.

E-mail received 8/22/2011

Tell Grandma and the gang that I said hi! I'm not nearly as faithful as she is in writing me. One of the things, by the way, that I asked for last week was if you could send me Chris' address because I wanted to send something to him. I've been reading lately in "Our Search for Happiness" by Elder M. Russell Ballard and I thought it might be able to lift him up a little bit. If you could get it for him or just give me his address and I can send him my copy that would be swell!

 

That's great that Katelyn, Mike and Mckay are all going to school. It seems like education is a must for comfort now a days and it really makes all the difference in opportunities. As far as course selection I really have no idea. Believe it or not I've been thinking about possibly going in to engineering. I seem to switch all the time but I really don't have the resources to be looking into anything seriously so I can't really set my heart on anything yet. I just see people and I see things that I might like or would work for what I'm capable of doing. We'll see what happens but I guess just sign me up for whatever you think might be good. I would like to take either the Book of Mormon class or the marriage and family class for my religion class though. I heard they were both very good and I would love to go to one of them.

 

Hopefully everything works out with the jury duty thing. That seems like it'd be pretty silly if they didn't let that one go.

 

My new companion is Elder McMillian! He's from South Jordan, Utah and we're the same age. He actually graduated the same year that I did as well. He went to two years of college first at Utah Valley University and almost has his associates degree. We get a long really well but he's not the biggest fan of Trenton. Who can blame him though, he's coming from the beautiful wide open Utah to the concrete jungle of Trenton. It'll grow on him though I think he hasn't quite adjusted to doing the missionary thing yet but he's definitely got a lot of heart and is coming into the field really prepared.

 

They've given us another new training program to follow and it's incredible how fast the church is progressing in every phase of the work. They really focus us in on our purpose and it's helped us to be a lot more productive. We've definitely felt the Spirit testifying through us and leading us to those who are prepared to receive the message of the Restoration.

 

We had one instance where we had to bring some bad news to an investigator who needs to do a few things before he can get baptized and some situations led us to feel like we needed to explain a few things a little better to him. We gained a testimony of accepting the Lord's timing. We could scrape by and get him baptized sooner but it wouldn't mean much in the long run if he's not really prepared. As we follow the Lord and accept His will he leads us and helps us to gain the most out of what we're given and prosper in the days to come.

 

We're changing a lot of the things that we have been doing and working in untouched parts of our area to find some more prepared people who are ready to hearken to the voice of the Lord and not sleep. Pray for us and we'll pray for all of you that you can have similar opportunities to share this life changing Gospel. There is no greater gift than this time to sew and to reap!

 

-Elder Guinto