Love Is The Essence The Gospel

Tortillas: 30
Ok this week was a lot of rejection, may sound strange but I love it; it truly shows and teaches me that opposition, criticism, and antagonism are companions to the truth. Whenever the truth is revealed, there will always be a force to oppose it. There has always been and will ever be an effort to deceive, derail, oppose, and frustrate the plan of life. I am seeing that, we have a lot of people tell us oh I have my church and I don’t want to change churches and I am saying in my head if only you could hear the message that we carry as emissaries of Christ, if only you could hear His voice speak through us. Christ isn’t asking you to change churches; He is asking for a change of heart, He is asking you to come unto Him so He can embrace you and by doing so you find the truth. But they just turn us away like we are a hiss and a byword. We continue to stand tall and are grateful to share His message through word and example.

P-Day Trip

This past week we had zone meeting and it was great. The zone leaders were asking us what are the most important things to have to be successful? Missionaries were shouting faith, diligence, service etc. I spoke up and said CHARITY, and Elder Lundquist said what, say it louder and I said CHARITY, LOVE because we learn from the scriptures that if we don’t have charity we are nothing, if we don’t love we won’t work, if we don’t love we won’t baptize, if we don’t love we will not be successful. If you love you will desire the salvation of your brothers and sisters, just like the sons of Mosiah did. If you have love you won’t have just baptisms, you will have converts. If you love, you will be obedient; the Savior said if you love me, keep my commandments. LOVE is the most important thing for us to have to be successful. From love we have salvation, if Christ didn’t truly love us, there is no way He would have suffered and died for us that we may live forever with our families, so LOVE is everything, LOVE changes hearts. I testify to all of you LOVE is the essence of the gospel, the gospel of Jesus Christ is love and we carry the message of love. Its love that keeps me going when people reject us. Its love that the Savior has for me that I am able to speak and to testify of truth in the language of Spanish. He blesses us to be instruments in His hands because of love. Its love that carried Him through that night so long ago, its love that kept Him going when He cried in agony Father, Daddy isn’t there any other way that is less excruciating. It is love that carried Him through the whippings and scorning’s. It is love that carried Him to Calvary. It is the message of His Love that we offer to the world. After sharing and truly thinking about Love in Zone Conference the week was different for me, I loved a lot more, and it was truly amazing. I offered service with more love and compassion. Through that service I destroyed my hands but it was so worth it because I saw the gratitude of the ladies had for us as we helped them. One of the ladies was 95 and she was cutting fire wood with an axe, as we saw this we asked if we could do it for her and she was so relived. As I go about serving with more love, the days are so much easier. As I go about with love, I speak differently when I teach, I teach as if the Savior is speaking through me. Yes we are going through a very hard time, but we are joyful and cheerful because we have the Lord’s promise with us that He will give us strength beyond our own to face opposition.

Friendly Match

Also this week we meet with Joel and I explained repentance to him. He said I don’t like it because it’s like saying excuse me when we bump someone in the street. I then explained about repentance even more and shared with him that repentance is when we experience a change of heart, it is we are telling God that we are done doing evil, take my heart and mind that I may have spiritual power to turn away from sin. Repentance is an expression of love to God and our Savior Jesus Christ. Repentance is when we allow God to take over and believe we can change. It is interesting because all this week in my personal study it has been about repentance, that is where I am in the Book of Mormon, the repentance section. I have learned repentance brings forth the change of heart which all the Book of Mormon prophets teach. It is repentance that brings people to be baptized; it is repentance that brings forth conversion. Repentance is love. My good friends repent, and be full of love, pray with all the energy of your heart to be blessed with charity to reach out to those in need. It is my hope that we truly repent so you can feel Christ’s arms wrap around you. Elder Holland said, “Whatever you have done, you are never too far from the divine.”

"However many mistakes you feel you have made, you have not traveled beyond the reach of the divine." Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

What I love about my Mom is the love she has for others. What I love about Dad is the love he has for his students and for my mom.
 

Con mucho amor, con todo mi caridad que yo tengo,
Ducks Forever,

Elder Mcilmoil

August 4, 2014

Roof Top Transportation

Scripture of the week: Alma 22:18
 

“I cannot begin.....tell you what it means-to enjoy the blessings and privileges of dwelling in Christ's presence forever and ever. I know how the soul is thrilled; I know the feeling that comes by being in his presence for but a moment. I would give all that I am, all that I hope to be, to have the joy of his presence, to dwell in his love and his affection and to be in favor with the Master of all things forever and ever.” Elder Melvin J. Ballard

“The true Church is positioned around.... the chief cornerstone, ‘the rock of our Redeemer, who is [Jesus] Christ, the Son of God,' He who is the great 'Apostle and High Priest of our profession,’ to use Paul’s phrase. Such a foundation in Christ was and is always to be a protection in days ‘when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you.’ In such days as we are now in—and will more or less always be in—the storms of life ‘shall have no power over you … because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.’”  Elder Jeffery R. Holland

Pure Christ-like love flowing from true righteousness can change the world.

Walk with love every day.

Being A Kid, Knocking Doors And Rejection

I Hope They Call Me On A Mission

Tortillas for the week: 35 and lamb intestine (pretty good, but chewy)

Riding The Elevator In The Church

Ok so I want start with things that I miss:

1) Simply Minute Maid lemonade (there is zero of that here)

2) Root Beer

4) Donuts

5) My Mom’s desserts...I miss all of them.

6) Safe food, the way they prepare things is scary as death but you have to eat it and the Lord blesses you.

7) THE COLD it’s too hot here, we should be allowed to teach in nice shorts here

8) Carpet…aaaahhhh I can’t wait for my feet touch carpet.

9) My car, it would be so much nicer to drive myself rather than getting rides on the back of vans, on the roof of cars and chicken buses.

10) AC, oh how I miss AC, having your house at a nice cold or fresh temp is amazing.

I have to say all of those things are worth giving up for being able to be in the Lord’s service. President Ezra Taft Benson said we love what we sacrifice for and we sacrifice for what we love. By the way I do miss my family but it has been a tender mercy that I don’t miss my family to much because I honestly lose myself in the work and bring God’s work to pass among the Lamanites. Yes I do “miss things” but I don’t truly miss things. It is very interesting how the Lord blesses people; He blesses the obedient and lets the disobedient suffer so they will remember him. The obedient will experience trials and afflictions but through your obedience you will be guided by the Holy Ghost how to come out on top because you cannot fail on the Lord’s errand.

Tag!!

So this week I got to be a kid again, just to laugh, smile and not have a care about a thing in the world. We played tag with some of the youth in the branch, boy was it fun! I just forgot about everything and just savored being a kid and the hour of tag. I cannot put it in words how I truly felt but I can now see why Christ said we must become like little children. Just to let you know I still to speed...the fastest one..hahaha.

Just Happy To Serve In Anyway

Also this week we knocked on a good of amount of doors and I’m pretty sure we knocked on more abandon houses than houses that had people living in them. We knocked this one house and this little kid answered the door and I asked is your Mom or your Dad home and the kid said yeah. He then went to get his Mom and then I heard clear as day, who is it, and the kid said it’s the Mormons and the Mom said tell them I am not here. As soon as I heard her say that I almost said, “Hermana se que ud esta, como esta?” (Sister I know your home, how are you?); but I kept my mouth shut which was probably a good idea. We did find some good people who can come to know the truth by having your own sacred grove experience by asking God to know that this is the true church. The only way to eternity is through Him—the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Like Joseph I believe we will experience trials, sorrows and afflictions to come to know the truth and to become true Disciples of Christ. Knocking doors can cause much sorrow and many of the doors we knocked we were flat out rejected. Some of the responses are so funny, my favorite is when they tell us they investigators being taught by Mormon Missionaries. Anyway as we were getting rejected these words came to my mind by Elder Holland, “When you struggle, when you are rejected, when you are spit upon and cast out and made a hiss and a byword, you are standing with the best life this world has ever known, the only pure and perfect life ever lived.” I will say rejection made the people that wanted to listen even sweeter. We met two families and will be meeting with them. It is interesting because we ran into one of men before we found the house and we talked to him for like 30 seconds because he was going somewhere. As I remembered that quick 30 second exchange I saw something in his eyes, I saw blackness, sadness, a plea for help and I know we can help him and his brother.

Don't Go Into The Long Grass

So we met with Joel again this week and shared with him 3 Nephi 11. I shared with him when Christ says, “Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world” I then said to Joel, “Christ is always calling us to come unto Him.” Joel said right and He is also always calling to Israel. We then talked about Israel and the twelve tribes. And I told him I have been called to bring to pass God’s work. I am called to bring others back to Israel.  I am called to bring you back. It just hit me I am truly called of God to bring the Lamanites to Come unto Christ. These people are truly a chosen people. Anyway it was an amazing lesson.

More Missionaries Riding The Elevator

I gave the message in district meeting this week and I talked about testimony. I’m so grateful to guide in preparation for this message. I told them that we have to have a testimony to bring other people unto this truth because how could we testify of things we don’t know about. I promised them if we work with obedience, diligence and use the Book of Mormon the Lord will soften their hearts to accept our message and Come unto Christ.  He will manifest the truth of this book to all of our investigators. The one thing that I love about being a missionary is the priesthood authority that we have, that the twelve or the prophet has, but they have keys that we don’t have. We have the keys to preach the gospel in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. If we are obedient the Lord will magnify our priesthood power and we will be able to bless and promise the people through His name. I will miss that when I am not a missionary, it is a privilege I rejoice in, I give praise all the day long to my Lord for that privilege. The one thing I can say that has changed about me is that I think about the priesthood every day, I think how can I exercise the priesthood power to bless my brother Elder Iapanaque, the members and the less actives, the investigators and the people that we talk to on the street. Elder Hallstrom said, “If we seldom even think about the priesthood, we need to change.” I have changed because I think about the priesthood a lot more and I too stand with Elder Holland with these words, I testify that the true and living gospel of Jesus Christ is on the earth and you are members of His true and living Church, trying to share it. I bear witness of the gospel and that Church, with a particular witness of restored priesthood keys which unlock the power and efficacy of saving ordinances. I am more certain that those keys have been restored and that those ordinances are once again available through The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints than I am certain I write this email to you. I give my witness that God lives and Jesus Christ is His only begotten Son that lives and today and directs His church through his living prophet Thomas S. Monson. I give you my witness of the power of the atonement and that we can change through the atonement with a humble heart.

The Lord's Army Of Missionaries

What I love about Mom is that she still races to this day and what I love about Dad is that he still is my Mom’s mechanic to this day and that he is the support car to, sorry I can’t help with all the food and the support but I give you my support from here Mom and Dad.

con much amor, ducks forever,

Elder Mcilmoil

July 28, 2014

Scriptures of the week: Alma 22:18 and 2 Nephi 33:10

“Unseen eyes are watching” Ezra Taft Benson

“It seems to me that everyone has to spend at least a few moments in Gethsemane. Missionaries and mission leaders have to take at least a step or two toward the summit of Calvary. But I believe that everyone, to come to the truth, to come to salvation, to know something of this price that has been paid, will have to pay a token of that same price.” Elder Jeffery R. Holland

Remember when we ask why things are so hard remember we are not the first one to ask. 

The only way to salvation is through Gethsemane and on to Calvary. The only way to eternity is through Him—the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Give God your best and He will give you His best.

What Manner Of Men Ought Ye Be?

Tortillas for the week: 15 

This week was a good ole rough week for us. We had our most positive family drop us, they called and said we have talked with each other (meaning the husband and the wife) and we have decided that we are not interested anymore. Boy did it hurt and I wanted to cry. The hardest thing is you can see in the wife’s eyes that she knows these things are true and that the husband has been touched by our message and then to have them say we are not interested anymore has been one of the hardest things on the mission, it killed. For the rest of the day I was down, it just hurt, and my heart ached but I just kept putting my foot in front of the other. So as of right now we don’t have anything, we have a teaching pool of two. There is so much work to be done and it seems no one wants to listen to the greatest message they will ever hear. The day after the family dropped us we went out to contact and at first I had bright spirits then NO ONE was answering and I was like you’re kidding. We went to a few more houses and people answered but did want to listen to us. I kept thinking what is happening. My answer came the next day. I was reading an epistle from Captain Moroni to Pahoran and these are the words he wrote (Alma 60:21), “Or do ye suppose that the Lord will still deliver us, while we sit upon our thrones and do not make use of the means which the Lord has provided for us?” Those words hit me and I realized I was contacting just to go through the motions, not with the faith or hope of finding someone; I was doing it just to get it done. In that moment I kept thinking why did I do that, why didn’t I have the faith or the hope, why? I don’t have that answer but I do know if we don’t put forth effort, the Lord is not going to help, He won’t truly bless us. We have to do our job before he can do His. He will bless us when we have done our part. It is the same with finding a testimony, you can’t sit in a chair all day and receive a testimony, you have to keep the commandments, study and pray to gain a testimony and then the Lord will provide a spiritual witness through the Holy Ghost that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Savior’s true church on the earth. It is funny and definitely not a coincidence because when we were teaching Joel he shared with us a story about God and a guy: There is a huge Tsunami and this guy prays to God to save him. The guy is standing there and a helicopter flies by and the pilot says, “Dude get in” and the guy says, “No God will save me.” Then a cop comes by and says, “Get in” and the guy says, “No God will save me.” And then an ambulance drives by and same thing words are exchanged, then friends come by, family members and a whole bunch of other people pass by and say the same thing and the guy says the same thing, “No God will save me, He will get me out of here.” Well the guy dies and now he is in front of God and he says, “God what happened? Why didn’t you save me?” And God responds with this, “I sent you a helicopter, a cop, an ambulance, friends, family and even strangers to get you out of there but you said no, so you can’t blame me because I gave you what you asked for and needed to be saved.” It hit me and made me think am I truly using what God has given me to preach, testify, to convert myself and others, am I using everything to save myself and others? It just made my think and evaluate the way I prepare, the way I teach, the way I love, the way I love Christ, the way I try to be like Christ. As I have been thinking about this I remembered this message, https://www.lds.org/youth/video/christlike-attributes?lang=eng

All these experience has made me reflect on what manner of man I ought to be. Christ said, “Even as I Am.” As I have been thinking all week about this, on Friday I read the talk “The Priesthood Man” given by President Erying from this past General Conference. President Eyring shared this, “We all have heroes. When we choose heroes, we begin to copy, consciously or unconsciously, what we admire most in them.” As I read those words I thought about who are some of my heroes and I could see only two huge heroes in my life, number one is my Dad. As I look back on my life all I truly wanted was to be like my Dad. I even wanted to teach high school physics. I still want to teach but I am not sure I want to teach high school physics. I am seeing that I teach the way my Dad teaches. As I watched my Dad teach I knew he learned to teach from the greatest teacher of all time, this teacher taught the perfect way, He taught to come unto Him, to follow Him because He is honestly the one we can follow to receive eternal life. He taught us how to live; He taught us that He is the way, the truth and the life. He also taught us this and this is the way my Dad teaches, read and study first, your answer is in the Book of Mormon or as my Dad would say read and study the physics book, and IF you don’t find it come to me and I will guide you to your answer and as I guide you will receive the knowledge you need for your answer. Show me you truly want to know through study and prayer. That perfect teacher, Jesus Christ is my biggest hero. He is the greatest hero of all time. President Eyring says this about heroes, “I have observed three common characteristics of the priesthood holders who are my heroes. One is a pattern of prayer, the second is a habit of service, and the third is a rock-hard decision to be honest.” All three of those characteristics are Christ. Christ should be the greatest hero in all of our lives. So I ask who is the real hero in your life?  

I know that Christ truly is the priesthood man and that this church has His priesthood. As we met with a menos activio (less active), who now is a pastor in another church, we talked about the Book of Mormon and the priesthood. At one time he was a priesthood holder and I asked him about that and he didn’t answer, all he said was I have accepted Christ and that is all that matters. I looked at him and said we have Christ’s authority, no other church has His authority, no other church has His authority to preach His gospel but we do, and I know it and right now I am preaching in the name of Jesus Christ because I hold his authority. And then I said stop denying Christ and stop denying the truth. He then said he had to go. The next day I just opened my Book of Mormon and read this cry form Mormon which is found in Mormon 7:5, it is a cry and invitation to the present day Lamanites. He says, “Know ye that ye must come to the knowledge of your fathers, and repent of all your sins and iniquities, and believe in Jesus Christ, that he is the Son of God, and that he was slain by the Jews, and by the power of the Father he hath risen again, whereby he hath gained the victory over the grave; and also in him is the sting of death swallowed up.” Mormon’s words are a great reminder of the responsibility and a heavy burden upon me to bring these chosen people back unto Christ. I have the responsibility and bare the burden that Elder Holland talks about in his talk, “The Cost—and Blessings—of Discipleship” He says, “In addition to teaching, encouraging, and cheering people on (that is the pleasant part of discipleship), from time to time these same messengers are called upon to worry, to warn, and sometimes just to weep (that is the painful part of discipleship)” to bear the burden of the Lamanites, the burden to bring the people of Ammon back to the one that sent Ammon. Boy is it a big burden but I testify with Elder Holland with his words, “In courageously pursuing such a course, you will forge unshakable faith, you will find safety against ill winds that blow, even shafts in the whirlwind, and you will feel the rock-like strength of our Redeemer, upon whom if you build your unflagging discipleship, you cannot fall.” I know that is true.

Despite all the challenges and disappointments this week there has also been tender mercies. Last night was one of those tender mercies as I am witnessing one heart being changed. We challenged Joel to baptism. I asked, “Joel when you know the truth will you follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized in His Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?” He said, “No.” Then I said, “When you know that this is true?” and then came a smile, he said, “Yes, I will when I know this is true because it is from God.” So be strong everyone, take heart. And remember pure Christ like love flowing from true righteousness can change the world. I testify that the true and living gospel of Jesus Christ is on the earth and you are members of His true Church. Have courage and be bold share His message of joy, love and eternal life.

What I love about Mom is that she still races to this day and what I love about Dad is our good ole days in the feed zone.

con much amor, ducks forever.
Elder Mcilmoil
July 21, 2014

Scripture of the week: Mormon 7:5 

“You can be a great model, an average one, or a bad model. You may think it doesn’t matter to you, but it does to the Lord.” President Henry B. Eyring

“We have been prepared for our time and place in the last days of that sacred work. Each of us has been blessed with examples of those who have made that work the overriding purpose of their time on earth.” President Henry B. Eyring

“The priesthood holder you want to be prays often and with real intent. In the evening you will get on your knees and thank God for the blessings of the day. You will thank Him for parents, for teachers, and for great examples to follow. You will describe in your prayers specifically who has blessed your life and how, during that day. That will take more than a few minutes and more than a little thought. It will surprise you and change you.” President Henry B. Eyring 

I bear witness of that gospel and that Church, with a particular witness of restored priesthood keys which unlock the power and efficacy of saving ordinances. I am more certain that those keys have been restored and that those ordinances are once again available through The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints than I am certain I stand before you at this pulpit and you sit before me in this conference.” Elder Jeffery R. Holland 

Day 365, Hump Day, One Year

Dinner Is Served

Catfish Soup

Tortillas: 15 and I had catfish. OK IT WAS OFFICIALLY HUMP DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YEP ONE YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hummmmp Daaaaay!

365 Celebration

Pizza And Hump Day

Where to begin this week, we met this guy, Joel who lives in Georgia. We met him when I was on divisions with Elder Turner, he called out to us because he knew weren’t local. We talked with him in English. The guy is sweet and funny. He told I am not Mexican or Guatemalan, I am an American. He has lived in the states for 15 years. He was born in Guatemala and is here visiting family. He said, “Man your Spanish is good for only learning it in a year.” Honestly I am not satisfied with my español, I want to be fluent. My desire is to speak the language the way the Lord wants me to speak it so I can communicate with the Laminates. Anyway he wants to learn more about the church, we will meet with this week. Also this week we had a BBQ with the Branch. We had about 50 come, members and non-members. I made BBQ chicken and potato salad. It was funny because everybody asked where the tortillas were at, I just smiled and said this is an American BBQ. They said ok. It was a great activity.

Branch BBQ Prep: This Is What You Do When It Is Pouring Rain Outside

Branch BBQ: American Style

Let's Eat!!

WOW I have been in Guatemala for one year and honestly it doesn’t feel like it. This is what I am feeling about my one year mark I don’t like it all because everything is about to be my last, my last interview, my last district meeting, my last zone meeting, my last of this and my last that. I don’t want that to happen. Honestly before my year mark I just looked forward to having a year and now I know time is going to fly by and I will be home. During this past year there were times I had no idea what to do and now at times when I don’t know what to do I turn to the Lord for help so I can know what I need to do. He always helps and shows me the way. Serving a mission is the greatest choice I have ever made. I have discovered things about me that I would have never have discovered if I didn’t serve mission. You cannot find any greater joy than serving a mission. You cannot find greater heartbreak and sorrow than serving a mission because you are the Lord’s hands, helping Him gather the lost sheep. You see that some sheep just don’t want to come back at all, they don’t want to answer the Masters call; the call of pure love, the call of redemption, the call of peace, the call of Come to Me and I will give thee rest, the call of the Master’s words of I will heal you. It just rips your heart to pieces seeing them turn their backs on the greatest invitation ever: TO COME UNTO CHRIST. You also see the people that do answer, now that is indescribable joy. The hardest and saddest thing is when YOU don’t answer the call of the Master. At times I haven’t always answered the call of the Master in my service. I have said no I’m done, no one wants to listen. I have felt that I don’t want to work because I get tired of people not caring or that just don’t want to Come Unto Christ because it is too hard to give up things and too much commitment. In those moments He comes to me and heals me, He gives me a feeling of peace that everything will be ok, that there is someone, maybe not in this area but someone that is searching for answers, wants to make a change and wants to listen. Without a doubt Christ is our Savior, without a doubt He is the reason why I get up every single morning. He knows how hard it is to get up and go to work when it seems pointless. All I can say is that He knows, HE TRULY KNOWS! Yes there have been so many times when I was like ok I am done, I am going home, I want it easier, I want to serve in the states, I want to speak English, I don’t want to learn a new language, then something stops me, the spirit telling me that He didn’t want to do it either, I can hear these words being said to me, John I didn’t want to do it either, that night was so excruciating, the next day the pain didn’t go away, the pain I felt I could barely bare. I said my God, my God where are Thou? I made it, so can you; you have my strength because you have taken my name upon you and because you came unto me. This past year I come to know Christ more than I would have. I have come to know my Father in Heaven, the Father who loves me so much He sent His only begotten son to atone for my sins and to rise from the dead again that I may escape spiritual and physical death bringing the blessings of eternal life. I have also come to know that He has showed me that there is always light at the end of the tunnel. Yes it is worth everything to serve a mission just to come to know our Heavenly Father and to know He loves me and sacrifices everything for me just like my Dad and to come to know my brother, the Savior Jesus Christ. I have come know these glorious beings through prayer, scripture study and miracles. Yes I have regrets in the past year and I have seen so many tender mercies that makes this past year so precious. I testify Christ lives, I give you my witness that He lives and this is His church. Since this is His church why do we expect at times life to be easier as we declare ourselves Disciples of Christ. If we truly our His disciples we should experience His life as much as we can. In the words of Elder Holland, “How could we believe it would be easy for us when it was never, ever easy for Him? It seems to me that missionaries and mission leaders have to spend at least a few moments in Gethsemane. Missionaries and mission leaders have to take at least a step or two toward the summit of Calvary. Missionary work has ever been easy. I believe it is supposed to require some effort, something from the depths of our soul because it was not easy for Him. You have reason to stand tall and be grateful that the Living Son of the Living God knows all about your sorrows and afflictions. The only way to salvation is through Gethsemane and on to Calvary. The only way to eternity is through Him—the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” Yes a mission is hard that is how we can bear our witness of the truthfulness of His gospel. I love being here among the Laminates, it is so amazing, they are a chosen people.

Me And Elder Turner Hitching A Ride

Brahma Bull Hitching A Ride

Nacho Hitching A Ride

Great is this work. I can say these words from the Book of Mormon in Alma 17 about my mission, “And it came to pass that they journeyed many days in the wilderness, and they fasted much and prayed much that the Lord would grant unto them a portion of his Spirit to go with them, and abide with them, that they might be an instrument in the hands of God to bring, if it were possible, their brethren, the Lamanites, to the knowledge of the truth, to the knowledge of the baseness of the traditions of their fathers, which were not correct.” “And it came to pass that the Lord did visit them with his Spirit, and said unto them: Be comforted. And they were comforted.” “And the Lord said unto them also: Go forth among the Lamanites, thy brethren, and establish my word; yet ye shall be patient in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may show forth good examples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls.” “….great was the work which they had undertaken.” “And assuredly it was great, for they had undertaken to preach the word of God to a wild and a hardened and a ferocious people; and their hearts were set upon riches, or upon gold and silver, and precious stones; yet they sought to obtain these things by murdering and plundering, that they might not labor for them with their own hands.” Yes at times this people are heart hardened but the Lord is pouring out His spirit upon them and one day they will be like the people of Ammon. Those who have fallen will be people of such great faith and they will have sons like the 2000 stripling warriors. Yesterday I was thinking about my mission as I was studying the story of the 2000 stripling warriors, and I realized the change that overcame them when Helaman writes that we did go before the Laminates not knowing what is about to happen and he says to the 2000 stripling warriors, “Therefore what say ye, my sons, will ye go against them to battle?” This is when the change happens. Helaman says this to Moroni, “And now I say unto you, my beloved brother Moroni, that never had I seen so great courage, nay, not amongst all the Nephites.” For they told Helaman, ”Father, behold our God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should fall; then let us go forth; we would not slay our brethren if they would let us alone; therefore let us go, lest they should overpower the army of Antipus.” “Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.” “And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it.” These young men were running for their lives with fear, the fear of death, the fear that they said their last goodbye to their parents, the fear of the unknown, then all of a sudden the power of God came upon them, and they exercised faith and they feared nothing. They said IF we DO NOT DOUBT God WILL deliver us because our Mothers taught us to believe. As I was reading this account I saw myself among them, because the day I left I was running, I was running into the unknown but since I have been taught by my Mom and Dad that if I did not doubt God would deliver me. I do not doubt that my parents knew it, they still know it but most importantly I now know it for myself. I say to all of you who read my words and all to the world that JESUS IS THE LIVING SON OF THE LIVING GOD. THE CHURCH IF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTERDAY SAINTS IS THE ONLY TRUE CHURCH UPON THE FACE OF THE EARTH. I BEAR WITNESS OF THE TRUTHFULLNESS OF THE BOOK OF MORMON, IT IS TRUE AND IT IS THE WORD OF GOD. I SAY TO ALL THAT I KNOW WITH EVERY FIBER IN MY BODY THAT CHRIST LIVES, THAT HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD, THAT WE MAY HAVE ETERNAL LIFE AND BE FOREVER FAMILIES.

Preparing For The Burning Of The White Shirt

Hump Day Burning Of The White Shirt

Nothing Left But The Buttons

What I love about Mom and Dad is that they have made it a year, DUCKS FOREVER.

With love, 
Elder Mcilmoil 
July 14, 2014 

Action Shot: Stick Pole

Love These Kids!!!

Sunday Selfie

Scripture of the week: Alma 17:11 

Has the time for stripling warriors come and gone or do we need them now more than ever? 

“Brothers and sisters, one of the great consolations of this Easter season is that because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to do so. His solitary journey brought great company for our little version of that path—the merciful care of our Father in Heaven, the unfailing companionship of this Beloved Son, the consummate gift of the Holy Ghost, angels in heaven family members on both sides of the veil, prophets and apostles, teachers, leaders, friends. All of these and more have been given as companions for our mortal journey because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the Restoration of His gospel. Trumpeted from the summit of Calvary is the truth that we will never be left alone nor unaided, even sometimes we may feel that we are. Truly the Redeemer of us all said: “I will not leave you comfortless: [My Father and] I will come to you [and abide with you].” Jeffrey R. Holland

Stand Strong And True

“God not only loves the obedient, He enlightens them.” Henry B. Eyring 

“You need never be discouraged or afraid. The way through difficulties has always been prepared for you, and you will find it if you exercise faith.” Henry B. Eyring

365 Day Shirt

“I have spoken here of heavenly help, of angels dispatched to bless us in time of need. But when we speak of those who are instruments in the hand of God, we are reminded that not aall angels are from the other side of the veil. Some of them we walk with and talk with—here, now, every day. Some of them reside in our own neighborhoods. Some of them gave birth to us, and in my case, one of them consented to marry me. Indeed heaven never seems closer than when we see the love of God manifested in the kindness and devotion of people so good and so pure that angelic is the only word that comes to mind.” Jeffrey R. Holland 

Sometimes You Just Don't Ask

“I promise that because of your faithful response to the call to spread the gospel, He will bind up your broken hearts, dry your tears, and set you and your families free. That is my missionary promise to you and your missionary message to the world.” Jeffery R. Holland