Happy New Year's!!!

Hey everyone!
I love you all and thank you so much for all the gifts, cards, packages, and goodies!!! I am truly grateful for all of you and love you all so much. I don't have much time, so I will be quick.
Tomorrow is a new year! Its crazy b/c I feel like 2012 just started, but here we are on the last day of the year. I have reflected on this year and the many things, more importantly, the many people who have touched my life. All the fun times, hard times, sad times, and the happy times!!! (Focus on the happy b/c they overcome the rest) Since I dont have a lot of time, but it is such a critical time for new goals and beginnings, I want all of you to watch a short, 20 minute talk by a leader of the Church. As you watch, LISTEN haha and ponder about the changes you can make in your life to be better and live happier. The talk is call "Of Regrets and Resolutions" by Dieter F. Uchtdorf and here's the link:

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/of-regrets-and-resolutions?lang=eng

This has helped me make my new years resolutions and I know it can and will help you make yours. I hope that we can all have one resolution in common: BE HAPPY!!!

Jesus Christ is our Savior. He restored His true Church through the Prophet Joseph Smith. My calling as a missionary of His Church is love and be happy. Sometimes I fail and become discouraged, but I look to Christ to lighten my burdens and He ALWAYS does! I hope we can all try to do the same. I love you all!
Love Elder McGinn

--

Elder Seth McGinn
Iowa Des Moines Mission

8515 Douglas Ave. Ste. 19

Urbandale, IA 50322

White Christmas

This picture is of Elder McGinn's district.

Merry Christmas everybody!!!
Im emailing today because the libraries will be closed for the holidays most of next week so this is my Christmas email. This last week, I went on exchanges with one of our zone leaders in Boone, Iowa. It was pretty sweet because right when we got there, this massive blizzard/storm thing hit and all the cars in the mission were grounded haha it was crazy wednesday night and then we woke up Thursday morning with a foot of snow on the ground covering everything!! Being proactive missionaries, Elder Nelson and I decided that we would just go out all day and walk around helping people shovel snow. We did that for 7 hours straight and what seemed like a good idea at first turned into a very painful one for my body haha but seriously, it was one of my favorite days so far because we just got to serve our fellow beings with the knowledge that we were helping others do something they couldnt do for themselves! I was reminded of the truth that true joy comes from helping others find happiness and peace. Remember that this Christmas season and in the new year!
Also, I want to thank all who have sent letters, cards, or packages to me for Christmas. I dont know if I can fully articulate how much it means and how much comfort it brings when you get mail from your loved ones, especially when you are away from them. I may not be able to say thank you to everyone or get a card out to you, but know that I really do appreciate it and love all of you and cherish the memories we've had together. And just yesterday I got all the little notes and letters from the Palmyra Ward!!!! I was so excited to get them and my companion and I had a lot of fun going through all of them, so thank you!

Finally, I just want to share my testimony of Jesus Christ with you. He is the reason I am here in Iowa. He is the reason a full day of shoveling snow for others can be one of the most productive of days of life. He is the light and life of the world. He is the way back to our Heavenly Father. He is how we can live with our families forever in endless joy. He is wonderful. He is our counselor. He truly is the prince of peace. He was born in a humble manger and wrapped in swaddling clothes. He would grow up the son of a lowly carpenter, free of sin and without mistake. He would begin an earthly ministry by calling poor fishermen and a hated publican to follow Him and walk with Him. He would give them His almighty power and authority to teach His gospel, to baptize those with a desire to follow him, and to work miracles in His name. He taught to love God and neighbor, to love you enemies, and to pray for them. He healed the sick, the dead He raised, yet He was despised and rejected of men. The very Son of God was mocked and spit upon. But He did not shrink to drink the bitter cup His Father gave Him. He did His Father's will in Garden of Gethsemaneand on the Cross of Calvary. Surely, He bore OUR griefs, carried OUR sorrows, was wounded for OUR transgressions, and was bruised for OUR iniquities. I am representative of Him and a witness that He has suffered OUR pains, sicknesses, and afflictions. Ultimately, I testify that He arose from the tomb as a resurrected being, full of light and glory. He ascended to His Father and sent down His Spirit, the Holy Ghost, to comfort His disciples. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Why would He not send down that Comforter to His latter-day disciples? I know that He does and that He has again called prophets and apostles to lead and guide His saints. He has given them the same power and authority as before and again revealed to them the plan of happiness and how families can be together forever. He loves us and He lives. How sweet the joy this sentence gives, I know that my Redeemer lives! Although I may be away from my loved ones this season, I know that I will be with them forever and my joy is full because I am helping other families become eternal families! I love you all and wish you a very Merry Christmas with your families and friends! Feliz Navidad :)
Love Elder Seth McGinn
--

Elder Seth McGinn
Iowa Des Moines Mission

8515 Douglas Ave. Ste. 19

Urbandale, IA 50322

Bells will be Ringing!!!

Hey everyone!!!!
I am so grateful for the cards and packages and presents that I receive!!! They lighten my day and give me a renewed determination to go out and work! I dont have much time, but a few things about this week. First, if you would like to send me a package ;) please send it through the USPS to the address at the end of the email so it can be forward to my apartment! If its FedEx or UPS or DHL, it cant be forwarded and I will have to wait for someone else to deliver it. Thank you and Love you all!! The subject line in the email is from that good ole Christmas song that starts out with that line and talks about Christmas and singing the blues or something haha we dont get to hear a lot of the classic radio Christmas music, but when I heard this the other day in a gas station it reminded me of tracting and door bells ringing haha there will be missionaries all around the world ringing doorbells, or knocking, or clapping or doing anything they can to spread the message of Jesus Christ and the RESTORATION of His gospel and church! Truly, 'bells will be ringing' haha year-round!!! This week, as we were driving around to our different appointments all over the western half of Iowa, we were listening to a conversion story of a man named Bill Carpenter, who was studying to be a Catholic Priest until he learned more about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! It was such an amazing story told by himself and I invite all of you to look it up on YouTube or wherever and listen to it "Bill Carpenter Conversion story", I think its like an hour long, but its worth your time!

This week, the highlight was meeting with Alexis (refugee from Africa) and his wife! We gave them copies of the Book of Mormon in French and Swahili. As we talked about how this book will strengthen their young family and themselves, individually, the Spirit was strong and Alexis told us he wanted to read the whole book as soon as he possibly could! We shared the great promise of the Book of Mormon, found at the very end of the book, that whosoever reads it, ponders its words, and then asks God, through prayer, with faith, if the Book of Mormon is a true book, they will receive an answer by and through the Holy Ghost, or Spirit of God. I know for myself that the Book of Mormon is true, because I did exactly this. I knew it in my mind and I felt it in my heart as the Spirit witnessed its truthfulness to me. Everything in our church either stands or falls with the Book of Mormon. If its false, Joseph Smith is a fraud and this church is nothing but that. If it is true, Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and he truly did, under Christ's direction, establish the same Church Christ established when he was on the Earth, and we have living prophets and apostles to guide us through todays challenges and turmoil! I am a witness that it is true and their are millions more who support that divine truth. I love you all and wish you a very Merry Christmas!
Love Elder Seth McGinn
--

Elder Seth McGinn

8515 Douglas Ave. Ste. 19

Urbandale, IA 50322

 

 

Winter has Arrived!

Hola todos!!! Comoestan?
The past couple weeks here in Iowa, it hasn't been amazingly freezing like everybody said it would be...that changed these last couple days! We have gotten some wet snow with some cold, fierce wind and those two things combined equals freezing everywhere haha its kinda crazy really. Last night it was 16 with a wind chill that made it feel like 0!!! And this morning its 14 with a clear sky and a bright sun! Its totally foreign to me, but its just what it is.

So this week has been another good one. Throughout life, you are always learning, but this is especially true when it comes to serving a mission. It is a constantly battle to learn and learn and learn some more. You hardly get time to apply what you learn! But its going exceptional so far! On Saturday we met with a man named Alexis who just "randomly" (guided by the Spirit) walked into our sacrament meeting a week ago. He is from Africaand speaks a bunch of different languages! He moved to Des Moines just 3 years ago and just recently moved to our small town of Perry. He has a wife also from Africa (Congo) who he met in Des Moines. They just had a little boy who is now 6 months old. We talked with him about the Book of Mormon and the skimmed the surface of the Restoration. He was sincerely interested about Joseph Smith and about our doctrine! We are now getting him a Book of Mormon in French (bc he cant read English) and one in Swahili for his wife. I think they are "honest seekers of the truth" whom the Lord has prepared and I cant wait to teach and meet with him more often!

Also, the update for this week is that we have 347 baptisms and confirmations for this year and need 53 more this month to reach the Lord's goal for us of 400! We have 3 weeks left to do it and I am confident in the Lord that we can reach it. Its important to note that these numbers are children of God. They are each individual souls! I hope not to confuse you by placing them as mere numbers b/c they are much, much more than that. We must set goals, though, to give us direction or something to aim for. The Church does not need more baptized members, but the Lord needs more of His children to be converted unto Him. This is the work that I and 60,000 other missionaries are fully engaged in with all of our hearts, mights, minds, and strengths. There are also almost 15 million other Saints across the globe who carry this honorable responsibility who put forth their efforts to invite others to come unto Christ while working jobs and spending time to support and build their families. This work cannot be completed without both these groups of Saints, members and full-time missionaries, working together in harmony with the Spirit of the Lord! That is something I have truly learned and come to understand here in Iowa.

I love you all! Joseph Smith restored the Church of Jesus Christ to the Earth and Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. He performed a perfect Atonement to allow us to find peace and happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. All we must do is heed His invitation: "Come follow me." Then, we accept His atoning sacrifice for us and become worthy for the blessings He has in store for us! Mucho Amor y Feliz Navidad!
Elder McGinn
--

Elder Seth McGinn

8515 Douglas Ave. Ste. 19

Urbandale, IA 50322

The Picture is Elder McGinn in Brother Jaime’s basement apartment. He says the people in Perry are poor and most of them live in place like this. They work for Tyson in the Meat packing company. This is the Brother that feeds the missionaries most of the time.

Its gonna be a Humid Christmas

Hey everyone!

So this last week has been quite a wild one. The weather is crazy! Its been so humid that its actually been pretty warm and it feels like youre walking through suspended rain drops in the air! Its wild and I will attach a picture of the foggy, humid conditions. Yesterday while driving to church, you could hardly see 20 feet in front of you because of the fog and humidity, twas crazy! but Elder Arellano and I are doing great! We have some days where things just do go our way and people arent home or dont have time for a lesson or cancel our appointments but then we have days where everything goes right and you remember that "hey, the Church is true" haha but we are having lots of success thanks to your prayers and Heavenly Father's mercy. In Alma26:22-28 (just read the whole chapter haha), the great missionary Ammon talks about how success in anything, but especially missionary work is a gift from the Lord. I am learning just how true that is out here. One of our investigators, Debby, just moved into Perry, from a town on the border of our area (Guthrie Center). This is great b/c now we cant meet with here more often! We helped her move up here last week, which felt natural and very easy b/c of all the moving service that is rendered in the Palmyra Ward haha in that ward, we know how to move people haha special thanks to my dad for always dragging me out to help people move ;) but we were able to meet with her yesterday and decide together to move her baptism from Jan 12th to Dec 15th!!! We are so excited for her and she is awesome!

Also this week, we had a guy who just moved here from Africacome to our meeting. His name is Alexis and he is about 6'5, thick and should be playing professional football haha but he was very nice and humble and enjoyed testimony meeting! we are meeting with him and his family this saturday! Also, we have been helping a less-active member come back to Church. His name is Manuel, he is in his 20's and loves soccer. We went over to talk to him about temples this week and he told us that his weekly soccer game this week was at 9:30 on Sunday- right during sacrament meeting (starts at 9). He told us that he wasnt planning on going and I was able to tell him about my experience of not playing soccer on Sunday and the blessings it has brought me! He changed his mind and said he would try to come! So he showed up a little late and got to sit next to us in the back (because we have to translate from English to Spanish all the talks in sacrament meeting). As the meeting went on, I knew I had to give my testimony/introduce myself/call all the members to do more missionary work! haha so I told manuel, if I go up, he had to go up...he said he had stage-fright and cant talk in front of lots of people. I told him its easier than it looks and went up to the pulpit. I came back, nudged him and smiled and to my surprise, he got up and walked to the pulpit!!! He shared a powerful, heartfelt testimony about how he wanted to be the guy who comes to Church every Sunday and is very involved. He came back and sat down. I was so proud of him, then about 5 mins before the end of the meeting, he looks at me and says "my phone has been vibrating this whole time, I need to go play" I laughed and smiled as he got up to leave and told him to score some goals haha I wish he wouldve stayed but he came to church, bore his testimony, and missed half of his game! baby steps....line upon line!!!

Anyways, things are going good here and I hope all of you are well and healthy and excited for this Christmas season. We just got trained on using mormon.org/christmas for missionary work. its a new website that the Church just put up and it is awesome for you, your family and to share with your non-member/less active friends ;) I invite all of you to go check out the website! You can watch a little nativity video, download FREE mormon tabernacle choir christmas music and get a free Bible delivered to your house by yours truly (the missionaries!!) Go check it out and share it with all your friends!

I love you all and please remember what a special season this is to remember and celebrate our Savior Jesus Christ, whose name is called "Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace!" (Isaiah 9:6)

Mucho amor y cuidese mucho,

Elder McGinn

ps the picture is of me being a righteous/hard-working missionary ;) and the white specks are how the camera captures the fog...it was way foggy/humid!
--

Elder Seth McGinn

8515 Douglas Ave. Ste. 19

Urbandale, IA 50322