Don't Worry, Be Happy

Hey familia y amigos!!! Comoandan?

Its been another great week here in Iowa. We have been teaching like crazy and that is the best! We taught a man from Africa, a woman from Mexico, a man from El Salvador, a woman from Guatemala, a family from Colombia, some members from Bolivia! Who'd thought a small town in the heart of Iowa(the heart of the US) would produce something like that? I didnt but I love it and its so sweet to get to know all these different people from very different backgrounds and cultures. And I thought Vegas was a melting pot...haha

This week, I had the sweetest spiritual experience as we watched the Restoration DVD with a man named Alexis from Burundi,Africa. We watched it in French, because that is his best language besides the unique dialect of Swahili in his native country. Afterwords, he told us that he KNEW that Joseph Smith was not a liar or a fake and that the experience he had in the Spring of 1820 was true and really happened! This was awesome, but he expressed how hard it would be to leave his evangelical Church where all of his friends are. We are going to continue to work with him and his family so they can see the blessings that await them as they come to and accept the FULNESS of the gospel, or teachings, of Jesus Christ. Even sweeter than this, was the experience I had while watching the Restoration in French. Besides the trying to interpret what was being said in French with the similar root words it has with Spanish, I had an amazing feeling while watching the story of Joseph Smith. I immediately recognized these feelings of warmth, love, peace and happiness as the power of the Holy Ghost or the Spirit of God :) I then KNEW, like Alexis did, that this experience in the life of a 14 yearold farm boy was true, because by the power of the Holy Ghost, we can KNOW the TRUTH of ALL things. Even though I couldn't understand what exactly was being said in French, as watched and pondered, the universal language of the Spirit told my heart and my mind that what I was seeing and experiencing was real and true. I urge all of you to pay attention to these feelings and thoughts, and look of the Spirit of God in your life so you can discern between things that are true and good, and things that are false, deceiving, and harmful!

Love you all,

Elder McGinn

--

Elder Seth McGinn

IowaDes Moines Mission

8515 Douglas Ave. Ste. 19

Urbandale, IA 50322

Better Late Than Never

Whats up everybody?! sorry so late this week but its been crazy here in the IDMM (Iowa Des Moines Misson)...crazy good that is! I got Meesh and Joe's wedding announcement!!! Thats wild!! If youre going to be making cardboard cutouts for blake and jordan, you might as well just do one for me too ;) haha We are about to get hit with a pretty good snowstorm today, so thats exciting! Araceli and Alex are doing great and are preparing for their baptisms on the 2nd. Keep them in your prayers please!

I had a couple of sweet experiences this week where I learned some really cool things in my personal study time with the scriptures. One of them was in Alma17:29-33. You should all read it and think of it as a way to do missionary work and home teaching! Its sweet how much knowledge and meaning there is throughout all the scriptures and it is so important to liken it to your own life and situation! I always loved the scriptures, but that love has grown even stronger throughout my mission as they bring me and those I teach more comfort and understanding.

I love you all and hope things are going well! Thank you for all of the prayers, love and support! I really feel it and I am also grateful for all the mail that I get :) keep sending it haha it makes my day!!! My spanish is slowly getting better and better as well as my own confidence with speaking it! The Lord has helped me out a lot with it and it been a lot of studying too. But hey I gotta go before we get caught in this storm but I love you all and know that the Church is true! Read the Book of Mormon to find out for yourself, and if you already know, read it over and over again to REMEMBER who you are and what your divine potential is! Love you all!

Elder Seth McGinn
--

Elder Seth McGinn

8515 Douglas Ave. Ste. 19

Urbandale, IA 50322

Valentines Day!

Hey family and friends!

Love is in the air as Valentine's Day approaches, love for the Lord and love for this work. I'm so grateful to be engaged in this work here in Iowa, because I have never felt the love of the Lord so much and so strongly in my life! I love you all and hope that everything is going well back home!

So we had transfers this week and I got a new companion! His name is Elder Westley Cottam from Albuquerque, New Mexico! He has been out for 18 months and we have gotten along together great so far. We are so excited to be teaching Araceli and her son, Alex, about the gospel. They have been listening intently to our lessons with them and both are excited for their baptism on March 2nd. As I have been able to teach them, I have been able to really see how the restored gospel changes lives as it is understood. We taught the lesson about the Restoration of the gospel through Joseph Smith, which talks about the pattern of God calling prophets and the people eventually rejecting them and falling into apostasy (Spiritual Darkness). As we taught this principle, Araceli mentioned how it logically made sense and how this is the basic pattern in the Bible. We then taught how just as God called prophets like Adam, Noah, and Moses, He called the prophet Joseph Smith to restore His Church and teach His gospel in its fulness. As we finished teaching this, she sat back in her chair, looked at me and said, "Now I get it...why Joseph Smith is so important and why the Church is so important! Now it all makes sense. God was just doing what He has always done in the past!" There is a unique joy when another person understands the things that are precious to you and rejoices in them with you. Everyone in the room could feel that Spirit of God. They could all feel His love and peace at that moment testifying to them that this is true. Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. This is the restored Church of Jesus Christ-the same one He established when He ministered to His people in Jerusalem in the meridian of time. We were all so happy and full of love and gratitude because of the love of our Heavenly Father!

I miss you all a lot. I miss playing soccer a lot. I miss hanging out with friends as well. But I don't even think about these things because I am so happy and KNOW that this is the Lord's work and it His kingdom that I am trying to build! I can play soccer later and be with my friends later and I will definitely see all of you later and we will have such fun times together, but right now, I am needed here Iowa to help these people change their lives! It is an amazing work and very tiring but it is the MOST rewarding! I love you all and hope that you are doing well. I know for myself that this Church is true and this work is my Heavenly Father's work. This is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Its His church! Love you all so much and never forget that you control your happiness :)

Love Elder Seth McGinn