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