"Nothing is Better than Heaven"

Yo!

This week was seriously fantastic. It seemed like all of our hard work from the last 6 weeks turned into blessing this past week! Woot Woot!

We had an investigator in a restoration lesson that kept saying "nothing is better than heaven." He was saying that while explaining that even billionaires at some point sit there unsatisfied asking questions "will I make it to heaven? Is there a heaven?" And the investigator just kept saying "nothing is better than heaven. Nothing. Heaven is the best." There is something to learn here.

So here is a miracle: we were in district meeting and a senior missionary brought a guy to the door and said "this man would like to know more about the church. Would any of you happen to know a little about the church?" So we stood up quickly and walked out the door with them! We sat down and found out that he had seen the Book of Mormon musical and it had sparked some questions and he figured that he should come find out more. We shared the message of the restoration and it was cool to see him light up and have things click with him. The cool thing is that he came to church yesterday too! He is only here for another 5 days and then he goes back to Denmark where he is currently living but is actually from Finland. We are meeting with him again and will put him in touch with missionaries there. Truly amazing.

We were just really blessed this week with great opportunities to share the gospel. We were finally able to find some new investigators that are actually interested in learning, changing, and progressing. It feels so good to be able to sit down with someone and share the message of the restoration with them for their first time.

On a funny note, I tried to give a guy on the street a high five and he put his hand up but then put it down at the last second and then turned around and went "ohhhhhhhhh!!! Oh!!! Oooooohhhh!" And then walked away. jajaja.  It was pretty funny, especially because he was like a 50 year old business guy. jaja!

Love you all. All is well in NYC. I love being a missionary.

Elder Mackintosh

Elder Pulu made this sign. It says "change"

Roommates.  We went on a split and then took a picture after. 

This is us doing our "Hispanic pose" for the same picture.  jaja

Charity, Peace & Change

April 17, 2017

Yo yo yo,

This week was really great! Everything was fantastic the only thing that wasn't so fun was getting sick. Actually I'm still a little sick but I sound a lot worse than I feel (jaja) so that's good I think. It does make it hard to talk to people on the street because my voice is cutting in and out, super raspy, and sometimes I just start coughing (jaja). Makes Street and subway contacting a lot of fun!

I have had charity on my mind lately because really it is so important. President Monson spoke for a total of like 6 minutes and he talkedabout the Book of Mormon and charity.  Another reason that this has been on my mind is that on Saturday we had an investigator come to clean to the church with us and the ward. It just really strengthens a relationship to serve together! My main thought about charity has been that charity should be the "why" behind our actions. I believe that this has become a part of who I am in a lot of ways and hopefully will become me even more so. At the beginning of my mission I would talk to people because I knew I should and I knew that it was expected of me by others. So it was more of a motivation of fear of being looked down upon if I didn't. But now it has switched to me just wanting to share the gospel because I know that it has brought me joy and I know that it can surely do that for everyone else!  I'm realizing now that love is 100x better of a motivator than fear! As we love God, we will keep his commandments. Just something to think about.

Another funny thing this week was on Saturday night with he Ward. Have you heard of "Mortified"? It is something that they do in Brooklyn where people go on stage and share song lyrics or journal entries that they wrote when they were young. So basically you just go up and laugh at yourself and allow others to do the same (jaja) Anyways, our ward did "Wardified" and it was hilarious! Definitely a good bonding

experience. I love the YSA ward!

Last quick thought: Easter is awesome. My Easter morning studies were special to me. I studied John 20 and "The Living Christ". Definitely recommend those two things!

Love you all! Have a great week.

Elder Mackintosh

If you can't tell what the sign says, it says "peace" and we stood

in the subway station and talked to people about how Christ brings us

peace!

The trio was back together for like 30 minutes!

 This one says change

Inspired Questions

April 10, 2017

Hey fam,

The weather is prime right now in NYC and I'm sooooo happy to be comfortable in a short sleeve shirt!! Woot Woot! Seriously it is amazing. Sorry for those of you that got snowed on in Utah. jaja

We had a super sweet experience yesterday with "George" that I wrote about last week. He is an investigator that has been meeting with missionaries since Christmas and has had 3 different baptismal dates. Well last night we had "George" over at a Members house that has been fellowshipping him. The lesson started a little rough and the thought went through my head "say his name, pause, and then ask whatever comes out of your mouth." So I did that and then everything changed. We began to ask inspired questions and he began to respond by the spirit. Every sentence seemed guided by the spirit and every silence full of deep feelings from the spirit. The member talked about what the baptismal covenant is by quoting; Mosiah 18 and then he invited Julio to be baptized. The Spirit flooded the room even stronger and we were silent for about 10 seconds and just sat there feeling. Then the words blurted out of George’s mouth saying "yes!" It was amazing. We then knelt down and he prayed for the date. We looked at the calendar and he said, "I have been thinking about the last week of this month. I didn't know why but I felt like something would happen then and I guess it might be my baptism. That weekend has just been on my mind lately." It was amazing. Asking inspired questions and listening.

So it was a seriously great week. Also we had Stake Conference yesterday and it was my 5th one as a missionary! Crazy! It was super spiritual but something hilarious happened. While the spirit was strong someone stood up to speak and said "my fart... my heart is full." And it just made me laugh so hard! It was bad because it was such a serious moment but the slip of words just hit my funny bone. jaja. My fart is hull.

Love you!

Elder Mackintosh

Did companion study on top of our member’s roof by the temple! Soooooo rad. I love NYC

Panoramic of the top of the roof

We came up with some questions and then had a member design and create posters for us to use to find people to teach. Here are a couple of them!

Hey Hey Hey

April 3, 2017

Hey Hey Hey!

This week was stellar. We had some great success and it was just awesome. I always was able to go on a split with Elder McBride and that was sooooo awesome! We served together as companions for 10 months out here and now we are in the same zone! It really was great to be back together again. He is a missionary and friend that I really look up to. Also, we set a baptismal date with someone while together! So that was great too!

General conference was fantastic. On Sunday morning we had a lesson with an investigator that we will call George. The Lesson went really really well and the spirit was extremely strong. We talked a lot about baptism and the feelings of the Spirit. I said the closing prayer and as we know it down I had the thought to pray in Spanish as he is from Mexico. I prayed in Spanish and the spirit came flooding into the room, it was a really powerful moment. We felt to assign him to say a prayer, read 3 Nephi 27, and say another prayer. Then during conference he texted us and we had the feeling to respond by telling him to get online and watch conference right then because the speaker that was speaking was speaking to him. He listen to the rest of the session and as we talk to him later that evening it was cool because he recognized that multiple speakers quoted from 3 Nephi 27! He said he felt like the Apostles were talking to him! It really was an incredible experience and I just simply testify that as we follow promptings of the spirit, amazing things happen. Miracles continue to happen everyday.

Also a funny thing that happened this week: we have realized that if we simply say "hello" or "how are you?" or "have a great day!" then most New Yorkers just ignore us. So we have figured out a better way. As we say these things to them we tap them on the arm and then they immediately think that they know us because no stranger would do that randomly in NYC! So about 99% of the time this works fantastic. But. Sometimes it doesn't. Elder Cottrell tapped this man on the arm and said "have a great day!" In response this man hit him in the chest and said "you too. Now why do you guys think that you can go around touching people?" Uh oh jaja he wasn't very happy with us especially because the exact same thing happened with the same man about 2 months ago except I was the one to touch him that time! We apologized and tried our best to remember his face so that that never happens again. (jajaja) NYC is awesome.

Love you!

Elder Mackintosh
 #PrinceofPeace #CheckItOut


P.S. Oh and I just realized that I failed to tell the "I just want to get out" story! jaja. Basically what happened is we got to the 34th St. Train Station. We got off our train and everywhere we looked there was pornography. Normally when we see pornography we point at it while simultaneously looking away and saying out loud "that is pornography." So that the other person doesn't have to see it. This time unfortunately that didn't work because it was seriously everywhere. We decided to just look at the ground as we walked and I said "I just want to get out of here! But I don't know where the exit is and I can't look up because there is pornography." Then out of the corner of my eye I saw an exit and we hurried not knowing if it was the one that we needed but only knowing that we didn't want to be in that place any longer. So yeah I just wanted to tell the story because pornography is bad and I want to remember the story so that I can use it in a talk one day. jaja. Lots of good life lessons can come from this story!

 Roommates walked by us on the street and took a live shot (jaja) I look jolly

Last second efforts to get people to come watch conference!

Top of the Empire State Building today!

Got to see Jocy from my last area!

Spring Done Did Sprung :)

Hey,

This week was so much warmer and it makes me sooooo happy! The cold is great, but warm weather is definitely preferred.

Something awesome that recently happened is that as we were walking to a baptism with an investigator, we walked to the train station and saw some hats that had been looking to buy so we stop to look at the prices. Our investigator ended up buying us each a hat and even bought himself one as well. jajaja! He is the coolest guy. These hats have been in style in NYC forever and they have been in style in Utah only if your name is Joe Clements but mark my words, everyone will be wearing them in Utah in the next couple of years.

#newsies

So to be totally honest I had a rough couple of days this last week. I just felt mentally really down. It was frustrating to the point that I asked for a blessing. I have a testimony of priesthood blessings and personal prayers. After the blessing and a good personal prayer to end the day, I had a good nights rest and woke up feeling totally normal, happy, and ready for change! It really is amazing to me because I felt so down and was honestly in despair. What I love about life is that there is always a new day! Yes, crummy days (really just moments) do happen. But yes, great days do come. Every. Single.Time.

Also I said goodbye to Elder Brasileiro this week because he finished his mission. I cried like a baby. jaja. It felt like leaving friends and family at home again. I love Elder Brasileiro. Good man and great missionary. 

Sorry this is short today, but I'm playing volleyball... sorry not sorry!

Love y'all!

Elder Mackintosh

P.S.  Mom your lds.org blog is so awesome.  Everyday I get a lot of people that talk to me about it, jaja I love it!  You are the coolest mom.  

This roof top is awesome!

Saying goodbye to Johnny - moved back to Utah ):

William is still awesome.

"Dispute Not Because Ye See Not"

Hi Fam,

Wow it was a really great week! To cut to the chase, the reason behind my subject is because this week I was reading in Ether 12:6 and a line hit me profoundly. Normally the line that sticks out to me is...

"for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith." 

But this week the line that comes before that line struck me in the heart which is...

"dispute not because ye see not"  

I love this because it is my initial reaction every time that I talk to someone that is unsure about whether there is a God or not.  I’m not putting people down that don’t believe in God as I do because I believe that we have all had those questions at some point or another. But to me believing in God is as "duh" to me just as believing in air. I can't see air but it can be proven by other means that it obviously exists. I cannot see God but I know he is real because of the billions of ways that he has shown himself to me in my life. If you can't prove God to yourself using your eyes (which honestly just seeing the mountains in Utah is proof enough for me) try your other senses and try exercising faith. Try some prayer. You can come to know that he is real and that he loves you individually.

Besides that, I have thought a lot about relationships this week because I find myself feeling a deep love for the people of NYC and I find that interesting. We recently had a great lesson with one of our recent converts and I looked him in the eyes and the thought crossed my mind "3 months ago I didn't know that you exist but now I would do anything to help you out." That is amazing to me! Especially with the release of my family's video on  the churches website mormonandgay.org I have been thinking about relationships and love. Love really is the answer. Love one another. Really. That is what matters. The reason that we live the gospel is to improve our relationships with God as well as with those around us. Relationships are meant to last forever.

On a funny note, Elder Cottrell accidentally kicked a pigeon in the head this week. jaja. Don't worry, the pigeon was not injured.

Love you! Really.

Elder Mackintosh

Had a sweet tour of the United Nations today and I took a picture standing next to this piece of
 art because I know how much my mother love's this it! (me and my brothers and sisters give this picture to my mom for Christmas the year before my mission. A much smaller version of course.)

Went to pio pio for Elder Cottrell's birthday!

More Pio Pio. Julio came!

More Pio Pio (jaja) Brother Ray took us to Pio Pio, he's the best.

More pics from our United Nations tour today. 

 And one more pic on the United Nations tour. 

Bring On The Snow!

Howdy hi,

The reason for the title of my email is because two weeks ago it was 70° here in Manhattan and now it is definitely NOT! (Jaja) Tomorrow it is supposed to snow, snow and snow some more and that is exciting because that means we will have more SERVICE opportunities.

This week I went to church with the question "How can I strengthen my relationship with Jesus Christ?" When we got to church Elder Cottrell and I were asked to pass the sacrament and that got me thinking that I might not get my answer because normally my best pondering time at church is during the passing of the sacrament. I decided to not let that be the case and said a prayer telling Heavenly Father what was going on and that I still would really like to know the answer. It was cool because while we were passing the sacrament I found myself praying for those souls that were taking the sacrament and just really thinking about the people that I was passing the sacrament to and feeling a real genuine concern and love for them and their progression. And then it connected in my mind that THAT was the answer to my prayers - I need to focus on what I had focused on previously in my mission - Serving Other People. I know this is true because the time when I felt closest to the Savior was when I was consciously striving to think of others. Mosiah 2:17 is true!

Also this week I went on a split with Elder Brasileiro and that was sooooo fantastic. It felt like Poughkeepsie all over again when we were companions.

Also Also, while street contacting, Elder Cottrell called a girl a guy.  jaja Not good.   #StreetContactingFails 

Also Also Also, we give a lot of hugs every day. We try and give every guy (we can’t hug the ladies) we talk to a hug. People kinda think it's weird at first, but then you can often tell they needed it.  People of NY are fun.  Jaja  Honestly everyone needs a hug everyday.  

Have a great week.

Elder Mackintosh

Just like old times - with Elder Brasileiro

The Oculus and World Trade Center

 Brooklyn Bridge

This is how you smile when it is cold and the wind is blowing and

you are holding a 13 year old kid