MAR_4_19_GROUP_TOW_Week of March 4, 2019
Hey everyone!
Wow. My heart is full to the brim of the miracles and joys that this past week has brought. Hopefully as I'm writing you can get an indication as to how grateful to be a missionary I am right now.
The first miracle is Bill. I talked about him in depth this past week. Well, since then, we taught him the Word of Wisdom (which for those of you who are unfamiliar, is the commandment which prohibits the drinking of alcohol, coffee, tea, smoking, and other forms of illegal drugs). It didn't go well. In fact, he was angry. He didn't see why this was a commandment. Elder Kaopua and I (we were on exchanges) testified strongly of this commandment, but he was still angry. We committed him to pray and ask God if it was a commandment. He was very wishy washy about that commitment. In his own words, "I don't know if I want to do that. Because I'm afraid of what answer I'll get." HA. He knows it's true but just doesn't want to admit it to himself.
Fast forward to Friday. I don't want to get too much into his personal life, but let's just say that he had a major experience that made him reconsider his priorities. Made him realize that God is most important and that he knows best. We had a lesson with him on Friday, and he committed himself to quit some of those habits starting TODAY. It was insane seeing his countenance change. It reminded me of the story of Alma the Younger in the Book of Mormon (Alma 36). Alma needed a major, almost traumatizing experience in order to shock him into repentance. But it was exactly what he needed. And that's sorta what happened to Bill. Im grateful that the Lord is so aware of his children and is aware of their needs.
I don't know if I've ever seen such a drastic change on my mission then the one I've seen in Bill. I'm so grateful for the Lord and his hand in this work. Bill has since moved to another area, but Elder Seeley and I have received permission to continue teaching him until he gets settled in his new area. I'll be sure to update you on his progress!
That's just the beginning of the joys this week had in store. We had our investigator, Stu, come to church this week. If you remember, we've been teaching him for a while. Last time we saw him, we commited him to pray and ask God if he IS in fact his father. Well, Stu did, and he said that each time he did, he received an immediate answer from God in the affirmative. This is HUGE for Stu, who hasn't prayed at all for the past two or so years. When he came to church yesterday, it was so clear in his countenance that he felt the Spirit. He was nodding and visibly praying during the meeting. All of the testimonies were specifically tailored to him. There's no way he DIDN'T feel the Spirit during that meeting. We didn't have too much of an opportunity to discuss it with him afterwards, but we're excited to. It all just comes down to whether he admits that he felt the Spirit or not. He is kinda a masculine, prideful guy. Everybody pray for Stu!
We were also able to continue teaching Mason and Cereneti, our 9 and 8 year old friends. We taught them the Restoration. I am astonished at their retention and desire to learn. They understood almost everything about Joseph Smith and the Apostasy. They now know and understand words like repentance, Commandments, Atonement, and Resurrection. We're teaching them again today and they will be coming to church this Sunday! I'm excited to share more about the Book of Mormon with them! They're such awesome kids and some of the most fun people to teach!
Now to one of my all time favorite parts of this week. I've been really concerned about one of the people I baptized back in Lewisberry, Carlos Garcia. He reached out to me a few weeks ago and told me some of th struggles that he was experiencing that were preventing him from attending church. I talked to President Bednar and he told me I should call him. So I took the opportunity yesterday afternoon to talk to Carlos, one of my best friends.
Guys, it was amazing. The love that I have for that man is indescribable. Teaching him was such a privilege and a blessing. I was able to talk to him about his life and he told me that he is preparing to recieve the Melchizidek Priesthood and get his endowments at the temple! He asked if I could send him some scriptures and resources to study in preparation for those big milestones. Of course, I agreed. I would do anything for that man.
Before I had to say goodbye to him, he said soemthing that I will always remember. He said that he was talking to Elder Fraughton, the missionary who is serving in Lewisberry right now. He told him that of all of the missionaries that have served in Lewisberry within the last two or so years, three have changed his life. Those three are Elder Marcum (love you, man!), Elder Fraughton, and me.
Now, I'm an emotional guy. I'll admit that when he told me that, I got a little bit choked up. He told me that in his 40 or so years of living, we are the three that have had the most impact on his life.
Sometimes, being a missionary can be hard. It is without a doubt the hardest thing I've ever done. But to know that my two years of service have at least made a difference to one person... That I'm not wasting my time. That I've at leaet brought one person closer to Christ... It fills me with joy.
"15 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!
16 And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!" Doctrine and Covenants 18:15-16
Guys, I'm content. I'm happy. I'm joyful. I glory in the Lord and his matchless power. I know he loves us us. I know he is God. He's got everything under control.
I loved each of you!
Elder Jake Gonzales
1)Duly noted.
2)What are people even hanging on their doors nowadays?
3) zzzzzzz
4) My first exchange with Elder Kaopua! Hopefully not my last. Love this guy to death.
5) When baseball caps just aren't flashy enough.
Wow. My heart is full to the brim of the miracles and joys that this past week has brought. Hopefully as I'm writing you can get an indication as to how grateful to be a missionary I am right now.
The first miracle is Bill. I talked about him in depth this past week. Well, since then, we taught him the Word of Wisdom (which for those of you who are unfamiliar, is the commandment which prohibits the drinking of alcohol, coffee, tea, smoking, and other forms of illegal drugs). It didn't go well. In fact, he was angry. He didn't see why this was a commandment. Elder Kaopua and I (we were on exchanges) testified strongly of this commandment, but he was still angry. We committed him to pray and ask God if it was a commandment. He was very wishy washy about that commitment. In his own words, "I don't know if I want to do that. Because I'm afraid of what answer I'll get." HA. He knows it's true but just doesn't want to admit it to himself.
Fast forward to Friday. I don't want to get too much into his personal life, but let's just say that he had a major experience that made him reconsider his priorities. Made him realize that God is most important and that he knows best. We had a lesson with him on Friday, and he committed himself to quit some of those habits starting TODAY. It was insane seeing his countenance change. It reminded me of the story of Alma the Younger in the Book of Mormon (Alma 36). Alma needed a major, almost traumatizing experience in order to shock him into repentance. But it was exactly what he needed. And that's sorta what happened to Bill. Im grateful that the Lord is so aware of his children and is aware of their needs.
I don't know if I've ever seen such a drastic change on my mission then the one I've seen in Bill. I'm so grateful for the Lord and his hand in this work. Bill has since moved to another area, but Elder Seeley and I have received permission to continue teaching him until he gets settled in his new area. I'll be sure to update you on his progress!
That's just the beginning of the joys this week had in store. We had our investigator, Stu, come to church this week. If you remember, we've been teaching him for a while. Last time we saw him, we commited him to pray and ask God if he IS in fact his father. Well, Stu did, and he said that each time he did, he received an immediate answer from God in the affirmative. This is HUGE for Stu, who hasn't prayed at all for the past two or so years. When he came to church yesterday, it was so clear in his countenance that he felt the Spirit. He was nodding and visibly praying during the meeting. All of the testimonies were specifically tailored to him. There's no way he DIDN'T feel the Spirit during that meeting. We didn't have too much of an opportunity to discuss it with him afterwards, but we're excited to. It all just comes down to whether he admits that he felt the Spirit or not. He is kinda a masculine, prideful guy. Everybody pray for Stu!
We were also able to continue teaching Mason and Cereneti, our 9 and 8 year old friends. We taught them the Restoration. I am astonished at their retention and desire to learn. They understood almost everything about Joseph Smith and the Apostasy. They now know and understand words like repentance, Commandments, Atonement, and Resurrection. We're teaching them again today and they will be coming to church this Sunday! I'm excited to share more about the Book of Mormon with them! They're such awesome kids and some of the most fun people to teach!
Now to one of my all time favorite parts of this week. I've been really concerned about one of the people I baptized back in Lewisberry, Carlos Garcia. He reached out to me a few weeks ago and told me some of th struggles that he was experiencing that were preventing him from attending church. I talked to President Bednar and he told me I should call him. So I took the opportunity yesterday afternoon to talk to Carlos, one of my best friends.
Guys, it was amazing. The love that I have for that man is indescribable. Teaching him was such a privilege and a blessing. I was able to talk to him about his life and he told me that he is preparing to recieve the Melchizidek Priesthood and get his endowments at the temple! He asked if I could send him some scriptures and resources to study in preparation for those big milestones. Of course, I agreed. I would do anything for that man.
Before I had to say goodbye to him, he said soemthing that I will always remember. He said that he was talking to Elder Fraughton, the missionary who is serving in Lewisberry right now. He told him that of all of the missionaries that have served in Lewisberry within the last two or so years, three have changed his life. Those three are Elder Marcum (love you, man!), Elder Fraughton, and me.
Now, I'm an emotional guy. I'll admit that when he told me that, I got a little bit choked up. He told me that in his 40 or so years of living, we are the three that have had the most impact on his life.
Sometimes, being a missionary can be hard. It is without a doubt the hardest thing I've ever done. But to know that my two years of service have at least made a difference to one person... That I'm not wasting my time. That I've at leaet brought one person closer to Christ... It fills me with joy.
"15 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!
16 And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!" Doctrine and Covenants 18:15-16
Guys, I'm content. I'm happy. I'm joyful. I glory in the Lord and his matchless power. I know he loves us us. I know he is God. He's got everything under control.
I loved each of you!
Elder Jake Gonzales
1)Duly noted.
2)What are people even hanging on their doors nowadays?
3) zzzzzzz
4) My first exchange with Elder Kaopua! Hopefully not my last. Love this guy to death.
5) When baseball caps just aren't flashy enough.
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