19 and prego!! I am going to be a dad!

So it was a pretty good week. I know that this is weird talking and emailing  on a Wednesday, but tomorrow is transfers and so ya. I am training so I have a boy on a plane right now that is probably tripping out about this whole place because I know I was when I got here and I still am. We received our transfer calls on Saturday while we were providing service at the Children's Discovery Museum. President Jergensen asked about Elder Harris and I said that he's good and he is actually going to be Zone Leader.  He then called me to be a Trainer and I paused a second and accepted. I'm really nervous about it just because I'M STILL IN TRAINING!! I will pray harder then I ever have in my entire life for the help of the Lord cuz I sure do need it. 

 

I want to talk about the incident that about killed me. It is true. I know that I have been a little prankster in my life, but I'm not lying about it. My life has been changed because of it and it does haunt me.  I can't believe it really happened. It all happened so fast and I really wasn't thinking, just doing and acting. I did not fill out any reports or talk to any police officers about it. I'm not sure that it would've made a difference.  I hear the police force out here has a history of being lazy and avoiding situations like that. Due to the fact that it happened in Peoria, 45 minutes away, I have not been back there and will never go back to that area again. It's scary and only on assignment will I go there again. I'm not sure how serious I can be in telling that it is true, but I don't want to talk about it anymore.  I've tried to forget it.

 

I do want to discuss about the future though. Christmas. I will send home the information that I have concering the call home and all that jazz in a separate e-mail. I do have a question which needs attention fast. Will I be receiving a gps because if so then I will not buy one from an elder out here in Normal. I have not opened your package mom and will save that for Christmas so that I can  actually have something to open.

 

Last night we taught a man named Arze who is an older man from Panama who doesn't speak much English. He is very kind and wants to learn more. I always carry a Spanish Book of Mormon with me and gave him a Restoration Pamphlet. I hate not being able to speak Spanish.  I feel like I can't help him because it is hard to communicate. I wish you could help out dad and Tony because he is so ready for this and just needs to hear it in his own language.

 

I'm sorry that my e-mails aren't the novels that Tony writes but whatever.  I just go blank when I get here and have to read and see all of the email.  I love you all very much and can't wait to talk with ya.

 

About Died! True Story!

Ok so Bloomington is awesome and all joy but there's this place down the road called Peoria. It is a city where our Zone Leaders live and all that joy so there was this training thing going on and we did an exchange there. So there is this place in the south part of Peoria and it's straight ghetto I'm talking the government projects. So I was there with Elder Davis (idaho falls) going to a potentials house that wanted us to come by. So we get there and like not 3 minutes after we sit down with a lady named Joyce the door gets kicked down and 2 giant brothas come in with guns up and black masks on wanting to know where Josh and Tenisha or something like that is and we're like yelling I DON'T KNOW I DON'T KNOW WE'RE MISSIONARIES!!!! and they talked for like 10 secs and then go kick the door down next to us and there's yelling and then 5-6 shots go off and they run out and we're like freaking out and we get out of there and run for awhile cuz we were way scared. I'm not lying it happened and I have never been more scared in my life I now know what it's like to have a gun right in your face with it loaded. I was protected no douby we had to go to macdonalds and get some food cuz we were all shook up from that. I guess after talking with Elder Davis there have been like 4 shootings in that area in the past month or so.

 

That was crazy and the rest of the week was great we have William getting baptized at the end of the month and we're going to be having a open house for the Messiah presentation next Sunday at the church so hopefully we will be able to have some investigators come to that.

 

The weather is getting cold and I so still need to get some boots so I'll see if I can get some today because the feet do get cold.

 

Jared how was Cali?? I want to know but I won't be able to email till next Wednesday. hope that fat cat is not giving you too much trouble.

 

Well mom you enjoy those primary kids and learn alot from them cuz we have to teach the kids one of these week in primary.\\

 

                      I love you all and hope you enjoyed the Christmas Devotional

                                         Elder Gonzalez   Bloomington Illinois

 

Thanksgiving Dinner = 10.3 pounds

Yea it was a slower week and hard to get people to listen to us.

 

On Monday we went to a Chiropractor and had an adjustment from one of the members in our ward. That was really nice to have and he said that golf is one of the worst things for your back... too bad.  We went to the mall and Elder Harris went shopping for baller shoes and protein stuff and GNC. We all had to go and watch him shop and we just kinda felt out of place in the mall.

 

Tuesday we were all over town. we went and had a lesson with Josie and her kids and it was near chaos in there I think that she is learning but we're really going to see from this next visit if she is going to keep commitments and wants to learn more or just look at two studs for an hour.  There is a less- active that was a football star out here in high school a little bit ago that got his head all smashed up from the double concussion in one game like he was all state all conference d-end with scholarships all over the place. He is now a bagger at a local grocery store and lives alone in a one room apartment by himself. I guess that when he was out on the field that the EMTS were drunk and counldn't treat him properly. sad story.

 

Wednesday we were in Pontiac most of the day and we had to go there because Elder Harris had to do a Baptismal interview. It took awhile because the lady didn't know who Thomas S. Monson was. we went knocking on some doors and the last one of the night we ran into this guy named Mark who was high as a kite... we didn't find this out till about 5 mins into talking to himl. He said that he has been to rehab a few times and that he was praying for a change.

 

thanksgiving was amazing and we had a few dinners and even helped cooked some of the food at president Cummings house. and yes we weighed ourselves before eating anything and i did indeed gain 10.3 lbs. one of the best days ever.. now i'm really hungry and we didn't even get any leftovers :(

 

 Saturday we went to Pontiac again for a baptism

 

well i love you all and i pray for you all the time

 

                 ELder Gonzalez  

I'm a new man----Elder Bowen

Well it was a busy week and we have been doing a lot of finding on our own efforts. in nauvoo we were able to hear from elder bowen of the 70 and he just knows so much from everything about the gospel. this truly is the worst letter that i have sent because of the stupid elder across the table from me that wants to get out of here fast..... whatever so in other news we do have 2 with a baptismal date up.  One will be in another state so oh well

 

I love you all and im excited for this week and sorry again for the bad email.it will be good next time.

 

Note from Victor's mom:  I am copying a portion of V's letter to his mission president: 

"...It was great to go to Nauvoo and truly be spiritually uplifted. Elder Bowen opened my eyes to what it really means to be a priesthood holder and to represent the Lord. I went into that meeting having some knowledge on the matter, but now I have a whole new perspective on life and about my mission. I still don't know everything about the Abrahamic Covenant, but I do know this, that Joseph Smith is a prophet and that the Book of Mormon is true. I don't know everything, but I know enough. My life is changed forever from that Zone Conference and I'm a new man...."

Riverton = Breezy. Bloomington = Blow You Off Your Feet Windy

Like the letter states it was kinda a weak week but Elder Harris and I were out of town for a couple of days and then P-day so only a few days of working which was good. We taught some sweet lessons and found some new investigators to begin teaching and help with service. Pontiac is a small town where Elder Bradshaw and Elder Grow live. We were there on Tuesday and blitzed the area. Elder Harris is good friends with Elder Grow so they go on exchanges almost once a week.

 

I'm excited to go to Nauvoo on Wednesday and meet a general authority! It is going to be Elder Bowen of the 70. We have to drive to Peoria on Tuesday night and stay there because it is like a 3-4 hour drive to Nauvoo from Bloomington.

 

I can truly start to see how the Lord is  with us as we go and work. Elder Harris and I were out to see Less-Actives on Friday night and we prayed about which house we should go to because the night before we did the same thing and got nothing for about 2 hours. So we prayed and felt that we should go see Sister O'Rourke and we did. When we got there she didn't want to let us in at first, but then she heard us say that we could give her a blessing to help her with the flu. By the Way Do I need some type of medical insurance card to get a flu shot out here??? Our President asked us all to get one but I don't want to spend 40 bones on a shot that's like 30% of our moneys. She told us that she was hoping that someone would come by and help her and talk to her and we did. She was in the hospital a few days earlier and said that she felt her mother at her side the whole time but knew that she had died years ago. We told her that the veil is thin at times and it was indeed her mother there watching over her. It was a good blessing and I did the anointing which is cool cause it is shorter ha.

 

I'm expecting some mail from some folks but haven't gotten a thing so hopefully on Wednesday I'll get some stuff.

 

I love you all and hopefully we will have some good news next week and have a baptism all lined up and ready before next transfers. This missionary stuff isn't so bad after all and ya know I think that I might just want to live our here :)

 

                     Elder Gonzalez       the one whom Jesus Loved

Best Halloween Ever!!

So that was basically what has happened so nothing to exciting. D

 

During the transfer we got rid of Elder Jewett and picked up Elder Craven from taylor utah so once again another utah kid he has been out a year and is busting elder hunsaker.

 

Halloween was so fun and when you send the pic chip back i'll send the photos of what we did and i'll explain it now..... so we went with the Pontiac Elders and got some supplies at the store. Mainly 7, 2liter bottles of mountain lightning. ha  so we played dew pong and we all drank so much and it was so much fun,.  by the end of the night we were all sick and we all threw up. all 4 of us. best day ever ha

 

so things here are going good but it's really hard to find people to teach and the ward isn't helping out so much. According to the locals this is the time of the year that people don't see their neighbors for like 4 months cuz its just too cold outside. It has been raining lately and I have been putting the coat to good use. 

 

my bike has a lopsided back tire because i let the Normal Elders use it last week and i suppose something happened but everytime i ride it it skweeks every half rotation the tire hits and grinds on the back brake so that made me mad.

 

we are going to be teaching some hispanic families this week and I still feel stupid couse a don't know spanish. most of our time is tracting and walking to appointments a llong ways away. this week we do get the car so yaaaa

 

I love you all and i love it here in good ole Bloomington Illinois even when the people want to murder you and everything about you

 

god be with ya cause he needs to be with me hahaha

 

      Elder GOnzalez  oooo aaaa hehe

Finally had me some real tacos!!

So as you can tell things are okay and we are trying to do our best and teach more people. I;m not sure how Tony writes so much in so little time so my letters just aren't as long as his. Well good week I suppose and it was nice to be able to have some real Mexican Food with Jaime on Saturday night at this little mexican shop in town. Jaime is awesome and he's so funny it;s like I am back in cali talkin to one of the cousins or something.

 

 So I'm sorry about the photos that I sent home it was the wrong chip and I have no idea how the postal system works so i suppose that im just a noob at everything that i do.  the chip that i send home is most valuable and will help clerify what i met by look and the videos and stuff. So feel free to send that one back and once i get it,I will immedialty send the other chip back home.

 

To help answer some questions Yes i need boots and the best ones i guess are found at mr.mac and the sweater thing... i will buy one someday i guess.  We share the car with the Normal elders and we get that everyother week so in the mean time we either walk or ride the bikes.

 

I hope all is well and that you are having a good time. I didn't get alot of time this week to talk but hope the you stay true to the faith.

 

The church is true and the sky is sometimes blue ha Bishop Smith got to love Him ha

 

tony i know about those planes because my friend drew talked my ear off about those things

\

 

jared you're awesome and im jelous

 

peace out from Bloomington Illinois 

 

 

Elder Gonzalez

Went to the Nauvoo Temple with Bishop Clay to do a session and then vacuumed the spiral steps, all six levels!!  Got a tour after from top to bottom, even touching the bell.

 Always a Utes fan, even when they just plain stink.

Finally, I found "my mission field."

 Just hangin' out.

Drill team practice?

Freezing cold and it's October... I'm going to die!

Well ya that's basically what has been going on.. That box that you sent with all the candy and basketball shoes and socks and gloves has saved my life. Today we are going to play some ball with the high school kids after they are out of school and that will be amazing fun except that there is no 3 point line so ya just have to attack the rim like THE BLACK MAMBA IN OKC HAHA.

 

Umm no but really it has been a good week and there were a couple of days that were freezing cold, then it was back to normal. I'm so glad that I had those gloves and coat cuz I woulda died. We still don't have anyone that is considered a progessing investigator because we find someone and teach them and aren't really able to get a next appointment or they aren't home when we show up next time. 

 

  It's frustrating at times, but it's also really cool when you meet someone on the way that is interested and then teach them a lesson on the spot. There is a mexican family listed above and we will meet with them this next week hopefully and be able to have a more formal lesson and get them to be a progressing investigator. I think that they have so much potential and I relate so much to them because of the family back in cali and stuff, but I feel stupid when I can't speak spanish and I know that the wives don't speak as good as the men. 

 

  I think that something bad is happening and it's the young women out here.... they like me ha I know it sucks I can see it in their little eyes when we go to church or to a family's house for dinner and I feel kinda weird cuz they know that I'm fresh out of high school and they are seniors and juniors so they have an eye for the prize haha.

 

 When I went to the temple it was with only 4 of us and with Bishop Clay and his wife in the mini van. Yea it was one of the coolest things I've ever done and no I hate to vacuum but when it's the spiral staircase it's amazing especially when there's like nothing to vacuum so ha.

 

I'll be sending home my picture chip and that will have some cool pics and a movie at the end that you must see. 

 

 well all is well in the good ole Bloomington Illinois and good things are about to happen. 

 

I love all of you and will try to write more on paper today.... and I love Zoe     ya!!

           Elder Gonzalez 

Have You Ever Seen the Sunset in the Fall on the Mississippi?

Ok so that was that and it's just freaking nuts out here...

Well this week was good and all that I mentioned in the letter is basically what happened mission wise.

 

Probably the highlight for the week was on Friday we went to the Nauvoo temple and was able to do a session and I actually did some sealings for the first time which was cool I suppose. So it's a pretty long drive to Nauvoo like probably .........3 hours almost just because there's no good route to drive and its all just dust fields all the way there cuz all the corn is cut down and the soy beans don't grow tall anyways.

 

So the Nauvoo Temple... It's basically the bomb.com we were there for the 6 o'clock session and then after we had to clean and that was soooo cool. So I was assigned to vacuum the spiral staircase which is like gino and I about cried when I saw the size of it from way down in the basement ya my jaw dropped. So people I don't know about you but if you have ever vacuumed stairs it is tough but if you have ever vacuumed spiral staircases the vacuum is really awakward for the purpose and isn't quite shaped right for the job and when there are 7 floors it takes forever. When we were all done cleaning it was like 10 and and janitors took us on a sick tour of the temple and showed us everything. The assembly hall is so cool and the rumor is that we may have a mission conference in it and then we got to go up to the tower which is so high and we could see the whole city and I got to touch the bell ha ya champion. ... ya we didn't get to our apartment till like 1;30 and up in 5 hours which felt like we got hit with a pile of bricks.

 

so regarding your questions ummmmm ya thank you so much for the package and for that box it is so cool and I love the pictures that you put on it. The basketball hoop is so much fun except you didnt put the ball with it so no ball ya sillly!!!!  um ya I will be getting a bike this week I think and so I don't think that i will need one. Oh my %$$#@ why are the utes losing?????!!! yes yes yes the gps is a must out here and you just need to look on google maps at bloomington to get what i am saying. I'm running out of time so lets see.... I hope all is going well at home cuz its all good in the neighborhood out here and we are just going to work hard and pray for some miracles. 

 

the workouts are awesome and im going to get jacked so that's pretty good 

 

I love you all and I pray for all of you and I do need some prayers out here cuz times get tough

 

      Elder Gonzalez

Serious Golf Withdrawals are Happening!!!!! (from October 10)

so things here in Bloomington Illinois are just fantastic.  Thisi past week we have had some good weather like low 80s which I'm going to miss so much.  We are working hard and have been riding the bieks a lot and even breaking the bieks at times.  This one bike that I was on the pedal broke and I was using the piece of metal that the plastic was attached to pedal on home.  then the other bike that is at the apartment has the worst gears and I couldn't even get it out of the parking lot without the chain falling off and the tools we have can't fix it.  So we took off the pedals and switched them and it worked out.

Elder Harris and Elder Jewett of the Normal ward went to leadership training on Wednesday and left me with another greenie, Elder Hunsaker.  That day we had 2 visits with investigators and in the morning we rode out bikes across town, which took forever, and met with a man namd Ted.  He is a Normal investigator so I'd never seen him before and we tried to teach him about the Plan of Salvation but it turned into if God loves us, why does he let terrible things happen to us discussion.  I bore one of the most powerful testimonies I've evern given andw e were both in tears and he wanted to do what is right and start to read more and to pray at times when he feels God has forgotten him.  At the end of the lesson he asked how tall I was and I said ya know 6'2" and he said taht he ahs a bike for me which is awesome.  He is a rich man and said that he will give me the money to put new tubes and tires on it so when I get the chance I will have a new street bike to get around on!!

I have not gotten any box with my coat and so you might have to call the mission home and ask them if the box is there and if so just find out a way to get it to me cuz winter is coming and I want to be warm. 

Yea, when we were in Nauvoo at the Stake Center just north of the temple.  I will send the memory chip home today and you can see the pics I took.  I only got to be by the temple for pics for about 15 mintues then had to make the 3 or some odd hours drive out to Bloomington trash town Illinois haha no it's a great place I just hate how depressingly flat it is.  Oh, if you can cram my baller shoes in the box, as for the candy...I'll take it cuz I need some snacks.  Elder Harris and I have started to do P90X and it's a killer workout and we have to wake up at 5 to get that puppy started so my day is reallllllly long now.  So I'll send ya the pics of when we started it and over time you'll see the P90X transformation occur and I'll be doing my laundry on my washboard abs ha...true story though.

Ok, I want answers.......WHY ARE MY UTES LOSING!!!!!!  now I'm really mad.  I might bit my companion in the back one night to revenge that loss.

I seriously think that it was a joke when Jesus made the earth to make it this flat out here, he probably said to adam "hey look what I did but father says it okay, so whatever".  I think I can see the curvature of the earth with all the corn cut down.  I'm sorry for saying all that nonsense, but no one is online so I'm just going off about whatever.

The streets are absolute madness and finding someone is down right nuts, so could you send me a GPS.

Well, I love you all and can't wait to hear from ya next week.

(song 249 and I love to see the Nauvoo Temple hahah with Monday night football...I miss football :(.....

Elder Gonzalez

First Full Week

well it was a very busy week and lots has happened and lots to talk about so here it goes. On Monday we got to meet with a kid named Kalob who is my age at the Barry home and he's had some of the missionary discussions but thats been over a year ago and so we taught him the importance of the the gospel of jesus christ which was amazing. At the end of the lesson the spirit was really strong and you could tell that he was interested and so as the greenie, I extended the invitation to be baptized and he accepted! which will take place on October 22. He's so cool and we will meet with him again tonight and teach him about the commandments and stuff maybe even the first vision stuff again.

 

  Other than that we have been studying a lot and have been trying to meet with the less actives in the ward. I would seriously say that we have 100 less actives or part member families just in the ward. Everytime that we meet with them or try to meet with them we end up finding someone on the street that is interested in learning more about it all. 

 

I'm learning so much everyday and our extra hour of study a day helps so much. I've been spending alot of the evenings meeting the members of the ward, particularly the ward council people and have been sharing with them the family mission plan. 

 

The highlight of the week was definantly on the weekend with zone conference on Friday in Nauvoo.  We had to wake up at 4 and be out of the apt at 5 in order to get to the peoria  stake center to meet up with the zone leaders and stuff. At the conference we learned about the restoration a little better and had a 70 speak to us but he's like a 6th quorom of the 70 guy so not that high up. we did spend the rest of the evening there and took some pictures of the place and the elders that were there.

THE SOONER YOU SEND BACK THE MEMORY CHIP THE SOONER YOU GET NEW PICTURES!!!

 

Conference was the best conference that I've ever listened to.  The Saturday morning session we watched at the stake presidents house with his family, and he's really young for a stake president like prob not even 40. So that was cool and then the rest of the time we were at the church setting up the projector and helping the deth with the other tv with the subtitles. I'm so out of food like it's nuts so shopping today is going to be huge.... I'm going to die from starvation. The members feed us good but its the breakfasts and lunches and the meals before bed that are taking out the pantry and fridge. 

 

I now appreciate all the food that I had back at home.... ya sorry I didn't appreciate it as much as i should have.

 

umm ya i haven't received any package yet, but i might get it on friday when President Jergensen comes through for interviews.

 

You should look up where I live it 41 Yoksonot drive #5 bloominton illinois

 

oh ps the leaves out here are changing and its absolutly incredible, but it's as flat as the squirrels that we run over here

 

I love you all and wish ya the best week ever>)   haha chinese man smiling ha

 

           Elder Gonzalez

Bloomington, Illinois

Ok let me clarify something.... We left Thursday morning to go to Iowa City cuz thats where the main stake center is in the mission and it's about the middle of the mission so not a terribly long drive in every direction. Once we got there we had a meeting and we all got to see who our trainers are and see all the missionaries in the mission. I did see Elder Larsen and he was made a zone leader in some other area and i got to talk to him for a bit. My companion is Elder Harris, he is from a few places but graduated high school in Morgan and then lived in Vegas before his mission. He's been out here for 9 months and he loves it. He's been in the church his whole life and reminds me of me hahaha. He's cool and is about 6 foot 1 and has about 10-15 pounds on me. I like him and we're really getting along. oh and I'm actually not in Iowa City but I'm in the absolute ourskirts of our mission in a city called Bloomington Illinois! I like it and it's alot of fun. I am in the Bloomington Ward and there's about 100-120 people that were at sacrament meeting. I was the 2nd person to get up and give my testimony. Bishop Clay is in charge and he's a good man. Since i've been here I have done more planning then I have ever done and it's taken alot of our time so far in trying to get through our first 12 weeks program book.

   I have been able to teach a few investigators and a couple families and that has been a lot of fun. We had district meeting on Saturday and then got some taco bell YA! I was also able to get my first baptism to an 11 year old kid named donavon gaydosh. haha no he's not my baptism but was my comps and I was able to see that and get all set up for that.  Tracting is SCARY.  People out here are crazy with their religions. I swear there has to be 20 different different churches that I've seen so far. 

 

Winter is coming early here and it's cold outside for me at least and I don't have a sweater to wear over my shirt and now that my package is sitting at the mission home I have no idea how that is going to ever get out to where I'm at.

 

In my interview Pres Jergenson said that I will be speaking my native tongue...................... english  :(    but thats ok cuz i talk much better in english.

 

we live in an apartment and its very nice, but 2 other elders are living in it cuz their apartment has mold and its black mold too so extra bad.

 

   I've had the Book of Mormon Ensign for the past 2 weeks we had to use it during our tuesday night devontional with Elder Nelson. I've read it and marked it up and its amazing so use it for your fhe's and for Prist's quoram or however you spell it.

 

on sunday after conference for fhe you will sing pg100 and army of helaman for songs and will eat mint brownies for the treat haha.

Second P-Day in MTC, September 14, 2011

hi mom its been a crazy week and i never get time to email while waiting on the laundry cux its just too packed in there... and that starts at 1:30 and im writing this right now.... well we got our flight plans for next wednesday we leave the mtc at 5 in the morning and our plane leaves for MEMPHIS at 8:35 and we sit there for an hour or so and the get on a plane to go to Des moines. and so we aren't going to get to iowa until about 4:35... i have no idea why we are going to memphis but i love being on airplanes and I better get a freaking window seat.... there are 6 of us leaving on the same plane, 2 from another district that i realized are going to iowa too. and my companion Elder Virgen is leaving just him and another missionary to go to minnianapolis (yea i spelled it wrong) and then to iowa. so we're all excited for that.... the arkansas guys are leaving at 4in the morning and go to atlanta for a couple hours before going to arkansas so its all jacked up like that.

   not going to lie i was pretty upset when i found our from the security guards that utah lost but also way happy to know that byu got beat to and im going to rip my hair out when i hear the game on saturday.... so i got here with 7 ties and through some good barganing have been able to get that to 9 ... ya everyone here trades ties every night and it gets kinda crazy when there are 30 elders in an area trying to get good deals. so thats fun ... the only thing that im really worried about is that my bag is going to be to heavy and that ill have to gey rid of a bunch of stuff and the airport... so expect a call from me next wednesday at about 7 in the morning maybe later i guess and send me jareds number and ill call him... and dads and make sure that he has it on and he can hear it... the mtc is great and right when im starting to get used to things here im already leaving..... i have alot of respect for some of the guys here and stay and rot for 9-12 weeks... ummm ive put on 5 pounds since i've been here and that might have gone down cuz iv'e been sick the last couple of days with a sore throat and runny nose and a mild headache every once in awile. 

   the district is doing good but i think that some of the guys are losing focus because they realized that the investigators that are here are all actors and members just playing the part but elder virgen and i have be keeping the focus and have reallly been doing good with our lessons.  on saturday night i think that i received my first revelation... we were in a lesson with tony hale and he was talking about his smoking and drinking problem that he has and we were just telling him that he needed to stop and that he would feel better and while elder virgen was talking with him i just had the biggest impression to give him a blessing and i just blerted it out and asked him if he needed a blessing and the spirit was stronger than i have ever felt it and all three of us in the room were crying cuz our teacher told us that what i felt was true revelation and that he did the exact same thing to tony hale..... so that was a really good part of the past week but not the best...... at our tuesday night devotional elder M. Russell Ballard came and spoke and we were only like 30 feet from him front and center i wish we coulda taken a picture to prove it but it was sweet and i loved it so much

 

 

 

             well i can't wait to talk to you on wednesday and i love you all (even Zoe i do miss her) 

                              peace out from this miserable place called provo utah ewwwwww it really needs more red here!!!!

                                 

                                    Elder Gonzalez

First Email Home, September 7, 2011

well i don't know where to start except that im really loving the mtc and all that it is offering. my comps name is elder virgen from lehi and he graduated in 09 but was really young for his grade. there are 10 guys in our district and im the youngest one of course but that didn't stop me from being called to be DISTRICT LEADER!!!! yea its crazy but i feel that i've been a big help in keeping the district in order and maintaining that quiet dignity in the classroom and in the residence hall. the schedule is so packed and at the end of the day we are just exhausted but this p day has reeally helped to get some much needed rest and do some laundry. so here are the elders in our district..... elder frost from orem. elder adamsom from carey idaho who i actually played basketball against in boise who knew...elder ford from layton...elder rich from some small idaho town... elder rabe from arizona by mesa... elder stewart from small town in montana... elder allan from twin falls.... elder wilson from lehi and that's it and 7 guys graduated last year so there all older which makes me that little baby in the district..

our teachers are great and one did serve in iowa for the last year of his mission in the nebraska omaha mission so thats cool the other went to tennessee so nothing exciting but they are good teachers that do a really good role play when they act like investigators. today we did get to go to the provo temple and i saw the other version of that movie  for the first time. then afterwards we ate breakfast there and went back.

only one kid from the other district in our zone of new comers last week went home which was really a shock because he was there district leader and thats put some pressure on me!!! but its ok im loving it which really matters..  

 

please send as many dear elders as you guys can i didnt realize how much mail means here like its gold in our little pinger tips.  oh and elder ford rich rabe and stewart are going to the arkansas little rock mission fyi... our zone has 4 districts and 2 of them left for oregan and washington yesterday so the residense hall is alot quieter now

 .... im trying to think of what to say cuz thme is runnuing out...go utes and please send as many score updates as possible.

 

i love you guys and a can't thank you enough for al; that youve done for me i love the mtc and ill love my mission even more

 

 

ps i;ve seen justin boswell and roger maxwell since beiing here so bye    horrah for israel

Arrival at the MTC, August 31, 2011

I'm here.  Let's do this. 





Family in front of Provo Temple

Good-byes are not easy

Officially a Missionary, August 30



President Lester Nielsen and Bishop Dave Smith





John, Garrison and Austin
come to pay their last respects.  ha, ha