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