Happy Holidays

Dear Family

 

  This Christmas season my thoughts and heart always turn home. Although I'll be spending this fantastic Christmas Season away just know that I will be there next year and we'll finally be a family again. I do miss the comforts of the holidays that are only found in the Gonzalez home. I'll be thinking about my stocking which won't be stuffed. I'll think about my 4th grade picture on the tree looking better then ever. I'll be missing the "Christmas Story" marathon for just one more year but I'll be back before you know it to be eating them cookies that people drop off and I'll be the first one to suggest that we have a Jerusalem dinner with the lanterns lit. All in all I'll just be one homesick missionary away from my home for just one more Christmas. There's just nothing to say about it I'll be away for a bit longer, and trust me I'll be crying harder then anyone else when the day comes that I have to let my tag go and try to fit in a new schedule.

   I want the Gonzalez Family to know that I love you all and for my Christmas wish it's that yall have a great day and that the Spirit of the Lord is with you and charity is in your heart. Please remember the words of Alma during this time of hustle and bustle... For behold, I say unto you there be many things to come; and behold, there is one thing which is of more importance than they all—for behold, the time is not far distant that the Redeemer liveth and cometh among his people- Alma 7:7. Please don't let the adversary let things become out of focus. Christ is what must be discussed. Christ gave to us the greatest gift of all, his atoning blood and a chance to return home. For now my home is Illinois, soon it will be Riverton, and I pray that one day it will be in the presence of my Heavely Father. If the Holy Ghost is with us then that's the greatest gift we can have this time of year so go and seek the spirit.

 

 

  Love from Peoria    Elder Victor Gonzalez

Skype next week!!!

I have talked with some members in the ward about the whole skype thing that is going to take place next week and I'm super excited about all of it. i'll hopefully have some good time to talk to yall and check on what's going on. Chances are that I'm not going to be able to have as much time as last year though and that's due to the schedule of the day. Please write a list of things that need to be talked about so that there ain't no silence on the phone or with during the skype stuff. I'll be writing a list as well.

 

This past week has been super busy but also super successful. We had Devin to church again yesterday and he's set for December 29th and we'll be getting him set up with an interview this week and get things going. He's such a good kid and I love him to Death. Last night we had a church presentation of Handel's Messiah put on be the Stake and it was good and we even had Devin come a join in the festivaties. He's being fellowshipped by the teaches quorum pretty well and thats sucha great blessing. We also had Alex and Sophia to church with us yesterday. We walk with them to church since they live only a couple of blocks from the building. They are going to have baptismal dates set with them this week.

 

I did get to interview a lady for baptism last Sunday and got to witness her baptism and confirmation on Thursday while in Galesburg on exchanges. Her name is April and she was one of those golden investigators who was found and baptized in a couple weeks. Those elders are working great there and are such a strength to the zone. I have several areas in the zone that are less then excited for the work and it's really starting to irritate me because they just aren't getting it. This is the most important work on the face of the whole earth and they're treating it like something of little value. It's killing me week after week to see struggling areas never make changes is the attitude or work ethic. I just can't do it for them and can only tell them to get to work.

 

  I do want to say thanks again for all the goodies that are in your package mom they are a great way to start each day, and today I opened the Jerky bag and have already eaten like half of the bag. I love Jerky that's for sure.

So it's snowing in Salt Lake Eh?  We haven't had a single flake this year yet. We do get some mornings that are pretty cold but no snow yet and i wouldn't mind ever seeing it this year.

 

Elder Sauer and I will know next week what will be going on with transfers and it's going to rip a hole in my heart if i get the transfer call.......... I love the people, I love the ward.

 

I'm so glad to hear that you're recovering mom I pray for you multiple times each day, the rest of the family..... not so much hahaha keep going hard mom and get better and back to normal, but not normal illinois hahaha

 

I want to know what's going on with the family like what kind of school Aaron and Jake are in and if it's like art or history tell them to change majors right away. I quote from Elder Clarke " If you want to get somewhere in this life then don't study that of no worth, study what the world needs at this time".

 

I have so much to be thankful for that it's overwhelming to even start. I love this work. I'm thrilled to wake up in the morning and put on that name tag. It means the world to me to have this tag on. I hope Mom and Dad that you are already preparing yourselves to serve as full time missionaries. If your as good of missionaries as you are parents then you'll bring many to the gospel truth. With a returned missionary, a missionary, and an almost missionary in your ranks and under your wings I think the Lord will have a special place for yall in the mission field.

 

I do want to say something about the Book of Mormon. It's more of a question to everyone to answer on their own. Where are you in the Book of Mormon, and what will you do today to serve someone else? keep that in mind, let's not have such a precious gift like the Book of Mormon and not use it effectively for what happens to us when a gift if given and we don't us it. D&C 84: 54,57, 60-62

 

I love all of you so much and I'll be looking forward to Tuesday and will work hard until that time.

 

Elder Gonzalez  Peoria Illinois

 

ps. I downloaded the Church Handbook of instruction and this ward that I'm in doesn't follow it at all.  When I'm a bishop my ward will follow the Freaking handbook.

 

 

Blessings are coming our way!!!

I'm glad that yall got my Christmas card, it's really nothing fancy because we're just a bunch of poor missionaries that don't know how to do anything in that creative type.

 

I am very grateful for the packages that I've recieved this past week. Mom, your package is great because I have a something to look forward to every morning because my patience doesn't last until the nightime. Your gifts are.... great and very..... thoughtfull you might say. hahahaha sometimes i wonder where you come up with these gifts but I know that your doing your best and hardest and putting a lot of thought into each scripture. I read the scripture to Elder Sauer and he tries to guess what it is and he never gets it right and just laughs at what my mom came up with.

 

Tony your package says everything about you. Just shove it in a box and send it on it's way.

 

So this past week we had a very revelatory experience while at Zone Leader Council on Tuesday in Iowa City. We discussed and looked at all the logistics of what the new baptismal goal should be for the year of 2013. It took much discussion and then finally we all kneeled down and prayed as to what is should be. It was revealed that we are to have 550 convert baptisms within the Iowa Des Moines Mission in 2013. I'm so glad for the keys of the priesthood which connect heaven and earth, and reveal the will of our Heavenly Father. I know for a certain knowledge that President Jergensen is called by the Lord and direct this great and wonderful work in these latter days. I find so much satisfaction in knowing that I'm engaged in this most wonderful work of the Lord. I felt very strongly that the work is hastening. Times are getting challenging and the Lord's lost sheep need to be brought to the fold and to be apart of that gathering of Israel is almost unbareable, but it's true and God has had selected us all to be on the forefront of this great cause.

 

Elder Sauer and I have a new investigator who is progressing towards December 29 for baptism. His name is Devin and he's a great young man who is 15 and lives in the worst part of town. He's strong in keeping values even though his less-active mom doesn't. He was at church yesterday along with 2 other investigators of ours. We did pick up 2 new investigators yesterday which is such a blessing because all week we have been praying for the area to pick up and to let our testimonies reach the hearts of all the inhabitants of Peoria. Our prayer was answered and I"m so grateful.

 

Please keep the faith and I don't really know what to say other then I love you all. Tony you look like Paul Bunyan

 

I'll just explain everything on Christmas

 

Elder Gonzalez

 

Craziest week ever!!..... way fun though (from Dec. 3, 2012)

So I just want to start off by saying that this church it true. It's just that simple this church has everything going for it probably because it's the Lord's church and whenever he's in charge of things it's pretty sweet stuff.

 

Our week started with another p-day full of stuff that made it stressful and crazy. We left Peoria Monday evening and didn't get back into town until Friday afternoon ( that takes a hit on your area). We started off with our class on Tuesday morning which was the teacher presenting some factual stuff about the church and our beliefs which made it all look like a big joke and there wasn't any spirit there at all. It was disappointing and the way that she directed her questions towards us made it just really not spiritual, and without the background knowledge of the "why" behind everything it just makes it look really weird and unattractive. We were in there for the whole class and after talked to a girl that was doing her research paper on "Mormonism" and we got to explain more of our beliefs and why it's actually important to us. So she understood a little more why we believe the way that we do. There is this paper that they passed out that had info on it about us and it's all true as far as I can see but really puts things that have to be understood spiritually and not intellectually out there. I'm sure a lot of the students thought that we mormons are so weird and strange with our practice that they will never want to listen to our faith again after that class. I was very disappointed with the results of the first class.

 

When we went back on Thursday, Elder Sauer and I presented a very brief Restoration lesson to them and wow it was a night and difference change with the spirit. As we taught them for probably 20 minutes we had their attention completely. The spirit was there for sure and it was guiding the lesson. Even though the class was at 8 in the morning and these students were half asleep the first time that was not the case with the 2nd class. We had an open questions and answers session after the presentation which ended with the video on lds.org " Our Eternal Life" and it was sweet. The questions at first started off slow because I think people were nervous but then it turned into a ton of doctrinal questions mostly because I'm sure the majority of the class is christian. I loved it and the spirit was very strong when Elder Sauer and I shared our testimonies about the truths that were discussed over the 2 days of class and it all just made sense. The teacher of the class who is a Presbyterian Minister, took a copy of the Book of Mormon with ease and said she was interested in the "historical part of it" but wants to know if what we said is true, because with the Great Apostasy facts that we mentioned we probably shook her little faith that she had about the authenticity of her religion hahaa she deserved it because she didn't have the appreciation that she should've had for mormons in her teaching about it. I loved the class and the students sure are interested about it so we'll see how many referrals come the the elders serving out there.

 

We did a ton of exchanges including my hometown of Bloomington and then to Pontiac Illinois. Pontiac hadn't seen a new investigator since April 30th and they were complaining about not being able to teach anyone and so we went to blitz their area and found 2 new for them just like that. There's investigators everywhere, you just need to be the fisher of man that you need to be. You don't catch fish with bad bait so you need to talk to people about something first and then hook them with a 2 sentence statement about the church and boom hooked and in the water.

 

I don't have much time to email and so I do need to sign off. We as a Zone Leader Council are setting the new baptismal goal for next year tomorrow and it will be a very revelatory experience. President will come and teach with us on Thusday after he joins us for zone meeting.

 

I love yall and I'll cya later   do some missionary work in Utah will ya!!!   Christmas is coming soon!!!

 

Elder GONZALEZ   PEORIA ILLINOIS..... DA BEST!!!!!

2 college classes, 3 exchanges, 1 district meeting,1 ward christmas party and all that holiday nonsense!! Why do I put myself through this??!!?

I ate a ton of food and it was really really good.

 

  Thanksgiving was a blast even though I wasn't able to be on the football field this year showing off my top nominee Heisman skills to all these country folks out here. I love football but I'll just have to put those talents on the back burner for the time being.

 

I'll start at the beginning of the week.

 

So on Monday Elder Sauer and I got to teach some great lessons, and had to accomidate several missionaries to stay the night with us, they traveled in from Normal Bloomington, and Pontiac to stay the night here in Peoria. We have to wake up at 3:30 in the morning and were on the road by 4:45 and made the long trip all the way to Iowa City for the mission tour. I drove of course in my van. When we got there I saw so many of my missionary buddies and it was great. There were 6 of the 10 zones there and so like over a 100 missionaries at this mission tour.  Elder Sauer did a special musical on the piano for the 2nd half of the conferance so he went and did his thing in the RS room before the meeting.

 

  Elder Clarke reminds me so much of Grandpa Nelson, a really old school guy except he's from Rexburg ID. He just has the old school way of manners and talk and is always winking at people ;) He is a very great man who gave us so much instruction including the importance of the ONE. He hit strongly that everyony that we talk to and teach is someone's Dad or Cousin or Brother or Convert that we need to take very seriously. I Realized the truth of his statement that "if we don't take care of other's converts, then no one will take care of our converts". On Wednesday I got a call from Delores Sinks who I was teaching back in July and August and she got baptized up in Detroit a a couple of months ago and now she moved back and is one of those converts that i must help take care of.

 

Elder Clarke also introduced us to the new Church Christmas campaign mormon.org/christmas. I'm excited to get some good media referrals from this program and start teaching like it's the best thing on earth, because it is. The best feeling that I can get right now is the spiritual high that i get after a great lesson with an investigator. I love to teach and will probably beg President Chugg to let me teach some of those Missionary prep classes next fall.

 

After the mission tour we let everybody out and we had a Zone Leader Council in the chapel with Elder Clarke. He told us what we needed to get to our goal of 400 baptisms. He got very personal with all of us and really wanted to know every name of the people who had baptismal dates. Elder Sauer and I implimented this strategy into our zone training meeting on Friday.

Elder Clarke also answered some questions we had and then he went off for a while about post mission stuff and just life advice in general. It was so good to hear his take on how to live a good gospel centered life, how to pick our a spouse ( something that I've already done) and how to get rich hahha yes he told us how to get rich and it was great. It just takes hard work, good schooling, and a dedication to Family Life, Work Life, and Church Life. He is great and I love him so much, but Sister Clarke made a comment that i didn't like. She said " When you get home from work it should be the time to be with family and that means no golfing after work because that takes to much of your time". I thought about that and I know through the spirit that her comment was the biggest piece of false doctrine that I heard all day. On mormon.org we have videos and testimonies about how golf can get you ready for all aspects of life, especially getting you ready to be a mission president. Also I have a book at home that shows Prophets of God playing the game and enjoying themselves so don't give me that comment Sister Clarke even the scriptures talk about golf being heavenly. " The course of the Lord is one eternal round" 2Nephi 10:19  if it's in the scriptues, it's true. I did get to shake his hand and give him a hug and tell him why I can't speak spanish so yea he knows who I am.

 

I love thanksgiving we has lots to eat. We had a dinner at noon 2, and 4 and we had full meals at every single one of them. Oh boy can I eat when I want to eat. It's a good things that this next Sunday is fast Sunday.

I'm excited to keep teaching the gospel. I realized that my time here in Peoria is coming to an end and that i only have 4 more sundays left here. I super excited for Skype  on Christmas and it's going to be a ball. so much to talk about but never enough time here on the computer and I just blank when I do come here.

 

I love the cd you sent me but it was the wrong one so I just took the liberty to order online the cd that i wanted. sorry but it's the best stuff ever.

 

I do have a christmas tree, and what would I do with decorations anyways, I'm busy trying to organize the work of the zone and help people achieve their fullest potential I don't have time for little Christmas crafts and I don't have the time to fiddle with all that sorry.

 

Sorry to hear that Uncle Stan died... I don't know who that is...   It's a good thing we have the Atonement.

 

I love you all and i need to leave here because with our exchanges and college class and stuff we will be a little busy and have apt's set up today so peace.

 

Elder Gonzalez   Peoria Illinois    the place to be.

 

 

Mission Tour + Thanksgiving= awesome week (from November 19, 2012)

I'm really excited to get out and work this week because we only have so much time to do it this week with today obviously being p-day and then tomorrow being gone all day for a mission tour in Iowa City with Elder Clarke which I'm most excited for because it's not very often that I get to shake the hand of a GA if ya know what I mean. So he spoke in conference and then last year Elder Bowen came through the mission and he spoke this past conference too and it was amazing. The bad part about all of this is that since we're out here in peoria we are super far away from everything and so we have to be in our seats spiritually preparing for them meeting by 8 and so we have to leave here at 5a.m. and that's going to kill me for sure because I'm driving and we have to wake up at like 4 and get going or we'll be late to the meeting which is going to have over 100 missionaries there and President or Elder Clarke will put a curse on me. Let's just say that I'm way excited and we have some missionaries staying the night with us and will be with us tomorrow for the drive. The meeting will start at 9 and so between 8-9 everyone will get to shake his had one by one and get to talk with him for a sec then the meeting will go from 9-12 then an hour for lunch then the second half at 1-3 then after that we have a zone leader council with Elder Clarke from 3:30 -6:30 and we will probably be getting drilled with how we will reach our baptismal goal this year of 400. We as a mission have 316 baptized with 126 with a date. Now the mission is about 50% with those with baptismal dates actually making it to the waters of baptism, so we will  be getting the run down for sure. Elder Sauer and I have our plate full with trying to get things in order with the sisters trying to figure out the area we're in due the the East Elders being closed down for a couple of transfers and having to split everything with them. We are also getting everything ready for the mission tour and the meeting after, as well as a 2 1/2 zone training meeting on Friday and then 2 days of college class that we have to teach next week. I'm feeling a little unprepared for this one but I know that I'll be able to receive revelation about what needs to be said and what questions these college students will bring up. I mean I've never even been to a day of college in my life and now I'm supposed to teach the class........ talk about climbing fast haha

So for thanksgiving we have plenty to eat and places to go. I'm just a likable guy and people see that so we gets the food if you know what I mean. sometimes I hear all the street slang down hear and it starts to flake off on me and I start to get spitting like Slim Thug. President Jergensen doesn't want us to be playing any football at all on Thanksgiving due to injuries and whatnot so it looks like I'll have to take my talents next season to Riverton and pull some Tim Tebow on yall haha I'll knock ya flat. BTW I did 64 pushups this morning in a row without stopping with my push up stands( they kinda hurt my wrist) that's hard and it's alot.

I do not want to have thermal G's because that would just be weird. Tony has all the stuff and it will all workout with him unless he passes it off to you mom. 

We do have Greg not really ready at this time for baptism but we did replace him with a lady named Phyllis Vaughn who will work towards Dec 22

I love you all and I know that this work is true and even if the dude next to me is looking at bad stuff I'll stand strong in the faith   Elder Gonzalez

6 More Weeks (from November 13, 2012)

I'm so happy to be here for 6 more weeks. I love Peoria and all that it brings with it.

 

  So i know that I said that I would be here until Dec 27 but when transfer calls come around you just never know whats going to happen, but yes Elder Suaer and I will be serving for 18 weeks together........ pretty sweet. He's for sure my favorite companion even though he's so completely opposite of me like it's not even funny opposite.

 

We had a great week and are seeing so many miracles our key indicators are as follows 0 0 2 1 2 6/2 2 1 1 4 3 4 and tony can tell you all about those but yes we do have 2 investigators set on baptismal dates and they are NW Whitley and Greg Taylor. NW wasn't able to make it to church and so it was sad to not have him there, but one eyed greg came and it was a great sunday with him there. We even had a linger longer as so he got to talk to some of the people in the ward. He is set for Dec 22 and has made seriously a complete 180* turn around from when we first met him. I was on an exchange with Assistant to the President Elder Parkinson and we laid the law with him and he seemed to back out when we were finished with him, but a couple days later we went back and he was praying and wanted to be at church so we made that happen, and he really liked it as is looking forward to next week. I know that he is starting to feel the spirit in his life, and I'm praying very earnestly that he will prepare himself for baptism.

 

We are seeing some serious changes in the mission right now with more missionaries coming out. So right currently now we have 182 missionaries and will be needing to stock ourselves up to about 250 in the next year so every ward in the mission will have 2 sets of missionaries and lots more sisters and an additional 2-3 zones. So right now we are losing more then we're getting in a couple of days with transfers and so our zone is closing 2 areas and that's going to take a hit on the work, but we'll just have to redouble our efforts. Canton Branch is closing, and The Peoria east elders is shutting down so Elder Sauer and I will have to split their area with the Sisters and get to working evern harder and Redouble our efforts. We have some great lessons set up this week and could get some more baptismal dates here on the way.  I"m super stoked.

 

In regards to the election...... I"m just glad it's over, and that I don't have to get all the Romney jeers that come from passing cars and what not. As for the next 4 years, bring it on Satan I WILL LAY YOU OUT. God's in charge and he tells the prophet what needs to be done and that's good enough for me.

 

It's getting cold out here and so we are all bundled up and gots our gloves on and not quite a beanie yet because i don't want to mess up my hair. As for missionary work in Utah that's got to be so nice. Whenever a non-member moves in the whole ward just pounces on them and then out here we have in the Peoria Stake 21% hometeaching each month with 33% active so yea the work out here needs a make over. The midwest in general is just so conservative and so slow and people just get in their little ruts and don't get out of them. We'll change that.

 

We are preparing for a mission tour with Elder Don R. Clarke of the 70 next tuesday. and that's going to be super sweet because right after the meeting we are having a zone leader council with Elder Clarke. Presiding and will receive special instruction from him for an additional 3 hours.

 

On the 27th and 29th Elder Sauer and I are teaching a world's religion class at Heartland Community College on "Mormonism" and so we're basically going to get destroyed by 30 college students on those 2 days which is both an hour and 15 minute classes. so pray for us please.

 

I love yall so much and can't wait to skype home in 6 weeks today!!!!!   Elder Gonzalez on the front lines in Peoria Illinois

Redouble!!!! (from November 5, 2012)

Hi there my good friends

 

  I'm sitting here in Peoria Lakeview branch in the Peoria Public library system and it's a sad place.... Libraries are an interesting place, people come to get knowledge and to raise themselves to a higher plane of thought and try to their best to become better people. I admire that and I wish that I could help all of them to see that this is a place of temporal things, now I'm not saying that the knowledge aquired here is no good, but that it is in comparrison dust and dirt to the value of what is found in the Book of Mormon. Chances are there is a copy of the Book of Mormon in here somewhere, I want to know how many times it has actually been lifted off the shelf. I'm looking around at what truth is available. Books on how to fix your house, the purpose of the cardiovascular system,  gardening, auto repairs, far east cooking and more. Even the books of how to lose weight, how to have a happier family, how to conquer the stresses of life, and best off how to find peace of mind in a changing world. If only they could find the Book of How to Gain happiness in life and Eternal lIfe in the world to come. I marvel at the desires of society. Most things must be an immediate satisfacation, or a temporary cure for something that never should have taken place. I'm so grateful for the knowledge that I have that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has both the ability to be happy in this life and have eternal joy in worlds to come. I'm grateful for the immediate satisfactions that the Holy Ghost brings and eternal and endless joys of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I'm grateful for each week being able to take that sacred and renewing sacrament and feel myself begin to understand the Savior and get ready to go to work.

 

Elder Sauer and I had Brother Whitley  at church yesterday as well as Debra Owens. We have Debra praying for a baptismal date and NW Whitley set for December 8th and he's very excited for that. I'm so glad that we have been able to seen success come from our efforts in this area. I'm growing greater charity towards the people dispite to geers and taunts that come with missionary work.

I've learned that I need to be better every single day. I recently read in D&C 127:4 about redoubling our efforts, and that's exactly what we're doing here. Elder Suaer and I are exhaused at night and somehow want to do it all over again in the morning. We are planning better, we're working harder, we're being bolder, and we're relying more and more on the spirit.

 

Do to today's schedule we are teaching even on p-day and have to make this session a little shorter then what we would like. Sacrifice i guess is what you would call it.

 

I love yall and will be seeing you later and will let you know next email wether or not I"m staying or going.

 

God Bless yall  Elder Gonzalez

Fun Week... Plus We Have Work 2do!!! (from October 27, 2012)

I Just want to say that Yall are just the bee's knees and I love you all

 I didn't mention in my last email that I did get your packages and they are the boss and I was so much in love with the Utes stuff and i Loved the good kind stuff that i now have. I do need to mention that I am now on my 4 months to 6 months to sexy and all the candy that I've been getting is starting to reverse the effects of my morning workouts. Please do keep the packages up because I act like a little girl when I see a box with me name on it and I think that it has nothing but straight gold in it.

 

 I do realize that sometimes I tend to do some venting when I email because there is a tone of stress that comes upon me throughout the week. I never thought that a mission would include all the responsibilities that Elder Sauer and I have, sometimes I just want to go back to the regular old companionship or better yet I'd like to train a new 18 year old missionary and teach him how an old and experienced 20 year old stud from Utah does it. So be aware that I come to email sessions with all the stuff that lagging me down and all the more or less negative things that are on my mind.

I do want to take some time and talk about the importance of having spiritual time with the scriptures. I have learned through the workings of the spirit that the Book of Mormon is the most powerful tool that we have to conquer our tasks in our lives. It was trully made for our day. None of the people of the Book of Mormon ever had it, they never had any of what we enjoy so freely. They may have had a reference to the Brass Plates and some teachings of their fathers but it was made for our day and is a gift so important that it came before anything else in this dispensation. The most important truth that we learned in this dispensation was what the Prophet Joseph Smith discovered in the grove of trees. When he came out of there 4 eternal truths came out with him. 1. God the Father and Jesus Christ are distinct individuals. 2. God the Father and Jesus Christ have bodies of flesh and bone and are in the image of man. 3. The cannon of scripture is not complete and that there is more truth out there to be learned. 4. The heavens are open and God is communicating with men and whosoever wants to be part of this comminication only needs to kneel down and ask for help.

  We often talk about how Joseph Smith was delivered the plates, and that they were sealed and no one can read a sealed book. Well he was given power to translate that record and now we have it and it only becomes a sealed book to us when it sits in the corner or on the table and isn't opened because we through our own ignorance have it sealed. I talk about the first of those truths that Joseph Smith was shown and the number one truth was that God is real and that he talks with man. He discovered that he was actually praying to a person and not a mist or unseen power but to a God who is very much part of our life. If we don't know who we are praying to then what is the use. It must be to that God who gave us life. Jesus said that "this is life eternal that they might know thee, the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent". Joseph learned that very quickly and he then had a sure knowledge of what kind of work was about to come forth, even a great and marvelous work, yea even a wonder. 

I am amazed and what the gospel is doing all over the world, and I know that it all boils down to 3 questions

It is the What, the how, and the why of missionary work.

1. the "what" of missionary work is for the soul purpose of gathering scattered Israel. Everything that we do in the church points towards that goal and mission. What are we doing? Gathering Scattered Israel

2. the "how" of missionary  work is the missionary purpose- Our purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the Restored Gospel through Faith in Jesus Christ and his Atonement, Repentance, Baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the End.

3. the "why" of missionary work is to give glory to God. Did he not say that" this is my work and my glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" God is Omnipotent, Omnipresent, and Omniscient. What could possibly give him more satisfaction then witnessing his children turning their hearts to him and giving thanks and all the glory to him. With all of that, our life has a course that the rod of Iron helps us get to and that's to that tree of life, it's to eternal life which is most precious and sweet above all that is sweet.

My prayer is that with the 10 months that I have left I want to give it my all. Life is tough but the atonement was tough and we wouldn't appreciate it if we ourselves didn't shed just one of those tears that Christ did for us in that garden. Indeed each of us must go through our own Gestsemane and conquer whatever is in our path, whether it's cancer, or a job, or a mission, or just the worst week that we've ever experienced. Just remember that when you have the "tough days" you stand shoulder to shoulder with the best blood that ever walked this earth. Please read The Book of Mormon, is was made for our day, countless prophets were preparing it for us and we can't sink our teeth into it or drink from it's well of it's closed and put away. Wise men still seek for Jesus and it would be wisdom to follow their example an learn from the master.

I love you all and I'll send the stuff soon with pictures and what not in it.

Baseball, Halloween, and Football..... Who cares when you've got a black tag on your chest like a bullet proof ve

Hey there good ole family who is living in absolute Zion, and make no mistake about it Utah is the happiest, Cheerfullest, Bestest, and Gooder place on earth and it's a place that if I could wouldn't go back to in a long long time.

It hit me this week that I only have so much time left on the mission and I'm starting to take some serious evaluations of what has been done and what needs to happen. Fall is a little depressing to me because it's the beginning of death and the start of a lone dark winter. This is a winter which i feel will open its jaws and swallow me right up. If I could i would take of blow drier and melt all the snow like Calvin and Hobbes.

 

 SO this week Elder Sauer and I had to ring some necks and pull some teeth to get some info for stake coordination. I'm so glad that the next stake coordination is in January and I'll be long gone before that one comes around. For your Info Stake Coordination requires to get all the info for every recent convert in the stake for the past year and getting all their stats such as wether or not they have Home teachers, Gone to the temple, Active, How many NML's, and a calling. It's a big pain in the neck and we had to do it on a whole new format and it took awhile and it only takes like 5 minutes to present it all in the meeting and talk about the needs of the missionaries in the stake.

 

I did get to go the Bloomington on exchanges and commited one of my former investigators to come to church and she came. Merissa came and is going to taught by the Elders who are in that area. I love Bloomington and Im glad to see that we actually have missionionaries who like to do work in the area. It kills me inside to have had missionaries their who were piling out and nothing was getting done. I feel like I've almost been a bad missionary because I don't feel successful. Elder Sauer and I work so hard to get the zone going and to get our investigators to commit but when everyone you teach here is on social security and on disablility and doesn't have a car it becomes hard to get members to the lessons and to have them even dare go to the areas where we teach to pick up our investigators for church and there don't open their doors when they say yes yes Yes! when we invite them to church, and even have them say " yes i'll be there as long as there's a breath in my body" and then a no show.   I couldn't even imagine how our Father in Heaven must feel when his children disobey and don't accept the free gift of Christ's perfect Atonement, I've fallen into that trap before but I dig bite and claw everyday that I can do what I've been sent to do. I'll Go where you want me to go. I'll say what you want me to say.

 

Our zone in the past 2 weeks has gone from 2 to 7 to 10 baptismal dates and it looks like it will be on the rise and we can see some great miricles as we as a mission press towards the goal of 400 baptisms. We have 103 dates in the mission and 285 total for the year... Please pray that we can have 400 to Heaven

 

I'm starting to be a good tennis player, I'm composing a good collection of pink ties, I have a good family, I've never been to college, I'll be married in a couple months this time next year, I ran a squirrel over this past week, I need more G's, I'm 6 foot 2 a lean and mean 205, I represent the man on the cross, My name is Elder Gonzalez and I'm a Mormon 

Fall Miracles

Well Family I just want you to know that I'm not worried about what the Utes are doing at this time because I'm not watching and praying for them during the games like I always do and they always win. I'm glad that Yall got to go and watch BYU get humbled by Oregon St. that really makes my day to see the Mo Mo Mormans come to church all frustrated and tied up because they're not getting the success that they've fasted for. Something that really bothers me is when i hear about mormons fasting for BYU sports and especially when I hear about some lady putting that man who belongs to our church in the temple prayer list. That's just jacked up.

  So we are seeing some great miracles here in Peoria and it all happened after we had zone training meeting. So our ztm is focused on "Teaching People, Not Lessons" and of course the Doctrine of Christ. I cannot express to you enough how much the Doctrine of Christ means to me. It's the only thing that really matters in life and when we start to take it for granted is when we send ourselves on a rocky road to Hell literally 2 Nephi 2:2 gives us the whole point of Satans purpose hear on earth. DON"T ever take the Doctrine of Christ for granted Jesus himself said "this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God,and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent" -John 17:3 If you don't know who you're praying to or what the attributes of God are then "Faith in Jesus Christ and his atonement" doen't do much for ya and all the rest of the Doctrine isn't having much of a bang on ya then expected.

 

  I do want to say that I'm not excited for the cold weather because everyone goes inside and it's much harder to get in contact with people and I just don't like the cold as it is.

 

Thoughout the zone we have 7 new people with baptismal dates and that's a big improvement for us. Elder Sauer and I are going to be getting some dates here set pretty soon, and we're also going to be super bold with everyone that we talk to and just tell them that we have a marvelous truthfull message that will sweep you off your feet and into the baptismal font.

 

 That's cool that you got to go camping, that's something that i miss doing. I plan on going into the desert on some random weekends in my tacoma with my newly wedded wife and just having a night in the open and just getting some fresh air whenever we need it. I just want yall to know that I had another record week with chick mail...... 4 letters from my lovly friends back in the 801 and some that aren't even in Utah hahaha. It gets me everytime when I open the mail and I get a wiff of some chick perfume.......... only 10 1/2 more months. I'm really not trunky at all only at lunch time, because i know that if i went home today that i would be broke and people will only be at school and all, and life out here is just great. I get a van that I don't pay for, if i'm low on gas then i just swipe this card which fills my tank up. I wear a suit with some sick tie everyday and a "cute name badge" and me future wife says when i send her pictures in the mail, and i get to room with some other dude named Elder Sauer for free.    and i get to preach to truth until i drop and then i wake up and workout and take some "dark matter" steroids and do it all over again.

 

  President straight up told Elder Sauer and i that we will be together for 3 transfers and so I'll be here in Peoria until December 27th yea Christmas in da hood

 

                    Love ya   Elder Gonzalez     Still running these streets in Peoria Illinois   

Still Floating (from October 1, 2012)

Hey there family

 

  So this past week was a ton better then the past few mostly because we had some investigators to church and have a new lady with a baptismal date. Her name is Debra Owens and she is in the hood hood crooked ghetto, like someone got shot in the face there this past week hood. She is a way sweet lady who is more or less just raised in that atmospere and is black and so she fits right in with everything else.

 

that's cool that you now have a new car I guess that will make things interesting when I get home...... 4th car !!!

 

I really really want a Tornado to blow through this town that would be sweet.

 

So I heard a joke down in the south side it goes like this ..... What's the most confusing holiday in the ghetto?  Father's Day, because no one knows who their father is hahahaha.. This is an issue that I would like to address. Society these days, or perhaps the hood of Peoria is just a swirling pot of sin and needs some serious fixing, that's where Elder Sauer and I come in. We denouce wickedness fearlessly and do it with the Book of Mormon.  We stand as beacons of truth or at times we stand as wanna FBI agents who can pull up to a street and have every brotha go back inside hahaha it's a thing of beauty, but I'll tell ya what there ain't no way that you're going to get me to go down there in the night time with all the commotion that goes on down there. I hope that I'm on the Lord's side because he may need to block some bullets for me.

 

I want to talk about faith.... faith is something that i wish to get more of as the brethern will be addressing the world as to what needs to be done in order to get our heads on straight and how faith is going to be to only thing that stays constant in a changing world that's decided to play dead posom in the middle of the road..

 

There is a program the church is doing and it's called the Mormon next door. It's a presentation about the church to be presented and other churches upon their request as to what the mormons really believe and practice. SO we had pastor Bob of the united methodist church( that's where we do service on saturday morning) ask us to prepare a 7 minute presentation about the church and then have 40 minutes to answer questions from the congregation. So after having that offer we already knew that we needed to implement the church presentation on the beliefs and recruited the help of the 1st councilor in the stake presidency, and the stake's public affairs specialists. So what it was was this. A information presentation of the 2 religious affiliations of the current presidential canidates. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the United Christian Church. Each church was to get 7 minutes each of presentation on beliefs and practices and then 40 minutes open discussion. We ended up going to a different room then the one that was planned because there must have been 100 people wanting to hear what we have to say, and so we got started 10 minutes late since the room that we were in wasn't big enough. It went well. Pastor Bob was mostly accurate on his information and some of the questions came like " why do you focus big on family history?" " how do you know if the person sittin next to you is worthy to be there in the temple?" "why would you send missionaries to already christian people?" So President Mackay took most of the questions because the stake is supposed to be in charge of situations like this but one and only one question got directed towards me.and it was " Why do you wear suits, and will you contiue being a minister of the gospel after your time is up?"  I was sweating it way bad but I just told them that " we wear these clothes to easily recognize ourselves as reprentatives of the church and of the faith, and that after the mission I will and almost all returned missionaries will go into a professional field with the community." and that was my moment of fame in the Methodist church.... so bad did I want to talk about some other subjects but I'm glad that President mackay took us for backup and that hopefully when we do service there next time we will get some more teaching oppurtunities and some referrals.

 

Life is good and I can't wait to listen to conference.... All of you should take hand written notes of what the spirit teaches you  and then study those after the conference is over

 

13 months out.... Elder Gonzalez   Peoria Ililnois

 

 

It's Harvest Time (from September 24, 2012)

Hi there family. Things here are super busy. There's so much more that needs to happen here in the area that could be improved but I know that as there is faith, then there will be power to do whatever the Lord wants done here.

  We finally got rid of our 3rd wheel this past Wednesday at zone conference in Davenport so now Elder Sauer and I can really just get to work and let the truth roll on these streets. I can't wait for next transfer and we have a couple of pile missionaries leave to go home and we can literally resurrect an entire district which has been plauged by a trouble missionary. I don't know how an elder can come out here and just wait for 2 years to go by fast and not be fully engaged in the work at any time on the mission.

Zone conference was great I love big meeting like that because the spirit is so strong and I just feel so prepared to take all that was learned to my area and to the zone. I don't feel prepared at times for the responsibility of leading the zone and knowing what needs to be done in order to get things moving in certain areas. I do need some help..... how do I get the most out of my prayers? I pray for help and I'm not sure what to do after I'm done when I just asked for help. I just need to get a baptism and that will be just perfect. Dedra has been so good all week but when Sunday roles around she is not answering her phone and when we have a member talk to her the night before and get everything all set up for a ride to church not answer and it's so frustrating... am I doing something wrong? why won't it just all work out? I'm trying to have faith and let it all just go in the Lord's hands. We have people that we can teach but their just not commiting to anything. It's time to harvest but I just can't see where the elect are. I hope that I don't sound whiny but this ward here needs some serious help. Whatever is said at conference that this ward ain't doing I'm going to bring it up when we talk and help them see that there's much, much more that needs to happen. I'll tell ya what, when I'm a bishop my ward is going to be top notch. If you go 3 months without doing your hometeaching you get a personal interview with me and it isn't going to be good. In ward council we don't talk about policy and plan ward activities for the active members.... we plan for the less-active and non-members so that the church grows. I can count on me not living in Utah but somewhere far away where the church needs help. I love this work with all my heart and it kills me inside to see it taken lightly and taken for granted. I'm preparing myself to receive revelation from this conference.

I'm glad to hear each week that things on the homefront are doing good and that life isn't so bad after all. I just feel real depressed in the fall and I know that a long winter of cold and misery is just around the corner.

 

I love Illinois I love the people, I love being a missionary everyday of my life right now and I just feel that there's great things about to happen. This is the truth and I'm going to let others know it with a smile on my face.

 

I'm sorry if I'm not writing as much as I usually do but I just don't feel it right now. We also have several lessons today and so our p-day is only about 4 hours and that's going to take a toll since we don't get a p-day until next wednesday.

 

Love ya

Good Things ARe Happening!! (from September 17, 2012)

So Family I just want you to know that I'm just fine here in the hood of Peoria and that I love yall so much.

 

  We had a great exchange with the assistants this week where Elder Howard and i got to go out together and gather scattered Israel! It was great and we were able to find a family of 3 this past week and then later on in the week we taught another family of 3 with a total of 6 new investigators for the week. It made me happy and now it's time to follow up with all of them and get them on the path towards church and the waters of baptism.

 Dedra and Hyland are doing great we're going to have them meet with the bishop and see if everything is lined up for their marriage and for baptism of Dedra. We aren't sure if Hyland is legally divorced from his first wife and so that may be a problem which will prevent her from reaching her date of October 13th. She wasn't able to make it to church yesterday which was a bummer. She just finished her last Sunday of community service hours and she will now have her Sundays free for church which is going to be great.

 

  We had interviews with President Jergensen in the entire zone taking up all of Friday and half of Saturday and that was good to hear his training on Priesthood Keys being he only way to gather scattered Israel which is the purpose of the entire church and that is the missionary purpose as well. I felt a bit down on myself after an interview with him because I know that the zone is capable of so much more and a few trouble missionaries can ruin the whole flow of a district. Thank Goodness that this disease of a missionary will be going home on the 4th next month, and maybe just maybe we can get an entire district to start pulling their heads out and start getting some dates on the board.

 Also we had a great lesson with a lady named Vaughn and she is asian and has a deep desire to learn of the church and to join it in the coming future. She is not capable to be baptized until she is married in May of next year and that's quite the ways out there so we asked if we could start teaching her kids and she had no problem with that and they seemed to like us and so we have more doors of oppurtunity coming our way.

 

Last night we put on a fireside for the youth in the stake and their parents on sharing the gospel with their friends. It was one of the funnest things that I've done as a missionary. The youth from Bloomington was there and so I got to get them all excited to follow up with their contacts and their friends especially. We taught much of it from the New Era of this month and had some great role plays with the youth about real situations that come up in their daily life and so it was fantastic. There were about 100 youth and some 60 parents there with the entire stake presidentcy and so it was a big deal. The youth were in groups of about 6 and the parents sat on the back in rows so that the youth didn't have to worry about their parents being over their shoulders and it was a successful night and I felt like a game show host up there. Speaking just comes naturally to me I guess....if I'm prepared that is.

 

 TO answer some questions.... We were in a lesson a few weeks back and some hit our back bumper and put a scratch and dent in it so we had it in the shop for 6 days which as killer to our success in the area.

 

  ET'd means Emergency Transfered and that's not a good thing..... He will be with us until zone conference on Wednesday... it's been hard to have him

 

My wife....... you'll just have to find out once December 31 comes around of 2013 

 

Love ya

The Mission Is On Fire!!!!! (From September 9, 2102)

hello family

 

   I just want to say that I'm sorry for the pathetic email last week I've just been super swamped with stuff to do and haven't taken a real p-day in a couple of weeks.

 

  I'm currently serving with Elder Sauer (sour) who is from Wenatchee Washington. He's cool I guess and someone that I'll have to get along with. He thinks that BYU is the greatest thing on the planet and so I humble him every once in awhile with a UTAH-BYU throw down which I never lose.  He went to a year of school at BYU and was one of those awkward mormons who just went there because they were book smart enough and wanted to be somewhere where they felt comfortable. He's a long distance runner/ Piano player and never stops humming his "concert songs".... yea he basically annoys me with his straight up awkwardness...... Oh President why did you put Mr. Mormon in the Ghetto of Peoria????  I love him I really do but wow it's going to be a long 2 transfers together. He's been out 2 transfers longer then I have and he has a twin brother on a mission in the New Mexico Farmington Mission.

 

btw: our mission has 100 people with a baptismal date!!!!!

 

  So what's been going on with me?!?!?!   Last Monday I went to the Nauvoo Temple and did 2 sessions while I was there and before the first one started I got my blue slip and walked up the stairs where the people directed me and Elder Sauer was right behind me but decided to go to the bathroom and no one knew that he did and so when i sat in my seat the workers thought that all the Elders were in the room and ready and so they started to session and shut the door before he could enter and so I had a session without him which was amazing!!!!

 

 

Ok so our van got hit and we had to take into a shop to get it fixed on wednesday last week and the day before that we had zone leader council all the way in Des Moines which was way cool, those are just the best meetings. so that was like 500 miles of driving or something like that and so we were really tired and didn't get home until midnight on Tuesday. We were ready to work when we got up on wednesday morning and had lessons in the morning and had to take the car in so no time to email.

 

We had a good zone meeting and really focused on the "Prove me now herewith" with all the promises that we have been given as missionaries. We have promises from general authorities and Preach My Gospel and we are going to put our faith to the test and see what comes of it and also put the promises to the test and test the Lord with our faith in actually doing it; it was a good meeting and took up a lot of time on Thursday.

 

Friday we did as much Proselyting as we could on foot since we didn't have a car. Dedra and Hyland are going to meet with the Bishop here( who drives me crazy Tony If we think and feel alike, which we do then this bishop is on the lowest of low ranks of bishops like the one in Atlus OK) and try to get a marrage date set for them so that we can get Dedra baptized. that day we spent getting lessons put together for our exchange today with the assistants so we needed lessons to actually have and since we still don't have our van we are stuck in some areas. It was a stupid day on Saturday. So since today we start an exchange with the assistants in an hour we took our p-day on Saturday. On Saturday we did our scheduled service at the United Methodist Church's food pantry from 10-1 and then we had an appointment at 1:45 and that went until 2:30 and then we get a call from President about a trouble elder that was in Normal that is getting ET'd so we had to steal the sister's car and go the rescue 40 minutes away and get the elder out of there and get all of his stuff which was everywhere and drive his sorry %%$$## back to Peoria where we are currently babysitting him until President comes for interviews on Friday. So yea that was to worse p-day ever. and so we don't have one today and it's just flat out nuts here.   I just need a rest.

 

I did get the package for me birthday, thanks so much i loved it. and now I have 2 of those humpday camels, because my future wife sent me one a week before I opened your white package with the other one in it. Basically we have our colors picked out and everything for our white wedding on December 31, 2013.  You're invited by the way. Just bring enough sunscreen, because I here that Houston Texas is warm that time of year. That's our "Cinderella Castle"

 

Start Your Engines!!!!!!! (from August 27, 2012)

My Dearest Family

 

  It is such a blessing to be on a mission at this time. Never in my whole mission have i seem such yelling and jesters towards us as missionaries due to the situations that are happening in national news. Indeed it is safe to say that Peoria Illinois is one of the most dangerous cities to be in at night if your in the south side ( which is where I serve). I love the people here, don't get me wrong, but the stabs and pokes at our faith at times is hard to bare. Remember this is the city that I had a gun to my face nearly a year ago, but I almost see that as a blessing. If that moment wouldn't have happened I wouldn't be as strong or fearless to say walking down these streets and declaring in to most straight forward language I know that "Jesus is the Christ, and now more then ever has he a message for you". I want you all to know that I love you and I think frequently about the love that has been shown by you my entire life. I need your help, please pray for my protection and for us to be successful as we try to find God's children that are being reared deep in enemy territory. Tony knows what I'm talking about. I take 3 Nephi 22:13-17 very seriously. Most of all verse 17 is very much applied here. I know that this is all testing of faith and a challenge that I had to come back to and not be afraid of. Why did I come back to Peoria? I was ment for this city, I was ment for the people, I was ment to preach the gospel to God's children here long before the world even started. I want to quote the part of a talk given by Hyrum Smith of Centerville Ut.

 

Brothers and sisters, I would like to suggest to you today that the gospel of Jesus

Christ was restored in 1820 because that’s the only time it could have survived. There

is a more pointed question that needs to be asked. Why were you born when you

were born? Why weren’t you born in 911, or 1215? Is it because some computer in

the cosmos blipped and you came out now? I don’t buy that. I believe you were born

in this dispensation, with the gospel of Jesus Christ on the earth today, because you

were somebody before you got here. If you had any idea of who you were before you

got here, the hair would stand up on the back of your neck. Joseph Smith said on one

occasion, “If I were to tell you who I am, you’d slay me for blasphemy.” Wisely

never told anybody who he was, but he knew.

On one occasion

, President McKay, president of the Church, several years before his

death, on a Sunday evening, didn’t have anything to do, so he took his wife, said

“Let’s go to a fireside.” They went down to a stake center. There were lots of cars in

the parking lot so he walks in and their stake president was speaking to a group of

young people your age. Eight hundred of them. President McKay and his wife. 

Hyrum W. Smith

8

walked in. The stake president about swallowed his tie. Walked down to about the

eighth row. He said, “Don’t get excited. I want to hear what you have to say.” The

president continued with his talk. About halfway through his talk, he stopped and

said, “You know, young people, I feel impressed to tell you that before the world was,

before the world was, in that war in heaven, each of you in this room served as

captains and generals in the Lord’s army.” And then he went on with his talk. It had

nothing to do with what he was talking about. As he finished his talk, he looked

down at President McKay and noticed President McKay was drilling him with his

eyes. His heart stopped. He sat down and thought, “Boy, what have I said?” The

closing prayer ended. He jumped up and ran down to President McKay. Looked up

to President McKay – everybody looked up to President McKay, he’s a great big guy

– and he said, “You know, President McKay, I got a little carried away in my talk

tonight. Did I say anything that was inappropriate?” He said, “No, you didn’t say

anything that was inappropriate, you were just inaccurate.” “Well, what did I say?”

He said, “There were no captains here tonight. They were all generals.” And he said,

“Don’t you ever forget it.” And he turned around and walked out.

I know and I feel it that I have a great work that needs to be done here in this area. It was something that I promised our Heavenly Father that I would do before the world was ever created.

I love you all and I'll talk to ya next week!

I'M 20 BIG WOOP............NAAAAAAAAAAAAAA IT'S A PARTY IN THE USA!!!!!!! (from August 20, 2012)

Hey yall it's another beatiful day here in Peoria Illinois the good ole' Land of Lincoln. I woke up this moring a little taller 6 foot 2  and 5/16th. a little heavier 214 pounds and a little happier because I had the " it's my birthday grin" on my face. I did do the normal study routine and it was great and they we had our comp study and we practiced for our investigator anthony and we set a baptismal date with him this morning for the 29th of September. 

 

Here's Presidents letter..........

 

    Dear President Jergensen

  I'm very happy with the time that I have had to serve with Elder Manwaring, I'm sad to see him leave but excited to serve with a new companion and hit this area running.
  We have had a slightly disappointing week trying to make contact with Hyland and Dedra. We had a lesson scheduled with them for Thursday and we rescheduled for Friday but had their phones turned off when the time for the lesson came around. We will continue to try and make contact with them and have some members try to make contact with them as well.
  We did set a baptismal date with a man named Anthony this morning for the 29th of September. He is trying to find some answers in his life and comes from a rough background. We plan on having a church tour with him on Thursday.
  We are very excited to have Pontiac open back up and to get some new excitement in this zone and continue implimenting the Spiritual vs Social conversions in the wards and branches.

 

  So I'm so glad to hear every week that Mom is doing better and that things on the homefront are stable.

I can't believe that another school year is about to start and that it really means nothing to me besides all the little g-units will be in school and off the streets here. Jared still hasn't sent me a list of his classes and who his teachers are... I want to know.

 

SO i got to do some fun stuff this past week. We went on an exchange out to Bloomington( my home turf) and that was awesome. the elders out there are in some major help. they are piling out and that's not good. SO i gave one the talking to while we were out finding (very similar to a Tony rebuke) and so he didn't like that I stepped on his toes for not getting in with members and not even making a concious effort to really find by the spirit. He's been there every since i left there and so with a little email to president he's now packing his bags and heading to a new area.

 

  I only had one transfer with Elder Manwaring and it's been great by far the best companion that I've had my whole mission. He will be at my homecoming so no worries you'll get to meet him. I do get a new fresh zone leader and so I'll have my hands full with all the assighments that i have to get done before sunday which is a stake coordination and then this next transfer I'll be organizing a Zone Conference, Interviews with 3 districts and a ZLC all the way to Des Moines and another Stake Coordination meeting in Bloomington. I'm a little stressed out by all the changes. We have 2 new missionaries coming into the zone fresh from provo and so we will be excited for fresh meat and there is going to be a big change with companionships here. 6 leaving the zone. 8 coming back because we are opening a new area. which will bring out total number of missionaries to 24 in the zone.

 

Yesterday we sang a song in sacrament meeting in the ward just the missionaries up on the stand. 2 sisters and 3 elders singing with Elder Manwaring on the piano. We sang joseph smith's first prayer to the tune of come thou fount. tears were all over the place. it was sweet i didn't know that i could sing that way. First I learn to ballroom dance now I'm singing............... what's wrong with me GET ME A GOLF CLUB GHAAAAAAAAAA.

 

 

Family I love you all so much and I know with every fiber of my soul that the work is true and it brings salvation to the children of God.

 

Pray for the Peoria ward they could use it. 6 missionaries in one ward and not a whole lot of missionary work going on.

 

Love yours truly Elder Gonzalez   Peoria Illinois 

My last mission email as a teenager... I'm super sad :( (from August 13, 2012)

So family it's been a crazy day. It is P-day but it also is the week before transfers and so we have to help arrange who will stay and who go. Oh and I also got to play some golf today so that always takes the biggest chunch out of your afternoon and we helped load up a U-haul truck for our investigator Delores who is moving to Detroit and that makes me really mad.

 

So Delores has been the investigator that we have made the most progress with this past transfer. She has progressed to a baptismal date and had that moved because she still was living with her boyfriend and so we moved to to August 25th and she is now one the spur of the moment going to Detroit and that is a real bummer because we've taught her everything and she is excited for her baptism but it will have to wait for some lucky A missionaries in Detroit to have her fall right into her hands all prepared and ready for the font so that's a "Shot though the Heart" for sure.

 

I did get some good letters in the mail this past week from some friends on their mission and a record setting 2 chick mail letters for a cherry on top.

 

We had Zone Leader Council on Tuesday which was the most spiritual meeting that I've ever been in. Our baptismal goal is for 400 this year and we are only at 202 as of the moment so we really are just going to buckle down and keep the faith that we will be able to get all the baptismal dates that we can get so that we can see some more baptisms in this area and in the zone and in the mission.

So after each ZLC there is a new Zone Training Meeting or ZTM and that's where the whole Zone gets together and had basically a super District Meeting and the trainings are done by the Zone Leaders and they are the trainings that where given at the ZLC. We have had 2 since I've been here and so ZLC happens on the first tuesday of each month and then 2 days later the Zone Training meeting will occur and that takes over district meeting for the week. Our meeting was great and we had a trainging on the Holy Ghost in conversion  and then had a training on the Atonement and how that needs to be the focus of our missionary efforts. If an investigator is spiritually converted to the Atonemant and feels the power that it has then they will never leave the church ever. Our Purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ through Faith in Jesus Christ and his Atonement.... If that doesn't take place then they truly aren't converted to the main message that we are trying to get across. The Book of Mormon is the greatest resource for the What, Why, and How the Atonement works. I have been focusing my studies this past week on all the chapters in the Book of Mormon which talk and testify about Christ and his mission as the Savior. The best place i was able to find this was in Preach my Gospe Chapter 3 at the Beginning of Lesson 2 of the Plan of Salvation. I know that Jesus is the Christ and that testimony keeps getting stronger every morning when I prepare and build my testimony of the Savior in my personal study and then later on in the day I do my best to share the testimony with those that I come in contact with.

 

On Saturday I got to be on a specialized training with President Jergensen, he was in town and was going to be interviewing Dedra for her baptism and because she has done some time behind bars President has had to do it well in advance. It went very well and I know that she is truly put she past behind her and is striving for a deeper testimony of Christ. Being with President was get he is definantly someone that I want to be like when I grow up.

 

So I do have some comments for the family..... Does the Gonzalez family have a family mission plan?...... If not I know that Tony will be an expert at helping develop one and getting the Gonzalez family to be a missionary oriented family.

 

It is sad to think that I'm down to my last few days as a teenager......................... I really do feel like I'm leaving something behind. All of my greatest memories have happened in the past few years and now I have to grow up and be a man. The apostle Paul wrote.... When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. This is how I feel in a very real sense I know that I can't do and act the way that I once was. I have learned what it means to give up everything and to put D&C 4 to the test and to apply the " eye single to the glory of God" in my everyday life. Although this area isn't seeing the success that it needs I feel something inside of me starting to swell I cry often in my scriptures and in my pondering when I think about the great blessings that I have an how that can effect all those around be but they won't listen because they are spiritully blind at the moment.

 

I have been reading through a talk this past week called the 4th missionary.... if you haven't read it READ it and this a passage from that talk.  Paraphrasing C.S. Lewis the Lord says to us: "Give me all. I don't want so much of your time, so much of your talents and money, and so much of your work: I want You. All of you. I have not come to torment orfrustrate the natural man. but to kill it. No half-measures will do. I don't want to only prune a branch here andanother there; rather, I want the whole tree out. Hand it all over to me, the whole outfit, all of your desires, all of your wants and wishes and dreams. Turn them all over to me, give yourself to me and I will make of you a newself in my image. Give me yourself and in exchange I will give you Myself. My will, shall become your will. Myheart, shall become your heart." I know that  this is so true and I'm trying my hardest each and everyday to put away all the desires of my heart, which might not nesessarly be bad but are keeping me from having my focus on 400 and from having the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. 

 

When I return Home, which is a long time from now, I want to be different. I want to act different. I want others to see in me the Savior. I desire the change that Alma 5:14 talks about. I want Christ in my image and to have a lasting change of heart. Over a year left and I feel that it's not enough time.  

 

I love you all I a pray for you morning and night 

 

                               Elder Gonzalez Peoria Illinois   

 

Personal Revelation.... I just suck at it (from August 6, 2012)

What's up yall     it's a good day because it's P-DAY and it's always good if it's p-day hahaha

Dear President Jergensen

  It's been a great week with a good exchange with Galesberg. I went out with Elder Beck and it was a good experience to see how his training is going, he's doing a very good job. They are working on getting a couple of their investigators a baptismal date as they are able to make it to church.
  We have been trying to help Delores with her progression, and she has a strong desire to be baptized, but it will probably take more time since she is living with her boyfriend. Elder Manwaring and I had a good Plan of Salvation lesson with her this past week and she enjoyed church this Sunday. On Wednesday we will be teaching her the Law of Chastity and seeing where she is from there.
  Dedra has been diffucult to contact this past week and so we will try as hard as we can to get her ready for an interview on Saturday and ready to get on the path towards baptism.
  I'm learning tons and I'm excited for the meetings this week which will boost the motivation missionwide.

                               Elder Gonzalez Peoria Illinois

  So it's been a fun week with an exchange out to Galesberg which is a drive of about 45 minutes. Out there is Elder Beck who is in the training process of a young elder. It was awesome that area has a lot of potential and has seen like 8 baptisms in the past year or so and it looks like they are going to be getting some more. We then had district meeting with that district out in Kewanee and that was a little bit of a hastle. There was a ton of road construction in those little narrow corn field roads and that made for a wait of about 25 minutes in our sweet mini van haha

 

We have to leave town today for a zone leader council in Iowa City tomorrow which will take up a majority of our day. To prepare for that we have been coming up with a zone report and all the necessary paperwork and that's quite the hastle when you don't have much time to do much at all. Our week is filled with exchanges with areas that are about an hours drive away and with meetings and preping that we only have so much time to acually go out and work that it's kinda taken some wind out of my finding and preaching sails. We usually pray over a map and really see where the Lord would have us go to find one that is prepared to hear the message. Usually a prayer will be like this. " Heavenly Father we only have an hour to find this week, where do we need to go to find someone to teach"? It usually turns out good and feel inspired to go to a certain street to find. How can I improve on my Personal Revelation??

      Sorry this is short but I love you all Vic

Out of miles, Out of food, Out of money, but not out of luck!!

Oh Family how much I love you. Things are just bliss here in the Land of Lincoln. Pioneer Day was one that I will never forget due to the fact that Nauvoo is a very special place and that the pageant there is a great way to share the gospel and that Josesp Smith was one who truly talked with God. SO with that here is the presidents letter

 

Dear President Jergensen

  It's been a wonderful week with multiple exchanges. We first had exchanges with the assistants and I was able to go work with Elder Parkinson. We had a great time in both the teaching of lessons and finding new investigators to teach. I have learned that I need to use more backup plans to avoid the "what's next situation".  Elder Parkinson and I taught a lesson to Dedra and she has a baptismal date for the 26th, but that will have to be pushed back and that is something that Elder Manwaring and I will take care of.
  Elder Purcell and I were able to go on an exchange after district meeting and we had a great teaching oppurtunity with a man named "Pickle" he won't give us his real name. He is very ready for changes in his life and wants to get ready for baptism. We meet with him tomorrow and will have a baptismal date ready for him so that he can have that blessing in his life. He is the product of a 21 day promise and is the son of a member in the ward. I know that Elder Purcell is having some struggles with Elder Peterson, but he has a great understanding heart and is doing really well with the situtation that he is in.
  Delores was able to attend a ward bbq with her boyfriend Jim on Saturday afternoon. She enjoyed it but wasn't able to make it to church due to her sickness that she woke up with. We meet with her tonight and we are going to make it very apparent to her that her date will have to be moved back due to not being able to teach her the commandments and she is still not living the law of chastity yet.
  Elder Manwaring and I are really excited that the work here is picking up and that the mission is inviting more investigators to a baptismal date. We will be getting in touch with each companionship about the 40 day fast that they are on and keep encouraging them to commit everything to Christ.
   Elder Gonzalez  Peoria Illinois 

 

  Sooo this last week we had to take p-on Tuesdat since we were going to the pageant.. On monday we went and did some finding and found some potentials as well as we had to do some work in the church library because we had to make some copies of all our zone reports. We did have a good dinner with the Chatfield family and that was amazing stuff.

 

The high light of the week was for sure going to the Nauvoo. We left here at about 2 and got there just after 4 and had some dinner with the family that took us. the Powell's here are an awesome family and they were kind enough to have dinner for us as well. Elder Manwaring and I started up the hill towards town and the temple and someone offered us a ride and we could tell that they were with the church and so we accepted and it turns out that it was the president of the pageant and his wife. they are a sweet couple and gave us a lift to Neff's book store because that's the place to get everything cool and deep as well.  I will i promise with all my heart that I will get the package out today that has my memory chip with all my pictures from Nauvoo and of Elder Manwarings and I on it. It also contains some sweet squirrel videos on it so enjoy.

 

 Back to Nauvoo, the pageant was awesome and as Elder Manwaring and I were there some many people wanted to know where we were from and that was kinda annoying because I have to explain to everyone where the heck Riverton Ut is beause no one knows. I think that I'll just start claiming hawaii as my home because everyone knows where that is.   I'm not going to lie some many people treated us like Gods there, giving us free snowcones and popcorn and discounts on stuff and you have probably found out.... sorry i couldn't resist.

 

It was sweet going on exchanges with the assistants. they are so funny and are just great missionionaries I certainly learned lots from them and we have a straight up party in the apartment that night that they stayed. so much fun. Being a missionary isn't all that bad after all. I like it alot.

 

 So we found a family after Elder Manwaring and I prayed about where we should go and we felt that Russell street was the place. On exchanges we wenty there and just mowed both sides of the street over and on the 3rd door for Elder Parkinson and I we met and taught a sweet lesson to Jose Perez who has been looking for a church. He wasn't able to come this past week but will with his wife and 3 kids this next week for sure.

 

 

  WEll i love you all and i know the lord loves you too

Elder Gonzalez Peoria Illinois 

Pioneer Day in Nauvoo...... I think so!!!!!!!!!!!!! (from July 23, 2012)

Hello there my good family in the great state of deseret, life is super fantastic here in the Land of Lincoln.

 

 Here's the Presidents email

 

 

 

Dear President Jergensen

  This past week we had a successful zone meeting and we were able to present the zone with the 40 day fast. Many seem to be excited about it and are willing to put away those things which aren't considered disobedient but are blockers from having the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost with them.
  Delores this past week has shown much progress, but there are concerns in the ward that she may just want the financial help from the church and not quite make it a true spiritual conversion. On Saturday night we did a church tour with her and she was in tears because of the spirit multiple times in the church. We had her kneel by the baptismal font and she just poured her soul out to God very sincerly and got that answer that it's going to be ok and that it's all true. It was a very spiritual experience, and we plan on teaching her about the Law of Chastity and other commandments so that she can begin to start living them and really show her faith and show her desire to follow the Savior and them begin a path towards making sacred covenants with the Lord.
  If we feel that she wants baptism for the purpose of church support, should we continue to work towards baptism?
  I feel that the zone here is very excited for the work to keep moving forward. The concern is still with the Elders in Bloomington and Normal.  It doesn't seem like they have a fire burning under them so Elder Manwaring and I are going to make frequent contact to make sure that they are on task and using time effectivly.
  We are going to keep working hard and praying for 400.  Elder Gonzalez  Peoria Illinois
  

 

  IT;s been a super busy week again. On P-day we played some ball and then went out to work for the night. BTW i did dunk a basketball on p-day and I'll get in on camera next time so that you can see that it's legit. I just kill it out here because not many here are the best of ballers and so i play easy on them until i decide to bring the wrath of the Witch King on them fools. Ghetto talk it just becomes who you are out here.

 

We had a bridge call on tuesday which was our Zone Leader Council for the month and we will have it again in few weeks but then we will have in Iowa City and that will be a fun road trip. Its was good to talk over the phone for 3 hours about all the stuff that's going on in the mission and what needs to be done to improve because we can always be on the improving list.

 

We had to take our 2012 Dodge grand Caravan to get the tires rotated and I thought of Tony while that was happening and was like wow I never want to do that for a job hahaha but its all good.

 So one of the new things that's happening in we have a zone meeting right after we have zone leader council and that's where we get the zone together and basically go over all that was discussed in the zlc and give trainings as we are instructed to do. 

 

 WE do have some investigators that are progressing well but once again we will have to be getting some people married before we can get any further with the baptism. We have legit black sisters in the ward and oh my goodness they know how to bbq....................... I mean that meat was the most heavenly thing that I've ever put in my mouth especially when you just got done lifted and placing like 50 pieces of sheet rock. That stuff sucks too and i will never be working with mechanics or construction for as long as I live. that stuff just isn't for me.... I'm a golfer ha

 

 There's so much to talk about and just not enough time to say it and once again it's just sad that that has to happen

 

To help answer some questions.... Star street is the most ghetto place in the city and not far from where the incident was, but I'm really not that scared of places like that because people surprisingly have some good respect for us in those neighborhoods and i mean hoods haha.

 

Well I love you all in I know that God is watching over all of you

 

Elder Gonzalez

 

Iowa was no good so I'm back in Illinois!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What's up family!!! It's so good to be back home in Illinois and to be here in Peoria. I gots lots to say but will send presidents letter now.........

 

 

Dear President Jergensen

  I love it here in Peoria, it's like a homecoming being back here in Illinois. I love the people here and I know that Elder Manwaring and I will do all that we can to help this zone/stake progress towards 400 baptims.
  Elder Pope is in good hands as he serves with Elder Larsen and that makes my happy to know that he is going to get some wonderful follow up training from him.
  Elder Manwaring and I have been working with Delores, and she is progressing nicely although she may be in for the wrong reasons and my want some assistance from the church soon after baptism. We will work with her to help her progress towards a true conversion.
  Our focus in the Zone will be to increase the spirituality and find by the spirit and watch the Lord do his work in these areas. A concern is with the Normal and Bloomington areas. We will focus on getting them on track and teaching investigators as it looks like they are struggling in those areas. 
  I'm learning so much that it's hard to keep up at times, but excited to be back where it all started for me.

                                                   Elder Gonzalez  Peoria Illinois

  So there's only so much to say since I've only been here for 4 days and that included putting together a stake coordination and attending some district meetings. 

 

 

My companion is Elder Manwaring from Vernal Utah.. He's legit and super funny hahaha we get along just fine... he reminds me of Aaron and that's kinda cool

 He loves music and is a freak with the piano. He is the middle of 5 boys and both his parents served missions as well. His mom served in Cicily Italy or however you spell it and his Dad served in Argentina.

 He's been out for 19 months and only has 4 transfers left including this one so it is likly that we will only be together for this one transfer. What President Jergensen has been doing is taking his ex zone leaders and breaking for 1 and training for their last 2 transfers which is likly what will happen to Elder Manwaring. He's been a zone leader for the past 5 transfers and has plenty of experience to help me out with and that is much needed.

 

 So Elder Larsen (big Josh) is breaking my boy pope back in Des Moines and that's so cool and he's such a good missionary I'm so happy for pope and for that ward to have such a hard worker. He goes home in November and so I may never see him again for the rest of my mission since I'm clear over here in Illinois and that's about 5 hours away from him. I'm so glad that I was able to leave Des Moines with 3 baptismal dates and that they have a good teaching pool to work from. I was there for 3 transfers and that makes me happy to know that after 2 years with no baptisms they can have 3 within the next couple months.

Transfers was awesome and I've been going a 100mph since I've been here. On Wednesday we went and helped with a move and then got our numbers for stake coordination ready for Sunday ( ask Tony about what all that consists of) Friday we had to drive to Washington ( you can look on a map and see where all these locations are so you know what I'm talking about) to train Elder Purcell on how to be a District Leader. He came out in my group and he's the biggest guy in the mission. We then helped with another move and then got to teach our investigator with a baptismal date. Delores is really nice and is prob about 30 and she is interested because her dad is a member in the Pekin ward and that's how we got to start teaching her. I hope that we can get her to start with a true conversion and not just for the financial benefit.

 

 Saturday we get to do some service at the Methodist church downtown and that is called Loaves and fish and it's a food give out that they do on Saturday mornings and it goes to all thehomeless and the more needy. It's good to work with those of other faiths and truely put Mosiah 2:19 to work.  We spent some time at the library getting all the papers typed up for the coordination meeting and that was so much fun.

Later that night we taught a lady named Dedra and she is getting very interested in the church and was able to attend for all 3 hours yesterday as well as Delores which was great.

 

Sunday we only went to half of sacrament because we had to bail out and go to Bloomington and have the coordination meeting with the Stake President and with President Jergensen. It went well and it was so nice to see all the members of that ward and have them say that they miss me and that the elders there now aren't doing as well. That I'm disappointed about, Bloomington is the deffinition of white and already to harvest and we've got 4 missionaries in town that are piling out and not getting much done. President Cummings in the stake is a great man who is very missionary motivated and i miss his family and that ward so much.

 

 

 So as far as the questions go......the shoes are just wear and tear but are the best for tracting the streets of Peoria and nice shiny shoes aren't a fav of these folks.  Star street in town here is in our area and it has more homocides then any street in the hood of Chicago and that just to show you how ghetto the south side is here in Peoria. It's a big town in them mission but it only has one ward with 6 missionaries in it and that's going to change here.  We did teach a big black brotha named pickle who we are going to be working with, he's awesome.

 

 

 I love  you all and I'll try to get a letter in the mail; this week  ps we have 3 districts to cover and 10 ares

 

 

                            Elder Gonzalez  Peoria Illinois