Slow Work for Now...Tomorrow Looks Better

Howdy family here it is

 

Dear President Jergensen

  I have a new perspective on my mission since attending that Zone Conference. I realized that from listening to President Pence that there is a better way to do missionary work. Members. Elder Steele and I have really been trying to have good meaningful lessons with them and asking the Elder Zwick questions. We had a lesson last night with a man who has lived in the ward for along time. After a good spiritual lesson we asked the question "who can we teach in your home this week?"  there was a good silent moment and he said that he will join us in a lesson for an associate of his the following week. We are going to follow up with him and see who he has.
  It was a great week with the district Sisters had a baptism yesterday and they were super excited for that. That interview was my first one and it was powerful. I do know that he will have to have some close fellowship because he is going through some rough times.
  Yesterday I had to oppurtunity to interview the M and R family member for Waukee and that was a great experience and to see 2 families coming closer together. Elder Excell and Fenn know what they are doing.
  Not having district meeting made it a little harder to know what is going on in the district, but I do know that every companionship is going well. Elder Hanna and Mckeon are doing well and are having "fun" serving together so I'm excited to see how this next week turns out for them.
  It has been a bit of a challenge to find people to teach but we do have some appointments with Sherry and with Brandon this week. Brandon came to church yesterday for all 3 hours and he seemed to really enjoy it. The ward did a really great job at fellowshipping him.
  We are going to focus this weeks efforts with former investigators and potentials that we have and yes we will be knocking doors and trying to follow the spirit as best we can.

                                Elder Gonzalez     DM 2nd ward

 

SO it is starting to get a little warm here and I really like that except that my companion doesn't have any short sleeve shirts and he's from Georgia so we have to wear long sleeve shirts all the time because we have to match.  IT has been a slightly difficult week with not that many teaching oppurtunities but we are doing our best with the keeping our line in the water principle, which is to always be doing something that can caught you a fish or an investigator... In fishing if your line isn't in the water then you can't catch a fish as in missionary work if your not out being seen or you're not talking to people then you really can't be able to teach. Elder steele is good and has a great knowledge of the area but has so much been focused on visiting less actives that the potentials list is a bit on the down side. I know that my lettes are basically small and pathetic but I want you to know how much I love recieving mail from all of you.; It can really turn a day around.

 

I know that this gospel is true and that Joseph Smith is a true prophet of God. The evidences of the Book of Mormon are growing but nothing will ever be as convincing as a burning you get when you read it.

 

  I love you all and I want to challenge all of you to have a question going into conference  weekend coming up

 

LOve you ALL                      Elder Gonzalez   DM2nd

I'm in Des Moines...joy...joy...JOY (March 12, 2012)

Hey Ya it's sunny outside.... you know what that means....... a letter to president:(.....:)

 

Good Morning President Jergensen

  I starting to like this Des Moines area. I'm very glad to be serving here and to be with Elder Steele. If it wasn't for him I wouldn't know my way around town. It is nice to have someone who knows the members and the area well. I like his willingness to go and work, but we are going to have to work on the teaching skills, which is not a problem because that's what our studies are going to be focused on.
  This district is great. I think that we kicked things off on the right foot with the District meeting on Saturday. Elder Mckeon had a great spiritual thought and that set the tone for the rest of the time. Elder Hanna and Elder Mckeon seem to be enjoying each other so far and so do Sisters Thompson and Neville. I see no problems there.
  Our efforts right now are to focus on the part-member families and try to get these families to the temple. So far we have tracted during the time that we don't have appointments and some apartments not far from us have some good potentials in them. We knocked into a daughter of one of the families getting baptized in Waukee, so we will try to get her at the baptism and start teaching her. I can already tell from the success of tracting here that member work is going to play a big role in finding people to teach. Many of the doors that we have knocked have seen missionaries before so members will hopefully help us out there.
  Now that I'm out long enought I'm starting a New Testiment study along with the Book of Mormon and it's good to see where some of the people we run into are coming from as far as beliefs. The Book of Mormon is still the focus and it will always be.
  I love the area and the weather...  Elder Gonzalez   Des Moines 2nd

 

 So at this library we don't get as much time as before so I'm going to try and pump out an email as fast as i can..\\

  So yes the city of Des Moines is beautiful and the Laurels in the ward are even more modestly lovely and set a great example of how to charm missionaries..... I'll tell you what I think that President Jergensen is trying to test me or something because the second that sacrament got out i was swarmed by all these young ladies who were asking me where I am from and all that stuff.. the bishop got mad and them because he could tell that I was trying to get to the investigators that we brought to church... but I still gave them the Gonzalez eyebrow and a little smirk":)

 

 so we do have an investigator witha baptismal day right now but it's clear for July 7 and that will get moved up because I'm not sure if they know or not but they can get sealed the sooner that they are baptized.... Elder Steele and I are going to be the witnesses for their marriage by a justice of the peace.

 

Elder Steele is from Atlanta Georgia by the way and he likes to drum and play rugby so it's all good here.

 

I love you all and will see ya next week..... you stay classy Des Moines.......  Tony moment haha

Good-bye Bloomington...Hello District Leader?? (from March 7, 2012)

Hi everybody it's an okay morning but hey here is the P letter

 

Dear President Jergensen
 
  I'm very grateful to have been able to serve here in Bloomington, it has really changed my life and I will always remember the good people that I've met. The ward here is awesome and are willing to help out the missionaries. I'm glad that Elder Ashworth is getting a District Leader, I think that it will help him to continue to learn and grow.
  We had a very successful week and have been able to find some new investigators. One man is named Aaron and he is an older man who has had some traveling ministry in the past and has always had a love for the "Mormons".  We have been able to meet with him a couple of times and read from the Book of Mormon with him. He is on his way with a baptismal date, but hasn't been to church yet. He has a church tour scheduled with Elder Ashworth on Thursday.
  We ran into a Grandma Jane and her 49 year old son John and they are doing really well. Grandma Jane has committed to church on Sunday and I'm excited for her. We have been giving her some service in her yard the last 2 days and that's been a real door opener for her. She is so sweet and needs to be a member.
  We have been working with a less-active family. The Mason's and it has been a good experience except we are going to have to start letting the ward more involved with their "problems". I told Elder Ashworth to get the Bishop and their home teachers involved. One man the we have helped is named Bro Nicholson and we are going to be trying to get him to kick his coffee habit and that has been a challenge for him his whole life. He is in our prayers.
  I'm excited to move on in the mission and to learn and grow from a new area and with a new companion. This is really going to test my faith and I know that prayer is going to play a big role.   Thanks again President Jergensen

                                 Elder Gonzalez   Bloomington Illinois

 I'm so glad to know that all is starting to go well back home except that your car got hit dad.... that sucks, but hey state farm headquarters is here so I know where your claim is going.

  So this is my first transfer and it is really hard to leave the ward here they are like family to me and it's honestly just as good or even better than the ward back home. I can honestly attest to what Tony is saying by the fact that I"m prob going to live out here and build up Zion somewhere other than Utah. It's good and all but the  Lord might have something a little different in mind than back in the west side of things.

 I'm so so soooo glad to hear that you are starting to feel better mom. I was in some kind of a shock to find out the news that you had for me and it's been a tough little bit but I'm doing alright now. Dr. Rassmusen or whatever... how is his rep???  Only the best for my mom....

  So i hear that the weather is not the best over there eh? well you could have some Tornadoes blowing through you're state and killing people. It is really windy out here definantly not what you would call ideal golf weather.... unless it's the Open Championship in Northern Ireland.

  The work here in Bloomington has picked up 10fold since I've arrived here and I know that Elder Ashworth will continue to teach all the folks that we have come into contact with or else I will kick is Ashworth. 

 

Well time is short and I'm glad to have had some time to chat with you all and I am lookinf forward to the big city and all that comes from that . 

 

I love you all and I"m in deep prayer daily for the Lord's strength and will continue to spread the gospel and the good Gonzalez name

 

               Elder Gonzalez    Bloomington Illinois

#2 for the tally...get well mom (from February 27, 2012)

Hi yall I'm going to try and be as positive as possible and try smile today because I wrote a great letter to President and then had it all deleted and that made me real mad so :)

 

Dear President Jergensen

  It was really nive to have our baptismal service on Saturday and to see that Tiffany's life is now changed for the better. I'm glad that Elder Ashworth was able to have that experience and to know that by the power of the priesthood that it was a valid baptism. Tiffany was confirmed in church and is on the Ward Focus to get her into full activity and get her the new-member lessons.
  We did visit some less-active families this week and have seen some progress towards getting them into full activity. Sister M in the ward is going to be getting a divorce from her husband due to the reality of his charges and knowing that she has been lied to for awhile. She is expecting to be getting her kids ready for baptism once they can get back within the week.
  We have had a little struggle trying to have follow up lessons with folks and so our teaching pool in a little down from what it has been. Some of our finding efforts includes looking up potential investigators and asking them for referrals and also just the standard tracting by street name and contacting people on the trail when it's now freezing cold outside. I like how Elder Ashworth is starting to ask more inspired questions when asking people about their beliefs and how we are a restored church. I see some improvement there especially with the teaching skills thanks to Elder Grow.
   All is well in Bloomington we are going to try to set another baptismal date before transfers.
                                      Elder Gonzalez    Bloomington Illinois

 

So I just want to say that I may only have one more letter here in Bloomington because we have transfer next week and I maybe headed out and saying PEACE to the Land of Lincoln.  So I know that you are in the hospital right now mom but I just want to say that I fasted yesterday for ya and  have had a pray for you every single night. I think that you've done enough in your life to fill that cantine of blessings  from heaven to help you out with this surgery and road to recovery.

 Funny that you mention Sister Whitaker because I saw her at the leadership training not to long ago I try to stay away from the siser missionaries out here because they aren't the brightest bunch. Sister Whitaker is actually the best from what I hear because she isn't so full of drama like the other ones.  I wish that I could have been there for Taylor's farewell but er  I guess the good thing about my situation is that I get to see everyone's homecoming and see the change that has occured in their lives because I know that if I were to go home right now I would not be doing the same stuff that I was with my friends.

  Remember Drew Barrera my air force friend..... he is getting baptized by Devin during spring break.

 

Mom I love you and I love you all I know that the Lord will protect you and I will work hard this week

 

God bless from Bloomington Illinois    Elder Gonzalez