My Time In Des Moines is Coming to an End (from June 25, 2012)

This is a good place to be so I'm going to stay here

 

Dear President Jergensen

  It was a good week Elder Pope and I picked up a new investigator who is showing good interest in the church, but doesn't really get the whole part of us being the only true church on the face on the earth. We had a church tour with her and taught the Restoration while doing the tour. It was a good experience and she says that she knows that it's true and wants to learn more but she may be getting the impression that we're just another church so Elder Pope and I are going to address that with her this week. She is committed to coming the church this next week.
  Scheduling is our nightmare and it's killing us. Any suggestions about how we can schedule appointments with our investigators better and on a more consistent basis?
  The Fakhouri family is doing good. Chris and Quentin helped out with a move in the ward on Saturday, but weren't able to make it to church yesterday for whatever reason. This week we are going to schedule and make plans for them to pray about a date for their baptism.
  The Mulhern's are back in town from their week long scout camp and so the ward is going to invite them to participate in a canoeing trip with the young men this Wednesday. It's a slower process with them but they are making great efforts and we'll see them at church more frequently.
  Elder Pope is doing very good with the training process. Although we are a bit behind on our 12 week program we are doing good practices with our companionship study. He is now the Senior Companion for the rest of the transfer and that will help him get very familiar with the ward and area.
I had a good exchange with Elder Gibson this week. He has a very good desire to do missionary work and was very pleased from the effort and drive that I saw from his this past week. I will go on an exchange with Elder Knight this upcoming week to see how things are going there.
                             Elder Gonzalez  Des Moines 2nd

 

  Time is starting to just go into a big blur each week it seems like the same old routine of going to people and begging them to come to church and to read from the Book of Mormon and then Sunday roles around and they don't show up and then you have weekly planning and your new goals ain't a lot different from the old ones. This whole missionary thing is starting to wear on my gears and it doesn't help when it's humid as crap outside and your broke and don't have money for a cold gatorade or something.

 

  I'm glad to hear that Tony got his knee all fixed up..... now he can tell me a little more than how much his knee is keeping him from doing "stuff" hahaha love ya bro

  Now the next step is to have Dr. Cooley take you to "The Country Club"  I know where I'm going to be playing when I get back. 

 

  Iowa Iowa it's the place to be, Iowa Iowa not a lot to see, Fields of corn stretch across the sky, the only thing exciting is an occasional firefly....... Elder Gonzalez

 

 

  This is my new look on everything that I am doing on my mission

"I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made; I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won't look back, let up, slow down, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I'm finished and done with low living, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tinted visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need preeminence, positions, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk with patience, am lifted up in prayer, and labor with power. My face is set, my goal is heaven. My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my guide is reliable, my mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, divided or delayed, will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table with the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won't give up, shut up, or let up until I have stayed up, stored up, and paid up for the case of Christ. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me and when He returns for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me”.
- Elder Henry B. Eyring  

 

   This man gets it. He knows what the big picture looks like and if I can follow his example then I will be right on my way to living a life of a true disciple of Jesus Christ. My mission is in full swing, although I see the fails of the week and appointments rarely kept.... I know with all the certainty of my heart that this is true and no back woods "Christian" will ever get me to flinch at what I know to be true.

  Lately I have found great wisdom with the words of Christ in John chapter 3 when Christ is teaching Nicodemus the way things really are. I can only teach people when they are willing to listen, and when that is available then I can teach them the ways of heaven and shed some light on the Dark night of their personal apostasy. I love this work and will be with the Savior till the end. Come join the ranks. In the name of Jesus Christ our master amen.

 

   I love you all                                      Elder Gonzalez      aka the " stormin mormon  Des Moines 2nd ward   of the Des Moines Iowa Stake of Zion