Cocked and Ready to Fire

Family

  This past week we have had so much rain and Tornado warnings in the area then any other time of my mission. I really don't like the rain because it keeps people inside and we can't talk to all the Indian people that like to walk around in the afternoon. 

  There are some good changes going on in the ward. We now have a new Ward Mission Leader who just moved into the ward from Arlington Virginia and he was instrumental in the conversion of Elder Pope who  I trained in Des Moines. His name is Casey Kimball and we're excited that he has a good missionary fire about him and when I get my new boy next week I'll be able to break them both in with the program here in the ward. This ward is ready to get going with the work and I just realize that there's just not enough time to get everything done before I leave here............. 

  I love the Indian people here, they are so humble and are here for more than just State Farm,but are here for the healing gospel of Jesus Christ. We picked up a couple that is from India and we're excited to be teaching them. We have some lessons lined up for tonight and will hopefully help a part-member family get back into the gospel. I love it

  So ya I did get to go on and exchanges with the zone leaders in Peoria and that was awesome to be back in my old ghetto teaching the gospel of peace among the fierce and ferocious lamanites. I love Peoria and Illinois in general. except for the politics

   We have a part-member family that we need to get married and then have the husband baptize the wife. Her name is Taylor and she is so wanting the gospel in her life and the Silva family has been so good with fellowshipping. Mike who is the boyfriend is the real hold up to and he's a member so he know's what kind of responsibility will come with full activity in the church.  we will be adressing all of that this week. 

 

I did make contact with Coach Carter and talked to him about college golf and he said that i'll need to play in as many tournaments as possible once i get so that I can get more of an out of high school resume put together and show that I can play in non high school tournaments and actually do good. I do have the skill for that and will just need some more time to get things together. He does know the Weber State coach very well and so I may be looking at that school as a strong possibility. 

 

  I'm reading the Miracle of Forgiveness and it's wonderful and I love it. I really do appreciate for than ever the Atonement of Christ

 

  Elder Gonzalez  Bloomington Illinois

Little India (from May 20, 2013)

SO this past week has been pretty good with a lot of walking.

 

  We did have zone conference on Friday and that was very good. The Stake President from the Davenport Stake gave a great training on discipleship which to me has been the biggest thing that I've been trying to learn about. That's what it really comes down to when I think about it, can we at the last day really stand with "clean hands and a pure heart" before god telling him that we have completely changed and that we have given to God the only thing that he doesn't have.... our will. I want to completely be changed and to do everything that will be pleasing to Father and I know that I'm on the right track.

 

  Elder Virgen picked up 3 new investigators yesterday, and group of people from India named Dinil, Sagin, and Manu. They are super sweet but we're going to have to get some powerful lessons in there because they are very smart and won't be fooled by the gospel, they must feel it from within. I love the people from india and I know that I've been sent back here to help them receive the message of the Restoration and to embrace the true and living God.

 

  I hope that Tyler is doing well.... send me his address and I'll send him a letter of encouragement.

 

  I love Illinois, and yesterday during the night there where some tornadoes that touched down over by Ames where I was just serving. 5 of them to be exact. I really hope that I get the chance to see at least one before I have to go home.

 

  Yesterday we had to first real day of humidity with hot and wow it his us in the face like nothing else. So yes the warm weather is here and we're going to take advantage of that since lots of people will be out of their homes walking around and ready for us to teach them.

 

 I'm been reading in The Miracle of Forgiveness and it's been amazing. I love my Savior and know that I've been called to preach repentance because without it there is no conversion. It's not something to be afraid of from sharing with people because it's the gateway to the full blessings of the Atonement.

 

  I love serving here and want to stay as long as possible. Just leave me out here will ya?

 

  Do good and have a fun summer out there in Utah

 

  Elder Gonzalez  Bloomington Illinois

Great Days Ahead, From May 14, 2013

Hey Family

  SO after talking to you yesterday there's only a few things that I failed to mention from this past week.

 

 

 So we had a lesson with a couple from India who are members of the church and strong ones to and they helped us to understand more about the indian culture and how we as missionaries can more effectivly teach the gospel to these good people who are here. that was really sweet. we did have a zone meeting this past week and it was the first one that I've not been in charge of so that was kind of a relief, but it was good and i participated as though part of the meeting was mine. President and Sister Jergensen were there.

 

  Sorry that this email didn't get off yesterday I was typing a nice big one and it didn't send in time before I was out of time so sorry.

 

I"m doing well and in the next email i'll send a  good one

 

  Elder Gonzalez

 

Prophets in the land again- Ether 9:28

Gonzalez Family

 

  My heart is full with the spirit as a write this letter. This past week has been most memorable and it's because I've been able to meet my first apostle. Elder Neil L. Anderson is such a great man I love him and sustain him as a prophet, seer, and revelator. What probably shocked me the most about him is how familiar he seemed to me. I sat at the end of the row and he came walking down the aisle next to me and it just seemed like I'd know him for some time and it didn't blow me away to see him, I just felt comfortable in his presence. It was a wonderful day and all the talks that were given were outstanding.

 

  SO the ward is really happy that I'm back and I'm not going to let them down, I'm ready to continue to work hard. The only bad thing is my companion, he's a pile that doesn't act only is acted upon which is frustrating. Over the past 10 months I've been with proactive missionaries and it's been great and so I'll have to throttle back a bit with him and get on the same page and help build him up to where he needs to be so that we can be "equally yoked" and not out ahead of each other.

 

  So we had the only mission wide conference in Iowa City on Saturday and it was only for 2 hours but wow that time just went by way to fast. So in attendance was Elder Neil L. Anderson Elder L. Whitney Clayton Elder Dube, he was just sustained as a member of the first Q of the 70 this past conference he's from Africa and just got done as a mission president in Zimbabwe, and Elder Michael Reall who is an area 70 so it was really a great experience. Just the basics of the gospel were discussed and now ward councils will be scheduling appointments for us during the week with Less-actives, part-member families and what not so they will be keeping us busy and that will great. I loved the humility of Elder Dube he's such a simple happy man from Africa who loves the gospel and is a wonderful asset to the church over in that area.

 

  We had like 240 missionaries there which was a big crowd and then after the Stake presidents and bishops from the 7 stakes within mission boundaries were there after for another 4 hours of instruction. After all of it we went and ate at the food court at the mall there and had like 100 missionaries there and just owned the place with white shirts and ties.

 

  We had a special stake conference on Sunday in which Elder L. Whitney Clayton and Elder Reall were in attendance and it was great. They spoke of the need to LOVE the Restoration and to share those truths with others. It was missionary centered and was great. I realize that the next time that I go to Iowa City I will be picking up my last companion and new boy for training and then the next time after that I will be headed to Des Moines for the fly out. I just won't talk about that.

 SO our church here is at 1 and so I'll prob be doing the Skype at around 5 or 6 at the time here so 4 or 5 back I Utah. I'll just fill you in on all the crazy crap that will be going on.

 

  I love this gospel and am grateful for the package and everything.

 

  I love my mission, I've changed so much you'll be shocked

 

Elder Gonzalez    Bloomington Illinois in the heartland of America a place that is sacred to me....

Guess Who's Back??? (From April 29, 2013)

Hello Gonzalez Family

 

  I'm the most excited missionary in all the world. I'm now serving back here in the best place on earth, Bloomington Illinois. I'm absolutely thrilled to be here. I love it here. I'm so grateful to be here and be serving with Elder Virgen who was my MTC companion. I'll be serving with him for 6 weeks and then I'll train a new missionary for my last 12 weeks. This place is so special and I was the most excited missionary at transfers and wow I've just been on cloud 9 since I've been here. The word spread throughout the ward the first couple hours that I was here and when I called to bishop the next day after transfers he already knew that I was there and I was shocked and he said that yea the word got out that night over facebook that I was back and I was about in tears yesterday when I was at church talking to the members and the youth that are now getting ready to graduate and head on missions. I love it oh wow what a gift from God to send me here and we are going to just rip this place to pieces. The members and on board with everything that we are trying to do, and with the mountains of faith that I have in this ward things are going to get done.

 

  At transfers I was ready to go where ever and was determined to have a good attitude about the place that the Lord wanted to take me. The first zone that was announced for transfers was the Peoria Zone and when President made it to the Bloomington District he released the district leader(who is still here) and then said " we are finally transferring Elder Berthold out of Bloomington and.... where is Elder Gonzalez(president looking around the chapel from the pulpit), do you want to go back to Bloomington"? I was like well yea of course and he said that's where you're going, and that's when I just lost it and started hugging all the missionaries around me and just was in a stupor I mean just absolutely blown away.  On the way back in the car was the new zone leader going to Peoria who is taking the spot that I had and was telling him all about Peoria and also another zone leader who was released from the Des Moines zone and he's now the district leader in Pekin and so president is stacking the Peoria zone because it's been down for awhile with a bunch of pile missionaries who have done nothing, so he's giving this place some new life. I'm the District leader out here and we are going to get things done. I have 6 elders to watch over including myself and soon we'll have sisters in this ward, which will suck because I love this ward and splitting it into 2 areas we will have stay in our areas even when it's in the same ward.

 

  It was really hard to leave Ames. That place is very special to me and Elder Herrin has been a great companion and I will always stay in contact with him. Our Chinese investigators Jin He was baptized on Saturday by Ben Turbes one of our recent converts there so that is really special. Going from Ames to here is a long drive but I was excited to whole way. I have 2 people in Ames that I still need to stay in contact with so that they can go on missions and they will be great missionaries.

 

 This Saturday  we are having Elder Anderson of the Council of the 12 come to the mission with L. Whitney Clayton and it's going to be great. I will be listening to the spirit to see what I must do the rest of my mission and for the rest of my life. I'm different because of Christ, I'm different because of where I've served, I'm different because of the trials which I've gone through and have gotten back up from. This mission experience can be summed up in one word... Discipleship. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. Never again can I go back to who I was. Never again can I say the things that I used to say or think the way I used to think. I'm changed from the inside out. "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh" Ezekiel 36:26

These last 4 months will be hard but I will give it everything because that's what I've been called to do.

 

  We are having a special Stake Conference here and will have Elder L. Whitney Clayton come to that and speak so I'm super excited for that on Sunday. I really wonder what will happen to the mission and to attitude of the members concerning missionary work.

 

  I love you all and want you all to know that I'm praying for you and that I love all your letters.

 

  Elder Gonzalez  Bloomington Illinois

Sad to Leave (from April 22, 2013)

Hello Gonzalez Family

 

   SO yup I'm freaking getting the boot out of here and headed to who knows where and being with who knows who. I got released as a Zone Leader and will go back to the District Leader position and get a district on fire and get things moving in a positive direction. My next companion is one of those "special assignments" coming from president so we'll see what holds in store.

 

  Now that I'm not a ZL anymore I'll have so much more time to do things and get letters written and get working out again since I've gotten fat....... it's not fun.  It's like a new life is in me. I honestly feel that the Lord is pleased with the work that's been done here in Ames and has something really big in store for the next few months. I'm just so tired of the Go GO Go of Ames and will be relived when I actually get to go to sleep at 10:30 and get some full hours of sleep because I'm just flat out tired and I'm really having to rely on that Oath and Covenant right now.

 

  Ames has a very special place in my heart and is truly sacred ground for me. I love the people. I love my companion. I love the recent converts who where all at church yesterday and I just love the spirit that was at church. I teared up and the last "amen" of sacrament meeting because I'm come really close with the people and it sucks to have to leave it all. I'm going to be a mess when this is all over.

 

  This past week we had some super powerful lessons and set a baptismal date with this guy named Luke. It was raining on Wednesday and we where out contacting some referrals that the bishop gave us to go see and it just didn't feel right so we prayed in the car what to do and we felt that we needed to go back to the apartment, which is crazy because we spend so much time there planning stuff out and what not. So we get back there and look at a stack of former investigators and the top on was Marybeth and Luke a part-member family and we called them and Elder Herrin actually met them in one of his last areas and so we scheduled for a dinner appointment( because we like to eat) that Friday. We go over there and they are acting like members and are really nice to us. Marybeth hasn't been active for some time and Luke was introduced a couple of years ago and was taught somewhat by missionaries in the past. As we start talking about the church and all he's like so what do I really need to do to get baptized? and we just tell him well you come to church and introduce yourself to the bishop and we'll go over these questions with you and there you go we'll fill the font next week. Well we actually set it for June 1st and they are having there first son in August and so I'll get on a plane and get to their sealing next summer hopefully.

 

 Our Chinese friend is getting baptized this next week and I'll unfortunately be gone. We have had some of the most spiritual lessons with Sam and wow what a guy. We were using the institute computer to show him the new chinese mormon.org and lds.org and he's excited for that. We also used google translate and had some lessons that way so that we didn't pass over any words that he didn't understand. We went throught the baptismal interview questions with him and he's all good. At the end of one lesson we asked him to type out a prayer (since he always prays in chinese) so that we knew what he was saying oh wow that was so powerful. He had to most humble heartfelt prayer that I've ever heard. He's going to help out China so much. I told him that when he returns back to China that he must marry in temple, and so we talked about that for awhile and he really wants a temple marriage once he finds a girl. So down the road a couple years I'll be needing a plane ticket to Hong Kong to go to the temple there. He lives about an hour from Hong Kong.

 

  I'll be sure to tell you all the info about the new area in next weeks email. I love you all and want you all to study hard, pray hard, and become who you need to be. God does not begin by asking us about our ability, but only about our availability, and if we then prove our dependability, he will increase our capability.

 

Elder Gonzalez Love Ames Iowa