Transfer 11 Week 5 March 25, 2013

We had transfer calls this last week!!!!! ( We had a shortened transfer to accomdate for the shortened time missionaries are spending in the MTC, whicch does mean that my release date has been moved up a week, but don't tell my mom, she'll get even more trunky than she already is) And I have been called by the Spirit of the Lord to........................................................................................................(drum roll)............................................................................Stay in Oaklansd 6th Ward as the district leader.  Hermana Thalman is going home and her companion Hermana Peña was moved to an english ward.  We will be getting to other sisters this transfer.  Elder Bradford and Elder Hill are both staying.

Last Monday night we helped a less active brother download the book of Mormon onto his phone so that he could listen to it when he is working.

On Tuesday we taught Alberto and had heard a member talk about reading Harry Potter and he had some crazy doubts about and would could not convince him that reading Harry Potter was OK.

Wednesday we were out tracting and we found this less active family not on the ward list.  They moved to Oakland from Utah and haven´t come to church since.  The husband needed a blessing becasue of the back pains he has been having, he is going to be having surgery soon.

Thursday Elder Hill and I had a CRAZY exchange.  I think this scripture describes it very well: "And those who were cast into prison asuffered many things, and they were delivered by the hand of Lamoni and Ammon, and they were fed and clothed. And they went forth again to declare the word, and thus they were delivered for the first time out of prison; and thus they had suffered. And they went forth whithersoever they were led by the Spirit of the Lord, preaching the word of God in every synagogue of the Amalekites, or in every assembly of the Lamanites where they could be admitted. And it came to pass that the Lord began to bless them, insomuch that they brought many to the knowledge of the truth; yea, they did aconvince many of their sins, and of the traditions of their fathers, which were not correct."  Alma 21:14-17

We were looking for an address and couldn't find it so we went into this gated courtyard but didn't find it.  As headed back to the gate to leave we realized that the gate was  locked from both the inside and outside.  We tried knocking on some doors so that we could have them help us out. But no one answered.  After looking around we found a ladder.  We used that ladder to get into the yard next door. It took some serious jumping skills especially in our suits but we did it.  As we tried to leave that yard we realized that gate was also locked.  But this one was actually jumpable.  So I jumped it very swiftly with the skills I picked up running cross country but Elder Hill was not as forutnate.  We stood trying tio figure it out for about 10 minutes as people walked by staring at us (it was on a main road) some guy even came up to us and asked us what we were doing.  After we finally got free we were fed by a member who gave us so much food!!!!!! It made our struggle worth it!

Sincerely,

Élder Luis González

Transfer 11 Week 4 March 18, 2013

 My Beloved Fellow Saints back home,

This week was super bittersweet.  Early in the week we added two more baptismal dates a couple that has been investigating the church for two years but has decided to finally get married.  Then we gave a blessing to a less-active part member family and we got news that the 10 year old son can now get baptized.  Things seemed to be going amazing!!!  We were super excited for all the great things happening in our area.  But then the weekend came and with it some bad news.  First we found out that our two baptisms for this week no longer desired to be baptized after talking to their mom in Colombia.  But the dad is helping us convince the mom and the children, so there is still hope there.  Then we found that the couple with baptismal dates might not be able to get married because of legal issues.

BUT this helped us see the tender mercies of the lord in our lives.  I have realized that no matter what happens I can choose to be happy.  BECAUSE there is always something to be happy about.  As I record in my journal the blessings of each day I have to see that its all the small things that make the Lord truly great.

Never forget salvation is a personal process!

 3 Nephi 11:15 

"And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth ONE BY ONE"

Sincerely,

 

Élder Luis González

Transfer 11 Week 3 March 11, 2013

My Dearest Peoples,

 

This week started off with us teaching a man named Rodolfo.  He doesn't know who God is so we are having a hard time teaching him.  But we watched a video called "Finding Faith in Christ and he finally understood what it meant to have faith.  He even prayed at the end of the lesson and has been doing it on a pretty regular basis.

 

We have been working with a family that has been able to be baptized because the parents have not wanted to get married but on Saturday we had a lesson wit them and the first thing they told us was " We finally want to get married!" Then the next thing they said was "We thought of all those poor missionaries that have tried to convince to get married, and know you came in and just like that we are gonna get married."  That was a really cool experience.  

 

We got to eat with our recent Convert Maria!!!! She made us MENUDO!!! That's what I requested! Elder Watkins wasn't quiet sure what to think about it.  Then that night we had a lesson at the Visitor's Center with an investigator family. We watched a couple presentations and they were able to feel the spirit but they were obviously not as comfortable like they are in their home, but I think overall it was a good experience.  They said they would try to come to church.  

 

Saturday I was on exchanges with Elder Bradford.  We had a really awesome day where we found new investigators and had some really good teaching experiences.  

 

Those are some of the highlights of my week in the Center Stake of Zion.

 

Sincerely,

 

Élder Luis González

Transfer 11 Week 2 March 4, 2013

Dear People Back Home,

Tuesday we were out talking to people and we talked to this gut who had tons of books in his arms.  I said to him,"You look to read? "  He then went on a 5 minute rant about how Stephen King is terrible compared to the author of the book he was reading (Dean Koontz for those of you who are interested).  We then asked him if had ever read the Book of Mormon and he said he had read a little bit  and told us that he had talked with missionaries before.  But he was obviously confused about something because before we left he said, "You gotta admit that its pretty weird stuff that Joseph Smith prayed to a salamander."  

We contacted a referral that night as well, Hans (obviously from Guatemala).  He told us all about how he wanted to stop drinking alcohol.  Instead of really teaching much we just simply listened to him and I think he really appreciated that and was able to get lots of things off his shoulders.

 

Wednesday the whole leadership of the mission was invited to Zone Leader Council where the Missionary Training Department was present.  It was so AWESOME, I learned so much from the training they gave us.

 

The cold weather is almost gone!  Most nights and days are pretty mild.    We were out street contacting on International and Fruitvale (which is where the BART Station is) and I realized how AMAZING the weather is.

 

This week it seemed that whenever we were able to find a member for our lessons that the investigators canceled on us, and whenever we couldn't find a member to come our lessons it was a lesson with a female that we had to cancel.

 

On Friday we got a call from the Visitor's Center telling us about this guy that wanted to meet with us the next day.  The only problem was that he wanted to to meet super early so we had to get permission to change our study schedule around.  So we did that but when we get there we waited for half an hour and he didn't show up.  I was very frustrated but later in the day we get a call that he is in the VC waiting for us.  So we get there and start talking to him an realize that he has practically no knowledge about God and wants to know if God exists and if so why he has been given the life that he has.  I was very frustrated as we were teaching him because I would explain things like I have my whole mission and he did not understand at all.  He can't read  or write so that's going to be a hurdle that we are going to have to overcome.  We are meeting with him tomorrow . 

Yesterday at testimony meeting there was this one brother from who spoke.  He use to be Jewish until he read the Book of Mormon 20 times and decided he wanted to be baptized.  However he still goes to church on Saturday and observes many Jewish traditions.  All these things are pretty cool by themselves, but the reason I think I will never forget this testimony is because as he bore his testimony he was near yelling into the microphone and   using very strong language. Truly, a testimony to remember.

 

Para Siempre Dios Esté Con Vos,

 

Élder Luis González