September 30, 2013- Transfer 16 Week 3

 "Oakland x 2 + Seventy = Happyness"‏

So yes, the Lord was merciful this week and allowed to travel to Oakland twice this week!

It seemed that so many people were sick this week, we gave 3 blessings this week, and took the sacrament to an elderly sister. 

Wednesday we got to go to the temple!  There is crazy traffic from Antioch to Oakland so when we got to the temple and I realized that I had forgotten my temple recommend I was not very happy.  Luckily, they were able to look me up and we had no problems.  That night we found a new investigator.  We are going back tonight.

Thursday night I went on splits with President Alvarado and visited some families in the ward.

Friday we went back to Oakland, we ate $3 burritos, were taught by Elder Aidukiatis from the Seventy all this added up to a super fantastic great FRIDAY!!!!!! I was so happy that day!  There is nowhere like Oakland!

Saturday we went to the flea market and found 20 potential investigators as a district.

That sums up this week!  I love it!

Sincerely,

Elder Luis Gonzalez

September 25, 2013- Transfer 16 Week 2

"Flor ¿Tienes Hambre?" (Flower, are you hungry?)
On Sunday I gave a talk at sacrament meeting! Not my best talk but the five families in the branches seemed to like it. I got to confirm Cristopher!  And we had three new investigators come to church!!!! It was a really good Sunday!
Saturday was full of craziness.  We went to the flea market as a district but then it rained so it emptied out really quick.  But not before we got a handful of referrals.  Then we had a branch family home evening.   Us six missionaries did a skit to tech the branch members how to do their own family home evenings.  I got to play the part of the eldest lazy brother who does nothing.
Friday I had interviews with President

Thursday we got to do service and move 267854352897 pots so they could paint our member's home.

We  found a new investigator tracting this week but he has disappeared and wont answer our calls.
That sums up this great week in the vineyard of the Lord!

Sincerely,

Elder Luis Gonzalez

P. S.  Still trying to figure out how to be district leader over a district of all sisters. Help would be appreciated.

September 16, 2013

So it seems like the Lord wanted me to be prepared to return to the desert. I'm in the hottest part of the mission. It gets well over a hundred out here. There aren’t to many mountains out here but there are tons of hills. and because it’s so hot the grass dries out and hence we have "golden hills." It’s a lot safer out here, I miss the ghetto but it’s nice to not here as many gunshots every night.

 I am now serving in a branch. We have lots of good work to do. There are tons of Latinos out here too, so I'm super excited about that! But we will have to strengthen the branch so that we can help them do their missionary work. The branch president has a cool President Monson tie.

 We had a baptism this weekend! I in reality didn’t do much, I was just here to witness the miracle! He is thirteen and is super awesome! He is from Costa Rica. He told our zone leader that he was born in San Jose, the zone leader thought he knew where that was until we told him it was the San Jose in Costa Rica, not California.

 My district has all sisters. I had the longest Sunday night of my mission last night. It had nothing to do with how late I went to be (although that didn't help).

 I'm super excited to be here, it’s gonna be fun!

 Sincerely, 

Élder Luis González

PICTURES!- September 1, 2013

I wish I had labels for all of these pictures, we'll just have to wait and hear about them when Luis gets home!

 

September 9, 2013

Mon 9/09/13 2:35 PM

Transfer calls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 So I will be...............................................(drum roll).......................................................................I have been transferred to a new area, I will be serving in Pittsburg 4 branch.

This week we taught 17 lessons to recent converts and less actives.  we had tuaght them earlier in the week, but when we found out that I am leaving we went back and visited them and said goodbye.

English classes were so much fun!  There was a really short student that Elder Clark towered over.

have to go pack!

Love,

Elder Gonzalez

 

one year in one place: two things happen 1.  You really really love some of the members and your recent converts and never want to leave 2. you really really get excited to leave because you get tired of the members who don't want to do anything

unusual for my mission? yes

i have learned many great things here's a list

1. patience

2. long-sufferring

3. way too much about the Visitor's Center

4.time is a valuable resource

Transfer 15 Week 5- September 2, 2013

 "Way Too much Food"

We had dinner with members everyday this week!  And also some lunches.  We ate way too much.

We are trying to find new investigators right now.  We did some contacting up at the temple because there are always so many latinos up there.  We got a couple of contacts that we are gonna visit.

 

We started morning english classes so we hope we get a better turn out.

 Nothing else was very new.  A pretty normal week.

Love, 

Elder Luis Gonzalez

P.S. I hit my year mark in this area on the 4th!  :)