Transfer 7 Week 2 September 17, 2012

Dear Everyone!

Life is amazing!  Elder Arauz asked me this morning if I was happy. And I responded with a thoughtful "yes" to which he responded "why?" And I said "Why not?"

There is nothing greater than proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ everyday.

As I have reflected how different my life is then just a year ago, I realized that I am "living after the manner of happiness."  Yesterday we taught a family (I love teaching families fyi) and as we showed them a picture of the temple they shared with us that they go there often to just feel the peace that  is there.  As we testified that the restored gospel is true and that the temple is what makes families forever she shared with us how her baby had been born dead due to medical negligence and how much pain that caused her.  I saw in her eyes hope that she can be reunited with her family.  There was nothing particularly "amazing' about that lesson, but I walked out of that home knowing that I had fulfilled my purpose.  I might've not said too much, I might've not even done my best teaching, but the Spirit made up for my mistakes, the Spirit helped this family come unto Christ. 

The Lord has called me to serve Him so that He may have success.  I cannot have success in of myself but thru the Lord, the Lord and I can do miracles.  Christ taught to the Nephites that their works of righteousness would be accomplished thru HIM.  I know such is the truth. There is no other way! Well that is all from the center stake of Zion for this week.

Hasta Luego!

 Sincerely,

 Elder Luis Gonzalez

Transfer 7 Week 1, September 10, 2012

I have learned why this stake is often referred to as the Center Stake of Zion!  Oh how I have missed my Latinos! Oakland is such a crazy place, especially the driving.  My favorite thing about serving here is that i am able to see the temple from just about anywhere in our area.

This week has been mostly trying to get to know the members and our investigators.   But after a week of getting accustomed to everything, we are ready to get down to work and find people to teach!

The weather here is still pretty amazing!  Much hotter than Half Moon Bay but way cooler than Queen Creek!  It is quite nice to  have to wear a jacket all the time.

My area includes the infamous International Street.  There is tons of latinos to talk to there but there is also lots of "other " people there too.  Most of them want nothing to do with  the Gospel.

We had stake Conference yesterday and this stake is amazing!  There are chinese, fijian, spanish, and whole bunch of others too. The Tongans have their own STAKE!

We tried to contact a referal the other day but the street was blocked off by the police.  We later heard that someone had died on the street.  That didn't bother so much, what bothered me is that when they told they told me as if it is just something that happens all the time.

Nevertheless, I LOVE it here!!!! Nowhere else I would rather be!

Many great stories to come,

Sincerely,
Elder Luis Gonzalez

Transfer 6. Week 6. September 3, 2012

This won't be a very long email because it is labor day and the library is closed. I am writing this from the apple store. Sorry for the spelling...

Monday we had a the with patrick at the bishops house.  It was great!  But really sad to see him go so soon.

Tuesday we had zone conference with Elder Gay from the first quorum of the seventy!  He was truly inspiring.  He is oxen of the major reasons the church has grown so much spain.  He showed elder mares and I a cool scar because elder mares is on cruthes.

We found a new investigator on saturday that seems really solid!

But the biggest news is transfer calls.............

Elder mares will remain in Half Moon Bay and for as myself........ I have been called to serve as district leader and I will be serving in the ward of Oakland 6th and I will be shotgunning the area with elder Arauz from el Salvador! For those of you who need to be caught up on mission lingo "shotgunning" an area means that instead of me going to a new area and meeting a companion that knows the area,  my companion and I are coming into the area at the same time so neither of us knows the area at all! I'm a bit scared but all shall be well. Oh and I am still in car.

I have some last pictures to take (golden gate) and some families to say good bye to!

God bless!

Elder Luis Gonzalez

Transfer 6 Week 5 August 27, 2012

CRAZY WEEK!

Monday:
Patrick tells us that he is going back home to Ohio to fix family problems and he will not be able to stay in town for His baptism.  The Bishopric was helping him to fly back there so that he get everything organized.

Tuesday:
We talk to this crazy lady who took an hour to tell us her life story, and then ened our converstion with sayig that she loved the Church but could never believe in the gold plates. Then we met with Patrick who found that day from talking to his aunt that he might be father!!!

Thursday:
 We taught a man at a old folks home (member referal) and he fell asleep as I was talking to him.  Then we rushed to District meeting and took district pictures because there is no district meeting next week because of Zone Conference.  Then a member took us to a restaurant in our area named "Kenny's".  They have awesome chinese food!!!!

Saturday: 
It was startingto get late and I got a feeling that we should go visit someone.  On the way there I saw Patrick out of the corner of my eye.  I quikly turn and head towards the McDonald's parking lot (where i saw him).  He sees us pull up and he quikly rushed over to us and excitedly told us about his day.  The Bishop later told us that he was trying to decide between buying some hot chocolate at mcdonald's or getting some alcohol at safeway.  When we showed up he had just decided to buy the chocolate.  So when he saw us, he felt as if that was God telling him he made the right choice and giving some up to ge thru the night.

Sunday:
The Stake President came to to meet with the Bishop and speak in sacrament.  Before sacrament the Bishop asked us how ready we thought patrick was for baptism and we told him he was 100% ready.  So he reports that to the Stake President, who in turn calls President Meredith (our mission president) and tells him that he feels that Patrick needs to be baptized before he leaves to Ohio.  We then get a call from President Meredith and he asked us how read we thought Patrick was besides not livung the Word of Wisdom for 3 weeks.  We gave the same reply we had given to Bishop.  President Meredith then says that 3 weeks of livung the Word of Wisdom is mission policy and not in the Handbook, and that he could therefore give us permission to baptize Patrick that very day!  Which he then preceded to do, pending that he is interviewed by a District Leader or Zone leader.  We quickly got on the phone with our distrct leader and we arrange to meet him.  The interview seemed to take a CENTURY!!!! But finally he came out and he had passed!!!!! We hurriedly made all the arrangemants to prepare the baptismal font.  We called everyone from the ward to come out and support him.  We made the baptismal record and got ready to go up to the stake center.  For being such short notice we were able to organize quite a nice program.  Elder Mares got to baptize Patrick (yes, with his injured knee-he is in major pain today).  I got to confirm him a member of the Church.  And Bishop Fellars promised him that in a year he would fly out to Ohio and ordain him to the Melchizedek Priesthood.

Long story short: No matter how good I am, how smart I am, how hard I work, this great latter-day work cannot be done without the aid of the Almight.  It is Him whom i represent, It is His name that I wear everyday.  No miracle is greater than the Atonemnt of Christ.

Sincerly,

Elder Luis Gonzalez

P.S.  To top it all off, Patrick's dog that he takes everywhere, got a front row seat to see the baptism.

Transfer 6. Week 2-- August 13, 2012

Things started out just as bad as they had in previous weeks.  We are still unable to tract and look for new investigators.  It got to be Thursday and we were convinced it was going to be another bad week.  Then shortly before dinner we got a call from our Bishop.  He tells Elder Mares on the phone "I have a discussion for you."  So we excitedly get ready to go over there and teach this man we knew nothing about.  We get to the Bishop's house (which is literally an ocean front property FYI).  As we start to teach this man we get to know him.  He is from Cincinatti, Ohio.  But he has not been there for 8 years.  Shortly after his mother died he decided to start bicycling around America.  And that is what he has been doing for the last 8 years.  He lives on whatever little money he can make doing odd jobs along the way.  Then last Sunday he was riding past our church and he saw that it said "Jesus Christ" on it so he went in looking for the pastor, the Bishop identified himself as the pastor.  This man was looking for some jobs he could do around the church to earn a meal.  The Bisop told him to meet at his home a couple of hours later. he started doing some odd jobs for the Bishop around his home.  Then this man  opened up enough to share some of his problems with the Bishop.  Bishop then invited him to meet with us and he agreed.

 

That night we give him a copy of The Book of Mormon, but he couldn't read the small print.  But then Bishop just happened to have with a spare large print copy.  He got so so so so so so so  excited and said he would start reading it that night.  And he did, the next day we met with him he had already read the first 10 chapters!  He accepted a baptismal date and gave up coffee, tobacco, and alcohol on the spot.  The only problem is that if he does not find another job soon, he will have to keep moving on to the next town, so he is unsure if he will be here for Sept.1 his  scheduled baptismal date.  We are praying for yet another miracle so that he can find a job here.

 

I saw the miracle of the atonement this week.  I saw it first hand.  I saw someone who had no hope, someone who thought he had gone to far to return to God's grace, excercise faith in Jesus Christ enough to repent and live the restored Gospel. 

 

"And he shall go forth suffering, temptaions, and afflictions of very kind, and this that he might take upon himself death and sin, that he may loose the bands of death." Alma 7

 

Sincerely,

 

Elder Luis Gonzalez

 

P.S. Our new investigators has a cute little dog he takes EVERYWHERE!

Transfer 6 Week 4. August 20, 2012

We were able to teach our Miracle Investigator, named Patrick, several times this week.  He is so amazing! He fasted earlier this week so that he could get the Lord's help in quiting to smoke.  He said that it was a wonderful experience.  He woke up  that morning and did not even think about smoking. He said that it was the first time in many many years that he did not wake up and feel like "smoking something, drinking something, or smashing something." It is a real testimony builder of how the restored gospel Jesus Christ can truly change a soul for the better.  He has learned so much in so little time.  Whenever we teach him something we know before we ever invite him that he is going to live whatever  princple or law we have just taught.   Despite all this great progress he has made, he was very frustrated last night because he has not been able to find a job inspite all of his efforts.  If he doesn't find a job, he can't stay here in Half Moon Bay until his baptism.  We have been asking everyone if they of anything but we just can't seem to find any  leads.  I shared with him Ether 12:6  "dispute not because ye see not, for you recieve no witness until after the trial of your faith."  Never have I prayed to the Lord with such mighty prayer for another living soul.  As Prsident Eyring has taught, my capacity to love has grown when it mattered most, not for me , but for Patrick.  This has been a real and true blessing.

 

Next week will be Zone Conference and we will have a General Authority, Elder Gay of the First Qourum of The Seventy!!!!!  President Meredith has asked that we use this P-Day to get ready for his arrival (haircuts, polishing shoes, cleaning cars, ect.).  That being said, I have a busy P-Day ahead of me so sorry for the short email....

 

Best Wishes,

 

Elder Luis Gonzalez 

 

P.S.  I overheard my ward mission leader, who is big on distance running :), and another ward member, who ran at BYU, talking about the 10,000 meter.  And then a Senior Missionary (they are allowed to watch TV) told us that Mexico won the gold in soccer.  But other than that I haven't heard much about the Olympics...so I would appreciate an update....

Transfer 6 Week 2. August 6, 2012

Elder Mares continues to be injured and we have to continue to stay home and rest.  However we found out that does not mean that we cannot do missionary work.  We found a great finding tool this week.  We started calling all the people saved in our phone that we do not know.  We were able to find one new investiagtor and have set a couple of other appiontments with other people.  I never realized that a phone could be so helpful in doing missionary work.  When one truly desires to serve the Lord, He will provide a way to do it, despite of the circumstances.

 

Something else we have starte doing is singing on Main St. We sing hymns (I hope the Lord either blesses my voice or blesses peoples ears so that it actually sounds good) in hopes that people will come and talk to us.

 

This week we also have a couple of investigators coming home from vacation. They seem very solid.  So the future looks bright for the missionary work here in Half Moon Bay.   

 

We are excited for our upcoming Zone Conference. a Seventy will be present and I believe he will be doing some kind of training. 

 

Tomorrow I will hit my 8 month mark!!! Time goes by crazy fast.  There is no where else that I would rather be than here serving the Lord.  I am so grateful that I read the Book of Mormon and that I took that step of faith and followed the Savior's example and was baptized by someone holding the priesthood authority of God.

 

Hope all is well!

 

Elder Luis Gonzalez