Transfer 15, Week 4- August 26, 2013

"The Mystery of the Mattress"

So Elder Felt, a senior missionary delivered a mattress to our apartment this week.  I have no idea why.  My guess is I'm going to be in a trio again.

The whole mattress thing has preoccupied my mind this week but these are some of the things that happened this week:

Our new investigator gave us all his coffee!  we carried around coffee all day with us.

We ate pupusas with our recent convert Milagro and the primary president Hna Celis!  I ate way too much!

Yesterday was the confirmation our latest converts.  They were so happy.

Love, Elder Gonzalez

Transfer 15, Week 3- August 19, 2013

 "How do you say 'BAPTISM' in Chinese?'

so much craziness this week, I don't even know where to start!

Monday!

We had a family home evening with our investigators and recent convert.  The kids tried to wake up Elder Clark as he was "sleeping."  They did not succeed until they read the instructions on the paper we gave them.  We then taught the importance of reading the scriptures t help us find solutions to our problems.

Tuesday!

I got to go to the Chinese program for a day!!!!!! My purpose was to learn more about how to make our English classes more effective for proselyting.  I definitely did learn about that but I learned so so so much more!  We taught a lady who accepted the invitation to be baptized.  I however had no idea that is what happened. I am still practicing on saying "I am a representative of Jesus Christ" in mandarin but i got pretty good at saying "God loves you."  All the chinese missionaries laugh when I say it, probably cause I say it pretty bad.

Wednesday!

ZONE CONFERENCE!  I learned so much!  The best way for me to describe it would be in missionary terms but then none of you would understand! haha

Thursday!

7 new investigators!  1 family.  They are from Guatemala.  Yes they speak mostly mam.

Sunday!

Los Piedra were baptized!  Their family came! It was so cool!  We are going to start teaching them this week!  We went to the VC afterwards and took pictures with the Christus!

I LOVE THIS WORK!

H-A-P-P-I-E-S-T time of my life!

Love,

Élder Luis González

Transfer 15 Week 2- August 12, 2013

Ireland: I
 went on exchanges with Elder O' Farrell. We salvaged a member dinner and lunch!  Then we were able to find a new investigator with a handful of potentials.   People seemed to be so impressed that someone from Ireland can speak spanish.
Cow Tongue:

I thought it was delicious.  The other elders not so much.

The Stones:
In spanish it is said "Los Piedra"  which is  the name of thefamily we are teaching.  They came to the ward picnic and loved it! their little girl went swimming!  Then we went to the VC and watched the Joseph Smith Movie at the Visitor's Center.  Last night we had a mini testimony meeting after church.  Another person who  lives in the house and who had never joined us before came in and sat down with us.  She had tons of questions.  She asked us why we were so calm and just over all peaceful.  My answer has been something I have reflected upon often in a very short amount of time.

"I guess the reason why we are so full of peace is because....that although we have tons of personal problems, here and back home, and plenty of worries, that is not the focus of our lives.  The things I think about most and worry about most are who i am going to teach, who i am going to find so that i can teach, how I'm gonna help these people come closer to Christ.  That is my life right now. "

Sincerely,
Élder Luis González

Transfer 15 Week 1- August 5, 2013

Milagro was baptized.  I was so happy!  I am so grateful that we went street contacting on the streets of Oakland that May afternoon!  The Lord truly puts people in our path.  
Love,
Élder Luis González

Transfer 14 Week 6- July 29, 2013

So we got transfer calls on Saturday!!!!!! So the transfers are as follows.......................................................................................(drum roll)......................................................................................Elder Villa has been called to serve in the San Leandro 2 Branch on bike!

Elder Clark will be staying in Oakland 6th

And Myself, after 8 transfers in oakland (which is the equivalnat of 48 weeks, just under a year) has been called by the spirit of the Lord to labor in the area of....................Oakland 6 South!!!!!!! The same area!!!! He will finish training Elder Clark (if he doesn't get his Visa) and is still the district leader.  

At this point, I hope I stay here for the rest of my mission!!!!  I've already spent more than half my mission here, why not finish it here!

It was Elder Bradford's last week so we made sure to remind him everyday!  We had cake as a district on monday!  We had planned to give service to some of the members in our area who just had a baby!  We were gonna cook them dinner but when we got there they already had everything ready to go for a barbecue!  We helped them cook everything and then ate so much!

We went street contacting at The BART Station and there was a huge line for WIC (not too sure what it stands for or what its for) and 99% latinos in that line.  We invited them all to english classes!!!!!  90% of them were interested.  

After church yesterday, we went by Milagro ("Miracle" for you gringos), and she was really sad that she doesn't have any family support but she is super prepared to get baptized and she has so much support from the ward!

 Well that's all from this part of the Vinyard!

Love,

 Elder Luis Gonzalez

Transfer 14, Week 5- July 22, 2013

The ISC  was  closed part of this week so for excercise we played basketball at Brookdale Park.  We be playing street ball.
 We had a carne asada with Alberto!  I burnt my finger eating chicken.
At the new missionary follow-up training Elder Clark, Elder Villa and I were SURROUNDED by sisters.
We sang "Placentero nos es Trabajar"  to Elder Bradford at our dinner with Los Mejia.  I was hoping he would cry, thats the song they sing at funerals.
This week makes 5 years since I was baptized!!!!!!!!!  Its really awesome!
 Saturday night we, the help of Hno. Calderon, were able to set a baptismal date!
On Sunday Los Mejia were super happy about getting there calling!  We also had 2 new investigators at church!
Thats my week in a nutshell!
God speed!
Sincerely,
Élder Luis González

Transfer 14, Week 4--July 15, 2013

So I added yet another trio to my resume.  This one included Elder Bradford again! It was also the last time with Elder Bradford. Elder Clark and I both went into his area.  It was also a 48 hour exchange which made things pretty crazy.  At the end of the first night I couldn't believe we still had a whole other day in the central area.  But it was a miraculous day indeed. But I will limit it to only 2 miracles.  

 1.  At the end of the day we had a lesson at the VC with a family from our english classes.  They have been looking for a church and want to figure out how Jesus Christ can bless their family!  We watched Finding faith in Christ and they loved it!

2.  We invited Victorio to church although he was not interested in investigating.  He then came to church and after sacrament he told us that he wants to prepare to be baptized.  We tried inviting for August 11 but he said that was too far.  So he has a date for the 28th of this month.

 Busy P-dy, gotta go!

Love 
Élder Luis González