This past week was awesome! We experienced a little earthquake yesterday. My companion and I had just left a house and we were in the street when we felt it. There were people outside running home to check on their families and the streets were filled with people. Everyone obviously overreacted but with the earthquake about two years ago, everyone was still pretty nervous.
We are teaching an amazing family! The mom´s name is Claudia and she has 3 children named Sarei, Dustin and Renata. Serei is handicapped in body and mind but everytime we walk in the door he yells ¨tio!¨ which means ¨uncle!¨ and we go over to say hi in his room where he lays down. Claudia is a single mom and she is really interested in what we share. She went to church with Renata and they want to be baptized. Dustin is a little more rebelious but he went to a church dance with a recent convert and enjoyed it a lot.
We also have a few other investigators that are doing awesome and progressing a whole lot! Its hard to imagine now that I am inviting people to be baptized on dates that I wont be here for! I would love to see a few more people be baptized and leave the missionary that comes to replace me with plenty of good investigators to teach!
I love yall!
Elder Gregory
Hey (3.19.12)
We had mission conference this past Tuesday! At the end of the conference, the new missionaries gave their testimonies. After that, all the missionaries that are leaving the mission in the next two months gave their testimonies. I felt the Spirit very strongly as I listened to all my friends that I have made here in the mission give their testimonies. I gave my testimony as well and I really had a hard time expressing my thoughts and feelings. It was emotional to be up there. I was thankful for the few minutes I had to be up there and try to say atleast something that would help all the other missionaries that I was looking out to from the pulpit!
There were a few baptisms this past weekend! Two boys named Marcelo and Patricio were baptized. Their family has been less active for a few years and we worked hard to get them going to church again. They were baptized on Saturday and confirmed on Sunday. After church on Sunday, another person named Francisco was baptized! I had the privledge of baptizing him. He is 11 and he is a pioneer for his family. His older brothers and sisters came to see the baptism and they loved it! The 15 year old sister was crying a whole lot after the service and she really wants to be baptized at the beginning of next month. The older brother that is 19 liked it a lot and said he wants to come to church next Sunday! He also has another older sister that wants to share with us and wants to go to church now! Thanks to the strong Spirit that was felt and Francisco´s example, that whole family could end up in the Gospel.
I love yall!
Elder Gregory
There were a few baptisms this past weekend! Two boys named Marcelo and Patricio were baptized. Their family has been less active for a few years and we worked hard to get them going to church again. They were baptized on Saturday and confirmed on Sunday. After church on Sunday, another person named Francisco was baptized! I had the privledge of baptizing him. He is 11 and he is a pioneer for his family. His older brothers and sisters came to see the baptism and they loved it! The 15 year old sister was crying a whole lot after the service and she really wants to be baptized at the beginning of next month. The older brother that is 19 liked it a lot and said he wants to come to church next Sunday! He also has another older sister that wants to share with us and wants to go to church now! Thanks to the strong Spirit that was felt and Francisco´s example, that whole family could end up in the Gospel.
I love yall!
Elder Gregory
Hey Family! (3.12.12)
Yesterday a few investigators came to church! One of them should be baptized this weekend and the other came for the first time. The one that came for the first time was named Diego. He is thriteen and loves heavy metal music. We found him by contacting earlier in the week and we didnt have time to teach him but we just went in and talked to him about music and invited him to a young men´s activity. He knows a member his age from the ward so we went over with the member to visit him on Saturday. This past weekend my companion and I were sick so we were lacking energy and strength so the lesson honestly wasnt the best. But, Diego agreed to go to church, and he ended up going! He told his member friend that he loved church and he loved being with us and learning more about the Gospel! It really surprised my companion and I since we were so low on energy that day but that was definentely a miracle for not staying in the house and for just working!
My way of thinking for these last few weeks of the mission is that I cant waste time and we have to find those that will really act after hearing the message of the Restoration. So, we havent had that big of an investigator pool because we dont spend time on those that arent going to progress. We have been working a lot with references and we recieved one reference from the bishopric for a less active family. They didnt say how many people were in the family, just that the parents are less active and they told us to not be surprised if we see them doing bad stuff (as far as gambling because there are slots on every corner) or breaking the word of wisdom. So, we were prepared for whatever when we went to the house. We met the mom and she let us right in! She sat us down and brought in her two little 9 and 8 year old girls who were so cute! ( I never say that!) The mom told us she needed us to teach her kids because they are going to reactivate and they need their kids to get baptized! The house was the opposite of all that we were expecting and it was really peaceful and calm there. It was a miracle and now we are passing by almost every day! They should be getting baptized at the beginning of next month.
I love yall!
Elder Gregory
My way of thinking for these last few weeks of the mission is that I cant waste time and we have to find those that will really act after hearing the message of the Restoration. So, we havent had that big of an investigator pool because we dont spend time on those that arent going to progress. We have been working a lot with references and we recieved one reference from the bishopric for a less active family. They didnt say how many people were in the family, just that the parents are less active and they told us to not be surprised if we see them doing bad stuff (as far as gambling because there are slots on every corner) or breaking the word of wisdom. So, we were prepared for whatever when we went to the house. We met the mom and she let us right in! She sat us down and brought in her two little 9 and 8 year old girls who were so cute! ( I never say that!) The mom told us she needed us to teach her kids because they are going to reactivate and they need their kids to get baptized! The house was the opposite of all that we were expecting and it was really peaceful and calm there. It was a miracle and now we are passing by almost every day! They should be getting baptized at the beginning of next month.
I love yall!
Elder Gregory
Hey Fam! (3.5.12)
So, this will probably be a quick one but I have amazing news. All of the people that have been baptized while I have been here in Independencia, were at church yesterday! I was filled with soooo much joy to see that. We are also teaching an 11 year old kid that is awesome! He has already read to 2 Nephi 17 and to improve his handwriting, he wrote the whole first chapter of the Book of Mormon! He went to church yesterday and is really excited to get baptized. His name is Francisco and he is the son of another investigator that unfortunately cant get baptized yet because she needs to get married before she can. We are also working on some reactivating. One is a matrimony that has been sealed in the temple and have four children. They will be a little difficult but we are working on it because the two youngest kids need to get baptized and hopefully the father can baptize them. Also, the old Elders qourum President went inactive so we are helping him go back to church.
I dont know if I have said this at anytime, but the Bishop here in my ward is amazing! His name is Bishop Briones and he had been a counciler before in the stake presidency as well as a bishop in another ward. He gets things done! He always is animated but down to business in church. A lot of thanks to what he has done, the ward that I am in is the strongest in the stake and has had some of the most baptisms from any ward in the stake as well in the past few months. He loves the mission work. He interviews our investigators and everything to help them but I think the best thing that he has done for us is keep all the converts really active and they each have assignemnts that they can handle.
I love yall!
Elder Gregory
I dont know if I have said this at anytime, but the Bishop here in my ward is amazing! His name is Bishop Briones and he had been a counciler before in the stake presidency as well as a bishop in another ward. He gets things done! He always is animated but down to business in church. A lot of thanks to what he has done, the ward that I am in is the strongest in the stake and has had some of the most baptisms from any ward in the stake as well in the past few months. He loves the mission work. He interviews our investigators and everything to help them but I think the best thing that he has done for us is keep all the converts really active and they each have assignemnts that they can handle.
I love yall!
Elder Gregory
Hey! (2.27.12)
Pia got baptized yesterday! My companion baptized her! Pia´s mom,
Graciela, even made invitations for the baptism that were awesome. It
was a really good service. We asked two of Pia´s friends from the
Primary to say the opening and closing prayer and two 8 year old girls
said the prayers. The little girls invited the Spirit so strongly!
Pia´s sister came as well so they were able to be there supporting her
as a family!
Last week on my birthday, we had interviews! President Humphrey took
the leaders out to eat after because we had another meeting and it was
the best birthday lunch that I could have had! We did splits with the
asistants after and then when I got home at night, the other two
Elders in the house, Elder Chilcote and Elder Dastrup, were waiting
there for me with a pie! They sang happy birthday and it was awesome!
I really appreciated it.
I sent some pictures from last week´s baptisms as well as this week´s.
There are also a few pictures of the pie they had for me on my
birthday! We are working with a few other investigators that should be
baptized within the next few weeks. Hopefully we can find some more!
I love yall!
Elder Gregory
Graciela, even made invitations for the baptism that were awesome. It
was a really good service. We asked two of Pia´s friends from the
Primary to say the opening and closing prayer and two 8 year old girls
said the prayers. The little girls invited the Spirit so strongly!
Pia´s sister came as well so they were able to be there supporting her
as a family!
Last week on my birthday, we had interviews! President Humphrey took
the leaders out to eat after because we had another meeting and it was
the best birthday lunch that I could have had! We did splits with the
asistants after and then when I got home at night, the other two
Elders in the house, Elder Chilcote and Elder Dastrup, were waiting
there for me with a pie! They sang happy birthday and it was awesome!
I really appreciated it.
I sent some pictures from last week´s baptisms as well as this week´s.
There are also a few pictures of the pie they had for me on my
birthday! We are working with a few other investigators that should be
baptized within the next few weeks. Hopefully we can find some more!
I love yall!
Elder Gregory
Hey! (2.20.12)
Thanks for all the birthday wishes!
This past weekend we had two baptisms! I had the privledge of baptizing them! Felipe, the thirteen year old son of a less active, got baptized and it was awesome. It was a Saturday baptism but there was still tons of support from the members. He already has tons of friends from the Aaronic Priesthood. The other person baptized was a 16 year old girl. A little 9 year old girl came to the baptism as well that isnt baptized. She came with her Mom who has been a less active for 10 years! The little girl, Pia, is really excited about getting baptized next Sunday! We had a few others at church on Sunday as well so hopefully we have some baptisms for the next few weeks.
Well, yesterday I twisted my ankle, again! I was walking down stairs that were really skinny and I slipped off and landed really awkwardly. It was so painful that I went light headed and just laid down on the ground. Its a miracle because it hurt a lot worse than last time 2 months ago on the same ankle, but it isnt nearly as swolen. I can walk fine with a brace as well! I think Satan has been trying hard in this sector because good things are happening. The other option is, I am just being really clumsy! Whichever it is, Im just really grateful that the both times that I have sprained my ankles, I have been able walk fine (just a little slower) and keep working!
This next week we have interviews with President and that same day we will do divisions with the assistants! I love yall!
Elder Gregory
(next week I will have pics of the baptisms!)
This past weekend we had two baptisms! I had the privledge of baptizing them! Felipe, the thirteen year old son of a less active, got baptized and it was awesome. It was a Saturday baptism but there was still tons of support from the members. He already has tons of friends from the Aaronic Priesthood. The other person baptized was a 16 year old girl. A little 9 year old girl came to the baptism as well that isnt baptized. She came with her Mom who has been a less active for 10 years! The little girl, Pia, is really excited about getting baptized next Sunday! We had a few others at church on Sunday as well so hopefully we have some baptisms for the next few weeks.
Well, yesterday I twisted my ankle, again! I was walking down stairs that were really skinny and I slipped off and landed really awkwardly. It was so painful that I went light headed and just laid down on the ground. Its a miracle because it hurt a lot worse than last time 2 months ago on the same ankle, but it isnt nearly as swolen. I can walk fine with a brace as well! I think Satan has been trying hard in this sector because good things are happening. The other option is, I am just being really clumsy! Whichever it is, Im just really grateful that the both times that I have sprained my ankles, I have been able walk fine (just a little slower) and keep working!
This next week we have interviews with President and that same day we will do divisions with the assistants! I love yall!
Elder Gregory
(next week I will have pics of the baptisms!)
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