Hey family! This past week we did a bunch of contacting. We got in a lot of doors but unfortunatley none of them really want to progress. There are a lot of people that like hearing the message but when we invite them to keeping committments, thats where it ends. But, we were able to testify and teach of Christ and his Gospel so we feel amazing anytime that we are able to do that.
Constanza was confirmed yesterday and her mom came to the confirmation. Also, Soledad came back early from the country where her parents live, with Felipe, to be able to go to church! Felipe passed the sacrament for the first time and did a great job.
The sister, Hermana Yenny, who does our laundry has two grandsons that are 5 and 7 and they love to be apart of helping in the church. So, yesterday it was my turn to stand by the door as the sacrament was passed and both of them came by the door and stood there next to me to help me guard the door! They are awesome helpers.
My companion, Elder Jack, is a really good missionary. He speaks spanish really well because he studied all through high school so I ask him questions every once in awhile. He has 10 months in the mission and he is really willing to learn and is really suppportive. He is from Colorado and he comes from a really solid LDS family.
Thats about it for the week! I love what Im doing and I was talking with my companion that right now in the mission field we are trying to find those people that we promised in the life before to find! That brings in a whole different perspective and gets me excited! Love yall!
Elder Gregory
(Im glad Grammy passed away peacefully. Thanks for letting me know.)
May 16 2011
Well, my companion, Elder Horton, left last night! He is headed home tomorrow and is at the mission home right now with all the others who are finishing the mission. He was an amazing companion! This week was just a week full of hard work, Elder Horton talking about his family and him saying goodbyes! He served a really good, honorable mission so he deserves an amazing welcome back to his home.
Yesterday was the baptism of Constanza (the investigator that has been investigating for almost two years!) Elder Villanueva, a missionary that I knew from my first area and the first missionary that taught Constanza, came to baptize her! They were both really happy! Felipe also got confirmed and got the Aaronic Priesthood.
My new companion is named Elder Jack. I dont know too much about him but Ive heard that he is a good missionary from President Humphrey. He will be coming tomorrow so right now I am with Elder Villanueva since his companion left too.
There is not too much to report on this week. But, something that I can share is my testimony! Recently, I have been hearing tons of people talking bad of Joseph Smith. Today we were talking to some teenagers in the plaza that started conversation with us while we were waiting for some other missionaries. An Evangalist lady comes and she says that there is one Jesus Christ and thats it, there is no need for a Joseph Smith. She told all the teenagers that what we were teaching was false and that the girls with them there were just listening to us because we were ¨pretty gringos.¨ Last night, a drunk passed us in the street and yelled at us ¨Hey! Joseph Smith! Hahaha!¨ (Ive heard Satan´s voice a little two many times out of the mouths of drunks in the street here in the mission.) Anyway, each time somebody tries to bash on Joseph Smith, my testimony grows that he was a prophet and servent of God. Salvation only comes through Christ and that is all that Joseph Smith taught. He died as a martyr for the restored gospel and that is the strongest testimony that one can give of something they know to be true!
Elder Gregory
Yesterday was the baptism of Constanza (the investigator that has been investigating for almost two years!) Elder Villanueva, a missionary that I knew from my first area and the first missionary that taught Constanza, came to baptize her! They were both really happy! Felipe also got confirmed and got the Aaronic Priesthood.
My new companion is named Elder Jack. I dont know too much about him but Ive heard that he is a good missionary from President Humphrey. He will be coming tomorrow so right now I am with Elder Villanueva since his companion left too.
There is not too much to report on this week. But, something that I can share is my testimony! Recently, I have been hearing tons of people talking bad of Joseph Smith. Today we were talking to some teenagers in the plaza that started conversation with us while we were waiting for some other missionaries. An Evangalist lady comes and she says that there is one Jesus Christ and thats it, there is no need for a Joseph Smith. She told all the teenagers that what we were teaching was false and that the girls with them there were just listening to us because we were ¨pretty gringos.¨ Last night, a drunk passed us in the street and yelled at us ¨Hey! Joseph Smith! Hahaha!¨ (Ive heard Satan´s voice a little two many times out of the mouths of drunks in the street here in the mission.) Anyway, each time somebody tries to bash on Joseph Smith, my testimony grows that he was a prophet and servent of God. Salvation only comes through Christ and that is all that Joseph Smith taught. He died as a martyr for the restored gospel and that is the strongest testimony that one can give of something they know to be true!
Elder Gregory
May 9 2011
It was awesome to talk to yall yesterday. It was all about hearing yalls voices and Im glad I was able too. Tell Gracie that her knock knock joke was hilarious!
Yesterday we had a baptism. His name is Felipe and he is a really good kid. His mom, Soledad, is investigating too and might get baptized pretty soon. We went to drop off our clothes this morning at a Sister´s house that does our laundry and she lives right in front of them. She told us that missionaries had worked with Soledad and Felipe a few years before but Soledad´s sister had lived there and didnt like the church of Jesus Christ at all. She had yelled at the missionaries and told them that we worshiped the devil and a few other things that arent worth mentioning. The missionaries went back to the member´s house with eyes red and they couldnt do anything to help Soledad and Felipe with the sister of Soledad living there. So, they couldnt baptized them then but the sister had moved away awhile ago. So, we taught them the first time 4 weeks ago and now Felipe is baptized.
Another investigator, named Abel, went to church too. He stayed for all three hours of church and also the baptismal service after the meetings. He is a really humble person and is really looking for the truth. He said the prayer in second hour in Gospel Principles and it was a really sincere prayer. One thing that he said was, ¨Well, Father, I thought I knew something about the gospel but after being here in this church, I apperently dont really know anything.¨ It was pretty funny but more than anything it showed his humility and sincerity! Its comforting that all the Lord requires for someone to be baptized is a basic knowledge of the Gospel and more than anything, that the person has repented and is humble.
Next week my companion finishes his mission and Ill be getting a new companion. Ill let yall know next week who it is. It would be awesome if it was a latin so I can practice my Spanish but a gringo would be awesome too. Love yall!
Elder Gregory
Yesterday we had a baptism. His name is Felipe and he is a really good kid. His mom, Soledad, is investigating too and might get baptized pretty soon. We went to drop off our clothes this morning at a Sister´s house that does our laundry and she lives right in front of them. She told us that missionaries had worked with Soledad and Felipe a few years before but Soledad´s sister had lived there and didnt like the church of Jesus Christ at all. She had yelled at the missionaries and told them that we worshiped the devil and a few other things that arent worth mentioning. The missionaries went back to the member´s house with eyes red and they couldnt do anything to help Soledad and Felipe with the sister of Soledad living there. So, they couldnt baptized them then but the sister had moved away awhile ago. So, we taught them the first time 4 weeks ago and now Felipe is baptized.
Another investigator, named Abel, went to church too. He stayed for all three hours of church and also the baptismal service after the meetings. He is a really humble person and is really looking for the truth. He said the prayer in second hour in Gospel Principles and it was a really sincere prayer. One thing that he said was, ¨Well, Father, I thought I knew something about the gospel but after being here in this church, I apperently dont really know anything.¨ It was pretty funny but more than anything it showed his humility and sincerity! Its comforting that all the Lord requires for someone to be baptized is a basic knowledge of the Gospel and more than anything, that the person has repented and is humble.
Next week my companion finishes his mission and Ill be getting a new companion. Ill let yall know next week who it is. It would be awesome if it was a latin so I can practice my Spanish but a gringo would be awesome too. Love yall!
Elder Gregory
2nd of May
This week flew! The more things going on, the quicker time goes, right? Well, we had tons of things to do this past week. Lots of investigators to get to church, lots of people to find, a lot of people to talk to.
We have been really blessed this past week. Ill start off by saying that we have not seen much success the past two months. We have been working hard but a lot of investigators have just not kept up with their commitments and its been hard. But, all of the sudden, the Lord has thrown a lot of blessings at us! We had the most people in church this past Sunday than I have seen in my whole mission. Or, atleast investigators that are truly investigating the church with the desire to know if its the true church.
I think I wrote a few weeks back about Constanza, the eternal investigator that is waiting for permission from her father to get baptized. We went into her house to talk to them last Saturday night. We spoke with her, her father, and her mother for a few minutes and we are usually not able to share with them when her father is there. But, after a few minutes, her dad asked her mother to turn off the television so that we could share something with them! We were shocked and Constanza´s mom did it quick and said, ¨Yeah! Lets take advantage of this oppurtunity quick before he changes his mind!¨ (She is really supportive.) So, Elder Horton and I looked at each other and we decided to go to 2 Nephi 31 in the Book of Mormon after the prayer. We read a few verses and talked to them about baptism. In the end, Constanza´s father ended up giving her 100% permission to get baptized and we set a date and everything. She will be getting baptized in two weeks and she has been investigating the church for almost two years!
We should have another really smart, young investigator get baptized next Sunday. He participates the most out of all the deacons in class and was really prepared to hear the gospel. His Mom went for the first time to church yesterday and she is a great investigator too.
We are working with two other families and they are really good as well. We had a family home evening with one last night and the father´s name is Abel. We invited him to baptism last week and he accepted. After him, we asked his son and his wife. His son accepted and his mom laughed and said she was already baptized in the church when she was fourteen. That happens so much! There are so many less actives here in Chile! But, its good because now she is remembering things and she is really supportive.
I could go on but thats good for this week, I think. I love yall!
Elder Gregory
P.S.- The church is true!
We have been really blessed this past week. Ill start off by saying that we have not seen much success the past two months. We have been working hard but a lot of investigators have just not kept up with their commitments and its been hard. But, all of the sudden, the Lord has thrown a lot of blessings at us! We had the most people in church this past Sunday than I have seen in my whole mission. Or, atleast investigators that are truly investigating the church with the desire to know if its the true church.
I think I wrote a few weeks back about Constanza, the eternal investigator that is waiting for permission from her father to get baptized. We went into her house to talk to them last Saturday night. We spoke with her, her father, and her mother for a few minutes and we are usually not able to share with them when her father is there. But, after a few minutes, her dad asked her mother to turn off the television so that we could share something with them! We were shocked and Constanza´s mom did it quick and said, ¨Yeah! Lets take advantage of this oppurtunity quick before he changes his mind!¨ (She is really supportive.) So, Elder Horton and I looked at each other and we decided to go to 2 Nephi 31 in the Book of Mormon after the prayer. We read a few verses and talked to them about baptism. In the end, Constanza´s father ended up giving her 100% permission to get baptized and we set a date and everything. She will be getting baptized in two weeks and she has been investigating the church for almost two years!
We should have another really smart, young investigator get baptized next Sunday. He participates the most out of all the deacons in class and was really prepared to hear the gospel. His Mom went for the first time to church yesterday and she is a great investigator too.
We are working with two other families and they are really good as well. We had a family home evening with one last night and the father´s name is Abel. We invited him to baptism last week and he accepted. After him, we asked his son and his wife. His son accepted and his mom laughed and said she was already baptized in the church when she was fourteen. That happens so much! There are so many less actives here in Chile! But, its good because now she is remembering things and she is really supportive.
I could go on but thats good for this week, I think. I love yall!
Elder Gregory
P.S.- The church is true!
Week update (4.25.11)
We started the week off with a bunch of contacts. We are always contacting, but we did a bunch! One day, we had a few ¨inspired¨ contacts. We just left the house and were walking along a street that is probably the busiest of our sector. An old man was sitting down, just watching the cars go by. We said hi to him and he said hi back. I walked a few steps and I said, ¨Ok, we are going back.¨ We went back, presented ourselves, did some small talk, and taught the Restoration of the Gospel! It went well and he was really receptive. Another was that we were contacting a ¨future¨ investigator (someone that we had talked to outside and said to come back later.) We were walking there and I saw a teenager sitting on a swing on a swingset. I told my companion, if we didnt get in the door, we were going to talk to him! We didnt get in the door, so I had to stick to my word! I went over and to start conversation, I asked him if he knew a person named Fabian over there close. He said he didnt obviously, because I made it up, but then we started to talk to him. We did the same with the old man and ended up teaching the Restoration and a little bit of the Plan of Salvation. In the end, he showed us his hands and cut marks. He had cut himself because he was low on self-confidence. He really didnt know what his purpose was on earth so we set another time to meet him to be able to teach him the plan that God has planned for all his children. We werent able to meet with him again last week but hopefully we can catch him the next week!
We have a few other investigators that we are working with that look like they have been prepared by the Lord to recieve the message. We had to drop an investigator because he wants to do scouts on Sundays with a certain church that believes that Saturday is the day of rest. We had another investigator that was doing scouts as well but he says he wants to go to our church rather than doing that. So, we lost one but we gained one!
My companion has 3 weeks left of his mission! We are working hard though!
Love yall
Elder Gregory
We have a few other investigators that we are working with that look like they have been prepared by the Lord to recieve the message. We had to drop an investigator because he wants to do scouts on Sundays with a certain church that believes that Saturday is the day of rest. We had another investigator that was doing scouts as well but he says he wants to go to our church rather than doing that. So, we lost one but we gained one!
My companion has 3 weeks left of his mission! We are working hard though!
Love yall
Elder Gregory
One year mark
Its pretty hard to believe that this week Ill hit the one year mark. I keep thinking of how quick the year went and I think, ¨hey, I can do this again! I feel great!¨
We walked with an investigator to church named Mauricio. We had contacted him in the market one weekend and we got his address and he was able to go to church with us yesterday. The mission is really pushing us to find a family in our sector to start teaching a complete family. So, we were contacting and doing all sorts of things to find that family this past week. On Sunday, the last day of the week for a missionary, we got in a door and taught a family! They seemed really interested and the father had a lot of good questions. We taught of the Restoration of the Gospel and when we spoke about the Book of Mormon, the Spirit was especially strong. So, hopefully that is the family that the Lord wanted us to find!
Another missionary from the ward left this past week. He went to Antofagosta, Chile. So that means there are 5 or 6 now out in the field from this ward and another headed out next month to California. Its always so awesome to see missionaries leave for the field because they are so ready to go!
Elder Horton and I are switching up our contacts and some things so that we can find some people to teach. We are going to have another mini conference with the President this next week so we will probably get a lot more council on how to do things.
Elder Gregory
We walked with an investigator to church named Mauricio. We had contacted him in the market one weekend and we got his address and he was able to go to church with us yesterday. The mission is really pushing us to find a family in our sector to start teaching a complete family. So, we were contacting and doing all sorts of things to find that family this past week. On Sunday, the last day of the week for a missionary, we got in a door and taught a family! They seemed really interested and the father had a lot of good questions. We taught of the Restoration of the Gospel and when we spoke about the Book of Mormon, the Spirit was especially strong. So, hopefully that is the family that the Lord wanted us to find!
Another missionary from the ward left this past week. He went to Antofagosta, Chile. So that means there are 5 or 6 now out in the field from this ward and another headed out next month to California. Its always so awesome to see missionaries leave for the field because they are so ready to go!
Elder Horton and I are switching up our contacts and some things so that we can find some people to teach. We are going to have another mini conference with the President this next week so we will probably get a lot more council on how to do things.
Elder Gregory
April 4 2011
This past weekend was amazing. The general conference talks were great. I feel like they spoke on marriage a lot so our whole zone was looking at my companion and teasing him, since he will be home in six weeks! The mission had transfers but our sector didnt. Ill be here with Elder Horton in Los Volcanes for a little while longer. Ill be able to ¨kill¨ a missionary. (In other words, Ill be the last companion of my companion.)
We are working hard and we have been finding some new people. The boy that we started to play soccer with last week went to the stake center to see general conference with us on Sunday Morning. His mom didnt go but is willing to go the next week at our local chapel. We hope to have a few more investigators in church this next week and get the new transfer going good.
The General Conference talks were amazing and I liked a few of them a lot. One really hit me on why we have to suffer. Elder Bednar (an apostle) gave an amazing example in his talk on personal revelation. He compared it to a light switch, lighting up a pitch black room, or its like a sunrise that is really gradual. I think we all look too much for those ¨light switch¨ revelations but that we all need to appreciate the gradual sunrise ones. That was related to another talk that was amazing by President Uchtdorf. He said that many investigators, and members, look for something big to happen to have an assurance of the truth of the Gospel. We have to be able to have faith and acknowledge the small whisperings of the Spirit. Those were a few that I really liked! (I dont have my notes with me or Id write more specifically.)
I love yall!
Elder Gregory
28th of March
Well, last week I was thinking that I would be writing about a couple of baptisms for this week. But, the matrimony didnt get baptized. It was a rough week overall in the work but we were able to find some people at the end of the week and so we are finding more people to teach.
The wife of the matrimony, Elizabeth, was ready to go last week. She had her interview and everything and was 100% ready but her husband still needed a testimony of the restoration of the gospel. We taught that all week to him and even watched a movie of the life of Joseph Smith, but all sorts of doubts came to their minds. We went over on Friday and they told us they werent getting baptized and maybe they would sometime in the future. Victor couldnt believe it when we told him that the Pope has absolutley no priesthood authority and that his baptism was invalid. Elizabeth also went back to her old ways saying that her baptism was valid and we told her that it wasnt. All sorts of things came out of their mouths just trying to prove us wrong. In the end, all we could do was share a few scriptures and testify. The Spirit gave me a tranquility after that I had done all I could and my companion as well so I was feeling ok on my part but I still felt horrible for the decision that they had made. The next morning I studied the scriptures with that on my mind. I read in 2 Nephi 9:44 of Nephi preaching after testifying of Christ and his gospel. A part says, ¨...Behold, I take off my garments, and I shake them before you... wherefore, ye shall know at the last day, when all men shall be judged of ther works, that the God of Israel did witness that I shook your iniquities from my soul...¨ Thats just a chunk of the scripture but its really powerful. That gave me a lot of closure.
We have contacted a lot lately and at one point we saw a kid, 13 years old, playing soccer outside. We played with him for a few minutes and a lot of other kids on the street came. We gave him a pamphlet and got his address. We went back the next day and he was in his house really excited to let us in. We ended up sharing a message with him and his mom. They seem really good. Also, we found a lady that had been wanting to go back to church but was inactive. Her husband isnt a member so we went back and shared with him. The Lord is blessing us with new people now!
Ive been reading in Doctine and Covenants and there was one scripture that really hit me. The Spirit moved across me as a wave when I read it because it had been the morning after the lesson with Elizabeth and Victor. Ill end up this email with that scripture.
Here the Lord is speaking to the early Elders of the church. Doctrine and Covenants 68:6- ¨Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come.¨
Love yall!
Elder Gregory
(A few pictures from the past few weeks)
Como estai- 3/21/11
As always, the week flew by and here I am again writing a weekly update! Elder Horton and I are getting along really well and we are working hard. We have been working a lot with a matrimony, Victor and Elizabeth, and they are planning on getting baptized this Saturday. We are really happy about that.
We had our interviews with the President this past week and we did some practices in front of the asistants to the President. Something that one of my zone leaders said is that it is scary to him when he isnt changing. He means that in the sense that we always need to be improving, so through the practices we were able to see a lot of things that we can improve on.
That program that I explained a few weeks ago is going well with the families in the ward. I dont know if we will be getting a lot of references through it but atleast its strengthening the ward and motivating the members to look for less actives and help them come back!
One thing that we have taught a lot this past week is about obedience. We have taught the word of wisdom, a commandment that teaches not to consume 5 things- tea, coffee, tobacco, illegal drugs, and alcohol. Sometimes people want all the reasons in the world to justify this commandment and we give them health reasons sometimes, but all we really have to say is that it is a commandment and chao. The Lord knows better and thats what he says so thats all we need to know! Obedience is something extremely important and Im really gaining a stronger testimony of it through teaching it here in the mission field!
Love yall!
Elder Gregory
We had our interviews with the President this past week and we did some practices in front of the asistants to the President. Something that one of my zone leaders said is that it is scary to him when he isnt changing. He means that in the sense that we always need to be improving, so through the practices we were able to see a lot of things that we can improve on.
That program that I explained a few weeks ago is going well with the families in the ward. I dont know if we will be getting a lot of references through it but atleast its strengthening the ward and motivating the members to look for less actives and help them come back!
One thing that we have taught a lot this past week is about obedience. We have taught the word of wisdom, a commandment that teaches not to consume 5 things- tea, coffee, tobacco, illegal drugs, and alcohol. Sometimes people want all the reasons in the world to justify this commandment and we give them health reasons sometimes, but all we really have to say is that it is a commandment and chao. The Lord knows better and thats what he says so thats all we need to know! Obedience is something extremely important and Im really gaining a stronger testimony of it through teaching it here in the mission field!
Love yall!
Elder Gregory
March 7, 2011
It was a good week- as always! Elder Horton and I are getting along really well and hes doing a good job trying to fight of the thoughts of home! We always work hard but the thing is to find how to work more effectively. I talked about the program last week and that is really going well. About fifteen families are all doing their reading and goals so we have that going but we are trying to figure out other ways to find. Its really fun to try new ideas!
We had conference with the mission president last week and it went well. I learned more but what they tell us in conference really isnt anything new. For me, they are really all about animating me to want to work harder and give me a boost of energy to last to next conference. Elder Horton gave his final testimony since that was his last conference and he testified of obedience, which ended up being a main theme for the rest of conference. We are really working a lot harder to be more obedient.
The investigators are doing good. Luis´s sister, Natacha, is slipping away a little bit but we are working with the young women and the young women presidency to animate her again. She didnt go to church last Sunday or the activity because she is a little down. Her mom told her no when she asked if she could get baptized and plus, school is starting. I still feel like there is a lot of hope though. Victor and Elizabeth, the matrimony, are doing all right. Its really complicated with them and it goes a lot deeper than just getting an answer to know if they church is true to be baptized. (Elizabeth already knows its the true church!) They have a lot of confidence in us and tell us their problems so we know what is going on, but we had to bring the Bishop in to help council them. He is helping a lot and I am really grateful.
I never thought I would be dealing with problems that I have seen in the mission as a 19-20 year old. But, it just shows how much the Lord trusts in his representatives who carry his name on a plaque over their heart everyday for two years. Im loving the mission and I have never felt so sensitive to the Spirit in all my life!
Love yall!
Elder Gregory
We had conference with the mission president last week and it went well. I learned more but what they tell us in conference really isnt anything new. For me, they are really all about animating me to want to work harder and give me a boost of energy to last to next conference. Elder Horton gave his final testimony since that was his last conference and he testified of obedience, which ended up being a main theme for the rest of conference. We are really working a lot harder to be more obedient.
The investigators are doing good. Luis´s sister, Natacha, is slipping away a little bit but we are working with the young women and the young women presidency to animate her again. She didnt go to church last Sunday or the activity because she is a little down. Her mom told her no when she asked if she could get baptized and plus, school is starting. I still feel like there is a lot of hope though. Victor and Elizabeth, the matrimony, are doing all right. Its really complicated with them and it goes a lot deeper than just getting an answer to know if they church is true to be baptized. (Elizabeth already knows its the true church!) They have a lot of confidence in us and tell us their problems so we know what is going on, but we had to bring the Bishop in to help council them. He is helping a lot and I am really grateful.
I never thought I would be dealing with problems that I have seen in the mission as a 19-20 year old. But, it just shows how much the Lord trusts in his representatives who carry his name on a plaque over their heart everyday for two years. Im loving the mission and I have never felt so sensitive to the Spirit in all my life!
Love yall!
Elder Gregory
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