Guillermo (4/24/2013)

Dear Everyone,

This past week was pretty good!   We met with one of our investigators named Guillermo.  I think I have already talked about him before, but he is what we call an "Eternagator".  :)  Meaning, he has been taught by multiple sets of missionaries, but hasn't really gotten anywhere.  Well, we finally got somewhere!  It was awesome.  When we first started meeting with him, all we would do is give him a reading assignment and visit with him for a while.  Then we would come back a few days later and answer the questions he had about it.  That was probably a bad move on our part because he had no idea where he was at in his conversion process.   We have also been trying to get him to pray for weeks and he won't.  So last Monday, we had an appointment with him . We decided we weren't getting anywhere with how we were teaching him, so we decided to start over and start with the restoration.  It was going really well, but then he stops us and says, "Guys, I already know this stuff.  I want to know more about the Plan of Salvation.  I have questions about that."

We were really glad that he understood and accepted the restoration and that he wanted to know more about the Plan of Salvation.  So we started teaching.  Every now and then he would say, "Oh yeah, I know that".  So I asked him, "Guillermo, you've said throughout the lesson that you know some of the key doctrine that we've been teaching you.  What I want to know is, do you believe it?"

He got a big smile on his face and said, "I am very close to believing.  I understand what you have taught and it is all so beautiful.  I just need to think things out and then I will believe."  That is more progress than we had seen from him yet.  We were super excited to hear that from an Eternagator.

Then, we were talking about faith and he told us a story about talking to a missionary one time.  While the missionary was sharing his message, all of a sudden, he felt peace, comfort, love and a warmth in his chest.   He told us that he knew it was faith that made him feel that way.  I felt the spirit so strongly after he told that story!  We then too the opportunity to explain that it wasn't faith, but the Holy Ghost that was testifying to him that what the Elder was saying was true.  Man!  That lesson was so powerful.  I know for 100% that he felt the spirit because he told us that he felt like that while were were talking also.  It was amazing!  Then, to top it all off, we got him to commit to pray.  He didn't want to before because he feels like praying is a very personal and intimate thing.  Since he didn't know us very well, he wasn't very keen on doing it.  But, he said he will pray at our next meeting.  Very cool.

Sorry I can't write anymore, but I need to go.  I love you all so much.  I can't wait for Mother's Day when we get to talk.

Love,

Elder Gold

Cindy...See anything familiar?

We like to decorate our Weekly Planners

District Meeting!

What?!?  Where's my hair?  I think this is the shortest haircut I have ever had.  

Great P-Day Activities (4/17/2013)

Hey Everyone!! 

I'm sorry that I didn't write earlier today!!! We had an awesome day though. Our day started off by going to "death temple" (which is when we, as a mission, go to the temple for all the elders and sisters that are going home next transfer). That was an awesome experience! I love the DC temple! 

On our way to the temple we had a member (an RM that got back last October) named Theo Sabino, text us to see what we were doing for the day. I told him we were just going to the temple and that we didn't have any plans after. So he asked us if we wanted to hang out afterwards.  We said, "Sure!".  We ended up having the best day ever (hence the reason why i didn't email earlier)!!! 

So first we went back to our apartment and changed and then went to Chipotle, which is like a Cafe Rio, and got some food. Theo is a hilarious guy!  We had a lot of laughs. Then after lunch we went to the driving range!!  And no I don't mean so I could practice driving in the crazy streets of DC. Theo's family belongs to a golf club that was like 20 min away from us! It was waaaay fun! we got there and needed to buy some balls, so we went up to the guy and he asked us, "Isn't today transfer day for you guys?" We were like "Whaaaat?  How does he know about transfers?"  We told him no, that it was our p-day. So then we asked how much it was for 150 balls and he said "You know what? These ones are on us. I've been in your spot before and I know how tight money can be."  He gave us a bucket and a half of free golf balls!!! It was super cool!!! So, for the next 45 min we just swung our little hearts out.  Haha!

Next, Theo asked if we had seen Arlington yet and we told him no, So he drove us to Virginia (just across the bridge) and we drove past the cemetery and the Iwo Jima monument.  We stopped for a little bit so Theo could call his dad to see if they could feed us. His dad said yes, and we were going to go to some Mediterranean place but we could't find any parking whatsoever, so we went to the Cheesecake Factory instead!  That's the second time I have been there in like two weeks!! Everyone here is so kind to us.

This past Sunday we had a mission fast to help us find new investigators and to get more baptisms. Sadly, it seems like everyone has gotten miracles but us!  In fact the exact same day that we ended our fast, we got chewed out by a "so called" Atheist. I say "so called" because she said she was an Atheist but she had a red Hindu dot on her forehead and then a rosary tattooed on her ankle!  

We have been kind of struggling with our area. But tonight we talked to a young boy named Collin (15 yrs old) on the street and gave him a Book of Mormon to read.  We told him that if he was interested in learning more to ask his parents if it was OK and to give us a call. Hopefully we will hear something soon!! Something good I hope.

Well I'm going to have to send a letter to answer the rest of the questions because I have very little time tonight. but I love you all and I hope your all doing well!

Love,

Elder Gold               

Cherry Blossoms in the Spring... (4/10/2013)

Hello from sunny D.C.!!! 

Today has been REALLY sunny and close to 90 degrees!!

I'm sorry Mom, that you had to drive my car.  I know it's not the coolest, but way to be a trooper!!!  

Pictures will be sent with some of the blossoms. We went last week to see them but it was still too cold for them to come out. Now they are out this week but we aren't going to be able to go down to see them.  It is supposed to rain tomorrow so it will knock off all the pedals. It's a bummer! But luckily there are some trees by where we live that I could take pictures by. So I will be sending those to you :)

This week we tracked and we had a couple of dinners. We had dinner with a member family, the Aini's from the Marshal Islands.  They were such great people. I love them a lot! They are so spiritual and loving! We had spaghetti for dinner and for desert we had a really good guava cake!! But the lesson we had with them was fantastic!!  I was almost on the verge of tears a couple times! I really want to go back again. 

The Marine I told you about last time is not our investigator. I was on an exchange that day with the ZL's so I went with one of them and taught him. I also have done tracting,a lot actually. It is still really scary to go door to door and talk to people on the street, but i feel like i am getting used to it. 

That series on the Bible that was on the History channel that you wrote me about sounded really cool, even though you think it is violent and gory! ha!  I can see why you wouldn't like it. You should try to figure out a way to buy it or put it on the DVR for when i get home.

That's way exciting that you're getting another Spanish exchange student! I am glad Diego thought of us and is recommending his sister stay with the family.

Keaton emailed me and told me about the whole transfer thing and how the missionary's car rolled on their way to picking him up.  I am so glad he is safe.  It was really cool to read what was going on in Zimbabwe

I love and miss you all!!! and I cant wait to see you again!

Love Elder Gold

Cherry Blossoms in DC

Popcorn popping on the...what kind of tree is this?

Pictures of pretty blossoms for Mom.  

My Easter box from home!

Handwritten Letter on 4/3/2013

Dear Family,

I decided to write you a letter because I didn't have enough time to answer all the questions that were on the email.

I haven't gotten the Easter box yet.  I may get it on Monday.  That is the way it works for packages...well, let me back up so I can explain better.  All mail goes to the Mission Office.  From there, it is forwarded to our mail box, except for packages.  Those are kept at the mission office.  Then, the APs take the packages to the zone leaders, who then distribute them (most of the time) at any district meeting of zone anything.  So, our next zone conference is on Monday.  I may get it before then, but I doubt it.

Brandy (Golden Lab) ate all the of the decorated Easter Eggs?  Ha!  It's funny to hear she is still as sneaky as always.  I think that is the worst she has ever done though.  How is she doing?  I hope her arthritis isn't bothering her too much.

I am glad the ward is helping out after your surgery Mom.  Speaking of the ward, I got an email from Brother Monney the other day about a food donation thing.  Ha!  I don't know why he sent it to me.

So, for my count down thing, all of those ideas are great!  I just want something to countdown.  If you're thinking of quotes, maybe you can get them from everyone who wants to send some, like Cindy, Jamie, Christian and others.  Then, have them write their name on it so I can see who wrote it.  That would be really cool.

Study is going pretty good.  My teaching still needs improvement.  I still have a problem of "vomiting" the gospel.  I just need to slow down and think a little about what I have planned or prepared, not just jumping into it.

Our teaching pool consists of a man named Guillermo.  We have dinner with the members often and are trying to build up our pool through connections with them.  We have had a few referrals, but they didn't want anything to do with us, so we continue our search.

I am glad you are so detailed in your letters.  I like the way they are and no, they don't make me more homesick.  It helps me feel like I am still in the loop.  Like the fact that Caleb comes home this Friday!!  That's fantastic!  I really wish I that I could be there for his homecoming.

Mom, I am glad that you have your Missionary Mom FB group.  That sounds like a ton of fun.  You'll have to tell me how that goes.  I am really happy that you're filling your time with something so great instead of worrying about me so much.  It really helps to know that.

That is so cool that you got tickets to go to General Conference. I will keep my eye out for you guys.  I wish I knew the general area of where you will be sitting, but I will for sure keep an eye out.

Well, I hope everyone is doing awesome!  I love you all soooooo much!

Love,

Elder Gold

Prayers are answered... (4/3/2013)

Hello Family / Everyone!!!

The answer to your question is yes, my bike was here when I arrived, but it came un-assembled in a box so when I finally got to my apartment I had to put it together, which was a great companionship bonding activity.  Haha!

As for the local mall, I have been there a total of like three times, but I only went shopping once because the Target that is closest to us is in the mall, so we go there to shop. The other times we just go to the food court after some type of training like District training or Zone training meeting. 

We did however go to the other "mall" today! (I have some pictures I'll send) We tried to make it in time for the sunrise pictures, which is when the sun comes up and hits the Lincoln memorial at just the right spot.  After that we just played on the stairs with a soccer ball and a Frisbee.  In the end though the Frisbee was thrown off course.  It curved and landed in the reflecting pool. Ha! It was actually Elder Epperson's, but he said it didn't matter because it was a crappy one anyway. 

I went on my first exchange yesterday!! It was awesome! We did the exchange with the zone leaders. I went with Elder Watts and we dropped by an investigator's house.  We talked to him about life after death and the resurrection. It was an awesome discussion for him that was really appropriate because he's a double amputee. He lost both of his legs and a couple of fingers while he was on the bomb squad in the marines.  The fact that he is still alive was a sign for him that God wanted him to live still and do His work. So, when his wife's grandma told him to look into the church, he did and everything is going great. 

Last but not least (because I don't have time to write anymore :( ) The home sickness is gone!!! I mean, don't get me wrong because I still miss you all so much, but I don't have the desire to give up and go home anymore!! It's awesome!!

Well I love you all and I will talk to you later!!      

Look!  Fits right in the palm of my hand. 

Sunrise at the Lincoln Memorial

Our Nation's Capitol

WW2 Memorial - Utah Soldiers