This week has been a really interesting one! I'll start from today and work my way back in the week.
So
transfer calls came last night and I am going to Lodi to be with Elder
Martinez. Elder Martinez was in my district and ward my first transfer
here but then left to Lodi after that. He's an awesome missionary so
I'm very excited to be with him. I'm really sad to be leaving Elk Grove
because I've really grown to love the ward, the people, and the area a
lot. The ward is kind of slow in helping the missionaries out but it is
full of awesome people. The person I will probably miss the most is
Bishop Almendariz. He has been an awesome influence on me during my
time here and I feel like he and I are really close friends now. We're a
lot alike (except sadly I'm not even the least bit Mexican) but other
than that we could be brothers (if the age difference weren't 45 years). Luckily he's giving me a ride down to Lodi tomorrow morning so
I'll get to talk to him and say goodbye before we leave. We have a
lot of investigators that I'm sad to leave to but I should be coming
back on 4 different occasions for baptisms in the next 2 months so that
will be great.
This morning we went to the temple and that was great! I love
the temple. The Sacramento temple is really beautiful and it was great
to be able to go in. Almost all the Spanish missionaries from the
mission were there so it was nice to be able to see a lot of good
friends as well. I got to see Elder Guzman again, and talk to Elder
Martinez. I was sad to talk to Elder Gillray and learn he is
leaving on Wednesday to go home to have knee surgery. He is one
transfer younger than I am and he's an awesome missionary. He's getting
released and is planning on coming back but knee surgery is a big deal
and takes a lot of time to recover and so he might not make it back. I
sure hope he does though.
Last night we had a really good lesson with the Lopez family. They've been involved in a rosary the last 9 days so we haven't seen them at all. They were going to come to a baptism on Saturday but they got lost taking the train and ended up in Roseville when we went over to pick them up at 4:45 and then on Sunday Susanne's boyfriend got jumped and was in the hospital so they couldn't come to church either. We had a really good lesson with them last night though because we got our transfer calls in the middle of the lesson and since I knew it was the last lesson I would have with them I really wanted to commit them to baptism. The Spirit was really strong and they agreed to be baptized when they got an answer to their prayers. They have been praying but they have been looking for an answer like a picture falling off the wall or a bird running into the window. We explained how prayers usually get answered and now they are prepared to get an answer. I'm really sad I have to leave that family but at least I will get to come back for the baptism.
Sunday was one of the best Sundays of my mission. They bishopric got a new 2nd counselor this week so his extended family came. Normally we have about 70-80 people to Sacrament meeting but this week we had 104! We had 6 investigators at church, all the normal people, a lady and her family that got baptized this past weekend, and a lot of less actives members that usually aren't there. It was a great Sunday! If the Lopez family didn't have to go to the hospital suddenly we would have had another family of 4-6 people there. It was a great day.
I can't really remember what happened the rest of the week so this email is going to be really short because it's 7pm and I'm at the church right now. I have to say goodbye to everyone in the ward here for the trunk or treat activity so I'll be sad later on but a new time is starting in Lodi tomorrow!
I hope everyone is well! I'll let you know how Lodi is next week! (:
Les Quiero,
-Elder Gaskill
No comments:
Post a Comment