We just came back from an
amazing trip to Montserrat, a mountain close to us that I have been wanting to
go since February of last year! It is big and beautiful. Our bishop
drove us to the top where there is an old cathedral. It has a famous
statue of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus. It was a splendid art work and beautiful, but a great reminder of the
importance of the Restoration. As we were walking through the church, I
was very impressed with the blessing of having living prophets and apostles who
have the priesthood to perform saving ordinances. We too have beautiful
buildings. They are called temples of
God. The most famous and most beautiful is the one about 45 minutes from
my house depending on if there is traffic (but now I realize it is just easier
to use the Trax) the Salt Lake City Temple, a beautiful white building that represents the life of clean living and a
covenant making life. Our home in heaven can be like a temple. We are
"lawful heirs" (D&C 86:9-11). When we read our patriarchal blessing
with this in mind, we will discover the blessings God wishes to bless us with.
But first "True to the faith that our parents have cherished, True
to the truth for which martyrs have perished,To God’s command, Soul, heart, and
hand, Faithful and true we will ever stand." Hymn 254. Aka endure to
the end.
Ps. Watch the testimonies of the apostles on the church website from the seminary videos of 2000 on president Eyring and Nelson, or on the gospel library app under "special witness of Christ".
Random thoughts:
We met a man in the street named Jose, who is mute, he cannot speak or hear, but we used our iPads to write to him and he communicated with sign language. With my little 5 grade study of sign language coming back to me, we could speak to him and he enjoyed our conversation as well as we did.
We were walking to a visit and took the bus, and a member was on the bus too. We both got off the bus at the same time and she went into a convenience store and bought us each a box of donuts and a Coke. This member is crazy about missionaries.
Our alarm clock did not go off one day, the day of zone enfoque, so we scrambled to get ready and catch the train to Barcelona. Plus my desk clock alarm broke one day when I went to turn the alarm off and knocked the clock off the desk and it broke.
Ps. Watch the testimonies of the apostles on the church website from the seminary videos of 2000 on president Eyring and Nelson, or on the gospel library app under "special witness of Christ".
Random thoughts:
We met a man in the street named Jose, who is mute, he cannot speak or hear, but we used our iPads to write to him and he communicated with sign language. With my little 5 grade study of sign language coming back to me, we could speak to him and he enjoyed our conversation as well as we did.
We were walking to a visit and took the bus, and a member was on the bus too. We both got off the bus at the same time and she went into a convenience store and bought us each a box of donuts and a Coke. This member is crazy about missionaries.
Our alarm clock did not go off one day, the day of zone enfoque, so we scrambled to get ready and catch the train to Barcelona. Plus my desk clock alarm broke one day when I went to turn the alarm off and knocked the clock off the desk and it broke.
We went to Barcelona again
this week to get Élder Islas legal. He had gone 7 months without a DNI,
our residency in Spain, so he has been carrying his passport around.
I love the Christmas letter mom.
Smiling really works. I feel happier and I don't get so down when I get doors slammed in my face. That's great- Hermana Dayton
I love the Christmas letter mom.
Smiling really works. I feel happier and I don't get so down when I get doors slammed in my face. That's great- Hermana Dayton
We helped a woman on Saturday named Gilda from Peru who was moving pisos. Élder Islas saw her and we helped carry her big suit case up 2 flights of stairs and then go back and grab more bags and carry them up the stairs too. We were an answer to her prayer because she lives alone, had problems in her old piso, works all the time, and prayed for God for help and she said that two angles came to help her. She said that she wants to come to church next week! Plus her friend Alfredo.
We met a woman yesterday named Margery from Cuba. Not interested but nice.
I loved Sunday and the church meetings. I love going to church and feeling the spirit in the sacrament and in the classes.
Questions:
Did you bear your testimony yesterday? : yes
Are you speaking the language with Elder Islas? :yes but a little less
Are you reading your BOM in Spanish, going back and forth in English for clarification?: yes my goal this year is to finish the Book of Mormon in Spanish and all I have to do is read one page a day, plus PMG in Spanish too.
Is the family on fecha still progressing? : yes
What did you have for breakfast? : brownies because I made them yesterday.
Did you reconnect with Jacobo? : no he fired on us but that is how we found Gilda on sat,
Are you doing push-ups? : yes
Well family I am grateful for the blessing to be a missionary. To study the scriptures for an hour every day and teach by using my testimony and the spirit. There are many times when I think that I have failed, and the most important thing is if I shared a spiritual message and if the spirit was felt. I am grateful for my family who are a Wonderful example to me of how to be a disciple of Christ and what a happy family should be. The family is under attack and I can see when gospel principles are not lived in the family. I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week.
Con cariño
Élder Gonzalez
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