One of the Best

Hey family,

This week was probably one of the best of my entire mission. It was filled with faith and miracles. Those two always seem to go hand in hand. For starters, our zone leaders talked to a man on the street about 10 days ago who wanted Spanish missionaries to come by. We had an appointment with him last Monday night and Wednesday as well. He is so excited by the Gospel. He just soaks in everything we say and even pauses while we read passages of the Book of Mormon with him to make comments about how good a scripture that was and to connect the dots between what the verse says and what he needs to do. When he read the last line in the Introduction to the BOM, he said, "Jesus Christ is coming again? Whoa!" Then on another visit after hearing a member's comment he said, "That's a good testimony!" And he's just always like that, enthused, like a little kid. He is planning on being baptized at the end of next month! Just for a better visual, he's a big Mexican guy who wears wife-beater t-shirts. Classic.
Second biggest miracle: Wednesday afternoon we were biking up to an investigator's house when we noticed that a car in the street stopped to get our attention. We turned around and they (a young couple) asked if we are Spanish-speaking Mormon missionaries. When we told them we are, they said they have a friend who's LDS and they want us to come by to teach them more about the Church. They prayed the night before to receive a sign if they should meet with us and saw us biking the next day! We went by on Saturday for the first visit and they are incredible! Their member friends have been such a huge example, especially when they told our investigators, "Just try it out. No matter what we'll still be friends." The wife said it made a big impact on her to hear that. They are looking to strengthen their relationship, family, to find more peace, happiness and hope. It seems to me that they already feel that the Gospel is true. They said they will be baptized on the same day as our other miracle investigator as they come to know that the Book of Mormon and our message are true. I thought we hit a small roadblock when the husband said he works every Sunday, but at the end of the lesson (before the family prayer which he offered) he said he's going to ask his boss to get every Sunday free so he can attend church. I don't fully feel that we deserve to be entrusted with such a terrific family who seem so ready to embrace the Gospel. But it makes me want to work even harder to show the Lord how grateful I am for His blessings. We taught more lessons this week than I have ever taught before in a week. We worked more with the members and in every lesson invited people to be baptized. Our faith in Jesus Christ has been strengthened.
Funny moments: In one of our visits this week our investigator opened the door and in my mind I was thinking "good morning," but in Spanish it came out as "buenas mananas," which just sounds really goofy. Then later in the lesson as my [native-speaking] companion was teaching how to pray he said in Spanish, "We bow our heads and cross our eyes," meaning to say cross our arms. I started chuckling to myself and almost couldn't stop, haha.
Our recent convert's daughter is progressing toward her baptism on this coming Saturday. She's really excited and seems really ready to make a covenant with Christ. She's slowly asking more questions and has a better understanding. She asked us about what happens when we make a mistake after baptism, and when we explained the role of the sacrament in repentance we could see in her expression that things just clicked. It's exciting to be a part of, and exciting to know that the Lord can and will use anyone with a willing heart to bless the lives of His children. I know He loves us and has a plan for us. I know that He wants us to reach our potential. And I know that we can as we look to Him.
I love you all and pray for you. Thank you for all your support and love. Have a great week!

Elder Joshua Gathro

how sweet

Family, 

We had a great week. It was really eye-opening with our mission tour on Thursday morning. Elder Aidukaitus came and had a lot to say about ways to improve our planning. He made a huge point of the quote in Preach My Gospel that says if we want to make the most of our mission and to reach our potential, we must master the skill of setting a goal and striving to reach it. His stories really inspired me to work harder and have more faith. He spoke really boldly and I think it put some more energy in the mission. We're trying hard to apply what he shared, especially in our planning efforts. Yesterday I was thinking about when I was first learning to drive,  somebody told me that new drivers tend to just focus on what's right in front of you, but more experienced drivers will look further ahead and are more aware of their surroundings. I feel that it relates well to life, and the need for missionaries (or anyone) to look further ahead as to be able to handle the load of work our Father wants us to have. It was a really interesting and uplifting mission tour.

Friday night we went to visit a potential investigator. She's a lady for whom we helped carry groceries in one day. When we rode up to her house, she was sitting outside reading the Bible. We asked if we could read with her and sat down with her on the porch. It turned into a very spiritual lesson, with her husband joining us as well. We taught the importance of the Book of Mormon in knowing whether or not our message is true. And if it's true, it's the most important message in the world. Her husband had a couple concerns and my companion turned to the wife and asked her to answer his question. She was so good, and helped us three times to answer and explain to the husband the need to put God first. It was so clear by the way we felt and how focused the wife was that she felt the Spirit. I really want to help more people understand the need to read and pray about the Book of Mormon. Our message comes from God, and there is nothing else greater. If others are sincere and want to know, God will bless them with a confirmation. We don't need to fear or doubt. It's the truth.

Good luck with Gma and Gpa. Hang in there. I heard about Ben's Spanish class, which I think is awesome! I love each of you and support you with my whole heart. We are having priceless experiences here and learning how to be better disciples of Christ. May you have similar experiences this week in your activities. I love you!

Elder Joshua Gathro

peace, love, and happiness

Family,

Looking back on the week I feel that there were several instances when we were especially guided by the Spirit. None were extraordinary but still neat and faith-building experiences. Tuesday night we went to teach a less-active member from Puerto Rico the lesson of the Restoration. It was it bit odd because we had never met her and had no idea what her situation was like, but she was invited to hear the discussions again and said yes. So we visited her in another member's home and had a fantastic lesson. My companion and I both felt that we were being guided in certain directions and that in the end it was what she needed. And I felt that Spirit was blessing me with a greater ability to speak in Spanish. During that lesson I was saying everything I wanted to with zero problems. But after the lesson I was back to my normal sub-fluent speaking level. I learned that God will bless us with more gifts when we are seeking to use those gifts for the blessing of others.

Last night we biked down a road and the only lady we saw was just getting out of her car. She shot us down before we could say more than "Good evening." Then we looked across the street and another lady was in her garage and upon seeing us said, "Hi boys, I haven't seen you in a while." She is LDS but hasn't been to church in a long time and never receives visits from the ward. She was so sweet and glad to see us. We asked her about her reading of the scriptures, gave her a new copy of the Book of Mormon, and she has new resolves to start again living the gospel. It was an interesting contrast to the encounter moments before. And the Spirit led us to her, as well as to other places this week. Those promptings came as simple but sure thoughts. I know that the Spirit will work with us to the measure that we are worthy and are seeking to serve. I know that service to others will identify us as disciples of Jesus Christ and will help us to become more like Him.

We had a really good week. Things are going well. Best of luck with the house construction and the new residents on Claudia Drive. I love you all!! Happy Decker Day!

Yours truly, 

Elder Joshua Gathro

birthday

To Mom and the gang,

Transfers aren't for another month, and there are 6 missionaries in our district. Two of them are the Spanish sisters who work with us in the ward. Our district is a fun bunch. I'm excited to be molded a bit by this experience.

Weird to think that the house is being remodeled. Jessi should send me photos when it's all done.

Mom, I love thinking about God's plan of happiness as well. It makes so much sense to know that Father just wants us home again to be the best we can and the happiest we can. With that in mind he set up a way for us to be refined through experiences on earth and provided a Savior to make it all possible. It's wonderful. And I think that struggles in life become a lot more bearable to the measure that we put things in the frame of the plan.

Well Friday was one of the best days of my mission! For my 12-month mark I set a goal with my companion to hand out 12 copies of the Book of Mormon. By 4pm (due to planning morning, studies, and fixing a bike flat) our count was still at 0. I told my companion, "Before dinner at 5pm, let's have handed out at least 4." And God put the people in our path - 5 by dinner. Another one during our dinner appointment. Two more after that in following lesson. We were being guided from person to person and sharing the Gospel through the Book of Mormon with everyone we talked to. In the evening we went to an investigator's apartment and he wasn't home. But we saw a man chillin out on the stairs leading to the second floor. We started talking to him, and it turns out he has talked to missionaries before in Guatemala. We taught him about the Book of Mormon, read from it a few verses, and invited him to read it. He was just sitting on the stairs, waiting and thinking. It was a really spiritual experience to talk with him about the Gospel and about life. And it was neat how God led us to him. At the end of the day our final count was 16 copies of the Book of Mormon handed out. I know that setting goals and working toward them will being us great satisfaction. And it helps us to reach our potential. I know that God wants us to set goals; to set plans to do our duty and then act in all diligence. I read a talk this week from Elder Eyring where he says, "When my body begs for a rest, I give to myself this rallying cry: 'Remember Him'." I'm excited for these next 12 months, to set goals and work to achieve them, to help me achieve my potential and to help others do the same. 

We're having fun and learning as we teach others. This week we are going to the temple and next week Elder Aidukaitus will be here for our mission tour. We had a zone conference this week as well. A lot of spiritual uplifts to drive the work. May you each feel driven to give your all in service. I love you. Have a great week!

Elder Joshua Gathro

seven dwarfs

Hey family,

 

Thank you for the emails. They mean a lot. I love you all.

It rained a lot this week. Yesterday our car thermometer read 74 degrees at the lowest point. It felt great for a Sunday in July. We've been working hard this week and having fun. The baptism and confirmation this weekend went great! Our new member was so excited and looked so happy. Here family all came to support her as well. And her daughter told her after the baptism that she wants to be baptized now as well! We have a lesson set up for tonight, so we'll see how it goes. 

This week another recent convert in the ward called us up one morning and told us that she has a friend she wants us to meet. So that afternoon we all three biked over to her friend's house, got to know her, and had our first lesson. The lady is so sweet and very interested. She came to church yesterday as well and loved it. I think something I love even more than a high-potential referral is that this recent convert has been active in missionary work. Apparently she has just been raving about the church to all her friends in the area (which is fantastic because she lives in a highly concentrated latino area). She has been bearing her testimony about the church and been inviting her friends to meet with us. I just couldn't stop grinning when I found out and witnessed it in the lesson with her friend. What a joy :)

Pioneer Day fell on the day of our district meeting this week, but we stayed together as a zone and watched 17 Miracles. I was a little bummed that we were just watching a movie but decided that I wanted to receive revelation anyway. During the movie I thought, "Why were so many faithful saints not allowed to live? They're doing everything right and deserve what they want." And then I realized that that is the exact reason the Lord let them perish. The purpose of life is not to just live, but to live eternally. And the way we achieve that is in becoming more like Christ. Those pioneers who gave their all and suffered so much had qualified themselves in those faithful moments for an eternal award. They were the closest to Christ that they would ever be in their lives, and our Heavenly Father decided to secure them eternal life by calling them home at those respective times. It just seems to finally make a lot of sense to me.

Well I hope you enjoy the photos. Good luck with preparations for the arrival of los abuelos. I love you all!

Elder Joshua Gathro