Zone Conference

Dear Family,
Como estamos todos? This Tuesday we had a zone conference down here that was fabulous. Our mission president is the ultimate role model. Sad to think that he'll be leaving us after one more transfer. But he talked a lot more about the power of testimony as a primary tool. I've been thinking about that a lot lately. And actually Tuesday one of President's assistants came out with us and we had a dynamite lesson with a less-active teenager in our branch. She got baptized a few years ago and flame starting to die down so she stopped attending church. We helped her remember the feelings she had at baptism, what her experience was like leading up to it, and how she knew that it was the right thing to do. We testified of the power of the sacrament and it's inherent promises and blessings. It was a spiritual and uplifting experience. We're having some of the other youth that know her help in the rescue.
Thursday we got up at 4:15am to get ready and drive up to the mission home for an all-day meeting. Other than us being completely exhausted by the time we got back to our area Thursday night, it was well worth it. President wants us to launch in action a plan for greater member missionary work. It's up to us now to get it rolling in our zones, and it looks to be a momentum booster. Speaking of changes in the mission, the church missionary department has told mission presidents to call "sister training leaders" as soon as is reasonable. Because of the influx of so many sister missionaries, companionships of sister missionaries will be called to watch over a certain number of other sister companionships and go on exchanges with them every transfer. They also help to train at meetings and participate in mission leadership meetings. It's weird because it's different. But I suppose it's needed. The majority of missionaries entering our mission in the next 2 transfers are sisters. Crazy.
While we were biking Saturday morning a car drove past us then suddenly stopped so we biked up to them. It was a member and she said, "Elder, I signed up to have you eat at my house on Wednesday for your birthday! What do you want to drink? What do you want for dessert?" It caught me off guard but was a fun encounter. I set a goal to hand out 21 copies of the Book of Mormon in one day this week as something fun to do for my birthday. We'll see how it goes :)
Well, gotta fly. I love you all. Take care. Keep the faith!

Elder Gathro

Wedding Bells and Baptisms!

Dear Family,
This was an excellent week! Our investigator from El Salvador who has been living with a member for years was married and baptized this weekend (and confirmed!). It was cute to see la hermana so excited for her special wedding day and all the excitement that came with the changes. I wasn't sure how it would turn out with the wedding just being kinda small and so early in the morning (9 am!). But the branch really surprised us. We were all grouped in the relief society room as the branch president performed the service. And my companion convinced me to take non-stop photos with his camera so that we could give the memory card to the newlyweds. Except I didn't catch it when they kissed so they had to do it again, haha. The baptism went like a charm as well. The talks were excellent and the feeling was right. Israel, our investigator-now-member, was told me over the stall while we changed to dry clothes that he knew God had guided him into making the decision. It was a happy morning. I'll upload some photos if I have some time.
Aside from that, we had a funny run in this week after coming out from a visit. We saw 2 young guys standing by their car and we started talking to them. After a few moments they said, "Hey, wanna buy some cheesecakes?" What? One of them opened the back of the SUV and there was an array of cheesecakes that looked like they were melting. "How much are you selling them for?" I asked. "$10, and made with the finest ingredients. Made with love, too." Haha we didn't buy any but this week they're meeting the missionaries who cover that area :)
It's been really cool seeing how things play out with our assignment. Even though we're helping the branch significantly with their records, we still need to be better about recording the results of our visits. And also, sadly, we need to work more with the members to help fellowship the weak. We're getting in with a lot of families though. Actually, it seems that somehow we keep finding members who aren't actually on the ward roster because their membership is in Mexico. There's really no way to find those lost sheep except by being guided to them. But slowly we're gathering the flock. And several came to church yesterday that haven't been in a long time. Success!
So while on exchanges this week we had a lesson outside in the evening and I started to get really cold. When we were back in the car the temperature read 72 degrees. Crazy! Something's not right..
So I read a scripture in 1 Nephi 10 this week, toward the end of the chapter, about how when Lehi spoke to his sons by the power of the Spirit which he obtained through faith, Nephi felt desires to see, hear, and know of those things as his father did. It stood out to me as the real pattern of how to help others change. Starting with our faith, we earn the companionship of the Spirit, which as we serve the Lord, is felt by others. The Spirit works His magic and the ball is in their court. It's simple but a real challenge. I hope that in all your interactions and responsibilities this week that others are able to feel the Spirit that you bring. Happy Monday and enjoy your week! I love you all!

Elder Gathro

Make It Happen

Querida familia,
Hey we had a really good week! The most exciting and different piece of news was what happened on Friday. At about 2 in the afternoon we got a text from the sister missionaries saying that their investigator could no longer be baptized because he was suddenly moving to Alaska for a business offer. Now we had been hearing about the progress of this man for the past several weeks and he was right on track, really making changes, exercising faith, and being converted to the Lord. So half joking-half serious I said, "Can he be baptized tonight?" My companion thought I was joking as well. But somehow the idea actually unraveled when it hit the open air and we started asking some serious questions. Has he been taught everything? Would he want to be baptized tonight? Why is he moving? What spiritual experiences has he had? How does he know that this is Christ's church? Is it ok with the mission president and can the bishop come for the font-side confirmation? His interview? Even with so many areas to check and coordinate, everything gave a green light. And sure enough he was baptized and confirmed Friday night. The service was thrown together last minute of course, but it was actually very spiritual. And this new member told me afterward, "Thank you so much for accomodating me. Everyone seemed to know what to do and it flowed really well. I know this is what God wants me to do." It was a sweet experience. Sweet in the Gospel sense :)
So we've started this week a series of "missionary workshops" to help the members develop their missionary skills. It's going to be a few weeks long and cover a variety of ways to invite, testify, find, fellowship. Yesterday we had a good turnout and after the role-plays we did everyone was smiling and agreed that it had been fun. It was really exciting to see and feel some more enthusiasm in our branch. We need that. As does everyone. Enthusiasm is contageous!
Hey something to look forward to is the wedding this Saturday! And a baptism to follow! The boyfriend of the part-member family we're teaching will be getting baptized this Saturday following his wedding at the church. He and his bride-to-be are funny to watch because their really excited, and they're like 50 :) I'll let you know how it goes.
I think that's about it. We had a few funny things happen, like a guy that rejected our message but gave us some high 5s before turning away. And an old snowbird couple that showed me how they kiss eachother when I held the door open for them at McDonald's. It was classic, haha. 
Well, thanks for everything. I'll talk to you next week! Adios!

Elder Gathro

Conferencia!

Hola a todos!

Hey how was your week? We're still not boiling but little by little it's starting to simmer. But it's still a blast down here. These week was pretty miraculous and at the same time challenging. We went into it trying to have a lot of appointments set with the members and being involved with the branch. Last Sunday a sister randomly brought her recent fiancee to the church and now we're teaching him. He's a really smart guy and pretty religious, but he's interested in what we teach. He asked us how it works for marriages to happen in the temple. He came to a session of General Conference yesterday and seemed to really like it. We'll see how it goes. Did I ever tell you guys of the member family we found a couple weeks ago just because we decided to knock one door? They were baptized in Los Angeles and stopped attending church when the moved here years ago. Well the dad never got baptized, even though, as we found out, he was suited up to get in the water with his family but backed out. Well we went by to visit his wife this week and she was asleep but he was outside so we started to teach him. We set up a return appointment and he and his wife were waiting for us when we came again. Then we set up another appointment for last night and there he was sitting outside again. We taught the Restoration (the Gospel Art Book is fantastic!) and talked a lot about the Doctrine of Christ and the flow led us right into helping him accept a baptismal date for the end of this month. The Spirit was really strong and there was an excitement not just in us but in him too. Even better, the lettuce season just ended and he'll be able to come to church ever week. It was terrific: I mentioned church, he asked what time it started, I said 9am, and then he said with a smile, "That's a good time." With a similar grin I agreed :) 

So we kinda got the feeling this week that there's a lot that the branch needs to boost the enthusiasm again. After hearing General Conference we're stoked to apply what we learned, especially of selfless service. Too often we look inward and focus on our own struggles or weaknesses and maybe feel some pity for ourselves. Dwelling on the negative aspects of our lives to the point that we feel hopeless or kinda give up. But we can follow the example of the Savior, who in His moment of greatest difficulty and suffereing thought about others and was motivated by a love manifested by service. We're trying to be an example of service as well that will help the members think of Jesus Christ and in how they too can look outward to the needs of others. Please pray that the members here can feel desires to serve faithfully to the end. And may we all look for ways to do so. 

I love you all. Thanks for everything!

Elder Gathro

Happy April!

Dear Family,

I was up at the mission office this week and our mission president got a letter recently about a policy change on email usage. I am now currently allowed to email anyone outside the mission, and recent converts within the mission by approval of the president. So that includes friends and priesthood leaders from home. Crazy huh? So to the siblings and whoever, feel free to email me directly whenever you wish. I'm still limited to an hour though, so the more letters I read the less I'll be able to respond.

It was a good week. My companion Elder Sawyer the Beloved is now in the area that I came from, and I'm down here with another awesome new companion. He's from Chicago, been out 10 months, great work ethic and sense of humor... AND his middle name is Daniel too! We're having a great time although it seems like we've been busy non-stop. We're trying to squeeze out the gray areas and be the most obedient and faith-filled that we can. It's just the little things that we're working on but it's been really refreshing. My companion is helping me be more diligent with my time and not be lazy. Today we'll be able to get more organized and stop to take a breath. Preparation Day really is a sanity-saver :)

One of the things we want to do as a result of our current assignment is find the sheep who's records we don't even have. There's not a specific way to do it other than have God put them in your path. Well yesterday afternoon we had one of those ocurrences. It's a good feeling. And we were guided to another house that he didn't know how to find. And the day before we hit all green lights when we were running late for dinner :) Some of the greatest news this week is that a man we've been working with (he is currently living with a less-active member but they're not married) has decided to be married and baptized this month! We're working closely with our branch president as well to make sure things work out properly. It's exciting.

Thank you for the Easter package yesterday and for your emails today. I love you all so much. Have a great April Fool's Day and enjoy your week with General Conference!

Elder Gathro