Ben 10/28/13

***Here is this weeks letter from Ben. He got to stay in Titusville. He has a new SON A.K.A......companion to train. He is talking to Nate about a Friday night football game where a couple of guys on the other team took some cheap shots and late hits on Nate. Nate's team has their first game of the football State Championship play offs this Friday. He talks to Matt about girls because  Matt went to a School Halloween dance and danced with two girls. He also talks about how much money Matt has been earning and saving doing yard work and pet sitting.  He also refers to Nate going on splits with the missionaries here in St. George and he is excited to hear where Nate will serve on his mission. (Nate met with the bishop yesterday and started his mission papers. He can't turn them in yet though.) The picture is of Ben and his last companion who got transferred last week. Enjoy!!!****

 

 

Family!!!

Life's still good over here!!! One family made some awesome covenants this week!!!  The baptisms and confirmations went really well!!! The spirit was felt and the Gonzalez family said they feel the best they've ever felt.  We are even working with some of their friends now! We were able to continue finding and teaching and it was really a great week!!!

My new companion is Elder Ferrin! He's fresh alright! He's from Gilbert AZ! Definitely different from my last son! He's actually older than me! He turns 20 next week. He's a super nice soft spoken guy! I don't know how he managed, but he got out of the MTC with shaggy hair!!!HAHA you can bet he got some grief this week. Even investigators and people we met on the streets told him to get a haircut!   Anyways, we really did have a great week!!!!!

Nate, Man I was with you all Friday night when we were playin Dixie.  I realize I'm falling asleep right in the 4th quarter! Dude no thinking about basketball or girls or anything! This is football playoffs!!!!! Kick some trash my man!!!  I mean I really enjoyed your sermon on the mount! Your a really smart guy and I'm glad your ready for your mission..... But honestly you should have beat him up!!! Hahaha! No man don't listen to me! I'm proud you are more converted than me even before you have you mission papers!!!

Sounds like my little bro's scored big on the women this week! Matt congrats on your slow dancin' big man!!! Just make sure you could fit the Book of Mormon between you and your ladies!!! Make sure you wait til your 16 to date and even then only date in groups!!! (;  (For the Strength of youth) Anyways............

I hope you guys got my letters!!! I wrote each of you one last week! I love you guys tons!!!  I'm glad to hear you had a chance to go on splits Nate!!! I remember my experience back home was a great deal different than the one I've had here. Anyways, just keep thoseSTG missionaries in check! ha ha How has your study of Preach My Gospel been?  I will be excited to hear on that p day when I get the email saying where you are going to serve. I hope you visa wait here!!! 

Also Matt, how are you richer now than I have ever been my whole life!!! Like what the heck big man!!! Well when you are rich and rolling in the Benjamin's and throwinhunnids, and your entourage of women is too much for you to handle just make sure you don't forget about your dear old decrepit brother Elder G!  

This week included 5 new gators- Melissa the friend of now sister Gonzalez who was baptizedSaturday, and her kids, we counted Tyree who is an LBJ fan and really likes me for some reason and Savannah who had a lot of questions we answered. Then Bill E. who is training to be a minister and started bashing with me in gospel principles about the priesthood! Don't even get me started on the priesthood!!! Brother I.  who is like my old man bff got like super mad it was way funny!Hernan is getting the priesthood soon so he can baptize the 5th member of his family in December.  Anyways Bill is a trip! Probably my favorite new gator is Alex!!! Alex is a referral who likes us because he's seen a lot of service we've done at the YMCA (where he works) We had planned on teaching the restoration, but I was prompted super strong to teach the Plan of Salvation! Turns out he's lost a lot of people. Dad, grandparents, friends in the Military etc.  It was a super spiritual lesson and I have a feeling Alex is going to serve a mission!(19) Just a hunch! Pray for him!!! 

Progressing still is Kevin and Joel! Derek! Lilly! And Sarah(Michelle's daughter)! Now Sarah has been fighting against the spirit since the first week I got here! She's dropped two dates and just really struggled. It was to the point commit or drop! I don't know how but Sarah finally came through! The Lord has just been wearing on her. She finally opened up and she is getting baptized on the 8th!  Michelle and Sarah are two that are especially important to me! I try to encourage members of the ward to perform the ordinance instead of me but they are two that have insisted! They're awesome! The week after Sarah will be Kevin and Derek. Things are just going great!!! Probably my favorite part of the baptism Saturday was seeing all my friends in white! The G family! and The Bishop and Ernesto and Brother Jenkins! Later on I got to MC a trunk or treat!!!

 

Sure love and appreciate you!!!!

Elder G

 

***Letter to his Mission President

 

Our goals for this transfer are going to be accomplished. This transfer we are focusing on Elder Ferringetting excited about serving the Lord and armed with the spirit so we can equal out the finding and teaching.  We need to help him become spiritually self sufficient.  He did Outstanding for his first week by the way!!! Thanks for sending me another great son!!! We are going to focus on helping these members make this area self sufficient and keeping it as an escalator area rather than an elevator area. Always finding teaching and baptizing consistently. That's what the Lord wants so we just need to align our will with his and he will help us accomplish all things that are expedient in him.  The Lords plan is for this place to receive the Gospel. Thanks so much for all you do! You are in our prayers and we are looking forward to Zone Conference!

Elder Gottfredson