***Here is Ben's Email. He talks a ton about basketball.
Nate's team will play 3 more games this weekend and
WHEN they win all of them they will be STATE CHAMPS!
Ben talks a ton about his "Gators" too! He loves the people he
is serving. He also mentions his companion getting transferred
tomorrow and our spring break trip to Kauai. (We haven't told him
before now because we didn't want him to feel bad.) I included
his letter to his Mission President at the end. ENJOY!***
Happy late birthday, happy early championship!
God bless you all for your faith and example to me! I think it is wise
just to get it done. If anyone on the team isn't focused on
basketball 1000% right now with three games left- now would be a good
time to get in their face- like as in you would regret not yelling at
or picking up someone by the jersey Tuesday if focus isn't 1000%
obviously it's not going to be a run your guts out time but there
should be a lot of focused offense and defense ran and a lot of free
throws and post moves after practice. Don't worry about anything else
for 5 more days. After you win it's "we kill to win again" rather than
we live to play again.
This week was miracle filled! First one we were in a richer
neighborhood, which is rare because most people prepared for the
gospel are usually middle class. Anyways we were looking for a less
active and I just felt prompted to get off my bike and talk to this
guy working on a project. He was kind of a Tim McGraw lookin guy ha ha
he was shirtless and had just cracked open a beer. Anyways we got
talking to him about the gospel and he opened up and told us that he
still has faith but he can't help but be bitter about something that
happened to him. About a year and a half ago his only son Jeremy (18)
was out too late and he got taken by some guys and tortured in some
messed up ways and then shot in the back of the head with a shotgun
and then they dumped gasoline on his body and burned it. That might
sound pretty vivid but I got the vivid version trust me. And then he
told me I looked exactly like his son and that's why he wanted to talk
to us. Anyways we were able to answer a lot of his questions and teach
him about the plan of salvation. He goes to a nondenominational church
which is like a missionaries worst nightmare because it's basically
just a party! His name is James and we were meant to meet him.
Also this week we found Linda girlfriend of Brian (a member not
currently partaking of blessings) They go to the same party church as
James, but Brian remembers about the priesthood. They will do
wonderfully. The spirit has really been strong when we teach them.
Besides Linda wanting to hold the priesthood all is good.
Also Vivian and Mark were a miracle find this week. We were eating
lunch with Bro E. a brother we've been helping get back into
church, we just encouraged him to ask his friends if we could help
them in any way... Well three hours later we got a call from him
asking us to come help his friends move some furniture from the truck.
Manna from heaven! So we did and then we got talking to Vivian and she
pretty much understands well the apostasy, she started teaching us
about the Nicene creed and stuff and we just nodded our heads like
yes keep teaching us the restoration. So the only real thing is now
she has to know that God already restored his church, she doesn't have
to restore it all by herself! What a blessing!
Also Chris! We've been teaching the D. Family since I got here and
no progress. But when their 17 yr old grandson came to live with them
who has been through a lot. Hates his mom and had a sister die etc.
They are willing to do anything (so far) to I help their grandson.
Chris is a good kid. We taught him a lot about the gospel and he's
pretty excited about the priesthood. Manna from heaven!
Armando is the funniest Puerto Rican man you've ever met! He just has
us rolling on the floor all the time!!! He did a temple tour Saturday.
Pray that he can give up coffee! I can't wait for you guys to meet
him! When he makes his date that will set up perfect for him to take
his endowments out when we come to visit. The tidds and Shawntrese and
Luis And James V. all is going good!
Anyways I love your emails more than anything! Yes Elder Davis is
getting transferred tomorrow! We were just getting the work down I
would love to do another transfer with him, this week was record breaking in
not only key indicators for conversion, but also spiritual
progression, and also fun! The mission is the funnest time of my life!
Matt-man! have fun at whatever you're doing! I hear
whisperings all the time about how awesome you are! I forwarded that
picture of you to all my buddies! You are a legend among
missionaries! No sleepovers on the red mountain, but you build your
fort my man! I thought about you a lot this week man!!! My favorite
part is you are taller than mom! You're going to have grown a foot
from when I left to when I come home!!! It's exciting!
God bless you all for your faith and example to me! I think it is wise
just to get it done. If anyone on the team isn't focused on
basketball 1000% right now with three games left- now would be a good
time to get in their face- like as in you would regret not yelling at
or picking up someone by the jersey Tuesday if focus isn't 1000%
obviously it's not going to be a run your guts out time but there
should be a lot of focused offense and defense ran and a lot of free
throws and post moves after practice. Don't worry about anything else
for 5 more days. After you win it's "we kill to win again" rather than
we live to play again.
This week was miracle filled! First one we were in a richer
neighborhood, which is rare because most people prepared for the
gospel are usually middle class. Anyways we were looking for a less
active and I just felt prompted to get off my bike and talk to this
guy working on a project. He was kind of a Tim McGraw lookin guy ha ha
he was shirtless and had just cracked open a beer. Anyways we got
talking to him about the gospel and he opened up and told us that he
still has faith but he can't help but be bitter about something that
happened to him. About a year and a half ago his only son Jeremy (18)
was out too late and he got taken by some guys and tortured in some
messed up ways and then shot in the back of the head with a shotgun
and then they dumped gasoline on his body and burned it. That might
sound pretty vivid but I got the vivid version trust me. And then he
told me I looked exactly like his son and that's why he wanted to talk
to us. Anyways we were able to answer a lot of his questions and teach
him about the plan of salvation. He goes to a nondenominational church
which is like a missionaries worst nightmare because it's basically
just a party! His name is James and we were meant to meet him.
Also this week we found Linda girlfriend of Brian (a member not
currently partaking of blessings) They go to the same party church as
James, but Brian remembers about the priesthood. They will do
wonderfully. The spirit has really been strong when we teach them.
Besides Linda wanting to hold the priesthood all is good.
Also Vivian and Mark were a miracle find this week. We were eating
lunch with Bro E. a brother we've been helping get back into
church, we just encouraged him to ask his friends if we could help
them in any way... Well three hours later we got a call from him
asking us to come help his friends move some furniture from the truck.
Manna from heaven! So we did and then we got talking to Vivian and she
pretty much understands well the apostasy, she started teaching us
about the Nicene creed and stuff and we just nodded our heads like
yes keep teaching us the restoration. So the only real thing is now
she has to know that God already restored his church, she doesn't have
to restore it all by herself! What a blessing!
Also Chris! We've been teaching the D. Family since I got here and
no progress. But when their 17 yr old grandson came to live with them
who has been through a lot. Hates his mom and had a sister die etc.
They are willing to do anything (so far) to I help their grandson.
Chris is a good kid. We taught him a lot about the gospel and he's
pretty excited about the priesthood. Manna from heaven!
Armando is the funniest Puerto Rican man you've ever met! He just has
us rolling on the floor all the time!!! He did a temple tour Saturday.
Pray that he can give up coffee! I can't wait for you guys to meet
him! When he makes his date that will set up perfect for him to take
his endowments out when we come to visit. The tidds and Shawntrese and
Luis And James V. all is going good!
Anyways I love your emails more than anything! Yes Elder Davis is
getting transferred tomorrow! We were just getting the work down I
would love to do another transfer with him, this week was record breaking in
not only key indicators for conversion, but also spiritual
progression, and also fun! The mission is the funnest time of my life!
Matt-man! have fun at whatever you're doing! I hear
whisperings all the time about how awesome you are! I forwarded that
picture of you to all my buddies! You are a legend among
missionaries! No sleepovers on the red mountain, but you build your
fort my man! I thought about you a lot this week man!!! My favorite
part is you are taller than mom! You're going to have grown a foot
from when I left to when I come home!!! It's exciting!
Kauai will be fun! I'm not jealous
except you get to be with each other! As nice as surfing sounds it's a
bigger blessing to be familiar with a good ward and start to get the
ward on their feet! The sad thing is half the dinners we go to are on
the sisters side and we end up doing a lot of their referral work. I
wish we had all the ward to ourselves but I guess that's kinda selfish.
Nate thanks for your email this week! If no one else thought of you I
did! I can't believe you are 18!!! We really are pretty close in age!
Man there is plenty of things to focus on later, I have lots to say
about family and the mission, but that is for next week. This is
probably the last time you'll hear from me before the big dance! Just
know I love you so much and I know you're a winner! This is something
you deserve! You're a good kid and you have worked hard to be here
now!!! Go hard in the paint!!! Win brother win!!!
God Bless the Warrior Nation
Elder G #20
President Berry,
Wow! The greatest thing of the transfer... that is a big question that
could go a lot of different ways. I think really the greatest thing was to watch
The Lords arm work in people's lives and the spirit help people to be
baptized and others prepare for baptism this next transfer. There is
always the biproduct and the blessings we receive and the lessons we
learn. I truly loved my companion this transfer and we are unified.
Ultimately though, the people. The people we serve is really what
motivates me to strive to be more than just a Utah teenager going
through the motions, and to be a little more lost in this great work.
The people make me want to be a little more die-hard for this great
cause. They are the greatest thing that has happened this transfer.
Elder Gottfredson
except you get to be with each other! As nice as surfing sounds it's a
bigger blessing to be familiar with a good ward and start to get the
ward on their feet! The sad thing is half the dinners we go to are on
the sisters side and we end up doing a lot of their referral work. I
wish we had all the ward to ourselves but I guess that's kinda selfish.
Nate thanks for your email this week! If no one else thought of you I
did! I can't believe you are 18!!! We really are pretty close in age!
Man there is plenty of things to focus on later, I have lots to say
about family and the mission, but that is for next week. This is
probably the last time you'll hear from me before the big dance! Just
know I love you so much and I know you're a winner! This is something
you deserve! You're a good kid and you have worked hard to be here
now!!! Go hard in the paint!!! Win brother win!!!
God Bless the Warrior Nation
Elder G #20
President Berry,
Wow! The greatest thing of the transfer... that is a big question that
could go a lot of different ways. I think really the greatest thing was to watch
The Lords arm work in people's lives and the spirit help people to be
baptized and others prepare for baptism this next transfer. There is
always the biproduct and the blessings we receive and the lessons we
learn. I truly loved my companion this transfer and we are unified.
Ultimately though, the people. The people we serve is really what
motivates me to strive to be more than just a Utah teenager going
through the motions, and to be a little more lost in this great work.
The people make me want to be a little more die-hard for this great
cause. They are the greatest thing that has happened this transfer.
Elder Gottfredson
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