It Was A Crazy Week!

March 14, 2016

Dear Family & Friends,

Family Picture w/Elder's Gammell, Michie and Haven

Well It was a crazy week and it all started off Monday night when President called us and let us know that one of the Elders in our zone would be going home this week. We talked together to decide what would be best for his companion and President felt like he needed to be put with us for the rest of the transfer. We felt good about it too so on Tuesday night we picked him up and it's been awesome having him with us. His name is Elder Hafen. He's from Richfield, UT. He's been out a little over 8 months. We are happy that he is a part of our companionship. It's going to be fun these next 4 weeks of the transfer. It's also going to be extra busy because we are now covering an extra ward. We have the Sacramento 1st, Sacramento 2nd, and the Laguna Creek 4th Fijian Unit. It's pretty crazy. We cover the entire zone for English work and two zones for Fijian. It's been kind of tough to figure out how to juggle it all but it's been a great learning experience. We will definitely leave this transfer with a better understanding of effective planning haha.

Elder's Gammell & Michie after the Book of Mormon play.

The a Book of Mormon play is here in Sacramento! Haha it's been an awesome opportunity to go over to the play. It's cool how we are taking something that mocks the church and us as missionaries, and we can make it a good thing. So basically what we do is after the show everyone starts pouring out of the doors and we stand outside and offer people free copies of the Book of Mormon. It was pretty funny to see some of the reactions from people. We had people call us names and make fun of us. But there were several people that came out and they felt so bad about watching the play or they told us that they knew we weren't anything like the way they depict us in the play. We also were soaking wet because it was pouring rain! I think it softened some people's hearts so it worked to our advantage. ;) In the two times we went, Elder Michie and I handed out roughly 200 copies of the Book of Mormon. Between all of us that have gone we have handed out close to 1,000 copies. And it is still going to be showing all this week. I'm excited to go back this next week.

We had an awesome Zone Conference this week! I was asked to conduct the conference so that was a cool experience. I had never done that before so I was a little nervous haha. The meeting started and ended so I guess I didn't do too bad. ;) It was cool though. We learned a lot at the conference. Everything from how to better use our iPads in teaching to how to clean out a vacuum. It was a great conference. Elder Michie and I gave a training to the zone on how to begin teaching and making our lessons short and powerful. It went well so that was good. One thing I love about zone conference is just the opportunity to talk to all the other missionaries that I have served around. It's basically like a mission reunion haha. We all get pretty close as we are out here serving together. President Jardine introduced the new Hallelujah Initiative that the church just released yesterday. It's going to be a great tool to use in our teaching. Go check out the video at FollowHim.mormon.org. But the most important part to remember is that we should share it with someone else.  So I invite everyone before you watch it to pray to know who you need to share it with. I promise the spirit will let you know in your mind and in your heart who that person is.

Sister Tora's Birthday Party

We are working with this guy named Paul. He is awesome haha. We have a great connection with him and it's kind of funny because we were teaching him before but we had to pass him off to Sacramento 2nd Ward because he moved into their boundaries. But we are now covering that Ward so we got him back. He came to church yesterday and he loved it! He had an amazing experience and members really came and put their arms around him. It's so cool to see the difference that make if just one or two people will come introduce themselves and invite them to come sit with their family. He felt loved and welcomed and was smiling from ear to ear. He has been praying about his baptismal date for the past week but still hasn't made up his mind. We are going by Wednesday night to help him make the decision. He is ready to be baptized next week but we will see what he is feeling. So keep him in your prayers. I can't wait to see him get baptized.

It was cool this week to see how we were put in certain places to cross paths with people. We were able to find some really neat people who needed to talk to us. It's cool how Heavenly Father can lead and guide us without us even recognizing until after. One thing I have learned on my mission is that this is His work. God is in complete control of it and we are so lucky to have his trust to be a part of it. It's a great feeling to know that. And if we just do what He asks of us, He can use us to bring about much good in the lives of those around us.

Love each of you! Have an awesome week!

~Elder Gammell