This P-Day Is Much Needed!

May 24, 2016

Dear Family & Friends,

This P-Day is much needed! Haha it was a great week but it by far the busiest one I have had on my mission. I had no idea how much actually goes into the transfer process. Companionships, housing, cars, departing and incoming missionaries, transfer meeting, trainers meeting, everything. It was a great experience being a part of it this past week. It was awesome to be able to spend a lot of time with President and Sister Jardine. It's a unique opportunity to be able to work so closely with them and be in their home several times a week. I'm grateful I get to learn and grow from their example. Transfers all came together in the end so that was good. Glad they are over and we will do it all again here in 5 weeks. Haha.

Elder Greenwood and Elder Robison are great companions. I'm trying to get caught up with them because they have been together for a while and they know the ins and outs of the mission office. It's all good though I'm learning a little more each day.

Went to a baptism this week in the zone

We actually have a few baptisms coming up this week. Megan and Ron Kelly. They are so awesome and prepared. Ron is 8 and Megan is his mom. We meet with them several times a week. Megan passed her baptismal interview and we will do Ron's tonight. We are also teaching a young kid named jack. He is 9 and goes to school with Ron. He is planning on being baptized this weekend as well but has had some opposition from some of his extended family that is making it a little more difficult. Hoping that all goes well with them this week so please keep them in your prayers.

I think one of the coolest experiences I had this week was going to drop off the departing missionaries and picking up the new ones. It was crazy to be there and think I am not too far away from that. Made me appreciate the time that I do have left a lot more. It was pretty crazy looking at that new missionaries and thinking back to when I came in. I've changed so much through the experiences I have been able to have.

Living the gospel of Jesus Christ really does make a difference and that's where the real growth is.

Love you all!

-Elder Gammell

Coloma Trip

Serving dinner to the departing missionaries

I Got Called To Be An Assistant

My new companions
Elder Greenwood and Elder Robison

May 16, 2016

Hey everyone,

It was a great week. A lot has changed since last week to say the least. Well I guess to start off I am no longer serving in Elk Grove with Elder Campbell. On Friday morning we had a specialized training with President and Sister Jardine and the assistants. After the training Elder Campbell and I were heading out the door and President asked if he could meet with the two of us individually. He talked to Elder Campbell first, then he called me in. We talked for just a minute and then he extended a call to me to be one of his assistants. I accepted the call so now I am serving in Carmichael again with Elder Robison and Elder Greenwood. Haha it's been pretty crazy. Definitely a huge mix of emotions. They just picked me up last night and started showing me how everything works in the office. We have a really big week coming up with transfers. We will also be giving several trainings to new missionaries and trainers. I'm really excited and a bit nervous. I know the Lord qualifies those he calls so I know he will be helping me out.

Kieran Williams Baptism May 15, 2016

Keiran Williams got baptized on Sunday night!!! He was one of the people I was teaching the entire time I was in the Sac 1st Ward. It was so awesome to see him and their family. I have missed going over and seeing them. The baptism was great! A lot of their extended family was there so it was a really special moment for all of them. His decision to be baptized will bring so many blessings to their family. So that was awesome!

Just found out that Jill, the person we baptized in Carmichael, just passed away this weekend. I couldn't believe it. I guess she was going great and had an unexpected stroke and that was it. She went to the temple just a couple weeks earlier and got her patriarchal blessing. She was really big into family history and it was kind of cool to hear that once she got baptized she just couldn't get any further with her genealogy. She took quite a few names to the temple last week so I guess she accomplished the work that Heavenly Father needed her to. Now she gets to go and do some more work on the other side of the veil. So grateful I got to be a part of her conversion. It will be cool to see her again someday.

Saying bye to the McCrerys

Something that I gained a testimony of this past week is how much God truly does love us. He knows each of us and He is there especially when we are going through trials and challenges if we let him. We don't have to carry our load by ourselves. We can have peace and comfort in knowing that we have a loving Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ on our side.

D&C 68:5-6.

"5 Behold, this is the promise of the Lord unto you, O ye my servants.

6 Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come."

Love each of you! Hope you all have a great week!

-Elder Gammell

Played some basketball up in Folsom today May 16, 2016

We Were Really Busy This Past Week

May 2, 2016

Dear Family & Friends,

We were really busy this past week. A lot of really good things happening here in Elk Grove. Elder Campbell and I are working really hard and it is paying off. I finally got my bike fixed this week!!! I was waiting for that thing for a while now. It felt good to get out and bike around. Seems like we are able to talk to so many more people when we are out on the streets instead of driving around. We cover a huge area so we need to be in the car quite a bit so it was nice to spend some time outside this week.

We are having a lot of success here as a zone. There were 9 baptisms this month, which is really good! We set a goal of 5 at the beginning of the month and ended up passing it. Then we reset our goal to 9. We fasted and prayed for each others investigators and it provided miracles for us. Almost every person that was on date at the beginning of the month got baptized. That hardly ever happens so it really was a miracle. I love the zone and all the missionaries I am serving around. It's different from any other zone I have served in. A lot of good work getting done.

I was able to go on several exchanges this week. I went back to Carmichael with Elder Greenwood on Tuesday and Wednesday. We had a really good time. Then I was able to go into the Spanish area here in Elk Grove with Elder Padilla. My Spanish was a little rusty because I haven't been able to use it very much lately. It's all good though. I miss Spanish work sometimes so it is always fun to go back during exchanges.

Elder Campbell and I added a ton of new investigators this week. But they weren't YSA so we referred them off. haha. We like doing that though because we know that if we are helping the other missionaries out then the Lord will prepare someone for us as well.

I am really excited for the upcoming week and I know there are big things in store for us. I am also really excited for Mother's Day next week. haha. Last time calling home :/ Pretty hard to believe.

Hope you all have a great week.

Love,

Elder Gammell