More Exchanges This Week

Mission Leadership Training

August 30, 2016

Dear Family & Friends,

More exchanges this week. I stayed in the area both times and got to have Elder Pennington and Elder Spencer up here with me. We had some sweet experiences in both of the exchanges. It's always cool to get to be companions with someone else just for a day and to learn from one another. I also got to go on a little team up with one of the new Spanish missionaries named Elder Yorgasen. We had a good time working together. We went and tried to make contact with a few potentials but just ended up talking to people on the street for two hours haha. We were in the middle of Oak Park so there were quite a few "crazies" walking around. It's a pretty run down part of downtown and has a lot of drug/gang stuff going on. We actually ended up talking to a couple of really cool people and set some return appointments for them. Didn't get to use my Spanish as much as I would've liked but it's all good.

Katherine brought her brother to church this past Sunday! He seemed like he really liked it so we are pumped to see where it goes from here. Katherine is also inviting others to come so she is already becoming a missionary! It's probably a result of her  reading out of Preach My Gospel this past week haha. Her family is going through alot right now though so if you could keep her in your prayers that'd be sweet.

We got to teach Amy this past week while I was on exchanges. She is still working towards her baptismal date for September 10th. We haven't been able to meet as much as we would like to with her so we are hoping that picks up this next week. Sydney is in about the same boat as well.

We have a couple of new potentials and leads so I'll keep you posted on what happens with them in the coming weeks. We have quite a few meetings with MLC this week and Zone Conference next week. It's going to super busy so time I guess time will just have to keep flying by as usual.

Hope that everyone has a great week! Love you all!

Elder Gammell

This Week Flew By So Fast!

August 22, 2016

Dear Family & Friends,

This week flew by so fast! We had some good times going out to our area so that was good. It was also a big plus that the weather is starting to get a little nicer now. I'm not a fan of anything above 100 degrees hah. So that's been good.

This week we had a mission leadership training and it went really well. It's always good to see all the missionaries from all over. We have had a bunch of solid missionaries finish their missions so there a lot of younger elders and sisters leading the mission. In the training we we went over all of the responsibilities of district leaders, sister training leaders, and zone leaders. It's always good to get a little refresher and to make sure we are all on the same page. We also talked a lot about the importance of accountability. I definitely learned a lot in preparing for it and it will be cool to see the direction it takes us.

This week we met with a girl named Amy. Her mom was baptized last year and they just recently moved to our ward. Amy is fifteen and she has such a strong desire to learn and know where God would have her go. We stopped by Friday night and talked a lot about how they could strengthen their relationships with God and Christ. We left them with a commitment to read and pray as a family. Amy also accepted a baptismal date for the 10th of September! We are super excited to keep working with her to help her reach that goal.

We also met with another family that recently just started coming to church in our ward. The mom is named Misty and she has been a member for a while but just started coming back because of some things that have happened in her life. Her daughter, Sydney hasn't really had a connection with the church yet but is very curious to see what it is all about. So is her husband Matt. They had us over for pizza the other day and a lesson afterwards. It's so cool when you show up to a lesson and the people are actually excited that you are there and have been waiting for you. It hardly ever happens so it's pretty sweet. We sat down and got to know a little bit more about their family. Sydney was pretty anxious because it was all new to her so we were able to help her to know that she wasn't expected to remember everything we said but just to remember how she felt. As we went through the lesson we felt the spirit so strong and they did too. We taught the restoration in a way that I hadn't really done before. We ended the lesson by asking them if they would be baptized. Sydney said yes and Matt said that once he receives a confirmation he would. We left their house feeling on top of the world. I love their family so much! Elder Schenk and I can't wait to go back this week. We are hoping she will accept a date in September as well.

We had a ward luau on Saturday night. It was pretty sweet to look in the corner and see an entire table filled of people that Heavenly Father has allowed us to bring into the church. Katherine and her kids were there along with Megan and Ron. Diana, Jack, and Beverly were sitting over there too. They have all become really close friends so it's pretty cool to see.

Just a heads up, this next week Facebook will be going live in our mission so if you see me on Facebook that is why. I won't be communicating or anything with people back home but it will be a tool that we will be using here. It's pretty crazy that I have really just hoped that I would dodge Facebook for my entire mission, but I am so excited for it. We are giving a training to the mission leadership council this week and I have really receive a confirmation that it's going to bless our mission so much. It's also going to bless each of the missionaries. A lot of the reason we have iPads and now Facebook is to teach the missionaries how to use technology wisely and how we can develop habits that will not only bless us out here but also when we get home. I'm super excited to learn and grow from this. So that's just a heads up.

Well I love you all! Hope you each have a great week!

Elder Gammell

Well Transfers Are Done!

Elder Greenwood, Elder Gammell, Elder Robison and Elder Ross
Sending off my old companions

August 16, 2016

Dear Family & Friends,

Well transfers are done. It was the most insane week of my entire life haha. We had so much to do and I am so glad it all came together. It's pretty crazy just how much actually has to go into getting missionaries transferred. We sent home all the departing missionaries on Saturday morning so that was pretty crazy. Elder Greenwood, Elder Robison, and Elder Ross were my companions so that was weird to see them leaving. The night before they left we had a testimony meeting at President Jardine's house and that was incredible. The spirit was so strong as each of the missionaries gave their last testimony as a full time missionary. It was awesome to be there to see it.

Monday morning we picked up 15 new missionaries at the airport. That's one of my favorite things to do. It's so cool seeing them coming down the escalator and talking with them on the ride over to the mission home. They usually have a lot of really good questions and want to know all about the mission. This time they were pretty tired so it was a little more quiet. Plus we had one of the Elders in my van throw up haha. We were driving down the road and all of a sudden I hear, "Is there a barf bag in here?" That's when I hurried and pulled over and he spent some good time outside throwing up. Felt bad for him but he was ok after that. We got back and president had an interview with each of them and then we were able to pair them up with their trainers.

Then we went up the the temple to take a picture and sent them off to their areas. And in the middle of all of that we did the actual transfer meeting. Every transfer we have all of the missionaries that are getting transferred drive up to the mission office and that it where they switch companions. That's one of the benefits of having a smaller mission.

We decided to change things up a little bit from the way we did it last transfer. We brought everyone in and they all had an assigned parking spot. We planned out beforehand that they would be parked right next to, or very close to their new companions. Then they just get out and switch their things and head back to their areas. We ended up getting them all off in just over an hour so that was good. I was so sweaty after. It was 100 degrees outside and Elder Schenk and I were running all over the place. I am just happy we don't have to do it again for another 6 weeks. :)

We have quite a few people we are working with that we have high hopes of them being baptized here pretty soon. I will have to give you all an update on them next week.

Love you all!

Elder Gammell

Elder Schenk, Elder Gammell and Elder Greenwood
Dinner at Scott's

This Week Was The Bomb!

Katherine's Baptism 8/6/2016

August 8, 2016

Dear Family & Friends,

This week was bomb! So many awesome things happened. It's been pretty cool to see the hand of the Lord working in the lives of those we are teaching and in my own life as well.

Elder Gammell & Elder Greenwood

We taught Katherine several times throughout the week to prepare her for her baptism. She finished the Book of Mormon and she loved it! It only took her like 3 weeks haha. She remembers almost all of what she read too so it's cool to see that it is sticking with her. She had been working to overcome a little problem with the word of wisdom and was struggling with it earlier in the week. We had a good talk with her and she committed to live the Word of Wisdom even if it meant having withdrawal headaches during her baptism. She was really sad because she didn't want to have that effect her experience. I promised her that if she would pray each day for help and continue reading the Book of Mormon with her baptism in mind that she would have a clear mind and no headache during her baptism. It was kind of scary promising her that but I felt like I needed to. We stayed in really close contact with her over the next couple days approaching her baptism and she had some terrible headaches! But it was all worth it. She pulled up Saturday night with a huge smile. :) She said on her way over to the baptism the headaches just suddenly disappeared. That was a huge testimony builder for all of us that God answers prayers and also that promised blessings work. The baptism was incredible. The kids were pretty excited so they did get a little wild before and during the baptism but it still went great. Katherine was as happy as can be and that's all we could've ever wanted for her. Pretty amazing how God led us to her again because she truly was ready to take this step in her life. I know it will bless her and her family in this life and also in eternity. :)

My new companion is Elder Schenk! We just picked him up last night so we are excited to have him with us this week. Then we will send Elder Greenwood off on a plane this weekend. Pretty crazy. Working on transfers just about all week so it'll be a busy one.

Love you all!

-Elder Gammell

August Missionary Leadership Conference

Finished Off Our Exchanges This Week!!

August 1, 2016

Dear Family & Friends,

Finished off our exchanges this week!! I was able to go back down to my last area in Elk Grove with Elder Robison was that was a good time. It's always good to see members from old areas. I also did an exchange with Elder Jenkins here in the La Sierra Ward. We had some pretty awesome experiences. We ended up adding a couple solid investigators. One of them was named Joanna. She lived in the same complex as a referral we received. The referral wasn't home so we went and knocked on a door that was supposed to be a member of our ward but we ended up finding her. She was really excited to see us and we shared a restoration pamphlet with her and invited her to look through it. We had an appointment with her but she had to go to the emergency room. So hopefully we can follow up with her soon.

We had a couple of great lessons with Katherine this past week! It's kind of tricky because she is house sitting for a friend and we can't go and teach her their so we had to do all of our lessons over the phone this week. It was pretty sweet. It amazes me just how much you can still feel and follow the spirit to help someone else even if it's over the phone. Not near as good as in person but still a great way. We even started merging members of the ward in on the calls so they could be a part of her teaching too. Katherine is doing so good! She is in Ether so she will for sure finish the Book of Mormon before her baptism this Saturday! We are so excited for her. :) Her friend Derrick is progressing really well too! We had him merged on a call this week and it was a sweet lesson! He has really been pondering his baptism and the changes he needs to make in his life. He received a strong confirmation that it is something he needs to do and he is willing to make the changes to do so. The only thing is that he lives in Rancho Cordova so we are going to have to hand him over soon. They are loving church and it's been such a blessing to see the change in them. This Saturday is going to be a bomb day! :)

This week we have MLC and Zone Training so that will be good and then next week we are doing transfers again. :/ Crazy we are already just about done with another transfer. Elder Greenwood is going home at the end so I should get my new and last companion this week. It's going to be awesome!

Love,

Elder Gammell

Didn't take any new pictures this week but here's a couple more from the Capitol last week.