week 3 Elder Gillett 4.3.14

That's really tough to hear about Dad! hopefully all works out and he can get better soon! But yeah i know Dad and whether or not he is feeling it he will be back out working and everything ASAP! I haven't seen anybody going to the Bahia Blanca mission so far but i will try to find out! I am in a companionship of 3! sorry i thought i had told you that! I'm so excited to see Brad though! I want to find out if there is any way I could go up to Main Campus and be his host for the day! That would be the coolest thing ever! Everything happens for a reason i guess though! Hopefully you guys have fun over Spring break! Things are going good! Anxious to get out to Argentina but the weeks are flying by! I can teach a whole lesson in spanish really easily and my companions always end up turning to me and asking what the investigator said or how to say a word so i am doing awesome i feel like! Definitely have been gifted with the gift of tongues! The weeks here at the MTC are pretty consistent! Not much changes from week to week! but this sunday we had a really cool devotional of a certain mormon singer that just returned off his mission! David Archuleta came and gave a small talk to us on sunday night and then sang a bunch of hymns for us! He seems like a really cool guy and most of the people at the MTC got to shake his hand and talk to him for a second! And then the same devotional the Organist for the MoTab came and talked to us and he was a really cool guy! Absolutely amazing the talent that the organist, Richard Elliot had! It was such a cool and amazing spiritual experience to hear from people like these two who were well known and were spreading the gospel through their music talents! So this week has been an awesome one! Me and one of my companions Elder Cragun were asked to give a blessing to a Hermana missionary who broke her foot here at the MTC a few days before and it was really started to flare up and feel the pain! So we gave the blessing and now it sounds like she is doing pretty good! So that was fun! So guess who i saw here at the MTC yesterday? There was a bunch of new missionaries that came in and as we were headed to class we noticed them and they didn't have enough hosts to show them where their apartments and classes were so we all started helping them out. And then i heard my name Gillett called out from behind me and I turned around and it was Levi Lopez from the Rangers who i planned with a long time ago! I never thought he was LDS so it was cool to hear from him and think that another missionary probably worked on his family so that i could see him here and its cool to think i´ll have the opportunity to do that for other people families! But I also have really enjoyed being at the MTC sometimes it can be really hard but overall i know i am supposed to be here and whenever i start to doubt it at all i am swept over with the feeling of comfort that i am doing what i need to do! Super Bien! But this last week i got interviewed by the Branch President because everybody does the 1st 3rd and 6th week of your time at the MTC and we have come to be really close! He even told me that if i hadn´t been planning on leaving the 2nd week in and hadn´t already called other missionaries to be the Zone Leaders that i would have been his first choice! Its nice to notice that people really do actually notice the effort that you put in! So yeah anyways love you all! Hope everything is going good! Can´t wait to see Brad this week too! 

Hasta Luego y Con Amor 

Elder Gillett

Fuenlabrada! Elder Wilson 4/7/14

Family!!! sounds like everyone is doing amazing back home! Aubs... keep holdin the fort down at the berry.  You'll miss those free smoothies.  hahhaha.  But yeah, that thought just popped into my mind.  So anyways, this week was incredible!!! I had a ton of ups and downs! My first couple days here... were... just different.  It was kinda a hard transition.  Everything totally different, and I was in culture shock! hahaha.  Who knew you could go through culture shock within your own mission.... welp its true. hahaha.  But yeah, so I went from tons of young students to just spaniards and everything inbetween.  It was so different and defintily took a couple days to get used to.  As well with all the other missionaries.  I think more than anything that was the hardest thing... leaving Elder Wells, Bohne and Larkin.  Those guys are incredible. I love Elder Hansen to death.  He is seriously such a stud, and I have learned so much from him.  But there is just one elder here that we live with.... that is to say the least... disobedient.  And doesnt like the fact that Elder Hansen and I are obedient.  hahaha. Ive never been in a situation like that, but I learned a ton, and its going well now.  They are slowly getting better, and Im really trying to help them.  President and the AP's called me just to tell me that they really need me to get the other companionship obedient and working here in fuenlabrada.  So Im excited, and know they will get better.  I just need to be humble and love them.  

But the work out here is very different from the work in the Islands.  There is tons of work to be done...and Im super pumped!!! I almost dont even like P-Day cuz you cant get quite as much work done.. haha.  But yeah.. this week Elder Hansen and I have been working so hard together.  We found many new investigators and 5 of those investigators we found, now have a baptismal date.  Please pray for Joseph, Victoria, Mirian, Florence and Joy. Its pretty crazy cuz there are tonsss of nigerians here.  So Ive taught more english lessons here in this one week, as I have the entire mission... and let me tell ya... Im bad.  I cant teach in english. hahaha! I have yet to meet the Branch President here because of General Conference, and he lives really far away.  We have tried to set up a time to meet, but he just hasn't been able to.  Im really really excited to get working with the members here in Fuenlabrada and create a close relationship with all of them.  Im seriously loving Fuenlabrada so much.  Its my first area that I dont feel like Im in a vacation spot.... and I like it.  Its just a normal city, full of a bunch of people.  No historical attractions.  No beach 10 minutes away.  No crazy carnavals or anything.  Its awesome!! Im really excited, and I don't think I have ever felt so focused on the mission.  

Okay, so we got to watch a few sessions of General Conference this week.  That was awesome!! I LOVED Elder Hales talk about obedience.  "The Savior lives, because He obeyed"  So simple.... but so powerful.  That one statement really impacted me.  Sometimes we forget that the very first thing the Savior chose to do was OBEY. We wouldn't have resurrected if he didnt obey. We wouldnt be able to return to our Father, if he didnt obey.  We would have no purpose here, if Jesus Christ wasnt obedient.  I really loved that talk a lot! I really liked the talk by Sister Reeves as well.  You could just feel her love and sincerity for every single family in the world.  Also Elder Scotts talk about love.  INCREDIBLE.  And then Elder Oaks talk was one I will ALWAYS remember.  It really impacted me as well.  "There is no up or down in the service of the Lord, there is only forward and backward."  No misisonary is higher than the other. No missionary is lower than the other.  Every Preisthood holder, regardless aaronic or melquisedec is either moving forward or backward.  Not up or down as they are asigned responsibilties.  I think I could go through every talk, and just say I loved them all.  hahaha.  I got to see all the sessions, besides Sunday afternoon. 

So we went to the temple to see some of the conference sessions in the stake center there, and I got to see Elder Franson, Elder Eskelson, and Elder Christensen again!!!!! let me tell you how happy that reunion was! Elder Hansen and I got to Conference late because we were in a lesson, and may or may not have gotten lost along the way, but we walked in late, and the second us 4 saw each other.... it was just crazy!!! I love those guys.  It was so good to see them!

But things are going great here... absolutely amazing!!! Tons of funny experiences.  Elder Hansen and I are always laughing and smiling together.  Im loving being his companion.  I have been so blessed with my companions.  He is the District Leader, and is doing amazing. He is such an example to me of Leadership.  Im way grateful for him.  He was companions with Elder Ortiz as well! Just FYI. hahaha.  But yeah, Im as happy as can be.  Its amazing how everything can be 100% different, but as you are serving the Lord with all the faith and effort that you have, you will always be 100% happy.  I have such a testimony of that.  I know Jesus Christ is my Savior.  I know He knows me personally and is taking care of me.  I know He walked a perfect life, and is greater than we even know. I love my Best Friend and Eternal Redeemer, Jesus Christ with all my heart. 

Love you all so much.  

Elder wEElson 

week 3 Elder Gillett 4.3.14

That's really tough to hear about Dad! hopefully all works out and he can get better soon! But yeah i know Dad and whether or not he is feeling it he will be back out working and everything ASAP! I haven't seen anybody going to the Bahia Blanca mission so far but i will try to find out! I am in a companionship of 3! sorry i thought i had told you that! I'm so excited to see Brad though! I want to find out if there is any way I could go up to Main Campus and be his host for the day! That would be the coolest thing ever! Everything happens for a reason i guess though! Hopefully you guys have fun over Spring break! Things are going good! Anxious to get out to Argentina but the weeks are flying by! I can teach a whole lesson in spanish really easily and my companions always end up turning to me and asking what the investigator said or how to say a word so i am doing awesome i feel like! Definitely have been gifted with the gift of tongues! The weeks here at the MTC are pretty consistent! Not much changes from week to week! but this sunday we had a really cool devotional of a certain mormon singer that just returned off his mission! David Archuleta came and gave a small talk to us on sunday night and then sang a bunch of hymns for us! He seems like a really cool guy and most of the people at the MTC got to shake his hand and talk to him for a second! And then the same devotional the Organist for the MoTab came and talked to us and he was a really cool guy! Absolutely amazing the talent that the organist, Richard Elliot had! It was such a cool and amazing spiritual experience to hear from people like these two who were well known and were spreading the gospel through their music talents! So this week has been an awesome one! Me and one of my companions Elder Cragun were asked to give a blessing to a Hermana missionary who broke her foot here at the MTC a few days before and it was really started to flare up and feel the pain! So we gave the blessing and now it sounds like she is doing pretty good! So that was fun! So guess who i saw here at the MTC yesterday? There was a bunch of new missionaries that came in and as we were headed to class we noticed them and they didn't have enough hosts to show them where their apartments and classes were so we all started helping them out. And then i heard my name Gillett called out from behind me and I turned around and it was Levi Lopez from the Rangers who i planned with a long time ago! I never thought he was LDS so it was cool to hear from him and think that another missionary probably worked on his family so that i could see him here and its cool to think i´ll have the opportunity to do that for other people families! But I also have really enjoyed being at the MTC sometimes it can be really hard but overall i know i am supposed to be here and whenever i start to doubt it at all i am swept over with the feeling of comfort that i am doing what i need to do! Super Bien! But this last week i got interviewed by the Branch President because everybody does the 1st 3rd and 6th week of your time at the MTC and we have come to be really close! He even told me that if i hadn´t been planning on leaving the 2nd week in and hadn´t already called other missionaries to be the Zone Leaders that i would have been his first choice! Its nice to notice that people really do actually notice the effort that you put in! So yeah anyways love you all! Hope everything is going good! Can´t wait to see Brad this week too! 

Hasta Luego y Con Amor 

Elder Gillett

This Week.. Elder Frampton

Dear Family and Friends,

So i got one reply on my question this last week ha ha that's a very low percentage for all of you going to church. Anyway I guess i will go back to the old question of How are you all doing? anything exciting happen this week? 

My week was good. We have been really trying to get creative with who to visit and how to find more work here. Its pretty normal though for Bonner's Ferry. Just not a lot of change in a small town. But this week was good because we made it fun by going biking and going on roads we have never been on. I don't know how well the picture of Elder Miles in the car shows there lawn but it was disgusting. They had Wolf Pelts drying on there car and Deer heads laying around and just junk laying all over there front yard. I just had to take a picture of it ha ha. But the other picture is while we were biking this week around town. We got a few more contacts then being in a car so that was good. None of them said yes but hey we actually got the chance to ask. But at the end of this week we had to 8 year old baptisms. They were fun to be at and i was asked by the young girl that was getting baptized to say the closing prayer ha ha. Baptismal services are the best! they have an amazing spirit with them, even when its 8 year olds. But ya this week was good ha ha still just trying the best we can! Hope all of you are doing well :)

- Elder Frampton

TRANSFERS....Elder Wilson

Well family.... after the greatest 6 months of my entire life... I have been transfered.  I am now going to be working in Madrid, in a city called Fuenlabrada. Im taking Elder Smith's place! And Elder Smith is headed up north to A Coruña. 

But man.... is it weird sitting here, in a new internet cafe, with all new missionaries. I dont even know how to put it into words how grateful I am for La Laguna.  I have never ever in my entire life grown so much in a 6 month time span.  I love those people so much.  I truly do see them as my family.  The goodbyes were very hard, but I could not be more excited to be here working in Fuenlabrada!! Its going to be so amazing.  This area is very very different from La Laguna.  Its not roaming with 20 year old canarians.  Its full of every single culture and ethnicity.  It is not as beautiful.  BUT there are tons of people and tons of buildings... and thats all that matters.  People to preach the gospel to. I really like it though.  It is super awesome, and simple! Pretty much the exact opposite from La Laguna.  My new companion is Elder Hansen.  He graduated in 2011 from Lone Peak.  He has been out in the mission 1 transfer less then me, and is super awesome! I already know we are going to get along super super well.  He lives in Nathan Henleys neighborhood.  So he knows Nate Henley, Mac Jones, Clancy Barney, Ammon Story and all them! He played football and swam.  Hes super awesome, and I cant even wait to get to work with him. Also we live with another companionship here in Fuenlabrada and one of those missionaries is also from Lone Peak.  Graduated in 2011 as well.  His name is Elder Nilsen, and was in Sydney's old ward in Highland... small world! Sorry If my thoughts are all scattered today... its been a very interesting weekend.  Im in a whole new place.  Whole new people.  Im running on very little sleep because of packing, needing to do district calls and calling the zone leaders, and basically organizing all the transportation for transfers in tenerife. We got up at 3AM today to go pick up some elders to make it to the airport on time.  hahahaha, but surprisingly, Im not too tired.  

Im so grateful for my time I had in La Laguna, for everything about La Laguna-  For the worst bed that I have ever slept in my life, luke warm showers, a broken washer... everything! Im so grateful for the people there.  It was super tough to say goodbye to Mari, Paco, Arelys and Darwin.  As well Efrain.  And Pilar Pablo and Luis.  Pilar in the Gospels Principles class on sunday that she teaches just broke down in tears right in the middle of the class.  It was so sad, and so sad to leave everyone. They are the greatest ward ever.  Mari, was just crying the entire day.  It was just so tough.  So wow, has a ton happened these last few days.  I kinda felt it coming though.  Logically I should have stayed and finished up Elder Wells training.. but obviously the Lord has something different in mind.  But yeah i kinda felt it was coming.  I felt it was my time. As much as I didnt want it to be my time... it was.  I was getting to attatched to the ward, and too comfortable there. Not that it was impeding on the work... its just in the mission you should never feel comfortable.  There should always be something that needs to change and become better... so I kinda felt it coming.  One of the biggest surprises of the transfers is that Ive been assigned to be a Zone Leader.  That blew my mind.  All the Zone Leaders are all so old and super wise... I feel super mediocore, but I am really really excited to learn and grow from this experience.  I will be a Zone Leader for the Madrid West Zone with Elder Saquicela.  He goes home in 3 months! Please pray for me, and the Madrid West Zone, family!

So as im sure you have all seen from Arelys FB... the talent show was super interesting and funny!! hahahaha.  All the members absolutely loved it... especially the Investigators that were there.  It was good for them to see that side of all the members.  hahahaha.... so embarasing and funny just thinking about it.  

But family, I dont want you thinking that Im sad or discouraged or anything.  I have never had more excitement for the work than I do right now.  I know Im here for a reason, and there is something to be done! I can't wait to get to work.  It is going to be so amazing.  And I am very  very grateful for the opportunity to be here in Fuenlabrada and be companions with Elder Hansen.  He was actually companions with Elder Ortiz for a transfer.... oh and Elder Ortiz heads home to colombia this week:( I never got to see him again.  Im still so thankful for him.  But things couldnt be better out here in the Peninsula.  I got my second big suitcase back today, and it was like opening up a big Christmas present.  I have like 8 white shirts that I havn't warn yet.  Its nice to have all my stuff back.  Im so grateful for this chance to serve her and serve the missionaries here in Madrid West.  Thanks for your constant support family.  I love you all so much.  Thanks for the prayers and thoughts.  I am so grateful for the mission. If there is anything we are here in the world to do, its the will of the Father.  

Elder Weelson

Jarrett Weekly Letter 3.30.2014

Whats up!!!

 

Well basically you won't believe the news that I have for you guys this week! Here in Kitami we have 6 baptism dates... yeah we made 4 this last week. Too bad they are all for after I leave! I am just glad that I have been able to leave this place better then when I am came to it!

Well not much really has been going down besides that we are working our booty off everyday and it is a great feeling!! The only other thhing is that I am starting to become really sick of this area. I need a change I feel like I have been here too long! But it is okay I just need to keep doing work for a little longer!!  I really think that I will be transfered this next transfer!

Well I am out!

 

Elder N duces!!

WEEK 2 Elder Gillett 3.27.14

week 2 in the MTC was pretty crazy! i was getting ready to leave just a few days before the day  i was supposed to, got all my bags, packed and a box ready to ship back home with the stuff that i wouldn't need that Elder Cragun said he would ship back for me but then i got the airport and they didnt have my passport for me so i couldn't fly out to of the country so we made a few calls and they said it was a mistake and that i don't leave until April 21st! MOMS BIRTHDAY! haha but i had to ride back home in the truck that carried all the luggage up to the airport and i just slept on the way home so that was really nice! But i got back and joined back in the district i had left so they were all surprised to see me again! and they had already re arranged some of the rooms so that my stuff wouldn't fit! haha but this week has gone by super fast! I learned tons about spanish and i feel like i could speak it pretty dang close to fluently! haha not really but i am probably just really confident! the only 2 hard things about the mtc are the food(only on west campus) because we get the left overs of main campus and the same schedule of sitting listening to how we should teach all the time! But we got a ton of inverstigators we are teaching now and that is honestly the most amazing part of being out on a mission! it makes everything worth it and i love teaching them! Even though they are just my teachers acting as people they baptized i feel like i really know the people! its super cool! So i saw Hermana Bree Guerrerro up on main campus this week so it was really cool to see her because i have missed talking to some friends! 

I'm so glad to hear about Brad and Elder VawdSquad! Vawd got his first baptism and so i'm sure he is loving the mission right now! How could you not after baptizing someone? haha But i am super pumped to hear brads talk went so good! He will be one of the best missionaries i know it for sure! Im so grateful for all the friends, soccer bros, and family that i have had! I want to thank all you have helped donate to my mission funds and what not as well too! Love you all!

Con Amor (with love)

Elder TGILLY3