Elder Gillett - April 9th, 2014

I love getting packages and mail! Seriously it makes the weeks go by so fast! Yes! We need some more music! Hahaha yeah it could be! (re: Gen. Conf) I really enjoyed it a ton honestly but I really got the most by far out of the first session! I thought that he was probably somehow related to Todd because of the last name Zwick!  It was really nice to be able to sleep in until 8:30ish on sunday and saturday because of conference though! :) haha that was a blessing for me! But we have learned a ton this week about letting the spirit teach! It was especially an amazing feeling when we were talking to one of our investigators who we found out smoked and drank but he was really really addicted to smoking. After we had just talked about letting the spirit teach and not us I really tried hard in that lesson with Adan to do all the things they told me to do like to start the lesson with prayer always, pray for your companion as they are speaking so they will say the right thing and have the spirit with them, to not look for what scripture or line in the preach my gospel we are going to respond with to the investigator but to really just listen to what they are saying, what the holy ghost is saying, and what your companion is saying. We also learned that 90% of feelings from the holy ghost will come in the form of a question you can ask your investigator. So after trying those things during this lesson with Adan it was the coolest experience ever! We had a member (another teacher) come in and help us explain the word of wisdom to Adan and it went amazing! Right as we walked in we introduced the member to Adan and Adan is a 23 year old with a 4 month old baby and he is looking for a job or else his dad is kicking him out of the house! so right as we walk in Adan said something about not having a job and the member said Hey i have a job for you! Adan was super pumped! It was super cool(even if he isn't a real investigator) to see his progress and how amazing this gospel and church is! So now with Adan having a job, we started to teach about the word of wisdom! We taught him a little bit about not smoking and drinking before and he didn't drink in 2 days since we taught him again so that was a win! But we got in there and started to teach him about how to better overcome smoking! And it was cool to apply what we learned in the lesson before because as I go back and think about that lesson, I don't think I personally moved my mouth once and said what I was thinking! Seriously, anytime I had a feeling i needed to say something it came right out in pretty good spanish and it was super cool! Even the teacher(member) who came in with us was a little surprised at how well that went! It was an amazing experience! 

So yesterday we had the opportunity to be Host's for the new missionaries here on West Campus which is one of the reasons I wasn't able to host Brad! I was a little bummed but oh well! With only having less than 2 weeks left It was really cool to introduce the new missionaries to the MTC! It made me think back on my first day here and how lucky they were because they weren't thrown in a classroom from the get-go like we were! It also made me realize how much progress I have made being here only a month. Super crazy thought! I have learned more about the gospel and language here in 4 weeks than I ever could have in 3 months! I love being out on a mission! I honestly haven't had a hard time with anything just because I have learned to enjoy the good and the bad! Love you all! The Church is true! And if any of you are choosing on a mission or not! I would say its been the most amzing thing to experience ever... Absolutely Incredible! 

I got my travel itinerary today! Head out on 4.21.14! Leave from the MTC at about 6;30am then from SLC to Atlanta at 11:09amand land at 4:45. then after we go to Buenos Aires on a 13 hour flight at like 9PM eastern time(I think) so about 7 pm here!

PS if you haven't heard of this thing called Dear Elder on the internet you can type up a message to me on the computer and they will put a letter in my mailbox and I will get an email of the letter too! You should start doing that! Its free and super easy!

Hasta Luego y Con Amor 

Elder Gillett

This week Elder Frampton 4/7/14

Dear Family and Friends,

How did everyone enjoy conference? How are things doing for all you? 

Well this week was good. It was a pretty normal week and we were able to see about the same amount of people that we normally see. Ha ha i don't know not to much special or different about this week. Except for conference it was a pretty average week. But i loved conference! One of my favorite talks was Richard G. Scott's on how we can influence others to choose the right in all situations. It helped me recognize how all of us can continue to be missionaries in our everyday lives. If you didnt get the chance to watch conference please watch it on LDS.Org. So your probably wondering about this picture....... our recent convert found this and thought about us ha ha ha so he showed us and said that we (as missionaries) have rights too! ha ha it got us laughing pretty good. Also about this week I got TRANSFERRED! We got calls last night and i will be going to Spokane Washington with my new companion Elder Castlemain. It is stressing me out a little ha ha but change is good because it helps you grow and learn. I will definitely miss the ward here though. They are awesome! 

Well I love you all! I will have more to talk about next week because of this change. Keep doing all the good things your doing!

-Elder Frampton

Jarrett Weekly Letter 4.6.2014

Dear peeps,

 

Well not much really happened this week we just are really blessed by having a lot of people to teach. So really this email will just be an update on how our baptismal date investigators are doing.

 

Well first off we met this guy named Ishikawa San with the sisters.  They are trying to pass him to us! He is really a nice person. His wife died a year ago, and he is really missing her! And I really wanted to keep teaching him and tell him about Grandma Snow and how I really miss her but I get to see her soon! So I hope we get to keep teaching him.

 

So to start:

 

Ikeda San, we met with him twice this week and we taught him lesson 2 and 3 he has been struggling praying and really hasn't been keeping his commitments. He has really been busy lately so I hope we can keep teaching him.

 

Kineda San we taught her lesson 1 and she is progressing as she has been reading the Book of Mormon a little bit lately. She still struggles with praying by herself, but we are working on it.

 

Imafuku San we passed her to the sisters and lets hope that they will keep her progressing.

 

Ito San we weren't able to met with her this week.

 

Tokuda San we made a baptism date with him this last week. We taught him lesson two and he is really progressing from the last time we met him he has read 30 pages of the Book of Mormon which is unreal, and he really likes praying even though his prayers are really simple.

 

Mito San, he is really struggling has he recently got a girlfriend so he is all caught up with her.

 

Other then that not much really happened! I shared my testimony today in sacrament meeting and that went really well I am going to be sad and missing this ward when I get transferred but that is okay! I do need a new area at the same time!

 

Well love you guys I am out!

 

Elder N

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