Week 3- Opening the mission in Gilbert

This email below was sent to my mom today.  I'll update the other one that was sent later on this evening.  He sounds like he is doing great. He and his companion are the first official Gilbert missionaries for the Arizona Gilbert Mission #spoileralert. --courtney


That was Sister Priday who sent you the picture. She's one of the greatest member missionaries I've ever met. . We were introduced by the stake president in front of the whole stake. They had us sit up at the front and everything. Kinda exciting. But the work here is relatively slow for now. My companion and I are dedicated to speeding it up though. Our area is so small though (one square mile) that we rely solely on referrals and street contacts. So mostly referrals. So a lot of it is up to the members to step it up, and to us to encourage the members to step it up. So yeah not only am I in the gilbert area, I'm in the gilbert mission. I didn't have one day in the Arizona Tempe Mission. I got there and was assigned to serve in the highland west stake, val vista zone, of the Arizona Gilbert Mission. WE are officiallly the first Gilbert missionaries! Pretty exciting but a little intimidating. I won't be having President Toone. i'll be having President Natress. I know we know him somehow. He was an area seventy in Idaho but maybe there are some more connections that mom can inform me of.

We don't pass of discussions or anything. We are "to become preach my gospel missionaries." basically we understand the doctrine, understand how to recognize and teach by the spirit, and follow the spirit, and have faith that it'll be given us "yea, in the very moment what ye should say".

 We have 5 investigators that aren't very dedicated/receptive. But we have an appointment with both of them this week so hopefully we can teach  by the spirit and have them feel it/recognize it. We've had some cool expierences street contacting as well. Met a guy named Glen the other day, and we taught him about the Book of Mormon, and commited hiim to reading 3 Nephi 11 and praying about it. We're going to drop by tonight and see how it's going. 

It is definitely a little toasty here. We don't really have access to the weather report, so we just have to guess. It's basically just hot. all the time. But I enjoy it! I like the heat! and there comes a time (every day after ten minutes of being outside), that you are so sweaty that you don't really care if you get a little more sweaty.

My new address is  5332 e baseline rd, apt # 1065, mesa, Arizona 85206. So send away! lookin forward to your letters!

No we don't have four missionaries in each ward. But my companion and I cover only two words or one square mile. And yes I know! everything going on right now is so exciting! It's incredible to see God's work progressing so fast. All of these new announcements lately are going to accelerate the work exponentially! What an exciting time!Send me whatevery you want! I'm happy to get anything! letters included! Thanks family! love you!