The Afteraffects of The FEAST

Ok So this first Photo and the second one. Are the After affects of that Wonderful Christmas Feast. Even though it was Christmas EVE was the feast but.,......Its a different country what can you do? All of us STUFFED TO THE GILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Third photo was Christmas Morning and my wonderful package from My parents that I DID wait to open. (Loree I did receive yours as well) But With my sisters you can imagine me with about twice as much candy you will understand what my sister Sent me. THANK YOU BOTH!!!!! I love ya tons!!!!!!!!

ANd this Photo is of the Wonderful time that I had to talk to my family Via SKYPE. I LOVE Skype now. I have become an official Skype user. Anywho. Love ya tons!!!!! BYE!

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"Sometimes God calms the storm. At other times, He calms the sailor. And sometimes He makes us swim."-Kolipoki

An Update.

Hey Everyone. It has been a while since I have done a good update on my blog. I will be doing both Photos and This Good old blog. So make sure to look at both.

Since it is still in December I will be doing this in Christmas Colors. WOOHOO!!!!!. So For Updates. Let me tell ya. Right now I am in a place called Framboyanes, La Vega. I arrived the eighth, a wednesday, of December. The monday before I received a call from President Lee asking me if I felt ready to be Senior Comp my mouth said yes well it just blurted the first thing that came to my head. But afterwards I actually started to think. Ummmm.... Senior Comp?????!!!!! Are you sure?!!!! But By the time my brain kicked out of automatic response mode it was to late to talk to President Because he had already gotten off the other line. Well. Since my mouth already said Yes I guess I am now in this thing! So I am now The Senior Comp. I rather enjoy it. But the suprises dont stop there.

The Next Day was tuesday it is the day that we learn whos going where and Whats going on with them. So We receieve the call, I am getting shipped out to LA VEGA!!!!!! To a ward called Framboyanes. I also learned that my comp is called Elder Valdez. I know that he is a Greenie and that I would be his Second Comp. So in terms of the Mission his "stepfather" Thats cool. I hope I can keep up the awesomenes.. So I use that tuesday and I finish packing and I got those last photos that you all see on my blog. Are we good. OK. So throughout the day I am calling a few of my buddies see wharts going on with them. And One of them tells me that he thinks I am district Leader. Umm WHAT?! No one told me anything about that. So I get to La Vega, After a VERY LONG Transfer Day. And guess what. It´s TRUE!!!! I am District leader. Wow. What a big jump. From Junior COmp to Senior COmp, District Leader and "stepfather" Wow. What a big Jump.

So. I am thinking about that. If President Lee put me there it´s from Heavenly Father and so. I am qualified to do it with his Help. Fun Shtuff. So right now I am still alive and I am just LOVING the Mission. the week before I got here they had just finished baptizing there last progressing Investigators. So I arrived once again to an area with NOTHING!!!!! I love these areas. That means once again I get to be a sower and a reaper. Thats my goal. We are going to find Those ready people and baptize them all!!!! Right now we are going amongst the rich people searching for the next Bishop/stake President/70. Amongst them. We know they are there. The only hard part is that its there that we get the most amount of doors slammed in our face......Well actually the majority all we see is a camera Lens. I have two cool stories though. Even amongst these people you find those ready and waiting.

So the first story is it was a morning. Morning contacts are the worst in this country, Just because its when everyone cleans and prepares the big meal of NOON to eat. So no one ever wants to give you time so its really tough sometimes. But it was just one of those mornings. The same one I was just talking about. NO ONE wanted to listen to us. We were in the poorish area. Just searching. We look into houses to see if we can see MEN. Which usually signifies a Family. Thats what we want FAMILIES. So we are going and we are getting close to the point of heading home. When we pass this one house I see a guy. I walk like two steps then stop. Turn around and go back to that house. It was like something kinda clicked in my head. It was cool. We talked to this guy introduced ourselves and he said his name was Narcisso. He is a lawyer. But he used to work for 37 years with an Ex-President of the Country. It was a good lesson. At the End of the Lesson we decided to give him a Book Of Mormon. He told us that He had just received the Best Gift he would recieve. WOW.  Right now. During this Season it has been hard to find him. But We will baptize him and his Family. Its awesome. We did set a Date of Baptism with him as well. But at least just for right now has fallen through we are waiting for the next time to teach him. He has been harder to find then 5 peso coin in a pile of bottle caps.

The other really cool Encounter was when we were amongst the richer people. Wow. This was in the evening. But wow. It is harder to get into one of their houses then it is to get out of Fort knox with Gold. Or get into Fort Knox for that matter. But we were doing contacts knowing that it would be tough. After about 20 housesof continuous knocking like house after house. We get rejected time after time. And with the last one it was a guy but he was cooking and didnt want to talk to us so we just started to walk. At the end of the street my comp and I justBoth turned to the Same house. So we go up to the doorbell. Knock on it. or ring it. and someone starts talking to us. And We introduse ourselves as representatives of the Church Of Jesus Christ and he tells us hold on and opens the door. He then comes running out. WOW. I was already excited for this lesson. It turned out to be an awesome Lesson. He had just started searching for a church because the Catholic Church just wasnt doing kit for him. And he told us what a coincidence that he had just started searching for a church and here we were on his doorstep. Amazing huh? Thats what I call being guided by the Lord.


So, to bring you all up to date, We are two days before The NEW YEARS. For CHristmas I was lucky and we (The missionaries) received a very special gift from Our mission president. The Chance to do a Video Call with our family back at home. That was an awsome gift. We also as a mission a little before got together and took a mission wie Photo. We all got together. It was wonderful. We had a giant Christmas Eve Feast. And Right now we are working our behinds off to find and convert the people of La Vega. I love you all. Keep on rockin,. Hope You all had a great Christmas and I hope you will all have a rockin noise bangin New years. See upi all next year!!! Love ya!!!

Elder Gordon

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"Sometimes God calms the storm. At other times, He calms the sailor. And sometimes He makes us swim."-Kolipoki

DONTYA LOVE CHRISTMAS!!!!!

So Mom, I thought about it. if I am stuck eating eggs and rice I better just do it the correct way, Right Dad? Gotta get me the BIG SPOON!!!!

So This Picture was Christmas EVE. With Us Four Elders in the house of a Member For CHristmas eve. In the house of Flia Gomez. The Elders From Left to Right are. ELDER WALKER, ELDER GORDON, ELDER VALDEZ, ELDER EVANGELISTA. Family it was the Elder on the right that talked to you in the Better english. Hes workin on it though.

THis was our Christmas FEAST. Pastelón Lasagna pasta, Rice, Bread, Pork and Chicken. Not Ham But Pork. It was all REALLY GOOD I loved it. Lots. We were really happy to the Gomez family.

THis next picture is the table after the FEAST. Like I said luckily we had more than us for eating this meal. Also some of the Gomez Family is inthis photo.

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"Sometimes God calms the storm. At other times, He calms the sailor. And sometimes He makes us swim."-Kolipoki

PHOTOS!!!!!!!!!!!

***Note: Somehow this post came through without the pictures attached and the copy of the email hasn't yet reached my inbox. I will post the pictures that go with these captions as soon as I have them available.  ~Melissa***


***Updated with the pictures now!***

So this Photo is about My new Companion and I.  This night was a night when we Just hung out outside and we did a whole bunch of things with Light. Elder Valdez and I.

So Here is a good example. I call the photo, Oh Oh OOh it´s Magic! Its an M. I finally figured out how to do these things.

This next one is very similiar. Even though I didnt turn out well This is a tribute to one of my favorite Animes Naruto. I have better ones I just was kinda rushed on time to find it.

So Mom this is a photo to you. Just look at what I have to eat tonight??? This is why I need recipes. I dont want to be stuck with eating Rice and Fried Eggs my entire mission.

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"Sometimes God calms the storm. At other times, He calms the sailor. And sometimes He makes us swim."-Kolipoki

An update.

WOW. so let me tell you what has been going on. WOW. Life has been pretty crazy. i had 2 dead companions in a row. "I killed" one of them as he was going home from the mission. It was actually a really fun transfer. We didnt have a lot of success and then there was this point to where he fiunally admitted he was dead. Then after him I received Elder Wahman. When he gets to the area. He tells me straight out he is pretty much dead. Which was true.He was half dead. and he has died a lile bit more as well. Then in the transfer was a hard ransfer he is a pretty well known Tigre in the mission. it took some time. we finall got to a point that we worked pretty well with each other. It was the transfer I have aught the least but. I learned a lott. But. I am coming into my year mark. Next week is when I hit it. I am super excited for it. Anyway. So Transfers were today!. Ans wow. President Lee called me Monday night and Told me I was going up to Senior Comp. I learned on Tuesday that I will be a "stepfather" or the second companion of an Elder. Then Today I learned that I am District Leader #. Also That I am moving to a new area. In La Vega. In Framboyanes B. This house is AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It has HOT WATER!!!!!!!!!!! And it's large. And if I stay here two transfer which I hope I will I will experience Carniv'al Though I doubt president will let us stay at that house because all the parades of Carnival go right in front of the house. But. Thats a quick update. I am really excited for this transfer!!! Also. My trainer is the other District leader here in La Vega! Anywho Loveyou all tons!!!!!

con carina
Elder Gordon

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2nd Nephi 31:20

The End of the WORLD?????!!!!!!!!! In 2011????!!!!!

Well. This is one of my favorite photos. This is of a sign when coming into Santiago from some church. The thing I don't get is the scripture quotes that Christ will come like a theif in the Night. But......Now....Apparently we know when he is coming. I think this sign is rather funny. Its the only one I have seen. But what can you do? people someimes just dont understand.......Oh well.

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2nd Nephi 31:20

Hey waz up?!

Well Let me explain a few of these pictures for my mothers sake because she informed me that she wanted to know more about my photos not just a title. So here we go.

The first one is of one of my good friends. Elder Gamboa. On MY BODY pillow. this is to show how much everyone just loves my body pillow. but no one loves it more than I do. Thank you mom and dad for being awesome and sending it to me!!!!!!

This next one is of me and one of the members of my ward. He owns an internet center. Eventhough he is an inactive in his own ward but active in the church type of guy. When my ciompanions would take a lot of time and I was bore just sitting there I would talk and hang out with Robert, Though I had no clue he lived in my ward area until last week. 

This is the next photo, This is a picture of my favorite family in San fransisco. This is the family of Ramon and Senia. The guy on the left is Ramons brother Americo, The three kids are natanael he is 8, Melquis who is 7 and Lisbet who is 10. Then it is Senia. The mother she has been a member for 16 years but no one but her family knew it. And now she is becoming active and we are workiing on baptizing the family. The last one the one with the big arms a little smaller than Dads is Ramon. He own his own workshop of making furniture. his work looks really good. I absolutely love this family they are Awesome awesome people. I have seen such a big change in that family. 

This last one is me and my companion Elder Wahman. Yes I wore a santa Hat. It was awesome. That was this morning as well. Anywho I will continue with the blog after the next photo.

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2nd Nephi 31:20

INkKBLOTS

Well. I have heard from a few people that they need to go see a pschoatrtist. SO I have decided to make it easy for people and I will be their pschoatrist. So respond what you see in these three inkblots. Thanks! BYE!

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2nd Nephi 31:20

SÍ MÁS!!!!!!!!!

My comps back. 

My comp Elder Wahman.

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2nd Nephi 31:20

more photos

My "halloween costume".......

Funky colors!!!

My new scripture cases and what not.

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2nd Nephi 31:20

Just keep it coming

ANNOYING CATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BAPTISM!!!!!!!!!!!! Her Name(the bigger one) is Prandalis.

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2nd Nephi 31:20

MÁS

My Halloween Watermelon

AND ME!!!!

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2nd Nephi 31:20

Lovely Photos

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2nd Nephi 31:20

Some Photos For My Beloved Fans

Elder Marte and I

THE BEST DISTRICT IN THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THE SAME!!!!! IN A DIFFERENT POSTURE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is the day we didnt have anything in the house but we still made an awesome lunch.....But i didnt like the meat......Oh well...

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2nd Nephi 31:20

More pictures

This is the back of my Name tag!!!!! It rocks and all of you are jealous!!!!

 number 2 this is the Ninja poses on the beach

This kid is named jesus Peña he left on his mission for Santiago Chile and My comp Elder Marte

This is just a glimpse of how everyone loves my body pillow.

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2nd Nephi 31:20



LONG TIME!!!!!

Wow.....I have not updated this thing in AGES!!!!! Let me tell you I do have excuses. Many of them. Such as Demons and Ninjas attacking San Fransansisco. A giant came and was playing with the cars like toys. and clifford the big red dog came to chase off the giant after I called him for help.

So you know......ok most of you dont but when you are in a completely foreign place and you are surrounded by people who speak a foreign language when you here your own language it attracts you in a second. But mostly now. I just ask them to stop speaking English in my mind. My native tongue has become something precious to me. and when I hear people speaking it I like to hear it correctly. And these people all thjink they can speak English but they can´t. Usually you can tell in three or four words if they can speak english well or not. There are many who know the language really well. There are two types of spanish here. Pure dominican or you have the Bronx spanish. Which is Spanish with a heavy new york accent. But I am coming to love these people more and more. Sometimes Its a little hard. But I really enjoy it here.

So this past month we had the President of the Area Elder Viñas of the 70 come to the stake. He gave the stake a giant Botche which is a giant reprimand. Simply this stake is more or less in Apostasy and they need to fix it. But!!! Us Elders are doing our best to bring new and old souls back and into the church. So there souls can be nourished by the pleasing word of God. 

As I was in an Intercambio this transfer We were contacting and we met this guy who turned out to be this crazy catholic. Apparently not to long ago the other Elders had contacted him about a month ago. And the guy got super extremely upset and then started talking to us about how we dont have the right to tell a person his baptism was not correct and all that jazz. Then after that we asked him if we could close with a prayer and he told us no. Went into his house and kept talking to himself. I was like.....wooooow. But thats how life goes.

About 2 weeks ago we went to Nagua. Which is about an ohur away on the bus. To play go play basketball then to go cook a bar b que on the beach. Let me tell you I was once again reminded by my poor basketballness that that sport is not for me. then we went to the "beach" wow....... It was...decntly ok. If that. We all enjoyed it. It was really hot and the sun was brutal and almost all of us Americans were burned.  But we had the best time that we could.

Just recently I finished the Book Of Mormon in Spanish. WOW. I never thought I would read another boook in another language. Wow. I would like to testify to you all that I KNOW without a SINGLE doubt that the Book of Mormon are scriptures from God. That the Prophet Joseph Smith is the prophet that translated that book and restored the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints I love serving in the Lords Work. And being an Instrument. I pray to become more powerful a tool in his hands. I love you all. Stay strong and stay awesome. I will continue updating next week.

Con Cariña
Elder Gordon

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2nd Nephi 31:20

Pictures!!!!!!

This was with Elder Verzello it was a tiring morning.

Horabeous Corpus 6 month tie burn. No mom it wasnt one of mine and yes mom he did give it to me. :)

A Gorgeous Gurabo Sunset

WOOT POPCORN!!!!!!!!!!! BUT I found an even better way then the oven!!!!

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2nd Nephi 31:20

picture

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2nd Nephi 31:20

SAN FRANSISCO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey Everyone!!!!! I am back!!!! -Hoorabeus Corpus- Right now I am in my new area the of San Fransisco. NO I am not lying. The mission of santiago also has San Fransisco within its area. Its really cool so far. Well. I am just glad I am in a new area with a new Companion. His name is Elder Marte. To describe him Elders say Elder Marte you know the one with No chin. I had no clue. But now now I understand. Apparently when he entered the mission he was really big or to be straightforward. FAT. Thats his words. But he works out everyday. And he doesnt eat a lot. So. Yeah. He is pretty cool. Really friendly. I love the guy. We have Companionship study. and everything. We do it all. Its really good.

Like I said I am loving San fransisco.  We even have beaches as part of the zone. I am not near one. But there are beaches in the Zone. The church is extremly close to our apartment. We are right in front of the church just about. It takes about one minute leaving our apartment to walk to the church.

Right now the area is a little hard just because we dont have a lot of stuff happening in the church or the area. We are trying to find and a lot of people dont want to listen to our message. We try contacting and people are never home or leave 10 minutes before we get there and all that Jazz. Its difficult just cause we end up contacting most of the day which gets us nowhere. Which is sad. BUT!!!! This transfer will be awesome!!!!!! It already is! We are going to work a lot more on finding FAMILIES. And Priesthood members. We are going to do a reversal at church. We are going to re activate members and baptize many more. Thats my goal for us.

Right now though I am in a rare Trio. Our companions are the DLS in this zone and there are only three districts in the Zone. They are going over new material that we have for teaching and finding people and bringing them into the True gospel. So they are in Santiago for two or three days. So it will be interesting...... Well it has been interesting They might return tonight or maybe not till tommorrow sometime. soooooo......Yeah. I caught myself a Tiger this past week though. It was really difficult. Especially because there is practically no wildlife here in the DR. But Right now I am training him to Clean the house. Lately the normal wild dogs and cats in our area have been deacreasing as well. I am still trying to figure that one out. But its been pretty good.  Thank you for all your prayers. Stay awesome and read the word of God and the modern scriptures which you should all receive monthly. LOves allya!!!!!!

Elder Handsome
AKA
Elder Gordon

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2nd Nephi 31:20

Nut much time

Well!!!! Like my subject says I dont have much time. But I also have some information about one of your favorite Nuts!!!!! Cashews. They are the seed of a fruit called cajuil. (CA wheel) The pronunciation.  Anyway its a fruit that I do not like. But the seed is Awesome!!!! Also Tis week we had a monkey-butt-faced-little-munchkin-muffin-eaters steal our gas tank for the house. So for two days we had no gas to cook things with. It was sad. I cant believe someone would go to that type of trouble. -sigh- what can you do. BUT!!!! More info on my comp. One thing is that he gets a haircut Every week. And I have never been able too tell the difference in the hair. NEVER!!!! Also. Is it bad to wish for your area to be whitewashed. Because that is what i wish. But my time is up. I will let you know next week whats up. Love ya all!!

ELDER GORDON!!!!

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2nd Nephi 31:20

Sorry for the delay

Hey everyone!!!! Sorry for the delay. I know another two weeks passed by!!!!!! Buyt I do have a reason. I was fighting off the hordes of Satan once again from the people of the Dominican Republic under the guise of A MISSONARY FROM THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS!!!!!!! Named Elder Gordon. Oh and many ninjas attacked me also. SO!!! HIYA!!!!

Hws everything with all of you? Here. I am still liuving as is my Companion that in and of itself is a miracle. The past two weeks have been filled with practically the same old thing. Everyone is still living. NO one is dead so everyone here in Gurabo still has a chance to repent and accept the Gospel. So once again still good. I have not had lots of success in terms of Baptisms here. But In other terms I have grown lots here.

The First Presidency Has recently released to the missionaries a new way of teaching. And a new way of utilizing the Preach My Goospel. I am realy excited for that. For us we will not have full use oof it here until April where as I believe the Eglish speaking missions have full use of it soon already. Lucky them. Anyway. I am super excited for that. But my life is still good and as always could use some good prayers. We have some really promising looking investigators but unless I stay jhere another transfer I won see any of them come to fruition. But we will see whats going on. Only one more Pday with my comp.....Is that bad to be counting down? Well Tú sabes.

Love ya all
Elder Gordon

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2nd Nephi 31:20

Super UPDATE!!!

Well This is for the past 2 weeks. So A loooooot of info I have....More or less.
So starting off the transfer.....We had no electricity in our house for four days!!!!! it was horrible!!!! There was something wrong in the main box some box had become loose and wasn´t firm but we called the problem in to the office and they called in an electrician and he fixed it in ten minutes. Then we had electricty once again!!!!! It was awesome!!!!

So as you know I now have a new comp....Wow......In all reality the first week I was the senior comp I was the one who made all the decisions. It was pretty cool. But he rarely talked. At first I believed just because he was new. I was right. He loves to teach from the Bible. I dont know why Dominicans like to teach from th bible so much. I personally prefer the BOM It´s more awesomer.

But my first impression from my first day is that this six weeks are going to be a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNG 6 Weeks. So far I have been right. Last night I almost clubbed my companion........Yeah not good  know but he did deserve it. But I didnt.....Woops Didnt mean to put italics on.

You will never guess what I found here!!!!!! in the middle of nowhere I found the best store bought frosting out there!!!!! RAINBOWCHIP FROSTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Woohoo. It was flipping awsome I was really excitedWhen I was buying it I had to keep looking to make sure it didnt change into something else or dissapear. Right now its on my cake. I am happy. with that.

This morning. We were walking and I saw on a truck "sonrei Jesu Te ama" Which means " Smile Jesus Loves You" It was rteally funny. and awesome.

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO My birthday. To be truthful the actual day was pretty bad. The day before was awesome. District Meeting The package from my Mom arrived bearing many awesaome goodies. And snackies. I know Have a nice time snacking. So We had a small party and I opened my moms package and ditributed some of the rice krispes and chcolate oatmeal cookies.....Which reminds me. Mother can you send me those Recipes?  Then afterwards we had our interviews with the president. Which as always were awesome.

Then I went and got some ice cream.

The next day my actually birthday was kinda lame as far as birthday goes I celebrated by myself because my comp is........Well not a very nice Elder. He does his own things. And in the morning he walked past me and kinda mumbled as quietly as he could that i barely heard it feliz cumpleañeo. Wow.....Sad. But. I had fun....by myself......But yeah now it´s Pday and I am still alive and WAYYYYYY out of time love ya guys!!!!! Saty awesome!!!!!!!
CAIO!!!!!
Elder Gordon

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2nd Nephi 31:20

23 June 2010

I am sooooooooooooooooo tired. Last night us four elders stayed up till midnight. the other three getting things ready me......watching writing in jpournals. and the other stuff. Also talking a whole bunch. Everyone left. Except me. I am now in Gurabo all alone with my new companion. Elder Perez.

So there is now tons of wok to do here in Gurabo.  Lots of work to do. I believe I will have to be pushing my comp. It should be fine.....Hopefully. There is a lot to do. When Elder Verzello learned that he was leaving he kinda died. But the monday afternoon after we learned transfer we went to a funeral for a kid in our ward. He had died the night before of a heart attack at about 10 pm. Its so crazy how fast they put that together. They didnt embalm the body at all. Just pút it in the coffin then sealed it up in the cemetary they have.

In these next six weeks I turn twenty. I bet it wont be that much different. Because nothing will have changed. I will still have the same comp and everything. In the same area. doing the same thing. LOTs and Lots of working. In this transfer that happened only 4 companionships out of the 94 stayed the same. It will be just as crazy next transfer because even more missionaries are going home then this group.

The biggest thing that I hope for this transfer is for my spanish to improve lots. I need it to improve lots. And I also hope to survive. This will be a very interesting transfer for me. wish me luck. I will Need it. Anyway. Have a fun time everyone be safe and do only the slightly deadly things like rock climbing parachuting scuba diving. You know High Adventure. Love ya all lots. BYE!!!

Elder Gordon
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2nd Nephi 31:20

Another Awesome update

Wow. I am really dissapointed in you family! I HAVE 6 MONTHS TODAY and not a single congratulations. I have survived .25 of my mission. Still having my same comp....Same area....same district!!! Not for six months for 4.5 months. But still. Oh and all of us living in the same house. We have had some fun times though. I will be sad to see us go. But I am excited for something new.

So I had a really awesome thing happen this week. Yeah thats right I RECEIVED MY BODY PILLOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Whew. Thanks goes to my dad who did everything to get it to me. Thanks goes to Mom for being the person encouraging him to do it. Because as we all know parents work together. So everything thats done always has two parts to it.

Actually there are some other really cool things that have happened this week. Like yesterday I and my companion received fresh hot milk. We were tracting and we encountered this old lady. We were just giving part of the first lesson and she being a nice old lady just starts going off and talking. Then she asks if we want milk. We say sure but ask if we can wait till the end of the lesson she said ok. She randomly got up and checked on the milk. Then. when she came back we finished. With a prayer then she gave us this hot milk. But it was the best milk I have tasted here. It was delicious.

Sometimes it just goes to show that the mission isnt bout numbers. In the past two days we have already matched our numbers for last week. Sometimes things just work better for you. It is strange how that works. Carlos whom Elder ver4zello and I met cannot be baptized this week because he didnt make it to church. Which is really sad for us. Becaus we really wanted to see him be baptized. But its up to him to choose what he wants to do. So hopefully he will choose everything it takes to get baptized.

Its close for everything to come to a close here. Elder Verzello and I know that they are closing our area. Reducing it from 6 missionaries to 4. So. we are trying to make everything in order for when the other missionaries start doing the entire Gurabo again. Pretty much thats this past week. We have also been given rides just random rides. Which is nice because our area is huge and takesa lot of walking. I know the lord watches out over us. Anyway. Love ya guys!!!! Just remember 6 months today!!!!

Love,
Elder Gordon
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2nd Nephi 31:20

09 June 2010

Well this is week 5 of this transfer. I have one more P'day with my comp and then Boom, Se va! So. Yeah. This week we have been working just as hard. Trying to get people to listen to us. trying to find all that we need.

This morning My district went and played Basketball with a few other districts of the zone. I can attest when score is keeped it just spells bad news. Because everyone gets upset and bad feelings.
I also rolled my ankle when playing this morning. This was before tensions i jumped up to try to block a shot and I came down and landed on the elders foot. so i threw off my landing and my ankle rolled. So....Yeah.
Another cool thing is the east ZONE in santiago got jerseys. Black and Blue,. With Santiago East symbol on the front. and on mine MIKEY 13 its sweet.

This week we found another American. He was born here grew up in New Jersey. Moved here not to long ago. And now he already wants to go back. But Before he does Elder Verzello and I are trying to re'activate him. He is a pretty cool guy.

This week we are trying our best to work together and work hard. It will work. I am really excited about my Body pillow that my dad sent to me that I should be receiving within the next few days or next week. But soon. I WILL HAVE IT!!!! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!

We still have not gotten our May copies of the Lioahonna which has all the conference talks. I am excited to receive that. That last conference was one of the best! The mission flippin rocks!!!! Its so muc awesomeness. I have learned and am learning so much. I am trying to develop myself into a better leader a better person. I am trying to mix both seriousness and goofy and stuff to make a really fun awesome leader guy whom the mission can use. Even if I never become a DL or ZL or anything like that I can still be an example in the mission.

So just trying to do my best to be a good missionary. Trying to learn everything I can. I wont be coming back until my two years is up. Around the 22nd of December of Next year. Many of you should still be awesome. Especially if you take my advice to STAY AWESOME! Thanks for catching up with me. HAVE FUN and Dont die.

Elder Gordon

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2nd Nephi 31:20

(I also posted some pictures below. Don't forget to scroll down and take a look.)

Zone Conference Pics

You just gotta love cake

A whole buncha goofs at Zone Conference.

02 June 2010

Whew!!! So much to do and so few people who will listen. First of all I want to tell you about one of the scariest experiences and most fun at the same time so far on my mission. Well. Ok. (Celeste you will laugh at this) So my comp and I decided to trust each other and cut each others hair. The other American in the house Elder Bertlshofer has an electric razor that we borrowed. I can just picture both celeste and Ann sighing and saying "oh no" right now. I bet I am right. And I can picture other people just start laughing. Anyway. So we trusted each other on our haircuts. because we didn't want to pay 100 pesos to get our haircut. Let me tell you right now.....Yeah it was a good idea. Both of our haircuts are really good. We both enjoy them and we saved 100 pesos. I will send pics if this comp will accept my camera.

These people love to give me put downs then compliments. They always tell me my spanish is horrible...Then they tell me I am learning really fast. I will be happy when they know I have only been speaking for a year or 9 months. Or a small amount of time. and they will think I am from A spanish place. Thats what I am working towards.

Ok. So we also have one of our investigators. She accepts the Book of mormon. her husband is  a member they are getting married in 2 weeks. But anyway. We were teaching her stuff. The last of the first lesson. and we are going along and my comp throws in a bible parable. OH WOW.....She gets up and starts all getting all crazy excited at that. It was really funny. She was just so excited. These people and their Bible. It was so entertaining. She jumped up out of her seat. She was just that excited about it. So it's all good. Anyway. Yeah those are my stories. Keep praying for us. We need all the help we can get. Love ya all. BYE!!!!

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2nd Nephi 31:20

26 May 2010

HEY EVERONE!!!!!!
Once again another week has come and gone. Crazy how fast they go. Before you know it I will be back and nothing about me will be too special..... Just the "special"things. :)
Anyway. All of you failed at the riddle because I have not received a single answer for that. Not a single one!!!!!!!! I will give you one more week. Then you tell me. It's in my entry two weeks ago. I will answer it next week though. So there.

Ok. So I had this thing happen to me this week. That lets me know that the Lord really does look over his children. Ok So Saturday morning I received a call from the Zone leaders saying I have a talk on the morrow about missionary work. Now if it was in English one day is a ton of time to prepare for me. Now in spanish...Not so much. So....That night I started working opn my talk. Finding quotes and scriptures from my small missionary library. But now I had to put everything I found in a talk in Spanish......JOY..... ;0. Just like that. SO at 11 30 I go to bed with my talk a quarter done...Expecting to finish it in the morning in the two hours I have before church.

So when I got to bed.I wake up about a halff hour later freazing.. SO I turn off my fan....In about another 15 or 20 minutes I was burning hot. So all through the night I was like that. My body started hurtng also. I was groaning and ugh. It was a horrible night. My head was also killing me. The 6 30 alarm went off and I got up. but really to no avail.... my head was killing me I felt ready to throw up my body hurt and everything was just a no go... So I went back to bed or went back to resting. Cause now I knew I was sick. My comp. still had us go to church. So I still had to finish my talk. In church....Sick....With a headache......It was a horrible. I was freaking out cause of my situation. I calmed down and prayed to th lord ffor help. I managed in church to finish the majority of my talk. Then when I got up to talk my senses cleared just enough to think clearly. And I did everything. I gave my talk. In pretty decent spanish. I gave it how I wanted to. I even added more when I was finished with what I had written. I finished my talk went and sat down. And my head was just killing me again. Throughout the rest of church I was practically sleeping. I was so dead. BUt I know the Lord does help when we need it. I am feeling loads better.

Also I burnt my tongue recently so....Yeah you guys know. So many things happening. Anywho. I love ya guys tons!!!! Thanks for catching up and THANKS FOR YOUR PRAYERS!!!!!!!
We actually have a date of marriage and baptism for one of our investigators which is awesome. So. We are still woorking hard. Send mail. Cause you want to be cool. Send packages cause you want to be awesome!!
Thank you to the cool people who have sent mail and the awesome people for the packages....SEND more.

Have a cosmic week!!!!

Elder Gordon

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2nd Nephi 31:20

19 May 2010

Well...... Do you seriously expect something awesome every week??? Man. You people. ARe so Demanding. Its ok I love some of you still anyway the rest I only like. Sorry. But. The only big thing I have to talk about is about Sunsets.

We saw one of the coolest sunsets ever the other day. We decided to climb to the top of this apartment building and watch the sun set. All the way. There were clouds and the sky and the sun. But the sky changed from Yellow to red to orange to yellow to red. The clouds shifted from white to blue to purple to red to orange to yellow back to purple then blue then this bueish white. But it was soooooooo amazing.

We have some good investigators at the moment. We are also searching for more. for the most part we only have these people and none more. As President Lee would put it. We are searching for new cheese.  This area is so big its easy to fins new areas to contact. Just difficult to find people whom are willing to listen.

This transfer is going to be a good transfer though, We have lots of work to do. We are trying to make this transfer go by as fast as the last one. It is so interesting I think if you take The Best Two years and how those Elders act. Thats the same with us here. Its rather funny. Anyway. We are trying to do a lot here. Always working and what not.

Prayers as always are appreciated. The missionaries NEED a lot of help. Only with the help of the Lord could this work move like it does. So always keep a prayer in my direction. I think I need quite a bit of help. Especially in reading the BOM in spanish. That is tough. Anyway. Thanks for tuning in. I would have put pictures on. But like ya know. Serving the Lord is always a lot of work an fun. Stay Awesome people.

Love or Like depending on who you are.
Elder Gordon

PS Sorry Loree I found another Bad computer with no import for the camera. CAIO!!!!

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2nd Nephi 31:20

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12 May 2010

So time for all the updating. There are Some new stuff today. As my family knows there was a Transfer coming up this week. Well today to be exact. We learned on monday What was changing and what was staying the same. Really.....NOTHING CHANGED!!!! So..I now have 3 transfers with all the same Elders. At this moment it seems as if it will never change. I will always be here with these same 4 elders.....FOR EV ER. We might be changing houses. Might not.  So we will see what's up. 

So There will be a change of the address for the letters. The company that you send the letters too are moving to a different site in Florida. That should be updated soon. Just remember it's only for the letters!!! The pakages are staying the same. This week, we have been blessed with random car rides. It's really nice. We had this one night when we were standing out in the rain at about 9:30 at night waiting for a Ruta. When this car passed slowed down backed up and stopped. The guy opened up his back door and asked us where we were going. Then he told us to get in. It was really cool. Then we have just received other random c ar rides from people we know. It's been nice.

I HAD THE COOLEST THING HAPPEN this week. Thats right I got to call home!!!!! It was almost perfect I was only missing My Brother Jake and his Family. It was awesome though. I really had no clue what to say to anyone. I was just there. I had no clue what to say I was just happy to hear my family. It was so cool!!! I answered when someone asked me a question but for the most part the time went by extremely fast. I was excited. It left yoiu in a high for quite a few hours.  But yeah.

I have a riddle for you all.
It's not the moon it's not the sun but it's infinite and beyond. What is it?

Anyway, Thats all I got for the week. Stay awesome! See ya all later!!!
Oh and the two pics my sister Posted One is Elder Westerguard and Me the other adds an Elder Smith. We are all from AZ.ANYWHO!!! CAIO!!!!

A Couple More Pics

Melissa here. Please note that there are lots of new posts for today. Mike posted a ton of pictures, three or four at a time. His mom forwarded us a couple of pictures taken at the last Zone Conference which were emailed to her from the Mission Secretary. For those who haven't already seen them, here ya go. (The lighting wasn't the greatest, so I lightened them a little and quickly fixed the color a little.)