First Experience with Transfers

Hello! Well you guys should be getting a letter today in the mail.  I wasn't able to write a letter until the end of last week because I was quite busy.  

I'll start off with an update about my companionship w/Elder May.  Elder May has been called to be the District Leader for our District! I am really happy for Elder May because he's such an amazing companion! I am really happy he is the missionary who is assigned to train me.  I have learned so much from him, and feel like he is giving me the best opportunity to become a successful missionary.  I'm also excited Elder May is the District Leader because this means I get to go on 3 exchanges this next transfer! I am pretty excited to do that.  I get to teach other missionaries on missionary work, and they in turn, get to teach me as well.  I'm excited for Elder May to be the District Leader.  He is going to be an awesome District Leader and will do everything in his power to make our district more successful.  It also makes me think my prediction of me transferring before he does is just a tiny bit more likely ha, ha.  I really think I will transfer out of Marinette before he does, then he will have been here w/3 different companions.  He is a great guy and an awesome missionary.  He understands being a member of the Church is a way of life. 

 

This week was my first experience with transfers.  It's pretty exciting to read where everyone is and who is who.  A set of missionaries used to cover an area called Shawano/Gresham, which was in my District, but it looks like they are  splitting that area up into Shawano and Gresham.The 2 missionaries that were in my District assigned to Shawano/Gresham area will just cover Shawano now. They will also be transferring into a new district.  My district will receive two new elders that are transferring into Gresham.  One of the missionaries in Gresham is going to be training a brand new missionary coming out from the MTC.  The Spanish Elders in Green Bay, who are in my District, are also receiving a new elder from the MTC.  Our new district will have a total of 3 new missionaries, the 2 missionaries that will be in Gresham, and the other missionary that is going to be in Green Bay Spanish.  2 of the 3 new missionaries will be newly out from the MTC! It should be fun to see all of the new faces.

 

Just some interesting facts about some of the missionaries here:

 

Elder Jones (V) is in Milwaukee, in the West Allis district, in the Milwaukee South zone.  He is an AP along w/his new companion Elder Pinter.

 

Elder Evans (WX) is in Sun Prairie, in the Baraboo district, in the Madison zone.  He will be training for the next 2 transfers.  Another interesting fact about Elder Evans is that my trainer trained him as well.  Elder May just has a knack for training all of the polynesian missionaries!

 

Elder Wonnacott (WX) is in Madison, in the Madison 4 district, in the Madison zone.  He is the district leader, and is training Elder Bunnell.

 

Elder Haertel (WX) is in Parkway, in the Lake district, in the Milwaukee North zone.  He is the zone leader along w/Elder Averett.

 

Elder Stanley (B) is in Racine, in the Racine district, in the Milwaukee South zone.  His companion is the district leader.

 

Today I would like to share a message about revelation through prayer.  Revelation through prayer is something I have relied on a lot while being on my mission.  When I pray,  I feel I pray very differently than I used to.  I feel like I pray w/real intent, a sincere heart, and faith.  At the conclusion of the Book of Mormon, Moroni directs, "when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ. . . .and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. (Moroni 10:4)"  Now, we know this scripture is geared more towards those who are seeking the truth about the Book of Mormon.  But it applies directly to prayer.  If we ask our Father in Heaven, in the name of Christ, w/a sincere heart, real intent, and faith in Christ can we find the answers to our questions? I testify to you we can!  I testify in order to find the truth of our questions and concerns, we MUST ask God.  I testify our Father in Heaven will give you answers to your prayers.  Remember answers don't just come in the form of our feelings, but also in our thoughts.  I know this to be true.  Our Father in Heaven is there and wants us to communicate w/him.  I would invite you to put your faith in Christ, humble yourselves, and to communicate w/our Father in Heaven.  He has promised us if we do that, ". . .by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things. (Moroni 10:5) What an amazing/powerful promise!

  

Love and miss you guys

Elder Gautavai