Come, Come Ye Saints

Hello family, friends and anyone else who is crazy enough to still be reading this,

This week was actually pretty wild. Before I start with my week though, I just got done reading all of the other missionaries around the worlds emails, and I had a few thoughts. 

• First this is an amazing and glorious work and I am so grateful to be apart of it.

• Secondly at times it probably feels like I have portrayed my mission as a happy, perfect experience full of only sunshine. I would like to say that every week there is some rain, and that sometimes things might not be as ideal as we all make them seem haha. But I think the reason I always end up talking about the good parts is because this is a gospel of hope. In life I think the world tries to get down on us, and make it seem like we are just another someone trying to make it, but on the mission I think you really feel the power that you have as sons and daughters of God to change lives. Anyway, just know that although the mission isn't perfect, it is the most rewarding thing.

Anyway, my emails have been kinda long so I will try to keep it shorter:

We have some great stuff going in our area right now! If I took time to type out every miracle that I have seen this week you guys would be reading an encyclopedia. 

Here are some fun stories that will be enough to give you a taste of life here in the Kingdom

• We are currently teaching a GOLDEN investigator and her family. It has been really cool because my companion and I just met her walking on the road about four weeks ago. At first she said that her husband had no interest, so we had to give her over to the sisters. Well long story short the sisters have been taken out of our area, and it has been a miracle to have the chance to teach her again! She went to church with her husband and two kids and they loved it. I can't say all the amazing things that have happened, but I think the coolest thing was that when she recounted the experience of first meeting us that day on the red dirt road, she said the following, "I have met with many other missionaries and always invite them to sit down and talk with me. But when I talk to them, I don't feel any warmth. When I first met you guys I didn't know what it was but I just felt warmth inside of me. It wasn't anything strong, but it was just enough to notice it." That is the spirit if you ask me. Anyway they are on track for baptism and please keep them in your prayers. 

• This week there was a lady in our ward who we asked to help us take one of our investigators to church. She has a disabled leg and so she sometimes is scared driving her tuk-tuk on roads that don't have a lot of people because she doesn't want to be killed (these are her words not mine). However she told us that she would do it anyway because she has faith in God and she will die for Him! I told her that reminded me of the hymn Come, Come, Ye Saints (go give it a read) and then she proceeded to sing the whole entire first verse over the phone!!!! Not even joking. We were totally down so we started joining in and singing! At the end of the first verse we belted the words "All is Well! All is Well!" Thinking that it would be over. She then proceeded to sing the whole second verse hahahahaha. At the end of the call she ended the whole phone call in the name of Jesus Christ. Sorry mom, but that was the best phone call I have had on my mission. I love this country, these people and their courageous faith. 

• Last P-Day we ate pig head for lunch. It definitely did not taste good, but it was a good experience. I ate every part of the head and I will say that the meat around the cheek bone was the tastiest. The tongue and the ear tied for last place. 

We were supposed to have a baptism this week, but our investigator does not have a marriage certificate, but should be getting it this week!

Anyway lots more stories, but not enough time.

So many spiritual thoughts to share, but for this week I just want to take it back to the basics, the 

gospel through the Book of Mormon in Alma 41:

5 The one raised to happiness according to his desires of happiness, or good according to his desires of good; and the other to evil according to his desires of evil; for as he has desired to do evil all the day long even so shall he have his reward of evil when the night cometh.

6 And so it is on the other hand. If he hath repented of his sins, and desired righteousness until the end of his days, even so he shall be rewarded unto righteousness. 

7 These are they that are redeemed of the Lord; yea, these are they that are taken out, that are delivered from that endless night of darkness; and thus they stand or fall; for behold, they are their own judges, whether to do good or do evil.

 I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon and the knowledge that it gives us about His plan and His Atonement and I am so grateful for the chance that God has given us to CHOOSE where we want to end up. If we desire to go to Heaven we can! We just have to desire then DO! 

Please read chapter 41 in Alma in the Book of Mormon and keep in mind your own desires in life! What are you willing to sacrifice to follow Him? Is your desire for the here and now, more dominating than your desire for salvation in the future?

I love you all!

Elder Gochnour