Week 32

Yeet?  Yeet.

Man, this transfer has totally flown by, I'm really hoping it doesn't go too quick, because it's been so fun.  Elder Greene is hilarious, and he knows what he's doing, and the weather is getting better.  It's just a great time out here in Modesto.  Monday night last week we started back to back exchanges with our district leader and his companion, I spent the day in their Spanish area with Elder Houston, a stud who's going home the same time as me.  We taught Spanish lessons (it's still coming along alright), ate at a 5 star burger joint (according to Google), and rekaxed to the sound of passing trains.  It was a good day, the next morning we went out before district council, spoke more Spanish, and then biked to our stake center.  We talked about goal setting, helping our friends keep commitments, overcoming casualness in the work, and developing better invitational habits.  Afterwards, I went back into my area with Elder Anderson to finish the exchange, we taught a number of lessons, knocked some doors, and at a members home that night we talked about golf, our member said he would take us golfing some Monday if we give him notice.  Maybe I'll try it!  Wednesday morning we studied and went to our local family history center where we met a friend from the previous week.  We helped him research and find names of his ancestors, it was cool to help someone learn more about their heritage, whether or not they're a member.  Didn't think I'd have fun doing family history, but having an hour weekly to find names has helped me get better at it.  We taught some more lessons but had some other plans fall through as well.  A usual day.  Thursday was sick, we went to the temple again!  It was so good to go through and feel the spirit and worship.  Sadly, I didn't bring the new family names I had found, but I will next time.  We got home and hit the pavement, knocked doors and tried setting up appointments for next week with some decent success.  Friday had plenty of teaching appointments and opportunities for service, that night we helped our Elders Quorum President set up for a game night the day before, we helped build a nine-square pvc pipe cage thing.  That was cool.  We visited a member who gave us hot dogs and talked about his life.  He's a good guy who's seen a lot, he's Tongan and talked about growing up in that culture and a few years he spent there as a young man, it was a good conversation.  Sunday was good.  We had friends show up, we had one of them meet with our bishop, and that afternoon we made a lot of visits with our ward mission leader.  We saw our friend Alan again, he and his wife fed us biscuits and gravy and eggs for dinner, we worked on our pool game briefly, and went out again to visit and teach more members.  It's just been a good week.  The weather is still in the high 60s so it only goes up from here.

Love you all, I hope life is going well each of you.  Thank you for your prayers, I hope you're all looking forward to this spring as much as I am.  General conference!  200 year first vision anniversary!  Better weather!  Most exciting. 

Elder Gneiting

Modesto Squad

Week 31

It's crazy y'all,

I look back at all the emails I sent and I realize that every email is another Monday.  This week flew by, and I can only wonder how Elder Greene is feeling, it being his first transfer.  It's not so bad to be in training, but adjusting is definitely an interesting process.  I'm still adjusting, I'm far from perfect, but I don't feel as though any part of me is out of the mission.  We get along great, so maybe the weeks are fast for him too. 

Monday night went as usual, more door knocking, but Tuesday was awesome!  We went to zone conference, learned some useful skills, saw some missionaries, road-tripped back home, and that evening we taught the youth in our ward.  It was an awesome lesson, they gave us a white board, we explained the Restoration, the Book of Mormon, and it's purpose as an answer to those seeking absolute truth from God.  It was a powerful experience, we asked the youth to write questions about life on the board, and we helped them find answers in the book of mormon.  We also helped them understand that not every answer is literally written in the book, but as we study and open our minds in prayer and reading, the spirit can enlighten our minds and bring closure to experiences that would go otherwise unanswered.  The following day, we taught a bunch of our friends and committed them all to living aspects of the gospel, in fact, they all showed up at church on Sunday yesterday!  And we taught another few lessons the following day, the morning was a little slow but it picked up after 4 back to back appointments.  There were a couple slow days this week, but it's alright.  We had time to take pictures of stuff and slow down and enjoy the fact that we're in California.  Mission is so cool.  We brought some friends to a baptism on Saturday, but it was in Spanish so I didn't understand most of it.  It was great.  Afterward, one of our friends took us to Costco to get hot dogs.  Church was great.  The lesson was good, our friends liked it, we spoke with members, we scheduled for our week.  It's just been good.

I hope y'all have a good week.  Keep praying, life's better when you pray.

Elder Gneiting

Week 30

"Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory!" Doctrine and Covenants 128:22

Last week started off great.  It began with knocking doors and teaching lessons to our ward members.  Elder Greene and I have been practicing our teaching a lot, and we set a goal to teach 28 lessons a week, including members.  We've seen a definite increase in our ability and opportunities, and we've seen more teaching appointments then before.  Tuesday we taught a bunch, in the morning, after district council, and before dinner.  Wednesday morning we drove to Fresno for our part two of trainer/trainee, we got a training from the assistants and the President.  It was a long drive back, but we didn't mind.  I missed driving and it's cool taking mini road trips to Fresno every so often.  We came home, taught some members and went out finding.  We talked to this family from Abu Dhabi, and set an appointment to come back and teach their family!  The next day, we talked to some of our friends, taught some lessons, and then visited that family to teach them the Restoration.  They said they only had 20 ish minutes, so we hopped right into it, we shared scriptures and testified of the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith, and the first vision.  Then, when I tried to quote Joseph Smiths account of it, I totally messed it up!  I hadn't been practicing and hadnt taught the first vision in so long it just slipped, but the spirit was still there and they didn't realize I messed up, so I really gave them the abridged Elder Gneiting's account of the first vision.  We committed them to read the book of Mormon and set a return appointment in a couple weeks, it was still a success!  We then had a day full of weekly planning, lessons, a lunch appointment with an older lady in her retirement home, that was pretty wack!  We ate old person food, she gave us a jar of peanut butter, and she told the same story a few times over.  But it was good, we told her we would love to have lunch with her once a month, and to reteach her the lessons, we could both use it!  We taught our long term friend Robert again, and we testified again if the book of Mormon.  We're working on getting him to keep commitments and to test out the gospel lifestyle.  Saturday, we went to a couple service projects, we set up chairs for stake conference, and helped a lady replace her pool cover.  We tried to meet with some friends and then took our friend Gabriel to the adult session of stake conference, and again the next morning.  Elder Marc Davis spoke, and it was awesome.  He talked a lot about how life can be hard, and how when we understand Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, their divine mission and our divine potential, we realize that our imperfections are balanced by Christ's sacrifice, and is dependent on our willingness to change.  Ability to change can be limited, but willingness is entirely our choice.  When we become more willing, our ability will increase.  As we continue to align our will the Lord and trust in Heavenly Father's plan, it'll all end well.  It doesn't matter who you are or what trials you've seen, Christ is here to heal, to restore, and to lift up.  I know Christ lives, I know the Holy Ghost is his messenger.  Since being out, I've seen my sensitivity to the Spirit increase exponentially.  I hear his voice, I feel his presence.  I know the same is for any who seek the gifts of the Spirit, if they place carnality and humanity on the altar of sacrifice.  These are they who will be divine.  This is Christ's true church.  Joseph Smith opened the gate for this dispensation.  We have a living prophet today.  Love y'all.

Let me know how y'all are doing! 

Elder Gneiting

Week 29

To whom it may concern,

It's been quite a week.  My appreciation for the Plan of Salvation is always increasing, this week however I have especial reason to appreciate it.  My prayers go out to my family and relatives after the passing of my great-uncle Kay, whose funeral I was unable to attend.  Though I was sad to hear the news, I was quickened at the thought of his new state of peace and rest.  I may miss him now, but our heavenly Father is watching over all his children, and has prepared a place for the righteous who have passed on, to await the day of the resurrection where we as families will be reunited.  Rest in peace, Kay Gneiting. 

Last Monday ended, after a brief member visit, with a blessing from our bishop on my companion, Elder Greene, in preparation for his work in this area.  He and I have been grinding hard to increase the work here in Modesto.  Tuesday morning we had interviews with our mission President and a training provided by his assistants.  It was nice to talk to President and review information in our area, and set appropriate goals going forward this transfer.  Afterwards, we had a lesson with one of our friends, knocked on plenty of doors, and closed with a part member family lesson.  The next morning, my companion was having a hard time breathing, so we called the mission nurse, checked his throat, and found out he had strep.  We took him to an urgent care and got him medicated.  Not a lot of work got done, I was able to go out and teach a friend of ours, (a brief lesson on commandments), with another missionary, who afterward skyped into a baptism of a friend in his old area.  It was cool.  Thursday, we taught a lesson in the morning of a Christian man who's been looking for answers to questions he has concerning Christ after his ministry in Jerusalem.  We showed him the book of Mormon last time, but this day we discussed the introduction, explained again the return of the prophets, and read in 3 Nephi of Jesus' appearance in the Americas.  It was a cool lesson, and we answered the question our friend had.  We taught another lesson with our friend Gabriel who is slowly moving closer to baptism, and then went knocking to find former friends.  On one occasion, we knocked on a door of a man who said he was a member, but hadn't been active for many years.  We gave him our number and address for the church, and he gave us water and granola bars.  A good trade.  We contacted some friends and visited with a member of our bishopric, a convert of over a decade, to hear more about his story and visit his family.  Friday was all over the place, after some weekly planning, we visited our friend Alan, introduced the new elder, played some pool, and got some food.  They have 2 orange trees, and it's the season right now, and they gave us a bag full of these pumpkin sized oranges, they're absolutely massive.  We knocked some doors and had a lesson with our young friend Tristan, he's moving along well, read almost the entire book of Mormon stories before our second appointment, and he remembered everything we discussed from 2 weeks ago.  It was a great lesson.  The Bishop delivered to us a bag full of cookies, and then we went out to eat with a member family, they're Polynesian, and we went to Onos Hawaiian Barbcue, which is this awesome restaurant that serves tons of meat and rice and macaroni salad.  I ate so much, and we talked to the member father about his mission in Utah.  He had some crazy stories, but he especially appreciated all the food they got every day.  Saturday morning, our zone had breakfast with the stake Presidency to discuss goals for this transfer, they made us Chocolate chip pancakes and then we counciled as a zone to set goals for ourselves.  It was motivating to see us come together and seek the will of the Lord.  Elder Greene and I left to help an older couple move apartments, their daughter is a member but they are not, so it was great to help, and she also insisted on taking us out to lunch.  We met with our ward mission leader, visited some friends, and our Elders Quorum President took us out that evening for Mexican food.  Sunday went as usual, we visited friends and members, trying hard to avoid the super bowl, we taught a few lessons, were fed by our ward mission leader, played some more pool with Alan, and taught our recent convert Carl about some commandments.  It was a busy weekend, and I think I gained 20 pounds in the span of a few days.  I'm not complaining.  I love you all.  The Plan of Salvation is real, it brings us joy now and later.  Families can be together forever.  Jesus Christ lives, this is his church and kingdom on earth. 

Until next time, 

Elder Gneiting

Week 28

Hello all,

It's another good week, the time is seriously flying.  I spent the first half of this week in Fresno with the Hmong Elders, it was insane!!  It was cool to see the culture of the people down there, we taught a lot and had some really cool lessons, and we invited some of their friends to be baptized!  While I waited for my new companion, we spent a lot of time helping out in the ward there, we got to meet some cool members and participate in a ward-missionary council with super supportive members.  They really have it figured out.  We had enough elders to play basketball in the church gym across the street in the morning which was cool too. 

My new companion, Elder Greene, showed up Wednesday and we met Thursday.  It was cool to go through the training for new missionaries again, I remembered my first day in and thinking "what have I gotten myself into", luckily, Elder Greene was more enthusiastic about his first day.  We drove back to Modesto Thursday night and have been trying to get back into the groove, after being gone for so many days, we have to reconnect with members and friends to set up our next week.  We got some good work done, not a lot of teaching, but we went out tracting a bit to get the comp used to it.  It's cool having goals and working towards improving ourselves and the area.  Sunday got real busy when we had multiple dinners scheduled and different appointments before and after, we drove around a lot and ate a lot too!

I had the privilege of speaking in church this Sunday as well, I talked on the Book of Mormon, and the gifts God has given us to strengthen our faith and happiness.  As I studied, I found that reliance on the Savior and obeying his commandments brings the most happiness in this life.  I love this gospel, I know it's true, it's Christ's original church, restored in our day.  With an arsenal of open canon, revelations, and a direct line of Priesthood ordination, the leaders of the church follow Christ, the true leader, to bring about Zion once again.

Making you proud, 

Elder Gneiting