Week 54

 

Good Monday,

This week was sound.  Not a whole lot to report on.  Last Monday we had a water ballon fight with the district, I totally nailed my comp right off the bat haha.  We also played some capture the flag and had other fun at the park, it was a good day.  I included pics and a video.  I'm wearing a dark red shirt.  We've done lots of service this week, the Friday food drive was awesome as usual, they gave us cereal and Oreos to take home so that was sweet.  We didn't have any lessons this week so we spent a lot of time trying to contact people in our neighboring cities, most evenings we would drive out with notes and drop them off at people's homes.  We cover a large area, as I think I've mentioned, so sometimes we would drive out half an hour or more and drop notes off in a city and then double that distance in the opposite direction to another city, but it was fun!  Many of these people don't answer the phone and so we've had to make our presence known without actually tracting.  There was one house in the middle of no where we stopped by, it had a bunch of verses of scripture on the fence surrounding the property in Spanish so I took a Spanish elder with me in case someone tried to talk to us.  I have a picture for that too.  It made for some good evening drives with Elder Bramall, windows down when we'd blast down some old back road, and wave to the passing vehicles at intersections.  We played spikeball one night before we got ready for bed, we went to a nearby park and played, luckily the park lights were on.  There was a family gathering of some sort at the same park and eventually a lady and her daughters came over to ask what the game was all about and we talked to them for a minute.  We didn't get any contact information, but at least they felt comfortable approaching us.  Elder Bramall and I got the news of my departure this weekend, I'll be leaving back north to Turlock, the same zone as my second area.  It's been a wild ride in Selma, a good time.  Turlock will. Be interesting, I'm sure.  I'm excited to see what the work looks like up there and to get some done.  Elder Bramall has been a good comp, he's gonna train this transfer and he's going to have a blast.  Keep up the good work back home, everyone.  Life is yeet.

Love, 

Elder Gneiting 

June 28, 2021

 

สวัสดีเพื่อน

I only have a few of these left so I figured I'd better let you all in on the recent details.

I don't remember the last time I wrote home. These last few months have been the best of my life. Me and my last companion, who's been home for a few weeks now, had a lot of work to do. We found, taught, and baptized more people than I ever thought I would. We had conversations with others and each other that stretched my mind in ways I never expected. My testimony has grown deeper, and every day I look for new truths that can guide me back to Heavenly Father and make me more like Jesus Christ. I will forever remember the friends I made in the ward and the people I taught. I have a hard time writing in my journal, though, I think it's gonna be alright. 

My new companion, a reassignee, has been out a year. We have plenty to do. Sometimes I feel like I can't keep up. This transfer we took responsibility over another area, on top of the Kings Canyon ward. It's been fun and I'm learning a lot. I can't imagine the mission ending, but I have to admit it will happen. I'm not disappointed, and there's plenty I am excited to see for when I'm home. For now, know that the work is great. It's stupid hot out here. Like, averaging-triple-digits kind of stupid. Hopefully I got a good tan going. We've visited many members and friends this week. We have a couple friends on baptismal date that I hope I can attend before I go home. Time will tell, but I'm grateful to meet so many people. My companion is from Nephi, he's a load of fun. He's really good at basketball, and we play every p day. This morning we played some summer-sales guys at the stake center. A lot of them are from Utah, and they were a fun crowd. 

Our most progressing friend is a man named Gaurav. I might've mentioned him before. He stays busy with work but he attends church every week. He doesn't know much about christianity in general, so we're taking it slow. He enjoys studying the Word with us and taking the sacrament. He was at church yesterday, and we took him to his first full 2 hours! Another, a recent convert, was interviewed for the Aaronic priesthood. He and his wife were baptized with my last companion. He wants to baptize his son, so we're helping the whole family covenant with God to be disciples. All is looking up!

I hope the world you live in is steady. I'm aware that life has changed a lot since I've been gone. Even now, things aren't like they used to be, but that's okay. No two days are the same, anyway. Remember to say your prayers and be kind to someone today. Basketball has helped me with my emotions and my patience. When the blood & adrenalin are pumping, it's easy to lose your head. I hope to conquer some more "self" with my time.

ฉันจะเขียนถึงคุณในภายหลัง

Elder Gneiting

The baby is a friend of ours.

The table pic, I'm trying (and failing) to swallow a lot of a burger in time for the picture.

Our Zone Leader became Assistant and wanted a picture to say goodbye.