Transfer 9 Weeks 5 and 6

So we've had some really busy and fun weeks recently. In the last two weeks we've gone on 6 exchanges with other Missionary companionships. We have gotten a lot of snow, and I've been pretty cold. 

On our exchanges I got to go with some awesome elders. I was with some of our District Leaders, Elder Morse and Elder Hurley. We also went on exchanges with the AP's so I was with Elder Bramble who was so much fun. Then this week I went with Elder Newell a brand new missionary, Elder Ohlendorf, and Elder Barker. We had a lot of fun spending some time with these other Elders and getting to work with them.  

Then this week we had some amazing things happen. Our friend Brendan got baptized and that was such a blessing. We also went to the Temple. Both were so much fun and such awesome spiritual experiences. 

Christmas was so much fun too. We got to go Christmas caroling with our district. We even tried to carol to President Eyring and Elder Uchtdorf but neither of them were home :( 

We also just found out about transfers and I'm finally going back to the Spanish Zone. I’m really excited. My New Companion is actually my MTC companion Elder Hanosek.  I'm very excited to work with him out here in the field; he's so much fun and I've been hoping to serve with him for a long time now. We're going to be Zone Leaders in the Spanish North Zone, and we will both be new to the area we are serving in. Lots of exciting adventures. 

One of my FAVORITE scriptures this week was the chapter 3 Nephi 1. It was the story of the Birth of Christ but from the other side of the world on the American Continent. There are many similarities to the perspective of the people in the land of Israel but I love it so much because of the faith the people in the America's had. You should definitely give it a read. I bet you'll enjoy it. 

I love you all so much and I hope you have a great week. CHRIST LOVES YOU

-Elder Golden 

 

 

Transfer 9 Week 4

Hello Everyone, I am currently writing you from my seat in the nail salon. Me and my companion, Elder Kimball and Elder Barker are all getting pedicures and it's so great. 

So this week has been quite exciting. We had some great teaching opportunities with our friends. We shared some messages and got to know them better.

 

 

We also went on exchanges with some of our District Leaders in the Zone this week. I even left the mission with one of them. Don't worry, it was approved. Let me explain. They are Marshallese speaking missionaries; they serve with people from the Marshall Islands and their boundaries have been extended up to Ogden which is technically another mission. So we went up there and it was so weird being somewhere else. It was really impressive seeing him teach in a totally different language and with this group of people. That was a lot of fun. We also went with another one of the District Leaders who is going to fly out to his original mission in Mozambique which is in Africa but they speak Portuguese there. He's excited but we're sad he's going to leave. 

 

 

It also started snowing super hard on Thursday and it dropped like 4 inches in the first couple hours. And it just kept dumping all day and through that night. They plowed the roads and kept plowing all day so that they stayed clear and safe. Then it stopped snowing partway through Friday. Some of it has started melting away but it's still up on the mountains so it looks really pretty. 

We also had this really cool service project where we took 5 companionships to this special needs organization and we helped them in their classes to make Christmas ornaments. It was so much fun. They even opened with a prayer and hymns which was so fun. Then we went to hang all of the ornaments they made on these little trees and then they turned around and gave us the trees to keep for Christmas. It was the sweetest thing. 

We also had a Christmas Devotional and Elder Quentin L. Cook from the Quorum of the 12 apostles came and visited our mission. We heard from him and his wife. They shared about Christ and the importance of Christmas and how important it is that we're representing Christ at this time. 

He then bore his testimony of the Savior and I have never heard a testimony quite like it. I felt the spirit so strongly and I was so incredibly touched. 

I want to let you all know about the love that the Savior has for each and every one of you. I love you all and remember Christ during this Christmas season. 

Have a great week

-Elder Golden

 

Transfer 9 Week 3

So this week went by pretty fast. Last Monday night we went out and talked to this one guy named Shaquil for a while. He wasn't too interested in hearing from us, yet talked to us for like an hour at his door. He was smoking and playing video games right when we got there and it made us laugh. We enjoyed talking to him but he said some real interesting stuff. 

We also met another guy this week, Johnny; he was a character as well. He had us help him move some stuff in his apartment and stick some stuff in his safe to keep it protected from robbers. Pretty funny. They were boxes of old coins. He gave us some bottles of protein shakes which made me laugh too hahaha. He also said he fell on his hip a couple of weeks ago and it's been bugging him ever since but hasn't seen a doctor about it yet. 

We've also been working with members of our ward to go out and do some work with us recently. They have been a big help. 

Also something funny happened today. We were asked by some Elders to pick up their bikes from the mission office to get repaired. We got to their apartment and they weren't there and the door to the apartment was locked. So we went around back of their apartment building and I jumped up and climbed up to their balcony and the door on the back was unlocked. So I went in and unlocked it and we laughed cause right over the fence was a school and the kids were out for recess and probably saw me breaking in. Pretty funny. 

We also had a big meeting this week for the leaders and they fed us pizza during the middle of it. I ate a lot. But we talked about some really cool stuff and President Johnson inspired me and really touched me with his testimony of the Book of Mormon. He is a very spiritually powerful man. We are lucky to have him as our mission President. 

Oh another funny story from me breaking in somewhere today. We were in the parking lot at the mission office and throwing a frisbee, and I accidentally threw it over a fence and it went down like a three foot window well. So I see there's a gap in the fence and run around and get it. Right as I get in their backyard our Mission President and his wife Sister Johnson pull into the parking lot, see me, roll down the window and asked what the heck I was doing. I told them and they just laughed at me. I retrieved it and eventually went and apologized to the house owners and they said they had no clue but that it was fine. 

Well I have to head out now, but I want to let you all know that I love you, but more importantly God and Christ love you. Speaking of which, here is one of my all time favorite verses

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

-Elder Golden