Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Hey dad,

I have no time to write, this is just a little note to let you know I'm safe. I arrived in Quito about 11ish today and I've already had a lesson and read mom's email. I love you so much and hope the family trip is awesome. Take great pictures for me, that ram is super cool!!! I love you all and miss you all so much. Stay safe, have fun, and don't forget to read the scriptures and pray together on the trip. I miss you a ton but I'm doing really good and loving every moment here. Pray for me to learn this language and to have the strength to make it through the first few months here, its going to be tough!

-Elder Gonzalez

Hey mom, 

I'm in Quito safe and sound. I got to fly first class it was super nice!! The flight was only an hour and 10 min long. Quito is absolutely beautiful. Just stunning!! The mountains are massive, they make Colombia look tiny. Today we had interviews with president and hung out at the church building. One of the zone leaders took me on a little trip to a member family's house where we shared a quick message about the sons of mosiah. I was able to bare my testimony and understood almost the whole discussion. I am the only new missionary in my group to actually do stuff yet. It was seriously so cool!!! I dont have much time but I love you guys and miss you guys. 

P.S. I left a voice mail on the home phone from the airport. I couldn't remember your cell number so I wasn't able to call you guys directly. Stay safe and have tons of fun and BTW I got all your letters. Thank you sooo much!!! 

                                                                         

 -Elder Gonzalez

Dear Brother and Sister Gonzalez ,

We are so pleased that Elder Gonzalez is serving in the Ecuador Quito Mission.  We welcome him with all our hearts and know that the special gifts he has been given from our Father in Heaven  and talents he has developed will bless the lives of those with and for whom he serves in a unique way only he can offer.  His dedicated service will further increase his abilities and character in remarkable ways.

There are currently 229 missionaries in our mission, serving in 14 zones.    Elder Gonzalez has been assigned to serve in Ambato with Elder Scanlon as his companion and trainer.  Elder Scanlon is known by the other missionaries as being hardworking, diligent,  excellent missionary.

   Attached are several photos that show Elder Gonzalez with his companion;  the group of missionaries with whom he arrived; and the group with their new trainers.  I have also invited you to a Facebook site for families of missionaries currently serving in our mission.  I encourage you to add pictures as he sends them to you.

We know and understand that there is sacrifice on your part both emotionally and financially to support him during this period of full time missionary service and we express our gratitude for your offering to further the work of inviting others to come unto Christ and to receive the blessings of the Gospel in their lives.

With our love and gratitude,

President and Sister Christensen

Misión Ecuador Quito

First day in Quito, Ecuador

Elder Gonzalez, first day in Quito, Ecuador

President and Sister Christensen and Elder Gonzalez

Elder Gonzalez with his new trainer, Elder Scanlon

New Missionaries and their trainers.

New Quito, Ecuador Missionaries

Thursday, July 23, 2015

Hey,

 

Holy cow, this week has been an absolute roller coaster. I received my latino companion about 4:30 Wednesday, he is from Florencia, Colombia. He's 18 and his name is Elder Silva. He's awesome! Everyone says we are the exact same person because of our humor and how we act. He has been awesome, but it's amazing how hard it is to only hear and speak spanish all day everyday. Mornings are great, I understand most everything and can speak and contribute. Afternoons get hard because I get tired from focusing on spanish, and nights get really rough. I've broken down more than once in the past few days. When I'm tired I start to get lost in conversations.  I can't keep up and I feel like a burden to my companion and class, but I'm just doing my best to make each day better than the day before.

I only have 4 days left in the MTC. It's crazy to think I've been here for 6 weeks. I can't comprehend that I'm actually going to be teaching real lessons in spanish in a few days. I'm super excited and super nervous as well.

Today was my last time probably to go to the temple for the next 22 and a half months. I enjoyed the Bogota temple every time we've gone. It's so beautiful, and when you go inside I completely forget the fact that I'm in a foreign country, I just feel at home.

Maya sounds like she's working super hard, same with Elias. I know they will both do great this next year in school, with band and swimming. Both of them are super talented. I'd love to get pictures of you guys in the emails, It's only been 6 weeks and while that's not too long it feels long at times. Tell Mari and Sarah hi for me. I bet they are still happy for me to be gone since they have their own rooms now.

I don't yet have my flight info yet, but I think my plane is 6ish Tuesday morning. We have to wake up at 3:30 am to get ready to leave and I think when I get to Quito I'll get to write so I'll let you know how my trip is.

As always I miss and love you guys. Thank you for writing and keeping me weekly company to look up too. I love getting emails!

Elder Gonzalez 

This picture was only the elders from Columbia, but they consider me Columbian because I have been speaking with them all week. Also Elder Londoño from France is in here because he hung out with us all week too. All great missionaries. 

Mis Amigos

Last time at the Bogota, Colombia Temple

 Elder Londoño de Francia, Elder Lugo de columbia, Y mi compañero Elder Silva de Columbia.

Hermano Sanabria, one of my teachers at the CCM

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Mom,

OK, so I haven't gotten my new companion yet, I'm guessing he gets here tonight or tomorrow, but I did get to go on a tour of the city and we took this little cable car to the top of this mountain and may I just say Bogota is huge. Never in my life have I seen a city so massive. Starting at the base of the mountain and reaching to the farthest mountains on the horizon. We could see two different missions from the top of the mountain, Bogota South and Bogota North. It was incredible! 

At the top there was a small market like the one in downtown San Antonio where I bought a long sleeve white Colombian soccer jersey. Then as I walked through the market some of the other elders called me over to a small shop where they were talking to an older lady. They were trying to explain to her why we don't drink coffee, but couldn't do it very well so I listened again to her question, thought for a second and then proceeded to teach her in Spanish. Words just flowed out of my mouth until I ran out of words that I knew how to say. When I stopped, she kind of stood in silence, smiled and said thank you and that was that. It was so cool to just speak. I probably sounded like a cave man to her but I felt the spirit in what I said. I don't remember exactly what I said but it seemed to leave an impact. As we walked away the other elders explained that when they tried to teach her she just bluntly and repeatedly asked why to anything they said. It was a cool moment to feel the spirit with a real person in the real world doing what I'm here to do. 

I love my mission. I love being in Columbia. Being in the CCM can be like prison, but it has taught me so much! I'm glad to be serving the Lord and in a place such as this, I can't wait till I actually get to Ecuador. I know it will be amazing. 

I am not sure if video works for me but if you get the chance send a video, and pics. I miss everyone back home, but so glad to be here and wouldn't trade it for the world!

-Elder Gonzalez

Dad,

Wow, I bet it was really nice to get back to Maine and to see Uncle Josh and Aunt Brangwyn.  I hope the trip to Colorado is a ton of fun too.  I'm sure it will be really cool. 

Maya was telling me how great EFY was for her. It sounds like she had an awesome spiritual experience.  Both her and Elias are growing up and are going to do great things.

I taught a short real lesson today with a native. I wrote the full story to Mom's email. It was such a cool experience and really made my day. It's so nice when Spanish just flows for me. It's crazy to think that in one month I know as much Spanish as I do. I can't wait till I get back so I can actually hold conversations with you in Spanish.  I'm sure I'll have a different accent, but it'll be cool to do that. 

It's really amazing being here in the CCM. I can not believe how much I learn and I can't imagine how else I could learn so much in so little time than on the Lord's errand.  I'm exhausted every night and every morning but the days are amazing. I should be getting my Latino companion tonight or tomorrow.  I'm super nervous, but I know it will be good. 

I hope everything is well back home and tell everyone I love them and miss them. 

                                                                                                                              -Elder Gonzalez

                                                                                           

This isn't a great picture, but this is Elder Arenguden, and he was in the most recent group of Latinos to leave. He touched my heart. Before he left, he told me, "I am going to miss you brother" and I told him he was a great missionary and a great example and he began to cry because he was going to miss me. His goal is to learn English and then move to Utah and then visit me in Texas after the mission, he is a great Missionary!

Elder Berret, Elder Momberger, Elder Woodmansee and I

So, this fly was the size of a dime and covered in these thick black hairs.

          

Maya, 

EFY is a great experience! It is something you will never forget. The people, the classes, the teachers. its amazing! I'm glad you had a blast! 

I totally miss you. I wish you could see Columbia, it's amazing. It's a concrete jungle with a crazy population! So many people and there are no driving laws, it's ridiculous. People don't stop at intersections they just force their way through its very interesting. But soooo cool too. It's always 69 degrees, like seriously, I don't think it ever changes. The mountains are like crazy steep. It's so pretty and wild and different but I still don't yet feel like I'm in Columbia, or South America. 

I get a Latino companion either tonight or tomorrow who is going to the same mission as me and is from Columbia. I'm pretty excited.

   

I hope you are doing great and I hope your summer has been awesome so far. Tell Sarah and Mari I miss them and hope they are well too. 

                                                                                             -Elder Gonzalez

Thursday, July 9, 2015

Hey Dad,

I miss you a ton. I really wish I could have gone on that High Adventure trip with you. I'm so jealous.  You have no idea, but Bogota is amazing. I love it here. Spanish is a great language, not easy, but great. 

My companions are amazing! Teaching in a trio is hard, but we do a good job. Tomorrow we get to go contacting for 3 hours, which is a blessing because most of the time we are cooped up in this tiny MTC. And it is TINY. It holds max 109 missionaries and we currently have 70. Latinos are great. Different, but great. 

I've had some hard days, wondering if I'll ever actually get this language and be able to actually teach in it, but I'll say for being here only three weeks my spanish is pretty dang good. I can read and understand most everything. The scriptures are harder, but still I understand and get the basic ideas. My speaking is mas o menos perro yo penso.  I will get it sooner than later. 

I just want you to know how awesome of a dad you are and how awesome of a mom mom is. I miss you guys. I haven't been too home sick, because I won't let myself be, but i recognize how great of people you are. I am truly blessed to have parents like you two. I look at general authorities and the area 70 and even my CCM president and I can't help but recognize the same presence of God in them that I see in you. I'm sure being stake president isn't easy and probably not always your favorite thing but I'm glad that you are because by watching your example I see how important this gospel is to you. I love you and I miss you.

                                                                                                          -Elder Gonzalez

Mom,

I'm proud of all of them for making it to the top, that's awesome!!! I bet that will be something they will never forget! Elias is a tough kid and a good one too. Tell everyone I miss them.

There is not much new, getting better at spanish and teaching better to. We have a new group of Latinos, but they leave on Tuesday. On Wednesday, we get Latino companions so our trio will be splitting up. Sad, but exciting too. It's crazy to think I only have two more weeks in the MTC. It's mindblowing that they trust me with as little spanish as I know to go teach the people of Ecuador. The gift of tongues is real. The church is true. This is the restored gospel and Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God.

                                                                                                          - Elder Gonzalez

I'll be able to write again next Tuesday.

Bogota, Colombia Temple

President and Sister Duval with Elder Samuel Gonzalez at the Bogota, Colombia Temple

Elder Samuel Gonzalez is in the middle of the back row.

Elder Samuel Gonzalez is in the middle of the back row.

This is my view out my window at night. There is a park and people are always playing basketball or futbol and sometimes even racing these super fast RC cars.

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Hey, 

Sorry I wanted to get a bunch of pictures through this time. I don't have much to say. This week has been mostly the same as last week except we said goodbye to our latino elders and are getting new latinos today. It was sad to see them leave but I'm glad I met each one of them. They have some crazy stories. President Duval says some of them have been members their whole lives but have never seen a functional ward or branch and some of them were even attending Catholic churches not too long before coming on a mission. President said, "we have a couple of Catholics amongst us". All of the latinos are great guys, the assistants to the president are awesome. Elder Egues and Elder Caruci are awesome guys. The language seems hard at times but then other times it just comes. Those moments where it just comes are so nice and very helpful for keeping my spirits up. We are always busy, we never have time for home sickness or anything like that, just work work work. 

I was reading in the Bible this morning about King Solomon and I learned so much from his example. I was specifically reading the story of when the two women approached him with a baby, each claiming it to be their own. That chapter has so much to learn about, I found a huge scripture chain on the words "understanding" and the "Spirit of God". It was just neat to learn from a king that lived so long ago. The scriptures hold so much knowledge. 

We sat in a devotional with President Duval who asked everyone to close their scriptures, and then stick their finger in and open to a random page and point to a random scripture without looking, every single scripture that was randomly picked was able to relate to us as individuals and as missionaries. We went through at least 20 different verses, each from a different person and each one taught us something different. That was really cool. 

Also quick note, my companions again are Elder Cox and Elder Kayser, Elder Cox is from Utah and Elder Kayser is from California. Elder Cox is the one with dark hair and Elder Kayser is the one with blonde hair. Both Elder Cox and I are serving in Quito. Elder Kayser will be serving in Cali, Columbia. They are both awesome guys. Elder Cox is one of the hardest workers I've ever met.  He never stops studying and is a great example to me. Elder Cox will be a great missionary. I know it! The language is hard for him, but with the amount of work he puts into learning it he will be a pro in a couple of months. Elder Kayser is a great guy as well, he is a few months older than me and worked for his former bishop as well before coming on the mission. He's got a great sense of humor and an amazing testimony. He reminds me a lot of Elder Anderson, and we get along the same way Elder Anderson and I did. He's become a great friend of mine.

The mission is pretty awesome or i should say the CCM is pretty awesome. I miss home and everyone there and I send my love. I'm working hard and doing great. 

                                                                                                                  -Elder Gonzalez

Also, how is daniel doing?? Is he better?? I'll be able to email next Thursday, just a heads up.

Bogota, Colombia

Bogota, Colombia

 Tiny Colombian car with loco motorcyclist passing between car and bus on highway.

My District at the CCM in Bogota, Colombia

future missionaries at the Bogota, Colombia Temple with Elder Gonzalez

Elder Cox, Elder Kayser and Elder Gonzalez, Bogota, Columbia

Elder Kayser, Elder Gonzalez, and Elder Cox in Bogota, Colombia

Elder Kayser, Elder Cox and Elder Gonzalez at the Bogota, Colombia CCM

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Hey Mom, 

This week has been amazing! I've grown so much. I've taught 4 lessons in spanish here at the CCM all anywhere from 20 to 45 min. I can understand most spanish but can hardly speak anything. 

I am in a trio companionship, Elder Cox, and Elder Kayser are my companions. I was called and set apart as district leader on Saturday, which is a ton of responsibility on top of having a 16 hour day each day. 

Today we went to the Bogota temple and it was beautiful. I have some pictures I'll send and some videos from my gopro since i took the sd card out of my gopro. My companions are awesome! The language is super hard, but I'm trying to do my best. 

Bogota is an interesting place and so very different than home. It's massive and has a huge population. The mountains are so pretty, with this foggy mist hanging over and on them all day. The weather is always the same, and hasn't changed yet. There is always a light rain during the day and low 70´s, I think, throughout the day. The CCM is pretty cool too, they never close any doors or windows. Some of the windows don't even close. There are no bugs here. I've seen a moth and beetle and that's it. My spelling is terrible so before sending this please check and correct it.

The food here puts your digestive system through a few phases. My companion, I won't say which one, wasn't able to go to the bathroom for 4 days until we went and asked the President's wife, Hermana Duval, for a pill. He's been good since.

Sorry I'm kinda all over the place. I have a lot to say and not a lot of time to say it so I'm trying to think of everything. Bogota is sorta like san antonio, tons of big buildings and highways and streets but it's kinda like post apocalyptic. The city is just dirty and old, lots of concrete. There isn't a single standing object that does not have graffiti on it, but some of the graffiti is pretty cool and almost professionally done. The cars here are so small, like a bunch of smart cars that can fit 5 people in them. And I don't think there are any driving laws.  I mean on the bus from the airport to the CCM we sped passed and cut off a police truck that had its lights on. Also no one stops at intersections you just kind of hope you don't get hit even if you are turning.  It's like a free for all and the motorcycles and mopeds are just so daring they squeeze through any space they can, We were going down the highway and passing another bus and a mopped came flying past in between and its like a shoulder width distance apart. 

Anyway, I love the mission so far. I miss you guys and hope all is well. I send Daniel my best wishes and hope Dad and Elias get home safe. 

Love Elder Gonzalez

Elder Cox

(Sam was having trouble sending pictures and didn't have any more time to send any of him.  Maybe next week!)