Monday, August 17, 2015

Good afternoon President Gonzalez, I was able to obtain your email address from CDOL, and I would only like to comment on your son's excellent service here in the country. 

My name is Elder Rogers, and I'm serving from the Hill Country Stake here in the Ecuador Quito Mission. I was able to meet your son during a regional conference with Elder Waddell in Ambato, and missionaries of my zone stayed the night in your son's (very clean) apartment. Apart from the surprise that we are serving from the same city, I was very impressed with your son's Spanish, I mistook him for a missionary of 6 months, and additionally, his conduct is very mature for his age and time on the mission. Observing him during the conference and at night during daily planning, I was surprised by the way he was able to analyze the needs of the investigators and work with his companion to plan how to resolve them. His skills are those of an experienced and talented missionary, and what he was able to learn at home has helped him much on the mission. I look forward to a future day in the which he receives the assignment to help the work as one of my leaders.

Thank you for preparing him to serve in the Lord's vineyard here in Ecuador. We need many more prepared and obedient missionaries in this part of the world.

With love and appreciation,

Elder Joshua Rogers

Líder de Distrito - Riobamba Sur

Mom, 

So the hair cutting lady screwed up my hair bad today..... as she was buzzing my hair, the guard fell off and she buzzed to the scalp on the upper part of my head.... so then before I could really say or do anything she started buzzing the sides.... like almost bald.... so i have a mohawk thing right now.... its the best she could do to fix it without me going bald.... and tonight my companion and I have to go back to Quito because all the new missionaries have a three week check up to see our progress so I get to go meet with president with a mohawk and I really don't think he will approve.... hopefully they can maybe fix my hair without buzzing it all.... lol ecuador..... 

Anyways, this week has been really fast. We had a member of the area 70 come, Elder Wardel, that was really cool. He gave an awesome talk and I learned a ton. He talked about how the purpose of the priesthood is to create eternal families and how the purpose of a mission is to help people get to the temple so they can then make it to our Heavenly Father again. He talked about a lot of other stuff too, but that's a quick one sentence summary. 

I haven't gotten sick yet so I'm doing good. I'm just a little bored with eating rice at every meal. But I will say the fruit, the natural fruit drinks and the bread here is amazing and cheap. We have a bakery right across the street from our house, and like 5 others within 2 min of walking distance close by. It's awesome. 

One quick thing, the part members play in missionary work is huge! What members can do for less actives and investigators is really amazing. As members, we should do all we can to make investigators welcome, seek out less actives and love them and help and invite them to come back to church. When members show love to investigators and to less actives it changes people's hearts and helps them see the light and truth of the gospel. Members really do play a huge role. I know everyone in the church knows someone that isn't a member. These are called references, give them to the missionaries. It doesn't matter if they are catholic, baptist, atheist or testigos de Jehova, they are children of our Heavenly Father. If you don't think they are interested it doesn't matter if you think they won't accept, it doesn't matter, tell the missionaries. Every person on this earth needs to know the truth, they are our brothers and sisters, show them love, the love that Christ showed to all, even those that persecuted Him and invite them and help them, be an example, give the missionaries all the references you have and then help the missionaries contact these people, in your homes, at the park, do all you can to help the missionaries help other people to know the truth. I can not express enough how important the members are. Being in the field I see and understand and really wish while I was in high school, on sports teams, I had done more to help my friends find the missionaries and start on the path back to our Father in Heaven. Miracles happen and you never know what could happen if you open your mouth, so open your mouth and do all that you can in the Obra missional. 

I miss everyone back home and love you all so much. Thank you for all your prayers and emails and love. It's a huge help each Monday. You are my care package each Monday and I apreciate it so much!

-Elder Gonzalez

Me being awesome

Everyday things as a missionary:  Planner with homemade cover, watch with an italian coin in the middle, coin pouch, and a nametag

This is my companion.

he has a few words to say.

´´I AM THE MIGHTY ELDER SCANLON.

I was raised by a clan of gnomes. in a small place called KilmKettle.

Many know me by the name of Twig. And Coppertop. and Scrongy. and Waldo. and UK. 

I am very well famous for my skills with the blade, and my wonderful taste in tin pottery but that is another story"

Monday, August 10, 2015

Dad! Guess what?? I gutted about 15 or so trout, yes trout, with another elder for a guy who owns a restaurant and he cooked us a free one!!! That was in Baños. I think you would like it there. Tons of cool hikes and sights to see. We went to see Pailon Del Diablo, this massive waterfall and it was super cool. Also I know you can't have gluten, but the pandarias here have the most amazing bread!!!! I think of all the things you would like here as I'm walking around. Like at the waterfall there was this rope bridge but with cables and I wish you could have been there because I know you would have jumped on it or shaken it so it would sway and freak everyone out including mom!

My companion and I have had some struggles in our lessons where investigators and less actives talk a ton and don't really let us talk and it's always about random stuff so it makes it hard to have a strong spirit. How can we fix that or change that or do better in having the spirit in the lesson?

Miss you a ton and hope you're safe in all your travels.

Elder Gonzalez

Mom, 
Wow...This week was a gooood week.

At the beginning of the week, on Tuesday night, we did splits with the ward so I went to an appointment with two guys and my companion went to another appointment with other members. We went to teach Milton at his work. He is a security guard for this street in front of a driving school. He is a very interesting guy... odd beliefs but a good guy all the same. Anyways, he was too busy for us so we headed back to the church. One of the guys I was with, I didn't know, so I started asking him about himself. I came to find out he wasn't a member. We got to the church sat down and he was called out of the room to talk to someone, and I was left in the room with his cousin, who is a member, Israel is his name. Israel told me how his cousin had always searched for God and was in a different church but is a super strong believer in God. So Moises, the non-member, comes back and I asked him what he knew about the church and he said he had read one paragraph of the Book of Mormon and when he came back to read it, his dad (a priest of another church) had thrown it away. But Moises said he had always wanted to know more. So I pulled out my Book of Mormon and had him read the last two paragraphs of the introduction and bam, something hit him hard in his heart. I waited a second and then asked him what he felt and he broke down right in front of me. He said all his life he had searched for God and he had thought he had found it in the other church, but he felt in that moment was something he couldn't explain. Then Israel testified, I testified and I invited him to pray to know the truth. He doesn't live in my sector and he has some challenges to overcome, but he was at church on Sunday. The night after our meeting on Tuesday he read 5 chapters of the Book of Mormon and he is progressing super well. 

I don't speak Spanish well at all, I don't understand it well at all either, but in that lesson there wasn't a single thing I didn't understand. The spirit I felt with Moises was as if the room was on fire. It was incredible. It is something I will never forget and I really hope and pray that Moises will be baptized and make it to the temple with his family.

OK, for a change of subject. Today our district traveled to Baños, Ecuador to see Pailon Del Diablo, which is a huge waterfall in the jungle it was amazing!!! Seriously amazing!!!! I got to stand behind it in the side of this cliff and it was sooo cool. One of the coolest places I've been besides Yellowstone. There are not words to describe how cool it was. Then our district climbed up to this open area and we had a first vision study all alone in the mountains of Ecuador. It was super cool. I'll send pictures. 

My companion is still awesome, this week has been hard but the little special moments make everything awesome. We are seeing little by little progression. We had three investigators at church on Sunday from our sector. There is a set of sisters in our ward as well. There are three wards in our building and there is a set of sisters and a set of elders for each ward. Pretty cool. 

I hope everything is well at home. It sounds like everyone is super busy like me. lol. I hope everyone is having fun and enjoying their summer. As always i miss everyone. 

Also mom, your spiritual messages each week are awesome. Thank you so much! I miss you a ton and love you a ton as well!

-Elder Gonzalez

Pailon Del Diablo

Behind the waterfall.

My companion, Elder Scanlon, being awesome.  

Monday, August 3, 2015

Hey Dad, 

It's hard. Like really hard, but I'm trying to do my best. Speaking is the hardest, because I don't know a lot of words for just talking with people. Teaching isn't so bad, but just chatting is like the hardest thing. Our area is really small, there's lots of work to be done, we never stop working, but people are hard to find. When we contact people we never know their direction (address) and when we go to follow up, people don't answer. We have had some success though this week and it feels good when we do. It keeps me excited to work more. We do lots of visits with the ward mission leaders and a few other brethren. Maybe half of our visits are with a members present so thats really helpful. There are lots of less actives to work with and lots of service. I spent a few hours in the morning the other day putting a concrete roof on a house. We mixed concrete, poured it in these huge buckets and then this levi pulled the buckets to the roof where they poured the cement! It was really hard work but it was cool because the members we were helping loved how hard I worked so that broke down some barriers and we got to joking and laughing. Its hard, its not easy at all, but I love it!  It's awesome. 

There are two sisters in my district from Argentina. What mission and parts of Buenos Aires did you serve in? 

I miss you a ton, lol try to have fun at work ;P 

-Elder Gonzalez

Hey mom,

I miss you guys a ton, I am in Ambato, its very different but very pretty! My companion is Elder Scanlon. He's pretty cool! He only has 5 weeks left in his mission, so I get to kill him. That's what they call going home. so he gives birth to me and I kill him! Pretty funny!! He is way into fantasy and loves larping (thats where they dress up in medieval stuff and fight in wars!)  Interesting but cool. This week has been really hard internally for me. The language is hard. There are times when I understand and times when i don't, the hardest thing for me though is speaking. I never really know how to add to a conversation.  I can teach but holding casual conversation is soooo hard. I keep trying to understand and not let myself focus on what I don't know and what i can't say. I've been pretty home sick in the back of my mind this week, I just try not to think about it. 

It sounds like you guys had a really awesome trip, I'm super jealous! And that bear incident would have been pretty freaky, but I'm with Dad, I would have wanted to see it :P 

Calling at the airport was hard to get an answering machine and not know your cell just because I was excited to call. 

Dad would like Ambato I think, lots of neat little shops and it's a pretty big city. I think Dad would have a lot of fun wandering around the city. 

Today we made empanadas with the sisters in our district who are from Argentina. They were soooo good!!!! The food here in ecuador always has like a mountain of rice with it, and a bowl of soup, so I guess I've been sent here to learn to like soup. All the food is pretty good and is all prepared by our Momita. She's a member of the ward and we pay her every two weeks and she makes us lunch and dinner every day! Pretty sweet deal if you ask me. 

We haven't had a lot of success in our area this past week. Our area is really small so contacting is hard because a lot of people are from outside our area. And the people that we do teach are hard to find. But we have taught quite a few lessons and it's cool to meet with real people and listen to what they have to say. My first day was really cool. We taught this family, a mom, dad and a kid, they are not married, and are having a hard time understanding why marriage is important. I got to ask them some questions and then I bore my testimony of the importance of my family to me and talked about some other stuff, but the spirit was so strong and the dad was practically in tears at the end of the lesson but was trying really hard to fight it. I think that family will progress. I'm excited for them. 

 I miss you guys a ton. I'm super grateful for all your prayers and emails, they keep my spirits up!!!

 -Elder Gonzalez

New Missionaries with their "trainers" 

"Trainer" Elder Scanlon and Elder Gonzalez in Ambato, Ecuador

***Sam and Mom exchanged a couple quick emails because we were on the internet at the same time, so Mom asked what was in the filling of the empanadas and Sam said that they had ground beef, cheese, onions and peppers.  Yum!

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.