Monday, December 26, 2016

12.26.16 Merry Christmas, Everyone!


Merry Christmas, Everyone!                                  12/26/16

This week has been such an awesome week! We had so many amazing experiences! We got the chance to go to the temple visitors center. We meet at the church with a bunch of sisters and then they drive us all up in a little bus. 
 

It was so cool especially on Christmas Day because so many people of different faiths came to see how we celebrate Christmas. It was awesome! We talked to this awesome kid who was driving by with his dad and so they stopped by to see what was going on. As we talk with people there, we get to teach them a little bit and then see if they would want to have missionaries come over later to teach them more. It was so incredible to see how many prepared people came in. We met a really cute family and as we talked about family history they got so excited and said they definitely wanted to learn more. I know that will be just the beginning of them learning more about the Gospel.

We were asked to spend time with members on Christmas Eve and so we asked the ward council for a list of people they wanted us to visit.  It was so amazing to see how as we followed the council to work with members, we were lead to so many chances to share the Gospel.

One of the homes we went to was a part member family and the daughter who is not a member answered the door. We talked to her about the gospel and how it brings us so much peace. It didn't lead to anything right then but I know it truly planted a seed and left her with something to think about.

That reminds me of this awesome experience we had the other day. We went to see Judith and as we were leaving we decided to knock on some doors in her complex. I bet your thinking we had an amazing miracle as we talked so someone in one of those apartments? We didn't but as when we walked out we met our friend CJ! He was so polite and interested in learning more. It was amazing to see that if we wouldn't have knocked on those doors we wouldn't have met him.

Another amazing miracle that happened on Christmas Eve, we went to a members house and we couldn’t find a parking spot so we drove around several times and then decided to Virginia park. That’s where you park in the street for a minute with her 4 ways on. As we got out of the car we met Gina.   She has a strong faith and loves her church but she said she would love to learn more.

I think that one of the greatest things that happened on Christmas Eve was when we went over to our friend Todd and Shante's house for lunch. Shante’s family aren't  members and as we sat around the table for lunch we got the
chance to have one giant lesson with four or five non- members. It was incredible. 


I know that the Lord was truly placing people in our path as we were obedient to what we were asked to do. I know that obedience truly does bring so many blessings. I love what president Monson says, "May we chose the harder right instead of the easier wrong." I know that our Heavenly Father will bless us as we do so. I hope you all have a great new year and know that I love you so!

Love,
Sister Goudy








Monday, December 19, 2016

12.19.16 Elder Bennett of the Seventies conducted our Half-Mission Conference



12/19/16

Hello everyone!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

This last week has been such an awesome week full of lots of fun experiences! The weather has been back and forth from 20 to 50 degrees. We went on exchanges with Sister Hyer and Sister Hymas.


When we got up in the morning EVERYTHING was iced over. President said no mission cars on the road until noon so we got lots of lesson reports done. Later that night we went to try some of our referrals the stairs were covered in ice. We didn't let that stop us though we just walked down backwards so we wouldn't slip, ha ha. 


On Tuesday we had a half mission conference where we were visited by Elder Bennett of the 70! It was an incredible experience. He truly taught by the spirit. He said most of the things he talked to us about weren't the things he talked about with the other half of the mission. He related lots of amazing experiences from when he was a mission president in Russia. His daughter had served in that mission as well. It showed me that our Heavenly Father is truly aware of each of us. He said that when she got home she wondered if she had even helped anyone on her mission.

While Elder Bennett was serving there as mission president he told us that he ran into several people that had been touched by his daughters service. One of my favorite ones he had shared was a man who came into one of the church building one day with a crumpled up pass along card. The man said it really stuck out to him when he was passing by gutter. He said he took it home and cleaned it off. Then he went to the address written on it. I can not imagine how the missionaries must have felt as they passed that card out to someone who immediately crumpled it up. I know that it was such a great blessing to the man who found it though.

Elder Bennett reminded us that no effort is wasted when we are serving the Lord.  Sometimes we are just planting seeds and sometimes we are preparing a way for others.

I know that this Gospel is true and that it truly blesses so many lives. Heavenly Father knows when people are ready to accept it.

Yesterday we met a man named James he has been reading the Book of Mormon for years and he said he knows it is the word of God. He said we could come back and teach him tonight and I hope that now is the time he has been prepared for. We have so many friends who are doing so amazing!

Judith is getting ready to get baptized next week and she is so excited! We have Jack who has been meeting with missionaries off and on for over 25 years and right now he is praying about being baptized. I know that whenever their time is the Lord will make it possible for them to be able to get baptized. 

I am so grateful for this Christmas season that reminds us of our savior Jesus Christ who came into the world or each and every one of us. What a great blessing it is to have the fullness of the Gospel. I was reading in Mosiah about how the gospel truly changes people's hearts. I know that as we fully embrace it we will be changed for the better. I am so excited to see our friends lives changed as they take these steps for themselves! Thank you all so much for your support in one way or another so I can have this amazing opportunity. 

Love, Sister Goudy 



Monday, December 12, 2016

12.12.16 Great Week! German Christmas

Hey everyone                                                                 12.12.16

This week was awesome it is such a great time to be a missionary to have the chance teach about Jesus Christ. Many people invite us right into their homes because it is so cold outside. When I first came out on my mission I was kind of nervous when people would invite us in but now I realize it is a perfect opportunity.

One of the coolest opportunities was when we met our friends Long, Hong and Mimi.  They were a referral from their neighbors. At first when they answered the door they were kind of quite but Long had his gingham style PJ's on and we asked if he could do the dance. Ha-ha, he sure could, without hesitating, he did the dance for us right on his porch.

We told them that we share a great message about Jesus Christ. They don't have a  Christian background and so they were very excited to let us in. We  talked to them about how important Jesus Christ is and we shared the light the world video. When we asked if we could come back and teach them more Long excitedly said "YES!"  We are going to go back again this week!  I'm really excited because I know we will really see the joy of Christ come into their lives.

I didn't realize how powerful the Joy of Christ is until my mission.  We have been able to see so many people change as they truly feel of his atoning love. Our friends Judith and Mo are a great example of that. Judith was passed to us by Elders from another ward. She had been meeting with them for a while but decided she wanted to wait a little bit and not meet anymore. When she moved to our area they passed us her record and said we should try her sometime. From the first time we called her she has been so excited and committed to learning more. We had recently put her on date for January 21st but after we talked to her about it some more we all felt she could be ready by the end of the year. She is so excited to start the year off with a fresh start. No better gift then that! I sure love to see her excitement and willingness to fully embrace the gospel. They came to the ward Christmas party the other night and the ward embraced them so well! They have been coming to church for the past three weeks it's incredible! Mo wasn't too excited about meeting with us at first but as time has gone on he has really changed. He says he loves how everyone knows his name and says hello when they see him. They are doing great! I'll put a picture of us with Judith and their two cute girls. They are twins.






We've also seen a lot of progression with our friend Linda. She is such a cute lady and every time we go over to see her, she is waiting at the door. When the members come to give her a ride to church or the Christmas party she is already in her Sunday best. We've started reading the Book of Mormon with her; some of the words are kind of tricky so we've been able to help her improve her reading skills too.  She really wants to be baptized in January!  She is incredible we sure love her.

The ward is taking good care of us this Christmas season. Last night for dinner we had an authentic German dinner with the Langers. Brother Langer is from Germany and so we had his favorite, sauerkraut and dumplings. After dinner they had us come to their Christmas tree where they had two little gifts for us. They had gotten us three different German treats. I never knew that Gummy Bears are German. It was so sweet of them. 




Even better, when we left they gave us some referrals for their neighbors which lead to even more referrals. None of them were new investigators but we had some great discussions.   I love being a missionary!   It brings so much happiness and blesses so many people's lives. Yesterday they had the parents of missionaries speak about the blessings of missionary service. They talked about all they had seen from their children serving and it really reminded me that missionary work is such a gift and that we have such a short time to dedicate ourselves to it. It reminded me to really enjoy every moment. I know that this gospel is true. I know that it changes lives and I know it bring so many blessings. I hope you all have a great week!

Love,

Sister Goudy





Wednesday, December 7, 2016

12.7.16 Got to Go To The Temple



Hello Everyone! 


This week was incredible! We saw so many amazing things happen.

Our mission has a goal where we do three small and simple things at least three times a day and I know it's really brought such amazing miracles. The first thing is:  to invite three people to church, then we try to ask for referrals from three people, and the last one is my favorite, we try to talk about baptism three times a day.  Since we have done these three  things we have found some amazing people and we have seen a lot of progression in our investigators.

I got to go back to Warrenton to see the baptism of Aaron. His dad was able to baptism him and it was an amazing experience. On the drive back to Warrenton our ward mission leaders wife was telling me about some awesome missionary experiences she had had in the past but that they hadn't quite turned out how she had expected. A couple of days later we went over for dinner with them and she sent us over to one of the families she was telling me about. She said that every time the missionaries had gone over, the people had always turned them away but she said she felt like we should maybe try again. It was the night of the Christmas devotional and we really wanted to go but we hadn't been able to get any of our investigators to go so we prayed about it and decided to go contact some referrals. We felt like we should try her referral. We went over and this really confident girl answered the door. She has such a strong faith and told us of many times she has seen her prayers answered. She loved everything we taught her and she said we could come back. We are going back tomorrow! I know that things truly work out in the Lords timing and that this is his work.

One of my favorite scriptures from my reading this week is ENOS 1: verse 12, it says, "And it came to pass that after I had prayed and labored with all diligence, the Lord said unto me: I will grant unto thee according to thy desires, because of thy faith."  I love this verse because many times this week we prayed for guidance and labored to find our prayers answered. I know that the Lord truly blessed us as we continue in faith.

Our friend Judith had been doing so well at preparing  for baptism and we had the best lesson ever with her last night. We truly saw an answer to our prayers. We had to have a lesson on something and we weren't sure how she was going to take it. As we pushed forward and talked about what we needed to, she said it was something she had already been thinking about! I was so grateful for that and how well it went. I know God truly answers our prayers and that specific prayers bring specific blessing.

I want to invite you all to pray for something specifically this week. I promise the Lord will answer your prayer specifically.

Love, Sister Goudy





Tuesday, December 6, 2016

This Week's Post Delayed Two Days



In case you are continually checking for Shelby's letter this week, be assured that she is OK.  It's just that their Preparation Day has been changed to Wed. this week so they can go to the temple.  

They are only 30 miles away!!  I think that they not only get to attend the temple but they also get to serve there as missionaries and talk to people and answer their questions.  I know, they are looking forward to this opportunity!  I'm not sure if they get to do this once a week until the end of the month, or if it is just a one time shot!