We Goin' Zero to 💯 Real Quick WEEK #76

What's up everyone, 

Elder Gentry and my boi Elder Reyes are doing very well, this week has been tough! We have had a ton of appointments cancel on us and it's just been one of those weeks haha. Hey it's all good tho, we will bounce back and kill the Game!!! One thing that's cool is even in the bad weeks you still can see the Lords hand in your work and you have some good things happen! So even tho it was a tough week I can say good things happened!!

So update on Willie, He is doing very well and he just had his interview with the Bishop yesterday and will be receiving the Aaronic Priesthood next Sunday!! He's been doing really good and he has told us that he feels super Blessed, he just got a new full time job and he said he's already seeing the blessing of tithing! He said I like these blessing but I want to help others have them too! He told us this week that we the missionaries are his new superheroes!! This is the reason I love this work, bringing blessings I've seen in the Gospel to other people!! I love my brotha Willie!!

We have done a lot of finding this week with all of the appointments canceling and it's been tough and really has tested my patience. I know that there are prepared people and we just have to find them. We will keep doing are Best and pushing through!!! 

We had a really good lesson with Makyla, it was on the Word of Wisdom and we were able to talk about how are body's are temples and we need to take care of them and keep them healthy, we also answered her question about tattoos and helped her understand why we shouldn't have them. She's doing really well, we did move her baptismal date back to the 17th, she said she has been worried about it and she's not sure what happens at them, the other Ward is having a baptism next week and she said she would like to go to check it out. Makyla is awesome and we know the Lord will bless her and help her make this right decision! 

Something I wanted to share this week is from a talk given by Elder Randall K. Bennett, "Your Next Step" The Lord more than matches our willingness to act in faith. Our willingness to take a step is not just met; it is exceeded by the Lord’s promised blessings. Heavenly Father and our Savior are eager to bless us. After all, They ask only for one-tenth of what They bless us with and then promise that the windows of heaven will open! Whenever we willingly act with faith in Jesus Christ and take another step, especially an uncomfortable step requiring change or repentance, we are blessed with strength. 

Things here in Deland are going good, I love my mission and the blessing that come from this great Work!! Elder Reyes and I will keep pushing forward with faith and do the best we can to help build up this area!! The scripture I would like to share this week is Mormon 9:22 For behold, thus said Jesus Christ, the Son of God, unto his disciples who should tarry, yea, and also to all his disciples, in the hearing of the multitude: Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature; Love this Scripture, Love you All!! Have a good week!

Elder Gentry

FOM

🙌🏻🙏🏻Way, Way, Way Up!!🙏🏻🙌🏻 week #75

What's Up Everyone,

This is Elder Gentry coming at you from Deland!!! This has been a great week, My new Companion Elder Reyes is a great guy and we are going to get along really well! Elder Reyes is Super funny and he loves to laugh so it always makes the day better. The work here is going pretty good, we have some good things that will be happening this Transfer and I'm excited to do the Lords work!!

Willie is doing really well!! He is pumped and fired up to share the Gospel, he has already handed out 2 copies of The Book of Mormon to some friends of his. We brought Willie out to a lesson with us and it went really well. He was excited to be there and told us after the lesson how thankful he was that we took him out with us to teach. It's been so cool to see someone recognize the blessings of the Gospel in their life just in such a short time. Once again Willie is the man!

So the lesson we brought Willie out with us we went and taught Makyla and she is awesome she is 15 years old and her Grandmother is a Returning LA! We taught her the Gospel of Jesus Christ and we invited her to be baptized and she said "Yes" we set a date for her to be baptized September 3rd!! Willie helped a lot in the lesson and he was able to testify to her how much of a blessing it has been in his life to make the decision to be baptized. She made it to church this past week and said she really is enjoying it. We will be seeing her 2 X's this week and were excited to help her and work with her. 

Something I wanted to share this week comes from chapter 1 of Teachings of the president "Howard W. Hunter" ...If our lives and our faith are centered upon Jesus Christ and his restored gospel, nothing can ever go permanently wrong. On the other hand, if our lives are not centered on the Savior and his teachings, no other success can ever be permanently right. …Brothers and sisters, you have and will have worries and challenges of many kinds, but embrace life joyfully and full of faith. Study the scriptures regularly. Pray fervently. Obey the voice of the Spirit and the prophets. Do all that you can to help others. You will find great happiness in such a course. Some glorious day all your worries will be turned to joys.

Im doing really well, The work here in Deland is moving forward and I'm enjoying it, I'm happy to be grindin' the streets with my bro from the Bronx!!! I love my mission. Shout out to the Goob (Elder Gubler) for sharing this scripture with me!! The scripture this week is Mosiah 5:4 And it is the faith which we have had on the things which our king has spoken unto us that has brought us to this great knowledge, whereby we do rejoice with such exceedingly great joy. Love this scripture, love you all have a great week!! 

Elder Gentry

FOM

😂🙌🏻Wet Willie🙌🏻😂 Week #74

Hey everyone,

 This week was Amazing!!! Things are going really good here in Deland!! I'm super happy to be here in this area. So news with transfers, Well Elder Olsen is going home and I've really enjoyed my time with him and I wish him luck!! My new companion is Elder Reyes!! He's from New York and he's 28 years old, I've heard a lot of good things about him so I'm super pumped!!

Well the best news of the week! Willie  was baptized! It has been so cool to witness all of this and see the change in him from day 1! Elder Olsen and I ran into him the 2nd day I was here and he has just progressed so much. It was an honor to be able to baptize such a wonderful person and a "Straight Homie" He was so happy and everything with the baptism just went perfect and it all worked out!! Willie is the most kind hearted person I've ever met and he's so respectful to everyone! The ward has done a really good job at a being his friend and making him feel welcome!! I'm thankful that the Lord put Willie in my path!! 

So I received some sad news yesterday, Elder Hawkins my last companion, gave me a call to let me know that Brother John Moore passed away. I was very sad to hear that. He was a great man and I'm happy I got to spend the time with him that I did! I always loved putting a smile on his face! And I will miss our Awkward Hugs every time I left his house haha. Elder Hawkins and I had some good times with Brother Moore and I'll never forget them! I know God has a plan for him!

Something I wanted to share this week comes from a talk given by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, The Hope Of Gods Light...Your Heavenly Father knows that you will make mistakes. He knows that you will stumble--perhaps many times. This saddens Him, but He loves you. He does not wish to break your spirit. On the contrary, He desires that you rise up and become the person you were designed to be. To that end, He sent His Son to this earth to illuminate the way and show us how to safely cross the stumbling blocks placed in our path. He has given us the gospel, which teaches the way of the disciple. It teaches us the things we must know, do, and be to walk in His light, following in the footsteps of His Beloved Son, our Savior. Light Overcomes Darkness Yes, we will make mistakes, Yes, we will falter, But as we seek to increase our love for God and strive to love our neighbor, the light of the gospel will surround and uplift us. The darkness will surely fade, because it cannot exist in the presence of light. As we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. And day by day, the hope of God’s light will grow within us, “brighter and brighter until the perfect day

WOW!! Another transfer in the books!! This last transfer has been amazing! We have seen the Lord bless us countless times for our efforts! This work is great and I'm happy to be a part of it. I wouldn't trade this experience for anything!! The scripture I would like to share this week is found in John 8:12  Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. I'm so thankful for my savior Jesus Christ and the Light he gives to all of us!! I love you all have a wonderful week!!

Elder Gentry

FOM                                     Willie Was so Pumped!!

                                             This Experience has been a blessing!!

  Got too see My Man Tyson Stiggins!!! 

                                            I will miss Brother Moore, Such a STUD!!!

💯"MAN, WERE STRAIGHT HOMIES"💯 Week #73

Hey Everyone, 

Week 5 of this Transfer is ova! Crazy how fast these transfers just fly by! Well things here in Deland are going very well and the progress that has been made in our area is really cool to see. I'm still Trunkier then Elder Olsen who goes home in 1 week hahah it's all good tho you know I'm puttin' in the work!! This past week we had a lot of good things happen and I'm very excited for next Saturday!!!

Willie truly is the Man of the Year!! We had some good lessons with him this week and we are almost finished with teaching everything he knows before his baptism, Yes his Baptism is this Saturday!!! After Willies Baptismal Interview with President Humphries (2nd Councilor In the Mission Presidency), Elder Olsen went in for a Departing interview, while Elder Olsen was in his interview I just hung out with Willie. We were talking and he looks at me and says "yo Gentry so what are we...are we cooo" Yea man were Cool"like are we frenzzz" MAN WERE STRAIGHT HOMIES "Awww Fur realll, heck ya!!!" ...........Willie is sickk and I'm happy that I've got to get to know him. He also asked me when we were talking if I could baptize him!! I Gladly accepted and told him I would love too. I'm super stoked for him!!!!

One thing that was cool this week is that I got to have a solid lesson with some really cool people. Brother and sister Heater, because this was Elder Kings former area, the first thing he put on my to do list when I got here to Deland was to visit his recent convert brother heater. It has been a struggle getting in contact with them but we finally did it. Elder King had lots of great things to say about him and said he worried about a little bit so we went over to see how they were doing and had a solid visit with them. Found out that every good thing that Elder King said about him was true they are a wonderful family. It was really nice to see them at church this week to!!

Something I wanted to share from a talk given by Elder Richard G. Scott, "Reach out to those living in adverse circumstances. Be a true friend. This kind of enduring friendship is like asphalt that fills the potholes of life and makes the journey smoother and more pleasant. It should not be a resource used to gain personal advantage but a treasure to be appreciated and shared. Recognize the good in others, not their stains. At times a stain needs appropriate attention to be cleansed, but always build on his or her virtues." I think it's important that we love everyone and do our best to make friendships and help them in the best way possible!! Friends are important!

Well I'm really liking my time here in Deland and I'm enjoying the people around me. Things have been going really good this transfer! I'm super excited for Saturday to be able to see Willie make the decision to follow the example of our savior Jesus Christ! I love this Great work and I know the Gospel Blesses lives. I'm thankful for the opportunity to share the Truth that I Love! The scripture that I would like to share this week comes from Mosiah 4:15 15 But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another. I love you all have a good week!!

Elder Gentry

FOM

                                                        Willie and I  So excited for him! 

                                               With the new Mission President and his Wife

                                                                      "True Homies"

                                                        Found a sign that says UTAH!!!

😂🛀🏿 "I'm Ready To Take That Bath" 🛀🏿😂 week #72

What's Up Everyone, 

Elder G Money Coming at you Live from Deland Florida where it is so hottttt and wonderfully Sweaty that it's Nasty!!! It's all good tho! Ya Know We keepin' It Fresh! We had some sickk things happen this week and I'm super excited for the weeks to come! Willie is progressing very well and he's truly loving the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Elder Olsen and I are still working hard and having fun!

Willie is doing really well!!! We had a couple of lessons with him this week in which we were able to get some members out! He came to church and right after Gospel Principles ended Elder Olsen started talking to someone and Willie comes up to me and says "Can I talk to you?" Yea what's up.. (Has me go outside with him) "says I need a breath of fresh air, I just feel so overwhelmed Right naw!! But in a good way!! I feel like I have been a good person my whole life and now I get to see the wonderful people around me and its like surreal! Naw what I mean" I feel the spirt when I'm around you guys and when I come each week!!" As he was talking he had tears in his eyes and they were tears of joy and I know that this Gospel can touch anyone's life and bring them joy and peace that we all need. ....... Later we were talking and he said "IM READY TO TAKE THAT BATH" haha Willie is MY Man!! Things are still looking good for him to be baptized on the 30th of July!!

Another cool thing that happened this week is we got to meet with Makyla, she is the Granddaughter to the Less Active that I was talking about last week. We had a really powerful restoration lesson. She understood the things that we taught and she said she would pray about it. She also came to church which was awesome, that is how she will receive her true witness that the church is true!!

Something I wanted to share this week comes from a talk by Elder Robert D. Hales, The Covenant of Baptism: Our Baptism and confirmation is the gateway into His kingdom. When we enter, we covenant to be of His kingdom--FOREVER!......The scriptures confirm that the truly converted do more than just forsake the enticements of the world. They love God and their fellowmen. Their minds and hearts are centered on the Savior’s atoning sacrifice. From the moment of their respective conversions, Enos, Alma the Younger, Paul, and others turned wholeheartedly to the task of bringing themselves and their fellowmen to God. Worldly power and possessions lost their former significance. The sons of Mosiah refused an earthly kingdom and risked their lives for the sake of others. These faithful sons were driven by the hope that they might be able to help save even one soul--thus winning for themselves and their brethren a place in God’s eternal kingdom.

Well once again I'm closing another email!! Things for me are good and im really liking the stage of my mission that I'm in. I love this work and I truly love seeing someone change their life because of Jesus Christ and his atoning sacrifice, and his wonderful Gospel!! The scripture I would like to share this week is John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Love this scripture, love you all have a great week!!

Elder Gentry

FOM

                                                My Buddy Willie and I 

🙏🏻Greatest Gift From God🙏🏻 Week #71

Hey Everyone, 

Another week here in Florida has come to an end! Elder Olsen and I are Killin' It as always. We had some good things happen and everything seems to be pretty good here in Deland!! 

Things are going good with my Homie Willie, unfortunately he didn't make it to church this week because his uncle had some work for him to do. He did make the effort to reach out to us and apologize for not being there. We had a couple of good lessons with him this past week and were able to get some members out with him to fellowship. We are pretty exited for the progress he is making toward his baptismal date!!

We had a something cool happen on Sunday when we went to teach this less active member that came to church. We had a great lesson with her and in the middle of the lesson her daughter (member) and Granddaughter (nonmember) walked in and we were talking with them and the daughter was telling us how much she wants to come back to church and she wants her daughter (the granddaughter) to learn more about the church so she can be baptized. So we will now be teaching them and helping them on the road back to our father in heaven!!

Something I wanted to share this week comes from a talk given in General Conference April 2012  by Elder Donald L Hallstrom,The gospel is the glorious plan of God in which we, as His children, are given the opportunity to receive all that the Father has. This is called eternal life and is described as “the greatest of all the gifts of God”. A vital part of the plan is our earthly experience--a time to develop faith, to repent, and to reconcile ourselves with God. Because our mortal frailties and “opposition in all things” would make this life profoundly difficult and because we could not cleanse our own sins, a Savior was needed. The Eternal God and Father of all our spirits, presented His plan of salvation, there was one among us who said, “Here am I, send me”. His name was Jesus Christ.

Things here In Deand are still going very well and I'm doing good, I've been pretty trunky haha it's all good tho!! Life is Good! Im really enjoying my time here and the work we have going. I love this great work and am excited for things to come. The scripture I would like to share this week comes from D&C 14:7 And, if you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God. I love you all have a great week.

Elder Gentry

FOM

🙏🏻 "God Bless America" Week #70

Happy 4th of July everyone,

Things are moving along here in the Sunshine State!! Elder Olsen and I are doing well, doing well dawg! Haha we had a lot of good things happen this week! I'm starting to finally, after 2 weeks get to know this area and my way around it. I am really starting to like it here and think I will enjoy my time here in Deland! 

So Tuesday I had a sickk exchange with Elder Wilde, he has been out for 8 weeks now, so he is as green as they come. He's from Washington State. He's a good guy I really like him a lot! We had a Lesson with Willie in which we were able to get the Elders Quorum President too. We taught the Restoration in depth and invited him to be baptized and he said Yes!! Willie has really been surprising me how well he is progressing. He has read all the way to 2nd Nephi chapter 11, he believes the Book of Mormon to be the word of God and he has come to church 2 weeks in a row all 3 hours!! Things are going well with Willie!

We met the new Mission President on Thrusday, President Clark. I think I'm really going to like him. He made it very clear that his number one priority was to care for his missionaries and he seemed very Genuine. Him and his wife will do a great job and I'm happy that they are here in the Florida Orlando Mission!

We had another good lesson with our investigator Sarah, she sadly didn't make it to church. We had a lesson on the Gospel of Jesus Christ and helped her learn more about her purpose in life, she has been looking for her answer from Heavenly Father to know if what she is doing is right and she has been going through some pains and trials, we gave her a Priesthood blessing and by the end she was crying and had a big smile on her face and told us she couldn't stop smiling and these are tears of joy! I know that is what the Gospel of Jesus Christ brings to our lives that pure joy!! We asked her if this was an answer to what you've been looking for and she said Yes, I hope she remembers how she felt!

Something I wanted to share this week is by Ezra Taft Benson "The Constitution-A Glorious Standard" We should understand the Constitution as the founders meant that it should be understood. We can do this by reading their words about it, such as those contained in the Federalist Papers. Such understanding is essential if we are to preserve what God has given us.

I reverence the Constitution of the United States as a sacred document. To me its words are akin to the revelations of God, for God has placed his stamp of approval on the Constitution of this land. I testify that the God of heaven selected and sent some of his choicest spirits to lay the foundation of this government as a prologue to the restoration of the gospel and the second coming of our Savior.

Ether 2:9,10 and 12For behold, this is a land which is choice above all other lands; wherefore he that doth possess it shall serve God or shall be swept off; for it is the everlasting decree of God. …“Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ.

Elder Gentry

FOM