1 & Done In Lake Reams!! Week #43

Hey everyone this week was really good, We were able to see some good things happen and Christmas as always was wonderful. So the big news with transfers. I am actually leaving and Elder Weiss will be staying!?! We did not expect this to happen at all, we thought Elder Weiss was gone for sure, since he has been here for 3 transfers now and I've only been here for 1. This Ward is great and I'm going to miss it. This Ward has some real gem members, and I have enjoyed getting to know them. I'm also going to miss the missionaries around me. We have had some good times this transfer. But I'm looking forward to my next area and all the people I will be able to learn from. 

It's Christmas!! it's Christmas!! it's Christmas!! I just love Christmas time, it's always a good time no matter what. And obviously this year was a little different having been away from my family. But I really did enjoy my first Christmas on the Mission. Christmas Eve we went to the bishops house and had some good food and watched their family act out the Christmas story from the Bible. Bishop told us a bunch of his crazy mission stories. That was awesome! Later we went to the Whitney's house and hung out with them and watched Mr. Krugers Christmas. They had a non member friend there, and we got to talk to her. On Christmas Day we went and had breakfast with the Szalajko's [sh-lie-ko]. They are my favorite family in the ward, they are just a lot of fun. We played some games with them, and got to try out this really fun game called Monopoly Deal. It's an awesome game. Brother Wilson from Melbourne, gave it to me for Christmas! Elder Weiss is really good at it. My favorite thing about Christmas Day was being able to FaceTime all of you guys! That was a lot of fun, and much needed. I miss you all!

Can't believe 10 months have flown by. I have just loved every minute of my mission and the experiences that I've had and the things that I've learned. I'm so thankful for the people I have got to know and made good friendships with. I love the people of Florida!! 👌☀️

I had to say goodbye to Sister Saunders Sunday night. We love her, she is great. She is one of the most Christlike people I've ever met. I'm thankful for the opportunity I have gotten to know her. We had a really powerful lesson on Sunday night, we shared a story from the Ensign titled "A Christmas Hug". It has a powerful message that helps us realize the simple things we can do to help others as the Savior would do. This truly is a special time of the year and as we realize that Christmas is a time to come together as family to celebrate the birth of the Savior and to invite the spirit into our lives. Sister Saunders is a good example of doing the simple things and showing love towards others. I'm really going to miss her!

 This time has been fun in Lake Reams and I've really enjoyed being Elder Weiss's Companion again. I am really going to miss those that I have created friendships with. Transfer Meeting is on Tuesday that's when I will find out where I will be going so I will let all of you know next week. The scripture I would like to share this week is Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and is looking forward to the New Year!! Have a great week.

Elder Gentry

FOM

🎄☃🎅🏻🎄I.B.T.L.A.L.L.C🎄🎅🏻☃🎄 week 42

Hey Everyone, It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas welllll not really haha it was 90 degrees on Wednesday and biking in it was not fun.. But, it is Beginning to FEEL a lot like Christmas with Trees and Lights up Everywhere!!! I said to Weiss this week "If Someone was to blindfold me and throw me in Florida and tell me it is December I Would NEVER believe them hahah. This was an ok week some good things happened I wouldn't say it was the greatest week but Christmas is next week and I'm so Excited!!!

So this week I had an Exchange with Elder Yates, He is from Michigan weird I know, he's not from Utah. Hah He is pretty cool. We had this pretty cool experience while tracting. We knocked on this guys house and this Man from Turkey answers the door he is the nicest guy you will ever meet. He is Muslim so his beliefs are a little bit different hah, jk anyways we were talking to him and he said these guys knocked on his door like 18 months ago and gave him a bible. And we asked him if he could go get it and when he went and got it he came out with a Book of Mormon in Turkish language. So we told him that is is not the Bible and that is was a Book of Mormon. we explained to him why we believe in the Book of Mormon. He has read like 3 quarters of it. He is going to Convert himself without even knowing it hah we are definitely going to follow up with him and see if we can start teaching him.

So we had a pretty good lesson with this less active family that we are teaching. We shared a Message based on a talk Given by Thomas S. Monson. It is called "Blessings Of the Temple" He Said "As we enter through the doors of the temple, we leave behind us the distractions and confusion of the world. Inside this sacred sanctuary, we find beauty and order. There is rest for our souls and a respite from the cares of our lives. We will grasp the true meaning of the words of the Savior when He said: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” I love this talk and I Love the Beauty and the Peace that comes from the temple and I know there is blessings that come from attending the Temple.

The Chiristmas Devotional was Sickkk, it was pretty fun to have a night where we got to hang out with Missionaries and listen to a devotional which was pretty Good. It's always nice to see the Mission Homies.

This week we had a ton of service opportunities we got to go to the Temple and work on the Grounds, we also helped a couple of family's move.

This week was tough but I'm still alive and Killin It. we had some good things happen. Me and Elder Weiss have Christmas Eve and Day all planed out and are pretty Pumped. I can't tell you how excited I am to see you guys on Christmas. #Facetime!! The Scripture I would like to share this week is  Luke 2 11-14 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. I love these scriptures, may we turn our thought towards Christ and know the true Meaning of Christmas. Love you all Merry Christmas!! 🎄☃🎅🏻☃🎄

Elder Gentry
FOM

Knocking Doors, Classy Party's, and Looking like The Grinch.🎅🏻☃🎄week41

Hey everyone, this week was pretty Chill, we had some good things happen, The Christmas party was pretty fun, lots of service and we also found a family to teach!

So Tuesday I was with Elder Hilton on exchanges in my area, we had a couple of hours of finding time that we put into the schedule and we had it all planned out to visit some former investigators and to knock the doors around them. We were just straight Grindin' Thru, knocking door after door and NO ONE was answering but we had FAITH that someone would hear us out. So we kept knocking and finally this really nice lady answers the door and we talk with her and get to know her a little bit and we asked her if she would like to see the Christmas video and she just kept giving us excuses but we were PERSISTENT, we weren't giving up. She finally accepted our invitation and she invited us in, which was pretty crazy how easy she let us in but she wasn't willing to watch the video from the door haha. Oh well this is what we wanted. We shared the Christmas video with the whole family and taught a short lesson on the Restoration and they invited us back next week. I was pretty jazzed about this experience, i wouldn't go as far to say it made me actually like knocking doors haha but it was very rewarding.

The Christmas party was great, it's always fun just hanging out with a bunch of members and eating a ton of great food. We actually got to help put together the Live Nativity which turned out awesome, it was pretty cool how they did the show and read the story from the Book of Mormon. We also got to sing a bunch of Christmas hymns.

We also went to an event Tuesday night, it was at Elder Munns home, he is a area seventy. It was a pretty Classy get together. They are super rich. Even the Mayor of Orlando was there. It was a Festival of Nativity so it was pretty cool to look at all of the different nativity's. 

Kind of a funny story, me and Elder Weiss were driving around this neighborhood and we saw this 9 foot Christmas tree just chillin' on the sidewalk and was about to be thrown out. So we thought we would just take it and give it to the sisters, hah it was a pretty ugly Christmas tree. It was already decorated with ugly sunflowers, Indian ornaments and Christmas lights. so Weiss took it apart and stuffed it in the back of the Jeep, He totally looked like the GRINCH!! Hah

This week was good, times going by fast, Christmas is sneaking up, it's not too late to send anything to me haha. Life is good. Seeing the joy the GOSPEL BRINGS to Me makes me want to share it. The celebration of the birth of the savior is a wonderful time to count our blessings. The scripture I would like to share this week is 2nd Nephi 19:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. A child is born so we can be born again, Love Him, Remember Him, Follow Him. Love you all have a Wonderful week. 

Elder Gentry

FOM

               P-Day with my district!! Good times! 

Spirt's Up.... And so is The Tree🎄 Week #40 WOW!!

ELDER GENTRY LOVES CHRISTMAS!! 

Hey everyone, this week was pretty good. We had a couple really good lessons with our investigators and some Less Active Members. Me and Elder Weiss were on bikes this week so I'm really looking forward to the car. "We are still just out here Grindin'"

So this week we had a really powerful lesson with our Investigator family. They are from China so it is challenging to teach them, they can speak alright English. The hardest part about teaching them is they have no Christian background so they don't really understand the need or the purpose of The Savior. We shared a Savior is born with them. When we teach them and we say certain words if they haven't heard that word before they will repeat it, so it was super powerful when they were watching the video and it said "Savior" and they repeated it back, we also testified of the Savior Jesus Christ and the importance he has in our lives and the spirit was so strong!

So the last couple of weeks we've had this little Christmas tree and it's cute and all haha but Me and Elder Weiss were thinkin every missionary has a lame tree just like this!! So we wanted to get a better Christmas Tree!! So we went Thrift shopping and found a 6 ft Tree for 20 Dollars and we DECKED IT OUT. We also found a roll of wrapping paper in the house so we wrapped a bunch of boxes and made it look legit. hah it's definitely beginning to look a lot like Christmas in our home hah.

The First Presidency Christmas Devotional was last night and it was pretty cool. My favorite song the Mormon Tabernacle sang was Carol of The Bells. My favorite talk was by Linda K. Burton, she spoke about what we can do to become more like the Savior and to remember him this holiday season. She quoted a children's hymn. He Sent His Son..."How could the Father tell the world of love and tenderness? He sent his Son, a newborn babe, with peace and holiness. How could the Father show the world the pathway we should go? He sent his Son to walk with men on earth, that we may know. How could the Father tell the world of sacrifice, of death? He sent his Son to die for us and rise with living breath. What does the Father ask of us? What do the scriptures say? Have faith, have hope, live like his Son, help others on their way. What does he ask? Live like his Son." If we follow the council in this song we can become true disciples of Jesus Christ. We must LIVE LIKE HIS SON.

So things here are still going wonderful, we've got our Christmas Swag on and we are out there teachin' and testifyin'!! I just love this time of year. The scripture I would like to share this week is 3rd Nephi 27:21 21 Verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do; for that which ye have seen me do even that shall ye do; I love this scripture because I know that Jesus Christ was sent into this world from a loving Heavenly Father to be an example for all of us. I'm so thankful for Jesus Christ's Example. Have a great week everyone and enjoy this Holiday Season.

Elder Gentry
FOM