🎄I'm Dreaming Of A Bright Christmas🎅🏻🎄☀️ Week# 95

Merry Christmas Everyone, 

What's good!! Elder Gentry who just wrapped up his last Christmas on the Mish is coming at you from a not so white Christmas Florida! However it was a Bright Christmas, sun was shining and it was a high of 82. Christmas was really good this year and I enjoyed it a lot, of course I miss the fam but I think I had the best Christmas I could have had on the mission! I was soooo happy I got to FaceTime some of you guys and see you, I miss all of you very much and really enjoyed talking!! Can't believe I've now hit 22 Months in the field. Sooooo crazy to me! This week was good and we we're able to see a lot of people and then enjoy the weekend and relax for Christmas!

This week we had Zone Conference, it was Christmas themed so there was lots of singing and just really good musical numbers! It was good to see some of the other missionaries in the mission. Later that day We had a little Rerun of the Christmas Devotional where we invited different investigators and Less Actives to come and enjoy all of the wonderful messages from the leaders of the church. After the devotional we had a small testimony meeting and it was very neat to be able to share mine!! I'm thankful for Jesus Christ and his earthly ministry and the sacrifice he made for me out of pure love! This time of the year is my favorite and it's really all about Jesus Christ and his birth!

The work is still doing well, we have been able to make some progress with the investigators we are working with, a couple of them made it to church and really benjoyed the service and felt very loved and welcomed into the ward. Andre is doing good and we are doing all that we can to help him overcome his challenges so he can be baptized soon. 

Christmas Eve lunch we went to sister Werlings house and had some really good sandwiches and lots of goodies and just had a good time, it was her birthday as well so we got to decorate a cake, we had a lot of fun. For dinner the Flinton's from Olympia came all the way up close to me to be with their parents so we just had dinner with them, it was a lot of fun and was really nice being able to see the Flinton's. we also had a ton of Goodies and just enjoyed each other's company! Christmas Day I got up and FaceTimed home and opened some gifts, that was really nice. Then I went to church, It was a blessing to be able to partake of the Sacrament on a special day and be able to enjoy the real reason for the season!! After church I just FaceTimed family until dinner which was nice. After dinner I did more FaceTimeing hahaha I was soo happy that our new Mission President allowed us to talk as long as we wanted!!! 

Something I wanted to share this week comes from a talk given By Douglas D. HolmesIt....it seems appropriate that giving and receiving gifts is a central part of Christmas. After all, we are celebrating the matchless gift of God’s Son, the Savior Jesus Christ. Of course, our gifts to each other will never compare to this gift, but I believe that the joy of giving and receiving gifts can turn our hearts toward the “gifts of God.” The precious gift of God’s Son invites each of us to find “peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come.” Peace may seem elusive in a world where conflict and division are intensifying. But that peace is exactly what our loving Father and His Son offer to each of us, if we will only receive it.

I hope all of you had a Merry Christmas, I definitely enjoyed mine. Things for me are still going well. Elder Birchell and I are still doing the daily grind. I love my mission and I love this great work! The scripture I would like to share this week is Alma 7:10 And behold, he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers, she being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God. Love this scripture, love you all!!! Once again Merry Christmas!!

Elder Gentry

  Cake we decorated for Sister Werling's Birthday and for Christmas 

The Cake 

                                                   Sister Werling and I          
                                                           

Christmas Eve Treats I made 

                                                  Brother and Sister Flinton!!

                                                After Zone Conference 

🎄Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas🎄🎅🏻⭐️ Week #94

What's up family, it's the most wonderful time of the year!! I can't believe it is here once more. My final Christmas on the mish! I'm sooo excited, we have some good things planed! This past week was a really good one, we are starting to see some progress in this area and we really feel that we have been working pretty hard! Elder Birchell and I get along really well and we work great together!

Sooooo to start off the week I finally got to have an exchange with my homie Elder Thornock, my M.T.C. Companion. It was a lot of fun we mostly just reminisced the good ole days of being in the Mtc, we just couldn't believe how fast time has really gone. We had a good day, it was weird tho like a lot of weird things happened, like people actually letting us in without us saying a word, hah kinda awkward didn't know what to say! It was good tho we taught this woman and her mom! Elder Thornock served in the area that I am in a year ago, so he really helped out with some peeps we can go see and who we can possibly teach! Overall it was a solid exchange, I luv Thornock!! 

We had a Killa lesson with our gator Andre, We we're sharing a message on The Gospel of Jesus Christ and he was saying how he knows that all the things we have been teaching him are true! He is legally blind soo what he said to us was "I can't see you guys but I can feel your presence and I know that you are good young men and you teach a true message and when I went to church I felt that same feeling with the people around me." We invited him to be baptized and he said yes! We have a couple of things to work with him before he can be baptized but we have faith in him and he's been progressing really well! Unfortunately he wasn't able to make it too church cause he wasn't feeling well. He's a great man and it's been fun teaching him!

I Love Christmas! LOL

Oh we taught Caleb, 10 year old who is waiting to be adopted by his Grandparents. He can't be baptized until then. He's the sweetest little kid ever, we went over there and he insisted we play a game of uno with him. You don't have to tell me twice to play a good game of uno! Haha After, we taught him a lesson on prayer and the importance of praying to Heavenly Father often! He's a lot of fun too teach he's a really smart kid. Church on Sunday he runs up to us and gives us hugs and says he's got something for us and later after church gives us a plate of Christmas goodies!! I love that little kid! 

Something I wanted to share this week comes from "The Promise of Christmas" Elder Robert D. Hales. We can’t fully understand the meaning of Christmas unless we understand the meaning of the Savior’s life, Atonement, and Resurrection. I cannot think about the birth of the Savior without thinking of His words to Pilate: “To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice” Christmas is a time to share our gifts, strengthen others, and do our part in the kingdom of God. Christmas is also a time to express our love to others and to bear our testimony of the Savior.............Each week as we participate in the ordinance of the sacrament, we renew the promise of the Savior’s birth in our own lives. We take His name upon us, and we renew our covenant of obedience and our promise that we will always remember Him.

Well the week of Christmas begins, I'm super excited! I'm doing good and I'm enjoying this area and I am having a really good time, I have good people around me, I love this Work! I love my Savior Jesus Christ!! The scripture I want to share this week comes from Helaman 14:5 And behold, there shall a new star arise, such an one as ye never have beheld; and this also shall be a sign unto you..............12 that ye might know of the coming of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and of earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and that ye might know of the signs of his coming, to the intent that ye might believe on his name. I love these scriptures, I love you all! Merry Christmas! ⭐️ 🎁🎄🎅🏻🤶🏻 ⭐️ 

 

Elder Gentry

FOM

Enjoying the Lights

Elder Thornock and I  MTC Companion

 At the temple,  Elder irchell had a recent convert do baptism for the dead!

 Ran into the Szalajko's from Lake reams, I had Christmas with them last year!!

Sister Brady and Sister Olsen 

🎄Holiday Hoobie Whatty🎄 Week #93

What's up Family, this week has been a Wild one! I'm now moved up to Leesburg and getting settled in and things are good! We have been pretty lost tho haha. Elder Birchell and I have been trying to figure things out and get the ball rollin in this area! It does seem like theirs a lot of potential and things could be good here in Leesburg! We weren't left with much direction from the Elders that were here before but so far so good! Elder Birchell is a good guy and we will get along great. I think I'll enjoy my time with him! Crazy to think I just started my Last 12 weeks in the Mission!! 

This week we have been just getting out there and doing what we can to find different people and get to know the area! We have seen some good things, one day we were doing some former followup and this single mother and her two kids answer the door and talk with us for a minute at the door and then Invited us into there home. (doesn't happen often haha) We talked with her and she has been looking for a church for her and her kids to attend. We shared Light the World with them and they really enjoyed it. They seemed very cool and we hope we can teach them and help them learn more about this message we share and how much it can bless their lives!

We have some people that we're being taught before we got here and two that were taught for the first time. we were able to meet all of them this last week, Andre, Debbie, Jonas and Caleb. Andre is a member referral and wants to work towards baptism! Debbie lives above a recent convert who loves to share the gospel! Jonas is a son in law to an active member, we were able to teach him. He's somewhat interested, he has great family support! Caleb is a 10 year old kid who is in the process of being adopted by his grandparents who are active. He's the coolest kid, they all came to church this last week and we will be working with these guys! 

The Ward Christmas party was on Saturday and it went really well, our ward is definitely different!! So many old people but there's nothing wrong with that! They all were super nice and very welcoming! I think I'll like this ward, very loving people!

Something I wanted to share this week comes from Henry B. Eyring, "Gifts of Peace" Christmas is the celebration of a birth. All of us have felt the wonder of seeing a newborn child. We feel humbled as we see the miracle of the tiny features and the promise of the future. We feel tenderness. We feel gratitude. We feel peace. And there comes a feeling of love into our hearts that makes us want to give and to be gentle as we remember whose birth we celebrate. For Christmas is a celebration of a birth like no other. The birth of Jesus had been foreseen by God’s prophets for ages. This birth was the fulfillment of a promise made to us in the spirit world by a loving Heavenly Father. It was the birth of the promised Messiah

This week has been a good one! I think I'll like this area and the people that are around me! I'm doing good, I love this great work! I love my mission! The scripture I would like to share is Luke 2:10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Love this scripture, love you all! Happy Holidays!

Elder Gentry

FOM

🙌🏻Back To The Burg🙌🏻 Week #92

What's Good Family, Things are shaking up for me probably for the last time, I'm headed to Leesburg West, last time I was in the Leesburg Zone I was in Minneola! My new companion is Elder Birchill, I have heard lots of good things about him! I'm really going to miss it here in Olympia, I have really grown close to a lot of the people around me! I love this ward, they really took care of us missionaries. The Flintons, Rich, Nash, Hills, Nelson's, Elender, Bishop Scherer, Baltich, Yolene, Rico, Bernard Family!!! So many Great People oh Jamie cause she was cute LOL I'm also going to miss Elder William "The Chosen One" Russell! I enjoyed my time with him and we were able to accomplish a lot of great work!!

This was a great last week in this area, We Killed it!! I got to go on another exchange with the Homie Elder Gillen, I love being with that guy! We have fun! I'm gonna miss him, he's actually going up to my old area in Deland, he will really like it there!! 

So I went teaching with bro Nash for the last time, I'm going to miss that guy! He's been a really good Ward Mission Leader and he works hard. He's fun to be around and he's been a tru homie!!

We had a couple of good appointments and had a solid night!!

Highlight of the Week was the Sabbath Day for sure, The Bernard's came to church again and loved it just as much as last week! They are soaking everything up and have a ton of great questions. We also planed a lesson for them at the Scherers' home! At first they got to know the Bernard's a bit and then we taught about the pre existence and our life on earth. We read Alma 34:32 and talked about how the Gospel of Jesus Christ provides the way to live with Heavenly Father again. We talked about baptism and Jeff asked if there's a specific way you need to get baptized. He had been baptized before and wanted to know more. We shared 3 nephi 11 where it talked about the mode of baptism established by Christ. We invited them again to prepare for baptism on the 7th of January. They were super down. Kitano Bernard's youngest son (6 yrs old) said the closing prayer and it was adorbs!! I really am going to miss this family and I was thankful for the opportunity I had to teach them and I'm excited for the journey they are on!

Something I wanted to share this week comes from President Henry B. Eyring, To all of us who have come into mortality, the Savior said, “In the world ye shall have tribulation”. Yet He gave this wonderful promise to His disciples during His mortal ministry: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you”. It is a comfort to know that this promise of personal peace continues for all of His disciples today. Some of us live in beautiful and peaceful surroundings, yet we are experiencing inner turmoil. Others feel peace and perfect serenity in the midst of great personal loss, tragedy, and continuing trials. “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” .It is only through following the Savior that any of us can find peace and serenity in the trials that will come to all of us.

Well my time here in Olympia has come to an end, I've loved it, I'm excited to be headed to Leesburg it will be a ton of fun! I love this great work! I love my mission! The scripture I wanted to share this week comes from 1 Nephi 13 ......if they endure unto the end they shall be lifted up at the last day, and shall be saved in the everlasting kingdom of the Lamb; and shall publish peace, yea, tidings of great joy. Love this scripture, love you all!!

Elder Gentry

FOM

🙌🏻I Have Overcome The World.🙌🏻 Week #91

Sa K Pase Fanmi, that's Haitian Creole for What's up Family!! Elder Gentry here once more to bring you the latest and Greatest things about my Mission!! Wow entering Week 6 of the transfer again hah I feel like I'm always saying that!! These weeks go by super fast! Elder Russell and I are still ministering unto the wonderful people of Florida! This last week was pretty good! We get transfer calls this Saturday and I have no clue what could happen, we will see! 

So this is the first week we have been able to share #LIGHTtheWORLD, so far so good! The video was released on Friday, After a day full of planning we left to go visit this Less Active Referral we received. I told myself that the first person I saw and had an opportunity I was going to share the video! As we were biking down the sidewalk I stop and ask this lady who was walking back with some groceries, if I can share the video about Christ! She loved it and said she was looking for a church! We hope to start teaching her.......as we continue biking we make it to the LA Dolores, she is the Nicest old lady, she was baptized in 1975 and was active till she moved to South America cause she felt it wasn't the same. She referred herself online and said she wanted to come back! It's been over 15 years since she was able to make it to church. She came this last Sunday and she loved it!

Thanksgiving was a success!! To start out the day we went to the Hills, they are a wonderful family and made lots of great food! Then we went to Sister Robertson's house for round 2! She is a recent convert and loves the missionary's, we had a lot of fun at her house! To Finnish off the night we couldn't take a round 3 so we just went to another Members house, The Carr family and had some Desserts!! We played some games with the family and just had a good time! 

The Highlight of the week was meeting with This Haitian Family, they speak really good English! We have been teaching for a couple of weeks, this was only our 3rd visit!! They are such a wonderful little family and so eager to learn more about The Gospel of Jesus Christ! We brought a Member who is from Haiti and she was a Relief Society President back home! We start teaching the lesson and we just do a quick review of the Restoration cause we were planning on going into the Plan of Salvation, after the review sister Helas says can I say something? And then she goes off! She teaches the Restoration in Haitian Creole and testifies of the importance of Authority in Christ's Church! The only word I could catch was Jezikri which is Jesus Christ haha, she talks to them for a solid 30 mins answering the questions the parents had! The mother says "I feel the Spirit so strongly and feel so good about what you have said, I want to go to church tomorrow and leave feeling changed" It was a perfect lesson and just what the family needed!! Sunday they all came to church and were there for all 3 hours, they said that they really enjoyed it! In Elders Quorum the father was commenting and even said the Closing Prayer! We hope the best for this family! Please pray for them!!

Something I wanted to share this week comes from The sacramental prayers help us to know how to find peace amidst the tribulations of life. As we partake of the sacrament, we can determine to be faithful to our covenants to follow Him. We each promise to remember the Savior. You can choose to remember Him in the way that best draws your heart to Him. Sometimes for me, it is to see Him in my mind kneeling in the Garden of Gethsemane or to see Him calling Lazarus to come forth from the tomb. As I do, I feel a closeness to Him and a gratitude that brings peace to my heart. You also promise to keep His commandments. You promise to take His name upon you and to be His witness. He promises that as you keep your covenants with Him, the Holy Spirit will be with you. This brings peace in at least two ways. The Holy Ghost cleanses us from sin because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. And the Holy Ghost can give us the peace that comes from having God’s approval and the hope of eternal life. The Sacrament is the most important thing that we do each week! I'm thankful that we have the opportunity to renew our covenants with God!

Wow, Another week in the books! Things are going good here in Olympia! We have seen a lot of good things as of late. I'm thankful for this opportunity to testify of Jesus Christ with my brothers and sisters! The scripture I wanted to share this week comes from John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. Love this scripture, love you all! 

Elder Gentry

FOM