🎄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

🙌🏻LIGHT the WORLD🙌🏻 WEEK #90

What's up everyone, Elder Gentry sending off another weekly email to update you all on the Work of Salvation here in Sunshine State of Florida, where it's actually getting pretty cold! LOL It might not be that cold, but I've adjusted to the Florida heat and 50 degrees is pretty cold to me. haha Elder Russell and I are still doing our thing, sometimes on bikes but it's all good we are still trying to be productive. We have seen a lot of good things to takeaway from this week!

Zone Conference was this week and it was really good, Elder Schwitzer of the seventy came and did some trainings. He talked a lot about repentance and how we can help those we teach understand the need to repent! We also received our Christmas Initiative for this year which is "#LIGHTtheWORLD it focuses a lot on service and how we can share the gospel by serving. A video will be released on Nov 25th and I invite everyone to share that video with someone!! It centers around Christ and how he served everyone with love and how we can serve those around us and share that love we have received from the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

So update on Karen, She will not be getting Baptized on November 26th. She will be baptized, it's just a matter of time. She is still out of town and things have happened where she has to have surgery, sooo as soon as she makes it home we will be able to meet with her again and set a new date for baptism. It's all good! Everything works out in the Lords timing!

This week we have seen some success finding, we have been tying to work through part-member family's and we have met one that has a lot of potential. It is a family of 4. Mother and 3 daughters 14,11, and 6 the 2 oldest have not been baptized. We had a lesson on Saturday and we brought with us the Young Women's President to help out. We shared the restoration and how important it is for them to come to know that the message we share is true! The mother has explained to us that when she was baptized at age 12 she felt forced so she doesn't want her kids to feel the same way but to be able to make their own decision. We feel pretty good about them and are excited to teach them. 

Ok so a couple of weeks ago, we get a Bible referral and we knock on the door and this woman answers and she immediately invites us in and we teach her and her 15 year old son the restoration! Fast forward to this week and we go over there again and meet the whole family. They were really cool and they seemed very interested in the message that we share. We are excited to see where it could go.

Something I wanted to share this week comes from David A. Bednar ,May we increasingly learn and more fully understand that Jesus Christ is the “light which shineth in darkness.” In every season of our lives, in all of the circumstances we may encounter, and in each challenge we may face, the Savior is the light that dispels fear, provides assurance and direction, and engenders enduring peace and joy. May the beautiful lights of every Christmas season remind us of Him who is the source of all light.

Things here are going really good, we are having some struggles but that's just apart of this work. I love this work! I'm excited for thanksgiving this week! I'm doing great, the scripture I would like to share this week comes from Alma 38:9 And now, my son, I have told you this that ye may learn wisdom, that ye may learn of me that there is no other way or means whereby man can be saved, only in and through Christ. Behold, he is the life and the light of the world. Behold, he is the word of truth and righteousness. Love this scripture, love you all! Happy Thanksgiving! 

Elder Gentry

FOM

Cute puppy 🐶 

I saw Willie this week!

Zone Conference!!

🙏🏻 #Blessedwithcheatcodes 🙏🏻 Week #89

What's Good everyone,

 Elder Gentry here again to preach a few words! My week was good with a little bad hah not everything can be perfect!! We were able to get some good things done and we still turnin' up! We have been doing a lot of finding lately which isn't always my favorite but it's all good, We be Busy! Haha just about everyone we talked to this week wants to talk politics haha ain't nobody got time for that!! 

To start off the week I got to go on an exchange with Elder Gillen, it was a good time for sure, Gillen is just one of my bros so it was nice be with him again!! We were slavin' all day building a fence for a non-member. It was a lot of hard work. Let's just say he better investigate the Church after all the work we put it in haha jk it was nice to help out. My feet were killing, I forgot my shoes so I had to squeeze into his shoes and it wasn't the best idea.

Update on Karen, she is still doing well. We only got to have one visit this week because she had a loss in the family and she went up to South Carolina! She will be back this next week and we are still preparing her for the 26th of November for Baptism! 

This week one of the members that I've been able to get tight with was admitted to the hospital, his name is Rich! He was experiencing numbness on his left side and shortness of breath. So he went straight to the hospital because he thought it was something to do with his heart. Turns out he's just been over stressed like crazy!! So everything was fine. He just needs to chill out hah We did however go and give him a blessing, it was a neat opportunity to be able to do that. Rich has definitely become one of my homies here in Olympia and he's someone I'll keep in touch with hah!!

We got to go teaching with one of our good friends in the ward Rico, he's about 26 yrs old and  he loves missionary work! He didn't serve a mission when he was younger and always tells us he wants to help out and how he's on his mission now!! We visited this really cool family, the mother was a Bible referral and as soon as we knocked her door, she answered and invited us in immediately, she was very welcoming! we taught her and her kids The Restoration and we think they really liked it. They invited us to come back next week. We are looking forward to seeing them again! Rico, On Sunday received the Melchizedek Priesthood and it was really cool to be in the room, his grandfather and grandmother traveled from Hawaii and it was a very emotional experience for them, the grandfather ordained him and gave him a beautiful blessing. It was their first grandchild to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood! The Spirit was very strong and I know that's because the Priesthood is a real power that God has given us to bless others! I'm thankful for the Priesthood!

The primary program was this week, those cute little kiddies got up and sang some songs haha we sang one song with them "Bring The World his Truth" it was pretty good I really enjoyed the program! 

Oh to explain the title of this email, this hilarious family, The Wades were explaining to us what the scriptures are and how they are cheat codes for life, if we read and listen to the scriptures we can get through life easier Hahahah it was pretty great!! 

Something I wasted to share this week comes from General Conference in a talk given by our Prophet Thomas S. Monson. "Love--the Essence of the Gospel" We cannot truly love God if we do not love our fellow travelers on this mortal journey. Likewise, we cannot fully love our fellowmen if we do not love God, the Father of us all. The Apostle John tells us, “This commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.” We are all spirit children of our Heavenly Father and, as such, are brothers and sisters. As we keep this truth in mind, loving all of God’s children will become easier. Actually, love is the very essence of the gospel, and Jesus Christ is our Exemplar. His life was a legacy of love. Charity has been a focus for me this week I know that Jesus Christ is the perfect example of that!

Wowohwow what a long email hahaha, can't believe we are half way done with this transfer. Things are going good here in Olympia so I'm just going to keep killin' it wit Elder Russell!! I'm doing good, feeling Blessed as always! I know this work is Tru!! The scripture I wanted to share this week is Ether 12:34....I know that this love which thou hast had for the children of men is charity; wherefore, except men shall have charity they cannot inherit that place which thou hast prepared in the mansions of thy Father. Love this Scripture, Love you all have a good week!!

Elder Gentry

FOM

😂👊 Fist Bump kind of Week ✊😂 Week #88

What's up everyone,

 Elder Gentry once again makin' his declaration from the East Coast!! November is here but it's still hot haha I guess it's better than biking in the snow!! This week was very long due to riding those bikes Monday thru Friday, but nevertheless we had a great week and we made the most of it! Elder Russell and I are killin it, the area has been a work in progress but the work coon and I did is really helping at this point in time!   

This week we had a really good lesson with our investigator Karen, we were able to bring a member out with us to help out and they were able to relate a lot and it really helped, we taught her the Plan of Salvation and she Loved it!! The knowledge of the Plan of Salvation can change everything, it brings comfort knowing God has a plan for us!! At the end of the lesson we were talking about baptism and we set a date for her to be baptized on November 26th Woohoooo!! So exciting, she was so happy! She loves the Gospel and she's learning a ton! She has come to church 2 weeks in a row and things are looking really good for her!

We have been doing a lot of Part Member finding, the bishop has stressed the importance of working with the Part Member family's, this week we found a new Part member family and we had a really good lesson with them, we hope we continue to teach them and help them live the Gospel!! 

Something I wanted to share this week comes from General Conference, "Sharing the Restored Gospel" Dallin H. Oaks, Sharing the gospel is not a burden but a joy. What we call “member missionary work” is not a program but an attitude of love and outreach to help those around us. It is also an opportunity to witness how we feel about the restored gospel of our Savior. As Elder Ballard has taught, “A most significant evidence of our conversion and of how we feel about the gospel in our own lives is our willingness to share it with others.” I testify of Jesus Christ, who is the Light and Life of the World. His restored gospel lights our way in mortality. His Atonement gives us the assurance of life after death and the strength to persist toward immortality. And His Atonement gives us the opportunity to be forgiven of our sins and, under God’s glorious plan of salvation, to qualify for eternal life, “the greatest of all the gifts of God”

Things are going really good!! I'm loving it, just making the most of the time I have left! I'm excited for this next week, I'm going on an exchange with a former companion Elder Gillen and were going to party, I love Gillen, The scripture I want to share this week is Alma 5:49 And now I say unto you that this is the order after which I am called, yea, to preach unto my beloved brethren, yea, and every one that dwelleth in the land; yea, to preach unto all, both old and young, both bond and free; yea, I say unto you the aged, and also the middle aged, and the rising generation; yea, to cry unto them that they must repent and be born again. Love this scripture, love you all!! 

Elder Gentry

FOM