Week of August 4, 2008 -- To Mom

 Dear Family and friends,

Yesterday was my month in the mission field.  Wow-o-wow!!!!  I just can't believe it's been that long.  Time, even though it goes by so slow at times, rushes by in an instant; it's incredible.  I'm glad to hear that the earthquake wasn't too damaging, but I did hear that it was big.  Mom, you haven't given me any details on it.

The last two days have been the most humid days in IOWA so far.  The weather is just so spontaneous, but it hasn't been that bad of a summer (besides the last two days).  I still have winter to enjoy, and I heard that the last one was just terrible--one of the worst in Iowan history, so we'll see.

It's been a crazy week.  Thanks for the package mom.  I just had to laugh at the music that I got on my CD; the music "That my mom approves for listening on the mission."  It's a great relief to remember you through music.  But I'm sure that the CD could hold more than 9 songs!!!!  Oh well.  You won't believe it, but I have been using the cookbook.  We made Banana bread yesterday and it turned out sooooo good.  Not to mention that we have been cookin' awesome chicken.  I didn't know that I learned so much from dad when he prepared the chicken.  We simmer the chicken in lemon juice...it's so savory with added spices that I prepare for the chicken.  The fast yesterday made me appreciate food a whole lot more, especially as a missionary.

I, with the help of my companion, have found someone that is ready to hear and accept the gospel.  Her name is Allison Hill and she is 21.  We met her doing service at the House of Compassion, which is a sort of homeless shelter/soup kitchen/halfway house here in town.  She was helping me serve Pizza to the people that came for the food that was served at the soup kitchen.  We started talking and she told me that she had been saved.  She then asked me what I felt it meant to be saved...and I told her what I felt.  I then asked her (after some more talking) if she would want to be taught our beliefs.  What was crazy is she thought that I was asking her if she would like to serve a mission.  And she said yes.

We went to her house and had a long walk with her and talked about family and stuff.  Then we sat down and taught her a spirit-felt first lesson.  Oh man, it was amazing.  We gave her the book of mormon with 3 Nephi 11 to read and the Plan of Salvation pamphlet.  What was so awesome is she called us up that night, telling us how much she enjoyed reading the Book of Mormon AND the Plan of Salvation pamphlet.  Elder McLaws says that I have a connection with her so he let me take her questions one by one over the phone.  She noticed a particular scripture that talked about baptism and asked about that.  She also had many questions about the Plan of Salvation.  I did my best to answer, and I extended her a soft commitment to be baptized.  She said she didn't know yet...but she would think about it.  I was just amazed.  We are definitely going to do our best to keep bad influences out of her life and feeling the spirit.  It's so cool.  I expect many great things to come from Allison.  I'm so excited.

Yesterday at church, I played babysitter for five kids...it was crazy.  Fortunately I had pieces of paper, pens, and my camera.  La familia Villalobos made it to church yesterday as did La familiy Hernandez (who we call the Santos family), who are both less active families.  It was crazy entertaining 5 kids.  I hardly got any of the testimonies, but I helped keep the kids in line.  They have two cute girls named Rebecca and Patricia that are really sweet but can be a terror together if you let them run loose.

We worked our butts off last week.  President Talbot has asked us to get 10 hrs of tracting from now on and also to get 140 OYMs.  I went on my first exchanges with Elder Curtis.  It made me appreciate my companion a whole lot more.  Although, elder curtis is an awesome memory, I was starving by the end of the day and they had absolutely nothing to eat at their house.  It was terrrible.

The next day (thursday) my companion and I traveled the farthest distance on a bike ever.  We had no Idea where a trailor park was and it was on the outskirt of town about five miles south.  Fortunately we met many people down their.  The ride back was excruciating on the muscles and a bit scary because we got so caught up in the work, it was way late at night when we left.  It was a blast though.

We finally took our rest yesterday without meaning to do it.  It was well needed and I feel well deserved.

IOWA is an awesome place and I learn something new everyday.  I hope all is well outside of IOWA and I would love to receive snail-mail post from whomever.  Keep on spreading the gospel.

Love to all,

Elder John C. Gonzales