Week 30

Many of the Spanish Missionaries at Zone Conference

  This morning I received the transfer call, so it was officially my last week here in Arkansas.  It was a pretty awesome week, and a great way to end it here after 6 months.  I really have loved serving here in this area.  The branch members have been really awesome, and I'm grateful to have been able to serve with them.  I will definitely miss it here and serving with Elder Meyers, I've learned so much, and will miss all the amazing people in the area.  The good news is that I will most likely be going to Memphis!!!  There are a ton of Hispanics there as well, so I'm really excited for some new memories and for the amazing people that the lord will put into my path. Elder Heaton is being transferred as well, and there is a really good chance that we are both going to Memphis!!  So that will be super sweet!

   Well the best part of this week is that we were able to have the Baptism for Yubiritzi!!  And as well as the North Spanish Sisters investigator Orlando.  Before the baptism we went to Monica's house to help bring food, because she wanted to feed us before the baptism.  Yubiritzi had made a cake, and super good cupcakes with chocolate dipped strawberry's on top.  She was really excited for the baptism!  We had the baptism at 8 that night.  Once again a ton of the Branch members showed up to the baptism, which was great!  It has been so nice to have such great support from the Branch, and you can already see the difference.  The baptismal service went really well, and Cassandra (Yubiritzi's sister) even gave the talk on Baptism which was super cool!  It's so amazing to see them altogether in the gospel as a family.  I will miss them so much, but I know they will continue to be faithful and do many amazing works.  Yesterday we were able to confirm Yubiritzi in Sacrament meeting.  It's been amazing seeing the light in the Ramos family as they have taken these great steps in their lives.

                                                    Enjoying marshmallows Yubirizti made!

  Other than that we were able to follow up on some really cool investigators that we had met in the last couple weeks.  We have a lot of potential coming up, so I'm looking forward to here the continued success that Meyers and his new companion will have.  I can't really focus on writing right now, so sorry if this email has been kind of scattered.

Elder Tyler Hunt and Elder Braden Geddes

 I have seen Tyler Hunt a few times, and the other day got a picture with him at our meeting so I will send that.  

It was a great week overall, and I can't believe how fast the time is still flying.  It was a little crazy this week, because of the snow and ice, so we weren't able to work as much on some days. Overall it was a great week to end on here in Little Rock.  I hope that you have an awesome week.  Love you lots!

Love, Elder Geddes

        Bro. Wells who came to the Spanish Sacrament Meeting Every Week.

He speaks fluent Spanish and French!                 

     

Missionaries and Javier (former Elder Ramirez) coming back to his mission for a visit.

Week 29

 1st snow/ice storm

   Well today I have officially experience my first ice/snow storm here in the South!  It is a lot different then a snow storm in Utah.  Basically everything is closed down, and everyone is staying inside their houses.  It happened last night but all the roads are still pretty frozen, even the freeway was completely iced over.  We have been super lucky this winter though. This is the first time we have gotten any snow or ice.  The other day it was 60 degrees, it's been pretty unreal!  

  This week was another great week, and it went by extremely fast. I can't believe that this transfer is almost over.  These last 2 transfers with Meyers have flown by, I've really enjoyed serving with him, and the work we have been doing together has been great.  Most likely I will be transferred on the 25th, and Meyers will finish his mission in this area next transfer.  But you never know, I'll let you know next Monday!

  Well first off earlier in the week we went on exchanges with the Zone Leaders (English Elders) for a day.  I stayed in this area, and it went really well.  I've been so blessed to be able to understand and speak Spanish pretty decently. That night we had a dinner and lesson with Monica and the family.  Earlier we had asked a member to come with us. He said he would be able to.  So we go to Monica's and have a great dinner.  The English elder said he hadn't eaten that much food in months ha!ha!  We always get fed a ton as Spanish missionaries, and when you ask for just a little bit more they give you a giant plate full of food!  Hispanic people are the greatest!  Even random investigators, or people we just barely met will feed us!   After eating we watched the Finding Faith in Christ movie with the family, It really invited the spirit strongly.  Then after we talked about it and focused on enduring to the end, and never forgetting our baptismal covenants that we made.  The member Hno. Olivares who came with us really helped as well, and shared some great experiences.  It was one of the best lessons we have had there, and the spirit was extremely strong.  Yubiritzy was there and we were able to set a Baptismal date with her for the 21st (this Saturday).  Then after we left Hno. Olivares told me that when we texted him that morning his first text he responded "that he wouldn't be able to come, because he had some things to get done",  but our phones are messed up sometimes and we received his message blank.  We told him that then he responded again saying that he wouldn't be able to come, but again we received it blank.  He took that as a sign that the God needed him to be there that night.  The third time he responded that he could come, and we received that text.  It is so amazing how the Lord works in many ways, I know for sure that he was meant to be there that night.  He's such a great example, and I thought that was an awesome example of obedience and listening to the spirit.

  Other than that, this week we were able to visit one of our investigators Elmer and teach him the Restoration.  Every week we play soccer in the church, and he has been there about every time. He's always super nice, and he wasn't busy one night so we were able to go an teach him.  The lesson went really well.,  He really seems to understand what we are teaching, and has a desire to learn more and become a better person.  He came to Church on Sunday for the second week in a row, and hopefully  we will be able to go over and teach him more a few times this week.  It's so cool seeing the soccer activity turning into more of a success.  We have over 15 non- members every week. If it was meant for one person to accept the gospel, it's all worth it!  But it's been great, and a good way to get people familiarized with the church.  

   As for our other investigators we are still looking pretty solid with a lot of potential.  Gustavo and Arecelys are still awesome, and we can't wait to teach them more.   We have met a ton of new people in that trailer park where they live.  We have a few solid investigators there. It's amazing how one referral to someone that lived in that trailer park has led us to meeting so many great people, even though the original referral the person didn't even live there.  This week we should be having that baptism on Saturday, and we are really looking forward to that!

Elder Geddes with the Barrientos family (Banch President's family)   

It sounds like you had a good week, I hope that you had a great Valentines day as well!   Have an awesome week, and thank you so much for the email!

Love you!

Elder Geddes

Week 28

Family Home Evening at President Wakolo's Home

  This week was a super awesome and a really busy week!  We were over at Monica's almost every night this week, helping them prepare for the baptism and teaching a few of the lessons that the daughters had missed. It's always great going over to their house, because they are super friendly and just easy to talk to.  They all ask really good questions when they don't understand something.  On Saturday we had el servicio bautismal at night around 8.  Monica, Cassandra (18) and Yubiritzy (Jubitsy 12) arrived early.  When they arrived Monica told us that Yubiritzy didn't want to be baptized.  Monica's brother had said some anti stuff, so it scared her and she didn't feel she was ready.  It was a little sad but we aren't to worried, and she probably will be baptized in a few weeks.  Yubiritzy even came the next day to church as well.  Monica and Cassandra are super strong already, and they knew that the stuff the brother had said wasn't true.  Monica even told one of the members that the it didn't matter to her what her brother said to her or anyone else, because she has already received an answer for herself and knows that the church is true.  She is so awesome!!  The baptismal service for Monica and Cassandra went really well.  There was a bunch of people there, A lot of the branch came which is super rare.  We got permission to do a baptismal side confirmation as well.  The spirit was super strong during the service, and Cassandra y Monica were really happy.

 

Baptism of Monica and Cassandra

  It was pretty cool, some of our investigators showed up and they are super cool (Aracelys y Gustavo)  I think I told you about them a little while back.  They were kind of late, but because of the whole thing with Yubiritzy they were able to make it before the meeting started, so a blessing in disguise!  They really liked the baptismal service, so we are really looking forward to teaching them more.  

 

  At the end of the baptismal all the members went and congratulated Cassandra y Monica.  They have really been accepted into the Branch super well, and already know a ton of members.  I can't stress enough how much easier it is to teach when we have the help of the members.  So that was great, and it was an amazing feeling being able to see the success of our labors and bring them unto baptism., The first step of an amazing journey ahead.  I can't wait to see all the amazing works they are going to do in the church

 

  Other than that it was just a great week, and we have  lot of work to do this week.  Our area is really picking up, and we have quite a few really solid investigators right now.  We even had Elmer who always plays soccer with us every week come to church for the first time, that was super sweet! He's such a cool guy!  It will be a little sad leaving this area if I get transferred in a couple weeks. It's been such an amazing place with so many great people, but "a ver" (we'll see). 

 

It sounds like you had a pretty great week as well.   I hope you have a great Valentines day!   Have an amazing week!

 

Love,

 

Elder Geddes

 

                                                           

Week 27

  Well this week started out pretty interesting with a call from Sister Bowling (from the mission office) and she said "Elder Geddes your mom just called, and I have some really bad news" So I was thinking did someone die, or something like that?   Then she told me about someone using my debit card.  So I was relieved in that sense!  I called Wells Fargo and figured it all out I think. Hopefully itt will all work out!  Crazy how that happened because before that $1 purchase at Taco Bell I hadn't used that card since the 5th of December.  Anyways thank you for noticing that and helping me out!

   This week was another super awesome missionary work here in Little Rock.  It was our Bike week, but we really lucked out with almost perfect weather all week.  No rain, and it was pretty warm the whole week!  We had a couple great lessons with Monica and her family again this week.  Both times members were able to come with us, and they loved the lessons and are still continuing reading in the book of Mormon as a family!  It's so cool to see how happy they are and their progression in the gospel.  Monica even asked us to get an English Book of Mormon so her daughter Jubitsi would be able to understand it better, and have no excuse for not reading with them! haha.! They basically already seem like members of the branch!  On Sunday the whole family was able to come to church again (Monica, Cassandra,, Jubitsi) and they brought a cousin again as well!  They really enjoyed church, and the spirit was really strong during the fast and testimony meeting.  Come to find out Cassandra works with a member from the Branch at a beauty salon, so even more fellowshipping!  The baptism for Saturday night looks really good, and they are getting really excited.  It has been so great teaching them, because they ask a lot of questions which help them understand it even easier.  We are super excited for the Baptism on Saturday, and we are going to working with them a lot this week preparing them for it! Tonight we have the FHE with them in the Mission home with the Wakolo family.  That should go really well, even though President can't speak Spanish the spirit will be super strong there.  And that's the update on the Ramos family!

 Other than that we were able to meet some really cool people, and get back in contact with some great people that we haven't seen for a while.  We were able to see and investigator Joanna who just had a family member die, but we have just been able to talk with her and offer our help.  The second time we went back it was after the funeral and she was super tired, but still talked to us outside for a while. She was saying that her sister was telling her Pastor that he didn't offer any help, but the Mormon Missionaries did it was kind of funny!  So it was a good way to gain trust and confidence with Joanna, and we are going to try and start teaching her now that everything has kind of calmed down.  We taught a the restoration to a man named Raul and the spirit touched him strongly during the lesson.  You could tell he knew it was true.  He wanted to come to church but it rained, and most people don't come to church when it rains.  But we are going to go back and teach him more, we're looking forward to that.  And we were also to get back in contact with Aracelys and Gustavo in that same trailer park, they were super awesome again and want to come to the baptism as always!

Overall an awesome week, and the Branch is on the uprise little by little.  The members are starting to get involved, which makes things work so much better.  We have a lot of potential investigators so hopefully we can get a lot of them to start progressing!

Well that's about all for the week, sorry if the email was disorganized, but it's fine!  Thank you tons for the email.  Love you!

Love,

Elder Geddes

Mtn. Pinnacle last week

Elder Geddes' new friends!