February 24, 2014

Dear family,

 

Wow! What a week!  There have been a lot of exciting things happening this week and there are many more this next week!  We had zone conference this week and I always look forward to zone conference.  I always enjoy being taught by Pres. Nattress and the other mission leaders.  I wish I could copy all of my notes into this email.  I love the spirit that is always in those meetings.  

We also got to help at the Gilbert temple this week.  They needed help moving all of the furniture out of the temple so they can put up chairs for the dedication.  They moved the furniture to the stake center that is right next to the temple.  So we got to help move furniture out of most of the rooms including the sealing rooms and the celestial room.  We had to make sure everything was taken out very carefully.  We had to make sure we didn't hit any corners or drop anything.  We successfully moved everything without breaking anything.  We ended up seeing most of the temple again and parts of the temple that we didn't see at the open house.  It was interesting to see the celestial room with no furniture.  The Gilbert temple is really so beautiful.

 

This next Sunday is the temple dedication and Saturday is the cultural celebration.  The cultural celebration is the largest the church has ever done for a temple dedication.  There are about 12,000 youth participating.  Pres Monson and Pres. Eyring are both coming for the dedication.  All the youth are really excited to perform for the prophet.  The dedication and the celebration will be broadcast to all the stake centers in Arizona.  The celebration will also be on TV and online I believe.

 

We have been helping our investigators more with their yard.  We finished planting all the trees but they needed more help.  We didn't have to dig too big of holes because trees were really small still. We've been trying to introduce them to more of the people in the ward.  We also got to teach a part member family more about the temple.  

We had two of our other investigators come to church.  These investigators have been investigating the church for a long time, but have only come to church once.  One of them is actually 93 and the other is in her 60's.  It's a mother and daughter that live together.  They really loved church and said they would come back.  I'm really excited to work will all of our investigators!

 

I love being out on a mission!  Every day is exciting and something new.  I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ!  I know He lives and loves all of us!  I'm so grateful for the chance to be here in Gilbert at this amazing time.  I love you all!  Thanks for all your prayers.

 

Love,

 

Elder Joshua Gandy

 

P.S. We found out at zone conference that we might be starting to use facebook in the next few weeks and I just wanted to make sure that no one changed my password.