March 10, 2014

Dear family,

 

It has been another amazing week here in Arizona!  We're still working with the investigator I mentioned in my last letter.  She seems to be doing really well and is just loving everything that she learns.  She is still on date to be baptized for the 26th.  Almost everyone in our zone has someone on date to be baptized this month and most are on date for the 29th.  Our zone is three stakes so it's really exciting to see everyone finding success.  I wouldn't be suprised if some of them are from the temple.  An investigator from my last area is also being baptized on the 29th and I will be able to go to that.  I'm really excited to be there for that.  It makes it really easy when I'm only a couple miles away from my last area.

 

Last night we had dinner with a part member family.  Missionaries have been working with the non-member husband for several months.  We were able to have dinner with the family and teach a lesson afterwards.  This was the first time we have met with him since the family went to the open house, so we talked about the temple.  The parents were telling us about how special it was to be in the temple as a family.  The husband was also telling us about how he felt comfortable there and how it felt familiar.  He also mentioned how it just felt right.  He said he still wasn't ready to change, but we could tell he was getting so much closer.  It was amazing to hear this family's experience of going to the temple and what it meant to them.  It has been hard to meet with him because of his work schedule, but we hope to meet with him more.

 

This week we stopped by a less active family that no one has been able to meet with ever since they have moved in.  After stopping by a couple times we were able to meet them and set up time to come to their home to show them the temple presentation that we have been showing to all the members.  Yesterday they came to church for the first time in a long time.  We also met another less active family with a son that is 19.  The son has just been working and hasn't decided what he is going to do next.  We stopped by again a couple days later and the son told us about how he was talking to his mom about coming back to church and about going on a mission.  It's amazing what one visit can do.

 

Next week is transfers so I will let you know next week if there will be a change.  There is a very slim chance that I would be leaving since I have only been here for a transfer.

 

I'm so grateful for this chance to be a missionary!  I love you all so much!  Thanks for all your prayers.

 

Love,

Elder Joshua Gandy