Friday, October 31, 2014
Missionaries Are Called by God
This is a great clip from a talk about the mission call process--only 6 minutes but very powerful!
Monday October 27, 2014
October 21st, 2014
Today was okay, we went tracting for about 3 hours in pretty cold weather. We planted some seeds, no lessons though. Then we went to a Book of Mormon class at the Church. I didn't know we weren't supposed to go unless we had an investigator attending but I found that out when one of the AP's Elder Kunzler told me over the phone... Elder Redd should have known that! I knew we should've been doing something more productive! Tomorrow is District Meeting, the Zone Leaders and Assistants to the President are going to be there so the pressure is going to be on the District Leader, my comp, Elder Redd!
October 22nd, 2014
Today was AWESOME!!! We had District Meeting which was great, the ZL's and AP's were there, (Elder Redd says they were there to see if I am ready to take over the area) hahaha, it was a great meeting about Desire. And how that applies to Missionary Work. Then we went on Exchanges with the ZL's and it turns out that the Elder I went with is from Sugar City, ID and is also named Elder Redd! So that was really cool. He taught me a lot of great things. The last house we stopped by, we talked to a Catholic lady about the Book of Mormon. It was great, we got to answer a lot of her questions and we have a return appointment for her next week. We also went to the Gonzalez's, a less active family. Then we exchanged back at like 7pm, and we went over to Mark and Susan's house with Brother Quenneville (our ward mission leader) for dinner and a lesson. it was INCREDIBLE. We taught and discussed the Priesthood that has been restored on the Earth today, and the importance of baptism under that proper authority. We read 3 Nephi 11 all the way through, and then discussed those things. They had TONS of questions as I expected them to have and we were able to answer them all. Then near the end of the lesson, I felt prompted to ask Mark to offer a kneeling prayer and ask Heavenly Father the questions that were on his mind. As I extended that invitation, I felt the Holy Ghost confirm to me so strongly that that was exactly what I was being prompted to do. He offered a kneeling prayer after I offered the teary-eyed invitation. My heart is so full from today! I know that if Mark continues to pray and to study the Book of Mormon he will be able to find answers to his questions. After the lesson Elder Redd told me that he felt the same prompting to ask Mark to pray, so that confirmed to me even further the reality of the Holy Ghost's witness. What an amazing day full of miracles! I can truly see God's hand in my life, and I know ANYONE can know for themselves these things to be true.
October 23rd, 2014
Today we went and mowed this old lady's lawn in the morning, it was about an Acre and a hlaf. Then we got back, ate lunch, and I went to go get my first haircut in the mission field! I went to Great Clips because I procured a coupon to there earlier in the week. Then we went tracting for about 3.5 hours and we talked to a LOT of people. We're trying a new door approach using a 10 Question survey about family and religion. That has been a more successful approach than others so we are doing it a lot. We don't have many investigators right now so our days will be full of finding activities until we receive more people into our teaching pool.
October 24th, 2014
We went tracting for 4 hours today! I've got the fruits of our labors to show for it too! We have about 4 Potential Investigators now and 1 New Investigator. The NI is named Tony, he was really sincere and we gave him a Book of Mormon and a Restoration pamphlet to read and study through. We're going back to his house in 2 weeks. Then for dinner we went over to the Corder's home, whose son John just got back from his mission in Fiji! That was way cool to talk to him about his mission. We got our halloween packages from my mom today! Thanks so much mom! :)
October 25th, 2014
We went to the Galbraith's for dinner tonight and we had a roast with potatoes and bread! It reminded me of dinners back home! We also received 2 member referrals today! Neither of them were in our area but it testified to us that the members here are definitely doing missionary work!
October 26th, 2014
Today was awesome! We used a ton of miles though. Since my companion is the District Leader, he conducts the Baptismal Interviews for investigators that are being taught in our District. So we had to drive to Chelsea which is about 27 miles away from our apartment. Then we went to church, went to dinner at the Lichtenberg's house, came home, and we ender up with about 80 miles driven in one day which is a lot, especially considering the fact that we were already low on miles... so we will definitely be pulling out the bikes this week! The Lichtenberg's are such a great family! They fed us grilled chicken salad, pizza, smoothies, and chocolate ice cream malts... I am so full right now! They are such a missionary oriented family, I love it. Their son, a newlywed who is living with his parents is going to start coming tracting/or on splits with us at least twice a week! My heart is definitely full today, I can't wait to see what this next week brings!
I know that if we all read the Book of Mormon and pray to know if it is true, Heavenly Father will answer our prayers through the Holy Ghost. We will feel a peace inside, or a "burning of the bosom" and with our whole heart and soul we will KNOW, not just feel or believe, that those things are true. We have something so amazing to offer people who do not know about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, what is holding us back? Let us find that, eliminate it, and get the ball rolling with missionary work. 2 Nephi 2: 6-8. If you read that scripture, there will be no denying in your heart that you have a duty to share the gospel! It is a wonderful and true message, I love it, and live it.
I love you guys, thanks for so much support that you offer me! I feel the strength of you out here in Michigan.
-Elder Goff
Monday, October 20, 2014
Monday, October 20, 2014 It's always sunny in Brighton! Unless it's not...
Haha it's been pretty cold and gloomy here, the whole first week I was here it was sunny and not a cloud was in the sky... But it's been rainy and cold for the past couple weeks so I've busted out that brand new trench coat from Petersons! Anyways, here's my week:
October 13th, 2014
Today was P-Day! The Howell Elders (Elder Beckstrom and Elder Dorsey) came over to our apartment and we played Risk. Then we went to the Wellings for dinner and it was a crazy atmosphere!! Hahaha kids running everywhere and stuff while we ate our food. They stuffed us with food and then kicked us out because they were taking one of their kids (Jesse) out to a movie. So we got back and I did my laundry, and then Elder Redd and I reviewed the lesson we are teaching at institute tomorrow night! I'm obsessed with the song "Glorious" by David Archuleta that was in the "Meet The Mormons" soundtrack. It's so dang good.
October 14th, 2014
Today was New Missionary Orientation! So all of the Elders and Sisters that came in at the same time as me were there. President Gerber gave us a TON of great thoughts and insights. He also clarified some of the rules a few Missionaries are struggling with. Then the two Assistants to the President (AP's) gave a lesson of some sort, and then opened it up for questions. I learned a lot, it was a really great day! I also am really glad I got to see all of my MTC District there, it was so cool to see them again. Then tonight we got to teach institute! The topic was Faith in Jesus Christ. All in all today was great. I feel invigorated moreso than ever before to just get out there and do missionary work. Tomorrow is our Zone Meeting, and then right after that we're going on exchanges! So from 1:00pm tomorrow, until 1:00pm on Thursday, I will be with a different companion! That should be pretty cool.
October 15th, 2014
Today we had Zone Meeting and it was amazing! I learned so much. Then afterwards we started our exchanges! Elder Beckstrom came to Brighton and so I was in charge for the day. Elder Redd went to Howell. Elder Beckstrom and I get along really well. We went tracting for 2 and a half hours, and then after dinner we went street contacting for 1 hour. We taught the Restoration on 1 doorstep! Haha, quite a few people asked if we could come back another day so we will! Elder Beckstrom is a stud. We're going to kill it tomorrow too! I feel that my testimony has grown a lot just from my experiences today at Zone Meeting and with Elder Beckstrom. Especially about the importance of our message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We take it for granted sometimes, but it is literally priceless. That is why we must share it with anyone and everyone we meet, just like Elder Bednar talked about in conference.
October 16th, 2014
Elder Beckstrom went back to Howell today at 1:00pm and Elder Redd came back as well. We knocked on quite a few doors but no one answered! At about 10:45am Elder Beckstrom and I went to Jamie Phillip's apartment (a Less Active in our ward) and read Alma 2 with her because that's where she was in her personal study! It was really awesome! Exchanges are the bomb, I want to have more of them! Susan called us this morning and told us that she had energy without drinking her coffee and that she felt amazing, and that Mark was having the same experience! It truly is amazing what faith in the Lord allows HIM to do.
October 17th, 2014
Today we tracted for about 2 hours all together with not much success. Mark called us around lunchtime though and told us that he is doing well with no coffee too which is awesome!! Later this evening we stopped by a less-actives home and talked with her and got to know her a little bit, she is really cool! I am finally gaining my sense of direction here in Michigan! I can tell if we are going North, South, East or West now, without any Mountains for a reference point! Haha, it's harder than it sounds! And the sky is SO BIG because of the lack of mountains here.
October 18th, 2014
Today was super awesome! And it is my sister Clarissa's birthday! I hope you had a great day Claire! You will be receiving a letter from me with a small gift in the mail soon, I'm sending it out on Monday, so don't freak out and think I have forgotten about you. Don't go crazy with the boys, you can only start dating when I get back home. Same goes for you Courtney!! Haha anyways, today was the Adult session of Stake Conference at 7:00pm, and I was definitely edified and uplifted there. It's pretty cool being here where ward boundaries cover a population of at LEAST 60,000 people. Since there are much fewer LDS people here, the ones who are LDS have a lot more work to do and they recognize that, and take action. The people are so willing to share the Gospel here with their friends and neighbors. It's awesome!! It's so great! We need more of that back home in Meridian and Boise, members taking action and sharing the Gospel regularly. It would make such a big impact! Anyways, the Stake President called all of the full time Missionaries up to the stand, so we all walked up the aisles and stood in the choir seats, then President announced that we would be singing "Called to Serve," so we did, all 31 of us, and it was so cool! The Spirit was so strong, it testified to me that this is where I am supposed to be, and the work that I am doing is more than worthwhile.
October 19th, 2014
Today was Stake Conference! it wasn't nearly as great as the Adult Session last night, but it was still good! We went over to the Yockey's afterwards for lunch and that was super good. Then for dinner we went to the Shamoon's! Brother Shamoon is an Entrepreneur who used to own a large business, sold it, and now flips homes! So I got to talk to him about my Dad's work and stuff so that was neat to have that in common!
I'm doing great guys, thank you for all of your support! I love you all so much. I want you all to know that I have a testimony of how real the Gospel of Jesus Christ is. The same exact church that Jesus Christ established during His mortal ministry on the Earth has been restored, and along with it the Priesthood keys necessary to perform saving ordinances, and direct His Church. I have gained a stronger testimony of Family History work, and how the Spirit of Elijah can influence us in great ways if we diligently seek out our ancestors. I'm so grateful for the opportunity I have to serve the Lord for 2 years!! I will serve with all of my heart, might, mind and strength, and I know the Lord will bless me in my endeavors and my family and friends for my efforts. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Love,
-Elder Goff
Roger Bacon's baptism
Elder Beckstrom and Elder Goff
A few pics of the apartment.
Monday, October 13, 2014
Monday October 13, 2014
Hello everyone,
I'm so pumped for Daylon!! And Tyler holy cow!! Hahaha it's not likely, but it's possible that I could be his trainer! Yeah, all of the missionaries in my district got to see Meet the Mormons like 4 days before it came out in theaters! I liked it a lot. So you don't have to buy me boots, because I'm buying some here today, they are like $110-$120 with this coupon I got in the mail. I can't wait to get the packages! Packages are the best out here haha.
October 6th, 2014
Today was a pretty relaxing P-Day. We went over to the Howell Elder's apartment and played games, and then grilled hot dogs and hamburgers. It was sweet! Then we came back, did laundry, and deep cleaned the whole apartment (To 'Liz Standard'). Used bleach and vinegar. Then we played a game of Chess. I have won 3 games so far, and Elder Redd has won 2. Those were just stupid mistakes I made though, I doubt he'll win again.
October 7th, 2014
Today we went to Mission President interviews. When we weren't getting interviewed, Meet The Mormons was playing in the Relief Society room so I got to watch it before it actually came out! I was really good. At the end I really felt the Holy Ghost testify to me that this is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and true happiness comes from living it and reaping the rewards. I also gave President Gerber the tie his cousin asked me to give him! President liked it so that's good. Anyways, through the rest of this week, I'm going to focus on being a productive and effective missionary, in my studies, finding, and teaching efforts.
October 8th, 2014
First today we went to Jim and Thelma's house, we gave Jim a Book of Mormon las week and he seemed really grateful and he said he would read it. When we got there today he said he was busy and that we should come back another day, but that he had read like 26 pages of it! That was awesome to hear! Then we went tracting in this really nice neighborhood. The first house we went to they said no, but the second house we knocked on they let us in and we taught them The Restoration! It was awesome. Then we sang 'Come Thou Fount for them and they loved it and definitely felt the Spirit!! We're going to help them with some fall cleanup in a week or so, and after that hopefully we can teach them The Plan of Salvation! Their names are Paul and Kay, they are Methodist. They are such nice people, I love them! Then we continued to tract for about an hour and offered a lot of service to people.
October 9th, 2014
Tonight we had our weekly dinner/lesson with Mark and Susan! We taught them the Word of Wisdom. Susan was really against the no coffee standard but after the lesson she and Mark accepted the challenge to refrain from drinking coffee for 10 days. Mark is going on a 10 day hunting trip on saturday, and he said it will be really hard for him not to drink coffee but he said in the closing prayer of the lesson: "God, I know that I am weak in this, and I know I can do it with your help, but I need your help." After that sincere and humble prayer I turned us to a scripture that came to my mind during the prayer. Ether 12:27. It's a great scripture, and Mark's prayer followed the exact outline found there! We are promised that if we humble ourselves before God and know that we are weak and have faith in Him, He will make or weaknesses become strengths. I know that if Mark and Susan put their faith in God, and test the Word of Wisdom out for these next 10 days, then they will feel the promised blessings that this scripture offers us.
October 10th, 2014
Today was pretty boring to be honest haha! We only got to talk with one person, an inactive woman. And we didn't get to teach a lesson or anything because she didn't want to hear it. Fridays are always tough especially in the evening because people are out on dates so no one is home. But today we found out that we are going to be singing "Listen" by Colton Avery on the 26th in sacrament meeting. We invited Mark and Susan to come to that so we hope they will be able to make it!
October 11th, 2014
Today was pretty uneventful too! We had 2 service projects lined up but they both fell through, we tracted for about 3 hours and only like 5 people answered the door, and we didn't get to teach a lesson. That's alright though! The Gospel is still true, no matter how many people reject it or won't hear it. And as long as Elder Redd and I study and work diligently, having faith that we will be blessed, we will be. Tomorrow is my first Fast Sunday in the field!
October 12th, 2014
Today Roger Bacon shared his testimony in Fast and Testimony meeting, and it was really powerful. It was about how he knows that God has an individual plan for each of us, and that everything happens for a reason. Then in Elder's Quorum we got to help ordain Roger to the office of Priest, and confer upon him the Aaronic Priesthood. Then the Elder's Quorum President gave a lesson on Elder Uchtdorf's talk from the Priesthood Session called, "Lord, is it I?" That was a really great talk!! I want to work really hard this week and focus solely on the work and be productive.
That was my week! I'm having a blast, thank you for all of the support! I know that if people will just take a few minutes to let the Missionaries come into their homes and share a lesson with them, that they will be able to feel the Holy Ghost confirm to them that what is being taught is true. If they are seekers of truth, they shall find. I love you!
-Elder Goff
The nice neighborhood we tracted in
Stir Frys I am making with my awesome Mongo's skills!!
The gas here is $3.07!!!
Monday, October 6, 2014
Monday October 6, 2014
September 29th, 2014
Today was my first P-Day out in Michigan! Time is moving pretty fast. Tonight I was like drumming with two of these pens that a kid gave me at the MTC and one of them exploded all over my white shirt... so there are brown ink stains all over it, hopefully I can get them out next P-Day with some bleach. It was a short sleeve though so I won't be missing it too much in the Winter and Spring!!
September 30th, 2014
Today we went over to Brenda Ellen's house at 11:00am and we mowed her 8-ACRE LAWN. Yeah SHAN RODGERS 8-ACRES hahaha I'm givin' ya a run for your money. It took 2 hours straight of mowing on this crazy 3-bladed 0 degree turn lawn mower. I felt so accomplished when I finished it. Holy cow. Other than that though, I felt like today was a waste of time. I want to get out into the area and just TALK to people! But we didn't spend our time very wisely today. We got a referral for the Howell Elders (a small city next-door to Brighton) but that's it. I'm ready to start working hard and opening my mouth wherever I go!
October 1st, 2014
Today we went over to Sister Price's and mowed her lawn which was about 2 acres, again, throughout my mission I think I will have mowed more lawns than Shan has in his life! Haha. Then after that we had District meeting at 11:am. Then we made a delicious stir fry dinner with my fantastic Mongo's skills, and went to the church at 7:00pm for correlation with the ward mission leader, church tour for Mark and Susan at 8:00pm, and Roger Bacon's baptism at 8:30pm. Our investigators Mark and Susan came to Roger's baptism and they loved it!! Then guess what... MARK INVITED US TO HIS HOUSE ON SATURDAY TO WATCH THE AFTERNOON SESSION OF CONFERENCE!! Hahaha it was awesome, we are pretty pumped about that. Anyways, we forgot to turn off the water to the font so when the baptism was about to start we had to hurry and turn it off, drain a lot of the water (it was like half and inch from overflowing), and hurry back into the room. All went well though with the baptism, but then Roger forgot a towel, so it took him like 20 minutes to get ready for the confirmation since we had it on the same day due to conference the next sunday. It all worked out, but was pretty stressful at the time. It was an amazing experience though. Mark and Susan felt the Spirit for sure, and they were so happy.
October 2nd, 2014
Today we tracted a bit, not much success though. HAHAHAHA we went to this one apartment and this guy probably in his later 50's answered the door. We told him who we were and he just looks SO PEEVED at us and he says, "Yeah I know who you are." I said, sensing he really didn't want us to be there, "Could we leave a card with..." He interrupts, "I understand when you come around in the day time but it's 8:30 at night. This is MY TIME." He walks back into his apartment and says audibly, "Jack A's!" Haha that was a funny experience. We have like 3 hours of tracting planned for tomorrow, I hope we can be productive and see some success, little or small!
Octobder 3rd, 2014
Today we went tracting for about an hour, and we did that until about 5:00pm because we had an appointment with a lady named Tina and her family. We taught them the Restoration, and left them with a few pamphlets to read in detail and pray about. They said they are looking for a church to go to so that's awesome!! We are going back to their house on the 12th to help them move, and we might be able to teach the Plan of Salvation to them. At night we went to the Wellings and we gave them some cookies, and helped them assemble a huge kitchen table. The Wellings are SO AWESOME!! Hahaha Mom you would love Sister Welling.
October 4th, 2014
Wow, conference was amazing today. We went to Mark's house and watched the afternoon session with him. He told us that he turned on the TV and started to watch the morning session, and couldn't turn it off because it was so good. He told us that he knows that the Apostles are men of God, and that he can feel the truth of what they are saying. It's so awesome!! We hope he watches Sunday too, he said he would!
October 5th, 2014
Today we watched the morning session in the Jone's home, and the evening session in the Aeschbacher's. They both fed us great meals as well. Because of the time change here, conference starts at 12-2, and then from 4-6, and the Priesthood session went way late last night! Today Mark watched conference at his house and this is what he said about it: "I watched both sessions, it sure was a blessing for me to watch those great men speck." After conference (about 6:45pm) we went out tracting down this road that neither of us had seen before or been on. We were going to go to this apartment commplex right next to it but then we decided to just go down this road. Coincidence? Nope. We hit every house and we came up on the last one, and I had this distinct feeling that we weren't going to get bluntly rejected at the doorstep like we were at most all of the other doors. Sure enough, this guy answers the door and invites us in before we really have a chance to say anything. Turns out he is a preacher for the Brighton Christian Church, and he told us that if he ever has people/missionaries come to his door, he invites them in because he respects what they're doing even though he might not believe personally all that they are teaching, he knows that they have faith in their message. So we talked with him for about an hour and a half about certain doctrines of our Church and The Gospel that he had questions about. He was completely respectful and sincerely wanted to know our beliefs, it was way cool! I left a Book of Mormon with him and he said he would read it, skeptically of course, but he said he would read it! Elder Holland and Elder Bednar's talks in conference were my favorites. No surprise because they are my favorite speakers.
I love you all and thank you so much for supporting me! I know through confirmation by the Holy Ghost that The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only way to obtain true happiness. I'm so glad that I have the opportunity to share it with everyone that I come in contact with here in Michigan. I testify that I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten of the Father, suffered for our sins, and infirmities in the Garden of Gethsamane. That He died on the cross, and overcame death so we could also. I know these things to be true, and I know that anyone who truly wants to know for themselves can find out through the power of prayer as well. I love you all so much. I say this things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
-Elder Goff
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Monday September 29, 2014
September 29, 2014 First P-day in the field!!
_-_Copy.JPG)
President Gerber and his wife picked us up from the airport! It was like a 40 minute drive to the Mission Home. Hahaha yeah that Leonardi guy came up to me and was like: "I need to take a picture of/with you because your mom is worried sick" hahaha so he did. My companion is from Mesa Arizona! His name is Elder Redd! He's cool. My first area is Brighton! It's the best area apparently so I am pretty lucky/unlucky depending on the way you want to look at it. It's downhill from here! Haha we get fed by members or even investigators sometimes EVERY DAY. I've made a few stir frys for lunch though! All of the families in the Brighton Ward are really cool, and EVERYONE is a super good Member Misisonary. Like these people are pumped up about missionary work. The thing is, Brighton is a pretty wealthy place, people are well off here. So it's really hard to get new investigators. The ward boundaries cover a population of about 60,000 people. So when we go to a member's house, they are usually the only member in the neighborhood since the LDS population is so spread out. I'm at the library right now, and I forgot my journal at the apartment so this letter won't be very detailed... My apartment's address is: 615 Flint Rd Apt #1 Brighton, MI 48116. So if you want to sent me any mail or packages, send it there until I find out the next place I'll be transferred, which will be in like 11 weeks or more. Some cool stuff that happened this week: We went to Sister Ml's home (a pregnant woman whose husband is out of town) and helped her clean her garage and organize stuff, and I found out that she is from Boise! She used to live in Hobble Creek!!! So that's cool. Then like I said before, my comp is from Mesa. There's a kid in the Brighton Ward leaving on his mission in a week and a half, can you guess where he's going.........................
Elder Goff and Elder Redd
Ann Arbor and Westland Zone of the Detroit Michigan Mission
(I think this is about half of the missionaries in the Detroit Mission)
This is a Ferrari I saw parked in downtown Brighton. Super sick!!!!
Tuesday September 23, 2014
We thought we would have to wait until next Monday to find out where his first area is and who his trainer is, but luckily someone we know was at the transfer meeting and was able to get a picture with Elder Goff and his companion Elder Redd. This was very exciting for mom especially! I wasn't sure if I could make it until Monday to find out!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)