Lift up your voices as with the sound of a trumpet November 3, 2014

¡Buenos!

Tortilla Count: 55

Steps (Since Thursday):40028

Wow! What an amazing birthday I had this week! I am so grateful for all of the many wonderful letters notes! This was one of the most amazing birthdays! The members here are so amazing. I had 2 cakes made for me and a piñata! Also, my wonderful companion gave me a tie that is made of material typical to Guatemala! We were able to work hard and I was so blessed. All that I really wanted for my birthday was to find someone that was ready to hear the gospel. First of all, while tracting we found many amazing people that is was not chance that they were placed in our path. One example was a women was walking from the cemetary where she was visiting the graves of her children. We were able to talk to her a little a bit about the plan of Salvation and we have a lesson with her this week! This next one is the most amazing. The night of my birthday we were eating dinner at the house of one of the members who made me a cake. We were talking, and ended up talking about a man that they knew that had listened to the missionaries about 4 years ago but he was addicted to alcohol so could not be baptised. So, that moment we called him up. His name is Gerardo, and he was in our phone but we thought that his number was the number of a member, so we did not know that he was a past investigator. We called the number, and he answered! So, we set up an appoinment with him. On saturday, we had a lesson with him. We taught him about the restoration of the gospel, and the spirit was so amazingly strong. At the end of the lesson, I felt more prompted than ever before to  invite him to follow Jesus Christ and be baptised. And you know what, he said yes and that is all that he wants! Wow! Only one problem, he leaves for the border of El Salvador to work for the next month... So, we taught him how to pray and told him that we are excited to get in contact with him when he is back and prepare for his baptism! SO awesome!

This week we took an entire day to contact. We started the day of with Park preaching Alma and Amulek style. Elder McDonald stood on a wall and preaching while the rest of us gathered people to listen and took turns sitting on the ground to gain their attention! It was very successful and we were able to spread the word. After this we went around, talking to everyone that we could talk to, and spreading the good word. So many miracles and so many people that Heavenly Father put in our path that are ready to learn about how to be the happiest possible. This week we are working on having lessons with all of the people that we contacted!

On Saturday we have a baptism with our investigator Maritza, and I will be sure to take pictures! We are still working with the familia Sopchavez, but the father and son did not come to church again this week... 

Testimony Time:

Along with this birthday present from God, on my birthday for the first time I held a converstation with someone for about 20 minutes, all in spanish! She did not even have a problem understanding me! Heavenly Father has blessed me so much, and I know that he has given me the gift of tongues. Just yesterday a member told me that I am so intelligent because my spanish is so amazing with such short time, but I know that it is not me. God wants for his children to know about the truth, and me being his servent he has blessed me to be able to teach them. The title for this email is in D&C  33:2. This was the most impactful for me this week as I have learned to talk to people that I have never met in a language that I am learning. Each day I pray for the courage and the strength to talk with everyone, and Heavenly Father blesses me with that. I know how powerful prayer is, and all we have to do is ask, sincerely believing that we will receive. My cousin Kenz mentioned about missionaries having powers and I now know that is true! I know that God loves us! As I have turned my weeknesses to him, he has made them into strengths and as I have faith he helps me with all that I need. 

¡Adios, nos amo!

Elder Richardson

The streets that Gabe travels.

Seth asked Gabe if they celebrate Halloween:  They actually dont really celebrate halloween... But day of the dead was the first! They like to play marimbas and party. Not a lot of people out to teach...  I also saw a member family kill a pig, cochie. It tasted sooo good! I am so glad to hear from you! Love you so much!